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Pete Rose & The All Star Game
Before I get to Pete Rose I want to point out just because the All Star Game supposedly "matters" does not mean it does so equally for all players involved.
For those not in the know, Major League Baseball has attempted to increase fan interest in the ASG by awarding home-field advantage in the World Series to the league who wins this game. I have always believed it to be one of the dumbest concepts in modern-day sports.
Why you ask?
Because the game DOESN'T MATTER.
No, but David, that's the point. Now it does!
No. It doesn't, and here's why.
First off, if the game is going to matter it should not be left up to the fans who is playing in the game. Thankfully a crisis was averted when the entire AL starting lineup, short of Mike Trout, were not Kansas City Royals. This happened because MLB has exclusive online balloting, and fans can vote up to 35 times each. Where are we? Florida? Jeeeeeesus.
KC made a major push to get their fans involved, and it worked. They have 7 participants (3 starters) still, but aren't as dominant as they could have been. This is because their fervent fans voted...over and over and over. To their credit they got involved, and the Royals players may very well benefit from home field advantage, but it seems ridiculous fan excitement plays a role in where the World Series is played.
More to the point, not all the players on the field are on teams who care about the playoffs, and this is the my biggest concern. The Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers have guys playing in this game, and yet all won't be in the playoffs. If those guys are coming up to pinch hit in this game, do they care who has home field advantage? And after sitting on the bench for 6 innings, and probably throwing down a few beers the night before, do you think it makes sense to have Prince Fielder deciding the game? After all, he probably spends the first 5-6 innings laughing it up, having a good 'ole time in the dug out. Every time they cut to the dug out during the ASG guys are having a blast. NO ONE IS FOCUSED! Then all of a sudden the game might come down to the final pitch and at bat between the least deserving of the All Stars? After all, those are the guys who are still available. Not the starters!
All told, do we really need the game to matter at all? It's ONE GAME, and people still don't really care.
It's high time we start making the baseball All Star game as irrelevant is it should be.
Pete Rose should not be in the Hall of Fame.
About 15 years ago I met Pete Rose at his restaurant in Boca Raton, FL. The place was called...wait for it...WAAAAIT FOR IT...
Pete Rose's!
I happened upon the place randomly, deciding to give it a shot over Wilt Chamberlain's restaurant (Yes, it was called Wilt's. Lets give credit to Charles Oakley for calling his Steakhouse "Red.") More people frequented Wilt's place, who had since died, than Pete's, who was, uhh, at the bar...
Here's the point of this story: Pete Rose was in the restaurant that night, and being the mouth that I am, I approached him. We had a conversation. He did not seem sober and looked to be a mess. He kept looking around at his empty restaurant. The guy was so shaky I started looking over my own shoulders for hit men. And yet even with the guy sitting in this place there was hardly anyone there. And those who were there didn't care that he was there! That moment told me all I needed to know about Pete Rose.
Here he was, more than 20 years after his playing career was over and he looked like a hot mess. His hair was all over the place, his eyes looked dark, his gut was large, and he didn't smile once. I didn't know if he was drinking water, or vodka straight. If I was a gambler...
Sitting in an empty bar with his own name on it, what could be more apropos?
The reality of Pete Rose is simple, and it gets back to a lesson my dad drilled into me before I was a teen: gambling is worse than everything.
Apparently my dad once took all his savings (not a lot) and bet on a "sure thing" college basketball game at Madison Square Garden back in the 1960s. Turns out the game had been thrown, but that didn't prevent my dad from having to pay. He never bet again, and outside of some Vegas fun, I haven't either.
To me I have always looked at gambling as worse than drugs, or other vices, because gambling takes place in the open and people think it's okay. Yet gambling destroys lives because it's so obviously wide open as to become accepted! Onlookers might think to themselves, "Oh, he's just betting on a few games." Except a few games can turn into your entire life's savings and destroy you without anyone noticing what was coming.
With drugs, people see it coming; people intervene. With gambling it's usually way too late, despite those wonderful commercials from Harrah's during the World Series of Poker.
And that's the point of it all when it comes to Rose. Whether gambling is better or worse than PEDs is not the point. The reality is this guy bet on his team when he played and managed, which in turn affected his decision making during those games. Maybe he was rash? Maybe he added additional pressure to himself and didn't come through during an at bat? Maybe he stole a base when it was unadvised and was called out? Maybe as a manager it caused stress which in turn made him less focused? Maybe that stress led to drinking? All of these are reasons why the argument, "He only bet on his own team!" is nonsense. Total nonsense.
Betting on your OWN team is probably WORSE! You've got skin in that game! You can affect THAT GAME.
PEDs? As far as I know they just make you better, and as a former producer with the UFC, I can tell you "everyone is doing it."
If "everyone" was betting on baseball, maybe I'd feel different. But as far as we know it was just Pete Rose.
So Pete Rose can be lauded and loved in Cincinnati, the most backward city I've ever been in, but at the end of the day he'll be sitting alone at the bar. Because as gambling does to nearly everyone who is touched by it, eventually you become an old, broken down, disheveled and dishonest person.
And that's the guy I saw sitting in a South Florida bar.
By the way, I would make a bet: Vodka.
Did You Even Know Cecil the Lion?
Damn you, Roger!
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The eNdlessBA, Adam Schefter, Bill Cosby and Women...


