text:
Home / The Point / The Point, June 4, 2019: What Is The Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site's Future? No One Yet Knows
The Point, June 4, 2019: What Is The Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site's Future? No One Yet Knows
By Jasmine Dahlby
June 4, 2019	The Point
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
The top stories near you
• It's been almost a year since Alachua County announced it was considering the Cabot-Koppers Superfund as a possible location for the new county fairgrounds. That plan has since fizzled, and city and county commissioners yesterday didn't make much progress on deciding the site's future. (WUFT News)
• The SEC lifted its ban on alcohol sales at college sporting events, leaving it up to the school to decide whether or not to sell alcoholic drinks. Only beer and wine are allowed and must be in plastic cups. UF has not yet decided whether or not alcohol will be sold during games. (The Alligator)
• Phase two of the SW 49th Avenue project, a four-lane highway connecting Marion Oaks to Ocala, has begun and is expected to be completed by February 2020. The new highway is intended to reduce traffic on County Road 200 and State Road 484. (Ocala Star-Banner)
• As of Monday, 91 active fires have been reported across the state. Most of the fires were caused by lighting, but some of them are the result of people burning debris. (The Alligator)
• GRU is requesting a 5% electric base rate increase to meet its growing demands. Gainesville City Commission will vote whether or not to raise the electric-rate on Wednesday. If the increase is approved, it will be the largest spike GRU customers have seen in the past six years. (Gainesville Sun)
• The Newberry City Commission voted to participate in the Florida Municipal Power Agency's solar project. The energy from FMPA's solar project will be transported to Newberry through power lines and will be used to power some street lights and lift stations among other things. (The Alligator)
• The University of Florida's former vice president for student affairs died Monday after a long battle with cancer. During her time at UF, Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin helped to establish the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholar Program, a scholarship for first-generation college students from economically disadvantaged families. (UF News)
Today's sponsored message
Enjoy peace of mind with cameras for your home or business, provided by Crime Prevention Security Systems. These cameras can be viewed remotely on your smartphone and with the doorbell camera, you can record activity as well as interact live with the person at your door. With the same easy-to-use app you can arm or disarm your security system, lock or unlock your doors and control your lights and thermostats. Crime Prevention makes technology easy to use and affordable for any budget. Call 352-376-1499 or visit www.CPSS.net.
Around the state today
• The House approved a $19.1 billion disaster bill to help victims on recent natural disasters. If the bill is then signed by President Donald Trump, it will include funding for the Florida Panhandle and Tyndall Air Force Base, a major employer in Bay County. (The Panama City News Herald)
• Florida is funding a new state government position to deal with climate change. The chief resilience officer will coordinate a statewide response to climate change. 26 applicants applied for the position. (WMFE)
• The U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will provide $60 million, in addition to Florida's $40 million match, to build a bridge along U.S. 41. Elevating U.S. 41 will allow nearly 80 billion gallons of water a day to flow into the Everglades and Florida Bay. (Miami Herald)
• Last year, Amendment 13, which banned greyhound races in Florida, passed with a 69% vote. Now, a pro-greyhound racing group called Overturn13 claims greyhound racing in Florida was eliminated without proper due process and seeks to overturn the amendment. (Orlando Weekly)
• Quest Diagnostics, which has 20 locations in Southwest Florida, said 12 million patients nationwide may have had personal information compromised. Quest was notified of unauthorized access to a database that contains personal information, financial data, Social Security numbers and medical information. (Naples Daily News)
• After serving 19 years as the president of USF, Judy Genshaft announced that she will donate $23 million to the school, much of which will be used to fund the building of the honors college. (Panama City News Herald)
• The Orlando City Council voted unanimously to ban the use of single-use plastics and polystyrenes in Orlando's city-owned and operated places, such as city parks and venues including the Amway Center, Camping World Stadium and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Orlando Weekly)
• Naples requested $9.5 million that would go toward improving water quality, beach restoration and stormwater outfall removal and improvement. (Naples Daily News)
• World: 'Genocide' Has Been Committed Against Indigenous Women And Girls, Canadian Panel Says
• National: 2020 Census Could Lead To Worst Undercount Of Black, Latinx People In 30 Years
• National: Carnival Corp. Agrees To $20 Million Fine For Pollution Violations
• Politics: Senate Majority Leader McConnell Pushes To Raise Tobacco Sales Age To 21
• Business: Mexican Government Privately Warns Trump Administration Of Countertariffs
• Business: iTunes' Death Is All About How We Listen To Music Today
• Science: Astronomers Worry That Elon Musk's New Satellites Will Ruin The View
Amendment 13 art business city commission climate change crime energy Florida Florida Panhandle Gainesville Gainesville City Commission GRU Latinx Marion music Newberry North Central Florida Ocala Orlando Panhandle Peace politics pollution racing school Senate solar transportation Trump UF water	2019-06-04
Jasmine Dahlby
Tags Amendment 13 art business city commission climate change crime energy Florida Florida Panhandle Gainesville Gainesville City Commission GRU Latinx Marion music Newberry North Central Florida Ocala Orlando Panhandle Peace politics pollution racing school Senate solar transportation Trump UF water
About Jasmine Dahlby
Jasmine is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
Previous 'Spinning Its Wheels': City-County Discussion Over Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site Redevelopment Stalls
Next It's Showtime
The Point, Jan. 16, 2020: Alachua County's Recycling Industry Sees Declining Market, Rising Costs
The Point, Jan. 15, 2020: How Florida's Governor Wants To See The 2020 Legislative Session Play Out
The Point, Jan. 14, 2020: Increased Teacher Pay? State Senator Says 'It's All Going To Depend On How Much Money We Have'
The 2020 legislative session starts today.


text:
Giant Tortoise Believed Extinct Sighted in Galápagos
Feb. 21, 2019 11:43AM EST Animals
The first member of the giant tortoise species Chelonoidis phantasticus to be seen in more than 100 years. RODRIGO BUENDIA / AFP / Getty Images
A rare species of giant tortoise, feared extinct for more than 100 years, was sighted on the Galápagos island of Fernandina Sunday, the Ecuadorian government announced.
The tortoise, an adult female of the species Chelonoidis phantasticus, was found during an investigation by the Galápagos National Park and the U.S. environmental group Galapagos Conservancy, The Associated Press reported.
BREAKING NEWS! GC's own @wacho_tapia just returned from Fernandina Island in #Galapagos, where they discovered a f… https://t.co/5EyjPcEaNL
— GalapagosConservancy (@GalapagosConservancy)1550693757.0
The researchers also thought that the tracks and faeces they had observed on their trip indicated there might be other members of the extremely endangered species living on the island. Up until Sunday's discovery, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had listed the tortoise as critically endangered and possibly extinct, but noted that there was an unconfirmed sighting in 2009, and previous expeditions had found faeces and bite marks on cacti on the island.
"This encourages us to strengthen our search plans to find more tortoises, which will allow us to start a captive breeding program to recover this species," Galápagos National Park Director Danny Rueda said in a park Facebook post.
The tortoise, who is likely more than 100 years old, was moved to a tortoise breeding center on Santa Cruz Island, The Associated Press reported.
"They will need more than one, but females may store sperm for a long time," Duke University Conservation Ecology Professor Stuart Pimm told The Associated Press of a potential breeding program. "There may be hope."
The last confirmed sighting of Chelonoidis phantasticus was in 1906, when one was found by an expedition of the California Academy of Sciences, according to The Independent.
Until this week, specimen 8101 was the only known giant tortoise from the Galapagos island of Fernandina. Congratul… https://t.co/PNrjHLWTbL
— Henry Nicholls (@Henry Nicholls)1550706088.0
Fernandina is the youngest and most volcanically active of the Galápagos islands. The IUCN listed "the frequent volcanic lava flows that nearly cover the island" as the force that might have driven the species close to extinction.
There were once 14 species of giant tortoises on nine Galápagos islands, but now that number has fallen to 10 species on six islands, The Independent reported.
Ecuadorian Environment Minister Marcelo Mata Guerrero was quoted on the Galápagos National Park Facebook page as saying the park could "count on all the backing of the national government and the Environment Ministry to conduct the necessary investigations to guarantee the conservation and preservation of the species that call the Galápagos home."
100% of Sea Turtles in Global Study Found With Plastics in Their ... ›
A Record 589 Sea Turtles Killed By Florida's Toxic Red Tide ... ›
wildlife conservation endangered species sea turtles turtles marine life

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This is a great in-town lot with a foundation already in place. Home had a fire and the house has been removed. Lot is grandfathered for a two-unit building or a single family home. Contact code enforcement for details. One wall needs minor repair. Listing is broker-owned.
Bring your architect when you visit this 2.54 acre building lot with 212.96 frontage on the Kenduskeag Stream. Conveniently located in the high end subdivision of Bean Estates which is just a few minutes to downtown Bangor, schools, shopping and Bangor International Airport. Ideally located at the end of a cul-de-sac. Surveyed with public water; private sewer and protective covenants.
Great property to build your new home on! Located on the edge of great subdivision with restrictive covenants to help protect the value of your home! Located in a private, yet convenient part of town. Minutes to necessities! Owner/Developer willing to work with builders who may be looking for a parcel for spec house. Owner willing to take money for land at closing!
Affordable building lots. Surveyed and soil tested. Level and open, Just off Union St. Purchase one lot or several.


It is easy to bring ancient healing methods into our modern busy world with simple cooking styles and techniques. Ayurveda uses food as a healing art and uses certain herbs and spices to support good health and balance the 3 doshas.
In Ayurvedic medicine doctors consider the three doshas and attempt to keep them in a good balance to maintain health or repair illness. These doshas can become imbalanced when the lifestyle and emotions become damaging. They are balanced with different foods depending on the property of that food (bitter, sweet, salty, sour, astringent, pungent). Ayurveda works to restore harmony and balance in the body by using herbs, exercises, foods and treatments. Here at TOR Spa Retreat we combine all these practices which creates a truly relaxing and restoring sanctuary to balance modern life and focus on vegetarian dosha neutral food which nourishes and cleanses the body.


