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Tag Archive for Adrian Lazarus
RoboCop, Ronald Reagan, and How a 1984 Campaign Commercial Gets Reimagined in BETTER OFF UNDEAD
January 5, 2018 / jimmy / No comments
"This uproarious middle grade call to action
has considerable kid appeal
and a timely message.
A strong addition to school and public library collections."
— School Library Journal.
One of the most enjoyable aspects about writing Better Off Undead was that it was set in the not-so-distant future. That was a first for me, and a revelation. A simple fact that turned everything in the book into social commentary. And at the same time, I felt inspired to include everything but the kitchen sink into my creative blender: climate change, makeover shows, train bombs, pollution, GMOs, school testing, zombies and bats and bees and whatever else hit my radar.
I was also inspired by the faux-commercials and sly asides throughout the original 1987 "RoboCop" movie directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Peter Weller. It was a movie that satirized popular culture in all sorts of astute and clever ways. To cite one example: Instead of Battleship, the popular family game is called Nuke 'Em! Ha-ha. The movie does a terrific job skewering corporate greed and immorality. The corporate machine just wants to be a machine; it doesn't care about sunsets or art or, you know, us. (It might serve us, but it won't ever care.)
This is one of the powerful aspects of science fiction. The moment we begin to describe a future society, we automatically comment on the values and efficiencies of our current one. When characters sit on a bench and watch the evening sky for hologram advertisements (page 120, "Under a Hologram Sky,") I'm saying something about the monetizing impulses of our world. And when I have young Dane watch a commercial on page 82 for "EarthFirst Gas Masks" — "Sleek and stylish and eighty percent more effective than ordinary surgical masks for protection against air pollution and other contagion!" — I'm taking articles I've read about pollution in China's cities, with ordinary citizens walking around wearing surgical gas masks, and extending it into the future, broken world of my book. "That's right, Vanna," a gray-haired man chimes in. "These masks will keep you safe from airborne diseases like dengue fever and superflu and –"
This sort of thing goes on throughout Better Off Undead. It's a world gone wrong. How else explain a zombie, Adrian Lazarus, walking around in Nixon Middle School? (By the way, I did not realize until today that "RoboCop" included a reference to Lee Iacocca Elementary School. Nice, right? In the future our heroes will be corporate CEOs; "greed is good," Gordon Gekko, and all that. What could possibly go wrong?)
When I created the evil corporation, K & K Corp, central to Adrian's adventure, I naturally drew inspiration from the despicable Koch brothers. I tried to imagine how they might attempt to manipulate public opinion for personal profit and remembered a famous television commercial from the 1984 Presidential Election (I was fresh out of college and definitely paying attention). It was Ronald Reagan's classic "It's Morning Again in America" commercial that proved so effective for his campaign. Could have been titled, "It's all good!"
Anyway, here's the scene at the end of Chapter 21, "Talal Clues Me In":
Dane was taking a bath when I got home. My mother was on the computer. I clicked on the television. A commercial came on. I'd probably seen it a hundred times before, but this time I noticed the names at the end of it.
The commercial flashed a series of short film clips, each more beautiful than the next. A fishing boat leaves a harbor, a man in a business suit gets into a cab, a rugged farmer drives a big-wheeled tractor, a cowboy saddles up, a car and a moving van pull into the driveway of a huge home, a teary-eyed grandmother watches a wedding scene in church, various citizens hoist American flags up flagpoles, rows of smiling children look up in wonder, a proud eagle soars across the sky. Final image: a logo on the side of a huge glass-and-steel building for K & K Corp.
NOTE: I have to interrupt here to point out that the paragraph above and immediately below is a fairly accurate description of the 1984 commercial. I watched it and wrote. And also, yes, of course, flags and jobs and weddings and boats and farmers and grandmothers are all good things. It's just, you know, exponentially manipulative. And super white, by the way. Anway, back to our excerpt:
While all those images floated past, a man's voice spoke in soothing tones. The words scrolled across the screen in block letters as he spoke:
BE AT PEACE.
THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
ALL IS GOOD, ALL IS WELL.
THE BIRDS ARE SINGING.
IT IS MORNING IN AMERICA.
BE HAPPY, RELAX, SMILE.
WE ONLY CARE ABOUT YOUR HAPPINESS.
In smaller print, it read: THIS HAD BEEN A PAID ADVERTISEMENT BY K & K CORP.
"That's some frown, Adrian," my mother said. She had joined me in the kitchen and was poking around in the refrigerator. "What's bothering you?"
"Huh? What?" I replied. "Nothing. I'm fine. I was watching that commercial and –"
"Don't you love it?" my mother said while slicing into a giant, perfectly pink, wonderfully round, genetically engineered grapefruit. "I see that commercial every day, and every day it makes me smile."
I made an effort to smile right along with her.
"Be happy. Relax. Smile," my mother repeated. "Those are words to live by!"
I didn't answer. Instead, I wondered why K & K Corporation was spending millions of dollars on commercials to brainwash us all.
They didn't want us to worry.
Because of course they didn't.
Everything was fine.
Be happy. Relax. Smile.
For reference, here is the full text of the original commercial, which I encourage you to watch by clicking here:
"It's morning again in America. Today more men and women will go to work than ever before in our country's history. With interest rates at about half the record highs of 1980, nearly 2,000 families today will buy new homes, more than at any time in the past four years. This afternoon 6,500 young men and women will be married, and with inflation at less than half of what it was just four years ago, they can look forward with confidence to the future. It's morning again in America, and under the leadership of President Reagan, our country is prouder and stronger and better. Why would we ever want to return to where we were less than four short years ago?"
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you check out the book.
Here's the full review from Booklist . . .
"The author sets his tale in a near-future world in which climate change and pandemics are wreaking odd paranormal phenomena as well as predictable havoc. Having inexplicably survived a fatal hit-and-run accident over the summer, aptly named Adrian Lazarus is off to seventh grade, sporting a hoodie to hide his increasing facial disfigurement and lunching on formaldehyde smoothies to keep himself together. Simultaneously resenting and yet understanding the varied reactions of his schoolmates—which range from shunning to all-too-close attention from a particularly persistent bully—Adrian is also surprised and pleased to discover that he has allies, notably Gia Demeter, a new girl with a peculiar ability to foretell certain events. Preller might have played this as a light comedy (and there are some hilarious bits), but he goes instead for darker inflections. Even as Adrian sees himself becoming ominously aggressive (while developing tastes for roadkill and raw meat), his discovery that fabulously powerful data miners Kalvin and Kristoff Bork are ruthlessly scheming to put him under the knife in search of the secret to his longevity cranks the suspense up another notch. Nonetheless, in a series of splendidly lurid exploits, Adrian beats the odds as he fights for a well-earned happy ending." — Booklist, Starred Review
Category: Better Off Undead, the writing process / Tags: Adrian Lazarus, Better Off Undead, EarthFirst Gas Masks, hologram advertisements, K & K Corp, Lee Iacocca Elementary School, Morning in America commercial, Nixon Middle School, RoboCop legacy, Ronald Reagan, Social satire in middle-grade fiction, the Koch brothers inspire middle-grade author, Tribute to RoboCop
Wow, Another Great Review for BETTER OFF UNDEAD
September 25, 2017 / jimmy / No comments
This is from the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and I'm glad to share it. This is a sprawling kind of "everything but the kitchen sink" book, difficult the summarize, and this reviewer did a fine job.
I should also add that as an author, I am relieved to read a review that doesn't attempt to state the so-called "message" of the book. It's a common practice and always irksome. Thank you, QB, whoever you are!
BCCB utilizes a coding system consisting of * (starred reviews); R (Recommended); Ad (Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area); and M (Marginal book that is so slight in content or has so many weaknesses in style or format that it should be given careful consideration before purchase.)
Author: James Preller
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Price (Hardcover): $16.99
ISBN (Hardcover): 9781250066480
Death hasn't kept Adrian Lazarus from worrying about surviving seventh grade. Previously singled out as the only black student in school, he's now even more un- usual since he died in a bike accident and turned into a zombie. People are already unnerved by recent weird and possibly related occurrences, such as rampantly spreading super-flus and the endangerment of the bee population, so they avoid Adrian like the plague (it doesn't help that they've never seen a real-life zombie before). The Bork brothers, a couple of old guys with more money than morals, are convinced Adrian holds the key to eternal life and spy on him for their sinister plan. Fortunately, he can rely on his friends, a band of misfits comprised of a beekeeper, a psychic, and a kid detective who talks like he's starring in a 1940s whodunit film, who ensure his safety and stick by him during his awkward reanimated phase. Preller stylishly delivers a supernatural tale of a middle-schooler who craves normalcy, and environmental issues with some currency make the story even more relatable. Espionage, mystery, and the undead make for a satisfying experience for readers, and they'll be glad of the hint at a follow-up. QB
Category: Better Off Undead / Tags: Adrian Lazarus, beekeeping in children's books, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, James Preller Better Off Undead, Reviews Better Off Undead, The Bork brothers, Zombie middle grade
BETTER OFF UNDEAD: Chapter 1, "Mirror, Mirror"
August 14, 2017 / jimmy / No comments
Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the deadest of them all?
There I was lying on the bed on another sticky summer afternoon, examining my reflection in a hand mirror. I pondered the first day of middle school, just four days away, and gazed at my decomposing face.
It wasn't too bad, considering the fact I was dead. When you took into account that minor detail, and then compared me to all the other dead people in the world, hey, I was doing all right. Better than all right! Go ahead, dig up a grave, stick the corpse into a wicker chair next to me, then compare and contrast. Do a Venn diagram for all I care. I'll win that beauty contest eight days a week, twice on Sunday.
That's me, Adrian Lazarus: way hotter than most dead people.
Compared to living folks, the ones who aren't full-on zombies, maybe I don't look so great. Mine was a face only a mother could love, though I was beginning to have my doubts about that. After all, how could she? The whole zombie thing had been tough on Mom. She hadn't bargained for a zombie with bad breath, body odor, and a hunger for braaaaains. Just kidding about the dietary issues. I'm pretty satisfied with an undercooked burger and greasy fries. Never super hungry these days.
A fly touched down on the windowsill near my bare feet. It lifted off again like a barnstorming pilot, performed a few dives, loop-the-loops, and barrel rolls over my exposed flesh. It buzzed my face before squeezing out a hole in the window screen. Probably just an advance scout for the coming swarm. It will tell the other flies they hit the jackpot. That's one of the downsides of zombie life –- ha, there's a phrase, zombie life: an oxymoron, like plastic glass and jumbo shrimp and cafeteria food — I attract flies. They follow me in black clouds like I'm the pied piper. Kneel down before me, for I am the true Lord of the Flies!
I was basking in my misery when the door opened. As usual, my little brother Dane was itching to enter my inner sanctum. As if the closed door meant nothing, and the words KEEP OUT! signaled an open invitation. Dane poked his chubby-cheeked, pug-nosed face into the room. His head was seemingly squished from forehead to chin so that it resembled an old, soft orange. To me, Dane's smooth, dark, elastic cheeks made him look like a living garden gnome, hideous and adorable at the same time.
Dane was four years old. And unlike his big brother, very much alive.
"Hi," Dane said. "What are you doing?"
I was doing exactly nothing, but I told him I was reading a comic book. A believable lie since I often flipped through comic books and graphic novels. There were a few comics scattered by my pillow. Reading was doing something, a way of being alone and yet totally (amazingly) connected to something other, something else, some far-away place called anywhere but here, which is where I longed to be. Without turning around, I grabbed a comic book and held it up for Dane.
"See," I said, swiveling my head, back still to him.
"The Sandman," Dane murmured with awe. He stepped into the room, emboldened. Dane wore red shorts held up by an elastic waistband. He had on his favorite t-shirt –- the one with a picture of the scarecrow from "The Wizard of Oz." Inspired by his favorite movie character, Dane often stumbled around the house, prat-falling like the boneless, brainless man of straw, wind-milling his stubby arms, humming the tune from the movie. If I only had a brain.
Concern creased Dane's face. "Can I come in?" he asked, already in.
I shrugged. All I wanted was to be left alone. But Dane needed to be near, I knew that, even a dope like me can see when he's loved. It's better than nothing, by a lot.
"Where's Mom? Yoga class? Work?" I asked.
"She's on the phone, talking to somebody about periodic rate caps," Dane explained, without a flicker of comprehension as to what he was saying. He could join the club. I didn't know what periodic rate caps were either. That was Mom's work. Flipping houses, skimming a percentage off the top, moving on like a shark in bloody waters. Buying and selling.
After my father went overseas with Corporate to fight in the Water Wars, and kept re-enlisting, Mom reinvented herself. Today she's a successful real estate agent. I couldn't walk three blocks in town without her face beaming out from a FOR SALE sign. "Rosie Lazarus, an agent you can trust."
Dane reached into his pocket and produced two sour apple candies. My little brother knew the way to my heart — through the gap in my rotten teeth and down into the cavities. He offered both to me.
I took one, told him to keep one for himself, pulled on the twisted ends of the crinkly wrapper, and popped the hard candy into my mouth. I grunted thanks and returned to my horrible mirror.
"I might run away," I sighed. I could see Dane standing behind me now, reflected in the mirror, pressing closer. I felt his sticky fingers on my back, heard the hard candy rattling against his teeth.
"Don't go to California, it's on fire," Dane said.
"Not all of it," I said. After years of draught, the wildfires had started up and kept spreading. Nobody was running away to California anymore.
"Oh," he said, blinking. Dane considered the news in silence. "Can I have your room?"
"Dane!"
His head pivoted on his shoulders as he eyed the walls and sloped ceiling, redecorating in his imagination. He'd probably fill it with Legos. Dane caught my eye in the mirror's reflection. "Mom would be mad if you ran away."
Maybe mad, I thought. Or relieved. "You hungry?"
The sweet boy with fat cheeks and loose curls nodded, yes, he was hungry. Dane was always hungry.
I sat up and put my feet on the carpet for the first time in hours. My toes were numb, like dull weights, lead sinkers on a fishing line. No nerve endings. I could take an axe and chop them off, from big toe to little toe, and never feel a thing. Pop 'em off like grapes from the stem.
Dane took my cold, clammy hand. "Come," he said, and tugged, dragging me from my dark room into the light.
Better Off Undead will be published in October, 2017 by Macmillan. Grades 4-8, 275 pages.
Category: Better Off Undead / Tags: Adrian Lazarus, Better Off Undead, James Preller, Sample Chapter Better Off Undead, the water wars, Zombies in children's literature
Check Out These 5 Jigsaw Jones Books . . . Coming August 8th!
July 14, 2017 / jimmy / No comments
Look what came in the mail yesterday . . .
I'm happy to announce that on August 8th these five Jigsaw Jones books will be available in stores for the first time in years. Published by Feiwel & Friends at Macmillan.
Leading off, The Case from Outer Space: A brand-new, never-before-published story for a new generation of young readers. Librarians please note that it's also available in hardcover, a first for Jigsaw.
Plus these four classroom classics that have been previously unavailable, newly revised and updated:
The Case of the Glow-in-the-Dark Ghost
The Case of the Mummy Mystery
The Case of the Bicycle Bandit
The Case of the Smelly Sneaker
Coming in November . . .
The Case of the Million-Dollar Mystery
The Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur
The Case of the Best Pet Ever
The Case of the Buried Treasure
Lastly, older readers (grades 4-7) might be excited about my upcoming hardcover book due out in October, a zombie-goes-to-middle-school story titled Better Off Undead (Macmillan, 275 pages, October 2017). Talk about misfits. Adrian Lazarus is the ultimate outsider. But slowly Adrian makes a small but fascinating group of friends: the bee-obsessed Zander Donnelly; the seventh-grade sleuth, Talal Mirwani; and the mysterious Gia Demeter, who just might be able to see into the future. After they discover that someone has been spying on Adrian with a birdlike drone, the mystery deepens. The clues led Adrian to two powerful corporate mogals . . . and a thrilling conclusion.
Category: Better Off Undead, Jigsaw Jones / Tags: Adrian Lazarus, Better Off Undead, Jigsaw Jones, The Case from Outer Space
COVER REVEAL: "Better Off Undead"
January 17, 2017 / jimmy / No comments
After becoming undead,
Adrian Lazarus
has to survive middle school.
ADRIAN LAZARUS has met with a curious fate. He's returned from the dead (after a bad bike accident, no helmet), yet not a lot has changed. He still has to attend middle school. Adrian has always been something of a misfit. But it's not just being a zombie that makes Adrian feel like an outcast. He notices the world has changed, too: bees are vanishing, forest fires are burning, seas are rising, super-flus are spreading. Even so, the holographic advertisements in the night sky assure people that all is well. But Adrian and his friends –- a beekeeping boy, a mysterious new girl who just might see into the future, and Talal, a seventh-grade sleuth –- aren't convinced. When they discover a birdlike drone has been spying on Adrian, the clues lead to two shadowy corporate billionaires. What could they possibly want with Adrian?
PUB DETAILS: Macmillan, October, 2017, Ages 10-up.
Cover illustration by Andrew Arnold.
Category: Better Off Undead / Tags: Adrian Lazarus, Andrew Arnold illustration, beekeeping in children's books, best middle grade zombie books, Better Off Undead, Books for 2017, Climate Change in children's books, James Preller new book, Midde grade misfit story


