B'nai B'rith decries the arson attack on a synagogue on the Greek island of Corfu on the morning of the first day of Passover, April 19. Vandals broke into the Scuola Greca Synagogue of Corfu and set fire to a pile of prayer books. Police, who were patrolling the area, were able to prevent the fire from spreading further.
A synagogue on the island of Crete was targeted in a similar arson attack in January of 2010. These alarming attacks in Greece represent a troubling pattern emerging in the country.
B'nai B'rith calls on the authorities to expeditiously press the investigation and apprehend those who carried out this malicious attack.


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Real decorating: Pretty, soft & feminine
Five years ago, inspired to create something different with her decorating style, Vicki Dreier set to work on her daughter's room with all the beautiful and feminine touches. Soft pastel colours including pinks, greens, mauves and white were incorporated to give the room the look and feel of a princess' bedroom.
Once Vicki had the bug, the theme continued as she moved from room to room revamping her home using this romantic decorating trend. After Elly-May's bedroom came the dining room, the family room and then the formal lounge room. Using the light-coloured furniture of this style helped to brighten the home, which being an older house could have been quite dark otherwise. But perhaps Vicki's greatest achievement is her kitchen, which she has done in a French Country style centring on her Falcon classic vintage-style cooker, with the help of an enthusiastic kitchen renovation company.
"I designed the whole thing from start to finish, including the drawings, down to every detail," says Vicki proudly. "I was lucky enough that the kitchen people that I chose had not done a kitchen in this style or finish before, which is partly why I chose them. They let me work with them closely to obtain just the right finish and detail from beginning to end. Fortunately they were local so I was down there most days keeping an eye on things.
"We knocked out a large doorway from our bathroom and by converting that into a butler's pantry, it gave me more space in a quite small kitchen. I also have most of my appliances in there such as the fridge, microwave, dishwasher and a small sink. We then moved our bathroom into our laundry and built a cupboard around the laundry, so now we have a French laundry in our bathroom."
Vicki and her husband Ashley bought their house in the Melbourne suburb of Thomastown in 2001 and it is around 60 years old. Originally a two-bedroom home when she purchased the property it had just had an extension added and now has four bedrooms as well as a second living area and ensuite. Its open plan makes it more than large enough for her family of four and includes a spacious courtyard, where the family does most of their entertaining.
"I love entertaining, cooking for dinner parties, outdoor entertaining in the warmer months with friends and family, gardening, real estate and camping with friends," says Vicki. "And getting my teeth into my next project," she adds, referring to how her love of decorating has helped her achieve success with her business of the last five years, From All Things Shabby to Chic. Vicki sells wonderful pieces including furniture, china, giftware, linens, flowers and lighting, among others, and is also able to provide interior designing and visual merchandising services.
"I attract mostly women who love all things feminine and pretty, however I would love to do something modern to show I can diversify from what people know me for. I would like to do some corporate work in the future too," she adds.
"I do other styles but I would have to say that I never get sick of looking at elegant or beautiful things, so my decorating will develop with each new style. I would say predominately it will be French country and French provincial. Classic styles never date or really go out of fashion and I like to incorporate the old with the new and the odd talking point to create interest."
Some of Vicki's decorating items include mannequins, birdcages, painted suitcases and old clocks, prints, biscuit tins and signs. She has made use of all these items and more throughout her home to give it a vintage look and an old-world feel. Striped paint in Elly-May's room and the dining room create more interest than plain painted walls and the mini orb sheeting, combined with the leadlight window and pedestal basin in the bathroom, evoke instant nostalgia.
"Never be afraid to mix styles if you like more than one and never be afraid to mix colour. If you are unsure, consult with a stylist or decorator who will first and foremost listen to you and your ideas and build from there, because at the end of the day you need to be happy in your space."
Vicki's own space is perfect for her because not only does her home look beautiful inside, it is also only five minutes walk from her local railway station and only about 16km from the Melbourne CBD. Being in an older area on the outskirts of the city means less noise and Vicki is blessed with quiet neighbours. "We also have an eight-car garage, which is great for storing my 'works in progress' as well as using for my showroom," she admits. "This also allows me to work from home."
It's clear that decorating is a passion for Vicki, one which she loves to share with others. We will be featuring some other homes that Vicki has influenced over coming issues so stay tuned.
Fine Form and Function
The clientâ??s brief to London Calling was to completely make over the apartment with a clean, modern approach, yet still retain comfort and soul
Maldives meets New York: A cool and natural modern retreat
When sea and city collide, the result is something similar to this Sydney home. Awash with cool tones and natural light, it is a modern oasis for its executive owners
Resort living
If you want to keep your cool â?? and do it in style â?? thatching is the way to go
This Bathroom has Achieved Monochrome Mastery
Having spent more than 40 years designing and manufacturing bespoke joinery in Sydney, Degabriele Kitchens + Interiors' latest bathroom overhaul is proof that experience is king.
Grand Designs Australia TV House: Toolangi
A Modern Marvel Home: From its exquisite old church doors to the owner-laid parquetry flooring and dramatic feature wall, each was cleverly sourced, recycled and used in a way that gave a rustic charm.
Classic design meets contemporary kitchen
The contemporary kitchen's black and white colour scheme lends the space presence and personality, while creating a light, fresh feel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I wrote earlier about four critical things you must do when you start a new job (July 17 '13 post).
1. Figure out who the key players are in your arena…and spend serious face time with them.
2. Determine how you will be evaluated.
3. Determine what the really important things are.
4. Be on the way to becoming a "Go To" person.
They are critical and should be your first priority…but there a few other very important things you need to pay attention to during the critical "break-in" period….your first 90 days on the job.
1. Create a personal game plan…. and update it weekly. This personal game plan will be very short term initially… you can't make plans for what you don't know (yet). It is essentially a "To Do/To Follow Up On" list broken into groups – the groups being different direct reports (subordinates), different projects, different things you are waiting for something to come back your way for additional action, etc.
Although there are all sorts of online and smartphone/PC applications for such things, I have always preferred to keep this very simple – an 8 ½ x 11 lined pad with pages devoted to each "group". Makes it easy to refer and write to it day and night. The top sheet is blank except for my name and tele # and a request to get it to me if found – it is really important to me… and while I have never lost one… that doesn't mean I won't someday <smile>!
Just label each page as to who/what it applies to…when full… go the next blank page. Number the pages by group.
Much of it will truly be "To Do/To Follow Up On" things.. but the reason I reference it as a "game plan" is that it will also have a series of personal objectives there as well. I use a few sheets at the very end of the pad to jot them down and update/revise as necessary.
By putting it all on one pad, it is easy to stay on top of your entire breadth of responsibilities…and it goes with your everywhere! And when it is full – don't throw it away for a year or so… you might be surprised to see how often you go back and refer to it.
Finally – due to the nature of what you have recorded here – you need to safeguard it very carefully!!
2. Create a reference guide…and update it as frequently as daily. This is a continuing list of "stuff" you will refer to from time to time – such things as procedures, names , tele numbers and email addresses, driving directions, tax ID #s, important deadline dates for whatever – you get the idea – the stuff you don't want to have to look up or ask about a second time.
As of this writing, there is a neat pc program called "Evernote" that can really make life easier in this regard. http://evernote.com Install it on your PC and your smart phone.. and synch them. That way you can do data entry and retrieval from either. Of course names with tele numbers, addresses and email addresses go into whatever program your employer has set up – usually Outlook.
3. Get a grip on whatever numbers are important to your sphere of responsibility.
You gotta know the numbers. Sales, margins, costs, profits, percentages, ratios, benchmarks. Whatever is important to the objective of getting it done on time and on (or under!) budget.
Every business has ratios and relationships. For example a friend in the hotel business tells me that she staffs housekeepers based on 14. One housekeeper per 14 rooms to be cleaned. Every sales position has a ratio of contacts to presentations to closes. Find out which ratios are relevant to your job, your department, etc.
4. Determine who the external resources are and establish contact with them.
If your job requires you to deal with others external to your organization, make a point to determine who they are and make contact with them. They might be customers or vendors. They may be outside resources such as lawyers, accountants, bankers, auditors, etc.
Talk to your boss to determine who they might be and be pro-active by reaching out to them. Introduce yourself and let them know they can count on your for whatever role has been the norm in the past.
OK… you now have some guidelines and marching orders for your first 90 days in your new job!
Feel free to post here for the benefit of others your thoughts and ideas you have found successful in this regard!! Thanks!!
"The world's most exclusive fraternity" is the tagline of a wonderful book by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy entitled "The President's Club".
It details the relationships between ex-U.S. Presidents and the incumbent. Regardless of what is said on the campaign trail, those men (and hopefully a woman one day soon!) all recognize the rigors of the job and that the advice and assistance of those that have walked the halls of The White House before can be both helpful and comforting.
The book is a great read – with "aha" stuff you never knew and a broad sprinkling of humor. It also details what happens when an ex-president outruns his blockers as Jimmy Carter did on more than one occasion!
Why do I devote space in this blog to it? Because it is also a series of great leadership lessons and illustrates that "only time will tell" how wise were certain decisions and how history now views former presidents compared to what the public thought in their first years out of office.
I strongly recommend the book…and you will learn from the successes and mistakes of these former presidents.
And while you are at it… take a look at the wonderful piece by David Shribman in The Salem News entitled "The new George H.W. Bush." It talks of the work done by presidents after they leave office – their so-called "second lives". John Quincy Adams served in Congress for several terms after leaving office…and with nothing to prove was at times a real pain to the incumbent at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! Shribman's article coverage also includes U.S. Grant, Harry Truman, James Garfield, Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Bush 41.
Leadership – never stop learning!
NRI Staffing – Washington, DC's premier staffing service!
Posted in Inspiration, Leadership, Success	| Tagged Leadership - never stop learing!
Where to begin when you are hired to be the boss??
By Marshall Brown, CPCC, President Marshall Brown & Associates. Published in Association TRENDS. Reprinted with permission. While this specifically is geared to a trade association executive, the issues are the same that need to be addressed when a manager at any level is hired to take over an existing team.
Q: I recently became the CEO of a mid-sized association and will be managing a staff of 30. I would like to develop and convey some clear expectations for the staff and give the directors some guidance on implementation. Any tips would be appreciated.
