This is the final section of Proverbs, chapter one. In this passage Solomon gives wisdom a voice. He described wisdom as a person. Personification is a tool writers, speakers and teachers use to attribute human qualities to that which is not human; in this case, wisdom.
Now this entire passage is a warning about rejecting what wisdom has to offer. When we reject wisdom, he tells us, there are often consequences and usually those consequences are bad. After all, one way we get wisdom is by experiencing failure and learning the lessons failure has taught us.
So when we fail and do not learn from our failure we reject the treasure which wisdom offers. Likewise, when we reject the counsel of those who have failed and learned and who warn us that we may be headed for a similar downfall, we are foolish.
In the process of warning about rejecting the "voice" of wisdom, Solomon also speaks to us about a Biblical principle which we find throughout the scriptures. Here's how the Apostle Paul communicated this principle to the church in Galatia.
We usually simplify his law to read, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." And we can simplify it in a more general sense to state that "whatever happens causes something else to happen;" cause and effect.
If you've ever played billiards you've seen Newton's law in action and those who play billiards well have learned to exploit this law to their greatest advantage. We've also seen cause and effect in many other arenas of life including how our actions can bring about a reaction from someone else or in the area of finance how our spending can bring about the reaction of crippling debt.
Paul doesn't mince words. He states matter-of-factly that what we sow will bring about a reaping (or a reaction). It's important to note that Paul shows us that sowing and reaping works both positively and negatively. In other words, negative and sinful actions will bring about negative and sinful consequences while positive and righteous actions bring about positive and righteous consequences.
So Solomon warns us that we ignore wisdom at our peril. When we reject the wisdom of the scriptures, the wisdom gained from our own experiences and the wisdom offered by those who have traveled a similar path and know what we might be headed for from their experience, then we are placing ourselves in a position where the consequences may be at least negative or at worst, dire.
It's not easy to be corrected when we are wrong. But we are foolish to ignore wise correction.
What do we learn here? We learn that correction is a form of sowing that can eventually produce a harvest (or reaping) of righteousness. Parents correct their children because they know the results will make their children better people.
Parents, correction is your duty and one that shouldn't be shirked. Likewise, friends, family, brothers and sisters in Christ all have a responsibility to share their wisdom and to offer correction when necessary. It's not easy to give correction and it's certainly not easy to receive it, but if our goal is to partake in God's holiness, then responding well to wisdom must be something we strive toward. The result, we read in Hebrews, is a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.


Hey everyone! Happy Easter! Hope you're all enjoying your holiday at home with your loved ones. This is my favorite time of year, probably because it's finally acceptable to wear pastels, not that it stops me at any other time of the year. Finally, I don't stick out like a sore thumb though! I've whipped up quite a delicious (and EASY) cocktail for your Easter festivities. My Carrot Orange Mimosa is literally three ingredients and is sure to impress your holiday guests. Although perfect for Easter, where brunch meals are the norm, this drink is acceptable to serve throughout the Spring season OR any other time of the year that you want to add a little special something to your regular classic mimosa. Get creative with in-season fruit and vegetables. You don't have to stop with orange juice!
Add your juices to a flute glass and fill with sparkling wine. Garnish with a carrot top.
Guys…carrot juice is so delicious. Why has it taken me this long to realize it? I have a confession to make and it's that I don't have a slow juicer. I've always wanted one but have never had the extra space for kitchen gadgets. Now that I've moved and have a kitchen to accomodate more appliances, it is defintely on the top of my list of things to buy.
With that said, I knew I needed fresh carrot juice to really make this recipe work. I went to my local organic food store that also sells fresh juice and brought some home. Super helpful and a great idea for those that also don't have access to making fresh vegetable juice at home.
Along with these mimosas I also have a number of other things on the menu for today. For breakfast I'm making bunny pancakes, stay tuned for super cute photos! For dinner I'm making a chilled asparagus soup and Ethan is making an apricot and mustard glazed ham with root vegetables. Dessert which I am most excited for, is a strawberry rhubarb tart!
Banana Pancakes from Good Housekeeping Chilled Asparagus Bisque from Good Housekeeping Apricot-Mustard Ham with herb roasted root vegetables from Good Housekeeping. Rhubarb-Strawberry Tart from Martha Stewart.
Have fun cooking, baking, and drink making tomorrow. I'd love to hear what you're making for Easter. If you decide to make these mimosas let me know how it turns out!
I hope everyone is off to a good New Year! This week has been a little bit more mellow and I'm not going to lie, I'm enjoying it. I love the holidays but theres also stress and pressure that goes along with them. I'm excited to get back to normal life and a brand new year. I know its cliche to set all of these goals once the calender flips to January 1st, I know its not a clean slate, but it is a good time to get youself motivated to accomplish the things that maybe you've been putting off or didn't have enough time for in the previous year. I did set a lot of goals for myself in 2016 and I am very proud of how far I've come, but there's still work to be done!
Is there anything special that you're setting some extra time aside for this year? Work goals? Relationship goals? Health goals? I'm looking forward to continuing the blog, I started running this week (I can only make it a 1/2 mile before dying), and I have some major home goals. I've been looking around at buying, but real estate is insane here in the NY/NJ area. If I can't accomplish buying a house or condo in the new year, I'm going to do a major overhaul in the little rent controlled railroad apartment that I've been living in for the past 8 years. I'm going to be 30 in 49 days and I moved in when I was 21. THAT'S CRAZY!! The apartment has always been a work in progress but I have changed a lot and so have my tastes. I have been trying to slowly incorporate new things in over the past year but I'm getting a little overwhelmed. Someone please help me.
The most recent photo of my bedroom, which I hope to repaint and do some simple decor updates to. I painted the wardrobe myself and changed the hardware. Inside the drawers are ombre from light blue to navy. Salvation Army purchase along with that mid-century sideboard.
Anyways, since I got way off track, I've teamed up with The Hair Room here in Jersey City to bring you delicious drinks (my Sparkling Apple Cider Punch) for the Golden Globes tomorrow. If you're local swing by for a cocktail, pajama attire is recommended! If not, I'm posting the recipe here for your at home enjoyment. This punch is yummy! Its resfreshing, super fragrant and fruity. Comment below to let me know what you think. Either about all of my random thoughts, the cocktail or your favorite red carpet looks. I'd love to hear from you. Cheers to all of you from snowy New Jersey!
Top Champagne or a Sparkling Wine, Club Soda also works in a pinch for something lower ABV.
You can make a batch of this cocktail by simply multiplying each ingredient by how many people you will be making drinks for. You can put it in a pitcher, build in a punch bowl or make to order. If you're making to order add all ingredients besides sparkling wine to a tin, shake, strain into your desired glassware like a coupe or flute, and top with champagne/sparkling. Garnish with an apple slice. Cheers and enjoy!
New Years is upon us. Time is flying and I've been so busy with work I can barely keep up. I woke up early today to shoot, just got done editing, and now I'm writing this blog post before heading in for my shift tonight. Oh and I picked up tomorrow night (NYE) which I am regretting already. I can't say no to the money and I'm a workaholic. My resolution for 2017 is to definitely be better at time management and concentrate on consulting and the blog. I can't keep having 4 jobs at a time anymore, I'm always burning the candle at both ends, and when I finally get a break I spend it recuperating and not enjoying the things that make life worthwhile. I'm not trying to be negative but I have been reflecting these past few days after Christmas and right before the beginning of the new year, which I'm sure a lot of you have been doing as well. What are you most looking forward to in the New Year? What kind of improvements will you be concentrating on in your life?
Lets get down to business which is DRINKS!
I wanted to make something topped with bubbly because it only seems appropriate. You have to drink Champagne on NYE! This is a little riff on a French 75 and is perfect for your New Years Eve gatherings. You can batch this, and just top with sparkling to serve, put it in a punch bowl, or make to order if there are just a few of you. The Calvados and Poire Williams combine magnificently to bring you something thats fruity yet winter appropriate with some citrus and a fizz!
I found these little tinsel coasters that slip onto the foot of your glass at a thrift store! Perfect find for holiday parties!
Combine all ingredients except Champagne into a tin, shake with ice, strain into a flute or coupe, and top with Champagne.
It's been a really hard year for me with the passing of my father and that put a lot of things into perspective for me. Life is short and it's flying by. I want everything I do to be more meaningful. I want to have the life I've always dreamed of because I work really hard and I deserve it.
On the other hand this year has also been very positive for me. I have accomplished a lot, and I've worked really hard and I am proud of myself. I started the blog and although I have a long way to go with growing it, it has only been 6 months and I'm really happy with where it has gone in such little time. I want to thank all of you who take time out of your day to read my posts, like my photos, and give me supportive feedback. Sometimes it's really hard to want to put forth the effort to do this when people are being negative or when you've had a really long week at work and just want to stay in bed. It is another full time job (that I love), but it is a lot of work and I appreciate every kind word that is sent my way.
There is a lot to be excited about in the New Year and I can't wait to get there! Have a wonderful NYE and I will see you in 2017!