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· press release
Launchpad2X, the Southeast's most successful founder-to-CEO development program for women entrepreneurs, is on the move and going national. Alicia Scott, a former financial industry executive and entrepreneur has been hired as Executive Director to expand the Launchpad2X program throughout the Southeast and beyond.
Launchpad2X founder Bernie Dixon stated, "Seven years ago I built Launchpad2X to help women founders sharpen their skills as CEOs and find a supportive network of advisors and peers to help scale their businesses. This is about economic independence for women. Now it's time for us to scale LP2X and Alicia is a big part of that push. She is a strategic thinker and a dynamic presence. I am determined to move the needle for women business owners and make the LP2X program accessible to them."
Dixon, with many "firsts" in her military and corporate career, was the first female chairman and president of The Atlanta Technology Angels where she grew it to unprecedented levels. Since 2012, the Launchpad2X program has helped hundreds of companies grow exponentially and more than 40 reach the million-dollar mark. The addition of an Executive Director will give Launchpad2X the core staff to expand their programs and add additional services to their graduates and members.
Scott brings a wealth of experience in non-profit, finance and strategic planning. During her recent campaign for the Georgia House of Representatives, Scott was frequently cited for her insightful and strategic approaches and her ability to connect with people at every level. Most recently she worked as the Strategic Planning Officer for the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce and was the Executive Director of the King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation in Savannah, GA.
At the 2019 Board of Advisers meeting, Scott presented her vision for Launchpad2X:
"Launchpad2X is unlike any other entrepreneur development program out there. My goals are to take our program to the next level by expanding our footprint in Atlanta and the Southeast area ecosystem while taking our Core Program national. More women need this program. It works."
"Our track record speaks for itself: Launchpad2X members have grown their businesses by over 200 percent after completing our 3-day intensive Core Program. We recognize this success and we're ready to take it to the next level. As Executive Director of Launchpad2X, I plan to make our founder-to-CEO development program the most sought-after development opportunity for women entrepreneurs and CEOs."
Launchpad2X is a 501(c)(3) accelerator-type program which facilitates an annual 3-day intensive training program for women entrepreneurs in Atlanta. Members of LP2X also gain access to monthly master classes, an extensive network of seasoned advisors and a support group of like minded women entrepreneurs.
Bernie Dixon: One of Atlanta's 500 Most Powerful People
The ERA Does What the Constitution Does Not Do: Make...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Youth crime in Oslo
29th June 2018 olechristian Norwegian politics
– Juvenile punishment does not work well enough
Erna Solberg does not guarantee that Wara gets what he wants in the fight against young criminals. Measures that get the youngsters out of work can be the key, says the prime minister.
The Oslo police are concerned about juvenile delinquency. The police are powerless to young offenders. Dagbladet said Wednesday that ten children have been reported 187 times in Oslo city center. Children under the age of 15 are responsible for rape, robbery, gross violence and serious threats, according to the police. Justice Minister of Defense, Emergency Affairs and Immigration Tor Mikkel Wara claims that "Oslo's streets are not safe".
He will, among other things, expand the authority of child welfare and enable them to send out youth from the city or defend them. Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) says she has talked to Wara. She thinks that his statement is not about all the streets in general, but some areas with youths who have created insecurity.
"There are many good ideas for how to fight youth crime. Getting youngsters to do something else and getting them out of the environment can be one of the forms of reaction in the future. In what way and on what purposes we will do it, we need to spend some time to find out, "says Solberg.
– Difficult to get a summer job
Together with Trine Skei Grande (V) and Per Sandberg (Frp), she visited yesterday 'Job Project 2018' at Lindeberg School in Oslo. The project will provide young people with work experience. "We see that there are many fewer who announce summer jobs because there are still greater demands on competence, age, HSE and professional knowledge, also in order to have easier jobs. And it's a huge challenge for many youngsters because they never get the chance to try, "says Skei Grande.
Rebuid Alna
For two weeks, 40 young people aged 15 to 21 will work for two weeks on behalf of the municipality of Alna. The project is under the auspices of NAV Alna and Alna district. The purpose of the project is to contribute to the well-being of the district, and to create mastery in the youth.
"It's important to rebuild the area, but also to give our youth a springboard to work. Many do not have contacts, or struggle to get a summer job, says project manager Magali Hytten, from NAV Alna.
To become part of the project, young people have applied in the same way as any job. The application process has helped them, and out of 100 applications 40 young people got the job.
Some of them have not completed high school and lack motivation. Being a part of the work project can also help them to finish, after a taste of work, with salary.
According to Magali Hytten, it is also important to learn about common rules for working life, such as meeting up to the right time. She adds that she is very pleased with the efforts of young people so far.
"They are very good and always on. Nor are they coming too late, so I will write good testimonials on them.
New in working life
The youth have been attending a job at Ellingsrud Nursing Home and as painters at Lindeberg School. It's educational, says Hajira Khan, 15, who has never had a summer job before.
– It goes really well. What's best is that we have fun and work at the same time. We can both gain experience in life and see what it's like to be working, says Hajira.
Leave a comment	Norwegian politics