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Vol. 9 No. 3 (2020): International Workshop: Challenges for sustainable water management (2-5 October 2019 - Forte dei Marmi) /
Original Papers
Integrated Water Resources Management in the Maltese Islands
https://doi.org/10.7343/as-2020-477
Vol. 9 No. 3 (2020): International Workshop: Challenges for sustainable water management (2-5 October 2019 - Forte dei Marmi)
Submitted: 20 September 2020
Malta, Water Scarcity, Integrated Management, Supply Augmentation, Demand Management
PDF: 532
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Manuel Sapiano
manuel.sapiano@gov.mt
Energy and Water Agency, Malta.
Citation / Copyright
The Maltese islands present a case of extreme natural freshwater resources unavailability where available resources are not sufficient to sustainably meet the national water demand. This due to the islands' semi-arid climatic conditions and small land-mass which preclude the formation of surface water bodies such as rivers and lakes. In fact, the island's fragile groundwater bodies are the only naturally renewable freshwater systems available for the development of water supply resources. Furthermore, the islands high population density results in a high specific demand for water to address the requirements of the population, their economic activities and water dependent ecosystems. In order to address these challenging conditions Malta has developed an integrated water management framework based on the conjunctive use of water supply augmentation and water demand management measures. Under this framework, Malta promotes the application of Non Conventional Water Resources such as the desalination of sea-water and the reclamation of wastewaters to supplement natural freshwater resources. The application of Non Conventional Water Resources enables national water demands to be met, whilst ensuring the sustainable use of natural freshwater resources. Water Demand Management measures ensure that water use is kept at highly efficient levels, thereby reducing the need for the production of water from these additional alternative resources. The development of this water management framework is outlined in Malta's 2nd River Basin Management Plan. It therefore supports the achievement of the EU's Water Framework Directive's environmental objectives in the Malta River Basin District. Its integrated context also supports Malta's adaptation efforts to climate change, whose impacts are expected to further exacerbate the water challenges facing the island. Malta's water management experience highlights the importance of the development and implementation of integrated water management frameworks. The effective protection of natural freshwater resources such as the islands' groundwater resources cannot be ensured if these are addressed in isolation but can only be achieved through the application of such integrated frameworks which addresses the sustainability and security of water supply on a national basis.
Sapiano, M. (2020). Integrated Water Resources Management in the Maltese Islands. Acque Sotterranee - Italian Journal of Groundwater, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.7343/as-2020-477
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Hustinx says EU-US data deal could breach citizens' rights
The EU's top data protection official has said he has "grave concerns" over a new deal between the EU and US on the transfer of airline passenger data.
By Judith Crosbie
June 27, 2007	5:00 pm
Peter Hustinx wrote to Wolfgang Schaüble, the interior minister of Germany, current EU president, saying that he had "serious doubts" that the deal would comply with European fundamental rights.
"If the EU does not lead the way in developing the importance of fundamental rights, including the protection of data, how can we expect the rest of the world to follow?" he asked.
Ambassadors representing the member states are expected to endorse the deal tomorrow (29 June) to allow airline passenger data to be sent to the US following an agreement yesterday between Franco Frattini, European commissioner for justice, liberty and security, and the US secretary for the department of homeland security, Michael Chertoff.
One of Hustinx's main concerns is that the US would be allowed to store the data for 15 years, as opposed to three-and-a-half years under the current agreement. The deal would be supplemented by an exchange of letters, a point Hustinx took as showing that the "US wants to avoid a binding agreement".
"Data on EU citizens will be readily accessible to a broad range of US agencies and there is no limitation to what US authorities are allowed to do with that data," he added.
The EU won the right to reduce the number of pieces of information being sent to the US – from 34 to 19. But Sophia in 't Veld, a Dutch liberal MEP and author of a European Parliament report on passenger name records (PNR), said there would probably not be a reduction in the amount of information, rather there would be a merging of fields of information. The lack of a system for evaluating the collection and storage of the data, which would be made public, also made the agreement inadequate, she said.
"This agreement is worse than the last one…it's more long-term, there is no evaluation and it will be very difficult to get out of it," she said.
Environment ministers are today (28 June) going to sign off on a separate agreement to allow personal banking information to be sent to the US authorities, after the ambassadors backed it yesterday.
Both deals follow years of wrangling between the two sides amid concerns that European citizens' data was not being protected and that EU laws on data protection were being violated.
On the transfer of personal banking data by Swift, a financial network owned by banks, the US has agreed to use the information for counter-terrorism investigations only, to store it for five years and to delete any data which is no longer needed.
An "eminent European" will be appointed to check that the data is being held and processed correctly, according to the agreement.
In addition, Swift and the banks must inform their customers that their personal information will be transferred to the US.
In 't Veld said that the Swift agreement was better than the PNR deal in that the data could only be used for counter-terrorism purposes whereas the use of airline passenger data was broader. But she questioned how the person tasked with independently monitoring the process would be appointed and why they would not report directly to the European Parliament but the Commission.
The US demanded the transfer of airline passenger data after the attacks of 11 September 2001. Following court challenges, this is the third deal on the transfer of this type of data.
On the banking data, the US compelled Swift by court action to give access to the information stored in databases in the US.
More from ... Judith Crosbie
Germany	United Kingdom
Peter Hustinx