Looks like 'Baahubali' hero Prabhas has made up his mind to work on multiple projects at a time and as per the latest updates, he would start shooting his 20th film from April. 'Jil' fame Radha Krishna will be wielding the megaphone for this flick which is touted to be a romantic entertainer. Bollywood musician Amit Trivedi will be composing music for this project.
Like Saaho, even this project will be bankrolled by Prabhas's home banner UV Creations and will be simultaneously made in Hindi and Tamil languages along with Telugu.
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For someone who will turn 19 on July 27, Jordan Spieth already owns a well developed sense of history – well, golf history at least.
When he walked through the Hall of Champions at Cherry Hills Country Club, which will host the 112th U.S. Amateur Championship from Aug. 13-19, he couldn't help but be immersed in the golf history that the trophies, photos and memorabilia represent.
His appreciation of the displays that delineated the nine previous USGA championships at the 90-year-old club was shaped by the winners, which include Arnold Palmer at the 1960 U.S. Open, Phil Mickelson at the 1990 U.S. Amateur and Jack Nicklaus at the 1993 U.S. Senior Open.
"It's remarkable that a golf course can hold that many national championships," said Spieth, of Dallas, a University of Texas sophomore who was attending Media Day for the U.S. Amateur. "The winners of the events, Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson and the names go on… When you have great champions you know that your course is singling out the best players in the event. That's what it looks like it's been doing here."
Spieth, who just completed a first-team All-America freshman season at Texas that included an NCAA Division I team championship, has already begun to weave his name into the golf history he so appreciates.
With two U.S. Junior Amateur titles (in 2009 and 2011), he shares a place with Tiger Woods as the only multiple winners of the 65-year-old championship. At age 18, he was arguably the most effective competitor for the USA Team at the 2011 Walker Cup Match at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland. And in 2012, he shot rounds of 69-70 during the weekend of the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco to earn low-amateur honors and finish in a tie for 21st place in his first appearance at the National Open.
When last year's U.S. Amateur runner-up, Patrick Cantlay, turned pro after the 2012 U.S. Open, Spieth ascended into the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He continued to hold that position as of the last week in July.
Spieth's summer schedule included some PGA Tour events, but he still strives for the next target on his competitive radar – the U.S. Amateur, where he advanced to the quarterfinals last year at Erin Hills in Wisconsin before losing to Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup member Jack Senior.
"I am extremely excited about this event, he said at Media Day. "This is one I mark off every year. This will be my fourth Amateur. The first two years I missed the cut and finally learned how to play it. I am looking forward to making it a couple of matches farther on a venue such as Cherry Hills which I have heard so much about from the major champions I have talked to. I will get in here early a few weeks from now and play a few more rounds."
Spieth will sort through his experience to craft a game plan for success against a field of 311 fellow competitors who will tackle Cherry Hills Country Club and the Colorado Golf Association's CommonGround Golf Course in two rounds of stroke-play qualifying at the U.S. Amateur on Aug. 13-14. The low 64 scorers will advance to match play, which will be contested at Cherry Hills.
The competition at a U.S. Amateur is similar to a [PGA] Tour event and the golf course is set up like a Tour event or even harder, said Spieth, who won four Texas state high school titles. I thought the courses I played during the U.S. Amateur were the toughest courses I have ever played until the U.S. Open this year. It's not far behind. It's fair and it's set up great for match play – it always is. Preparation for the U.S. Amateur is the same as if I was preparing for the U.S. Open. It means that much to everyone who plays in this event.
Match Play Trumps Stroke Play: With his run of success at the U.S. Junior (a 13-1 record over three years), Spieth has developed a fondness for match play, which can make for long weeks for those competitors who advance. He prefers the aggressive style that is favored in match play…. "In stroke play you want to stay consistent and find your swing – especially driving the ball," Spieth said. "You are playing two courses and you want to stay consistent so you don't have to shoot 62 or 63. You'd like to be medalist but you'd like to stay consistent. That way – at least when I play – I am more aggressive during match play. You have to be smart. On a venue like [Cherry Hills] which is difficult, you have to realize that par is going to win holes. There are going to be a lot of bogeys out here; that's just the way it is. In my short career of match-play experience, I've had ups and downs with it. I love match play. I prefer match play over stroke play. There is a more mental part to it and I think experience pays off more."
Prepping for Heat and Height: Spieth wants to arrive at Cherry Hills C.C. early to get accustomed to the altitude of the Rocky Mountains…. "I actually have not played much in altitude," Spieth said. "That yardage adjustment is critical because of the heavy rough and the sloping, speedy greens at Cherry Hills C.C." …. In addition to the altitude, Spieth sees the heat that has enveloped most of the country of late as another obstacle…. "The weather is going to be hot here but I don't know what it's going to be in a few weeks," he said. "It's like Canada compared to what I am used to down in Texas. With that altitude you are going to have to hydrate. I believe it's going to be a more physical test because of the lighter air and the hot weather. It could be pretty interesting playing 36 holes in a day in hot weather and light air. You have to be ready for it."
Hossler Enjoys U.S. Open Success: Beau Hossler of Mission Viejo, Calif., who briefly took the lead at the 2012 U.S. Open in June, is also focusing on the U.S. Amateur Championship. His post-round duties at Olympic included some extended Q&A sessions with media….. "It was hectic," said Hossler, 17, who joined the assembled media at Cherry Hills C.C. via teleconference. "There was a lot of media to deal with after the rounds. I was fortunate to have to deal with that. It was a lot different than any other tournament and I feel like I handled it pretty well. I can draw from that and feel comfortable with it. I am happy I got that experience, that's for sure." Hossler lost in the second round of the recent U.S. Junior Amateur at The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, N.H.
Building Block: Hossler's first appearance at the U.S. Amateur was in 2009 at Southern Hills C.C. in Tulsa, Okla., as a 14-year-old…. "That was awesome," said Hossler, who will join Spieth at the University of Texas in January 2013 as he plans to graduate from Santa Margarita High in January. "It was incredible for me because I was so small and the course was so long. Last year at Erin Hills was probably the favorite tournament I have played in. It was a great event and I am looking forward to this year at Cherry Hills because it is a historic venue. I just want to come and give myself a good chance."
Next Step: Hossler hasn't played at Cherry Hills C.C. yet, but he might rely on a friend for some helpful hints…. "I haven't done anything to prepare… but my buddy Wyndham Clark [who will play at Oklahoma State] is a member there," Hossler said. "Hopefully, I can get some information from him and what I should work on. I feel comfortable and confident out there. It's the tournament I want to win the most, that's for sure. It's the best amateur tournament in the world and I want to give myself a chance to win and make sure I am prepared. I am excited to go out to Denver and play in some altitude and hitting it pretty long."
Next Step II: Even with his success at the U.S. Open and making the cut two weeks later at the AT&T National, Hossler realizes his long-term goal is still that – long-term…. "I have played in a few professional events – I still feel that amateur level is where I should be now," Hossler said. "My game isn't quite ready for a professional tour. I have a long way to go."


E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork demonstrates what causes hiccups.
Certain foods and beverages can trigger hiccups. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), hot or spicy foods, such as hot peppers, miso and curry and hot or spicy liquids are particularly known to cause hiccups. Drinking carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks or sparkling water, can also cause hiccups, due to swallowing air. In addition, the more carbonation a person consumes, the greater his or her chance becomes of hiccupping. Last but not least, excessive alcohol consumption may result in hiccups.
7. Even medications are known to cause prolonged hiccups.
If the above suggestions do not work and the hiccups continue, consulting your doctor is necessary. She may have some ideas about what causes hiccups in your unique situation. There are medications that can be helpful; the most commonly used drug is Chlorpromazine, better known as Thorazine. Physicians can also place a plastic or rubber suction tube through the nostril into the nose in order to stimulate the pharynx with a back and forth movement. In addition, for severe hiccup cases an operation can be done to cut or paralyze the phrenic nerve. The phrenic nerve facilitates contraction of the diaphragm and paralyzing it will end intractable hiccups.
Food choices, eating behavior, temperature changes and emotional stress commonly cause hiccups after eating. If hiccups last longer than a few days, MedlinePlus suggests seeking medical attention, as they may indicate a serious medical condition.
So, hiccups are the result of diaphragm spasms. But what causes the irritation that leads to the spasm? There are only a few culprits for common hiccups, which usually disappear within a few minutes. One of the main irritants is a full -- a result of swallowing too much or air. A distended stomach pushes against the phrenic nerves of the diaphragm, increasing the possibility of irritation and, therefore, hiccups. A full stomach of spicy food can do double damage -- hot foods can be especially irritating to those nerves. As any smoker on a bender can tell you, excess and drinking can also cause hiccups. A rapid temperature change outside or inside your stomach, from a cold night or a hot beverage, can be irritating enough to induce hiccups. Finally, emotions -- shock, excitement and -- can also trigger a hiccup fit.The primary causes for hiccups include eating a large meal or drinking alcohol, Mayo Clinic reports. Sometimes people develop hiccups after experiencing sudden excitement. Other causes, according to WebMD, including smoking, swallowing air or extreme change in stomach temperature from consuming something very hot followed by something very cold. Occasionally hiccups are an indicator of a more serious medical condition. air seems to cause hiccups in some cases. Eating or drinking too quickly can cause spasms, because swallowed air can exert sudden pressure in the abdomen. Certain foods with large pockets of air, such as sourdough bread, can also cause the diaphragm to contract. Drinking alcoholic, carbonated, or cold beverages is sometimes linked to a greater chance of hiccuping episodes.
Thediaphragm contracting out of rhythm causes hiccups. Each spasm of the diaphragmmakes the larynx and vocal cords close suddenly. This results in a sudden rushof air into the lungs. Your body reacts with a gasp or chirp, creating thesound characteristic of hiccups.
Anything that irritates the diaphragm — stress, fear, excitement, caffeine, spicy foods, eating too fast or carbonated beverages — can cause hiccups.
8. Dangerous fumes may also cause prolonged hiccups.
Spicy food items like chili, hot pepper and curry may pamper your taste buds but their consumption is likely to cause hiccups immediately after eating. Even a small bite of chili or a hamburger containing a great deal of jalapeno pepper is enough to give you hiccups that may not leave you for more than a minute.
My dog woke up hiccuping. Before I can do anything, she started licking everything, including metals, plastic and toys. I don't know what to do so I gave her some ice cream to lick. It seemed to work because the hiccups stopped. Is there a remedy for doggy hiccups?