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Olaf the Glorious ebook
> Olaf the Glorious ebook
ISBN: 9781907256615e
Was: You save
File Format PDF ePub
The hero in this volume is not an imaginary one; he was a real flesh and blood man who reigned as King of Norway just over a thousand years ago. The main facts of his adventurous career -- his boyhood of slavery in Estonia, his life at the court of King Valdemar, his wanderings as a Viking, the many battles he fought, his conversion to Christianity in England, and his ultimate return to his native land -- are set forth in the various Icelandic sagas dealing with the period in which he lived. The author made free use of these old time records, and added only such probable incidents as were necessary to give a continuous thread of interest to the narrative.
For the convenience of readers who may wish for greater exactness it may be as well to state here that Olaf Triggvison was born A.D. 963, that he started on his wanderings as a Viking in the year A.D. 981, that the sea fight between the Vikings of Jomsburg and the Norwegians took place in A.D. 986, and the battle of Maldon in the year A.D. 991. Olaf reigned only five years as King of Norway, being crowned in 995, and ending his reign with his death in the glorious defeat at Svold in the year A.D. 1000.
33% of the publishers profit will be donated to UNICEF.
Excerpt from OLAF THE GLORIOUS
Chapter IX - THE VIKINGS OF JOMSBURG
Burislaf was the name of the king in Wendland. He was a very wealthy monarch and held in high esteem throughout the countries of the Baltic, and his court was the frequent meeting place of the great men of that time. Now Burislaf had three very beautiful daughters -- Geira, Gunnhild, and Astrid -- whom many noble and kingly men sought vainly to win in marriage. Geira, the eldest of the three, held rule and dominion in the land, for it was much the wont of mighty kings in those days that they should let the queen, or the eldest daughter, have half the court to sustain it at her own cost out of the revenues that came to her share. So when Geira heard that alien folk were come into Wendland, with a great fleet of viking ships, and that the chief of them was a young man of unusual prowess and noble mien, she sent friendly messengers to the coast and bade the newcomers be her guests that wintertide, for the summer was now far spent, and the weather hard and stormy. And Olaf Triggvison took her bidding, and went with his chosen captains to the court, where he was well received and most hospitably entertained.
It is told that when Geira saw how kingly of aspect Olaf was, and how handsome and courteous withal, she at once yearned for his love and craved that he should wed with her and become a ruler in the land. Many legends which have come down to us from that time even state that she straightway fell a-wooing him, and that in the end they were married, and ruled the realm side by side. But it is not easy to believe that one who was heir to the throne of Norway would be content to remain in Wendland at the bidding of a woman he did not love, and it is to be remembered that Olaf was still little more than a youth, while Geira was already well advanced in years. Moreover, Olaf had at this same time met Thyra, the daughter of the king of Denmark -- a princess who was not only more beautiful,
but also much nearer his own age than Geira, and who afterwards became his wife and queen. Howsoever it be, Olaf had lived but a few months in Wendland when Geira was stricken with an illness and died.
Among the guests of King Burislaf were two men who in the later time had a large share in the shaping of Olaf's destiny, first as his friends, and afterwards as his enemies. Their names were Earl Sigvaldi of Jomsburg and Sweyn of Denmark.
Earl Sigvaldi was the son of Strut-Harald, sometime King of Skaney, and at the time of his meeting with Olaf in Wendland he was lord over the great company of vikings who had their stronghold in Jomsburg. He was a very mighty man, and his wealth and personal prowess were such that Burislaf's daughter Astrid encouraged his wooing of her with the result that they were wedded.
Earl Sweyn was a younger man, the son of Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark. He had come into Wendland in the company of his friend Sigvaldi, for they had both been a-warring together, and, being beaten in a great sea fight, they had taken refuge in the court of Burislaf. Their warring had been against Sweyn's own father, King Harald. Sweyn had craved dominion in his father's realm, but Harald Bluetooth preferred to retain his throne undivided. Then Sweyn gathered warships together and got the help of the Jomsburg vikings, and stood towards Zealand, where King Harald lay with his fleet ready to fare to the wars against Norway. So Sweyn fell upon his father's ships, and there was a great battle, in which Harald Bluetooth got the victory, but also his death wound. Now the arrow with which King Harald was killed was one bearing marks which showed it to be of his own son's making, and Sweyn fled lest vengeance should overtake him.
Table of Contents for OLAF THE GLORIOUS
CHAPTER I THE FINDING OF OLAF
CHAPTER II SIGURD ERIKSON
CHAPTER III GERDA' S PROPHECY
CHAPTER IV THE SLAYING OF KLERKON
CHAPTER V THE STORY OF THE NORSE KINGS
CHAPTER VI THE TRAINING OF OLAF
CHAPTER VII THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST
CHAPTER VIII THE YOUNG VIKINGS
CHAPTER IX THE VIKINGS OF JOMSBURG
CHAPTER X THE BATTLE OF JOMSVIKINGS
CHAPTER XI WEST-OVER-SEA
CHAPTER XII THE BATTLE OF MALDON
CHAPTER XIII THE HERMIT OF THE SCILLYS.
CHAPTER XIV THORIR KLAKKA
CHAPTER XV THE EVIL EARL
CHAPTER XVI THE CHRISTENING OF NORWAY
CHAPTER XVII SIGRID THE HAUGHTY
CHAPTER XVIII THE "LONG SERPENT"
CHAPTER XIX SIGVALDI'S TREACHERY
CHAPTER XX CAUGHT IN THE SNARE
CHAPTER XXI THE BATTLE IN SVOLD SOUND
CHAPTER XXII THE DEFENCE OF THE "LONG SERPENT"
Celtic Wonder Tales ebook
Northland Heroes ebook