Brown: Too often, executives seem to lead through mental telepathy. Rather than set and communicate clear expectations – the milestones against which we test our progress – they assume their managers and employees know what to do and how to do it. What results is hesitation, indecision and uncertainty. Healthy teamwork, initiative and productivity go out the window.
1. Start with a vision of what you want the end result to look like. Not just what you want done, but the results you want to achieve when the project is completed.
2. Discuss how you define "excellent performance." Paint a complete picture. Refer to your performance review form. Don't assume.
3. Focus on the desired outcome, not on describing each and every step. Your goal is to guide, not control. Letting individuals find their own route toward productive outcomes encourages them to use their strengths.
4. Tie the mission of the department to each job. People want to know that their role, whether large or small, makes a difference.
5. Put the expectations in writing.
6. Stay on the sideline. You may be tempted to step in and 'play the game' for a subordinate, but if you do, no one will learn.
7. Give feedback, and often! The annual performance review is too late to let staff members know how they are meeting your expectations. Schedule informal review time weekly (quarterly for larger departments). Feedback given along the way sounds more like coaching, not like punishment.
8. Ask for staff members' feedback on how they think they are doing. Two-way communication clarifies expectations.
9. Give positive reinforcement. Don't mix negative and positive. Mention the thing you like and you'll get more of it. Be specific and prompt.
10. Don't take it personally. When staff members don't perform as you think they should have, look for solutions, not blame.
This article was originally published in the March 2011 edition of Marshall Brown & Associates' It's All About You! Ezine.
If looking for opportunities in metro Washington, DC – check out NRI's job listings on our website!
Four Things You MUST Do When You Start A New Job!
Getting "On Board"; What To Do…and Not To Do… in the First 90 days!
OK.. you just started your new job or you will very soon.
Just because you have accepted an offer doesn't mean your job search is over!! Part of a successful job search is to become acclimated and begin to make meaningful contributions as quickly as possible. Your objective is to cement key relationships, get the lay of the land and ….make no mistakes.
Have you ever seen a football player on the way to a sure touchdown inexplicably drop the ball….or stumble and fall…or quit running 100% and get tackled? It happens!! In each case, the player quit before the job was done.
Well, your job search isn't "done" until you are "On Board"!
1. Figure out who the key players are in your arena…and spend serious face time with them. Not so much that you become a pest, of course, but your objective is to really get to know them and where they fit in. Your boss is one of them of course, but who are the others? Typically, they are those who depend on you for specific assistance or performance on issues and those upon who you likewise depend. Tread cautiously in conversation; some will be more private than others…and don't get caught up in company nonsense or politics… but engage them professionally to see what makes them tick.
But beware – it may not end with this group. You need "EA" – "Environmental Awareness" to know for sure who fits into this category. For example you want to have a good speaking relationship with the security guard, the cashier in the company cafeteria and the main building receptionist. Even though you don't count on them directly nor they of you – you want them singing your praises!
3. Determine what the really important things are. And be aware they may not be what they seem to be. Is there an overriding project that senior management is really counting on coming in on time and on budget? Are there major problems or issues to be resolved? Making sure that the "trains run on time" is important, but you need to determine what is #1 on your bosses' "To Do" list and on his bosses' "To Do" list as well. You don't want to be guilty of doing a great job on the mundane, but not really earning your pay by making significant and real contributions to the mission and objectives of your department, your boss and the organization.
4. Be on the way to becoming a "Go To" person. Everywhere of course… but particularly in the areas of greatest importance to the organization. Be curious…see and understand the big picture…pitch in at every opportunity you can to make a difference. Be aware of "turf" issues; always volunteer "Can I give you a hand on this". And rather than volunteer opinions, ask "Would you like my thoughts on this?" If you see something that doesn't look quite right – either take care of it… or bring it – diplomatically – to the attention of someone who can take care of it. Being a true "Go To" person requires very good EA (as defined above); you really need to see and be aware of what is going on – both in front of and behind the scenes! Note – this also requires that you do so in an upfront and transparent manner… you are above board at all times!
As a "Go To" person… as time goes on, you will be valued for having been in on the ground floor of past projects, successes, things that didn't go as expected, etc. It is that collective experience and knowledge that begin to magnify your contributions.
OK… four things to achieve in the first 90 days on the job…write them down and post them on where you will see them daily… and then pledge to make progress towards achieving them…daily. Good Luck!
Effective leadership can't be possible without a good dose of humility. All successful people have it. All effective leaders must have it.
I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.
Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives acclaim earned in the blood of his followers and the sacrifices of his friends.
You never know who you are gonna meet on the way down that you treated poorly on the way up.
Eisenhower's appointment as Supreme Allied Commander to lead the Allied invasion of German-occupied Europe in World War II was largely due to his great ability to get along with people. Ike needed to manage the immense and overpowering egos of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery and have them accept him as Supreme Commander. Ike's sense of humility was the key to a personality that paved the way for his success.
Ike's quote above applies to anyone who achieves success due to the efforts and sacrifices of others…and that means every successful manager of people. It is the subordinates that do the real work…to make the deadlines… and achieve the plan the boss put together. People will work long and hard for a variety of reasons but will usually balk at doing so for a boss that is arrogant…doesn't appreciate their efforts…and generally doesn't treat them well….in other words, someone without a sense of perspective regarding their own importance; a lack of humility..
Ulysses S Grant – our 16th President and the general that won the American Civil War for Lincoln – had an overriding sense of humility. And for good reason. Grant, West Point class of 1843, was forced to leave the Army in 1854 for allegations of drunkenness. He then failed at every effort after that – farming, bill collecting, selling firewood on the streets of St Louis. He finally became a clerk in his father's leather goods store. When the Civil War broke out the North needed experienced officers. Grant re-joined the Union Army and quickly came into his own. Having failed to support his family in civilian life, he found great success leading men in battle. Why? To a great deal, how he treated people – friend and foe alike.
A general's greatest accomplishment is the capture of an enemy army. Which is what Grant did in February, 1862, when his army captured the Confederate army defending Ft Donelson on the Tennessee River. Customarily such an event would call for a ceremony where the surrounding general would offer his sword and sidearm to the victor. When a subordinate asked Grant when and where the surrender ceremony would take place, Grant replied "There will be nothing of the kind. Why should we injure the spirit of brave men, who after all are our own countrymen and brothers?".
Grant could have celebrated… could have gloated… but he didn't. Just as one of the first things discussed with Robert E. Lee at Lee's surrender at Appomattox was Grant asking if Lee's men needed rations. Humility and thoughtfulness again.
Hu-mil-i-ty (noun) A modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
Important for all to keep in mind as we go through life, dealing with people and facing adversity. And perhaps one of the greatest lessons each of us can teach others!
Four very important days – July 1-4, 1863….
Lest we forget, July 1-4 of 1863 were very important days to ensuring the continuity of our nation.
The Battle of Gettysburg July 1 – 2 – 3 …often referred to as the "high water mark" of the Confederacy… pitted two West Point graduates.. Robert E. Lee (CSA) and George Gordon Meade (USA). After 3 days of fighting in brutal heat and humidity (in wool uniforms by the way), Lee retreated back to Virginia. Never again would the Confederacy cross the Mason-Dixon Line.On July 4, 1863 John Pemberton (CSA) surrendered the Confederate stronghold ofVicksburg, MS after a prolonged siege by U.S. Grant (USA) and the Union Army. Never again would the Confederacy control the Mississippi River.
While the war would rage on for almost two more years, the ultimate outcome was never in doubt. Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the two Union victories the Confederacy couldn't overcome.As you celebrate the Fourth, keep in mind the brave soldiers on both sides that fought and died in America's seminal event 1861-1865.
Traits of success – what do successful people credit for why they have achieved success?
Successful people – when asked, "What has helped you achieve success?" Or "What are the traits you have nurtured to get where you are?" – will respond with a variety of nouns and descriptive phrases. Some of the most common are detailed below. Take a look at these and check off those that you possess… and add the others to your personal "to do" list.
Do the same for your subordinates and develop a coaching program for each of them so they too can begin to check off as "got it" these desired traits of successful people.
Great and positive attitude. The glass is – at least outwardly – ALWAYS half full. Be "up"…smile…portray that problems and obstacles are to be tackled and resolved. Having a great positive attitude is the first step to being a "Go To" person – a desired state of being for anyone! Have a personal methodology to get and keep your attitude positive, especially when things go wrong. Check the websites and thoughts of Tim Connor (www.timeconnor.com) , David Rich (www.contagioustalk.com) and Angelo Agrafiotis (www.aaimlifecoaching.com) when you need a mental shot in the arm.
Stay on message. To do otherwise confuses people as to what is important and what the mission is. Repeat the message over and over again… otherwise, people will forget and stray off message. Like the parlor game of telephone where a verbal message is passed down the line and emerges bearing no resemblance to the original message… only by repeating the message will it get to all and be retained in its original form. One memo… one presentation…one speech will never get it done… tenacity is critical.
Be upfront, straightforward and honest…at all times. Simple and direct avoids confusion. No obfuscation…no "blowin' smoke" about "what's going on". Your subordinates and those you work with need to be able to predict how your think and how you make decisions in order to be in sync with you. Being upfront and straightforward leads to predictability. When you use facts and figures – be sure you are right on; getting them wrong leads people to conclude you were playing fast and fancy with the facts.
Be curious. Curiosity leads you and your co-workers to explore new and better ways to do things. It counters the brain "stagnation" that can set in within an organization. Cultivate "environmental awareness" – what is going on around you and – and consider how it all fits in. Read, learn and ponder the "what-ifs" regarding your organization, department or job!
Be a very good listener. When you are talking with someone – give it 100% of your attention. It is just rude to listen and also multi-task on your PDA or let your eyes wander around the room. If you are going to listen to someone, you have two objectives: a. Hear and understand what he or she has to say; and, b. Have him or her leave the conversation feeling they had your total and complete attention.. .the impact is for the person to feel that they were the most important person in the room.
a. First – get the cow out of the ditch.
b. Second – Figure out how the cow got in the ditch.
c. Third – Create and implement a plan so it can never happen again.
Most people do #1…and maybe #2. People that are serious about excellence take the time to do all three!
OK – these are six characteristics of successful people in their own words. See if you agree…and to what degree do you possess and practice them!
10 Critical Things To Do When Changing Jobs!
Skepticism Is Necessary For Good Decisions!
5 Very Positive Things that Successful People Do!