TOPIC: Some people like A; others like B. Which one do you prefer -- A or B? Give specific reasons and examples to illustrate your answer.
TOPIC: Some people believe that A while others consider B more appropriate. Give advantages and disadvantages of the two positions and explain which position you support.
第一段:To choose A or to choose B is something of a dilemma to the public because they sometimes are confused by the seemingly good qualities of B while neglect the genuinely good aspects of A.
第三段: Unfortunately, the innate quality of A is often underestimated.
第四段:Therefore from what we have discussed, we may safely come to the conclusion that CHOOSING AAA is a rather wise decision.
第一段:There is no denying the fact that ____________(whether it is better to choose A or B) is a popular topic which is much talked about [not only by ____________, but also by ____________/by people across the world/ in a modern society].
或:There is no denying the fact that ____________(whether it is better to choose A or B) is a popular topic which has caused heated debate over a long period of time (because it affects everybody in his or her daily lives).
或:In a modern society, people are always faced with the dilemma of whether to choose A or B. This problem is a much-debated one in that it affects everybody in his or her daily lives.
第三段 In conclusion, (it must be explained that these three reasons sometimes intertwine to form an organic whole and thus become more persuasive than any one of them.) Only these three reasons are enough to make a person draw the conclusion that ____________ , not to mention there are more.
While both the two [methods/choices] may have their advantages and disadvantages, they can be applied under different circumstances. Later on, I will explain my opinion about it.
第二段:[A has the obvious advantage that / One very strong argument for A is that] ____________. But there lies intrinsic harmful characteristic in this method. Some [people/experts] [maintain/warn] that____________ Furthermore, ____________. Therefore we have no complete evidence to suggest that A is always better than B.
或:Although B does have its seemingly profound [advantages/ reason],in the meantime[there lie intrinsic [harmful characteristics/drawbacks] in it such as ________________________ / it can be achieved only conditionally because____________].
第四段:(针对我个人的情况又可以说出一套理由)But if all these factors are contemplated, [as far as I am concerned / according to my knowledge], the advantages of A carry more weight than those of B because A fits [me/us students] better in two ways: In the first place, ____________, In the second place/secondly,____________Therefore from what we have discussed, we may safely come to the conclusion that choosing A is a rather wise decision.
It seems very difficult for us to prefer one to another because all of them have their advantages and disadvantages to the extent that it is hard to distinguish. Yet that does not mean that they are all the same to me. Which one I prefer depends on my own experience, life style and [emotional concerns / educational background/____________]. [As far as I am concerned / According to my personality and fondness/ To be frank], I would like to choose A, because there are too many benefits that outnumber its disadvantages not to choose it. B, on the other hand, has advantages no more than its disadvantages.


text:
September 28, 2018 October 10, 2018 Kathleen
The Supreme Court of Twistification (SCOT)
by James Allison
This essay is misnomered. It's actually about the Supreme Court of the United States, aka SCOTUS. The essay title comes from President Thomas Jefferson, who referred to the ruling in Marbury v. Madison (1803) as Chief Justice John Marshall's "twistifications." It is useful to know that Jefferson and Marshall were distant cousins who loathed each other—as did their two political parties, Jefferson's ascendant Republicans (later called "Democrats") and Marshall's moribund Federalists (the party of Washington and John Adams).
It is also useful to know that other critics of Marbury v. Madison have called it the case in which the Court declared itself Supreme. What they mean is that Marbury v. Madison is the case in which the Court declared its incontestable, uncheckable power to nullify an act of Congress.
"Wait," you say. "That can't be right. That power must have been stated in black and white somewhere in the Constitution, way before 1803." My answer to that is a law professor friend who likes to hand a student a copy of the Constitution, saying "If you can find that power in this book, I will give you $1,000." He's never had to pay up. And he was not the first to issue such a challenge. In 1802—the year before Marbury v. Madison—Kentucky Senator Breckenridge, on the floor of the Senate, challenged no less than a principal drafter of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris. But the best Morris could offer in response was high-flown bloviation—because the power in question is simply not to be found in the Constitution.
So, we might call Marbury v. Madison a usurpation of political power by the Marshall Court. And a major usurpation at that. Can you think of another "democratic" nation whose high court can simply nullify an act of its legislature, with no chance of appeal? Can you imagine any court in Great Britain that would dare to simply nullify an act of Parliament, case closed?
Someone was sufficiently fond of it to have inscribed a Marshall quotation from Marbury v. Madison on the walls of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.: "It is emphatically the gprovince and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." As stated much later by Justice Charles Evans Hughes, "We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is." And Justices surely appreciate the independence that comes not only from long established custom, but from constitutional guarantees of an optional lifetime appointment, conditional only on "good behavior," and of compensation—pay—that cannot be diminished (Article 3, Section 1).
Despite its bedrock place in American law, Marbury v. Madison has legions of critics. Some even call Marshall unethical, as he should have recused himself from the case. Why? Because it was Chief Justice Marshall who, while also acting as President Adams' Secretary of State, caused the injury that inspired Marbury to ask the Court to redress that injury. Specifically, It was Marshall's Secretarial duty to deliver several judicial commissions on Adams' last night as president—"midnight appointments." Marshall managed to deliver all of those commissions but four, of which Marbury's was one. And here's the same Chief Justice Marshall three years later, adjudicating that very case. He would not get away with that today, nor with his simultaneous service as both Chief Justice and Secretary of State.
More controversially, many critics think Marshall's ruling got the law wrong. But what was the ruling?
First, Marshall found that Marbury had truly been injured, and that the present Secretary of State, Jefferson's James Madison, owed Marbury his commission. But Marshall went on to say that SCOTUS could not order Madison to redress Marbury's injury, because SCOTUS had no constitutional power to do so. SCOTUS was strictly an appellate court, with no power to make original findings of fact. There might be exceptions, but this was not one of them. Marbury's lawyer (the excellent Charles Lee) had been misled on this score, said Marshall, by a mistaken act of Congress in 1789. The act made several reforms to our judicial system, but went too far in extending the judicial power of the Supreme Court. Unfortunately for Marbury, said Marshall, the Congress had no constitutional power to thus extend the purview of SCOTUS. It was this reading of the Constitution
that made the Supreme Court Supreme, and empowered it to nullify acts of Congress. But was Marshall's reading correct?
Many distinguished scholars think it was not, and have hacked their way through miles of legal thickets to reach that conclusion (e.g., Amar, 1989). Many others, comparably distinguished, would disagree. And many ordinary citizens, alarmed at the seemingly unchecked power of our present day SCOTUS, may now think it time to reframe the question of Marbury v. Madison: Whether legally correct or not, has Marshall's ruling been good for the country? That looks much like an empirical question, begging for factual answers of the kind that might come more readily from sociologists or political scientists than lawyers.
Anna Harvey is a political science professor at New York University. In the final chapter of her book, A Mere Machine: The Supreme Court, Congress, and American Democracy, the chapter title asks "What's So Great About Independent Courts, Anyway?" The question, which may seem impudent, comes from her comparison of several democratic nations in terms of two variables: their civil rights and liberties, and the independence of their judiciary systems. To my surprise, she reported an inverse relation between those two variables. This means that the USA, with its highly independent judiciary in the form of SCOTUS, ranks relatively low in terms of civil rights and liberties.
That was not what my schooling had led me to expect. Maybe we are not so lucky after all to have such an independent judiciary, with its lifetime appointments and all the rest. Maybe we should fetter our high court with a few more checks and balances. We could limit one's tenure on the Court to 12 years. We could allow Congress to over-rule any SCOTUS ruling by a supermajority vote, say 2/3 of both houses. Maybe such measures would get us a little closer to that perfect union.
Marshall had to be feeling pretty good in the wake of Marbury v. Madison. He had taken a weak, disrespected court and paved the way to its status as a powerhouse of American government. And he had cleverly avoided any Jeffersonian counterattack by ruling against Marbury, Marshall's fellow Federalist, in favor of Jefferson's Secretary of State.
But Marshall fans should note that he himself had second thoughts about Marbury v. Madison. A year later, in 1804, the Jeffersonians, riding high, impeached Samuel Chase, a corrosively partisan Federalist Justice with a habit of hectoring witnesses. By 1805 the matter had moved from the House of Representatives to the strongly Jeffersonian Senate, which was expected to convict Chase, kick him off the bench, and use his example as a decisive threat in future political conflicts. At about that time Marshall wrote a remorseful letter to a friend. He thought that it might be a good thing if Congress could override judicial decisions on constitutional matters. But that good thing remained just a thought. And in 1805 the Senate considered the implications of partisan impeachments, stepped back, and chose to acquit the overly partisan Associate Justice Chase.
So the Court remained free of both the Congressional override that Marshall had envisioned, and the threat of partisan impeachment with which the Jeffersonians had flirted. Free of such impediments, the Court gradually grew into the independent powerhouse we know today. Otherwise, our judiciary might be less independent, our civil rights and liberties more pronounced. And should the time come for judicial reform in America, we might get some ideas from those two revered antagonists, Marshall and Jefferson.
Adams, Henry (1986). History of the United States 1801-1809. New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc. Pp. 400-401.
Amar, Akhil Reed (1989). Marbury, Section 13, and the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Faculty Scholarship Series, Paper 1026: Yale Law School.
Goldstone, Lawrence (2008). The activist: John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and the myth of judicial review. New York: Walker.
Grafton, John (ed., 2000). The declaration of independence and other great documents of American history 1775-1865. Mineola, NY: Dover.
Grossman, Joel B. (2003). The 200th anniversary of Marbury v. Madison: The reasons we should still care about the decision, and the lingering questions it left behind. FindLaw's Writ, February 24, 2003.
Harvey, Anna (2013). A mere machine. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Jefferson, Thomas (1984). Writings. New York: Library of America.
Maier, Pauline (2010). The people debate the Constitution, 1787-1788. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Rehnquist, William H. (2001). The Supreme Court. New York: Knopf. (New edition. Originally published 1987.)
Smith, Jean E. (1996). John Marshall: Definer of a Nation. New York: Henry Holt.
Wills, Garry (2005). Henry Adams and the making of America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Previous Hoosier School Vouchers – Jury is Still Out
Next Study Refutes that Immigrants are a Drain on Healthcare System