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Norway Gunman may escape prison
Anders Behring Breivik, responsible for the killing of 77 people in Norway four months ago, may escape prison, it has been revealed. The gunman set off a car bomb in Oslo, killing eight people, before heading to the island of Utoeya disguised as a policeman, where he shot dead 69 teenagers.
Behring Breivik has been assessed by psychiatrists, who have concluded that Breivik was insane at the time of the murders. Norwegian website VG stated that Mr Breivik was suffering from "psychosis", a condition which changed his mental state and dramatically affected his judgement.
This report, which was presented to the Oslo district court this morning, still needs to be examined by a medical commission in order to make sure it meets the professional criteria required. However, if it is accepted as a viable experts' opinion it could mean that Behring Breivik could not be sentenced to a prison term, but would instead be transferred to a mental institution, where he would undergo psychiatric treatment.
Utoeya

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Diamond Carter
(Display Photo By R. Lamar Photography) Booking information: Info@IamDiamondCarter.com Diamond Carter was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is an American recording artist, dancer and actress. She attended the Cleveland School of Arts, where she trained extensively on vocals, choreography and acting. As a child, Diamond has been very passionate about becoming a successful artist in the entertainment industry. She is truly determined and persistent. In just a short period of time she hosted a television show, appeared in a magazine, and earned the lead role in 6 play productions. She most recently performed at the rock and roll hall of fame in January of 2013 opening up for Bobby Valentino. The future is bright and greater accomplishments are ahead. Currently Diamond is the studio recording her first solo project. She has teamed with the super production team The Werkheads to bring a fresh new sound to R&B, Hip-hop and Pop music.
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Decision; Arpeggione; Duende; Kembee; Farland; Home Again; Wapita!; Vendaval.
Diogo Vida: piano; Yuri Daniel: electric bass; Vicky Marques: drums.
In this third release as a leader, pianist and composer Diogo Vida teams up with bassist Yuri Daniel and drummer Vicky Marques to bring "El Duende" to the world. Internationally acclaimed for his bright light compositions and pianism, the music on this album is deeply rooted in bop with a touch of flamenco and impressionism and was conceived with the virtuosi colleagues in mind, conveying excitement, freshness and meaning to the experience of "El Duende"