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The School day for the Senior School pupils commences 8.30am with registration in houses before teaching starts promptly at 8.40am to maximise pupils' alertness and concentration. Each lesson is 40 minutes in length with a break mid-morning, at lunch and mid-afternoon.
Our timetable offers a considerable amount of contact time, particularly in core subjects. All pupils have a timetabled tutor period, which allows tutors dedicated time to monitor and support the academic progress of the pupils under their care. Pupils attend Chapel twice a week, a Senior School assembly on Monday morning and Friday Evensong to close the working week.
All activities and games sessions take place in the afternoon with every child having a minimum of three hours of games lessons each week. Pupils in years 7 and 8 have two sessions of activities per week, as well as a timetabled prep session at the end of the day so that they may complete their homework before the end of the school day. Pupils in years 9-13 have a minimum of one session of activity per week but there are also opportunities to do other activities throughout the day such as instrumental and LAMDA lessons and the chapel choir.
The school day officially ends at 5.30pm for day pupils when they are collected by parents / guardians or depart on the school buses.
On Saturdays morning, pupils in years 9-13 will be invited to attend curriculum enrichment sessions and there will also be educational trips.
DUCKWORTH HOUSE
Housemistress: Mrs Clara Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housemistress: Miss Taylah Hutson
The House prides itself on its warm, friendly atmosphere, in which every girl is valued and instrumental in the smooth day-to-day running of the house. Boarders often share their meals with staff in the Great Hall
Situated on the outskirts of 'The Close', next to St Martin's House, Duckworth boasts a comfortable and intimate Common Room, which provides a social hub to the House.
Life in the house is dependent on age with younger boarding girls going to bed earlier than older girls.
The big sister, little sister relationships in Duckworth are clearly visible.
LEAMINGTON HOUSE
Housemaster: Mrs Michelle Rolfe
Leamington House has very proud traditions dating back to 1920. The House name of Leamington comes from the town of Leamington Spa where the College was situated from 1917 to 1919 during the Great War.
Leamington Boys are expected to be participants, to the best of their ability, in all that is asked of them, within the House, Dover College and the wider community. Leamington House is very proud of its sporting and academic achievements.
No matter how great our meal times are, boys are always hungry so the recently renovated kitchen is always very busy!
Leamington Boys are encouraged to take responsibility of their own private and communal living spaces and volunteer for particular duties within the House to ensure its smooth running throughout the year.
Mr Hill is supported by his wife, Louise.
Housemistress: Mrs Cerys Messenger
Deputy Housemaster: Mr Edward Breeze
Priory House is a Day House for all Shell and Remove year group pupils. Pupils will spend the first two years of their time in the Senior School at Dover College in Priory before moving up to one of four Houses in the Third Form.
Priory is a modern two-storey building situated adjacent to the Medical Centre. In the large Common Room, there are several sofa-seating areas where pupils are able to chat, read, play board games and relax during break times. There are two separate levels for the boys' changing facilities located on the ground floor and the girls' on the second floor. Shell pupils are assigned to a Senior House on entry and will have various opportunities to visit and link up with their Senior House during their time in Priory
Housemaster: Mr Lee Irwin
Deputy Housemistress: Ms Michelle Rolfe
School House is the largest of our boarding houses. It is not only a friendly and welcoming House, but is set in the imposing main building.
The School House formed the core of the original school in 1871 and now it is a vibrant community, which has enjoyed great success academically, on the sports field, and in cultural pursuits.
The School House is a very dynamic place to be. It is a popular choice for pupils, each of whom gets his own single study as soon as he begins boarding.
The recent refurbishment has given the house an even greater home-from-home feel, as has the renovation of the new Common Room and House kitchen.
Mr Irwin is supported by his wife, Jo, and their two children.
ST MARTIN'S HOUSE
Houseparents: Mr Jack Payne and Mrs Charline Marie-Payne
The centrepiece of St Martin's is a beautifully fitted dance room that is used in the evenings for Jazz, Ballroom, Latin, Modern and Lyrical dance lessons and in the afternoons for aerobics, modern yoga and spinning sessions.
There is also a large Common Room and two television rooms. The House Matron and her staff keep the fabric spotless and most girls have a study bedroom to themselves.
Day girls are fully integrated into House life. They form part of the inter-House Swimming, Hockey, Netball and Tennis teams, attend the regular social functions and provide an invaluable contact with the local community and families for those boarding girls far from home.
Mr and Mrs Marie-Payne are supported by their French bulldog, Hobbs.


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You're a monster just like your father. I wish you'd never come into our lives.
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Well, darling, if I've learned anything in this life, it's that you cannot force someone to be in love with you. You just have to let it go.
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Every organisation has a safety culture, but some are better than others. It is the beliefs, attitudes, norms and values of people in that organisation and can be summed up as 'it's the way we do things around here'.
A great safety culture is when people continue to work safely and do the right things … even when no-one is watching. People in senior positions create an organisational climate which is open to criticism and fosters comments and feedback from all employees. In the words of Sidney Dekker, Professor of Humanities and Social Science, Griffith University, safety culture is a 'culture that allows the boss to hear bad news'.
So, what is safety culture? The term was first used in 1986 by the International Nuclear Safety Group (INSAG) after the Chernobyl disaster and they described it as 'That assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organisations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority … safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance.' Studies have found that workplace-related disasters are a result of a breakdown in an organisation's policies and procedures that were established to deal with safety, and that the breakdown flows from inadequate attention being paid to safety issues.
The second booklet of CASA's updated Safety behaviours: human factors for pilots' kit looks at the organisational characteristics which influence safety behaviours in aviation and other industries and examines what makes a safe organisation. It examines the reasons for poor cultures which have led to fatal accidents, including one of the most notorious in Australian aviation—the 1994 loss of a Seaview Air Aero Commander en route to Lord Howe Island.
It also describes the consequence of poor safety cultures which led to a fatal rail collision in the Blue Mountains, the rollover of an army troop carrier at Holsworthy near Sydney, the disastrous Piper Alpha fire in the North Sea, and the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the former USSR. It also makes the case that an organisation with a positive and effective safety culture brings significant economic as well as safety benefits.
The booklet also looks in detail at the components and characteristics of a safety culture, and provides advice on how to build it, such as by standardised reporting of incidents, near misses and safety hazards, and establishment of a formal, fair and just management review process.
Safety behaviours: human factors for pilots' kit is out now for free on the CASA website, or can be ordered in print and on USB from the CASA Online Store.
Excellent article aimed at Zero Harm as the ultimate goal.