text:
What is a Hybrid Smartwatch and How it Works?
Leave a Comment / Smartwatches / By Jeffrey J. Oliver / November 24, 2018 August 18, 2021
A hybrid smartwatch can help you do everything from looking at the time, measuring your fitness levels to having biometric sensors and more.
A smartwatch is like a smartphone on your wrist. It will be able to receive voice commands, use applications and perform other functions. The first such watch, Moto 360, was unveiled in the US in summer 2014. It is based on Google Now technology and since then, we have come a long way!
The SmartWatch Fad
IoT And Wearable Technology
The Top Contenders for a Hybrid Smartwatch
1. Google was the First one to Take out a Smartwatch
2. Other Makers Followed Suit
3. Arrival of Fitness Apps
Sports tracking
It seems all tech companies have been itching to get their smartwatches in the market soon. Sony took it out last year. Apple came out with its own smartwatch have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Microsoft making one of its own is nearly confirmed too. And now, Samsung has confirmed that it is making its own smartwatch!
So, what's the fad with the smartwatches? Well, it has been there for many years now, nearly four decades in fact. But the clumsiness of the smartwatches has resisted it from becoming one of the most popular tech devices. In fact, Sony's smartwatch last year was the closest when it came to a smooth hi-tech gadget of the future.
Microsoft has been developing this device for more than a year now, according to sources. Unnamed sources also suggest that Microsoft has ordered 1.5-inch displays from component manufacturers. Microsoft, of course, had taken out its own smartwatches back in 2004 under the SPOT brand, which it ultimately discontinued in 2008. The Smartwatch used to gather news and weather info from the radio. For Microsoft, getting back into the smartwatch battle seems a very likely thing.
Samsung on the other hand, confirmed some days back that it is developing its next version of the Galaxy Smartwatch and intends to release it soon. With analysts estimating that Apple could rake in as much as $6 Billion in the smartphone market, the company who create the right balance is surely going to be the winner.
The Internet of Things has been and will continue to be a sensation since it has brought about an evolution in the world of programming. Also, wearables like Apple smartwatches are the dream of even 8- year olds. This technology helps the exchange of information without human intervention.
Rumors of Google developing smartwatch were initially based on patent filing.
The search giant Google doesn't want to lag behind in the race to build a smart technology. Google's plan to be ahead in tech-march is pretty much clear from its shift to a wearable gadget wave. And that wearable tech is a smartwatch for which Google has already filed a patent application to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
As confirmed, Google filed a patent for a smartwatch on October 26, 2011. The patent in specific relates to 'smart-watch with user interface features'. The user interface will be on the face as well as wristband of the smartwatch.
The smartwatch – which was the Moto 360 – as described in the patent application is a battery operated watch with dual touchpad, a wireless receiver, display, and processor. The touchpads will be on either side of the bezel. The touchpads will be used to pinch, scroll and stretch on a platform with space limitations for user input. Those touchpads will also communicate with the data line which means that all the smartwatch functions will be controlled by dual touchpads.
Google smartwatch is the prodigy of Google's research scientist Dr. Richard Gossweiler filed yet another patent for a flip-top, round- faced smartwatch in August, 2012. However, that patent for a gadget with transparent display did not find mention in the recent patent filing report.
Not only Google but other tech giants such as Apple and Samsung have also come out with their own smartwatch. Samsung Gear s2 Watch Bands Review, for instance, can pair up with your Samsung device seamlessly, and help you do all you want. Skagen is another player in the hybrid smartwatches space. You can read Skagen Hybrid Smartwatch Review to find out if Skagen smartwatches suit your needs.
The world of best smartwatch for women has seen another entry which is originally a fitness tracker. The latest offering from Fitbit called Surge is a GPS based fitness tracker that provides all day heart beat analysis among other things. It can even deal with phone and message notifications of synced smartphone. Let's start from the first and take things slowly to learn all about Fitbit Surge fitness watch.
The Fitbit Surge features an all-day optical heartbeat sensor at the back which uses led lights to measure the heart rate. It gives a pretty accurate result though it should not be taken as the ultimate. It has auto sleep recording mode which shows the amount of time spent sleeping.
It can track distance traveled, steps taken, floors climbed, calories burned, etc which are synced with Fitbit app. You can easily swipe left to see your daily totals.
The GPS mode of the smartwatch track runs and cycle rides. You can easily set three modes of running and see the distance covered and other details. The bike mode is especially useful for bikers which provides a detailed report of the route along with heartbeat analysis, calories burned, and speed.
The GPS gets connected and locked without lags. But there is some inconsistency in reporting the total distance covered.
Fitbit promises a battery life of 7 days when GPS is not used. But in reality, it lasts somewhere between 3-5 days. The GPS can continuously run for 5 hours which may not be sufficient for hardcore athletes. The charging can be done through a USB cable which connects below the watch.
The design elements are simple and not really attractive. It has a non-removable band which comes in blue, tangerine or black. The display is 1.25 inch LCD with grayish blue display coloring and features a backlight. It has 3 buttons to control syncing, music player and navigation.


This event will be with Christine Matthews. Christine is a very spiritually-oriented person with a great ability to link with her Spirit Guides to convey messages of love and reassurance from departed loved ones now residing in the World of Spirit; sometines this is their only means of communicating with us here on the Earth Plane. Our entry fee of £2.50 goes towards Church Funds but includes tea, coffee and biscuits afterwards.


text:
Hugh Wood, né le  à Parbold en Angleterre et mort le , est un compositeur britannique.

Biographie

Liste des œuvres

Discographie

Notes et références

Liens externes

Naissance en juin 1932
Naissance dans le Lancashire
Compositeur britannique de musique classique
Compositeur britannique de musique classique de la période contemporaine
Compositeur britannique de symphonie
Décès à 89 ans
Décès en août 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Edwin M. Lee, Mayor of San Francisco
Edwin M. Lee, Mayor of…
San Francisco has been a hub for immigrants from all over the world.
When President Trump first issued the executive order on immigration, the city became the first in the nation to sue the Federal administration.
Mayor Ed Lee has been a leading voice in this debate so, we had a conversation on his views on immigration and sanctuary cities. In this exclusive interview, he also talks about opportunities between San Francisco and Brazilian cities he visited last year and has a special message for women entrepreneurs.
BayBrazil: President Trump has proposed changes in the immigration system. What impact will merit-based immigration have on San Francisco's economy?
Mayor Lee: Immigrants have made the United States, plain and simple. Proposals to limit immigration is against our values, and it will significantly curtail our ability to innovate and grow our economy. For me, limits to immigration are a personal affront. Not only am I child of immigrants, I lead a city of immigrants.
In San Francisco, foreign-born residents make up 35% of our population. This is the fifth highest concentration of any major US city. These residents account for 42 percent of San Francisco's economic activity and they generate $60 billion with San Francisco each year. In California, immigrants are more likely to be self-employed than their native-born counterparts. They hold 39 percent of the California's Ph.Ds. and immigrants make up a substantial portion of our services sector and construction sector.
By enforcing merit-based immigration, we will see limited growth in our bio-technology, technology and business sectors, which are already struggling to find qualified workers. We will also see our hospitality sector impacted. Limiting immigration to only highly-skilled workers ignores the important contributions of all types of immigrants. This has the potential to have a negative impact on our economy.
BayBrazil: You said that San Francisco will remain a "sanctuary city", which clashes with President Trump's agenda. Are you concerned that the federal government may withhold funding to sanctuary cities?
Mayor Lee: First and foremost, San Francisco will continue to stand up and fight for all our residents, despite what is happening nationally. We believe that the Administration's threat to cut our federal funding through its Executive Order is unconstitutional, which is why our City filed a federal lawsuit against that the Administration. We are monitoring the Federal budget situation closely, and although nothing has been finalized, we are working with our City partners to ensure that we are demonstrating fiscal restraint to prepare for any impacts coming from the federal government.
BayBrazil: What are the major contributions of immigrants to the City of San Francisco?
Mayor Lee: Immigrants have played a major role in shaping San Francisco dating back before the city's founding, and they have contributed to some of our earliest innovations. For instance, today you see denim jeans in all parts of the world. Those were invented by a pair of immigrants, Levi Strauss from Bavaria and Jacob Davis from Latvia, who lived here in San Francisco and whose company is still headquartered in the city
Our immigrant communities have immeasurable contributions to not just San Francisco, but to the state of California. Chinese immigrants helped construct the Pacific Railroad and the expansion of the San Francisco ports. They worked on massive infrastructure projects such as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Irish immigrants helped start some of San Francisco's first banks. Other immigrant communities contributed, and it has led to San Francisco becoming the largest financial services center in the Western United States. We also owe our water system and railway infrastructure to another Irish immigrant who became San Francisco's Chief Engineer, Michael O'Shaughnessy.
Immigrants have discovered innovations in tech, medicine and other scientific fields. They have enriched us culturally, leading to San Francisco being known as an international city with a rich and vibrant arts scene and culinary scene.
BayBrazil: Startups from all over the world have been flocking to SF more than ever in these past few years. Do you expect this trend to continue?
Mayor Lee: I believe that San Francisco has created a system that is attractive to entrepreneurs. However, we do not take our success for granted, and we are constantly working to attract businesses. This means talking with companies and their employees on a regular basis to ask them what they want from the City. Because we are responsive to the needs of the businesses and its people, we are able to continue to improve conditions in San Francisco that will attract new business entrepreneurs in the future.
BayBrazil: When it comes to access to capital, a very small percentage of women-led startups are backed by VC globally. Is it different in SF? What is your message for female entrepreneurs?
Mayor Lee: In San Francisco, we push the private sector to step up to the plate and institute more equitable policies and practices that provide equal pay and treatment in the workplace and equal treatment when it comes to funding women entrepreneurs. While I think the conversation is quickly moving in a positive direction, access to private capital for women entrepreneurs continues to remain a challenge and it's critical that the private sector do more to support women.
I will say that in San Francisco, we are doing what we can to provide basic services for women and working mothers and their partners, such as guaranteed parental leave, guaranteed sick leave and guaranteed health care. We are doing what we can to ensure that women are positioned to succeed.
My message to female entrepreneurs is this: do not give up. The landscape for business is quickly evolving and investors and VCs will soon turn their focus to women-led ventures.
BayBrazil: You visited São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro last year, along with a group of SF-based companies. Do you see opportunities of increasing business between the City of San Francisco and Brazilian cities? What are the most attractive sectors?
Mayor Lee: I was impressed by what I saw in Sao Paulo and in Rio de Janeiro. I do see opportunities to increase business between San Francisco and those two cities. Through my LatinSF initiative, I am encouraging businesses in Brazil to come visit San Francisco and Silicon Valley and see the potential that exists here for their companies to grow.
The sectors that are most attractive to our city are those that complement our own. Information technology, life sciences and financial services from Brazil will do well in San Francisco. There is also opportunity for Brazilian enterprises, which I know can thrive in our competitive market.
BayBrazil: What are the major goals you expect to have accomplished at the City of San Francisco by the end of the year?
Mayor Lee: I will continue to make San Francisco a city for everyone. This means making a city that is welcoming to our immigrant communities and welcoming to those on every level of the socio-economic scale. This means that I remain committed to increasing housing opportunities for lower income and middle-income residents.
I will continue to work with our Bay Area partners to work on regional solutions to our transportation infrastructure, which requires more investments to meet our ever-growing populations.
Both of these areas are multi-year goals. However, I will keep pushing to increase housing production and implement transportation solutions throughout the remainder of 2017.
PreviousPrevious post:The latest on Brazilian startupsNextNext post:Brazilians in Silicon Valley
Daniel Dalarossa, Founder and CEO, ChoroMusic
Martha de Sá, Co-Founder & CEO, VERT Capital
Laura Constantini, Co-founder & Partner, Astella
Carlos Moreira, Director, Globo Partner Program
Rodrigo Borges, Managing Partner and Co-founder at DOMO Invest.
Paulo Shargorodsky, VP of Global Merchant Success at EBANX