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2014 Annual Meeting & Exposition Exhibit Space Draft
Association of the United States Army 2014 Annual Meeting & Exposition Exhibit Space Draft
To: AUSA Sustaining Members
From: Michael M. Scanlan, CMP, Director, Industry Affairs
Subject: 2015 AUSA Annual Meeting Exhibit Space Draft
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform Sustaining Members of the opportunity to reserve exhibit space for the 2015 AUSA Annual Meeting, and to provide details regarding the policies and procedures for the selection of space.
The 2014 Annual Meeting Exhibit Space Draft will be held 21-23 October 2013, from 9:00am – 5:00pm on each day, in the AUSA Exhibit Sales Office, located just beyond the AUSA Registration area in Room 102 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. AUSA will again use EXPOCAD event management software to facilitate the selection process.
As you know, in order to keep the exhibits balanced on two levels, AUSA implemented The Centerpiece Program. The top 20 Sustaining Member companies on the Order of Merit List (OML) – which is used to determine the order in which space is booked – will alternate between the two levels each year. A pre- draft for these 20 Sustaining Members will be held on 20 October in Room 102 of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The following policies will apply to the selection of exhibit space for the 2015 AUSA Annual Meeting:
The AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition remains a Members Only Show
Sustaining Member Companies may book space on both floors
The maximum booth size allowed for each Sustaining Member exhibitor will be 14,000 square feet
Booth dimensions that cause aisle displacements will not be permitted (example, 30'X30', 30'X60', etc.)
As in the past, AUSA will allocate exhibit space based on the OML ranking for each Sustaining Member exhibitor. The schedule for […]
By admin|September 30th, 2013|Uncategorized|0 Comments|
Army Secretary Approves Army Participation in AUSA 2014 Annual Meeting and Exposition
Important Professional Development Forum for 'Entire Army'
The Department of the Army has given final approval for Army personnel to participate in the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition to be held Oct. 21-23 in Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The theme for this year's professional development forum is: "America's Army: Globally Responsive, Regionally Engaged."
The approval came from Secretary of the Army John McHugh. His authorizing memo states, "[The AUSA Annual Meeting] is one of the Army's three key strategic communication and outreach platforms, and also serves as a professional development forum for the entire Army, including its civilians and family members."
As expressed in the Operations Order For Army Participation issued by Director of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. William T. Grisoli, "…[t]he AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition is one of the largest land warfare expositions and professional development forums focused on the Army's strategic role in national security. The event provides a robust and cost effective platform for the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff, and other Army senior leaders to engage key audiences and articulate the state of the Army and their priorities. It also serves as a mechanism to establish critical relationships with Soldiers, Army Families, National and International leaders and industry."
The AUSA Annual Meeting is designed around maximum interaction and an exchange of ideas at a minimum cost to participants. Attendance is free. Attendees, both physical and virtual, will be exposed to AUSA's Contemporary Military Forums featuring senior Army leaders speaking on a host of critical and timely topics. AUSA Family Forums will offer presentations tackling the real world challenges facing soldiers and their families. All forums will be […]
By admin|September 11th, 2013|Headline News, Important Updates|0 Comments|
Army Announces Topics, Speakers for Annual Meeting Contemporary Military Forums
The Army has announced the topics and invited lead speakers for the nine Contemporary Military Forums scheduled for the 2013 Association of the United States Army's Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 21 – 23, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital.
Reinforcing the theme of the Association's 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition – "America's Army: Globally Responsive, Regionally Engaged" – the Contemporary Military Forums are an important part of AUSA's role in promoting and enhancing professional development.
The forums and lead speakers are:
"Enhancing North American Security — Missions at Home," Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander, U.S. Northern Command, and commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (Invited).
"Leader Development," Gen. Raymond Odierno, Army chief of staff (Invited).
"Army Future," Gen. Robert W. Cone, commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (Invited).
"Ready and Resilient," Gen. John F. Campbell, Army vice chief of staff (Invited).
"Modernization," Lt. Gen. James O. Barclay III, deputy chief of staff, G-8, (Invited).
"Regionally Aligned Forces," Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, commander, U.S Army Forces Command (Invited).
"Strategic Landpower: U.S. Army, Special Operations, USMC," Gen. Robert W. Cone, commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (Invited).
"Privatization Partnership," Hon. Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment (Invited).
"Building the Army's Cyber Forces – Regionally Aligned and Globally Responsive," Lead Speaker – To Be Determined.
Recognized by the Army chief of staff, Gen. Raymond Odierno, as a key element in communicating "The Army Story" to the American public, AUSA's Contemporary Military Forums, presented by the Association's educational directorate – the Institute of Land Warfare – and supported by the Army, will again tackle a variety of topics that generate important information and messages to attendees, the media and those in the virtual arena.
The Army, […]
By admin|August 6th, 2013|Headline News, Important Updates|0 Comments|
New in 2013! Veterans Career Hiring Event
ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY (AUSA) AND AMERICAN FREEDOM FOUNDATION PARTNER TO CREATE UNIQUE HIRING EVENT FOR VETERANS AT 2013 AUSA ANNUAL MEETING AND EXPOSITION
Warriors To The Workforce first time event to be held October 21 – 23, 2013 at largest military conference in North America
Washington, DC – (August 6, 2013) The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) has partnered with the American Freedom Foundation to create the first ever Warriors To The Workforce Hiring Event for veterans held in conjunction with the AUSA 2014 Annual Meeting and Exposition. This one-of-a-kind event, to be held October 21 – 23, 2013 at the Washington Convention Center, is part of the American Freedom Foundation's nationwide initiative to help veterans find jobs. The event brings together major companies from throughout the country to profile their services and provide employment opportunities for our veterans. Attending veterans have the chance to talk with employers, submit qualifications and even participate in job interviews on the spot.
Warriors To The Workforce is unique in that it will include virtual capabilities so that all of the participating employers will be able to virtually connect with veterans and transitioning military service members throughout the country. The American Freedom Foundation will vet out resumes and match those qualified veterans and transitioning military service members with employers with specific job descriptions.
In addition to the hiring opportunities, Warriors To The Workforce will include a variety of workshops for veterans each day providing resources and information on subjects such as mental readiness, confidence building, networking and presentation skills, resume writing, interviewing techniques, job searching, career planning through goal setting, translating military skills and training into civilian life and corporate experience, among others.
Attendance at the […]
By admin|July 26th, 2013|Uncategorized|0 Comments|
Army Developing Programs for AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition
Reinforcing the theme of the Association of the United States Army's 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition – "America's Army: Globally Responsive, Regionally Engaged" – Army officials recently announced that the service's leadership is currently engaged in planning and developing programs that will be presented at this year's professional development meeting.
Recognized by the Army chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, as a key element in communicating "The Army Story" to the American public, AUSA's Contemporary Military Forums, presented by the Associations educational directorate – the Institute of Land Warfare – and supported by the Army, will again tackle a variety of topics dealing with themes generating important messages to attendees, the media and those in the virtual arena.
The Army, according to a spokesman, will also offer special presentations at an "Army Forum" located in close proximity to the Army exhibit in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The Army Forum will feature 45-minute discussions focusing on topics addressing subject-matter areas of prime importance to the Army and the general public.
Described by the Army as "a valuable platform for communicating Army strategic themes and messages, and a unique professional development opportunity for soldiers and civilians," the Association's Annual Meeting will also feature military and civilian speakers to include: Secretary of the Army John H. McHugh (invited); Gen. Ray Odierno, Army chief of staff, (invited); the former secretary of defense, Robert Gates (Marshall Medal recipient); and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler.
The AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition will take place Oct. 21 – 23 in the nation's capital.
Again this year, the meeting has a projected attendance of approximately 30,000 participants to include members of all ranks from the active Army, National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve; retirees […]
By admin|July 25th, 2013|Headline News, Important Updates|0 Comments|
Important Changes Regarding the George C. Marshall Reception
Please be advised that the George C. Marshall Reception is now part of the George C. Marshall Dinner creating a single event. There will be no separate reception in the exhibit halls. The exhibit halls will close at 1700 on Wednesday, 23 October.
Tickets for the George C. Marshall Dinner now include the cost of the reception and can be purchased on the AUSA home page for $110, beginning 3 June. They will also be available on-site at the Ticket Pick Up Registration Desk at the Walter E. Convention Center.
The decision to combine these two events was made in light of the expanded exhibit space, which significantly diluted participation in the exhibit hall reception.
We hope that this change will make your participation at the AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition more convenient and efficient.
We look forward to seeing you at this great event in October.
By admin|May 3rd, 2013|Important Updates|0 Comments|
Gates will Receive AUSA's George Catlett Marshall Medal
Dr. Robert M. Gates, a former secretary of defense and director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the current chancellor of the College of William and Mary, will receive the 2013 George Catlett Marshall Medal, the highest award presented by the Association of the United States Army.
Awarded annually to an individual who has exhibited selfless service to the United States of America, the medal will be presented to Gates by the Association's Council of Trustees to recognize his contributions to the United States as a cabinet member, educator, presidential adviser and a strong supporter of national defense and the men and women of the armed forces and their families.
"His service exemplifies his unique and patriotic commitment to the highest American ideals of freedom, liberty and democracy," an AUSA official said.
The award presentation will take place Oct. 23 at the George Catlett Marshall Memorial Dinner, the final event of the three-day AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington.
"As an exceptional patriot, who served his country during our nation's most volatile, challenging, complex and turbulent times — including the Global War on Terrorism and an era of constrained financial resources — Secretary Gates, as the twenty-second defense secretary and the fifteenth CIA director – displayed extraordinary and singular abilities, including uncommon dedication, diplomacy and strategic and tactical expertise," AUSA President Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., said.
Adding, "As the first secretary of defense to be appointed to that cabinet post by two presidents of different political parties – George W. Bush and Barack Obama – he exemplified the best of public service and sacrifice to the nation."
Sullivan also […]
By admin|April 10th, 2013|Headline News|0 Comments|
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By admin|March 1st, 2013|Uncategorized|1 Comment|
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Reverse Osmosis Systems Used For Home And Garden Water Applications.Reverse Osmosis Systems are used for home and garden water filtration to remove waste brine.
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Organizations large and small use legislative scorecards to inform advocates and voters on who the legislative champions and opponents are on a given issue. Comprehensive scorecards help organizations identify which legislators their advocates can count on and which legislators they should put pressure on.
Legislative scorecards are an effective way to work with a legislative office to show them why they should support your issue. A lawmaker may believe they are an advocate of a particular issue, but their votes and dialogue on the issue might not back it up.
To start your scorecard, select the list of legislators you'll be ranking. Do you want to compare every legislator in Congress, members of a particular party, or just members of a specific committee?
How do you want to determine what makes a legislator a champion or opponent on your issues? Quorum users can quickly pull in bills, votes, or a legislator's statements on a particular issue with just a few clicks. Quorum's scorecard tool is auto-updating, saving you the hassle of continually inputting information on new votes or bills.
When you think of legislative scorecards, the first thing that comes to mind is a legislator touting the letter grades they received from a particular organization. For example, many legislators in favor of gun control tout their "F" ratings from the NRA, while legislators who are not in favor of gun control legislation promote their "A" ratings with their constituents. Using a custom field, you can add qualitative ratings to each member.
Quorum makes it easy to share your legislative scorecard with your organization's supporters. You can hyperlink or embed your scorecard to your website or in an email, allowing audiences to sort and filter across different categories to quickly identify where their senator or representative ranks.
See how the Sierra Club uses Quorum Sheets to build legislative scorecards and bill trackers, or learn how you can build one for your own organization with a demo of Quorum.


This article was originally published by Tom Mohr, founder of CEO Quest and author of Scaling the Revenue Engine, on Medium. Webinar recording with Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora, can be listened to here.
You have a product. It makes the unworkable workable; the unavoidable and urgent easier. On some dimension of personal or corporate need (status, affiliation, safety, ease of use, cost, speed, etc.), your product wins big. Segmentation can only emerge from this: the solid foundation of a compelling product. Without it, you have nothing. Once you've nailed basic product / market fit, however, proper segmentation is the lift-off point for all future company growth.
Who is your customer? This is the question that customer segmentation answers.
Segmentation is a data driven filtering exercise. Your segmentation scheme divides the market into buckets, and then clarifies which buckets matter most. From your top priority buckets (segments) emerges your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Here we find the ideal buyers' and users' personas, tasks, expectations and pain points as they pertain to your product.
Let's begin with a segmentation example that underscores its power. Zuora is the leading subscription management platform for B2B and B2C companies. It supports recurring revenue billing, multi-channel commerce, global payments, and workflow analytics. The company has raised over $200M in venture funding and is fast growing, with 600 employees serving customers worldwide. Tien Tzuo, founder and CEO, has developed a comprehensive, multi-layer segmentation scheme.
Working bottom-up from a detailed understanding of product use case scenarios, the company has defined three high-level segments: B2B subscription companies, B2C subscription companies, and companies in transformation. The latter segment is populated by companies that are innovating their business models. Each of these three major segments has been further sub-segmented by industry, company size and geography.
The sales organization itself is organized into three tiers, based on company size. B2B, B2C, and companies in transformation are all served by the same sales teams within a size-based tier, but messaging is customized to these different audiences, based on their unique buyer and user personas.
Segmentation has also sharpened product road map decision making. By understanding the unique unmet product needs in each segment, smart decisions have been made to prioritize development.
So why do so few tech startup CEOs get it right?
The Use Case Scenario Exercise is the key to this "middle way." It leverages the existing domain knowledge of your team so that you only need to focus on researching the things you don't already know.
Once you have come up with at least 50 permutations, create the following columns in Excel or a Google Sheet.