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Territory Profile
Population Adjusted GDP GDP per capita Major income sources Geography Legal Status
161,785 (July 2015 est.) $4.882 billion (2013 est.) $30,500 (2013 est.) U.S. military, tourism (primarily from Japan), construction An island of volcanic origin in the North Pacific Ocean Organized, unincorporated territory of the U.S.
Part of the Mariana Archipelago, the island of Guam shares an ancient history and culture with other islands in the chain. The Chamorro people, who first settled the archipelago 4,000 years ago, maintain a culture and language unique in the Pacific.
"Sunny day, Tumon Bay, Guam," ©Tata_aka_T 2007, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license
The island chain has been colonized by successive colonial powers since 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan laid claim to the islands for Spain. In 1898, at the end of the Spanish American War, Spain ceded Guam to the United States. Japan took control of Guam for three years during World War II, marking a violent period in its history. Guam became a U.S. territory in 1950. The U.S. military installations on the island remain some of the most strategically important in the Pacific region for the U.S.
As in Hawai'i, the cash economy in Guam is highly developed and relatively few people rely on subsistence agriculture and fishing. In addition, the Territory adheres to a western legal system. It is by far the most developed island in the Micronesian region.
Key Climate-Related Stressors and Issues
A high volcanic island, Guam does not experience as many of the impacts associated with sea level rise as do the low-lying atoll islands. Guam has extensive freshwater supplies in an underground aquifer, which have sustained the island through periods of drought. Drying patterns are closely associated with El Niño events, which could become stronger in the future. Dry periods bring wildfires to the island and impact agriculture. Villages that rely on surface water sources have experienced water shortage in past drought events.
Guam lies directly along a tropical cyclone belt, and thus is regularly impacted by major storms. Extreme storm surge events result from wind, wave, and atmospheric forces in tropical storms, resulting in coastal flooding and erosion. Guam and CNMI are more exposed to this threat, than they are to tide-related surge, due to their location in the path of frequent storms. A key issue for climate change impacts on Guam is whether storm tracks and intensities will change under future warming.
Climate stressors on low-lying atolls of nations could become an increasing driver of migration in the future. Guam is currently a main destination for immigrants from the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Thus, Guam is likely to receive higher numbers of regional migrants in the future.
Adaptive Capacities
In 2015, the Governor of Guam issued an executive order establishing a formal policy to take action on climate change and creating a climate change task force. At a 2015 meeting with U. S. Department of Interior official, the Government of Guam discussed its plans to conduct a vulnerability assessment that will inform a territorial climate change plan.
The U.S. Department of Interior also has announced plans to increase climate change adaptation funding for Pacific Islands, including Guam, in 2016. Secretary of Interior Esther Kia'aina is encouraging Pacific Islands governments to develop vulnerability assessments and climate adaptation plans.
In 2008, Guam developed a Local Action Strategy on coral reef resilience. As part of that effort, specific resilience action plans are now complete and actions are underway to protect reefs and watersheds from multiple threats, including climate change.
The government is actively working to enhance communications during emergencies with plans to replace land mobile radio with new mobile apps.
Lower poverty rates on Guam would suggest that the territory is more resilient to climate change than many less-developed Pacific Island countries and territories.
The preceding text is excerpted and abridged from the following sources:
"Guam and El Niño" The Government of the Territory of Guam, available from: http://edev3.socialsciences.hawaii.edu/temp/hazards/5%20Publications/Guam%20and%20El%20Nino.pdf
Lander, M. A., & Guard, C. P. (2003). Creation of a 50-year rainfall database, annual rainfall climatology,and annual rainfall distribution map for Guam (Technical Report No. 102). University of Guam, Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific. Retrieved from http://www.weriguam.org/reports/item/creation-of-a-50-year-rainfall-database-annual-rainfall-climatology-and-annual-rainfall-distribution-map-for-guam
"Guam And Insular Areas Discuss Climate Change Assessments & Adaptation," Ridgell, C., Pacific News Center, 04 June 2015, retrieved from http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/4012
U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Insular Areas Climate Change Stakeholder Meeting, Tumon, Guam, June 4-5, 2015, available at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.opengov.ibmcloud.com/files/uploads/Guam%20CC%20Stakeholder%20Meeting%20Report%20FINAL%209_30_15.pdf


Notice of availability of the summary report of the votes ex art. 125-quarter, subsection 2, C.L.F..
Notice of availability of the summary report of the votes ex art. 125-quarter, subsection 2, C.L.F.
Ordinary Shareholder's meeting of El.En. S.p.A.
General Manager appointed by the BoD of El.En.
Ordinary and Special Shareholder's meeting of El.En. S.p.A.
El.En. S.p.A.: Notice of availability of the summary report of the votes ex art. 125-quarter, subsection 2, C.L.F..
Comunicazione convocazione CdA El.En. S.p.A.
El.En. S.p.A.: Notice of the publication and availability of the proposals for appointment of the Board of Directors by the Shareholders' meeting convened on April 27th/May 15th 2012.
El.En. S.p.A. announces successful settlement in U.S. patent lawsuit against CoolTouch Inc.
El.En. S.p.A. Realizes $31 Million From The Sale of 950,000 Shares of Cynosure, Inc.
Revenues at 118 millions of euro (up 25%) and EBIT up 71,8%.
Cynosure has filed with SEC the Amendment No. 1 to Cynosure's Registration Statement on Form S-1.
New 2002 balance objectives after the purchase of Cynosure inc.
Gruppo El.En..: Ricavi in crescita dell'8,7%, dividendo a 0,20 euro per azione.