text:
Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mewani join Congress
by Digital Desk
in National, Politics, Top News
New Delhi : Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani joined Congress in the presence of party leader Rahul Gandhi at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Kanhaiya and Jignesh Mewani met Rahul Gandhi earlier today at Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Park, ITO, Delhi on the 114th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
Kanhaiya Kumar was a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) national executive, a top decision-making body of the party, while Mevani is an independent MLA from the Vadgam constituency in Gujarat and convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM).
The former JNU student leader also contested against Union Minister Giriraj Singh in Bihar's Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections. Since then he has maintained a low profile.
On the other hand, Mevani had won from the reserved Vadgam Assembly seat in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls. Congress did not field its candidate against Mevani in the Vadgam constituency.
Earlier Congress sources had said that some more young leaders would join the party in the coming days. They said that Kumar and Mevani could be part of a campaign to connect with the youth against the BJP-led government.
Earlier this year, Jitin Prasad and Sushmita Dev resigned from the primary membership of Congress. Prasad joined the BJP and is now a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government while Dev became a part of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.
Tags: Jignesh mewaniKanhaiya Kumarpoliticalpolitical news
New Delhi : Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani joined Congress in the presence of party leader Rahul Gandhi at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Kanhaiya and Jignesh Mewani met Rahul Gandhi earlier today at Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Park, ITO, Delhi on the 114th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Kanhaiya Kumar was a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) national executive, a top decision-making body of the party, while Mevani is an independent MLA from the Vadgam constituency in Gujarat and convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM). The former JNU student leader also contested against Union Minister Giriraj Singh in Bihar's Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general elections. Since then he has maintained a low profile. On the other hand, Mevani had won from the reserved Vadgam Assembly seat in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls. Congress did not field its candidate against Mevani in the Vadgam constituency. Earlier Congress sources had said that some more young leaders would join the party in the coming days. They said that Kumar and Mevani could be part of a campaign to connect with the youth against the BJP-led government. Earlier this year, Jitin Prasad and Sushmita Dev resigned from the primary membership of Congress. Prasad joined the BJP and is now a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government while Dev became a part of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.


Russell Publishing is looking for an Editor to join the science and food division to support the success of the international B2B information brand – New Food.
The company's science and food division comprises three brands – New Food Magazine, European Pharmaceutical Review and Drug Target Review.
The successful candidate will manage and edit the New Food Magazine and it's online content. The work also involves looking after a fast-growing group of industry contributors who specialise in a wide range of relevant content. Some international travel is required.
Experience in the food sector and/ or business-to-business publishing would be advantageous.
Degree in journalism, communications or a related field, or related work experience.


The closest parking is at the Barker Street Parking Station (N18 on the campus map). Parking rates can be found here.
Visitors are most welcome at practices, whether gamelan players from interstate or overseas, beginners interested in learning to play, or passers-by who simply want to listen. Although we are happy for people to simply drop in, it is advisable to contact us by email to notify us of your visit and so that we can confirm individual practice times and assist you with locating the venue.


text:
Brent Birckhead: Album Release Show
FRI JUN 28 | 8PM
Event Type: Music and Performance, Jazz
Closing out a month of jazz, Baltimore-born, award-winning saxophonist, Birckhead steps away from the Lauryn Hill touring band to present his own group.
"ONE OF THE MOST RIVETING YOUNG IMPROVISORS IN NEW YORK" -NY TIMES
Saxophonist Brent Birckhead is an award-winning artist, whose aesthetic is an intersectional amalgam of traditional and popular styles. Unbound by genre, Birckhead's approach to woodwind artistry is driven by his compulsion for creative risk and deep respect for legacy. His place in the continuum of a storied lineage begins with his surname, Birckhead, and extends to his extensive musical education and work ethic as a visionary approach to life as a rising leader.
Educated at Howard University (BME, MM), Birckhead was named best blues/pop/rock soloist and outstanding instrumental jazz soloist by Downbeat Magazine as part of the annual Student Music Awards. In 2011 Brent was named "Best Alto Saxophonist" by the Washington City Paper.
The Baltimore native's talent earned him the honor of performing and touring with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Nas , Dave Chappelle, Wale, Eric Benet, Larry Graham, George Duke and many more. Birckhead has also performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues such as Blue Note NYC, Hollywood Bowl, Smalls Jazz, Blues Alley, 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Billboard Tokyo and Osaka.
In 2014, Birckhead joined the faculty at Morgan State University. His debut album, 'BIRCKHEAD' is availible now.
FRI JUN 28 | 8PM | $20, $17 MEMBERS (+$3 at the door)