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by Paulie Walnuts at Citysearch Nov 10 .
Plenty of FREE parking! Great bartenders (Beautiful too!) and very intelligent! Great prices and a very good selection of beers OR mixed drinks AND liquors. GREAT FOOTBALL parties!!!!
Hickory Hills Best place to PARTY!!
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Yep, that's right, I quit my job. Before Christmas. With no other job to go to. I realise how utterly ridiculous that sounds and if anyone had told me that 6 months ago I'd have had the same reaction. Are they f****** crazy? And the answer yes, a little but there comes a time when you know it's time to quit your job. Let me explain.
I've always had a full time job. Like most people, that regular income every month is a security blanket that pays the mortgage, lets us go on holidays and keeps those online shopping habits in check. But, recently it became more and more difficult to maintain that 9-5 with blogging and taking on more freelance work. For the first time, work was actually getting in the way. of what I actually wanted to do. I was turning down more opportunities every week and having to avoid subjects I was passionate about for Glamour and Marie Claire to avoid conflict. That, combined with a new direction the magazine was going in became more and more difficult for me to drum up the enthusiasm to go to the office everyday, which has never happened before.
I've always been someone who has to LOVE their job. I can't do a job properly unless I give 110% to it and for that to happen, I have to want to go to work and almost look forward to it on Sunday night. This was not happening. And it was about four months ago that I knew I had to quit my job. There was an…incident. One that violated my personal life and it resulted me losing faith and trust in what I was a part of. It became clear that while blogging is an exciting and integral part of the journalism industry now, there are some that don't quite get it. And what people don't 'get' makes them feel uncomfortable. Out of it, even. They will see this, not as something lucrative or exciting, but as a threat, an attack on all that they know.
It's sad and unfortunate but not at all uncommon, especially for a certain generation. But the worst kind of situations they lead to are the ones where they're not willing to change the conversation and listen. To embrace a new medium and learn from it. Instead, it makes them feel more comfortable to metaphorically block it and beat it out of someone. To pretend it's not happening everywhere and punish where they can. In a world where there's flexible working hours, unlimited holiday allowance and software that lets you work from anywhere, to be told you can't do something nowadays is a very dated style of management. From Alessandra Steinherr to Pandora Sykes – magazines are embracing the potential of this new industry and using it to everyone's advantage.
Which leads me on to how I quit my job! I've always considered myself a very creative person. I might not be able to paint as well as my sister (seriously, check this out!) but I'm creative in different visual ways and I find any suppression of that really difficult to take. As cheesey as it sounds, I feel like it's killing my soul. So, after many sleepless nights and getting pretty much everyone from Toff to my parents to the postman's view on it, I handed in my notice for a freelance career. Eeek! But the thought that carried me through it all was – I work this hard to someone else and get nothing back, why don't I work this hard for myself? Plus, as I neared my 30th birthday, it was now or never.
No more regular income or pension but also no more working through lunch so I can have a bloody smear test or be subjected to the equivalent of a school detention if I'm stuck in traffic. It's terrifying but I've never been so excited or liberated to take on the unknown in my life. With the decision made, I feel like I've become a stronger person for it already so I wanted to share a couple of things I noticed that made me know it was the right time to quit my job.
I'm a big believer that as soon as you can do your job with your eyes closed, it might be time to move on. If you're not learning anything new then you'll become too comfortable and won't progress in your future. Working your way up in the same company is ideal if you're continuously pushing yourself and taking on more responsibility but there comes a time where you'll be unemployable elsewhere if you've only ever stayed in one place.
Ugh there's nothing worse than that dread which fills the pit of your stomach on a Sunday night. The clock taunting you with every passing hour as your freedom slips away. I had this feeling when I was commuting to London. I could hear the trains on Sunday night as I lay in bed and wanted to cry at the thought of being on them in a few hours. I knew then that it was time to quit my job. Life is too short to feel like this.
Everyone daydreams of being on a beach every now and again but if the dream is being a novelist or a dog walker, it's time to consider other pathways. Yes it will be scary and there's a hundred reasons why you shouldn't but the overriding reason should be that it will make you happy. If you believe you're destined for bigger and better things, it's your responsibility to make that happen.
"I hate being good at my job" said no one, ever! But if you're acing it in the 9-5 and feel empty at the praise then it's a warning sign that this job isn't for you. Why? Because it's not where your passion lies. I'm OK with saying I was good at my day job, it was effortless, but the praise I got rolled off my back. But working hard to get a freelance pitch or a blog post I'm really proud of, makes me giddy because it's all so important to me.
Amazing! Congratulations!! Wishing you the best of luck.


Once again I find myself apologizing for not having the opportunity to visit a lot of my regular blog reads but it appears that a lot of my free time is being taken up by my daughter who apparently has named me the assistant to the head plushie-maker. It's not enough that I spent a good part of Saturday sewing body parts together - oh no! - now I have to help make boots and pants both or else the poor guys are going to remain pantless much like poor Steve Righ who is still standing in the kitchen without any pants!
The only thing he's missing is his guitar and maybe some snazzy fashion jewelry but I think that he's as completed as he's going to get. Now I must go forth and create some pants for Bob while Amanda finishes making Mikey's shirt and tie. As you can see, I already finished his boots!
It appears that an assistant's work is never done!
Hey kiddo & Mom, the plushies look fantastic!! I was wondering though, just as an art teacher, if you had thought about using some crewel work, or rather long cross-stich stitches for the eyes and mouth instead of sharpie. No criticism, just a suggestion.
eyebrows too! Just looking at the full eyebrows made me think of eyebrow pencil which made me think of crewel work, or whatever that it is called.
Thanks, Paula, those are actually very good ideas and I was going to suggest the same thing to the artist herself once I got the pants done. Of course, you know I'm going to have to be the one to do the embroidery work, right???
This is assistant's gig better pay well!
I continue to be in awe of your daughter's and your talents. Awed!
You guys did fantastic work on that doll!
Amanda sure knows how to hire just the right personnel. The plushies are terrific.
Oh...I left you a little "treat" on my blog.
you are the coolest mom ever!!
those are really great! I can't wait to hear how the concert goes!
Amanda has no idea how fortunate she is to have a mom like you! The plushies are really cute!!!
I've said it before, I'll say it again: You are the COOLest mom.
And will Steve ever get pants??
You've got quite a talent there!! I have absolutely no idea how to sew anything, if a button comes off a top or a skirt then it gets thrown away, such a waste really.
So cool!!! I may have to commission one of those.. once the concert is over, think Ms. Art-munkey might be up to an Amy Lee?
You're so cute! And I can see why Amanda the Great wants you to be her assistant.
I definately think you should demand the title of EXECUTIVE Assistant.
Very cute, Linda. You are truly a wonderful mom. No worries about not visiting. Real life does tend to get in the way sometimes.
First of all, those are totally cool! And, what a great mom you are to help her with her project!