The QFN Visioning Workshops will be held March 15th and 16th.
•	The Vision Statement and Guiding Principles provide the foundation for moving forward with Comprehensive Community Planning.
The QFN CCP is a community based, community driven process that requires your support and input.


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4 Attraction and Retention Trends to Monitor in 2023
Jenna Conroy / January 17, 2023 January 17, 2023
The labor market was a roller coaster in 2022 and will undoubtedly continue to evolve this year. It remains to be seen how the employment market will level out. Still, it's a safe bet that employers will be challenged as they compete for top talent. Labor metrics indicate that even though the market has slightly improved from last year, it's still a tight labor market as numbers remain historically high. While most employers project an increase in salaries in 2023, many will look beyond pay alone to help attract and retain more employees.
While some companies have been taking monetary actions (e.g., compensation and employee benefits packages) to address attraction and retention challenges, many organizations also are looking at ways to optimize their offerings and enhance employee experience. As they compete for talent, many may take a total rewards approach to fulfill employees' workplace desires. This article explores four attraction and retention trends to watch in 2023.
1. Redesigned Flexibility
Remote work exploded at the height of the pandemic as most organizations shifted to this flexible work model out of necessity. Nearly three years later, it's still at the forefront. Along with remote working arrangements, employers are offering hybrid options, flexible scheduling or even four-day workweeks.
Employees want the flexibility to work when and where they want. Employers have an opportunity to deliver on those desires and win over more workers. It comes down to offering the flexibility they need in their work and personal lives. On the other hand, many employers are striving to bring employees back to the workplace based on business priorities, so it's essential to balance those organizational goals with employee desires for workplace efforts to be successful and well-received. While workplace flexibility is not feasible for every industry, organization and role, employers can evaluate their own situations and consider ways to develop flexible arrangements. The goal is to focus on output and productivity rather than time spent online or in the workplace.
2. Mental Health Support
Between the pandemic, inflation and job duties, more employees feel burnt out or are battling mental health challenges. As such, organizations are expected to take more responsibility for workers' mental health and total wellbeing to help employees on a personal level.
More employers will be considering how to take a proactive approach to employee mental well-being and resilience. A survey from the employee wellness platform Gympass revealed that nearly half of employees (48%) say their well-being declined in 2022. In addition, 28% say they are miserable at work. Health experts predict that employees' mental health will continue to decline amid economic uncertainty, which means the demand for mental health care will increase in 2023.
Employers can offer benefits, perks and wellness programs that account for mental well-being. To address burnout and other well-being challenges, many employers will offer or expand their employee assistance programs, behavioral health anti-stigma campaigns and training for recognizing employee and peer behavioral health issues. Employers are poised to offer the education and support that today's workers need and are looking for.
3. Learning and Development Opportunities
Learning and developing efforts have been on the rise in recent years. Not only are workers looking for professional growth opportunities at an employer, but many organizations are upskilling or reskilling workers, as it's often less expensive to reskill a current employee than hire a new one. On the flip side, employees who receive learning and development opportunities are more likely to stay with the company and grow into different roles. Therefore, learning and development initiatives prove to be a win-win situation for employers and employees.
As employers go head-to-head in the competitive race for talent in 2023, upskilling their current workforces could be a solution to finding workers for their in-demand roles. Upskilling is when employers provide employees the opportunity to learn new skills to better their current work performance while also prepping them for the projected needs of the company. When upskilling employees, employers are investing not only in workers but also in the company's longevity and development. Furthermore, organizations are prioritizing internal mobility to address skills gaps and strengthen employee retention.
4. Increased Focus on Belonging
Belonging is a critical component of company culture. At work, belonging is the experience of employees being wholly accepted and included by those around them. While belonging doesn't necessarily come with a price tag, employers can invest efforts and resources into ensuring their workplaces are inclusive, collaborative and connected. Employees are looking for a work environment that's authentic and accepting. A focus on belonging can play a crucial role in improving workplace culture and, in turn, improving employee attraction and retention.
Many workplace factors can impact employees' sense of belonging, including (but not limited to) company culture, benefits offerings, communication methods, learning and development resources and mental health support. Any day-to-day interactions among co-workers and managers or companywide initiatives may impact workplace culture and the overall employee experience. When an organization develops a solid and positive employer brand as an inclusive and supportive workplace, it may easily attract new talent eager to join and contribute to the company culture. Employers can elevate employee experiences by creating workplaces where employees feel they belong and can be their authentic selves.
Employers can get ahead of the game in 2023 by monitoring the trends shaping the ever-evolving labor market and driving current and prospective employees' needs and wants. While attraction and retention challenges are likely to continue this year, these trends demonstrate ways employers can elevate and strengthen their talent strategies to win and keep more workers.
If you want more information on how to attract and retain employees, contact us today!
3 Voluntary Benefits Trends to Watch in 2023
Jenna Conroy / January 31, 2023
Human Capital Management, Total Rewards
Engaging Employees with an Organizational Mission
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An electric current is passed through a colloidal solution.
Light is passed through a colloidal solution.
(i) A delta is formed at a point where river enters the sea.
(ii) As2S3 sol posses negative charge.
No classes will be there on 6th and 7th January.
Practicals will start tomorrow on 3rd January.
71/20-20A, Near Kendriya Vidhyalya No.5, Paramhans Marg, Mansarovar, Jaipur 302020.


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21 October 2019, 12:30 - 14:00
CRASSH Meeting Room, Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DT
"The work in progress seminars were varied, stimulating and of high intellectual calibre."
Susanne Hakenbeck (Archaeology), Early Career Fellow, Lent 2017
Annie Zaidi
The question of belonging is a delicate and difficult one. It is hard to trace the shape of individual belonging, or to pin it down to a precise point on the map. I attempt to answer the question by examining the remote township where I grew up and other places of ancestral recall.
My personal history is wrapped up with the history of the Subcontinent. The big upheavals and contestations of the last century – the quest for sovereignty, Partition, language and cultural hegemony, the rights of women and minorities, immigration, hunger and nomenclature – have served to uproot most of us from a specific geography as well as an internal location for the self. My work attempts to trace the socio-cultural patterns that have brought me comfort and stability, and also those factors that have led to conflict and which serve to undo existing attachments to the places we call home.
Annie Zaidi, is the Nine Dots Fellow 2019-20 as the winner of the Nine Dots Prize 2019/2020. Annie will be at CRASSH in Michaelmas Term 2019.
Zaidi began her career as a reporter with stints at leading newspapers and magazines including Mid-Day and Frontline. She has published both fiction and non-fiction: Known Turf: Bantering with Bandits and Other True Tales is a collection of essays shortlisted for the Crossword Book Award in 2010, and Love Stories # 1 to 14 is a collection of short fiction published in 2012. In 2015, she published an anthology called Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women's Writing. Elle magazine named Zaidi as one of the emerging South Asian writers 'whose writing… will enrich South Asian literature'. She currently works as a freelance writer, working on fiction, scripts and columns for magazines and newspapers.
Nine Dots Prize


As discussed here, the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee is currently gathering evidence on how the new Scottish Rate of Income Tax should be used from April next year. More on the SRIT here.
In this submission to the committee (SRIT for Finance Cttee June 2015), I argue that the immediate priority should be making good the loss of tax revenue due to holding the council tax at the same cash level since 2007-08.
The Scottish Government is providing £560m to councils in 2015-16 in lieu of lost council tax revenue (rising to £630m next year if the freeze continues). Something originally planned as short-term has grown into a large spending commitment in its own right, costing more than free personal care. While the benefit of the freeze to individual council tax payers is clear, its cost is hidden. The Scottish Government's description of the freeze as being "fully funded" obscures that the policy carries a large cost in spending lost on other things.
The spending is likely to have been lost from a mixture of services outside local government and general funding to councils, whose total funding from central government has fallen, despite the growing element identified as funding the freeze. The cost of the freeze in lost public spending, particularly on local government services, will tend be falling disproportionately on the poorest, while the largest benefits fall disproportionately to the better off (many of the very poorest see no benefit from the freeze, due to the Council Tax Reduction – the replacement for council tax benefit). The biggest gains in absolute terms have fallen to residents in Band H properties in Aberdeen (which has the highest council tax). They are closely followed by Band H dwellers in Glasgow, Dundee and Midlothian. Band H properties are those worth over £212,000 in 1991: 0.5% of properties now fall into this group. Looking at the distribution of properties across the bands and the impact of Council Tax Reduction brings out that a minority of households in higher-valued properties receive rather more than half of the total benefit of the freeze in absolute terms.
There are parallels here with the disproportionate impact on poorer students of the move away from grant to loan to support living costs, at the same time as free tuition has commanded most of the attention (and resources) and been by far the more visible element of policy to the better-off.
Using additional income raised through the SRIT explicitly for the purpose of funding the cumulative effect of the council tax freeze would immediately release £560-630m for additional spending on public services, including – the submission argues – up to £100m on improved student grant. It would also recognise that there has been a loss to the total tax base, clarify the link between the freeze and its real long-term cost and mean that cost is borne more fairly, while a long term solution to local taxation in Scotland is worked out (currently the task of the Commission on Local Tax Reform). The submission also converts spending on various elements of student funding into an equivalent cost in SRIT – current spending on grant is the equivalent of around 0.15p on the income tax rate, while every £1,000 per head of funding for tuition works out around 0.3p.
It is not very likely that this suggestion for a dedicated levy is going to get very far. Arguably, however, the first £560-630m of any extra income from the SRIT will always in effect be replacing lost council tax revenue, if any government chooses to put the rate up from its fiscally-neutral starting point – whatever the official presentation.
The Committee's deadline for submissions on the SRIT is 28 August.
« A grant increase which is one-off – or not?