text:
Category: Syria
Syrian dictator Assad plans on hanging all ISIS foreign members in its custody, while West bends over backwards for these 7th century reprobates…….
Perhaps a middle line can be drawn, internment on a deserted island of the damned… Jihadis face execution without trial in Syrian jails…
Syria: SkyNew Report on Supposed Finnish Boy Called 'Finlandi' at Al-Hol Terrorist Infested Refugee Camp…….
And..? Six-year-old Finnish boy at al-Hol Meanwhile, Ilta-Sanomat (IS), the sister tabloid of HS, cites a Sky News story that claims a six-year-old boy…
Denmark: Government Revokes Citizenship from Danish ISIS Fighters…..
In Finland they still dither over the subject… Denmark to Revoke Citizenship from Danish ISIS Fighters Amid concerns over returning fighters traveling to Europe…
Syrian Christian group urges NBC not to mislead public: 'Zero Christians' killed after NBC News covers false report about Turkey's Operation Peace Spring…….
I'm no fan of Erdogan's Turkey, not by a long shot, but there's lots of misleading going on, and by the usual suspects… Via…
Dr.Andrew Bostom: POTUS Trump Supported By Turk and Kurd Knowledgeable Middle East Christian World Council of Arameans…….
The Syrian Morass: POTUS Trump Supported By Turk and Kurd Knowledgeable Middle East Christian World Council of Arameans Johny Messo, President of the World…
Assad Regime 'Main Threat for Christians in Syria'…….
Christian Arabs are attacked from all sides really… Monitor Group: Bashar al-Assad 'Main Threat for Christians' in Syria The Iranian- and Russian-backed regime…
Finland: Relatives seek repatriation of Finnish orphans at Al-Hol refugee camp in Syria…….
The very same people pushing for the repatriation of these Islamic radicalized kids to Finland, should be held responsible (but won't be) when they…
Germany: Syrian refugee scam artists openly talk about their vacationing in… Syria…….
Somalis in Finland have been scamming the refugee system for decades, engaging in the same practices as these Syrian "refugees". If you're a refugee…
Finland: Finnish politicians in and out of government taking reasonable positions on Islamonazi women and their kids in Syrian holding camp…….
National Coalition chair, former Minister of Finance, Petteri Orpo, responding to a recent HS article on the subject stated: "Finland should not help ISIS…
Syria: Kurdish led forces U.S: allied forces take final Islamic State stronghold, the caliphate is dead…….
Good news, but what now takes its place will pretty much carry the same sentiment but on a much less industrial scale… Report:…
Uzay Bulut: How Islamic "Aid" Organizations in Turkey Feed Jihadists in Syria…….
Yet another reason why Turkey should be kicked out of NATO, and lumped into the same camp with the Russians… How Islamic "Aid" Organizations…
Uzay Bulut at Gatestone: Turkey: The Case of the Missing Priests……..
They're dead, murdered by Islamonazis… Turkey: The Case of the Missing Priests by Uzay Bulut February 27, 2019 at 4:30 am //www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13800/turkey-missing-priests "Prior…
Iran's Strategy for Control of Syria…….
As much as I want US troops out of Syria and the Middle East in general, prudence dictates otherwise… How Tehran Plans to Control…
Israel hits Syria in daring daytime raid, attacking Iranian weapons being transferred to Islamonazi Hezbollah……..
This is a dramatic step coming right after the Russian government demanded Israel to refrain from bombing the airport in Damascus… REPORT: ISRAEL…
J.E.Dyer: Trump resets his strategic position with an announced Syria pull-out…….
Jennifer provides well-needed insight on the recent call by President Trump to remove 2000 US troops from Syria… Setting the clock back to…
Finland: Syrian serial rapist called for lighter sentence due to "cultural differences" – The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal…….
So this harpoons the myth that "all cultures are equal"… Serial rapist called for judgment to be lightened because of cultural background –…
by KGS access_time1 year agochat_bubble_outline2 comments
Photos of ISIS executioners murdering Syrian 'spies in region where Putin says they'll kill ten prisoners a day…
Yup… ISIS executioners kill Syrian 'spies' in the same region where they 'kidnapped 700 hostages' – including jihadist widows – after Putin claimed…
Israel: Putin angry at Syria over downing of reconnaissance plane, refuses to speak to Assad, unhappy at Iranian entrenchment in Syria…….
All that high-tech weaponry sold to the Syrians by the Russians, only to be used against them… Israel: Putin angry at Syria over downing…
Trump warns Assad: The world is watching…….
Line drawn… Trump warns Assad: The world is watching US President denies claims made in Bob Woodward's book, but also warns Syrian…
Syria: Pop-tards blow up near market murdering 38 people…….
These are not 'militants', but Islamonazis… And the people weren't 'killed', but murdered. The fraud media never gets this right. Militants Kill…
Netherlands: Study finds nearly half of Syrian refugees have mental issues…….
Compounded by their being steeped in destructive and deadly Islamic ideology… Over 40% of Syrian Refugees Have Mental Health Problems More than 40%…
J.E.Dyer: Rockets from Gaza: Iran, Israel, and the Great Crossroads at the precipice…….
If you want to know what's happening there, read up… The big flick on what's happening is that the Syrian regime is moving forces into…
Damascus: Blasts Heard Near Airport in Syria, State Television Reports…….
So much violence, with so many Islamos running amok… More than likely it was acts of sabotage or an attack by Islamonazi rebels.…
Syria: Islamonazi terrorists flee last enclave near Damascus…….
Soon Finland's ME academics can return to the bosom of Assad-land… Syria claims victory in the war on ISIS: Terrorist fighters flee…
J.E.Dyer: Quick look on the air strike in Syria……
Whatever Russia's posture, it appears Israel deems it necessary to take preemptive action against Iran in Syria. I think the end-state here is Iran…
IDF video of last night's operation against the Islamonazi regime of Iran in Syria…….
Blow them up where ever you find them… Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck dozens of military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds forces…
J.E.Dyer: "Iranian base in Syria hit, looks at the moment as if Israel is preempting Iran in Syria"…….
No analyst gives a better situational reading of events (and of intel) than J.E.Dyer… Iranian base in Syria hit; location used for 'special…
Benny Weinthal: Belgium companies sold deadly chemicals to Assad in violation of sanctions…….
Very interesting indeed… Make up your own minds, the fog of war is so thick over this, I have to be honest in…
Aid worker: Women in Syria sexually exploited by men on behalf of UN/international charities…….
Pretty evil stuff… Syria conflict: Women 'sexually exploited in return for aid' By James Landale & Vinnie O'DowdBBC News Women in Syria have…
After Iranian drone incursion into Israeli airspace, J'lem launches full scale attack in Syria…….
They will pay for their actions… Israel Launches 'Large Scale Attack' in Syria After Iranian Drone Infiltrates Jewish State by BREITBART JERUSALEM 10 Feb 2018…
Turkey: Erdogan orders up "defeat infidels" al-fatah surah to be read in all mosques morning and night for operation "Olive Branch"…….
Something is about to hit the proverbial fan… At Erdogan's behest in all Turkish mosques the fatah-Sura has been read, who point out…
Turkish PM poobah calls Assad Bashar a terrorist, says it's impossible to work with him…….
He's more than willing to work with Hamas and other Muslim Brotherhood Islamonazis however. Turkey's Erdogan calls Syria's Assad a terrorist, says impossible…
J.E.Dyer: After ISIS then Iran, the looming strategic shift…….
Moving of chess pieces….. The U.S. in Syria, and the looming strategic shift from ISIS to Iran By J.E. Dyer July 8, 2017 Mosul is…
Great News and pop the cork: UN says nearly 500 000 Syrians return home, it's safe enough…….
There is no longer any moral imperative (never was) to allow male Syrians of fighting age into our countries, and everyone else around the Muslim…
Syrian regime thumps chest in light of Israel's defense moves after being attacked by 'errant shelling'…….
Let them wail and gnash their teeth into pointed pearls…… SYRIA WARNS ISRAEL: FURTHER ATTACKS WILL HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS BYJPOST.COM STAFF JUNE 25, 2017 23:46…
GOV: Syrian 'rebel' and the Deep State…….
Mirrored in full from GOV….. The Syrian "Rebels" and the Deep State Back in February Tanya T. translated an investigative report from Bulgarian TV on…
JPOST: German Neo-Nazi party builds alliance with Assad and Hezbollah……..
On top of this we learn that Assad is also burning the bodies of those his regime is executing. GERMAN NEO-NAZI PARTY BUILDS ALLIANCE WITH…
Syria: (Update: 16 dead) Massive suicide car bomb blast hits human convoy entering Aleppo…….
Islamonazis know what they like to target…. Bomb blast on bus convoy kills, wounds dozens outside Syria's Aleppo Pro-Damascus media outlets said a suicide attacker…
Former Syrian Weapons Research Chief: Assad still has tons of chemical stockpiled…….
Smacking Assad and Putin upside their heads, and that's what it was, does nothing to inhibit their continued actions against the Islamic State, while serving as…
President Trump says the US will not be sending in ground troops……
This entire incident has been a good way to see just who are the Looney Toons and who aren't. I've said from the very beginning…
Obama expert who linked Syria and Iran deal together admits Syria deal failed…….
All a fraud perpetrated against the american people….. OBAMA ARMS CONTROL EXPERT WHO LINKED SYRIA DEAL TO IRAN DEAL ADMITS SYRIA DEAL FAILED April 10,…
A stunned Kremlin rattles saber, says it's 'one step from war'……..
Lol! Kremlin tells U.S. it's 'one step from war' as Trump warns he will hit Syria AGAIN after his attack on Russia's ally Assad triggers…
More on President Trump's offloading aged missiles at Putin in Syria…….
Good move…… 'No child of God should ever suffer such horror': US military fires 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Trump's orders at Homs airfield where…
Trump lands cruise missiles up Putin's backside in Syria…….
I'm not going to theorize or strategize recent events, or at least too much, that said, Trump I believe has just served notice to Putin…
Trump changes mind on Assad, opens door to military action after sarin gas attack…….
My only question is, what tyrannical forces will be taking his place once Assad is gone? Trump opens the door to military action in Syria…
Rockets from Syria launched at Israel last night, multiple intercepts…….
Islamonazis appearing wanting to bite off more than they chew again….. It Appears that Rockets were Launched at Israel, Multiple Intercepts By Jewish Press News Briefs…
Double suicide-homicide bombings rock Damascus…….
(different) Pop-tards strike again……. Damascus bombings: At least 40 dead after twin suicide blasts rock Syrian capital AT LEAST 40 people have been killed…
Islamic (nazi) State murders 51 in town recently liberated from them……
This is just one of many in store for the poor people there. No respite, just look at Iraq. Carnage as suicide bomber kills…
Syria: Women tell horrifying stories of rape and torture so cruel they passed out……in Assad's jails!
This is but par for the course for the followers of Islam 101 (basic Islam), regardless of affilaition….. 'He hung me from…
Jihadi free-for-all in Syria: Islamonazi groups clash in north west region……..
More alien vs. predator action…… Jihadist rebel groups clash in northwest Syria: monitor Syrian jihadists seen as close to Islamic State battled a rival…
Syria: Assad government has mass executed over 13 000 prisoners at Saydnaya military prison……
The Assad regime is as dangerous and evil as the murderous Islamonazi scumbags they're fighting…. Assad's regime 'hanged up to 13,000 people in mass…
Syria: Jihadi group crushes Syrian (jihadi) rebel group……
Pass the salt please….. Jihadists crush Syria rebel group, in a blow to diplomacy By Tom Perry | BEIRUT A powerful jihadist group has…
Two pop-tards caught on Turkish border with Syria……
Alternative headline: Two seriously brainwashed maroons denied their raisins by Turkish security forces. Two suicide bombers caught on Turkey's border with Syria File photo.…


We can now offer a solution to spread the cost of your treatment with monthly payments to suit your budget.
If you would like to apply for finance simply inform our reception team. We will discuss the cost of your treatment and explain the need for a deposit which may be as little as 1% of the treatment cost which will be agreed by you and the practice.
We will ask you to complete an online application form for the finance amount required. Once submitted, an instant decision will be received. If approved you are then required to pay your deposit then you can book in your treatment.
We will send a link directly to your mobile phone or email address, whichever you prefer. Once you have completed the application you will receive an instant decision. If approved you are then required to pay your deposit then you can book in your treatment.
You can proceed with your treatment plan knowing that the cost of your procedure is paid directly to the practice. Your monthly repayments will be collected by direct debit beginning one month after your agreement is executed.
Please note that finance approval is subject to status and terms and conditions apply. Only eligible for treatments over £500.