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New minor in geospatial technology
Academics, Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Starting in Fall 2018, a new minor will introduce students at Lake Erie College to Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Geospatial technology, as it is called, will fall under the environmental science major but can advance students from other disciplines on their own pathways.
"Environmental science majors will certainly find the Geospatial Technology minor useful," said Dr. Steven K. Reynolds, Jr., associate professor of biology and LEC's director of institutional research. "Moreover, students from any major would gain skills with this minor that could help them launch business ventures, track political opinions, analyze geographic health trends, and more. Geospatial technology is incredibly versatile."
Dr. Reynolds will teach all of the minor's six required courses.
The minor will give students basic proficiency in identifying processes and using equipment to capture, store, analyze, manage, and present spatial/geographic data. Its subtopics will include cartography, spatial analysis, demography and more, combining map-making with map analysis.
Using open source computer software, students will be able to sense and measure spatial phenomena and patterns, monitoring changes over time on digital screens and producing models. They could demonstrate how the presence of trees can improve air quality or reduce the effects of flooding, for example.
Eventually, Dr. Reynolds said, student could create maps for use by organizations like the Metroparks. Several such projects could include mapping the distribution of erosion patterns, algae blooms in Lake Erie and plants via drones.
For more information about the geospatial technology minor at Lake Erie College, contact Dr. Steven Reynolds at sreynolds@lec.edu.


World-renowned master of the pipa, Wu Man joined the high-spirited Huayin Shadow Puppet Band for a Sunday afternoon of traditional Chinese music and more. Thirteen numbers and an encore provided variety, yet certain similitude slowed the show.
Happily, once again, Celebrity Series of Boston had us exploring our globe's music. Sadly, NEC's Jordan Hall was far from being filled for this informative, cultural, and aesthetic event.
Over the hour and one-half program without intermission, Wu Man and the Huayin Band displayed fascinating contrasts. Acting as emcee, Wu Man apprised us of the Band's members being farmer-musicians from North China, not professionals in the usual sense of the word. While they dressed down suggesting a rural scene, she dressed up, though a bit on the informal side.
The Band oozed openness, waving to the audience. They were fired up much of the time as witnessed by ensemble shout-outs and shout-singing, in addition to good measures of percussion. Among these were gongs, cymbals, and bench. This last instrument was struck with a block to produce a loud—very loud—clack. During their entire stage-time, the Band enacted joyous rambunctious. Often the Chinese trumpet blasted horse-like imitations.
By contrast, Wu Man's highly refined pipa was in evidence everywhere in her solos. Wu Man succeeded in achieving a comfortable alliance with the audience. This was done mostly through her introducing the music, its history, its instruments, its stories. Yet at the same time, detectable was a slight air of aloofness, the air of an artist well aware of her own extraordinary accomplishments and bountiful accolades from all around the world.
The wooden four-stringed pear-shaped pipa has shared a kinship of 2,000 years with its earlier prototype, the Middle Eastern lute, or oud. Wu Man described taped plastic picks on each of her five fingers on the right hand as looking "weird." Fingernails do not hold up on steel strings, which replaced silk strings sometime back in the 60s. She demonstrated the tremolo that employs all five fingers.
That is how a note is sustained on the pipa, much the same as on the guitar, where sound decays quickly. As to steel strings? They are louder. Because of that, however, the frequently employed tremolo, mostly loud and incessant, came close to causing ear fatigue.
Looking past this, there was myriad distinction in tonal display, reflective bends, caressed vibrato, and the like, characteristic of "lyrical" style. Wu Man's opening number, in this lyrical style, described sunset. She followed with another solo, "Ambush from Ten Sides." In this "martial" style, which Wu Man also called "showoff," she proceeded in her own words to "show off with hard strums, military incisiveness at times verging on brutality. All of that and more could she amazingly summon from the pipa.
The highlight of the afternoon had to be the two shadow puppetry scenes. Intricacy of puppet construction and movement synced with earsplitting cymbals, gongs, and drums in an absolutely action-packed battle scene. As they fought, shadow warriors mounted and dismounted their steeds, flashing to and fro across a bulb-lit screen. Wu Man accompanied the second scene, an encounter with two humans and two tigers, next with two humans joining with the first humans. What was happening we were not told. For the accompaniment, Wu Man improvised an eloquent solo, demonstrating delicacy involving a main melody with auxiliary lines interwoven.


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Gym & Classes
Home Information News Carn Brea Leisure Centre remains closed during Covid-19 easing
Centre Developments
Carn Brea Leisure Centre remains closed during Covid-19 easing
Posted on 24 Jun 2020 in General
By now most of you will of heard the announcement from the Prime Minister outlining the next stages of 'easing the lockdown' and what this means for our industry, it is now clear unfortunately that indoor gyms and pools will not reopen on the 4th July as previously referenced.
Whilst today's outcome for indoor sports leisure facility was not what we had hoped for, the Prime Minister has given the go ahead for a range of outdoor activities to be re-instated. This has opened a range of options up to us which we are looking to explore over the coming days.
In terms of planning for re-opening we hope to be back in touch shortly with our already detailed plans of how it will work/ what to expect and a scheduled reopening date. When the centre is in a position to open its indoor activities or outdoor facilities we will be following all guidelines as dictated by HSE and governing bodies relevant to our sector to ensure a safe environment for our employees and users.
We hope to be back in touch soon with some more positive news on a return to exercise.
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Disneyland Paris is launched an amazing spring season this last weekend. Guests can enjoy a bouquet of entertainment including a new stage show created in the spirit of Broadway musicals, Minnie's Little Spring Train, and a host of amazing floral displays. Among the crowd were Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter, TV presenter Ashley James, and Irish model Vogue Williams who know you're never too old to enjoy the magic of Disneyland Paris.
The trio, and their friends, were eager for thrills and enjoyed some of the parks big attractions and stuck around to watch Disney Dreams! night-time spectacular, which is projected on Sleeping Beauty Castle and illuminates the park with beautiful fireworks.
Of course, they stopped to meet some of the park's most popular residents, the characters.
Have you been to Disneyland Paris in the spring? How beautiful were all the flowers?