Yeezy Season is most definitely approaching, and you better believe that Kanye West is giving us something to talk about. Initially, Ye had everyone hype by announcing his upcoming album. Then, he sent us over the moon when he revealed that he's the executive producer of Kid Cudi, Pusha T and Teyana Taylor's new albums, which are all set to be released in late May and early June.
Moving on, Kanye also shared that he wants to love more and hate less. So, he proposed to use surgeon Jan Adams, who performed cosmetic surgery on the late Donda West, photo as his album cover. Adams' quickly declined and released an open letter.
There's more! Kanye sat down with Charlamagne tha God for a two hour interview, where he touched on everything from Kim getting robbed in Paris to the iconic Taylor Swift debacle at the 2009 VMAs. After his interruption, Kanye revealed that he was hurt to see a leaked video of President Obama calling him a "jackass," and he never apologized.
He also opened up entirely about the fashion industry. Kanye said that he feels like no one wants him in fashion, and that he's had bts deals with fashion icons like Gucci and Versace.
Ye's interview with Charlamagne was positive and honest. But things went down hill very quick.Kanye's video with TMZ was released, which began the #RIPKanyeWest trending topic. During the interview, he said that he was addicted to opioids after getting liposuction, so he wouldn't be taunted like his brother-in-law Rob Kardashian. But what closed the coffin was Ye's philosophy on slavery. Kanye shared that after 400 years of slavery, he believes that it was a choice for African Americans to be enslaved.
Yikes! Kanye has definitely been on a roll. We'll keep you updated as more unfolds. Share your thoughts in the comments!


The purpose of this ministry is to see married couples grow closer to Jesus Christ and in doing so, grow closer to each other. Led by Mathew and Carmen Pearlswig (804-326-1764).
We are traveling to Talledega, AL for the "Together at the Springs" marriage event. It will be an amazing weekend getaway for husbands and wives, February 22-23, 2019. Through worship, general sessions, break-out sessions, food, fun and a chance to get away, you and your spouse will be inspired, renewed and refreshed. The conference ends on Saturday afternoon, but with the extended stay option, you get even more for your weekend with another night stay, brunch and closing service on Sunday. What an awesome opportunity to connect with your spouse. There is no age limit or limit on how long you have been married. Only catch: you have to bring your spouse.
And we grab some grub & head home!
Please contact us or the church if you are riding with us.


The cause of last week's sudden shutdown of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Sunspot, New Mexico, by FBI agents with no explanation given to the public, remains shrouded in mystery, giving rise to all kinds of guesswork and conspiracy theories.
In what sounds like the setup to a shlocky B-movie, a blob of molten rock has been discovered welling up underneath Vermont, growing ever larger in the subterranean catacombs beneath New England.
The 2017 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne for contributions in the observation of gravitational waves, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Tuesday.
The Russian environment monitoring service's head said that cooperation with the United States continues despite sanctions.
An international effort to photograph the Crab Nebula, the remnants of a supernova that occurred during the Neolithic Era, has produced a dazzlingly detailed photo of the spectacular space oddity.
For years Medicare and Medicaid budget cuts were among the hottest topics in the US. But while some government agencies faced austerity measures, others went on spending sprees.
A study released on Monday reveals that land around the San Andreas fault is rising and sinking as a result of plate tectonics, and eventually tensions will release through a massive earthquake.
American researchers have taken one step closer to reading the human mind, through creating "maps" of the brain's cognitive activities.
A grant of around $120,000 was granted to Rutgers University by the National Science Foundation to create a system that automatically detects hurtful online speech.


From our signature One & Only Collection, Vivienne was designed for the bride looking for drama on her wedding day. This a-symmetrical glam gown was constructed with a textile from the 1950s and features a fitted drop waist bodice, one shoulder strap, full ball skirt and draped train. Details include lace throughout the skirt and feathers at the shoulder.


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Download Star Wars for PC, Laptop, Mac and Mobile
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Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes game has so far been downloaded more than ten million times by users of Google Play and Apple Store and received a rating of 4.3 out of 5.0 by users. Today, our honorable visitor, we present to you the latest version of the game from a copy, but you can first view the images and the trailer of the game And in the end, if you like it, you can download it with a direct and free link, to play the game you need the Internet and it has data that is downloaded early and during the game.
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MILLEDGEVILLE - The Bethesda Blazers got close for the fifth year in a row.
The Blazers fought back from a 15-point deficit, but never could catch up with Mount Vernon from Atlanta in the GISA Class AAA state championship game at the Centennial Center on the campus of Georgia College and State University on Saturday night.
The Mustangs used their height advantage, 6-foot-8, 225-pound Lotanna Nwogbo, and made free throws in bunches and defeated Bethesda, 52-42, for their second title in three years.
Meanwhile, Bethesda knows the other end of the streak. The Blazers, who have competed in GISA for six years, lost their fifth straight championship game.
"We just didn't have enough in the end to pull it off," said Bethesda coach Clevan Thompson. "We fell short against a very good team. Give them credit."
Nwogbo finished with 18 points while dominating the middle offensively and defensively.
And Mount Vernon had the perfect complements with outside shooters Ty Hudson and Madison Burton, who finished with 17 and 11 points, respectively.
The Mustangs (31-2) built a 15-point lead in the first half and had a 13-point advantage in the second half before the Blazers made a bid for their elusive first state title.
But Mount Vernon kept the lead mainly by hitting free throws. The Mustangs made 25 of 31 from the line and scored 12 of their final 16 points from the line.
Bethesda, which had two starters foul out, made only one field goal during the final six minutes and 13 seconds.
"There's a lot of emotion right now for all of us," Thompson said. "I hated it for the seniors, but we have a young team, and maybe we can get it done next year."
Bethesda lost to David Emanuel in finale of 2006-07 season, then lost three straight to First Presbyterian.
The 2010-11 team finished 24-8.
Mount Vernon's height posed a major dilemma for the Blazers from the start. The Mustangs worked the ball around the perimeter of the zone defense before finding an opening for Nwogbo, who banked in an easy layup and was fouled.
Not wanting to taste that poison again, Bethesda sagged inside and was burned on three 3-pointers - one by Jovan Hanna and two by Burton.
The Blazers went the final five minutes and 14 seconds of the first quarter without a field goal and fell behind 12-4.
Worse for Bethesda, fouls were mounting. Mount Vernon was in the one-and-one bonus 23 seconds into the second quarter. The Mustangs made 11 of 12 from the free-throw line in the second quarter.
The last two free throws by Nwogbo gave Mount Vernon its biggest lead, 15, at 27-12.
Halftime-Mount Vernon, 29-21. Records-Mount Vernon 31-2. Bethesda 24-8.