In 1984, Grammy awards were not telecast live in India. So, my friends and I had to wait for a whole week to watch Michael Jackson receive that record 8 Grammys in one awards-ceremony.
A week earlier, we had seen the TV episode, of Grammy Nominations. And I was mesmerized by video-clips of Billie Jean, Thriller, and Beat it. And, like my friends, was desperate to watch the videos again.
India had only one TV channel at that time - Doordarshan. MTV had not arrived yet. And music videos were completely new and special for us. They had a wonderfully weird and magically magnetic effect on all of us, fresh out of high-school.
We Oooh-ed and Aaaah-ed listening to those albums and discussing them. Some well-to-do friends had had stereos and audio tapes of latest music. Some even had VCRs and VHS tapes. But getting foreign music video tapes was extremely difficult. Knowledgeable friends - with access to foreign magazines – updated us on the US-Europe music scene.
We listened to, and talked of Police and Eurhythmics. Of Stevie Wonder and Irene Cara. Of Tina Turner and Culture Club. Of Duran Duran and BB King. Many of these were, actually, among Grammy nominations that year. In 1984. But Michael Jackson was our topic number one.
I now wonder how he won those Grammys pitted against the best in the industry.
A few months earlier, a knowledgeable fan - who showed off a large poster of Michael Jackson with Diana Ross in his room - announced that MJ was hurt in a fire accident while shooting an Ad for Pepsi. (By the way, India had not seen Pepsi or Coke then, except as pictures in foreign magazines and tabloids. Thanks to then regulated economy).
I now hear that Michael Jackson donated all the money received as damages from that Pepsi-fiasco to the hospital that treated him.
Anyway, when we finally got to watch the Awards ceremony, we did it with goose-bumpy excitement. We gaped at his effortless moon-walking on a kaleidoscopic dance floor, at his glittering hand of sequined glove, at his swaying of hand-and-hat to that staccato beat, at his robotic movement of fascinating jerks. We were tantalized beyond senses.
The video tape 'The making of Thriller' soon became a big hit among friends, and we must have watched the tape again and again to the point of complete erosion.
Needless to say, we soon liked his collaboration with Lionel Richie for the song 'We are the world', during the Africa-Aid times. We admired his part in raising money for Africa. We liked his songs with Paul McCartney – especially 'Ebony and Ivory' and 'The girl is mine'. And we are still captivated by the powerful meaning of 'Heal the world'!
His solo albums – apart from Thriller(1982) – Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), sold by the million. Thanks to MJ-crazy fans like us.
His recent erratic behavior and child abuse allegations notwithstanding, he will remain unmatched as an extremely talented musician, a vibrant stage entertainer, and a unique dance artist.
His popularity is evident from the fact that - even in the face of new music of newer generation - almost all the tickets of his series of 50 concerts titled 'This Is It', scheduled to begin in London on July 13, 2009 were sold out, before this untimely death.
Little wonder, therefore, that - after 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of 800 million records worldwide - Guinness Book of World Records chose to call him the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"!


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Home / Band Management / Guest Column: The Contemporary Role of Confederate Iconography in Southern Music
Guest Column: The Contemporary Role of Confederate Iconography in Southern Music
By Sabrina Lambros on January 12, 2016
The Contemporary Role of Confederate Iconography in Southern Music
[Editor's note – as with all the articles in this month's social justice issue, what follows are the thoughts and ideas of the author. These do not necessarily represent those of Performer Magazine, its staff or its advertisers. The author's opinions are their own, and we encourage you to join the discussion in the comments section below or on our social media pages.]
What we refer to as the Confederate flag has a controversial and downright oppressive history in the United States. It originally was a battle flag for the Confederacy as they fought for the continuance of slavery in America during the Civil War. Many Southerners, however, find the flag to be a source of "heritage" and "pride," not viewing its image and usage as discriminatory, but instead as a nod to their familial lineage.
Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert – New Brockton, Alabama, June 7, 2008
However, the Confederate flag didn't enter mainstream culture until 100 years after the Civil War. In the 1960s, it became a ubiquitous symbol in Southern music. Artists adopted the flag to represent rebelliousness, identification as an "outlaw," and to appeal to blue-collar Americans. However, it's hardly a coincidence that this is the exact time that the Civil Rights Movement was in full-force.
▼ Article continues below ▼
Music historian and journalist Robert K. Oermann notes, "I believe it became a response to the death of segregation. That's when these various states began to display the flag, and it started being much more visible. So these country stars, that's the way they grew up. They grew up thinking, 'Oh, it's just a recognition of my ancestors, and I want to honor my ancestors.' Well, you know, I'm a German American, and I don't display the swastika."
The industry has already been quietly shifting away from use of the flag. Younger artists don't have the same connection with the flag, as many of them grew up in a different cultural climate in the South. Also, they've steered clear of the flag in order to reach wider audiences. Instead, they've adopted the American flag.
Even veteran bands that have built their reputations around Confederate iconography are trying to ditch this symbolism, most notably Lynyrd Skynyrd. They're a band that has become almost synonymous with the symbol, displaying it on album covers and merchandise for the better part of four decades.
In 2012, Gary Rossington, the only remaining original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, announced that the band would stop using the flag as a stage backdrop. He claims that, "Through the years, people like the KKK and skinheads kinda kidnapped the Dixie or Southern flag from its tradition and the heritage of the soldiers, that's what it was about. We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things." This isn't an uncommon view, that the flag was "stolen" by racists, but really, the South repurposed it long after the flag's racist history.
Fan reactions to Rossington's announcement are a true testament to the ignorance still thriving in many parts of the United States. Many were outraged upon the flag's removal from the band's image, so the band compromised and flew an American flag behind them at shows, with a smaller Confederate flag off to the side.
But many artists still continue to use the iconography, despite the fact that according to a recent CNN poll, nearly three-fourths of of African Americans find the Confederate flag to be offensive. As the music has spread behind the South's borders, the flag has followed. It's still not unheard of to see music fans in New Jersey or New Hampshire wearing a Confederate flag draped around their shoulders at a country music festival. Even as recently as July, bands such as Nashville Pussy were selling merchandise with the flag on it.
Artists are still reacting to criticism, however. Trace Adkins was seen on a live TV performance in 2012 with a Confederate flag earpiece. After receiving a lot of negativity in the press, he was never seen with it again. This arouses a question of why artists are moving away from the flag. Is it really a change of heart on their part, or is it just to avoid controversy?
Many musicians have stayed quiet on the issue. However, country star Brad Paisley tried to address it in a collaborative song with LL Cool J called "Accidental Racist." The track is about a man wearing a Lynyrd Skynyrd shirt to a Starbucks and trying to explain himself to the barista. LL Cool J responds with lyrics such as: "If you don't judge my do-rag, I won't judge your red flag / If you don't judge my gold chains, I'll forget the iron chains." The song was a disaster, met with a heavy amount of criticism about reducing slavery to almost comically ridiculous terms. However, Paisley's goal was get people talking about the debate, which was a valuable sentiment, if not a misguided artistic effort.
Another artist who's spoken out publicly about the Confederate flag is Kanye West. He has used the flag ironically, sporting it on merchandise and even on himself during his Yeezus tour. He said of the subject on L.A. radio station 97.1 AMP, "React how you want. Any energy is good energy. The Confederate flag represented slavery in a way. That's my abstract take on what I know about it, right? So I wrote the song 'New Slaves.' I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag now."
However, the removal of the Confederate flag at the South Carolina State Capitol this past July has made the push to be rid of the flag, especially on government property, even stronger. A further example in the music industry is the disappearance of Confederate flag merchandise from Pantera's website following the removal (although Dean Guitars continues to market and sell the Dimebag Dixie Rebel guitar, complete with Confederate graphics on both the body and headstock).
The entire controversy definitely represents something far larger in our nation, and it's not a discussion that will go away or be resolved any time in the near future. The entire landscape of the country, especially with racial acceptance, is changing. It's clear that racism is not completely gone, although small (but hopefully meaningful) steps are being taken by public figures (especially in the music industry) to eradicate symbols of hate, bigotry and oppression.
Sources for further reading:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/why-are-these-bands-still-selling-confederate-flag-merch-20150709
http://tasteofcountry.com/remove-the-confederate-flag-from-country-music/
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/24915b44d8174c55b64cd1c56ee6c57a/country-music-struggles-its-confederate-flag-past
http://www.denverpost.com/music/ci_28460845/country-music-struggles-its-confederate-flag-past
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6612900/confederate-flag-music-lynyrd-skynyrd-kanye-west-pantera-accidental-racist-alabama
http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/stars-and-barred-for-southern-rockers-and-country-singers-the-confederate-flag-is-an-uncomfortable-heritage
http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2015/06/even_lynyrd_skynyrd_wanted_to.html
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Lady Luck: The Theory of Probability (Dover Books on Mathematics) (Paperback)
By Warren Weaver
This item is not available.
"Should I take my umbrella?" "Should I buy insurance?" "Which horse should I bet on?" Every day ― in business, in love affairs, in forecasting the weather or the stock market questions arise which cannot be answered by a simple "yes" or "no." Many of these questions involve probability. Probabilistic thinking is as crucially important in ordinary affairs as it is in the most abstruse realms of science.
This book is the best nontechnical introduction to probability ever written. Its author, the late Dr. Warren Weaver, was a professor of mathematics, active in the Rockefeller and Sloan foundations, an authority on communications and probability, and distinguished for his work at bridging the gap between science and the average citizen. In accessible language and drawing upon the widely diverse writings of thinkers like Kurt Godel, Susanne K.Langer, and Nicholas Bernoulli, Dr. Weaver explains such concepts as permutations, independent events, mathematical expectation, the law of averages, Chebychev's theorem, the law of large numbers, and probability distributions. He uses a probabilistic viewpoint to illuminate such matters as rare events and coincidences, and also devotes space to the relations of probability and statistics, gambling, and modern scientific research. Dr. Weaver writes with wit, charm and exceptional clarity. His mathematics is elementary, grasp of the subject profound, and examples fascinating. They are complemented by 49 delightful drawings by Peg Hosford. 13 tables. 49 drawings. Foreword. Index.
Warren Weaver: A Prolific Mind Warren Weaver (1894-1978) was an engineer, mathematician, administrator, public advocate for science, information age visionary, and author or co-author of many books including the one on which his authorial fame mostly rests, his and Claude Shannon's epoch-making 1949 work, The Mathematical Theory of Communication. A man with a restless intelligence, he also wrote an early seminal work on the theory of machine translation, a unique work on the publishing history of Alice in Wonderland in the many languages into which it has been translated, Alice in Many Tongues, and the book which introduced the Sputnik generation and their followers to the intricacies and enjoyment of the basic concepts of probability, Lady Luck: The Theory of Probability. This book, first published in 1963, has been a fixture on the Dover list since 1982. From the Book: "I say that you may at the moment be almost bored at the prospect of thinking about thinking. But this book is going to introduce you to a special way of thinking, a special brand of reasoning, which, I am confident, you will find not only useful, but fun as well. It will be about a type of thinking that, when stated boldly, seems a little strange. For we often suppose that we think with the purpose of coming to definite and sure conclusions. This book, on the contrary, deals with thinking about uncertainty." In the Author's Own Words: "We keep, in science, getting a more and more sophisticated view of our essential ignorance." -- Warren Weaver
Publication Date: August 1st, 1982
Series: Dover Books on Mathematics
Probability & Statistics - General
Kobo eBook (June 10th, 2012): $14.95