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TSS Shacman trucks win big at NAJA Awards
Shacman truck emerged winner of the "Truck of the Year" category at the recently concluded Nigerian Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards through its representative, Transit Support Services Limited (TSS) in Nigeria at the prestigious Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The annual awards celebrate the achievements of the industry and recognise innovation, outstanding service, efficiency and quality. It also recognise auto brands/model range that has made the largest contribution to road transport efficiency, based on several important criteria including technological innovation, drivers' comfort, road safety, drivability, fuel economy amongst others.
Presented with the award at the official ceremony, held at the Eko Hotel Grand Ballroom, Stanley Mbanu, chief operating officer (COO), TSS Motors, commented, "I'm delighted to accept this award on behalf of the organization, this recognition is a true indication that the Shacman brand have done an excellent job".
"Our goal is to always meet our customers' expectations and needs and the Nigerian Auto Journalists Association Awards motivation is a clear confirmation that we have also followed the right approach in satisfying our customers by providing exactly what the market demands" he added.
Shacman has delivered trucks that represents a real "state-of-the-art" offering in the heavy and medium duty segment, capable of satisfying not only today's but also tomorrow's transport needs. Our trucks have proven to be outstanding, not least in fuel economy, thereby boosting both hauler economy.
The trucks are locally assembled at the TSS plant at Emene, Enugu, equipped with comprehensive after sales services.
Mercedes gets world's first legal nod for highly automated driving system
Toyota Nigeria wins triple at Motoring Journalists Award


What is the 60-credit HCMHC Program?
licensure laws for the state(s) in which they would like to become licensed.
Is the HCMHC program religious based?
What is the primary focus of the HCMHC program?
counseling; working with couples and families; research; and career counseling.
credit + 12 credit CAGS Holistic Counseling program?
completed a 48+CAGS program. The requirements for licensure vary state-tostate.
+ 12 credit CAGS program?
for that state. State regulations are subject to change.
the 48+CAGS may be an option economically.
Can I still enroll in a 48-credit program after September 2017?
options, specifically if you enrolled before September 2017.
How long will the 60-credit program take?
Orientation (HLC 506) course and the Advanced Helping Skills (HLC 550) course.
Are the courses different in the 60-credit vs. 48-credit + 12 CAGS?
What are my elective options?
faculty and staff during advising.
Is this a CACREP accredited Program?


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Tops of 2015: Audio
2 minute read | December 2015
As we countdown the final days of 2015 and get ready for what 2016 has in store, it's important to look back at the trends and growth we saw in the radio industry this past year. One of this year's major headlines in the industry was the growth of radio's weekly reach to a record 245 million Americans (aged 12 and older) in the second quarter. What's more, Nielsen's Total Audience Report, also released in the second quarter, found that when comparing weekly reach among all adults, radio leads the way with 93% of Americans tuning in.
And while News/Talk remained American's No. 1 overall format in the 48 Nielsen portable people meter (PPM) markets, Urban Contemporary and Sports both experienced record-breaking years. For the second year in a row, Classic Hits took home the "Format of the Summer" title but not without strong competition from Hot Adult Contemporary (AC) and Country. The harsh winter months drove up listenership for News/Talk and All News, particularly in the Northeast. And while Pop Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) didn't always grab headlines this year, it consistently remained one of the most listened to formats, leading the way with listeners aged 18-34 and 25-54 across PPM markets.
The charts below break down the national listening landscape for the 10 most popular radio formats of 2015 in Nielsen's PPM Markets.
Top 10 Radio Formats of 2015 (Persons 6+)
P6+ Share
1 News/Talk 8.90%
2 Pop Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) 8.20%
3 Country* 7.90%
4 Adult Contemporary (AC) 7.40%
5 Hot Adult Contemporary (AC) 6.70%
6 Classic Hits 5.30%
7 Classic Rock 5.20%
8 Urban Adult Contemporary (AC) 4.90%
9 Sports 4.70%
10 Urban Contemporary 3.50%
AQH—Average quarter hour.
Data from January-November 2015. Persons 6+ AQH across 45 non-embedded PPM markets, Mon-Sun 6 a.m.-12 midnight.
Read as: Year-to-date (through November 2015), 8.9% of U.S. radio listeners aged 6+ were tuned to a News/Talk station during any 15-minute period during the day.
Top 10 Radio Formats of 2015 (Persons 18-34)
P18-34 Share
1 Pop Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) 12.40%
2 Country 9.10%
4 Urban Contemporary 6.50%
6 Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) 5.80%
7 Alternative 5.00%
8 Mexican Regional 4.60%
10 News/Talk 3.60%
Read as: Year-to-date (through November 2015), 12.4% of U.S. radio listeners aged 6+ were tuned to a Pop CHR station during any 15-minute period during the day.
10 Mexican Regional 4.10%
*Country is a combination of Country and New Country formats.Data used in this report is inclusive of multicultural audiences. Hispanic consumer audiences are composed of both English- and Spanish-speaking representative populations.


Show Reference: "A model of the temporal dynamics of multisensory enhancement"
Rowland, B. A., Stein, B. E., Dec. 2013. A model of the temporal dynamics of multisensory enhancement. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.


Fortify your commitment. This event may well be "the worst" you promised to endure when you spoke your wedding vows. The rest of your family is in jeopardy of falling apart if you don't guard your marriage.
Give each other grace to grieve differently and on separate timetables.
Likewise, create ways to purposefully grieve together.
Not only are men and women different, but each parent had a very different relationship with the lost individual.
Your presence is often more helpful that any words.
Be sensitive to each other's moods and cut each other a LOT of slack.
Seek to nurture each other as you find the strength to do so. As difficult as life is, you are not the only one in pain.
Force yourself to focus together on your other children — if you have them. Take joy in their lives and be aware of their needs.
Remember that better days are ahead. Life won't always be this painful.


We have been priviledged to be part of the team that has helped make Parkiri Point Boutique Lodge become a reality ! Congratulations to Rae, Billy & Evelyn on winning a Gold Award for the 2009 Master Builders House of the Year for the Auckland Region in the 'New Homes over $1 million'.
In providing our clients with a range of quality security and audio visual services, Maraetai Beach Boating Club reflects on the benefits of working with ICA Systems….
Des Topp, General Manager of the Pakuranga Country Club reflects upon his experience in working with ICA Systems. "We have used Damon and ICA Systems to carry out the cabling associated with a new computer system, as well the installation, service and maintenance of a new audio system…….
ICA Systems is proud to be part of the team that helped Mark and his team from Frame Homes to build their award winning show home, winners of the Gold Award for the 2008 Auckland Region in the Master Builders House of Year – under the 'Show Home' category.
Located in the stunning Karaka Habourside Estate, this modern and sophisticated home has a unique honed block chimney and a Multi Room Audio System that enables a unique musical experience inside, outside and throughout.
Built for those that appreciate quality, it took special workmanship to create an 'invisible' central point for the audio visual technology while maintain the superb aesthetics and intimate feel the client wanted. A flush mounted LCD and custom designed Home Theatre System is in keeping with the aesthetics of the room…making this truly a place to relax and enjoy.


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Which character would you rather work for?
The Big Bang Theory News > CBS Announces Episode 4.21
CBS Announces Episode 4.21 Posted March 29, 2011
CBS has revealed the details for the April 28th episode of The Big Bang Theory. Mayim Bialik (Amy), Melissa Rauch (Bernadette) and Aarti Mann (Priya) guest star in the episode.
"The Agreement Dissection" - When Priya uses her lawyer skills to pick apart the roommate agreement, the girls take Sheldon dancing, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, April 28 (8:00-8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
New episodes will air on March 31st and April 7th, while reruns will air April 14th and 21st. The show returns on April 28th for the final four episodes of this season, wrapping up on May 19th.
Category: The Big Bang Theory Episode: Agreement Dissection Tags: Season 4, episodes
More about the episode
The Agreement Dissection
Season 4, Episode 21 - Aired April 28, 2011
After Priya inspects the roomate agreement and disputes many of Sheldon's terms, he takes refuge with the girls.
CBS Announces Season 4 Finale April 30, 2011
CBS has announced the fourth season finale of The Big Bang Theory.
CBS Announces Episode 4.23 April 30, 2011
CBS has announced the penultimate episode of Season 4.
CBS Announces Episode 4.22 April 7, 2011
CBS has announced the details for the May 5th episode of The Big Bang Theory.
CBS Announces Episode 4.20 March 14, 2011
CBS has revealed the details for the April 7th episode of The Big Bang Theory.
CBS Announces Episode 4.19 March 8, 2011
CBS has announced the details for the nineteenth episode of the fourth season.


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B+ Movie Blog
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Ranking the Netflix Original Movies
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Fun with Franchises
The Films I've Watched Since Graduation
The Films I'm Looking For
The Oscar Quest: Best Supporting Actor & Best Supporting Actress – 2007
Oh, this year. One mostly no-brainer and the other — well, what happened there? This year was actually a very good year for movies. I went back and looked — there are at least twenty legitimate good to great films that came out that year. It's actually kind of incredible. But, in these races, well…
Best Supporting Actor – 2007
And the nominees were…
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Casey Affleck — This is sort of a quasi-lead performance, but, it's more of an ensemble film. I'd have loved if Pitt got a Best Actor nom for this, because he deserved it. Actually, the film deserved a Best Picture nomination too, but, we'll let that go.
Casey plays Bob Ford. The "Coward" in the title. He's the dude who killed Jesse James. In case you, hadn't figured that out. This has been shown twice before in film — Sam Fuller's I Shot Jesse James, and Jesse James with Tyrone Power, with John Carradine (Yes!) playing Bob Ford — but never like this. It's really a nuanced portrait of both James and Ford, showing how Ford was essentially groomed by James to kill him. It's a fascinating film. And honestly, if I had to rank, would certainly be in my top ten or twenty favorites of all time.
Casey was really good in this. I can't vote for him, and because of the stiff competition here (for the most part), I can only rank him third. But he is fucking great here. Sam Rockwell was great in this too. In fact, everyone in this film was pitch perfect. Even James Carville for the three whole minutes he's on screen. This is one of those, you wish he gave it in a better year, because you want to vote for him but can't.
Javier Bardem — This is the equivalent of the Heath Ledger performance. Something that's so scary good you have to vote it. And by scary good I mean, scary, good. Because this motherfucker is so awesomely terrifying. And he has a great haircut. I don't think anyone can truly disagree with this decision.
He kills people with a fucking air gun. I mean, come on.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman — Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, Javier Bardem was brilliant and all, but my vote goes here. He was brilliant in this movie. He stole every single scene he was in. What's also brilliant about it is, unlike in other films, where they set up a character at the end of the previous scene like, "We're going to need help on this. Who should we get?" "I have just the person", and then we cut to that person, here, Aaron Sorkin (he wrote the script. It's brilliant, as always) just let's the character show up and introduce himself to us. Here: WATCH THIS … you will not find many better three minutes of dialogue and performance in most of cinema (especially post-2000). That scene alone shows you the kind of performance he gives. The film is fucking amazing too.
Hal Holbrook — Veteran nomination, pure and simple. He's barely in the movie. And I mean like, barely. You remember when I said Alan Alda barely merited the nomination in The Aviator? Well, Holbrook is on screen even less than Alda. He is barely there. Purely because he's old and liked. Good for him. Absolutely no chance of a vote though. Great film though. Check it out. I'm glad this is here just to raise some awareness for the film.
Tom Wilkinson — I hate having to rank this so low. He is fucking awesome in this movie. I mean, it's a bit too over the top to qualify for a win ("I am Shiva the god of death" isn't really something that stays low key), but he is phenomenal, and this was a well, well deserved nomination. He's a lawyer who spent the last ten years defending a pharmaceutical company doing illegal things. You know, tying up the lawsuit and such and delaying it. And one day it seems like he suddenly snaps. Just goes nuts, taking off his clothes in the deposition room. And everyone needs to figure out why he's doing what he's doing, and — well, just check out the film. It's like a 70s movie. It's incredible.
My Thoughts: Bardem was great, he deserved his Oscar, but I can't not vote for Hoffman. I just can't. But I am still very happy Bardem won. So, really, everybody wins.
5. Holbrook
4. Wilkinson
3. Affleck
2. Bardem
1. Hoffman
Best Supporting Actress – 2007
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Blanchett — Holy shit. That's all I have to say. First, whosever idea it was to have Cate Blanchett play Bob Dylan is a genius. Second, this performance is more than genius. If you don't know, I'm Not There is a film that explores the many aspects of Dylan's personality based on different eras of his life, different songs of his or different characters of his songs. It's a modern masterpiece in that, it's a brilliant, unique piece of filmmaking that's not entirely perfect, but is so much its own thing that everyone should see it. I definitely suggest you check it out.
Now, there are six Dylans. There is the young black twelve year-old Dylan. He's a drifter, catching rides on trains and such. His side is encapsulated by "When the Ship Comes In." That's the song the boy sings that I remember best. It's a brilliant cover. Check that one out. Then, there's preacher Dylan, played by Christian Bale. He's a singer converted to christianity and is now preaching. Then there's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" Dylan — with the cards and shit. I'm pretty sure that's that teen guy that plays him in that era. Then there's actor Dylan — that's Heath Ledger. Then, there's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Dylan, played by Richard Gere. Then, finally, there's Cate Blanchett Dylan, which, is probably the incarnation of Dylan we know best. She plays him when he switches over from acoustic to electric, is hanging out with the Beatles and Alan Ginsberg, the 60s Dylan. This is the "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Ballad of a Thin Man" Dylan.
The best part about the film is that, none of the actors are actually playing Dylan. But, check out that video, and tell me that isn't a great Bob Dylan. This is the kind of performance where, if it won, you could never really speak against it. It's just — wow.
Dee — Yeah veteran nomination. I was rooting for her and all, but, this is really a veteran nomination. She didn't do all that much, but, she's awesome and I'm glad she got nominated. I can't vote for her because the category's so strong, but, I'm glad she's here, she deserves it, and I'm glad the film got some recognition, because it's awesome.
Ronan — Oh my god, this is incredible. The great thing about this character is that it's essentially the entire film. She is the film. But, there are three versions of her. At 12, at 20, and at, whatever she is when she's old. This is the 12 year old version. She's a regular kid, for the most part. She thinks she's the center of the universe, has no idea about the repercussions of her actions, things like that. Every kid is like that. She's a writer, and has a play that she wants to perform, that no one else cares about, and is upset about that. And she sees, or so she thinks, the gardener, whom she has a crush on, sexually accost, I guess is the word, her older sister. Then later on, certain events happen that make her believe this to not only be true, but believe that he is dangerous as well. And eventually, something happens (a rape) that makes her automatically assume that he's responsible. And she tells the authorities and her parents about it, asserting that she "saw him with (her) own eyes" even though she's not entirely certain. And then the rest of the movie deals with the consequences of her actions. And it's fucking incredible. This performance really deserved to win the award, in my opinion. Because, not only is the most important role in the film, but it's brilliantly performed, and is receiving support from two other actresses playing the same role, making the character stand out even stronger. Seriously, this, to me, was a huge error when she didn't win the award.
Ryan — I thought Amy Ryan did a tremendous job in this film. The film itself I enjoyed because Affleck's direction was top notch. The story I thought was bland and predictable and the performances I felt were pretty generic because they didn't exactly have great material to work with. It's the dude who wrote the book Mystic River was based on, so we're not exactly talking Shakespeare here. But, she is by far the standout performance in the film, as the junkie mother of a missing child. And she maintains she's a good mother and wants her child, when she's clearly unfit, but, there's really nothing to definitively take the child away from her. It's a really solid performance, and one that in another year would compete to win the category and my vote. But here, I just can't. It's too strong.
Swinton — Yeah, she was fine and all, but, in this category, she's not a very strong contender. She's not even the best performance in the film. The two better performances were also nominated and didn't even win. This was really them awarding the film and not her. I didn't really get why they voted her in. There must have been a huge vote split this year. Because all she does is be a CEO for a company doing illegal things — I mean, they give her that moment where she goes from suburban mother to nasty executive, you know, in the bathroom, putting on her face, sweating, going over her lines — and then calls a hit on George Clooney. That's really it. She really doesn't stand out among the performances here. But, whatever, she won. We deal.
My Thoughts: Blanchett was fucking incredible as Dylan, and, had she not already won an Oscar (which, humorously enough, was also for a near spot-on portrayal of another famous person), I would be voting for her. But, I love Saoirse Ronan's performance too much to not vote for it. I fucking loved that performance. Either one of them should have won this. Swinton really shouldn't have. She was the least memorable person in that movie. They were rewarding the movie, not her. It's a shame. But, the other two performances still exist, and as long as that's the case, I'm going to champion them as being the best. Because they are.
5. Dee
4. Swinton
3. Ryan
2. Blanchett
1. Ronan
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This entry was posted on February 19, 2011 by B+ Movie Blog. It was filed under Movies, Oscars, The Oscar Quest and was tagged with 2007, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Oscar, Oscar Quest, The Oscar Quest.
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I have 15 years of experience as a professional PR strategist, marketing + communications specialist — and I've built my own multi-million dollar, award-winning cleaning business doing my own marketing, web design and branding - and I can show you how to do it too!
My insights, tips, lessons and opinions have been featured in glossy magazines, national newspapers, business podcasts and TV appearances. I also teach branding web design, social media marketing, blogging and email marketing classes to other entrepreneurs both as a consultant and as a business school instructor.
When I'm not skiing in the snowy Canadian Rocky Mountains with my family or enjoying the sunshine and beach at our vacation home in San Diego, you can find me indulging in a good book with Chester the Yorkie on my lap, or out with friends for wine and whatever is closest to being vegan.
My approach to operating a business is creative and usually unconventional. And although my personal branding is quite feminine, I work with men and women pretty equally. My clients include insurance agencies, realtors, jewelry designers, private health care providers, meal prep services, personal trainers, pet food manufacturers, wedding decorators, and more. But my absolute fave people to work with are cleaning business owners because I did it day after day for 8 years and know it inside out.
I currently offer one-on-one consulting as well as small group consulting. You can also join my Facebook group for cleaning biz owners.


Join us for a creative evening of painting & design. Learn how to create a monochromatic composition with a variety of tools and techniques. We will explore composition and color arrangement.
Each attendee will practice then create their own monochromatic composition on canvas paper and take away a completed framed piece.


About 15 years since the creation of the first SaaS companies, public SaaS companies account for 14% of total software revenues generated by public companies, a figure growing at about 17% per year. Over the last ten years, the total amount of revenue generated by software companies has tripled from $53B to $169B, meaning SaaS companies are both taking share and growing the market.
The growth rate of SaaS revenues follows a geometric growth curve ramping from $1.3B in 2005 to $24B in 2015. However, this revenue growth isn't a consistent basket. It includes Concur's revenue from IPO to 2014, when SAP bought Concur. 2015 figures in this chart don't include Concur's revenue data, nor from any other take privates, or the SaaS businesses of traditional software companies like Oracle or SAP. In addition, this analysis excludes all private SaaS company revenue, both venture backed and bootstrapped companies.
So the analysis actually underestimates the fraction of SaaS revenue today. Perhaps SaaS products generated 20-25% of all software revenues, an astoundingly high figure.
Examining the top 10 contributors to SaaS revenue, we notice a power law. CRM generates the lion's share, followed by LinkedIn, Workday, ServiceNow and AthenaHealth.
There's no doubt SaaS has transformed and grown the software industry. We're likely entering the middle era of SaaS. We have many platform companies built, significant market share shifting, but still quite a bit of opportunity and revenue to seize.


The AST 'ASTORS' awards seek to honor vendors that provide innovative solutions to address the evolving and increasingly prominent Homeland Security threats. The program was designed to recognize distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security, enterprise and public safety vertical markets.
November 16, 2018 – Glasswall Solutions, the pioneering global cybersecurity company, was announced as the winner of the "Best IT Email Security Solution" category at the 2018 AST Homeland Security Awards in New York. The awards organizers recognized Glasswall's cutting-edge technology and the enhanced value it delivers to its customers, reaffirming the company's leadership in the market.
The Glasswall FileTrust™ for Email was credited for its disruptive methodology which eliminates the risk of file-based cyberattacks. Offered as a managed service, on-premise or private cloud deployment, Glasswall protects organizations from advance persistent threats that conventional signature-based defenses are unable to detect or eliminate. Glasswall FileTrust™ for Email does not rely on prior identification of malware, but instead it brings files into a standard "known good" providing unparalleled protection in less than a second and without any impact on business continuity. The rich data fed back to its clients by Glasswall FileTrust™ Threat Intelligence also gives organizations unprecedented visibility into their threat surface and the tools with which to close that window of risk.
Over 200 vendors attended the award luncheon, featured on the opening day of ISC East, the Unmanned Security & Safety Expo New York, and Infosecurity North America at the Javits Center.
ATP for Email security platform and SDK, provides fresh insight into unknown and as yet undetected cyber threats. With Glasswall, key cyber security decision-makers are better equipped with actionable intelligence to immediately act, respond and set compliance standards to meet crucial data security requirements.


Some are pressed down, some are lifted up......which are you?
There is something I struggle with A LOT ~ condemnation and conviction. In order to have peace within ourselves, we must learn the difference between condemnation and conviction. God will never condemn us (Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3.18) Condemnation presses us down and manifests as a heavy burden that requires us to pay for our errors. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, showing us that we have sinned and inviting us to confess our sins in order to receive forgiveness and God's help to improve our behavior in the future. Condemnation makes the problem worse; conviction is intended to lift us out of it.
When we feel guilty, the first thing we need to do is ask our self if we are guilty according to God's Word and perhaps we really are. If that's the case, we must confess our sin to God, turn away from that sin and not repeat it. If we need to apologize to someone we have wronged, then we need to do it. Then . . . we must forgive our self and let go of it! God already forgave us and if we refuse to do the same, then we'll miss out on the joy of redemption that God wants us all to experience.
Sometimes we may well find that we are not guilty according to God's Word. For example, I feel guilty when I try to sit and rest. I have to always be actively doing something like cleaning, crafting or something similar because I feel good when I was accomplish something. If I'm not doing something productive, I feel guilty just sitting around.......this thinking is totally wrong according to God's Word, heck even Even He rested from His work of creation. He has invited us to enter into that same rest. The guilt I feel when I try to rest is unscriptural, irrational, and downright ridiculous.
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to trust You and Your Word. Reveal to me when my guilt is false and my thinking is wrong. Show me when and how to forgive others as well as myself and then let it go! In your Holy precious name I pray, Amen.


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ADAM SCHELDT
Cultivating my life.
Life Coaching Institute (2017)
 Certificate in Life Coaching (June 2017)
Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, NY (June 2015 to May 2017)
Certificate in Spiritual Direction (May 2017)
Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, NY (July 2007 to May 2013)
Rabbinical Ordination (May 2013)
Masters of Arts in Hebrew Literature (May 2013)
Thesis Project With Artistic Expression: "Bavel" (novella exploring expulsion and exile from lands of origin)
Masters of Arts in Religious Education (May 2011)
Thesis/Capstone Project: "The Jewish Teachers Network" (examination of social network theory for education)
Knox College, Galesburg IL (June 2001)
Bachelors of Arts in International Relations, course work in politics, culture, and society
Study in Italy of art, culture, and design (October 2000)
Study in London, The Institute for the Education of Students (August 2000 to Dec 2000)
Clinical Pastoral Education, The Health Care Chaplaincy, New York, NY (May to August 2009)
Trained in Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment, Beth Israel Medical Center New York, NY (July 2009)
Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem (September 2006 to June 2007)
Intensive Year Program in Bible, Mishnah, and Jewish philosophy
Studies in Torah, Literature, and Psychology, with Dr. Aviva Zornberg, Jerusalem (January to April 2008)
University of Haifa, Intensive Hebrew Program (June, July 2006)
PresenTense Fellow (Awarded December 2010)
Jewish fellowship in entrepreneurial and start-up organization development
HUC-JIR Mandel Fellow (January 2010 to 2013)
Fellowship and Masters program to foster excellence in Jewish education and organizational leadership
Recipient of the Rabbi Sarah Messinger Prize for excellence in rabbinic study (June 2009)
Awarded Richter Grant for funded research in Belgium (October 1999)
McNair Fellow for undergraduate research (Awarded August 1999)


These two pink button monograms below are so cute for a nursery or little girl's room. The "E" button appears sewn onto the fabric. Buttons in blue would make a sweet statement in a baby boy's room, too. What nice gifts either would be for an expectant mother's baby shower.
You and your family will love these cheesy, savory zucchini crisps. They are quick and easy to prepare in three simple steps. My sons love to dip theirs in marinara sauce then devour faster than I can put them on a plate. Your picky eaters will gobble up their veggies with these delicious crisps, and that's a promise!
1. Mix first four ingredients into a small mixing bowl.
2. Slice zucchini into 1/4″ inch thick rounds and dip into beaten eggs pressing both sides into the coating then lay on a plate.
3. Add one tablespoon of oil to a medium-sized pan and heat on high for 1 minute. Add coated zukes in small batches to the pan and sauté 2 minutes each side or until brown and crispy. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Add extra oil as needed to finish each batch and serve with marinara sauce.
Don't forget to stop by and visit me on Facebook, too!
Senate Bean Soup — Classic Homemade Goodness!
Did you know Capital Hill has their own soup?
And they've served it there for more than 100 years.
I sure didn't until I ran across this cool article about it a few years ago.
From what I read, there have been several versions over the years, but the original recipe included mashed potatoes, which they said changed after a potato shortage in the 1950s.
Well, my grandmother Pearl's navy bean soup tasted nearly identical to this one, so that explains to me why it's been popular with Senators for this long.
…It's no longer exclusive to just the few.
You know where I'm headed first if I ever get to Washington D. C., right?
Now the original recipe calls for soaking the beans overnight and cooking the ham on the bone first. (That's how Grandma Pearl did it too!) But I quick soaked the dried beans and used leftover holiday ham.
I also prefer Gordon Foods Chicken Base because its creamy and adds great flavor. (Skip their ham base… It's too salty.) But you can use one large can (49 oz) of chicken broth instead of Chicken base and water if you prefer.
1. In Dutch oven or large pot, saute onion, celery, garlic, parsley in 1 tbsp butter until slightly caramelized. Add rinsed beans, 10 cups of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook until beans are tender about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
2. Next, dice one potato and add it to the pot, along with the chicken base. Bring soup to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add ham and cook about 1 hour.
Here is my favorite and simple way to cook most green vegetables for best flavor. This quick method works well for broccoli, too!
Cook asparagus al dente (slightly firm, not mushy) by blanching in boiling water for just a few minutes. Drain water and transfer to glass serving container. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, squeeze citrus lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. Cover with lid to slightly melt the cheese and keep warm until serving.
Have you noticed the variety of porches trending all over the internet and inside magazines lately? The best porches beckon visitors, and I sure would enjoy dropping by a few that have caught my eye lately. Some remind me of homes I've enjoyed being a guest in and others evoke memories of favorite television shows I watched growing up. Then there are those that bring to mind my grandmother Pearl's humble front porch. It was modest in size and yet our big family clan could sit there talking and laughing together for hours.
The front porch is a lovely place to be any day of the week, or time of day for that matter, but especially on a hot summer's day to cool down, sip an iced tea or lemonade and hope to catch a breeze.
How grand! Big enough for an evening stroll perhaps?
I'm partial to classic Americana front porches. I can almost hear the wood screen-door snap back to close as guests walk in and out throughout the day.
There always seems to be so much to see from the view of a front porch.
I could fall asleep in all those pillows. Grandma had the same medals chairs in dark blue. They rocked slightly and were much more comfortable than they look.
No matter the style, size or what part of the country you spot them in, there's just something comforting and easy about the family porch.
FREE Stuff! Art & Scripture Prints, Jam Labels and More!


08 King Paisley and the Psycho-del-ics - "(Untitled)"
Our tenth anniversary was one year ago Wednesday (1/27), and as the call for submissions for the 50/50 Compilation was made to commemorate that event last year, it seems like this might be the best time to make an announcement about the upcoming release!
First of all, Jon Leidecker's series on the history of sampling in music and audio art ("Variations") has recently progressed to chapter four, as of about a week or two ago. I've really been enjoying this extremely insightful and in-depth look into the world of sound collage. The first three installments of "Variations" covered everything from the very early 1900s all the way through to the 1970s, and episode four picks up from there, moving into more and more familiar territory, as it continues.
I've also just learned that the new documentary, "Copyright Criminals" will be airing on Public Television at various times this month. The program, which also offers a history of sampling, especially focused on the genre of hip hop, had its broadcast premier on PBS yesterday (January 19), with additional airings and rebroadcasts to come, throughout the next week or so, at least. Check out the Copyright Criminals website for more information... I'm hoping to catch it here in Minnesota, this week!
08 Cast of Thousands with Escape Mechanism - "Untitled (recorded live, 11/99)"
Ethan Ward has been making music for over 8 years, beginning in his pre-teens, and producing his own blend of mashup/glitch pop, as E-603, since about 2003. He lists turntablists A-Trak and Diplo as influences, along with Beck and, of course, Girl Talk, among many others.
While studying at Hampshire College, in Massachusets, he performed a lot at different schools around the area, and has played shows with artists such as The Hood Internet, Passion Pit and Yo La Tengo. There are currently two releases available, 2008's "Something For Everyone" and "Torn Up", which was released in 2009.
*Members: Only one, myself, Ethan Ward.
*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: Digital Deconstructions for sure. I work entirely in a digital format. I feel like what I do is deconstruct popular audio and then reconstruct some new art out of it.
*Another genre descriptor: Not at all. I don't think what I am doing is in any way plundering (re: John Oswald's "Plunderphonics"). Or at least no more plundering than what the average computer-savvy high school student does on a Thursday night. So with that in mind I don't really think I need to think of a clever name.
*Is there a story behind your name? Well, I was in a pinch one night in 2003 and I needed to think of something cryptic yet meaningful. So with about 28 seconds of thought I came up with E-603. The E stands for my first name Ethan. 603 is the area code for the entire state of New Hampshire so therefor the "603" stands in "E-603" as an expression of "Live Free or Die".
*Location: I am from Nashua, New Hampshire. The idea of E-603 currently resides there and in Boston, Massachusetts as well.
*What is your creative/artistic background: I have always been making music. I began recording and producing my music when I was 12 years old. I have been educated in classical and experimental music composition. I don't really have a background in one specific place, I have kind of been all over the place, and I will most likely continue to be.
*History: E-603 as an idea began in 2003, however no music was released until about 2005.
*Born: I was born June 14th, 1989.
*Motivations: Making rad sounds motivates me.
*Philosophy: I love creating a cross cultural musical format. There is very little types of music that actually take separate types of music and force them to work together rather than only taking the inspiration from different types of music. That, to me, is a very beautiful thing. I love manipulating the sounds to work just the way I want them to.
*How would you like to be remembered: As the reincarnation of GG Allin.


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Are you happy with how your house looks today? Do you have litter hidden as part of your closets and also corners? Features it poured out in your garage? Ones basement?


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Xbox game news
Cloud gaming explained, is a "Netflix of games" in touching distance?
Rik Henderson · 20 March 2019
Samsung Galaxy S20, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold and GoPro interviewed - Pocket-lint Podcast 36
There is a lot of talk around cloud gaming right now. Not only are Sony and Nvidia continuing to improve and adapt their offerings - PlayStation Now and GeForce Now, respectively - but Google and Microsoft are soon to enter the fray. Others too.
Google has announced its Stadia platform and plans to introduce it later in 2019. While Microsoft is expected to fully unveil its Project xCloud at E3 in June.
So, we look at the various cloud gaming options, existing and on the horizon, to find out if we'll ever get a true "Netflix of games" or just another OnLive.
There are several cloud gaming services available, but really only two major ones that have had any kind of impact. Both are available now to those with the right hardware to support them.
Sony's PlayStation Now platform has been around for more than four years, but has largely failed to meet original expectations. And, in recent times, even adopted full game downloads to answer criticisms of cloud gaming latency issues.
The initial idea was sound; a cloud gaming service that provided a way to play PlayStation games on multiple devices. But, while it was first available on Sony and Samsung smart TVs, PS3, PS Vita, and certain Sony Blu-ray players, it was withdrawn from them all in 2017.
It is now only available on PS4 and Windows 10 PCs. It is also limited to 720p streaming.
The vast majority of its near 600 games on offer are still cloud based (all of them in the case of the Windows 10 app) but PS4 owners have complained about lag and latency issues in the past which has lead to PlayStation adding many game downloads to help drive the subscription fee. Some believe it will eventually ditch cloud gaming entirely, in order to offer a full game download service like Xbox Game Pass.
Best PS4 games ever
Nvidia GeForce Now
Nvidia's cloud gaming platform is available on its Shield TV boxes, PC and Mac. It has recently changed to encompass all devices as the previous version offered different services for different platforms.
For that reason, it is now back in beta testing across all devices. And is free to participate in, with plenty of games on Shield specifically being free-to-play at present.
Unlike the previous GeForce Now paid-for service, the new version is linked to users' Steam and UPlay accounts, so games bought through those can be played via the internet and your accounts linked. They run in up to 1080p and 120fps depending on the game and your internet connection, although there will still be some natural latency in comparison to playing them on a PC directly.
Where Nvidia hopes its service is superior to others is that it uses the very best graphics cards to run on remote PCs most don't have access to at home. And it is dynamic in that the specifications will improve when new cards and hardware are available.
But, it is telling that the new Nvidia GeForce Now beta represents around the third or fourth launch for the service, suggesting we gamers are far from embracing it as yet.
Considering neither of the main current cloud platforms have made much of a dent on conventional gaming, it might rely on a couple of new players in the field to find the solution. Both Xbox and Google plan to launch their own cloud gaming platforms in 2019 - can they make more of an impact? Even Apple is allegedly interested in providing the "Netflix of games", albeit in a different rumoured format.
Google announced its cloud gaming platform, Stadia, in a dedicated keynote address during GDC 2019. It will be available in the UK, US, Canada and Central Europe later in 2019 and runs on software (and hardware) similar to that tested for the beta version of what it called Project Stream at the tail end of 2018.
That was browser based, working through Google's Chrome browser. Stadia will too when it launches, plus on Chrome OS devices, Chromecast and Android devices. It is not yet known whether you will be able to access the platform through an iOS device.
As with Project Stream, Google has demoed Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Odyssey running on Stadia servers, at 1080p 30fps, although it claims that the system will be able to stream 4K HDR video at launch and at 120fps.
The Project Stream trials required a 25Mbps broadband connection minimum, but we don't know what Stadia speed options will be available as yet. It is likely that the video stream will be adaptive so your experience will differ depending on your home or mobile broadband speeds.
There is plenty we're yet to find out about Stadia, but it looks promising where latency and lag is concerned. As we explained above, PlayStation Now has been criticised for its latency issues, but Google has shown a couple of solutions to address that already.
For starters, it will host games on a wide selection of dedicated servers around the globe, each with their own Linux-based custom hardware. The closer a server is, the greater potential for fewer latency issues.
In addition, Google will release its own, standalone Wi-Fi-enabled Stadia controller that doesn't connect to your TV, tablet or laptop, but directly to the internet and therefore the server. Usually, a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi controller has to connect to your smart device, which in turn connects to the internet. By cutting out the middle man, Google can potentially cut down on latency.
Xbox Project xCloud
Microsoft hinted at its own cloud gaming platform during E3 2018 in June and has since revealed that there are plans to launch a beta version in 2019.
Currently, plans are for Project xCloud (working title) to offer an enormous catalogue of old and new games available to play streamed over the internet, much like PlayStation Now and GeForce Now as above. However, Microsoft says that it will make much larger libraries of games from its Xbox consoles available from the beginning - including Xbox One.
It also claims that, like Google, it has made technological breakthroughs in tackling latency - the one major issue preventing cloud gaming from feeling like locally played alternatives.
The company will use its Azure cloud network to provide more server access points around the world than any rival platform, which could reduce latency to acceptable levels as, instead of signals travelling across continents, they could be coming from much closer to the end user.
We haven't seen it in practice yet, however. It might be something we get to see during Microsoft Build 2019 in May or the next E3 in June.
It is promising that the Xbox plans are ambitious and that it wants to extend use to all connected devices, not just consoles and potentially a wider selection than Google is targeting with Stadia.
You'll therefore be able to play Xbox games on your smartphone, tablet, smart TV or any other kit that has access to the internet. All for one monthly subscription fee.
Apple's subscription service
The latest big player rumoured to be interested in entering the games on demand sector is Apple. However, details are suitably sketchy for now, considering it is just speculation.
US website Cheddar claimed that it learned of Apple's plans to create a subscription service for games from "people familiar with the matter". The big difference to the others above, though, is that it's not thought to revolve around game streaming.
That might be on the cards, but it is more likely that iOS users will pay a flat fee for access to a large library of games to download, much like the previously mentioned Xbox Game Pass.
It is said that Apple could get developers to create exclusive games for the platform, but you would host them on your own device not stream them live from a remote server.
We might find out more at a dedicated Apple services press event on 25 March 2019, where it is also tipped to announce its own video streaming platform to rival the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The biggest issue the existing platforms have faced - which is likely the reason they haven't registered as serious gaming platforms yet - is latency. That is the lag time between pressing a button on a controller and the responding action occurs on screen.
It should be nigh-on instant, as it is when a game is played directly on a console or PC itself. But as soon as you throw the internet into the mix, that's where things can get frustrating - especially with games that require faster response times.
At present, on PlayStation Now and the GeForce Now beta, you press a button, that command code is transferred to the device connected to the 'net (via Bluetooth in the Shield's case, adding even more latency in the process), then it is transmitted online to a server centre. The server recognises the command, tells the game the action to be performed, then sends the encoded video of the game back to your device. It then, in turn, sends the video information to your TV or monitor.
Every step of that introduces extra latency and as things stand it is not good enough for some.
There are things that can be done to reduce it, however, and some of these are proposed by Xbox and Google. Having more local servers is one, which at least reduces the amount of junctions and distance needed to send and receive signals.
Better wireless controller hardware is another, whether it be for mobile or home gaming.
By cracking this, they can both make cloud gaming a very attractive alternative to the traditional console/PC setup.
The ability to play the very best games of the past, present and future without actually needing to buy any new hardware is compelling. They just have to make it as good as what we have already, otherwise we'll stick to our consoles and computers for ever more and the "Netflix of games" will have once again been a passing fad.
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CNN managed to win the best hour with AC 360, and the network continued to achieve the largest volume of discussion on Twitter as a whole.
CNN continues to do well with Anderson Cooper winning the best hour….Chicagoland managed to get good mentions too. The Colbert Report sparked up a bit of controversy, which triggered a large number of mentions in and out of its broadcast hour.