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The 21 Types of Jerks You Meet During a Hurricane
In the run up to Hurricane Sandy, Floridians and residents of the Gulf Coast were probably laughing at us like how I laugh at southern cities that completely shut down and declare states of emergency the second a snowflake touches the ground. But now that the storm has hit, and it was much, much worse than we expected, people acting like pricks in the run up to the storm seem even worse now.
Let's meet this natural disaster's Frankenstorm of jerks.
21. Crystal toting hippies who thought this storm wanted to be their friend
There are some reasons that a person in a mandatory evacuation zone may have hesitated to leave their house when a natural disaster bears down on them. Perhaps they were sick, or afraid of looting, or maybe they have an antisocial pet that they can't stomach abandoning. There are also terribly stupid bullshit reasons to refuse to evacuate as a hurricane approaches. Believing that this whole ordeal was a way for Mother Earth to point and wink at you from across the atmosphere is just one of those stupid bullshit reasons.
The Observer contained the story of several New Yorkers' reticence to evacuate before the impending storm, and found one particularly crunchy lass who was super psyched for the deadly weather event.
Ms. Laurel had ventured down from her apartment on Bedford Avenue to read and reflect, to take in the scene and the energy.
"Mother Earth is so powerful," she continued. "I love to connect with her; I wanted to come down before the storm and feel the energy. And I want come out in the storm, too, and see what that feels like."
Ms. Laurel was wearing a white- and rainbow-colored knit cap with white tassels and a green down vest. She had a chain around her neck with a crystal hanging from it.
20. The irritated dogwalkers
As the storm gathered strength outside of my apartment, I kept seeing miserable-looking dogs being dragged along the sidewalk by their irritated owners. No one in the scenario was happy. Not the dogs, not the jerks mad that their dogs were dogs who needed to do dog things. How dare you have to pee, dog?! HOW DARE YOU?
19. The enslaved worker bee
The New York Stock Exchange and all city public schools shut down for a few days this week, which should have beeen a pretty solid indication that other New York-based businesses that require their workers be physically present in their offices during work hours should feel free to go ahead and shut down so their employees don't have to figure out how to get to work in a city with no operating public transportation. But some businesses still required their employees to figure out how to get to the office on Monday, and I even heard horror stories of people who had to slog off to work on Tuesday or Wednesday! A gainfully employed comedy writer friend was picked up by a car service Monday morning and ushered to work in Midtown, leaving his wife doubting whether she'd see him return before Sandy hit. Luckily, he made it back before things got really hairy.
And poor people, per usual, were shat on. The bodegas are all still open and staffed with worried-looking clerks. The Dunkin Donuts at the end of the block is also open, picked nearly clean of donuts and completely devoid of customers. Hotel employees, restaurant workers, and nurses and firefighters, who are most likely not taking month long sabbaticals to Argentina anytime soon, were the ones stuck working during the storm.
18. The concerned Midwestern relative
On one hand, my mother's requests that I send her frequent updates of whether or not I have drowned or eaten my cat are sort of cute. But on the other, I am trying to conserve my phone's battery in the event that I lose power. WHICH I AM STILL CONVINCED COULD BE AT ANY TIME.
17. The overprepared
Okay, I get it, you smug Y2K remnant with a color-coordinated pantry full of cans, a secure bunker with an emergency backup generator, a closet full of brand new rugged yellow rubber shit you bought at the REI store, and a hurricane-proof wetsuit that poops D batteries. You were prepared. You took all the notes and highlighted the relevant parts. But none of this could save the power in Manhattan, or stop anything from flooding and none of this will matter when we discover that the Mayans were right. Where's your apocalypse go bag, jerk?
16. The whining Detroit Tigers fan
I know you lost and you're sad, but this is not the week for whining about an embarrassing sweep in the World Series. If anything, view your defeat as a blessing: no one will remember this by the time we've pumped the water out of the subway stations.
15. The legitimately clueless
"Why's the line so long here?" says the guy at the hardware store to the overworked clerk. "Is there a storm or something?"
The clerk looks at him like he can't be serious. He is.
This is an actual scene that happened this weekend.
16. The proudly underprepared
So your hurricane strategy involved a pack of Magnum condoms, a tub of Vaseline, and a bag of weed? LIVING DANGEROUSLY.
15. The bewildered, beached celebrity
Seeing celebrities walk around New York is not rare. What is rare is seeing them having to suffer through the same indignities that we Normals must endure. We saw Gabriel Byrne looking distressed about the fact that he's in Whole Foods just like a person without a personal assistant. A disheveled and cranky Alec Baldwin was forced to walk his impossibly tiny dogs in public. This is what our exalted celebrities have been reduced to.
14. The aspiring human Nike commercials
OK, you all-weather running machine - we get that you are totes extreme and dedicated to running no matter what the conditions. But I swear to you that the gods of running will understand if you leave your New Balances in the closet for the next few days. Seriously. There is no need for you to galumph through the driving wind and rain, or trot past storm clean up without a care in the world. You don't have cameras following you. No one else can hear DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win" blasting through your iPod.
13. The goofball
This one's tricky, because there are right and wrong ways to mid-storm goofball. This guy, jogging shirtless in DC wearing spandex shorts and a rubber horse mask? Doing it right.
But these guys, on Long Island with scuba gear and kayaking equipment and bikes? Doing it wrong.
12. The partiers who didn't quite think their plans through
Hey, guys debating where you're going to go for a mid-hurricane rager? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO THAT PLACE UNLESS YOU WERE PLANNING ON STAYING IN THAT PLACE. The thing you should not be doing during a severe weather event is leaving your home, going to another location, and becoming intoxicated and disoriented. The only successful hurricane party in history wasn't a hurricane party at all, but a tornado party, and that tornado party was called The Wizard of Oz and was actually more of a concussed hallucination.
11. The neurotic several-days-early Trader Joe's line denizen
I used to live in a neighborhood in Brooklyn called Cobble Hill, which, for the uninitiated, is populated mainly by successful writers and neurotic white people with kids. But I repeat myself. There's a Trader Joe's right there, which is usually a madhouse due to SAVINGS, but on Saturday, a full 48 hours before Sandy was scheduled to make landfall, the place was so overrun with wild-eyed Brooklynites grabbing every can of beans within reach that security had to stop letting people in and forcing them instead to form a line outside, like it was the world's saddest, most Type A club. Here's a shot of another Trader Joe's line, this one in Manhattan.
Yesterday, a spy in Cobble Hill reported that the beloved purveyor of pantry snacks was closed up, with a note on the door informing customers that there was no food left there, the place had been picked clean, and their supplies hadn't been replenished.
Psst, you guys: there are other grocery stores.
10. The cabin fever-stricken roommate
Know what's even worse than being stuck indoors alone and not being able to leave? Being stuck indoors with a person who is driving you up the fucking wall. I totally love the guy I live with, like, sexually, because we're getting married. But alone time is something I have always cherished, and over the last couple of days we've gotten really fucking irritated with each other.
I can imagine that it would be even worse if the person I lived with wasn't a person who you can go comfortably pantsless around. Godspeed, roommate-havers.
9. The self-endangering damage gawkers
Early on Monday, Dodai caught this shot of a bunch of people gathering on a bridge to look at flooding on FDR Drive. Don't do this. This is dumb.
8. The building super who "forgets" to turn on the building's heat
Complaining about landlords is to NYC as complaining about mothers-in-law is to unfunny stand up comedians in the 1950's. But it's bad enough to have to deal with storm-related anxiety and headaches without having to worry if you will be stuck in a box without heat for the next several days because some jerk wants to save money.
7. The constant hurricane/blow job double entendre maker
There are a few Hurricane Sandy joke Twitter accounts, and they're mostly awful jokes that imply that Sandy is a loud, fat lady who can't stop fellating men. If I wanted to get hurricane blackout drunk, I'd drink every time I heard a stupid joke about how Sandy was blowing everyone up and down the coast.
Besides, hurricanes are formed by massive low pressure systems. So they're mostly sucking, anyway, right?
6. The Instagram exhibitionist
My, oh my but that collection of liquor bottles given a whimsical filter so that it looks like it was a polaroid left in the sun in the back of a car in 1978 is charming. You must have had the twee-est disaster ever. I can practically hear banjos playing.
5. The bored sadists who hoped that there'd be tons of damage so they'd have a cool story to tell their future friends
Admit it, you sick fuck: you kind of wanted the storm to be crazy huge so that you could tell all of your friends back in Ohio or California or Arizona all about how TERRIBLE it was to live through Sandy. This is some Patrick Bateman-level histrionic shit.
4. Clueless luxury apartment dwellers
If you thought I was only going to cite that hilarious Observer piece about ridiculous people once, you've got another thing coming. Here's more stuff about about how rich morons who live in tall buildings in the mandatory evacuation zone don't feel like they have to evacuate because they want to look at the storm as it's happening and stuff. In many cases, building owners have turned power off, locked up from the outside. No matter!
"We're staying," Javier Andrede said, wearing a windbreaker as he made his way into the lobby of Northside Piers 1, his English bulldog waddling beside him. "There might be a little wind, some flooding, but I'm not worried. After the previous hurricane, I think we'll be Okay." Next to him, sandbags had already blocked off the revolving door, and the entrance to the neighboring Northside Piers 2 had been totally blocked off, with a hand-written sign directing residents to use the service entrance.
Mr. Andrede said hello to Zigi Liebold before making his way inside, as Ms. Liebold tried to corral her young daughter, who was dancing around, wired by all the excitement of people coming and going with the gusts, and maybe a little of that energy Ms. Laurel had been feeling. "We're on a high floor, so we're not very worried," Ms. Liebold said. "We'd stay inside anyway, who wants to be outside?"
The amazing thing was, within an hour or so, Ms. Liebold, Mr. Andrede and their neighbors would have no choice but to stay cooped up inside their luxury homes. Building management was taking the mayor's evacuation declaration very seriously, and after 7 p.m., it would be sealing up the building, turning off the elevators and letting no one in or out. Mr. Andrede said last time that lasted about 24 hours. He had just returned from walking his dog one last time, since the pooch would also be confined to the building as well. "We're putting down lots of newspaper," Mr. Andrede explained.
You stupid assholes.
3. The election-focused wonk
Okay, yes, the election is next Tuesday and I know that this is supposed to be YOUR TIME, you punditzillas, but the storm is more important than how Mitt Romney is polling in Minnesota right now.
2. The obsessive pessimist
If I didn't know any better, I'd guess that some people sort of want the streets to flood with poo from the Gowanus canal, just so their glass-half-full-of-shit outlook can be validated. Calm down, Chicken Little. There's plenty of time for self-righteous Monday morning quarterbacking next week.
1. The smug LA dweller
So it's 80 degrees and sunny in Los Angeles, you say? That's a tally in the + column of the LA vs. NYC feud. Unfortunately, Los Angeles is still Los Angeles. -100.
BONUS JERK: The Monday Morning Quarterback
These people were definitely around after Hurricane Katrina, offering all sorts of useful advice for how the people in New Orleans should have acted as the storm approached. AND THANK GOODNESS THEY'RE BACK.
Ohhh, so you've got a solution to why this all happened, you say? Maybe people shouldn't live in the paths of natural disasters, you say? We shouldn't have skyscrapers built below sea level in the first place? Or maybe we should be more diligent about subway tunnel upkeep?
You know, if everyone in the whole world lived in only places where no natural disasters occurred, there would be no fucking place to live.
So, you know, fuck off.
- Erin Ryan
Define 'Homophobic'
Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary Say They Are Still Living In R. Kelly's Condo By Choice