Among the greatest expenses — if not the single greatest expense — any business has is real estate. While all businesses are eager to minimize what they have to spend on their commercial space, small businesses in Pennsylvania especially can benefit from favorable terms on real estate.
Because we are a firm dedicated to helping our region's businesses succeed, and recognize the importance of real estate transactions for any business, we offer experienced legal guidance to help business owners make the most of their commercial space. As a full-service firm, we can help with not only routine real estate transactions, but also complex legal disputes involving the terms of a commercial lease that must be resolved through litigation. Regardless of the scope of services you require, we will work hard to give you what every business needs to succeed: certainty.
Sometimes, business owners need straightforward legal advice: They have identified the property they intend to purchase or lease (or are selling or leasing a commercial property) and need a lawyer to represent them during negotiations and the execution of the necessary legal documents. We provide step-by-step counsel during sale, purchase and lease transactions.
We also regularly work with business clients who have more comprehensive needs. We counsel business owners who need to identify what their long-term business goals are, and how those goals impact their short- and medium-term real estate needs. With our unmatched understanding of the regional business climate, we can help our clients match their needs with the appropriate commercial properties.
To speak with attorney Joseph McDonald about your commercial real estate needs, contact our firm now. Email us or call our Stroudsburg office at 570-664-7125, toll free 800-646-9739.


text:
DIANA CONTRERAS
Diana Contreras (b. Peru, 1981) has established herself as an influential Miami artist. From painting murals in the Urban Art scene to exhibiting canvas pieces in galleries, her work has been seen in exhibitions and private collections in several parts of the world.
Contreras's primary medium is oil, and also enjoys experimenting with anything she can get her hands on. From canvas, walls, stickers to shoes, her work embodies femininity and always sets her characters in whimsical portraitures. Her distinct style emerges from her love of classical techniques infused with her passion for illustrations and street murals.
Contreras received her B.S. in Art Education and a Post-Graduate of Art in Education from Florida International University. She also studied abroad in Florence, Italy where she focused on Art History. Additionally, Contreras was enrolled at the Art Students League of New York in New York City.


People in Taiwan are turning into meatheads and are falling for this "Barbecue Goddess".
On Tuesday, a video of a woman serving eager customers at a barbecue shop near Taiwan's Alishan Highway turned into a social media sensation.
Fans of the beauty quickly identified her as 36-year-old Ruo Yan, who has worked as an artist and model, reports Shanghaiist.
When she's not at her day job, Yan sometimes returns home to help her family out at the BBQ joint.
Now Yan is turning into a tourist attraction at her family business.
People have flooded her Facebook page with messages of support, hailing her as their "Barbecue Goddess".
"You are so beautiful!" one commenter wrote.
She's not the only gorgeous food worker heating up Taiwan.
In December, Liu Pengpeng, a 26-year-old model from Changhua County, was called the country's "most beautiful fishmonger".
Her title came after a Facebook user visited her shop and took a photo of her handling produce.


text:
Q: How can I add results from textView in android studio? Here is my code :
if(radioButton_correct1e.isChecked()) {
     score++;
     scoreText.setText(Integer.toString(score));
}

the result is then shown in textView. This is the same for activity A & B . So how can i add results for both activities and show in activity C?

A: Intent intent = new Intent(ActivityAB.this, ActivityC.class);
intent.putExtra("score",score);
startActivity(intent);

And to get it in ActivityC in onCreate.
Intent intent = getIntent();
int score = intent.getIntExtra("score",0);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Patient Medical History Form Stock Photo: organization clipart medical paperwork! This Family Medical History Form allows the patient to record, Medical Benefits Claim Form Stock Photo: New Patient Medical History Form, Medical Consent Form, Emergency Contact and Medical Information Form Images! Student Information Form Freebie! Individual data sheet. Organization Illustrations and Clipart.


Where a review, mediation or appeal is underway any tax or interest charged to you, or penalties imposed on you, remains due and payable to us as normal.
You may make an application to us for the postponement of payment of any such tax, penalties or interest due in relation to LBTT. No application will be considered for postponement of tax, penalties or interest due in relation to SLfT.
We will assess the application upon receiving it but will only grant postponement if we consider there to be exceptional circumstances in relation to your application which justify postponement. We can grant the application in whole or in part, and subject to conditions that we consider appropriate to impose.
A decision by us as to whether or not to grant the application is a reviewable or appealable decision (see RSTP6002).


text:
Theatre Archives » Theatre Archives »
All Our Theatre Events
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Doctor Who) stars as Jacob Marley in his own 'Irresistibly theatrical' (★★★★★ The Telegraph)...
Tim Minchin BACK
After selling out his international tour in record-breaking time and receiving rave audience reviews, multi-award-winning musician, comedian, writer...
RSC: Richard III
Young Richard of Gloucester uses the chaos of the Wars of the Roses to begin his unscrupulous climb...
Anything Goes: The Multi Tony Award-Winning Musical
"Don't miss Anything Goes, 'the show of the year' (★★★★★ The Telegraph) and a 'fizzing tonic for our...
The Rocky Horror Show Live
★★★★★ The Telegraph 'STILL THE SEXIEST & FUNNIEST SHOW IN TOWN' Evening Standard Ready to thrill you with...
Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company | Romeo and Juliet
The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's modern and passionate staging of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, returns to...
Following its critically acclaimed opening in London in 2020, Sonia Friedman Productions' stunning 5-star production Uncle Vanya, a...
Kinky Boots – The Musical
Inspired by true events, this huge-hearted hit, filmed live at the Adelphi Theatre in London, tells the story...
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert
Seen by over 120 million people worldwide, LES MISÉRABLES is undisputedly one of the world's most popular musicals....
42nd Street – The Musical
42nd Street, the legendary Broadway musical theatre classic, is a 'glorious' (★★★★★Express) and 'utterly moreish extravaganza of glitz'...
Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale
Due to phenomenal demand, The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare's timeless tragicomedy of obsession and redemption, returns to cinemas this...
RSC Live From Stratford-Upon-Avon: Hamlet
Hamlet has the world at his feet. Young, wealthy and living a hedonistic life studying abroad. Then word...


This Liqueur Shiraz was made in the traditional method from Shiraz grapes grown on the Audrey Wilkinson property. A small parcel of Shiraz, which had 4 baume of residual sugar left, was separated from the larger Shiraz ferment. It was then fortified with 7 year old Brandy spirit to achieve 19% alcohol and transferred to old fortified barrels to mature for 11 months. The wine was then carefully blended, lightly fined and bottled.
The 2014 vintage is already regarded as one of the Hunter Valley's great vintages. With ideal warm and very dry summer conditions, we had the luxury of determining exact picking times which allowed tannin and flavour profiles to fully mature. The 2014 white and red wines will be highly sought after gems, enjoy!
Deep magenta red colour with vibrant purple hues.
A lifted nose of dark cherry and plum fruits with rich chocolate and warm spirit notes.
The palate has intense blackberry and ripe cherry fruits, with smooth integration of spirit to give this wine a long, warming finish.


It's been 20 weeks since the renovation began and now is when the house starts to come together very, very quickly (for real though, I know I've said that before). Floors are in and oh so beautiful; install starts Monday. The light fixtures may all be too close to the ceiling and have the wrong bulbs, but their hanging. Kitchen cabinets, sinks, and faucets patiently await their friend countertop. Painting is still in progress, we have just a few accent walls to go.
Today we order the last of the things we need. I'm not sure if I made this clear, and I'm really not being sarcastic because maybe it was obvious, but we (Joe with my help) ordered almost everything ourselves. From the specific tile, light fixtures, faucets for all bathrooms and kitchen, to the actual kitchen, vanities, sinks, doors, door handles, etc. The last 5 months have been nothing but constant scrolling, shopping and ordering on Build, Houzz, Amazon, Wayfair, a couple specialty places and local vendors. To say the least, it's time-consuming and a lot but we both love it.
I have to give credit where credit is due: Joe did most of the work and did so freaking amazing. I mostly take part in the styling, and the finished look, but he had to pretty much make sure we were rebuilding this entire home, from the studs, correctly. Let's just say, he killed it.
We did work with an amazing contractor as well that obviously did the physical renovation work. They also ordered the big "things" after we shopped and selected which ones. It all depends on your contract but for us, it was windows, the hardwoods, and the paint. They also facilitated finding the electrical, plumbing, HVAC subcontractors that would put Joe's designs into place. I've explained in this post how we are able to cut some costs and really control the layout of everything from lighting to the sound system due to Joe's knowledge and capabilities as an engineer.
There's one thing missing from these photos: the fireplace. I've shown some sneak peaks, but, it's such a dynamic part now that we've dramatically altered its appearance, I'm thinking I'm going to keep further updates under wraps. But stayed tuned, it's coming!
Subscribe for SO MANY renovation updates coming almost daily!!
Okay, phew that was a lot of info but I hope you all enjoy it!?! Anything about the renovation seems to be the fan favorite around here. I do appreciate all of you supporting the blog as a whole. It's been such a great creative outlet for me and it's where I'll be announcing some new ventures I'm currently preparing for in the coming weeks. If you don't want to miss a post subscribe. I send updates!
Anyways, back to this mini-series that I hope HGTV would be proud of. I'm going to get into way more detail about specific fixtures, and why I choose certain finishes as everything starts to get a little cleaner. As you can tell by the pictures it's still very much a construction zone aka chaos. So, for now, you can see the major changes in a large-scale view of the renovation through these pictures.
Drop questions, and opinions in the comments. DON'T BE SHY! I would love to know what you guys think! Plus, I really want my blog to be more engaging so I'd really appreciate the love. It's such a better place than Instagram for discussion and viewing everything!