Maryann Castello will team up with several leading experts from various industries to release the new book, "The Road to Success Volume 2: Today's Leading Entrepreneurs and Professionals Reveal Their Step-By-Step Systems To Help You Achieve The Health, Wealth and Lifestyle You Deserve" by CelebrityPress®.
Clark, NJ – July 12, 2016 – Maryann Castello of Neos Zoe LLC, has joined Jack Canfield, along with a select group of experts and professionals, to co-write the forthcoming book titled, The Road to Success Volume 2: Today's Leading Entrepreneurs and Professionals Reveal Their Step-By-Step Systems To Help You Achieve The Health, Wealth and Lifestyle You Deserve. Nick Nanton, Esq., along with business partner, JW Dicks, Esq., the leading agents to Celebrity Experts® worldwide, recently signed a publishing deal with Maryann Castello to contribute her expertise to the book, which will be released under their CelebrityPress® imprint.
Maryann Castello is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and a New Jersey State Licensed Massage Therapist. She is a healing force. Her multi-disciplinary approach to the healing arts provides comprehensive results. She specializes in clinical nutrition and various forms of massage; medical, swedish, shiatsu, reflexology, and chair massage. As a Reiki Master Teacher and Practitioner she also incorporates jin shin jyutsu and chair energy work. She believes in educating others and teaches clinical aromatherapy, fragrance, and detoxification classes at the Academy of Natural Health Sciences. She serves on advisory boards for public schools departments of special services and is an ordained minister practitioner.
Maryann is a graduate of the Academy of Natural Health Sciences and various other institutions. She is the CEO and Founder of Neos Zoe LLC, "New Life Through Balanced Living." She is a TV and Radio personality that has been featured on Spotlight Television, Danny Coleman's Rock on Radio, and currently hosting her own radio show, along with Co-Host, Frank MacKay, as an expert in various holistic modalities. She was selected as one of America's Premier Experts™ and has been quoted in Talk Nation Magazine and NJ Discover, with Calvin Schwartz, on creating healthy lifestyles. Maryann also has been named the VIP Woman of the Year 2015-2016 from the National Association of Professional Woman.
It is Maryann's desire and mission to help each individual to achieve complete homeostasis by educating them through her teachings of various holistic practices to empower themselves through their healing journey on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. She is committed to her own personal growth and continuing education to keep her on the frontier of innovative holistic solutions for achieving optimal health, harmonious living and lifestyle choices.
Maryann is a professional singer who has worked with Grammy Award Winning Producer and Arranger, Tony Camillo and Singer/Songwriter, Guitarist, Producer and Arranger, Ryche Chlanda. She has an upcoming Meditation DVD Line and her radio show can be found on iTunes, Sound Cloud, Blog Talk Radio, and Frank MacKay Media.


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Senate Finance Committee Discusses Telehealth, Other COVID-19 Flexibilities
Jason Kleinman, Senior Legislative Analyst, Govt. Relations
jkleinman@aamc.org
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on May 19 titled, "COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned." The hearing predominately focused on the current waivers and flexibilities related to telehealth, as well as the Hospital Without Walls and Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers, which many committee members commented have all expanded access to care during the current pandemic.
The AAMC submitted a statement for the record urging Congress to extend several of the temporary telehealth waivers. The statement urges Congress to:
Allow patients to access telehealth services from any location.
Reimburse providers the same amount for telehealth services as in-person visits.
Allow Medicare payment for audio-only services.
Allow patients to access telehealth services across state lines as appropriate.
Allow for virtual supervision of residents by teaching physicians.
Allow "authorized practitioners" to prescribe buprenorphine via telehealth.
Improve access to broadband technology.
Additionally, the AAMC called on Congress to eliminate the skilled nursing facility three-day prior hospitalization requirement, expand the delivery of inpatient care in patients' homes through the Hospital Without Walls program, and consolidate all health-related waivers under the authority of the Health and Human Services Secretary.
In his opening statement, Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) stated, "This morning's hearing is an opportunity to talk about the changes that ought to stick around post-pandemic, and there's no better example than telehealth." He added, "The telehealth challenge has always been about balancing the speed and efficiency of new technologies with the need for health care quality and accountability…My view is, as a general proposition, patients ought to have telehealth available as an option after seeing a provider for the first time." Chairman Wyden also highlighted the bipartisan support for a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) that "allowed all seniors in Medicare to receive mental health services via telehealth, including at home. My view is, mental health services ought to be available via telehealth for all Americans."
Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) noted his support for telehealth in his opening statement, stating, "Telehealth has been a lifeline for patients and providers, especially in the early months of the pandemic. The reliance on telehealth increased in rural and urban areas alike, allowing patients to receive remote care from the safety of their home." He continued, "To ensure financial stability, providers have been paid at the same rate as if the service was furnished in-person. This has facilitated care that otherwise would be risky or unavailable, and patients have appreciated the convenience. It has reduced the frequency of missed appointments, and assisted provider investment in the infrastructure needed for remote care...The promise of telehealth is clear, but it is important that we gather evidence on its impact on access, quality, and cost."
In her testimony, Jessica Farb, director, Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), highlighted that the Medicare telehealth waivers have increased utilization of telehealth services. The GAO testimony notes, "Available analysis from the CMS Accomplishment Report indicates that over the first eight months of the pandemic, utilization of telehealth services in Medicare FFS sharply increased from about 325,000 services in mid-March to a peak of nearly 1.9 million services in late-April. Utilization then dropped to about 1.3 million services by the beginning of June, and generally continued to slowly drop through mid-October." She added, "The long-term effect of these waivers on spending and quality of care is not yet known."
Linda DeCherrie, MD, clinical director, Mt. Sinai At Home and Professor, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, highlighted her support of the Hospital at Home and Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers that allow hospitals to provide care at home to certain patients. She noted, "Having a payment model for Hospital at Home/Acute Hospital Care at Home is needed to serve Medicare beneficiaries beyond the pandemic and especially if an emergency of this type ever happens again." She added, "We request Congress and HHS to consider a permanent extension of the Hospital Without Walls and Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers beyond the PHE to mitigate the residual impacts of COVID-19 on public health and encourage broader adoption of providing patient centered health care services in the home."
During the hearing, many members of the Committee from both parties noted their support for extending the waivers that allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive telehealth services from any location and to access telehealth through audio-only services beyond the end of the public health emergency. Kisha Davis, MD, member, Commission on Federal and State Policy, American Academy of Family Physicians, mentioned that it is easier to integrate translation services for patients with limited English proficiency into telephone visits since audio-video platforms can be costly and complex.
Dr. Davis also stated, "While the rapid expansion of telehealth has yielded many benefits for patients and clinicians, not everyone has benefited equally." She suggested that any data collection and reporting on telehealth to inform the direction of permanent telehealth policies be stratified by race, ethnicity, gender, language, and other key factors to ensure that these policies don't inadvertently worsen health disparities.
In response to a question from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) about which flexibilities Congress should consider to improve patient access and remove federal red tape, Davis stated, "By allowing physicians to provide direct supervision and teaching services via real time two-way audio-video communication, we could expand access to primary care and increase training opportunities."
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mt.) voiced his support for telehealth, adding, "I believe we need to do what we can to make expanded access to telehealth permanent." He asked the witnesses how important payment parity is to ensure access to care. Executive Director and Board Member of America's Physician Groups Narayana Murayali, MD, responded, "There's a lot of investment that goes into the infrastructure to maintain the ability to provide telehealth and actually lower the costs of care. So, payment parity is absolutely important from that standpoint."
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) both mentioned the important role of telehealth in mental and behavioral health. Whitehouse noted, "The medication assistance treatment element and allowing access to buprenorphine, for instance, with telehealth has been a godsend for that population."
More in Government Relations
Department of Education Extends Student Loan Payment and Interest Pause
AAMC Statement on Health Care Provisions in the Build Back Better Act
Senate Releases Updated Text of Build Back Better Act
AAMC, Others File Amicus Brief Challenging IDR in No Surprises Act


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Q: Exampe of best practice MVC Module in DotNetNuke 9 Can anyone point my in the right direction? I am looking for what would be considered best practice MVC flavor DNN9 module and/or tutorial?
Thanks for your time.