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Microsoft's browser play
The software giant struggles to explain an executive's statement that it may no longer offer a standalone Internet Explorer browser.
Paul Festa
June 4, 2003 3:48 p.m. PT
Learn more about browsers
Purveyors and consumers of Web content and software, already unsettled by the pact between archrivals Microsoft and AOL Time Warner, may be in store for an even more radical upset: the end of Microsoft's standalone Internet Explorer browser.
Brian Countryman, IE program manager, said in a May 7 Web chat posted to Microsoft's Web site that the software maker is phasing out standalone versions of its Web browser.
Since then, Microsoft has struggled to reconcile Countryman's remarks with promises that current users of the standalone version of IE will be provided with upgrades. Countryman did not return calls. A Microsoft representative pressed for clarification of Countryman's comments acknowledged that the company did not, in fact, know what it was going to do.
"We don't know what's happening," said the representative. "There are a lot of different options, and it's too early to talk about any of them...Nothing has been decided yet."
That ambiguity leaves an array of possible outcomes, including forced upgrades to the next client version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, for users of older versions of the operating systems who want to patch security holes or other bugs in IE.
"Lack of updates for older Windows operating systems such as XP or 2000 would...require customers to upgrade to Longhorn to gain the latest browser functionality," wrote Jupiter analyst Michael Gartenberg in an instant message interview.
Many business users and consumers will no doubt move to Longhorn in the future, since it will be installed on the majority of new PCs. And licensed users of Windows can access Windows Update, Microsoft's online service for automatically updating Windows, to obtain any patches or bug fixes for IE.
But having pushed its Web browser software with the help of its OS monopoly, Microsoft now has the opportunity to reverse the process, using its dominance in browsers to prod other customers to upgrade to new versions of Windows.
The apparent move to discontinue standalone IE also makes Microsoft competitors Apple Computer and America Online appear prescient in their recent maneuvers to secure long-term access to browser technology. Apple in January launched its own browser, based on the open-source KHTML development project, and analysts at the time attributed the move to Apple's desire to maximize its independence from Microsoft and IE.
The timing may have been just right, if the elimination of a standalone IE leads to the discontinuation of a version of the browser for the Macintosh OS.
AOL Time Warner, for its part, has just ended its browser-related legal claims against Microsoft as part of a $750 million settlement that included a seven-year free license for IE. The decision to secure that license has many at AOL Time Warner breathing a sigh of relief now that Microsoft has announced the discontinuation of standalone IE. Without the deal, the move could have threatened the company's long-term access to a usable version of the Web's most popular browser in its proprietary service.
AOL Time Warner declined to comment.
From a legal and strategic perspective, Web users now face a situation in which the dominant browser, which achieved that dominance in large part by being offered free of charge, will now only be available as part of an operating system that costs $199 for the "Home" edition and $299 for the "Professional" edition. Upgrades for Windows XP Home and Professional cost $99 and $199, respectively.
IE is everywhere
The removal of IE as a free, downloadable software application could have a profound effect on the Web and the development of Web standards.
One possibility is that its removal could benefit makers of standalone browsers, such as Norwegian software company Opera Software (which charges for one version of its browser and gives away an ad-supported one) or Netscape Communications, a unit of AOL Time Warner.
"My take is that not distributing IE without Windows is good news for us," said Jon von Tetzchner, chief executive of Opera. "This means that a lot of companies are left with the choice between using Opera and paying Microsoft a hefty fee for a Windows upgrade that (makes obsolete) their computers. In the current market, many companies are trying to cut their costs, and a lot of them have no compelling reason to upgrade Windows."
But the future of Netscape, as well as the AOL Time Warner-funded Mozilla open-source project, appear clouded, after the media giant's rapprochement with Microsoft, in which AOL threw the weight of its subscriber base behind IE. Many speculate that Netscape's days as an AOL unit are now numbered.
A second possibility is that IE has gained such an overwhelming share of the market, as the de facto browsing standard, that Web surfers will be compelled to buy Windows--or upgrade Windows--in order to satisfactorily access important Web sites.
Despite the efforts of standards groups such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), of which Microsoft is an active member, many Web sites are still coded to work with IE, rather than the standards that IE and other browsers support.
Some sites explicitly state that their tools and applications work "best" or "only" with IE. And Microsoft's heavily trafficked MSN Web site has been locked in a high-profile battle with Opera over oddities in the way MSN renders in the Norwegian browser.
Microsoft declined to answer most specific questions on this story, but the company representative said Microsoft would "ensure that all current IE users will have access to updates in the future."
Microsoft would not clarify whether that meant there would be continued updates to IE for Windows on a standalone basis, or for the Mac, and if so, what it meant when it promised to end production of standalone IE.
Microsoft did seem to suggest that however it plans to take care of existing users of standalone IE, their options would be even less certain once the company's next version of Windows comes out.
"If you're using IE now, for Mac or Windows, you will have access to any appropriate updates," said the Microsoft representative. "There will be continued innovation and improvement. For the near and immediate future, customers will have access to IE. It's not going anywhere as a product. What happens in the Longhorn timeframe--it's too early to discuss."
The antitrust angle
The degree to which Microsoft's browser and operating system were linked became a central point of contention in the government's antitrust lawsuit against the company.
The government sued Microsoft in 1998, alleging that the software giant had used its monopoly power in desktop operating systems to develop a chokehold on browser software. A federal judge agreed and ordered the company to be broken up into separate application and operating system companies to prevent future abuses. That order was later overturned on appeal, and Microsoft eventually worked out a settlement that leaves it free to develop the OS as it sees fit.
In its defense against the charge it illegally tied the browser to its monopoly operating system, Microsoft argued that the operating system could not function properly without the Web browser.
Now Microsoft has flipped its argument around, claiming that future versions of the browser won't be able to function properly without the OS.
"Legacy OSes have reached their zenith with the addition of IE 6 SP1 (Service Pack 1, a collection of bug fixes and updates to the browser)," Countryman said in the May 7 chat. "Further improvements to IE will require enhancements to the underlying OS."
Antitrust experts said that because the appeals court had found, on a technicality, that the government had failed to prove IE commanded a monopoly, Microsoft's move to remove standalone IE from the market wouldn't run afoul of any restrictions placed on the company by the courts.
The courts forbade Microsoft from refusing to offer a version of Windows without IE, antitrust lawyers pointed out. But the company remains free to offer IE only bundled with a $199 copy of Windows.
"They have to let OEM licensees, HP or whoever, put Netscape or another browser on the other computer and have it work with Windows," said Richard Liebeskind, a partner with Pillsbury Winthrop in Washington, D.C., who worked for both the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice on antitrust issues. "I don't know that there's any obligation to make (Internet) Explorer, because it's not the product Microsoft has been found to have monopolized. The government lost that part of the case--Microsoft got off on a technicality."
Perhaps paradoxically, the removal from the market of IE as a separate product makes reality conform with Microsoft's longtime defense against charges that it tied the browser and the OS.
"Obviously, having a separate product out there prolonged the argument that there were two products that would form the basis of an unlawful tie," said Mark Ostrau, antitrust chair at the technology law firm Fenwick & West. "This gets rid of one pesky aspect of the case. It brings to the inevitable conclusion what Microsoft had in mind all along. And it won't be the last time that this occurs. Windows is like Los Angeles--it likes to annex a lot of outlying areas over time."
Asked where another standalone Microsoft application might disappear from the market, Ostrau advised, "Watch what happens with the media player."
Discuss: Microsoft's browser play