Do you understand — Why people are shifting to Integrating a ChatBot to their company websites or perhaps on many popular social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Slack?
As there are many benefits associated with Incorporating a Chatbot with your blog or business website. The reason is really straightforward!
Today, chatbots are designed to reply or Interact from basic queries to more complex or complex queries!
Collect chat is your best, cheap, cheap And interactive online chatbot founder that someone should incorporate in their website.
Collect.chat Service has created more than 8k+ customers which are getting 3x conversions using a proactive chat or 0% individual participation.
Make Your enterprise run and make money even if your sales agents or service staff is from support or unavailable on vacations!
You Can also opt for any Free Collect.chat Templates type the library when you don't have any time to set up one.
Whether Its a smiley rating system, to choose a value, select or book a date from the calendar, pick an option, pick value range and a lot more. .
Collect.chat pricing programs match for any size Businesses! Little, Medium-sized or Large Small Business profiles. The service enables you to pay monthly or annual with no credit cardrequirement and supplies a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Matters you get in this plan include — Endless bots, 500 responses per month, 90 days of Data storage, Responses & Insights, Logical leap, and Zapier & API integration.
You can add the chatbot designed to Collect Chat by embedding It to Your own website, utilize it like a widget or share the automatic chatbot link with people, emails or doc.
To ask name of your visitor, select "Text Query". You can request your visitor's name or any info that you seek.
Experiment with all the areas given in the Script section. Since you can add Personalize you chat conversation by using factors, use conditional logic, request ratings, discuss your social profiles and links etc..
Software specialists Recently recognized and given our chatbot builder instrument for its capacities and functionality. Collect.Chat went through a review by trusted B2B directory FinancesOnline.com and emerged with a score of 8.0 in addition to a perfect 100% user satisfaction rating. Reviewers observed how Collect.Chat assists users produce chatbots for websites as options to sales representatives and static web forms in participating visitors.
Reviewers gave their approving nods and conferred on Collect.Chat that the 2017 Rising Star Award and Great User Experience Award from FinancesOnline for greatest live chat applications. These badges of differentiation are awarded to deserving products that have gained strong customer following on the basis of strong features and complete efficacy.
A big thank you for FinancesOnline for your honors! Astonishingly, the recognition didn't stop there. Because of the awards and positive review and rating, our application was pushed to the upper levels of the directory's ranks. Collect.Chat is currently among FinancesOnline's recommendation within their what is CRM software guide, joining the group of finest products in this program category.
Really, from a practical Perspective and based on Performance standards, Collect.Chat is top notch. Users save time and money since they don't have to hire coders for creating chat widgets that are easily deployable to sites as a copy-paste code snippet, as a WordPress plugin, or simply by mailing it to the programmer. When the chatbot is set up, Collect.Chat provides details via powerful visualizations through the user friendly dashboard.
That is it! Hope this Collect.Chat review gave You an entire image of what's Collect.Chat, its benefits, how it works and whether you should attempt it or maybe not?


I came to Fairfield, IA in 1980 to be part of a TM (Transcendental Meditation) community and both of us have grown a lot since then. I rediscovered early artistic and dance passions one by one after first putting meditation ahead of everything. The outer life took second priority until later on. Our community, a coexistence of a small Farm town with an international university and a a Vedic City – has become more integrated and much more culturally rich and diverse. I came for the inner life but I found I was an artist and dancer as much as a seeker of God.
I perform and teach Kathak and bollywood and in those forms I find both virtuosity and freedom of equal value. Bollywood is so playful and eclectic, speaking to the dancer who always wanted to dance all styles. The Kathak language is the basis of my dance, but now i enjoy a more improvisational exploration. I love bringing dance to non dancers for exercise and bliss. I do work during the day (on and off) as a book indexer and it's wonderful to work at home so I can get up and dance, cook, teach a class or work on an art collage here and there.
The goal of my arts is to seduce the Divine into seducing me. I believe it is through diving inside and also feeding the senses with ornate beauty that we discover a kind of sacred sensuality. The spectrum of energy is inclusive and to be developed and embraced, not cut off. My real wish is that through dance and art, I express Divine Femininity and help bring beauty into the world.
I always danced but for myself, until 1989 when I began studying Kathak: the storytelling classical dance of North India. I always loved dress-up, so the Indian dance costumes are inseparable from dance for me. Color fuels and feeds me and makes me reverent. Another lifelong obsession is clothes and fashion. I never could throw on something and head out. It had to match and it had to be "me." I painted and made art in the sort of shadow of my brother who is a painter in Sacramento, California. But all these things are alive in me today and nourish me to the degree I can feast on them.


The current owners have lived in this beautiful home for approximately 37 years and have extended and improved it substantially during this time. The spacious accommodation includes and entrance hall with cloakroom off, stunning kitchen/dining room which leads onto a large conservatory. There are two further reception rooms which completes the ground floor. On the first floor, there are five double bedrooms, family bathroom and two en-suites. Externally there is a long driveway providing ample off road parking leading to a garage and delightfully private rear garden.


Degraded Damsels: Superhero Contest Submissions!!!!
In the immortal words of Navin R. Johnson (heavily paraphrased): "The new (captions are) here! The new (captions are) here!"
Greetings everybody! Meant to get this posted yesterday, but had to deal with a farming emergency instead that took up my whole day. On the plus side, the delay gave time for a few people to finish their caps and send them in, which was a fun reward to see in my inbox when I finally got back home.
Now, when I started this contest last week, I said I really hoped to get 10 contributors submitting captions, and I didn't get that.... I got 14 contributors instead!!! Wonderful turnout, everyone!
In fact, I've had so many captions sent to me this past week, I'm having trouble keeping track of them all. I'm going to post all of them below, after the break. But if you sent me a caption, and don't see it here, please let me know immediately!
And... that's it folks! A wonderful collection of humiliated superheroines and former villains.
I'm having a terrible time deciding who won this contest, so I'm going to let you all peruse these and comment on your own favorites while I make up my mind. Let the captioneers know what you think of their work, please.
As I've had well over 10 contributors, I'm going to post at least 5 superheroine captions (I've posted one already, in the last post), though I might do more since I had so many participants this week. And once I've picked a winner (or more likely, winners) I'll make some prize captions as well.
P.S.S Oh, and I keep meaning to mention this, but keep forgetting and getting busy with other things. Please check out Chrystal Wynd's site, he's still working on updating it all, but he's got lots of great stuff to check out, with links to his free stories. He's one of my favorite mind-control/bimbofication authors, and huge inspiration behind my Ro-Sham-Bimbo stories.
Super captions, Sorry i did not post my efforts did not seem to go anywhere. Dam it i well never make a good super villain.
q's 4th caption is priceless; I love the disappointment of the bank manager, and the amusement of the crooks Great dialogue all around, and the story fits perfectly with the image. Major props to Dame Maree for their involved series, too. My favorite is probably the 6th image, if only for the fun lisping action, but its all very well-written.
*edit*I should add that there are tons more that I enjoyed too and that people did a great job, but I was just trying to pick out my absolute favorites.
Thanks, the Power Gurl one was a lot of fun and felt too perfect to pass up.
I loved Dame Maree's 'Hard Candy' series. One humiliation after another for poor Candice right up to the finale. The bio at the end was just excellent (future lesbian trophy wife!).
The story that gave me the biggest personal joy was Namazuros's 2-part "Speed Demon" submission, but on the other hand it's really incredible that Dame Maree came up with such a coherent tale that spanned so many of the contest photos, even before taking the short time frame into account.
I think out of the list, I liked the Black Widow ones most for using known characters. The Wonder Woman cosplayer ideas were interesting. I always like embarrassing body changes like Doctor Psycho for Black Canary, and the suit idea by Dame Maree hits on the body control and hints of intellect and skill getting wasted while she's stuck like that.
I think I would've done a couple more captions if there was more time for the contest. The purple goo is good for a Spider-Man setting, and the picture of the two women bound in some machine could've made for a Power Girl and Batgirl one.
Doctor Psycho's Black Widow is awesome and not too long.


Tony Millard is the new athletic director at Centennial. His job consists of overseeing the facilities, athletic teams and many staff members at Centennial. Previously he worked in Macon as a history teacher and athletic director. He has also been a baseball and basketball coach.
Millard is mainly a Tar Heels fan, especially enjoying their baseball and basketball teams. He also roots for the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, Atlanta Braves, and Denver Broncos. He can't watch as many games as he used to, because he now enjoys spending family time with his wife and daughter.
So far I have really enjoyed working with the coaching staff and getting to know some of the athletes. I hope to have the opportunity to continue to get to know students here at Centennial.
My hobbies have definitely changed. I use to watch every sporting event on TV. However, with the birth of my daughter, I have found that I enjoy just spending time with her and my wife when I am away from school.
I love pizza, especially from Lucca's Grill in Bloomington.
I wear a lot of Nike and Polo items.
I love the climate in San Diego so that would be great, other than taking my daughter too far from the rest of the family.
If I were given a million dollars for the day, I would invest it in a way that I would continue to benefit from it after the day was over.


text:
International Diplomats Agree on Libyan National Unity Deal at Rome Summit
Egyptian Streets
Diplomats from the Arab League, the African Union, the United Nations and 17 nations agreed with Libyan representatives Sunday on a deal that will ensure a cease-fire between rival political factions and establish a national unity government.
The deal was reached after several hours of discussion and deliberation at the international conference, held in the Italian capital city of Rome.
"We stand ready to support the implementation of the political agreement and underline our firm commitment to providing the Government of National Accord with full political backing and technical, economic, security and counter-terrorism assistance, as requested," the statement reads.
The plan, brokered by the United Nations, hopes to see a new Libyan government established within 40 days and a presidency council and cabinet formed by February of next year.
As the situation in Syria and Iraq continues to worsen and international action has thus far failed to destroy terrorist group ISIS, diplomats turned their attention to Libya to avoid a similar scenario occurring in the north African country. Previous attempts to find a solution upon which all of Libya's rival factions would agree have come up short.
"We refuse to stand by and watch a vacuum filled by terrorists, because all of us are unwilling to help people who want their freedom, want their independence, want their country back," said US Secretary of State John Kerry at a press conference following Sunday's summit.
Libya has been caught up in unprecedented violence since mid-2014, when army general Khalifa Haftar declared war on Islamist forces within Libya, prompting nationwide militant fighting.
Libyan capital Tripoli has fallen under the control of the Fajr Libya or Libya Dawn Islamist militia in August 2014. Meanwhile, Egypt and the international community only recognize authorities based in the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk.
The Libya crisis has affected several Egyptians, who have been caught up in fighting between different Libyan factions.
In February, Egypt's air force conducted air strikes which it says hit militant targets, after the beheading of 20 Egyptians inside Libya at the hands of militants believed to belong to a Libyan division of the Islamic State fighters.
ISIS has expanded swiftly in Iraq and Syria, where it now controls swathes of land, including Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Its reach has also spread to Libya, where it and its affiliate groups have carried out several attacks.
Earlier this year, ISIS fighters executed 21 Egyptian Christians and 30 Ethiopian Christians and released video footage of both acts.
On Saturday, reports surfaced that the terrorist group has captured the Libyan town of Sibratha, which is located 50 miles away from the capital city of Tripoli and listed as a UNESCO heritage site.
Egypt is Losing EGP 2 Billion a Month in Tourism Revenue Because of Terrorism, Russian Plane Crash
Egypt Secures $75 Million World Bank Loan for Health Sector
Related ItemsdiplomacyegyptiraqISISItalylibyalibya crisismiddle-eastnewsSyriaTerrorism
Egyptian Streets @egyptianstreets


Harmony Club is a Custom luxury homes community consisting of a golf course, fitness center, and walking & biking paths. The builders are: Hartford, Sopris, Province, Schroetlin for a Price Range between: $500,000-$785,000 and Square Footage: 4000-5000.
Serratoga Falls will be a Community of 83 Luxurious Walk out or Garden Level Homes, all backing to open space, all designed for views. You will enjoy two parks, a hiking trail and landscaped open space.
This master-planned community is surrounded by acres of open space and trails, has plans for a community clubhouse and swimming pool. The builder is DR Horton for a price range between $300,000 – $375,000 and square footage between 3000-4500.
Timnath Ranch is about connections. Being connected to your neighborhood, to your family, to the land around you, to something exceptional. Only a few builders have been invited. There are a pool and a club house with a fitness center at the very lakefront estate, single-family home, or patio homecore of the Neighborhood. And you will enjoy spectacular views. The Builders are: Aspen Homes, Sage Homes, KEM Homes, Stonefield, Walz, Baessler for a Price Range between: $265,000-$529,000 and Square Footage between: 3000- 4500.
Bethke Elementary, Preston Junior High, Fossil Ridge High School.
Nestled along the eastern shores of Timnath Reservoir in a spectacular setting, WildWing offers listings of new homes and lots for sale in Fort Collins. This new home neighborhood embodies the spirit of Northern Colorado. Whether you choose a lake front lot ,a single Family Home, or Patio Home, the expansive views of the reservoir and the Rocky Mountains create a stunning place to call home. The large lots –two third of an acre lots to an acre lots – trails, parks, and greenbelts allow for full enjoyment of the abundant wildlife and surrounding natural beauty. WildWing provides the perfect escape into the Northern Colorado outdoors, yet is situated only minutes from nearby cities and towns. WildWing is located just east of Fort Collins and convenient to Windsor, Loveland, Greeley, and I-25.The builders are: Baessler, Sage, Hartford, Aspen for a Price Range between: $430,000-$580,000 and Square Footage between: 3600 – 5200.


Home - East Tennessee Dental Associates - Alan Pinkard, D.D.S.East Tennessee Dental Associates – Alan Pinkard, D.D.S.
Alan Pinkard, D.D.S, and his staff operate out of a modern "state of the art" facility that is staffed with a friendly and professional team dedicated to providing a higher level of customer service for our patients by making them feel cared for, comfortable and at home. We use modern equipment and the latest dental materials and sterilization techniques to provide a level of dental care that is a "cut above the rest". We strive to deliver a higher level of customer satisfaction and value. We are full service dental facility and we enjoy treating the family as a whole. Most of our patients have been our patients for years. It is our honor to watch your children grow and to be able to participate in their overall health and well being. Please feel free to call us at anytime with any questions. Our staff is extremely knowledgable and care about the people in their community. This practice has been built on repeat, happy customers and we look forward to meeting you.
Dr. Roy A. Pinkard, DDS has been voted as one of the Top Maryville Dentistry practices.


text:
The Most Innovative Companies Thrive When People Disrupt Themselves
Lisa Kay Solomon
While the popular phrase "disrupt yourself before someone else disrupts you" is often meant for organizations, Whitney Johnson believes that people should be in the practice of disrupting themselves, too. After spending nearly a decade as an institutional investor ranked equity analyst on Wall Street, Whitney co-founded the Disruption Innovation Fund with Harvard Business School's Clayton Christensen and created proprietary frameworks and practices that help executives understand how to unlock disruption.
Recognized as one of the 50 leading business thinkers in the world (Thinkers50), Whitney is the author of Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work and Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream.
I recently caught up with Whitney about her latest book Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve, which explores the strategies leaders can use to build adaptive, high-performing teams and flexible organizations.
Lisa Kay Solomon: In the world of innovation, companies often talk about disruption from new technologies and competitive business models. What does it mean at the personal level?
Whitney Johnson: We all recognize that we are living in an era of extremely rapid change. New technology is certainly a huge part of that; something that is freshly innovative today can make the lifespan journey from "cutting edge" to "obsolete" in a pretty short timeframe. Businesses have to be nimble to adapt to changing market demands.
What we sometimes forget is that all this change originates in the minds of human beings. Disruption isn't just happening to us; we are the force behind it. If individuals aren't being creative and working disruptively, businesses and technologies aren't going to change and disrupt either.
People are the starting point for new ideas, and we are innately wired for change. That aspect of our humanness has to be acknowledged and nurtured in the workplace. We need to be disrupting ourselves—shaking things up professionally—every few years or we, too, can become obsolete. We will be overtaken by more agile and ambitious people—disrupt or be disrupted, just like the latest technology.
LKS: In a world of accelerating change, how should leaders be thinking about talent development, both for themselves and for their teams?
WJ: Surveys and studies abound that convince me that even more than keeping an eye on profit/loss statements and quarterly reports, leaders need to be concerned about employee engagement. High engagement drives productivity and profitability in turn; disengagement leads to decline. People, not businesses, are the basic unit of innovation and disruption; human brains are the instruments of creation. They like to be learning, thinking, engaging in problem-solving and challenge. Without a strategy for talent development, including our own, it is a matter of chance whether we will be creative enough to compete.
Leaders need to foster work environments that provide learning opportunities and new challenging roles internally. There's a tendency to want to keep productive employees in place, but in most cases people will get bored. Most don't stay happy doing the same things again and again, no matter how capable they are.
Valuable employees leak away to other companies when they no longer find satisfaction and growth in the work they do. Train and have open conversations about next career steps for all talented employees. Reward leaders who focus on talent development and act on the reality that sacrifice of short-term comfort leads to long-term gain.
LKS: We typically think about "S-curves" for technology. How does that concept apply to individual and team development?
WJ: The S-curve is a model that was originally devised to help provide predictability to an unpredictable process—how rapidly a new idea or innovation will penetrate and then permeate a market or culture. People are also unpredictable, and it's impossible to describe or predict the process of human change with any kind of scientific formula. But the S-curve can help us model this process. We talk about learning curves for people; the S-curve is a visualization of a learning curve.
At the low end of the S-curve we think "entry level." There's a lot to learn, and a relatively high level of discomfort while we get a handle on the new job. In time, we gain competency and shift into a higher gear that propels us up the steep back of the curve.
Eventually we've mastered pretty much everything associated with the job, and the curve flattens out. Learning has diminished and so has challenge. We're coasting across a plateau, in danger of boredom, complacency, and stagnation. If there isn't an opportunity for employees at this stage to jump to a new curve, starting again at the low end of high learning, they will usually leave, or you will wish they would.
Everyone is on a curve. The key to building an A-Team is to balance the curves occupied by members of any given team and give attention to developing each individual on their particular curve, while planning for what will come next.
LKS: You advocate that leaders hire for high potential rather than maximum qualifications. Can you share more about this idea?
WJ: This seems counterintuitive and is certainly counter to the way most leaders are hiring. In fact, it's more common to inflate the qualification required for a position and then hire the candidate who most closely fills those exaggerated requirements. But it's a mistake that contributes to the revolving door of employees leaving for other opportunities almost as soon as they've been hired and trained.
Every S-curve has a shelf life. When we hire the most qualified candidate in the pool of applicants we are often shortening that shelf life. We should be hiring high-potential people who nevertheless have plenty to learn in the role we're hiring them for. They will be more engaged and productive for a longer period of time. The highly qualified candidate will more quickly exhaust the potential of the learning curve and be looking around for something else to do.
Optimally, employees will ride a learning curve for three or four years. But a large percentage of the workforce is looking for a new job within a half year. It's a costly waste of the investment we make in recruiting, hiring, and training. Human resources are resources like the others we invest in. They should be developed, not come ready-made.
Image Credit: popovartem / Shutterstock.com
Lisa Kay Solomon is a well-known thought leader in design innovation with a focus on helping leaders learn how to be more creative, flexible and resilient in the face of constant change. Lisa is the Chair of Transformational Practices and Leadership at Singularity University a global community of smart, passionate, action-oriented leaders who want to use exponential technologies to positively...
Follow Lisa:
Why Big Organizations Need to Hack Their Cultures to Become More Innovative
Wood Gets a Makeover to Provide Energy-Free Air Conditioning
How Big Companies Can Simultaneously Run and Reinvent Their Businesses


With deep knowledge of the real estate business we can fashion a campaign that will get you in front of buyers, sellers, investors and landlords.
Whether Zillow, Trulia, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, we can guide you through the new media.
With 20 years of experience we know our way around new and tradtional media.
We know that preserving your reputation at all times is crucial.
Copyright © 2018 Web Counsel, LLC - All Rights Reserved.