A: Chris Hammond's DNN Module Templates include an MVC module.  See christoc.com or the DNN store.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Before I attempt to answer this question, we first need to understand that NO particular individual, company, bank or government owns Bitcoin or the Blockchain. Bitcoin is a decentralized currency (at least that's what me and countless others are using it as) and the Blockchain is a central online ledger which keeps track of all Bitcoin transactions taking place in the world.
In a report by Swiss multinational financial institution Credit Suisse, bitcoin and blockchain are deemed to be 'relatively safe'.
Bitcoin has some unique risks, the report noted. The value of the cryptocurrency has been three times more volatile than the price of oil and 11 times more than the post-Brexit exchange rate between the British pound and the U.S. dollar, according to the bank's markets research department.
Bitcoin transfers are also irreversible, so someone making a mistake entering an account number when making a payment will be out of luck. In addition, if a bitcoin user loses their private key, they can lose all their bitcoin.
Bitcoin's blockchain architecture has demonstrated immunity to hacking risks. The blockchain is not an interconnected series of individual accounts, but a record of past transactions. When a user wants to transfer bitcoins, all computers running the bitcoin software process the sender's signature through an algorithm and checks the past transactions encoded in the blockchain to ensure the sender owns the bitcoins they say they do.
Other computers then verify the recipient's work. The transaction is then aggregated with other transactions, and computers running the bitcoin software, known as miners, race to solve a mathematical puzzle to verify the transactions. One miner wins the race, while the others verify the accuracy of the solution. When they agree the transactions are valid, the miner winning the race receives new bitcoins, thereby increasing the bitcoin supply.
Theoretically, someone could hack into the blockchain and alter the record to make it look like previous bitcoin transactions transferred money to the hacker's account. But it would require huge computing power. Bitcoin users verify a transaction by looking at all past transactions, so a hacker needs to solve the mathematical puzzle linked to a particular block to manipulate it, and also with the blocks that come after it.
Blocks are only considered valid six blocks deep into the chain. The deeper one goes into the blockchain, the more computing power needed to alter records.
Concentrated share among bitcoin miners also presents a potential risk. If a single party gained control over 51 percent of the bitcoin network, it could theoretically stop legitimate new transactions from settling or undoing recent confirmations, potentially enabling it to double spend the bitcoins.
Credit Suisse, with 30 percent of the network, has calculated that a malevolent actor has a 40 percent chance of mining six consecutive blocks in one week, enabling them to alter transactions. In the event of a so-called "51 percent attack," however, bitcoin's value would plummet. In other words, miners attacking the network would also undermine the value of the same assets they attempted to steal, along with the assets they already own.
To acquire 30 percent of the network, the malevolent actor would need to mine past blocks. Hence, they have a stake in keeping the ledger intact.
Most bitcoin users use online exchanges to exchange fiat currency for bitcoin, and digital wallets that facilitate payments. Both have been suffered cyberattacks. In August 2016, hackers stole 119,756 bitcoins (worth $72million) on deposit with the Bitfinex exchange.
The Mt. Gox exchange filed for bankruptcy in 2014, claiming hackers stole 850,000 bitcoins. Only 24 percent of the coins have been recovered. Japanese prosecutors charged ex-CEO Mark Karpeles with embezzlement. Various articles have laid the blame for the exchange's problems on unorthodox management.
The bottom line is that blockchain technology and bitcoin trading are relatively safe. Complications arise when people enter the mix.
Well said, Lester. But without the poeple, Bitcoin or the Blockchain will probably have no value.
And here's the thing…you don't need to be overly concerned about the safety of Bitcoin or the Blockchain either. Personally, I know it's very safe or else by now both entities would have been hacked. You need to protect your Bitcoins and keep it safe from hackers and I've written a post just on that. How I protect my Bitcoins.
So, just like what Lester said, it would require huge computing power for the hackers to hack in and not to mention they would also need to solve the mathematical puzzle linked to a particular block to manipulate it. Very very tough!
Many hacking attempts have been made in the past by some of the world's top hackers to hack the Blockchain too but to date, no one's been successful at it.
What's your take on this? Tell me in the comments below.


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The King Koil cushion top divan base is warranted to ensure that your King Koil mattress is perfectly and evenly supported. Not only will this improve guest comfort, it will ensure the mattress lives to its optimal potential lifespan. The cushion top features extra upholstery which makes the mattress feel more comfortable and springy.