Over the past few years we've been increasing the number of barristers on our network. Even though it's been well over a decade since the law changed to allow people direct access to a barrister rather than going through a solicitor - for some reason the majority of people still are not aware. Not only are they unaware that it's possible, but according to our most recent poll 71% of you didn't even know the difference between a solicitor and barrister.
"A change in the law in 2004 allowed barristers who have undertaken additional training to advise clients at first instance without the need for a solicitor. These are known as Direct Access or Public Access Barristers. At Mercantile Barristers, a high proportion of our members have gained additional qualification to undertake both solicitor and barrister work."
That excerpt is from the front page of the Mercantile Barristers website and more firms should really have a prominent, brief but explanatory statement like this on their sites. Some firms have several paragraphs of jargon about it, some bury information halfway down some inner pages, and some seem to say nothing at all. It's unusual because it's a great thing that the public should be more aware of.
Unlike the launch of 'No Win No Fee' back in the 90s, for some reason 'Direct Access' as a slogan has not caught on. It's odd because the idea is similar. It allows people better access to legal services and reduces costs.
"You only pay one legal advisor rather than two. The barrister usually has lower overheads, so this will usually be more economical than retaining the solicitor alone and will cost less than instructing both. You get the earliest possible direct access to the specialist - not just when a problem gets to Court. This could save you the headache, heartache and expense of avoidable litigation."
Unfortunately, there are no cold hard statistics to back this up yet. However, the reasoning is perfectly sound. Originally you would have had to hire a solicitor who would then select a barrister on your behalf. That barrister would then show up to court once that stage was reached. Often the first time you meet the barrister would be at the court house for the hearing. None of that is ideal and is now not necessary.
It usually only takes that briefest of explanations for the lightbulb to go off and people to start searching for a barrister themselves. So, why should you pick Mercantile Barristers?
At first glance you might be put off by the fact the firm was founded in 2016. With so many law firms out there stating establishment dates back in the 1800s - any founding date this century is going to make a firm sound in its infancy. But realistically, the only thing old about those other firms is the name. There isn't a wise 200 year old solicitor mentoring and monitoring everyone at the firm. It could be packed with a dozen newly graduated solicitors with less than a years' experience.
"Barristers are traditionally seen as 'stuffy' and 'unapproachable' but at Mercantile Barristers our members are modernising legal tradition by refusing to be anything of the kind. They are down-to-earth practical legal experts that are extremely user friendly."
That's the first time I've ever seen those last two words used to describe a barrister, but nearly all firms say something like this about being modern and friendly. Certainly not every firm that says so actually is. Are there any tell-tale signs to know what a firm is like really beyond the sales-pitching on the website?
Independent reviews are a good place to start. Sadly these can be abused and Mercantile Barristers seems to have had some bad luck in this area. We're all aware that one person can come back onto a review board pretending to be different people making negative claims. But it's also true that many firms write positive reviews about themselves pretending to be members of the public.
It can be difficult, but with practice you can start to spot real from fake. A good tip is to see how many other reviews a person has left. If a firm has over thirty 5☆ reviews all from people that have only ever left 1 review in their whole life - they're probably fake. Also most genuine reviews make a reference such as 'Thank you Sandy, you were awesome and patient with us.' rather than just 'Excellent service. Highly recommend.' Lastly, if the person's profile says they live in Edinburgh and they are reviewing a London law firm, take it with a pinch of salt.
As I mentioned before, the team page is packed full of proper bios so you can really get to know the background and potential experience of the people.
They have case histories which we're a huge fan of as they not only offer people points of reference but also allow further insight into how the firm works and the general processes involved using relatable stories.
Despite my earlier comments about 'sales-pitchy' statements there is not nearly as much as you'd see on the majority of law firm's sites and even then they are relatively understated.
They clearly love their industry and work because they've written real articles on various subjects to post in their blog. Blogs may have started going out of fashion when people's attention span became limited to 140 characters at a time. Still, they have taken the time to write and post some real pieces. On other websites, the 'Blog' or 'News' sections are sometimes just rehashes of stories lifted from the BBC website or more opportunities to sell the firm.
Lastly, the majority of their website's content is boring to the average person. That's actually a really good thing in my opinion. Just like my last point about Blogs, the person who took the time to write the content on the Mercantile Barrister website clearly loves what they do and the language of it all.
"Our approach to legal practice is always to articulate creative and value-adding solutions for clients whilst delivering timely, efficient and affordable professional services. All clients conduct their affairs within a legal context and Mercantile Barristers' role is to advise on the conduct of their transactions and affairs in ways that avoid conflict and disputes."
No dumbing down. No 'sign up now and get a free ipad'. Whilst that paragraph and others might be considered to negate their other statements regarding being unstuffy and down-to-earth - I think it shows a unique personality and a real impression of the firm as a whole rather than everything being vague marketing statements copy/pasted from the last website you visited.
A quick note on navigation though. www.mercantilebarristers.com is the official website we link to above with www.mercantilebarristers.co.uk apparently owned by someone else. The most common error would probably be Merchant Barristers, but there isn't much else it could be confused for. However, with phishing and bank detail switch scams (see our last article) still prevalent it is always a good idea to bookmark the site if you're planning on coming back to it. You never know.
General Notes: Usually if Legal Aid is possible we've mentioned it above, but you can always ask. We haven't looked in depth at their recruitment program so are unaware of any job vacancies available. For a career with Mercantile Barristers it's best to visit the website (www.mercantilebarristers.com), check opening hours, and find the correct phone/email contact details. Simply emailing a CV to reception looks lazy. Each law firm's Law Society and/or SRA number should be on their site, usually at the bottom of each page.


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INSANE Domino Tricks Goes Insanely Viral!
One of YouTube's most subscribed channels, TheFineBros (over 6 million subscribers), featured the video in their "50 YouTube Spoilers in 5 Minutes" series for the month of November. Later in the month, Ellen DeGeneres favorited my viral video and Ivanka Trump tweeted it to her 1.5 million Twitter followers.
The YouTube channel The YOMYOMF Network (over 500,000 subscribers/50 million views) contacted Hevesh5 to make a custom domino video for their channel. They discovered me as an "influential fan." YOMYOMF is based on the pop culture blog, You Offend Me You Offend My Family, founded by Hollywood director Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow, the Fast & Furious franchise) along with partners including top YouTube personalities Ryan Higa, KevJumba and Chester See.


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Q: How to use the same column to filter and make calculations, such as average, percentage, etc I have numeric column with scores in my table. I am trying to calculate what percentage of people from that column scored 1. Yet I can seem to figure out how to SELECT the same column twice in order to complete this simple calculation. I'm sure I'm missing something very simple?
SELECT scores
FROM table1
WHERE scores=1 DIV scores;

A: You can do conditional aggregation:
SELECT
  100.0 * sum(case when scores = 1 then 1 else 0 end) / count(*) percentage
FROM table1

or since MySql evaluates Boolean expressions as 1 for TRUE and 0 for FALSE:
SELECT
  100.0 * sum(scores = 1) / count(*) percentage
FROM table1

or use avg():
SELECT
  100.0 * avg(scores = 1) percentage
FROM table1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: Array Strings Are Equal Leetcode: Why is my console log returning "false" as expected but Leetcode output says "true" and flagging incorrect? Why is my console log returning "false" as expected but Leetcode output says "true" and flagging incorrect? Leetcode is telling me the output is "true" when it SHOULD be "false" and what I've logged in the console does return "false". I'll attach a screenshot of these outputs.
Leetcode Problem:
Given two string arrays word1 and word2, return true if the two arrays represent the same string, and false otherwise.
A string is represented by an array if the array elements concatenated in order forms the string.
Example 1:
Input: word1 = ["ab", "c"], word2 = ["a", "bc"]
Output: true
Explanation:
word1 represents string "ab" + "c" -> "abc"
word2 represents string "a" + "bc" -> "abc"
The strings are the same, so return true.

Example 2:
Input: word1 = ["a", "cb"], word2 = ["ab", "c"]
Output: false

Example 3:
Input: word1  = ["abc", "d", "defg"], word2 = ["abcddefg"]
Output: true

Constraints:
1 <= word1.length, word2.length <= 103
1 <= word1[i].length, word2[i].length <= 103
1 <= sum(word1[i].length), sum(word2[i].length) <= 103
word1[i] and word2[i] consist of lowercase letters.

My solution:
word1: ["a", "cb"]

word2: ["ab", "c"]
var arrayStringsAreEqual = function(word1, word2) {
    async function getWordStrings(word1, word2) {
        let newWord1 = await makeWord(word1);
        let newWord2 = await makeWord(word2);
        console.log('word 1: ', newWord1)
        console.log('word 2: ', newWord2)
        return newWord1 === newWord2;
    }
    return getWordStrings(word1, word2).then(x => {
        return x, console.log('Do these match?: ', x)
    })
};

function makeWord(string) {
    let word = string;
    return word.join().replace(/[^A-Za-z0-9]/g, "");
}


The West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (WNJCS) completed, found to be sound by PINS and formally adopted in 2014 specifically rejected a request from Ashfield Land to include provision for a SRFI. The strategy states that new rail freight interchanges are not deliverable within the plan period and that major new industrial development should be focussed on three sites ie. Silverstone, DIRFT and around the M1 junction 16.
There is sufficient future capacity at DIRFT along with Midlands Gateway such that very little interchange of rail freight will take place at Rail Central. If this is the case then what would differentiate the proposed site from a 'regular interchange park? The suggestion of a SRFI terminal is disingenuous paying to the idea of providing Strategic National Importance simply in order to bypass local planning.
Northamptonshire is a mainly rural county with only a few medium sized towns, 3 freight terminals (DIRFT, Rail Central and Northampton Gateway) would be vastly in excess of the needs of the local market.
The local road network is totally inadequate to deal with the anticipated increased volume of traffic, not only from HGVs but also from those supposed new employees (that don't live in the area) using the site on a daily (24 hour) basis. Travelling by road to the village on the A43 from the Towcester direction involves crossing west-bound traffic on the A43. (the Blisworth/Milton Malsor Turn). This is already a dangerous junction and the increased traffic due to the development would see drivers avoiding it by rat running through local villages. What guarantees preventing this or from using the local villages as a car park by employees?
The major benefit of local job creation is overplayed in an area of low unemployment and that the anticipated workforce will mostly commute from other areas further increasing the pressure on the local road networks. There will be negligible, if any, benefit to the local communities affected.
The operation will create unacceptable light, air and noise pollution blighting the lives of at least two rural communities and endangering their health and well-being for everyone. The cumulative adverse impact of 24/7 noise, light and air pollution will be considerable for residents of many local villages. The additional daily HGV trips each day will add to the already critical levels of nitrous oxide and particulate pollution around the M1 (an AQMA).
The views over what is currently mainly open countryside would be totally destroyed by massive warehouses and high earth mounds (bunding). These earth mounds would be a completely alien feature and a blot on the landscape.