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These student leaders serve in a variety of roles throughout their year of service. As leaders, they serve as communicators, advocates and facilitators. The state officer team leads both state conferences: Fall Leadership Conference and the State Leadership and Skills Conference.
They also serve local chapters and teach members skills from the SkillsUSA Framework that will help them become career-ready. Additionally, they serve as teammates to one another as they build relationships with members across the state.
Being a state officer is the ultimate growth, personal development and student leadership experience in SkillsUSA Minnesota.The overall program focuses on five key essential elements of the SkillsUSA Framework: responsibility, communication, teamwork, leadership and professional development.
The skills learned through this leadership program will help officers not only be successful in serving the organization, but also throughout their lives and careers.
Jacqueline Pennington
Mounds View High School
Omar Rahman
Allison (Ally) Brodin
Photo Coming Soon...
Grace Becken
Minnesota Virtual Academy
Become A State Officer
Being a SkillsUSA Minnesota State Officer is the ultimate student growth and leadership experience. The skills learned through this leadership program will help officers to not only be successful in serving the organization, but also throughout their lives and careers. Potential candidates should be dedicated to SkillsUSA, have a desire to serve the members of the organization, be able to work in a team and be willing to learn and grow.
The SkillsUSA Minnesota State Officer Team is an extension of the state office. State officers can expect to be trained in fundraising and leadership, but also in how to build confidence and speak with professionalism around business, industry and legislative leaders. If elected you will be required to miss several days of school to attend training, public functions, industry visits, and various conferences. Our state officers have the opportunity to build their transferable skills and boost their resume while at the same time benefiting the state organization!
Throughout their year of service, SkillsUSA Minnesota State Officers will help to grow membership, develop new initiatives for the state organization as well as local chapters, meet with business and industry on behalf of the state, attend trainings at the state and national level and facilitate training at conferences and meetings.
State Officer candidates will run as a "slate" or "at-large" meaning that no officer titles are chosen through the actual election. Roles of the State Officers will be determined based on the assets, skills and interests of each student; the goal is to ensure that all students get the most out of their State Officer experience while representing SkillsUSA Minnesota to the best of their ability. All officer positions will be determined following the Incoming State Officer Training taking place in a 2-3 day time frame following the elections.
Interested in Applying for the State Officer Team?
SkillsUSA Minnesota is looking for high school students to join our officer team at this time. College students will run for office in the fall of 2021. High School State Officers elected in Spring of 2021 will serve a full year of service beginning with a training in May and culminating in their participation in the SkillsUSA Minnesota State Leadership & Skills Conference in 2022. Prospective officers must have at least one year left of high school to be eligible.
State Officer Candidate Information packet
Online Application (coming soon)
Contract/Code of Conduct
Interested in applying for the College/Postsecondary State Officer Team?
Check back for more information!
Build Effective Teams
Strengthened Communication Skills
Expand Your Professional Network
Plan Events & Conferences
Represent Student Members
Contact Tim Friedrich at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 612-405-3404
SkillUSA Over the Years - Growth and Highlights
1965: The Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Inc. (VICA) was founded by students and teachers who were serious about their professions and saw the need for more training in the areas of leadership to complement their chosen vocation. In Nashville, Tennessee, 14 states were represented, as VICA chose its name, colors, motto, purposes and goals.
1966: VICA membership was 29,534 in 1,074 clubs in 26 chartered states and territories; the first issue of the VICA magazine was produced.
1967: VICA added five more states, began holding competitive events and introduced uniform. Membership was well over 40,000.
1968: Plans were announced for the national VICA center to be located near Washington, DC; VICA members were received by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Cabinet Room of the White House. The students give the President a handmade gavel and sounding block inscribed, "To Lyndon B. Johnson – America's Great Educational President."
1969: VICA membership hit 82,000 with new chapters, college/technical membership and VICA's yearly themes. The first theme was "Speak Up for America."
1970: The VICA Leadership Handbook was published for the first time and a student campaign to raise funds for the National Leadership Center got underway. The theme was "Skill Build America."
1971: At the seventh annual National Leadership Conference, there were 25 competitive activities.
1972: VICA membership up to 125,000.
1973: VICA membership over 150,000.
1974: VICA purchased land for the new National Leadership Center in Leesburg, VA; VICA members met President Ford.
1975: VICA celebrated it's 10th anniversary with the induction of the one millionth member.
1976: 5,000 VICA members attended the U.S. Skill Olympics in Miami Beach; Membership reached a quarter of a million with 10,000 active chapters
1977: Contributions from VICA alumni, friends and members to purchase the land where the National Leadership Center now sits topped $56,000.
1978: Ground breaking began for the National Leadership Center in Leesburg, VA.
1979: The national leadership center was dedicated after 15 years of planning and fund raising.
1980: VICA started the Youth Development Foundation Committee to make sure that our programs were relevant to both students' and industry's needs and make sure that financing was available to support them.
1981: VICA played host to the International Youth Shill Olympics where VICA members joined 274 international contestants from 14 countries in 33 contests; nearly 7,000 VICA members attended the National Leadership Conference and U.S. Skill Olympics.
1982: The first year VICA incorporated industry updated seminars as part of the National Leadership conference.
1983: President Ronald Reagan spoke at the National Leadership conference and said, "American industry as well as American educational institutions should take note of the VICA experience."
1984: Membership attained its three and a half-millionth member.
1985: VICA's 20th anniversary; membership had grown to 12,632 chapters; the U.S. Skill Olympics had gone from 5 competitive events to 38; The first International Skill Olympics Gold Medal was awarded to the United States. Dennis Falls of Arizona brought home the graphic design gold medal.
1986: The board of directors opened its membership to representatives of technical and health occupations education; an ex-officio board position was created for the chairman of the Youth Development Foundation Committee.
1987: The VICA Professional Development Program was created, and in testing Level 1 6,500 students and teachers took part.
1988: VICA's Board of Directors appointed Stephen Denby as executive director; efforts began to organize VICA chapters in Ontario, Canada; VICA released the Professional Development Program nationwide.
1989: An ex-officio position on the Board of Directors was created for the State VICA Directors' Association.
1990: VICA celebrates its 25th anniversary.
1991: Robert Pope won the gold medal for welding in the Amsterdam International Youth Skill Olympics. He made Olympic history by receiving the first gold medal in welding for the United States, and by obtaining the most points in any IYSO contest since its beginning.
1992: VICA won the Vocational Instructional Materials (VIM) Outstanding Mediated Instructional award for its parliamentary procedure video entitled "Rules of the Game."
1993: Nicholas Peterson won the bronze metal in welding at the International Youth Skills Olympics in Taiwan.
1994: The new name of the United States Skill Olympics was announced. The competition's name would be the SkillsUSA Championships—to become effective during the National Leadership and Skills Conference in 1995.
1995: Branden Muehlbrandt won the silver medal in welding at the International Youth Skill Competitions (IYSC) (officially renamed from the International Youth Skill Olympics); The Skills USA Championships became the new official name of the national competition; VICA received it's official designation as a CEU sponsor; The new Professional Development Program and the Total Quality Curriculum were introduced to the public.
1996: VICA received the Oracle Award by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) for the new Professional Development Program; VICA received the Vocational Instructional Materials (VIM) Award of Excellence for the PDP; Secretary of Education Riley, Secretary of Labor Reich, and J.D. Hoye, Executive Director of the Department of Education's School to Work Office spoke at VICA's Washington Leadership Training Institute's Congressional Breakfast.
1997: VICA held its first School-to-Work Conference at the NLSC; VICA's web site was given an award for its web site by the Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX).
1998: The Board of Directors voted to change the name of the organization to SkillsUSA—VICA; Robert Flint of Caterpillar Inc. was the first business representative elected to chair the Board if Directors.
1999: VICA officially changed to SkillsUSA—VICA on July 4, 1999 at the National Leadership and Skills Conference; Students competing in the World Skills Competition in Montreal placed higher than ever before; Nationwide, chapter members began an image campaign in which they spoke to community leaders about the value of skilled employees, their training and SkillsUSA—VICA membership.
2001: Timothy W. Lawrence, a former student member, became national executive director. Formerly national director of business and industry partnerships, Lawrence had also been a classroom instructor, industry employee, state association director and member of the Board of Directors; An ex-officio position was created for National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium.
2002: The Board of Directors approved shortening the name of the national organization from SkillsUSA—VICA to SkillsUSA, effective Sept. 1,2004.
2003: An ex-officio position on the Board of Directors was created for a college/postsecondary representative.
2004: On Sept. 1, the organization's name officially changed to SkillsUSA.
SkillsUSA Minnesota's VISION:
SkillsUSA Minnesota is recognized by business and government as the premier organization providing highly skilled leaders possessing outstanding technical, academic and employability skills. Our high school and college membership exceeds 50,000 annually.
Read more: About Us - Fact Sheet
About Us - College Constitution
About Us - High School Constitution
About Us - Board Members
About Us - Policies
College Constitution


Non-verbal signals are often of overriding importance in a sales conversation, or in other result-directed meetings. In the Non-verbal Communication training course, you learn how to recognize such signals. Subsequently, you learn to analyse the non-verbal signals and to anticipate. In this way, more mutual understanding and trust will be created.
Making a distinction between the various forms of communication.
Recognizing backgrounds of the functions that communication has in the broadest sense of the word.
What functions has non-verbal communication.
Learning zone determination within "interpersonal distance".
Recognizing and assessing the consequences of breaking through the invisible border.
Process-oriented handling of the three recognition levels within the non-verbal communication.
This course is also part, as a module, of the Non-verbal Communication training course and Change of Intervention Level training course and is also used as such in the Expert in Sales total course.


It is possible for some individuals to contact me, Taffey Tawanna Champion, via my Facebook page (please Like my page) at https://www.facebook.com/TaffeytheChamp. Nonetheless, I only allow contact from those I actually want to initiate contact with me. And of course, my blog/website is located at https://themysteryallianceevianssaga.wordpress.com/. In addition, the link to my gravatar(photo) page on my blog/website is http://en.gravatar.com/taffeythechamp. Thanks.
I Love your blog… Keep up all the great work.
Thanks to you, LeLee Dow, for the supportive words. I do try my best!


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For the past six months, members of the IndyBar Leader Series Class XII have been learning what it means to be a leader, both in their legal careers and in their respective communities and organizations. Through insight from top leaders in our community, a skills building retreat and group discussion, participants have been developing skills in communication, organization and motivating and inspiring others. In order for the participants to actively utilize the skills and knowledge that they are learning through the series, the 25-member class was asked to identify an unmet need and develop and execute community service projects aimed to assist those needs to benefit the Indianapolis community.
Members of Class XII of the Bar Leader Series gather at the class retreat in September 2014, where initial planning of the community service projects began.
The Domestic Violence Team's project is designed to teach dating violence prevention and to encourage high school students to become mentors and leaders in educating and preventing dating violence among their younger peers. The group learned from Reach for Youth that there are several gaps in dating violence education for Indianapolis Public School (IPS) students, for both high school and middle school-aged students. Their plan to address these gaps consists of teaming up with students at Northwest High School and the middle schools that feed into the high school. During elective classes, the team will use materials provided by Reach for Youth and the non-for-profit Break the Cycle and will conduct workshops about healthy relationships and self-respect in an effort to prevent and decrease dating violence. A big part of this workshop focuses on teaching these high school students how to turn around and teach the same lessons to seventh and eighth grade students.
By allowing the students creative license in sharing the information, the team's goal is to create a more identifiable message to both the high school and the middle school students and to inspire future leadership and advocacy in each of the participants. In addition, by involving both junior and sophomore aged high school students, there will always be a group that has participated in the program the prior year and can promote and facilitate teaching the new group of high school students the next year, thus creating sustainability and a greater sense of ownership and pride.
The Education Team met with Principal Ashauna Short of John Marshall High School, an IPS school that has been identified as one of the most troubled schools in the metropolitan area. Most notably, the school only had 20 percent of its students graduate last year and even fewer enrolled in college or higher education. Principal Short focused the group towards what she identified as one of the biggest contributors of the problem— a lack of encouragement from friends, family and other adults to finish high school and pursue productive careers.
To address that need, the group has enlisted the assistance of 25 volunteers from the community to mentor a group of seniors who have been identified as having a reasonable chance to graduate if provided the right inspiration and support. Each volunteer will mentor one to two students over the course of the project. Volunteers consist of local professionals, educators, leaders and concerned adults who will meet with their assigned students monthly to motivate, encourage, answer questions, problem solve and show interest in each of the students and his/her success. Mentors will be given an overall topic of discussion to work with each month, such as application assistance, interviewing skills, financial aid education, and career choice selection, as well as an opportunity to connect with his or her individual students and provide a positive example and external influence to each one.
The At-Risk Youth Team sought out Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, whose office educated the group on the alarming statistics associated with at-risk middle school-aged children, an age range that seemed to have great need but was historically underserved. In addition, Indianpolis Director of Public Safety Troy Riggs shared what he and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) have identified as six key areas of the city where he and IMPD have committed to focus their efforts for community and law enforcement engagement.
Teaming up with these efforts, the group selected the area at 34th and Illinois Street to be the site of their project, which was aimed toward middle-aged school children in the community and their families. During spring break, the group will provide lunches to children around the area who often only receive a nutritious lunches at school. The group has teamed up with several local businesses and not-for-profits to provide these lunches, including Gleaners, Marsh, Wal-Mart and Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. The group has also planned a "kick-off" Community Day on the first day of the program to create momentum for the project and to allow some constructive interaction with local law enforcement. Both IMPD and the Indianapolis Fire Department will have officers and staff on hand to speak to the group about safety and to engage with community members in a positive manner. Staff from the YMCA will also speak to the children about healthy living and nutrition—teaching them to identify healthy foods on their own and emphasizing exercise and wellbeing.
The Early Education/Literacy Team seeks to encourage and promote early literacy experiences and interactions between parent and child by providing tangible resources at accessible and convenient locations. Through the group's research, they identified an issue of the lack of reading and language relationship between parents and children in lower socio-economic populations. They learned that this is a critical relationship both in the children's intellectual development, but also in creating a sustainable bond between parent and child that can only be achieved through activities like a parent reading to their child.
To address this need, the group has developed a package of resources, which includes a book, educational material for parents about the importance of reading to their child, information about online libraries and maps to local libraries. A kick-off event will be held to celebrate parents and children reading together and provide an opportunity to distribute the resource packages they have put together. The event will include dinner, door prizes, a reading and a book for each child to take home. After the event, the group plans to distribute the packages to convenient community locations—libraries, schools, health care providers and community centers—so that they can be available to community members who may not have been able to attend the event.
The Mental Health Team, after several conversations with experts in the mental health field, determined that children's mental health was an emerging and underserved area in need of greater attention. Specifically, the group noted a reluctance to label children and subject them to the perceived stigma associated with mental health related illnesses.
In response to this identified need, the group partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for people affected by mental illness. While NAMI has online and written resources for families and individuals dealing with mental illness, it did not have any significant materials specifically focused on children's mental health issues. The group is working to solicit information from experts in the field to create a comprehensive resource of materials that will focus on recognizing mental health issues in children, providing strategies and tips for dealing with those issues, and connecting families with appropriate community resources. NAMI has agreed to host a website that will feature this material and allow it to be accessible to the public while also creating a sustainable resource that will exist well into the future.


Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) (18:24): We can keep going around and around in circles. The agreement is as stated in the letter that I have openly and transparently tabled in the chamber. This letter envisages a process which, within 12 months, would seek to establish a register of foreign ownership of water entitlements. There would be a process of public consultation to make sure that that is done in the right way and in the best way. If we are unsuccessful, what will happen is that the sunset clause envisaged in Senator Whish-Wilson's amendment will come into effect and the legislation will lapse. If we are successful, certain data will be collected and at some point down the track—you do not collect data in order to not even look at it.
I understand the political point that Senator Wong is seeking to make. I saw the gratuitous commentary in relation to policy election commitments. We all remember the infamous line, 'There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead,' and we know what happened after that. Let me just say for the record again that we of course made commitments in relation to funding for health and education to keep a funding envelope in place that was the funding envelope in the period of the forward estimates at the time of the last election. We have done that in health and in education. In fact, during the election campaign, we were being attacked by Labor because we would not commit to Gonski beyond the initial four-year period. Because we stuck to that commitment of not committing to Gonski beyond the original four-year period, we are now being attacked for cutting against some illusory, pie-in-the-sky promise that Labor made on the never-never, mostly in the period beyond the published forward estimates, but I get distracted.
I could also talk about the fact when it comes to the GST Labor is clearly obsessed. They have come to a view about what necessarily will happen. Let me just say that what the government is doing is precisely what we said we would do in the lead-up to the last election. We said before the last election that we would scrub the mining tax and the carbon tax and we have. We said before the last election we would reduce taxes for small business and we have. We said we would initiate a tax reform discussion and consultation process about how the Australian tax system could be further improved and how we can make it more growth friendly into the future to ensure Australia is the most successful we possibly can be, to ensure it is simpler, fairer and more efficient. That process is currently underway. We have not reached a landing point in relation to this.
We did say that there would not be any change to the base of the GST in this first term of a coalition government, that we would engage though in an extensive consultation with the Australian people on how the tax system could be improved and any proposals to improve the tax system would be taken to another election before being implemented so that the Australian people could pass judgment on it. I put our record when it comes to fulfilling election commitments against Labor's 'There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead' any day. But of course Senator Wong has tempted me here to go well beyond what is in front of us and what is in front of us is the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Legislation Amendment Bill 2015. I think I have clearly articulated the government's position.


text:
Acanthobrahmaea europaea este o molie din familia Brahmeidelor, aparținând ordinului Lepidoptera, endemică în Italia meridională.

Descriere

Anvergura aripilor moliei variază de la 65 la 80 de milimetri.

Singura zonă în care poate fi găsită această specie este partea sudică a Italiei. Habitatul speciei constă în pădurile cu copaci (cu frunze) din zonele montane de la înălțimi de 250 până la 850 metri. Acanthobrahmaea europaea este activă în amurg și noaptea.

În timpul zborului timpuriu (martie și aprilie), moliile zboară chiar și la temperaturi apropiate de cea a înghețului. Ouăle eclozează la sfârșitul lui martie sau aprilie. Omizile se hrănesc cu plante din genurile Ligustrum și Fraxinus.

Legături externe
NHM include fotografii cu pupa. Accesat pe 20 iunie 2014

Brahmaeidae
Fauna Italiei

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package jetbrains.jetpad.model.collections;

import jetbrains.jetpad.model.collections.list.ObservableArrayList;
import jetbrains.jetpad.model.collections.list.ObservableList;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Test;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Iterator;
import java.util.List;

import static org.junit.Assert.*;

public class ObservableArrayListTest {
  private ObservableList<String> list = new ObservableArrayList<>();
  private List<CollectionItemEvent<? extends String>> events = new ArrayList<>();
  private CollectionListener<String> listener = new CollectionAdapter<String>() {
    @Override
    public void onItemAdded(CollectionItemEvent<? extends String> event) {
      events.add(event);
    }

    @Override
    public void onItemRemoved(CollectionItemEvent<? extends String> event) {
      events.add(event);
    }
  };

  @Before
  public void setUp() throws Exception {
    list.addListener(listener);
  }

  @Test
  public void itemAdd() {
    String item = "xyz";

    list.add(item);

    assertEvent(0, null, item, CollectionItemEvent.EventType.ADD);
  }

  @Test
  public void itemRemove() {
    final String item = addSampleItem();

    list.remove(item);

    assertEvent(0, item, null, CollectionItemEvent.EventType.REMOVE);
  }

  @Test
  public void nonExistentItemRemove() {
    String item = "xyz";
    list.remove(item);

    assertEquals(0, events.size());
  }

  @Test
  public void addAtOkIndex() {
    String item = "xyz";
    list.add(0, item);
    assertEvent(0, null, item, CollectionItemEvent.EventType.ADD);
  }

  @Test(expected = IndexOutOfBoundsException.class)
  public void addAtInvalidIndex() {
    try {
      list.add(1, "xyz");
    } finally {
      assertTrue(events.isEmpty());
      assertTrue(list.isEmpty());
    }
  }

  @Test
  public void removeAtOkIndex() {
    final String item = addSampleItem();
    String removed = list.remove(0);
    assertEquals(item, removed);
    assertEvent(0, item, null, CollectionItemEvent.EventType.REMOVE);
  }

  @Test(expected = IndexOutOfBoundsException.class)
  public void removeAtInvalidIndex() {
    final String item = addSampleItem();
    try {
      String removed = list.remove(1);
      assertEquals(item, removed);
    } finally {
      assertTrue(events.isEmpty());
      assertEquals(1, list.size());
    }
  }

  @Test
  public void iteratorRemove() {
    addSampleItem();
    Iterator<String> i = list.iterator();
    i.next();
    i.remove();
    assertEvent(0, "xyz", null, CollectionItemEvent.EventType.REMOVE);
  }

  private String addSampleItem() {
    final String item = "xyz";
    list.add(item);
    events.clear();
    return item;
  }

  private void assertEvent(int index, String oldItem, String newItem, CollectionItemEvent.EventType type) {
    assertEquals(1, events.size());

    CollectionItemEvent<? extends String> event = events.get(0);
    assertEquals(new CollectionItemEvent<>(oldItem, newItem, index, type), event);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub