One of the prettiest seasons is on it's way and it just happens to be one of my favorite times to decorate. Spring has a way of making everything feel so fresh and new. I feel as though life has made it's way into our home again and it has me wishing I could throw open the windows and take in all the pretty blooms. It's still a bit chilly here in Georgia but there's not a shortage on flowers. A lot of the trees and shrubs have started to bloom and it's glorious! I'm sharing my simple and classic spring mantel with you guys today and I'm so excited to be sharing along side some of my favorite people in blog land. I hope you'll be as inspired as I am!
Last year I went through a decluttering rampage. I kept only what I loved and my home has been so much happier for it. You can read a few of my tips here. With that clean and simple mindset I kept the mantel clutter free and easy. I added some pretty prints that I felt really incorporated the season. You can find each print here and here.
This little bird floats around our house. I think he's such a cutie and gold steals my heart everything. For now I've got fresh flowers on each side of the mantel. As summer approaches I'll swap the flowers out for some simple greenery. You could use faux flowers or faux greenery instead if you prefer.
I'm really dying to share my whole family room with you but you'll have to join me back here next week for the full tour. I'm loving the fresh, light colors that I've put in the space. I'm completely energized for spring. Do you decorate your mantel for spring? It can be simple or fancy, decorating for the new season is always such a joy to me. Tomorrow I'll be sharing spring touches in my kitchen. Be sure to meet me right back here. Good luck with your spring decorating and I hope you'll hop over to the next blog and be inspired!
your spring mantel is so pretty. it is calming, and perfect for ushering in the start of spring.
Thanks Laura! It's been so peaceful in the mornings. The sun streams through the windows and I just enjoy the quiet before the little one gets up.
Gorgeous and lucky you to have flowers already blooming. I'm bracing myself for snow tomorrow!
You know that I'm a romantic at heart, so your decorating really speaks to me Amanda!
Oh that means the world to me Janet. So glad you could stop by, friend!
Hi Amanda! This is my first time visiting your blog and I love your style! It's so fresh and inviting! You're so lucky to already have some trees in bloom. We have another month or so for that to happen up north, I think. Happy Spring!
Amanda, your spring mantel is so beautiful! It is calming and looks ready for spring. Your dark mantel is absolutely gorgeous too!
Absolutely gorgeous, Amanda! I love the clean simplicity of it; the beautiful frames stand out so perfectly against your gorgeous fireplace. Thank you for being part of this hop!!


text:
/*
  Write a program that prompts the user to enter two points (x1, y1) and
  (x2, y2) and displays the distance between them.
*/

import java.util.Scanner;

public class E2_15 {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
    System.out.print("Enter x1 and y1: ");
    double x1 = input.nextDouble();
    double y1 = input.nextDouble();
    System.out.print("Enter x2 and y2: ");
    double x2 = input.nextDouble();
    double y2 = input.nextDouble();

    double distance = distance(x1, y1, x2, y2);

    System.out.println("The distance between the two points is " + distance);
  }

  private static double distance(double x1, double y1, double x2, double y2) {
    return Math.sqrt(Math.pow(x2 - x1, 2) + Math.pow(y2 - y1, 2));
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Kara Hamilton's work is gorgeous and curious, graceful and ambitious, immersive and singular. In her recent exhibition Wane Awareless & Lifted at Toronto's G Gallery, Hamilton treated the long rectangular space as though it were a life-size diorama for her objects to be displayed and performed. Each piece seemed to exist in order to highlight its unique ability to emphasize the space around it. My visit reminded me that a gallery's architecture should be soft, but only as malleable as the objects within it are convincing.
First in line were eighteen small objects installed on a black background, some sitting on custom-made shelves, others mounted directly to the wall. Prototypes for Stolen Artifacts was a staunch reminder of the sheer, unapologetic confidence that must be present for art to be considered autonomous. Each piece was delightfully odd and devotedly tactile, constructed out of varying combinations of marble, brass and glass. Much like the show as a whole, these works seemed to exist primarily for their own sake, reading not as statements but as question marks, and whispering clues that nodded towards their status as components in the fabric of time. I found myself holding the mystery of what makes something beautiful at the forefront of my mind.
Acting as a semi-permeable divider between the front and back of the gallery, and feeling much like an adornment made for the body of the space, was Screen / Organ—a series of polished copper pipes hanging from the ceiling, each one uniformly bent to form elongated u-shapes of varying lengths and widths. This drooping, dripping display of organic piping had the feel of stalactites in the roof of a cave, or the dangling insides of a mythical beast, or a massive ceremonial neck piece. This was the body extended into architectural space.
Certainly the oddest, but also the most endearing piece in the show was Tonka, a baby bear-sized uneven mound of fur standing on four leg-like stumps with one pinched end facing the wall. The design-like quality of its display matched that of the aesthetically polished but disturbingly dismembered objects in the adjacent work, Heart, Lung, Butterfly. I was reminded of things made dead through preservation, rituals and traditions; objects, or even entire species, removed from their context in order to be frozen as spectacle for the present. Notably, several of Hamilton's raw materials were prefaced by the words "stolen" and "pilfered." By rejecting the found object as passive, the relationship between museum and artifact was transformed into that of prison and prisoner.
Wane Awareless & Lifted delivered and encouraged material scrutiny, a critical eye, and stunning juxtapositions between the grotesque and the polished. It allowed for the pure pleasure of pondering how objects behave in space, by eliminating the hierarchy between the raw and the precious.


text:
The Sillerman Center designs, coordinates and hosts a variety of events, both here at the Heller School and beyond. Our events range from lectures and panel discussions that feature practitioners of social justice philanthropy to convenings of social justice practitioners and philanthropists to smaller briefings where grantmakers learn from subject-matter experts, from community-based leaders and from each other. We also co-sponsor and collaborate on events organized and hosted by nonprofit organizations and grantmakers across the country. If you are seeking co-sponsorship for a philanthropy-related event, please write to Stacey Campbell, Sillerman Center Department Coordinator.
University Based Philanthropy Centers Gathering
The Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice
320 East 43rd Street, New York City
On August 16, 2019, we partnered with United Philanthropy Forum to host a gathering of 15 university-based philanthropy serving organizations from across the United States. We learned about each other's ongoing and future work and identified areas for collaboration as we explored the most pressing challenges facing philanthropy today.
Fun and Frustration of Nonprofit Work with Vu Le
On April 9, 2019, the Sillerman Center hosted nonprofit leader, social justice trainer, social critic and writer, Vu Le, who delivers pointed, courageous observations of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors — with a sense of humor. In his talk at Heller, Vu explored tensions between the two sectors and offered insights about how funders and nonprofits can build respectful, powerful relationships in service of social justice. Vu's talk was followed by a discussion facilitated by Alex McCray, Senior Director of Programs at Philanthropy Massachusetts.
Additional information on Vu Le's nonprofit Rainier Valley Corps, his blog NonprofitAF, and his recent book Unicorns Unite.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The new Vauxhall Combo panel van has been revealed for the UK market is actually a Fiat Doblo and comes as a result of a new partnership forged between GM Europe and Fiat Group. It will also be sold in the US under Chrysler's Ram brand name. The van will be sold in two wheelbases, two heights, two gross vehicle weights (2,000kg and 2,300kg) two trim levels and with four engine choices. The engine range for the Vauxhall version includes a 1.3-liter CDTi and a 1.6-liter CDTi, both offering 90 hp. The higher output version of the 1.6L has 105 hp and the range-topper is a 2.0-liter CDTi with 135 hp. The 1.6 CDTi will be offered with a six-speed manual or a Tecshift automated manual, while the 1.3 CDTi only comes with a five-speed manual. Prices will start at £14,703 (about USD23,600), with standard equipment coming in the form of emote central door locking, full-steel bulkhead, trip computer, electric power steering, driver's airbag, ABS with EBD, CD/radio and a 12 volt power outlet in the dashboard.


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Bandwidth is a rate of data transfer, generally a metric of how much data can be sent in a given time period that is mandated by the stress and traffic caused on a server.
For DaCast, this refers to the amount of traffic caused from streaming (higher audience and higher bitrate translate into more bandwidth being consumed).
If you are unfamiliar with bandwidth and streaming, please use the calculator of our pricing page.


The vision of a family may seem impossible for those families separated due to homelessness and/or foster care. Many social, economic, and personal factors can lead to families becoming homeless. Substance abuse, domestic violence, untreated mental health are some of the factors that lead to unsafe family situations and result in children needing to come into foster care. When homelessness is coupled with safety concerns for children the result can be that the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) must remove the children from the family in order to keep them safe. While reuniting the family is our goal, it can be especially difficult when there is no home the child can return to.
For the past two years DCFS has partnered with FrontLine Service and Enterprise Community Partners to pilot an innovative collaboration aimed at stabilizing and reuniting homeless parents with their children in a safe and timely manner.
The program, called Partnering for Family Success focuses on providing a more coordinated system of care in order to reduce the amount of time the children of homeless mothers spend in foster care, by helping the parents reunite more quickly with their children or allowing the child to enter a permanent placement.
DCFS and FrontLine Service work together with the parents and children, providing counseling, mental health and addiction services, parenting guidance, and many other community services to deal with the causes of the family's crisis. Most importantly the program offers housing through Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority and other housing agencies. After all how can parents deal with any of those hard issues when they don't even know where they'll sleep at night?
The Partnering for Family Success program is innovative not only because of this holistic approach to the family, but also because of its funding model. Cuyahoga County is the first county in the United States to implement a Pay For Success model.
Here's how it works: private and philanthropic investors provide up-front funding to the county to operate a social program that can ultimately save money. Traditionally, philanthropic grants are paid out in order to effect social change but there is no expectation of the funders getting their money back. Pay For Success programs treat the funding like an investment. Knowing that the county can save millions of dollars by reducing the amount of days children are in foster care, the county has agreed to pay the funders back based on specific outcomes. The funders receive a return on their investment, the county spends less of our tax payer's money and families are reunited sooner. It's a win-win-win and the potential is game-changing; allowing funders to recoup outlays and create even more sustainable, ongoing funding. Several private and philanthropic organizations are funding this five-year pilot program; The Reivestment Fund, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation and Sisters of Charity.. Case Western Reserve University is evaluating and tracking the results of the program. At the end of five years they will evaluate whether the program was successful in reducing the number of days children spend in foster care.
While the overall success of the program is yet to be determined, we're already seeing the value of the collaborative work with families. In order to keep families together after reunification, FrontLine Services remains engaged with them for several months afterward. This after care service is critical to ensure that parents have the support they need to put into place the skills they learned while their children were in foster care. The therapy provided after reunification for children and the parents is an important component of the program because it helps the family build trust and learn new ways of functioning.
Another profound lesson? The shift in our thinking about homelessness. In the past government and non-profit programs operated on the idea that homeless people had to be "ready" for housing; sober enough, mentally healthy enough, employed enough, etc. But in recent years this has changed. Safe, stable housing is essential to the success of families – it should come first. It impacts their safety, health, education, employment and much more. Imagine trying to keep your child safe, fed, in school and on the right track while living in your car or bouncing from one friend's couch to another.
This new approach to serving Cuyahoga County Families requires collaborative partners to ask critical questions about outcomes that make a difference in families' lives, use data to measure performance, and use feedback to drive improvements in practice. We're only two years into the program and Partnering for Family Success is already paying dividends.
For more information about the program, contact Karen Anderson.


text:
ITZY Makes Their Long-Awaited Debut With "DALLA DALLA"
ITZY makes their debut!
Bringing back a blast from the past and releasing their debut music video at midnight KST, ITZY has officially marked their debut with their first single "DALLA DALLA". While their recognized debut date will be February 12, 2019 with the release of their first album, the group is starting things early with the release of their music video.
Prior to the release of their music video, one of their teasers for their debut showcased how the group plans to be different and be themselves, no matter what other people think of them.
ITZY Speaks Up For Their Meaningful Debut Message In New Teaser
Their music video certainly proves their message, as their lyrics show off how they don't care about what other people think. With lyrics like "I love myself", "I don't care what others think", and "I'm just the way I am", they set out to prove their message to the world, that you are perfect the way you are.
Watch the music video below!
EXO Chanyeol's Visuals Were So Intense At ISAC Netizens Were Convinced He Was Shooting A Movie
TXT's Hueningkai Goes Viral For His Animated Reaction To Taehyun's Magic Trick
They probably didn't think this would be the reason they go viral.
Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon Reportedly Purchased a $5 Million Building in Hannam-Dong
The queen of real estate has been keeping busy.
GOT7 Now Have An Entire Galaxy Named After Them Thanks To Ahgase
Ahgase wanted to do something special for GOT7's 6th anniversary:


A while back I wrote a post about losing confidence at the tables during a large tourney and how that had affected my playing. In order to overcome that feeling, I have played in three Sit N Go's with at least 27 people. I was able to win fourth place in one while not making the payouts in the other two. I felt a little more comfortable as a result.
The idea was to just play a hand at a time at a table and not worry about what was happening around me at other tables. Just doing so has helped my concentration. I even entered a tourney that had over 734 players and while I finished 262nd, I found that my playing ability was passable. Did I make a few judgment errors? Yes. Was I bluffed out of some pots that I might have won had I not folded? Yes. Did I win a few pots by bluffing? Yes!
It is important to make sure that you feel confident about yourself and believe in yourself before entering a tourney. Yes, there is some luck and you cannot avoid a streak of catching bad cards or playing good cards badly if you act unwisely. But, if your overall play is sound, you will, in the long run, accomplish your goals.
How do you get ready for a large tourney? What helps you to maintain your confidence? Are you satisfied with your results?
Last night I played in a Pot Limit Omaha High/Low Poker tourney being hosted by the Cowboy's Poker League played on FullTiltPoker. Scott (twitter name is ffcowboy76) and Jeremy (twitter name is IBGPN) are the hosts and contact persons. Tweet or follow them on their exploits as well as follow their league twitter name – @CowboyPoker. Only one game remains to be played in the regular season league play so check out their schedule here.
The basic difference between Pot Limit and No Limit is that your largest bet is limited to the size of the pot after a round of betting. Pot Limit betting makes it harder to get a player to fold a drawing hand as the player is getting good odds to call raises.
Additionally, Omaha Pot Limit is considered to be a flopping game, meaning that most of the decisions should be made after seeing the flop and after you see what your chances are of having the best high hand and the best low hand.
I folded the first eight hands I played either pre-flop or right after the flop.
On the ninth hand of the evening I was dealt Jc 2s Ac Qc, which is a good but not great starting hand. This is the type of hand that can make a high straight or the nut high flush (highest flush hand possible) and also a low hand using the A 2 as part of the low. I had what is called many outs or many ways that I could win the hand. I had eight outs for the flush draw. I had 16 outs for the high straight draw, and I had 12 outs for the best low draw.
The flop was Ks Th 2d and based on the flop I had a good chance of making the high straight draw but not the flush or the low hand. Based on that flop I should have folded. But I bet about 30% of my chips trying to drive out the other players. Instead of folding, one of the other players raised all-in. Both myself and another player called the all-in. The turn card was a 7c, no help. The river card was a 5d, also no help. Even with all of the possible draws I had available, I lost both the high and the low hands and was down to 285 in chips. Because my hand post flop had no chance of winning low, my best course of action was to fold instead of raising. Pot Limit Omaha is not forgiving of errors made in post flop play.
My last and final hand was hand #16. I was dealt 2d Ks As Ah and with only 225 in chips I went all in. Again I had cards that could win both the high and the low if the flop, turn, and river helped my hand. Because I was short stacked, low on chips, this was my best hand to go all-in with.
The flop was 3d 9s 3c, giving me two pair with the Aces I held and a chance for the low, if both the turn and the river were low as well, but not paired. The turn was an Ad giving me the best full house possible. I remembered thinking that there was no possible way a higher full house would beat this hand. The river card was a 7s. For a moment, it looked like I would double up by winning the high hand, until my opponent turned over his cards, 2h 3h Ac 3s, showing that he had made four of a kind or quads with the 3's which beat my full house.
Have you ever played a hand in Pot Limit Omaha High/Low that you thought had the lock on the high side only to be surprised? Do you always try to enter a pot cheaply pre-flop and then make your decisions on what action to take after the flop? Do you avoid playing hands that cannot make both the high hand and the low hand as well?
Confidence is a necessary part of a poker player's tool kit and the lack of confidence can be devastating. I have been wanting to play in a large payout tourney for some time now. I have had some success at smaller MTT's, multi-table tourneys, and wanted to take a crack at a larger tourney. The tourneys that I have won at recently have had 45 people or less and the one that I was considering playing in was the Sunday PokerStars Tourneys.
These tourneys are run every Sunday and there are at least three major No Limit Hold 'Em tourneys with guaranteed payouts of $1,000,000, $750,000, $250,000. Of course you don't get to win the whole amount, just a percentage, anywhere from 6 to 25 percent of the top prize goes to the first place finisher. The percentages vary with the number of players registered for the game. Details are on the PokerStars web site. Most of these tourneys have more than 10,000 players registered on them.
The tourney I decided that I wanted to play in was the "Sunday 1/4 Million" played at 3:30 pm EST. I had won my entry fee of $11.00 through a satellite that cost 210 Frequent Player Points which I had accumulated as the result of playing in cash games and other Sit N Go tourneys. Prior to registering for this event, I noticed that the number of players enrolled had reached over 22,000. This started to cause me some concern. I have played in about a dozen of these larger tourneys before and have done poorly in them. I was concerned about what my approach would be to out lasting over 22,000 players.
This was when I developed a lack of confidence in myself. I was torn between playing in this tourney or another one that had only 1,500 registered players. In the end, I decided to go with my original plan and play in the Sunday 1/4 Million Tourney. My lack of confidence in my ability enabled me to play very badly, making poor playing decisions on the table I was assigned and within 22 minutes I was out of the tourney. I finished in 24,093rd place out of 27,540 other players. Only the top 4,500 players won prizes. Below are the top five finishers.
My lack of confidence came at a bad time for me, but had I read my son's blog, I might have changed my approach to the game. On that very same day, Chris Brogan wrote a blog entitled "Confidence and The Next Move" that contained many great ideas that would have motivated me to play up to my ability. In my next attempt at a large, my plan will be to play it hand by hand, table by table as I have in the past.
Have you every played in a tourney or game and felt a lack of confidence in your ability to play at that table or tourney? How did you go about turning this around? What helps you to build up your confidence?
Last Friday afternoon, the following twitter message was sent by @mcmac51: "anyone up for an off-cycle #tpt tonight? #tp t4:55 PM Apr 24th" and an unscheduled Twitter Poker Tour event got started.
@mcmac51 contacted @tracyjsnell @cprpoker and then got over 21 people together at 9 pm on a Friday night for what was called the "#tpt Exhibition Match", the first of its kind for the "Twitter Poker Tour".
This shows just one example of the power of Twitter to help people with similar interests get together. I am sure there are many other examples that could be found.
Have you ever used Twitter to gather a group of like minded people for an event? What was the purpose of your event? What was the response you received? Did you find that Twitter was the tool for you?
This year the Twitter Poker Tour has added a European Event tagged in Twitter as the #TPTE. It has its own time zone and prizes different than the original #TPT tourney.
I played in "Event 2 of the #TPTE" on FullTiltPoker yesterday. Because the event was created to favor the Europeans, the start time was 2 pm Eastern Daylight Time or 7 CEST time – Central European Summer Time. I was looking forward to playing in this event because of the time zone and due to the fact that I would not have to stay up late to play. Usually the #TPT, which is played starting at 9 pm, does not finish until about midnight which is really too late for me.
Because the event in Europe is new, there are not a lot of players competing yet. Yesterday saw only eight entrants so play was confined to one table. The standard game of Texas No Limit Hold 'Em was played. Even though there were only eight players, the opponents were good players. A few have played against each other more than once and knew what to expect. Altogether, the game lasted about 1 1/2 hours and about 156 hands were played.
The following is the summary of the tourney with only the first three finishers being paid a prize.
Congratulations to all who played and to those that won. Please be sure to spread the word about the #TPTE, Twitter Poker Tour – Europe, and join the fun.
Does your strategy change when you play on one table versus multiple tables? Does your results differ between the types of game, (single table versus multiple)? Are you able to make it to the final table and be paid off for your efforts?
Changing up my game – time.
I have enjoyed playing in the Twitter Poker Tour tourneys the last few months and I have had some success playing in them. I enjoy playing Texas Hold 'Em in its many forms including Limit and No Limit.
The only drawback about the tourney for me has been the time of day that the tourney is held. For the last several years my work day habits were such that I was up in the morning by 4:30 – 4:45 am and off to work by 6:00 am. At the end of the day I would retire by 10:00 at the latest. Even now, when I am no longer working, I tend to keep the same hours. So I was greatly pleased to hear that I could continue to play the Twitter Poker Tour, but at the European tourney time.
I am going to greatly miss the gang at the #TPT, but I am looking forward to playing at the #TPTE during hours that favor my life style. As they say, 'shuffle up and deal"!
Do you find you play better during certain hours? Are you able to stay up later than usual with no effect to your game or your health? Are you a morning or an evening person?
As I mentioned in previous posts, I have won a one month training subscription to DeucesCracked.com which includes the unlimited use of their videos and reading materials. I have been watching training videos about how to improve my game of Texas Limit Hold "Em poker.
Episode three was about the importance of the blinds, the forced bets that players are required to make in Hold 'Em. Typically the small blind bets 1/2 of a small bet and the big blind bets one small bet prior to being dealt cards. In a .50/1.00 table, the small bet is .50 cents and the large bet is 1.00. The small bet is used in pre-flop and after the flop betting. The limit is raised to the large bet size of $1.00 for bets made on the turn and the river.
As a poker player, who is in either the small blind or big blind, it is important to defend or protect your blinds from being stolen by an aggressive opponent. You defend the blinds by one of two actions; either by calling the raise or by re-raising the raiser.
The big blind: You should be able to call the bet because you are getting good odds to do so. If your cards are good enough, a raise for value might just win the pot without even seeing the flop if your opponent folds his hand.
The small blind is a little trickier. If there has been a raise before the betting gets to the small blind, defending the blind will depend on how many small bets need to be made and how good the hand is. If there has not been any raises when action gets to the small blind, it is ok to complete the bet by putting in the remaining 1/2 of the small bet as the small blind is getting at least 2 to 1 odds to call and maybe more if other players limped into the pot by just calling one small bet and not raising. What to do after the flop depends on whether the flop helped or improved your hand.
As the small blind and big blind are forced to bet, their cards can be considered to consist of a random hand. It is a goal of the professional poker player to try and get those blinds away from the players by either betting with a strong hand or by trying to bluff them into folding their hands. Many times a raise will cause both the small blind and the big blind to fold, giving you their blinds equal to 1 1/2 bets if you make a raise to two small bets. You only have to win 2 out of three times to show a profit. If you are re-raised you can make your decision as to what to do next based on how good your cards are.
Do you defend your blinds? Do you try to steal your opponents blinds or do you just play good hands?


text:
Lourdes, a university student, is grateful to Bernard, the town drunk, when he comes to her aid in an uncomfortable situation. But when she offers to buy him a hot meal, she ends up getting involved in far more than she bargained for.
Director: Peter Szewczyk
Actors: Armin, Krystian Mucha, Lech Dyblik, Marcin Protasiewicz, Mateusz Mirek, Milla Karkkainen, Naomi Scott, Nick Moran, Ola Wozniak, Olga Wozniak, Zuita Zajacowna
Keywords:Our Lady of Lourdes
Hello, It's Me
Two years after her husband dies in a sudden accident, Annie and her two children are left to cope with the loss. Annie can't imagine falling in love again, until…
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance, TV Movie
Event planner Rachel lands her biggest job yet – Dollywood's 30th Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration, where she's teamed with operations director Luke to plan an event as glamorous as Dolly…
Genre: Drama, Family, Romance, TV Movie
In the 1940s, a Japanese merchant leaves his wife behind in order to travel to Manchuria, where he witnesses an act of barbarism.
Zona hostil
The crew of a medical helicopter suffers an accident when helping a joint force of USA and United Nations troops under Spanish command division in Afghanistan. The Spanish army has…
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Diamonds are stolen only to be sold again in the international market. James Bond infiltrates a smuggling mission to find out who's guilty. The mission takes him to Las Vegas…
The Transporter
Former Special Forces officer, Frank Martin will deliver anything to anyone for the right price, and his no-questions-asked policy puts him in high demand. But when he realizes his latest…
Flight of the Living Dead
On a flight from Los Angeles to Paris, a mad scientist on the run from the CIA is transporting a coffin containing the body of a colleague infected with a…
The Greening of Whitney Brown
Whitney, a spoiled pre-teen from Philadelphia, is forced to move to the country when her parents feel the squeeze of economic hard times. A fish out of water, far from…
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
In Peter Hyams's adaptation of the famous Alexander Dumas story The Three Musketeers, the young D'Artagnan seeks to join the legendary musketeer brigade and avenge his father's death – but…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance
Immediately Afterlife
Bennett and Marissa are the sole survivors of the final suicidal act of their religious cult. Confused, relieved, angry and unfulfilled, the two followers each question one another's motives for…
Filling the giant screen with stunning time-lapse vistas of Antarctica, and detailing year-round life at McMurdo and Scott Base, Anthony Powell's documentary is a potent hymn to the icy continent…
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Documentary, Drama
Chasing Evel: The Robbie Knievel Story
Robbie Knievel, 52 and the owner of 20 world records and 350 jumps worldwide, life is uncovered through his personal pursuit of sobriety and the need of continuing his father's…
Genre: Biography, Documentary, Sport


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Between tours, Mike Guido, "The World's Fastest Clown" created the first community based go-kart driving/racing school for the Police Athletic League (PAL). Continuing his efforts to have a positive impact on the youth, Guido designed the course to be a complete prevention and education program. Funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, the KART (Kids Advancing through Racing Technology) program has become the number one prevention program in the four county district.
The six-week (Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons) program is a hands-on educational/vocational course in the racing kart/automotive field. Racing safety and performance driving techniques are taught in the classroom and then applied and practiced on the race track. The students drive/race 7 hp PAL Equalizer Champ Karts that offer the safety of a full cage, 5-point racing harness, and arm restraints. A relay race format is used with mandatory timed pit stops allowing each of the five member team to participate in each race; this format also creates the necessity for team-work and strategies. Each team is responsible for the maintenance of their kart before, during, and after each event. While this course uses go-karts and racing as the tools to educate the youth, all of the lessons and techniques are related directly to safe car control and automotive maintenance for daily street driving. The course is open to area youths ages 11-17, from the beginner that wants to learn, to the area racers that want to learn more.
In addition to the go-karting element of the course, students will participate in a community service project to encourage community involvement and ownership. The project could vary from beach cleanups to fundraisers. While the course will keep the students busy for the six weeks, a PAL manager will also meet with the youth and their family to see if one of the other PAL programs could be beneficial to them.
Future plans for the KART school is to expand to other PALs throughout the southeastern United States and create a racing series named the PAL Racing Alliance. Guido has created a complete turn-key driving/racing program that can be duplicated for the other PALs. "When it comes to expanding, my goal was to create a complete package that would include everything from the classroom test and handbook to the pylons, helmets, and go-karts that will be, and remain, equal for all of the PALs. The plan to keep all of the karts identical is to make a driver verses driver race, not to see which PAL has the most money for the best equipment. I think we're there!" states Guido.
For more information on the KART school, contact Mike Guido at mike@worldsfastestclown.com.


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Author: Save LA Cougars ( .)
Home / Save LA Cougars
By now you're no doubt familiar with the life story of P-22, the Hollywood mountain lion who's made a home for himself in Griffith Park. After being born somewhere in the Santa Monica Mountains, the young prince – his father was P-1, the first king of the Santa Monicas – spent his earliest years learning...
June 21, 2018June 21, 2018by Save LA Cougars
Four new mountain lion kittens have been found by researchers studying the wild cats living in Southern California's Santa Monica Mountains, wildlife officials announced in video posts Tuesday showing the blue-eyed babies meowing and one feisty one hissing and even taking a swipe at the person filming her. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
Naturalist finds lions in LA city parks
As a kid, Beth Pratt-Bergstrom watched nature shows like "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" and tasted the salt spray off Cape Cod with her father at the helm of their skiff. So when she came to California to fulfill her dream as a naturalist, she went straight to Yosemite National Park to see bears. And to the...
June 1, 2018June 21, 2018by Save LA Cougars
LA Times: To build a bridge for mountain lions, wildlife activists need $60 million
by Louis Sahagun of the LA Times As 101 Freeway traffic streaked past, a dozen conservationists and fundraisers gathered this week just west of Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills, their eyes alternating between maps they carried and the contours of a canyon where mountain lions hunt and breed. But it wasn't the big cats...
December 22, 2017January 11, 2018by Save LA Cougars
KCET | Shooting L.A.'s Mountain Lions Won't Protect Livestock. Being More Responsible Will.
Photo Credit: National Park Service [Editor's note: This commentary is prompted by a rancher's move to kill one of the Santa Monica Mountains' beleaguered mountain lions after one or more of those lions killed ten alpacas and a goat. As we published this piece, the owner of the unfortunate livestock was reportedly negotiating an alternative,...
October 12, 2017December 22, 2017by Save LA Cougars
New Scientist | LA's Endangered Pumas to be Saved by a $60m Bridge Over Highway
Photo Credit: National Park Service Hollywood would be hard-pressed to conjure up such a misunderstood beast. There are about a dozen pumas (Puma concolor) living in the Santa Monica mountain range, which bisects Los Angeles. These big cats are stuck on an island of habitat, trapped on all sides by freeways on which hundreds of...
June 21, 2017December 22, 2017by Save LA Cougars
The Wall Street Journal | Wildlife Crossings Get a Whole New Look
Photo Credit: Jeff Burrell – Wildlife Conservation Society Why did the black bear cross the road? Actually, it didn't—because it didn't have to. A motion-activated camera shows that the bear in question took an overpass—essentially a large, camouflaged arch—that gracefully carves over U.S. Highway 93 in Montana, just north of the town of Evaro at the...
The New Yorker | Lions of Los Angeles
Photo Credit: National Park Service It was drizzling and gray, late fall, on the old Rickards Movie Ranch, high in the Santa Monica Mountains, in rural, red-state western Malibu. Bleached skulls were tacked to the outside wall of a stage-set saloon; rusting wagon wheels leaned at angles. A hand-painted sign announced a "Public Hanging, 5PM."...
February 20, 2017December 22, 2017by Save LA Cougars
P-22 Makes His Movie Debut!
The Cat That Changed America, directed and produced by Tony Lee, is making its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival! The film tells the story of P-22–and the quest to build the wildlife crossing at Liberty Canyon–and has a cast that includes many #SaveLACougars team members! Showtimes, followed by a Q&A, are as...
January 29, 2017December 22, 2017by Save LA Cougars
DW | LA Lions to Roam Over Freeway
Photo Credit: National Park Service Planning has started on the largest wildlife crossing in the world. The privately-funded bridge would allow the endangered Santa Monica mountain lion and other species to dodge safely the insanity of LA traffic. The Ventura Freeway, known to locals as the 101, is a relentlessly busy east-west road that carries...


When power is on, at the output is receiving 12V and it continues until end of set time 1. Then polarity is reversing until end of set time 2. After that polarity is reversed again and so on. This will be repeating until cut off the power.


At the time when Ahmadinejad was welcomed by some Lebanese who have benefitted from Iran's handouts, these human tragedies took place in Iran.
- The 10 year prison sentence for Hamed Rouhinejad, the Iranian student who suffers from MS, has been extended by a further year. Ahmadinejad's sadistic torturers have sent Hamed to a remote prison and banned his family from visiting him despite the long journey they made to see their son. Hamed has been denied his medication. Hamed's father said "My son is dying, he is now 50% paralysed and is unable to perform his daily routines by himself. How is he a threat to national security?" Hamed's father has had three strokes since his son was arrested.
- Iranian imprisoned human rights lawyer, Mohammad Olyayi Fard, who is in prison for defending his client, is feared to have leukemia.
- Iranian imprisoned human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoodeh, who defended her colleague, Olyayi Fard amongst others, is still in prison without being charged and on 18th day of her hunger strike.
- Iranian IT genius, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, sentenced to 15 years prison is also on hunger strike and his family are not allowed to visit him.
- Four Mourning Mothers, mothers of those martyred in the protests last year, have been arrested, charged with contacts with Zahra Rahnavard.
- Iranian teacher, Abdolreza Ghanbari is facing execution for having taken part in the Ashura protests.
- Families of political prisoners like Parvin Tajik, Elaheh Mojaradi, Akram Neghabi and her daughter have been arrested for no other reason than being related to the prisoners or talking to the media about the plight of their loved ones.
and the list goes on. It seems one solution that will make both Iranians and Lebanese happy is for Ahmadinejad to stay in Lebanon.
Look as tragic as the regime's crimes are, why don't you pay attention to a possibility that is far worse? What happens if the Islamic Republic gets nukes and then decides that martyrdom is such a wonderful thing for themselves and for the citizenry of their nation that they exchange nukes with Israel? What happens then? What would you think if such a scenario came to pass? Perhaps you should do an article about it!
The so-called "crimes" of the Iranian "regime" are nothing compared to the murderous policies of the US government and its Zionist attack dog in the region.
More Iranians have been killed by US-sponsored terrorism - PJAK, Jundallah etc - in the past year than during the 8-month sedition.


Featuring: Craft Vendors; Indian, Thai and Mexican food; henna; face painting; free arts & crafts; fun games and activities, inflatable obstacle courses and Roaming Railroad. Free admission.
Enjoy exciting performances by multiple ethnic groups, including Indian, Chinese, Ugandan, Vietnamese, Italian, Jewish, and even some Flamenco dance! Celebrate India's colorful and vibrant culture by joining the Indo-American Youth Group volunteers to paint Indian folk murals welcoming Spring to Newton. If you are a sari-wearer or have been gifted one by a relative, come share your wearing style and audio record the story of your sari at the "Journeys with your Saris" booth. Join in with the Bollywood-inspired Zumba dancing for some great exercise and fun. Everyone can take part in the Indian folk-art mural painting, and try out some Chinese calligraphy and Tai-chi.


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Albireo Granted Orphan Drug Designation by FDA For Lead Product Candidate A4250 for Treatment of Biliary Atresia
Expands A4250 development potential in rare cholestatic liver diseases
Biliary atresia is among the most common rare pediatric liver diseases and is the most common pediatric liver disease for which transplants are done
BOSTON, Jan. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Albireo Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALBO), a clinical-stage orphan pediatric liver disease company developing novel bile acid modulators, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to lead product candidate A4250, an ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor, for the treatment of biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver disease with no approved pharmacologic treatment option.
A4250 now holds orphan drug designations from both the FDA and EMA for the treatment of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), Alagille syndrome, biliary atresia and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). The FDA grants orphan drug designation to novel drugs that seek to treat a rare disease or condition, and provides 7 years of market exclusivity for the product upon regulatory approval.
"We are excited to receive orphan drug designation from the FDA for A4250 for the treatment of biliary atresia," said Ron Cooper, President and Chief Executive Officer of Albireo. "Building on our recent orphan designation in biliary atresia in the EU, and fast track designation in PFIC and orphan drug designation in Alagille syndrome in the U.S., this recognition continues to reinforce the widespread need to treat rare cholestatic liver diseases and the potential of A4250. We plan to expand the development of A4250 in rare cholestatic liver diseases this year."
Albireo estimates that biliary atresia is one of the most common rare pediatric liver diseases, affecting between 4.5 and 8.5 in every 100,000 children born worldwide. Biliary atresia is a disease of the liver and bile ducts with symptoms developing about 2-8 weeks after birth. Damaged or absent bile ducts result in bile and bile acids being trapped inside the liver, quickly resulting in damage and scarring of the liver cells (cirrhosis), and even liver failure. With about 80 percent of biliary atresia patients (with or without Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy) needing a liver transplant within the first two decades after birth, biliary atresia is the most common pediatric liver disease for which transplants are done.
About A4250
A4250 is a first-in-class product candidate being developed to treat rare pediatric cholestatic liver diseases and is in Phase 3 development in its initial target indication, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC). A highly potent and selective inhibitor of the ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT), A4250 has minimal systemic exposure and acts locally in the small intestine.
The PFIC A4250 program or elements of it have received fast track, rare pediatric disease and orphan drug designations in the United States. In addition, the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to A4250 for the treatment of Alagille syndrome, biliary atresia and primary biliary cholangitis. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted A4250 orphan designation, as well as access to the PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) scheme for the treatment of PFIC. Its Paediatric Committee has agreed to Albireo's A4250 Pediatric Investigation Plan for PFIC. EMA also has granted orphan designation to A4250 for the treatment of Alagille syndrome, biliary atresia and primary biliary cholangitis. A4250 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical program in patients with PFIC, subtype 1 or 2 (NCT03566238).
About Albireo
Albireo Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused through its operating subsidiary on the development of novel bile acid modulators to treat orphan pediatric liver diseases, and other liver and gastrointestinal diseases and disorders. Albireo's lead product candidate, A4250, is being developed to treat rare pediatric cholestatic liver diseases and is in Phase 3 development in its initial target indication, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. Albireo's clinical pipeline also includes two Phase 2 product candidates. Albireo's elobixibat, approved in Japan for the treatment of chronic constipation, is the first ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor approved anywhere in the world. Albireo was spun out from AstraZeneca in 2008.
Albireo Pharma is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and its key operating subsidiary is located in Gothenburg, Sweden. For more information on Albireo, please visit www.albireopharma.com.
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements, other than statements of historical fact, regarding, among other things: the plans for, or progress, scope, cost, duration or results or timing for availability of results of, development of A4250, including regarding the Phase 3 clinical program for A4250 in patients with PFIC; the target indication(s) for development, the size, design, population, location, conduct, objective, duration or endpoints of any clinical trial, or the timing for initiation or completion of or reporting of results from any clinical trial, including the double-blind Phase 3 PFIC trial for A4250; the size of the PFIC population, the Alagille population, the biliary atresia population or any other disease population for indications that may be targeted by Albireo; the potential benefits or competitive position of A4250; the potential benefits of any regulatory designation, including rare pediatric disease designation, orphan drug designation, orphan designation or fast track designation; Albireo often uses words such as "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "expects," "projects," "future," "intends," "may," "will," "should," "could," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "planned," "continue," "guidance," and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or experience may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement as a result of various risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, but not limited to: whether favorable findings from clinical trials of A4250 to date, including findings in indications other than PFIC, will be predictive of results from the trials comprising the Phase 3 PFIC program or any other clinical trials of A4250; whether either or both of the FDA and EMA will determine that the primary endpoint for their respective evaluations and treatment duration of the double-blind Phase 3 trial in patients with PFIC are sufficient, even if the primary endpoint is met with statistical significance, to support approval of A4250 in the United States or the European Union, to treat PFIC, a symptom of PFIC, a specific PFIC subtype(s) or otherwise; the outcome and interpretation by regulatory authorities of the ongoing third-party study pooling and analyzing of long-term PFIC patient data; the timing for initiation or completion of, or for availability of data from, clinical trials of A4250, including the trials comprising the Phase 3 PFIC program, and the outcomes of such trials; Albireo's ability to obtain coverage, pricing or reimbursement for approved products in the United States or European Union; delays or other challenges in the recruitment of patients for, or the conduct of, the double-blind Phase 3 trial; and Albireo's critical accounting policies. These and other risks and uncertainties that Albireo faces are described in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in Albireo's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or in subsequent filings that it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of risks and uncertainties that Albireo faces, the results or events indicated by any forward-looking statement may not occur. Albireo cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. In addition, any forward-looking statement in this press release represents Albireo's views only as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Albireo disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable law.
Hans Vitzthum
LifeSci Advisors, LLC.
handerson@6degreespr.com
Source: Albireo Pharma, Inc.
Albireo Granted Orphan Designation by European Commission For Lead Product Candidate A4250 for Treatment of Biliary Atresia
Albireo Granted Orphan Drug Designation For Lead Product Candidate A4250 for Treatment of Alagille Syndrome
FDA Grants Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to A4250; Albireo Eligible to Apply for Priority Review Voucher
Albireo Reports Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results
Albireo Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for A4250


the working of os fast or slow?
AnonD-242118, 01 Jun 2014Just got Nokia XL and Moto G, 1st i used to hate Nokia Xl bt when i used it, its was so Awsum!... moreDoes it suport whatsapp any will i get bore usng ths phn?or i shd go for lumia 630?
Zac, 01 Jun 2014Man, i have always seen these OTG posts, but i cant remember the fullform or the meaning. I th... moreOh, now i remember. It is the USB On The Go feature. I dont think XL supports it..
muru, 01 Jun 2014hey guys it supports OTG????Man, i have always seen these OTG posts, but i cant remember the fullform or the meaning. I think i know but cant remember. Plz.. Tell me.
hey guys it supports OTG????
I think its a very nice and low budget phone! and I'm going to get it soon.
please someone test them and reply me with the results.
note: you can install play store by rooting the phone.
please someone using xl please tell whether it has graphic equalizer in music player or not. please someone. thanks.
riyaz, 01 Jun 2014worst dual core processor guys it should have high speed quad core processorhi, mates in future Microsof Nokia is world ruler on mobile products,i am saying very seriously, because we have lot of futures in windows phone, like,,security, charging, design, screen clarity Video, Image quality,,ext,,,so i suggest u people if u want to buy a new mobile,,lets turn to buy windows phone..
Its a very BAD phone. please dnt buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what type of video supports?
AnonD-267433, 01 Jun 2014guys i m confused btwn nokia xl and lumia 625 or lumia 720 which one i shud go 4 don't be in confusion go for 720.


Why Should You Apply for the Franz Edelman Award?
The Franz Edelman Award recognizes and rewards outstanding example of operations research, management science, and advanced analytics.
Everyone loves to win, especially when it's at something you love. Think of a recent project that you have completed; think of the impact; think of the money, time, or lives saved. Shouldn't you share that with the world? The Edelman Competition showcases the six best advanced analytics and operations research projects of the year— this could be your year to win!
The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) used operations research (O.R.) to design and launch its energy and ancillary services markets. Through these markets, O.R. allowed MISO to improve reliability and to increase efficiencies in the use of power plants and transmission grid assets resulting in billions of dollars saved.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the world's largest national public health government organization. The CDC works 24/7 to save lives and protect people from health threats. As a spearheading partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the CDC annually contributes over $100 million of its budget and significant human resources to polio eradication activities for which it maintains high standards for developing evidence-based policies and expectations of cost-effective use of its resources.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is the largest police department in the United States, with a uniformed force of 36,000 officers. The NYPD protects a city of 8.5 million residents, 56 million annual tourists, and many iconic sites, such as Times Square, from terrorism and crime. The Domain Awareness System (DAS) allows the NYPD to use its data to inform officer decision making with analytics and operations research.
Protection against flooding is a vital issue in the Netherlands because 55% of the country is susceptible to flood risk. Each year the Dutch government spends roughly €1 billion on protection by dikes and dunes. In total, there are 3,500 kilometers of primary dikes in the Netherlands. The Dutch Delta Programme Commissioner won the 2013 Edelman Award with their work, "Economically Efficient Standards to Protect the Netherlands Against Flooding."
"Fast fashion" is a term often associated with Zara, a Spanish clothing manufacturer and retailer, which has rapidly sped up the process of designing and delivering fashionable clothes throughout the world.
Elderly care systems in the Western world are facing increased costs as the elderly constitute are a growing percentage of the total population. The Swedish system is publicly financed with the cost to taxpayers adding to €8.8 billion ($13 billion) in 2005. Stockholm's public policy aims to make it possible for the elderly to keep living in their own homes while cutting costs to taxpayers. As the elderly care sector is labor intensive, good staff planning is necessary.
When it comes to commuting in Holland, travel by rail affects an enormous number of Dutch citizens. Netherlands Railways (NS) operates passenger trains on all the principal lines in the Netherlands, transporting approximately 1.1 million passengers daily. In this way, NS plays a very important role in the mobility of the Netherlands.
Providing adequate food for the world's population is humanity's toughest challenge. An environmentally sustainable solution is to improve crop output through plant breeding. However, with current breeding methodologies the rate of increase in crop production is not sufficient to meet today's food needs. Syngenta is changing that by applying operations research (O.R.) methods to make better breeding decisions that reduce the time and cost required to develop crops with higher productivity. This data-based transformation is making a quantifiable contribution to Syngenta's commitment to meeting the world's growing food needs in an economically and environmentally sustainable way.
The UPS On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION) is revolutionizing the pickup and delivery (P&D) operations at UPS. More than 10 years in the making, ORION has become a critical component of UPS Small Package Operations. In its current phase, every morning ORION provides UPS drivers with an optimized sequence in which the (pre)assigned packages are delivered. As of December 2015, ORION is being used by more than 35,000 of 55,000 U.S. drivers. At full deployment in 2016, 55,000 UPS drivers will be relying upon ORION to serve an average of 160 customers per day.
The Chilean Professional Soccer Association (ANFP) has applied Operations Research (O.R.) techniques over the past 11 years to schedule its soccer leagues in Chile. Using integer programming, ANFP has decided where and how matches are played in each competitive round, taking into account various operational and other factors that include cost-management and an effort to create excitement through more competitive tournaments for fans. ANFP has scheduled 50 tournaments using operations research.
This is your passion. You've worked hard, and you have made an impact. We want to hear your story.
Whether you are a consultant or a department within a larger company, becoming an Edelman finalist shows that your work is validated by INFORMS and its network of highly skilled analytics professionals. The current total impact of Edelman finalist teams is over $257 billion USD – that is an impressive group in which to count yourself.
Analytics and operations research are everywhere– they make the world a better place. You know that. We know that. The world, unfortunately, does not know that. Real-world examples of math in action help with understanding of the impact across every industry.
With the help of your coaches and PR professionals, you will share your story with the world in plain English. Going through the competition gives you the opportunity to hone your elevator pitch about your project to speak with and inspire mainstream media. Cocktail party conversation? Check. No promises about your grandmother.
What is Involved for the Successful Applicant?
Submit a three-page summary of the project, including a 60-word abstract, that describes what you accomplished, in just enough detail to let us judge the appropriateness of your work for the competition.
If selected as a Semi-Finalist on or about November 5, 2018.
A second presentation must be given the day after the Gala as the plenary speakers at the conference, and a reprise of the work at the Annual Meeting in the fall. All Edelman finalists are invited to present their work at the Annual Meeting in Seattle to share the impact of their projects.
Apply by October 17, 2018 for the 2019 Award!
Each September, INFORMS issues a call for entries, and ultimately dozens of organizations from around the world provide a brief summary illustrating a practical operations research (O.R.) or advanced analytics application in which the results had significant, verifiable, and quantifiable impact for the organization.
Applicants are to submit a document containing a three page summary (a maximum of 1500 words) that describes what you accomplished, in just enough detail to let us judge the appropriateness of your work for the competition. Include a cover page with the title, authors' names and affiliations, and a 60-word abstract of the achievement.
The six teams who will compete April 15, 2019 in Austin, Texas will be announced.
Prior to being named finalists, each entry will be carefully reviewed by a team of verifiers, who work with the relevant stakeholders to validate the details of their award entry. The verifiers will thoroughly examine the O.R. work presented in the assigned entry summary, as well as its potential impact, and convey this information to the rest of the selection committee. The verifiers communicate directly with the entrant's O.R. team, the users of the work, and client management. Verification is a crucial step in the competition as it ensures that only the highest-quality O.R. will be represented in the Edelman Award competition. All verifiers follow detailed written guidelines and sample verification reports, to ensure a thorough process that is identical for each award entry.
Each finalist will first prepare a journal-quality paper, with a team of experienced coaches to guide them throughout each step of the process, and help ensure that the paper conveys the significance and monumental impact of the work.
Once the finalist papers are submitted, the judges begin the long review process. Each judge studies the papers independently, and provides input to a group discussion. The finalists are each assigned a focal point judge who conveys valuable feedback from the judging committee to the finalist's coaches. This feedback helps each team identify areas with potential for clarification or improvement prior to the final presentation.
Teams will make sure that all AV requirements have been met before arriving on site.
A 75-minute rehearsal will be held in the same room in which the competition will take place the following day. We strongly recommend a "formal dress rehearsal" run-through of your full presentation during the practice time allotted in Austin. (Note: there should be many run-throughs prior to that time to work out the content, timing, transitions between speakers, and other presentation aspects.) The audiovisual crew will be at the dress rehearsal to familiarize you with the setup and resolve any visual-aid issues. There will be an additional room with a projector and screen with additional practice slots available.
Your team will present their work at the 2019 Analytics Conference in Austin, Texas. The recorded presentation is 40 minutes with 10 minutes of Q & A with the judges that will not be video recorded.
The winning team will reprise their work the following day as a plenary presentation at the conference.
The winning team will also reprise their work in Seattle at the 2019 INFORMS Annual Meeting.
Apply Now for the 2019 Edelman Award!
Want to Convince Your Boss?
Send Them this Page to Get Them Excited Too!


text:
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Easy and quick to apply and is heavy bodied for quick build-up. Excellent flow out to smooth finish with deep, luxurious gloss. Contains UV filters for extended life.
Colour: Clear For use above the waterline.


Some Recipes are from the book "FISH WITHOUT A DOUBT" by Rick Moonen & Roy Finamore, copyright @ 2008. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Char and rainbow trout make great burgers. You can also try bluefish, striped bass, or swordfish.
This sauce is best made ahead of time. Letting it sit in the refrigerator for about 24 hours gives the flavors time to develop.
Heat the broiler. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, coat each side of the naan bread with a thin layer of olive oil. Place on the broiler rack and broil for about 2 minutes, until brown. Turn and broil for another 2 minutes. Wrap in a kitchen towel.
Sharpen your knife and finely dice the salmon. Place the salmon in a medium bowl. Add the bell peppers, scallions, and cream and combine gently with your hands. Season with the Tabasco, salt, and white pepper. Gently fold in 1/4 cup of the beaten egg white. Form into 4 patties.
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and put 1/2 teaspoon of butter next to each burger. Cook for 3 minutes, and then flip until browned. Cook for another 2 minutes or until nicely browned on both sides.
Split the naan bread open. Set each burger on one pita half and top with a slab of tomato, a dollop of tartar sauce, some if the greens and the other naan half.
1.	Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a cast iron roasting pan inside to preheat. Rub the outside of the eggplants with olive oil and place them directly over the open flames of the range to char the skin. in a roasting plan. Place the charred eggplants in the pre heated pan in the oven and roast the eggplant until the interior is tender, 15 minutes. Let cool.
2.	Peel and seed the cooled eggplant, roughly chop the flesh, and then transfer it to the bowl of a food processor.
3.	Into the processor bowl add the tahini, peanut butter, onion, garlic, lemon juice, some salt and pepper to taste, and a few teaspoons of cold water. Process the mixture to a coarse paste, adding a bit more water as needed to allow the mixture to blend. Incorporate the olive and sesame oils.
4.	4. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Using a standing mixer outfitted with a paddle, put the tarama in the mixing bowl. Run the almonds, potatoes and onions through a meat grinder directly into the mixing bowl over the tarama. Place mixer on #2 speed. Little by little, add the grapeseed oil to incorporate. After about half the oil is incorporated dd the lemon juice and blend. Add the remaining oil until the consistency is thick. Fnish by adding the seltzer and running it on high speed for a brief second to lighten up the mixture.
The taramasalata will hold for two weeks.
Serve with black olives on top and fresh Naan bread.
Drain yogurt for 1 hour in a cheesecloth-lined strainer to remove some of its water.
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
In a small bowl sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt over the cucumber. Place salted cucumber in a colander lined with cheesecloth and place colander in the sink or over a bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes while the salt extracts the excess water from the cucumber and the water drains. Squeeze the liquid out of the ucumbers.
Add drained cucumber to yogurt, along with the garlic, lemon juice, mint, dill and pepper…mix well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
Serve chilled with pita or naan bread.


text:
Bruins avenge early season loss to Ozarks
#9 College of the Ozarks
Bellevue (14-7) 43 46 89
#9 College of the Ozarks (11-3) 41 39 80
Pts: Chris Ashanti - 17
Ast: ROBINSON, Carl - 6
Pts: Murray, Ethan - 24
Reb: Frazier, Skyler - 7
Ast: 4 Players (#02, #03, #05, #24) - 4
Chris Ashanti went for 17 points and seven rebounds to pace BU to their first top 10 win of the year
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- Playing their second game in as many nights the Bellevue University men's basketball team exacted some revenge for an earlier loss with an 89-80 win over host College of the Ozarks on Wednesday evening at the McDonald's Cam Jam Classic.
The 21st-ranked Bruins improve to 14-7 with the victory while #9 Ozarks dips to 11-3 with the loss.
The Bruins limited Ozarks' leading scorer Ethan Murray to just seven points in the opening 20 minutes on their way to building a 43-41 halftime lead. Cameron Paschke led the Bobcats with 15 points in the opening period, one of just two Ozarks players to hit on better than 50 percent of their field goal attempts in the first half.
Bellevue shared the ball well in the first half, recording assists on eight of their 16 made field goals. No one player had more than nine points for the Bruins. Chris Ashanti scored nine in the half while Olutola Olushola added seven. Jerred Cook and Eric Quall both chipped in six points.
Bellevue built their halftime lead, despite leading scorer Mike Cardenas playing just three minutes after picking up to early fouls.
The Bruins started the second half strong, scoring a 9-4 run to open the half. Olushola scored a layup on a tough drive to the basket to stretch their lead to 52-45 at the 16:51 mark prompting Ozarks to take a timeout.
Paschke, Ozarks' best performer for much of the night, picked up his fourth foul at the 14 minute mark causing CofO to have to adjust their game plan. Murray, averaging 24.3 points per game on the season, knocked down a trey on the ensuing possession to cut the BU lead to 56-53.
Despite missing Paschke, Ozarks was able to tie the game at 59-59 with 11:08 to play after a layup and a pair of free throws following a technical foul assessed to Bellevue. Less than a minute later, CofO nabbed their first lead of the second half on a three by Murray to go up 62-61.
Murray shot lights out in the second half for Ozarks, scoring 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second period. After Bellevue reclaimed the lead, a trifecta by Murray pulled Ozarks within two at the 7:21 mark but the Bruins came right back and a three by Guzman with 6:17 to play gave the Bruins a seven-point lead.
Paschke re-entered the game at the five minute mark and immediately knocked down a jump shot showing just how much the Bobcats missed his presence.
Joe Young scored on a busted defensive play by Bellevue, drawing a foul on the layup with 1:14 left. He missed the and-one opportunity but Ozarks was within four at 81-77. The Bruins sealed the game in the final minute, hitting on all six of their free throw attempts to secure the victory.
Paschke fouled out at the 2:25 mark but finished the game with 17 points. Canyon Smith and Skyler Frazier joined him and Murray in double figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
Ashanti led the Bruin scoring effort with 17 points. He was joined in double figures by Nicolus Guzman (12), Olushola (11), and Carl Robinson. Robinson followed up yesterday's double-double with 12 points and six assists in the game.
Bellevue won the battle of the boards, finishing with a 31-25 edge on the glass. For the game, BU shot 53.6 percent from the field, including shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the arc. Ozarks hit on 48.3 percent of their field goal attempts and 42.9 percent of their tries from three. The rebounding effort for Bellevue was led by Guzman and Ashanti who each pulled down seven boards while Marquis Aaron added six.
Bellevue is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 9 when they host their first-ever North Star Athletic Association home game. The Bruins (14-7 | 3-1 North Star) tip-off against Presentation College (5-6 | 0-1 North Star) at 5 p.m. at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.


A few months prior to losing my book Australian artist Mark Shorter, under the character Tino La Bamba, was commissioned by Christchurch Gallery, The Physics Room to perform a 72-hour project. This involved digging a hole in an empty 323 Manchester St lot, from the 9th to the 12th of December 2015.
I am now back in Christchurch. On the 6th of August I attended the book launch of Mapping La Mancha, the accompanying publication to Shortner's work. Tino La Bamba illuminated by his screen is called on Skype, supposedly deep underground still digging. He tells us time for him has a different meaning. He feels time the way a rock does.
The book is designed by University of Canterbury Graphic Design student Luke Shaw, Risograph printed at Ilam Press, and bound at McHargs. The 86 page book contains photographs taken by Daegan Wells, introduction text by Melanie Oliver, essay by Nic Low, and a few plan drawings of the hole.
As an object, the book is about the size of a shovel blade. The inside stock is 80gsm Munken Print cream; this paper has noticeable show through. However, this doesn't deter from the book, as it would with text. Rather it leads to a few small moments of overlapping, the ghost of one image on the current page. Shaw in his design of this book experiments with different compositions, perhaps owing to currently being a third year Graphic Design student at the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts. Most images sit alone within a frame on the page, often slotted into the top of the frame leaving the bottom empty. However Shaw continually breaks his frame, pushing the images around the page and even over the border. Editing of the photographs is similarly inconsistent: different sized dot screens, colours (brown, black, red with one out of place three colour spread), framing, and cutting out.
This project doesn't seem like it needs clean graphic design though, and in a way it works with the images and fragmented essay. There is no consistent rhythm to the book; instead it feels disjointed—like a digger throwing up new dirt. Blank pages break the repetition and the different treatment of the photographs seems to be used so the reader can't settle. Like Tino La Bamba, we feel the passing of time in the book in a disrupted, uneasy way. There is even a small piece of the trickery where Shaw had used a cut-out of a bystander from one photo and placed him in the hole. Sometimes the book feels a little too messy but more often than not it pulls it off.
What began as a commitment by one man to digging a hole, became an evocative pursuit that encompassed multiple ideas of desire, journey, tragedy, survival and existence.
Obviously I could not be there for the performance, however Luke Shaw, Daegan Wells, and Melanie Oliver could. My experience of the event is through the book. Text, photography and graphic design contain the performance. The book succeeds in documenting and bringing up the major ideas from the performance beyond just saying what they are. Much of this is due to Low's writing, however its ideas and themes are bounced around inside the book.
Nic Low sets the date for his fictional essay as December 2055 and looks back on the digging. He creates a past where the hole became an extended project, drawing in more people and eventually becoming a large scale engineering project. He creates folklore (fakelore) to again make us aware of the project's context. Low also draws out links between Mapping La Macha and Frank Sargeson's short story The Hole That Jack Dug, in which the character Jack digs a large hole in his yard, as a way of expressing internal conflicts and frustrations. Mark Shorter's hole is similarly a form of expression. And even though we might draw different things from the holes of Mark, Jack, and William in The Nuclear Age, they all relate to the attempt to control one's space and time.
Recently I saw on the news that a message in a bottle was found washed up in the Chatham Islands. It had travelled 21 years from Picton. The artefact inside survived intact enough for the finder to track down the original sender, now 29 years old. Did someone pick up my copy of The Nuclear Age? How will the finder see the book's documentation of nuclear terror? In 21 years where will Mapping La Mancha be? Should I reopen it then I could still glean the context of the work and the history of the action. The book now feels time like a rock, it may erode but the ideas and meaning behind the project will remain.
This full-day workshop explores Design Thinking, a deeply human-centered methodology that taps into abilities we all have but that get overlooked by more 'common' problem-solving methods. This approach allows people (even non-designers) to use creative tools to address a myriad of different problem-solving or innovation challenges.
Join Mark Osborne from Roll and Asheel Bharos from Rightway in an evening seminar looking at the systems behind managing your design business. Mark will talk about transforming your design business with software, moving beyond Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office and the future - where is business software heading? Asheel will focus on the challenges around cash flow and forward thinking around financials - particularly where jobs last several months and the need to track partial payments and WIP. He will also discuss reporting on efficiency and understanding project profitability as well as profit and loss.


text:
Hulu Is a Good Site For Online Shows, But Fare Is Thin
Walter S. Mossberg
Updated March 13, 2008 11:59 pm ET
The major television networks and movie studios, tired of seeing their programming pirated online, have been gradually moving to offer it via legal Web sites and download services.
There are two models for this legal Internet distribution. Some shows and movies can be purchased or rented from services like Apple's iTunes or Amazon's Unbox. You pay a fee for these downloads, which don't have commercials, and you can keep any videos you buy to watch repeatedly even without an Internet connection.
Personal Technology columnist Walt Mossberg says Hulu, the ad-supported YouTube competitor backed by media giants NBC Universal and News Corp, is good, but needs to expand its catalog.


text:
ESA Expansion: Our Political Debates Deserve Better than Headlines and Half-Truths
by Matt Beienburg
Restoring eligibility to families that already belonged to the disadvantaged populations served by Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program is not an expansion—certainly not as opponents of the ESA program mean to convey the word. Suggesting otherwise, while perhaps satisfying and politically expedient, is cynical and misleading.
In the wake of discredited national media narratives over Jussie Smollett and the students of Covington Catholic School in the last month alone (the former now facing felony charges for filing a false police report, and the latter now pursuing legal charges against the Washington Post over its coverage), I would plead with our state's local news outlets to distinguish themselves by holding to a higher level of journalistic integrity—beginning with their coverage of Arizona's ESAs and the ongoing legislative debates surrounding the program—particularly SB 1395.
Senator Sylvia Allen sponsored SB 1395 to address administrative challenges in the ESA program, as echoed by the wave of ESA families who testified at the Senate Finance Committee hearing about their struggles to navigate and comply with the program's rules, many of which have been changed on them from one year to the next by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) with little, if any, notification.
But while Sen. Allen explicitly separated SB 1395's reforms from a concurrently filed expansion bill (SB 1396) to allow the proposals to be treated individually, Arizona's newspaper outlets have been almost dizzying in their embrace of the talking points of Save Our Schools (SOS) Arizona and Democratic lawmakers opposed to the ESA program. As the logic goes, Arizona voters rejected Prop. 305 (which would have expanded ESA program eligibility to all students statewide), so anything that can be tied to "expansion" in even the mildest terms threatens to violate the voters' will.
Headline Exhibit A: "Senate Panel OKs new school voucher bill, despite recent rejection by Arizona voters." Headline Exhibit B: "New Efforts to Expand Arizona Education Voucher Program Advance at Legislature." Nevermind that the bill's purpose and primary impact would be to improve the operation of the program—there's a whiff of expansion, and that must be highlighted above all else.
The Arizona Mirror then touted this week that the fiscal impact estimates of SB 1395 "concluded what was obvious to everyone but the GOP backers of the bill: It expands enrollment and will thus cost the state more money." (Before pointing out the Mirror's decision to shrug off the context of the bill's provisions, I wonder whether the Mirror and others would also characterize the roughly 1,000 additional students joining the program each year as an "expansion" being snuck past voters against their will?)
So for those whose only conduit to the bill's Senate hearing was through the filter of correspondents, I'd like to make very clear what this alleged usurpation of the voters' will actually entails:
Underlying the charge against SB 1395 is the claim that the bill allows kids to use an ESA if they reside near a D or F rated school, rather than actually attending one, as required by law now.
But what has been mentioned in precisely zero of the news stories on this issue is that these students had already been eligible for an ESA and had only lost that eligibility due to inconsistent language in the program's statute. Their eligibility is being restored, not expanded.
Before the current frenzy, most readers probably never stopped to wonder whether the D or F rating that qualifies a student for an ESA refers to the student's neighborhood public school they'd be assigned to based on their zip code, or whether it means whichever school the student ends up attending, even if it might be miles further away from their home.
Well, right now, the answer depends on and actually changes based on what grade the student is in. For a kindergartener, the relevant rating is based only on where they live, and the rating applies only to the nearest school. But for a second-grader it's based on the where they attend, and the rating can apply to either a school or school district. Maybe that seems convoluted, and that's exactly the problem. SB 1395 is intended to eliminate the disparity in the language.
So let me address the charge that—regardless of the merit or intent of the reform—this still constitutes expansion: As I stated in my testimony at the bill's Committee hearing, yes, a student could become eligible under SB 1395, but that student would have already originally been eligible as a kindergartener and lost the eligibility just because they had tried attending a public school further from their neighborhood, rather than immediately turning to an ESA or languishing in the D or F rated public school down the street.
So, no, it is not a new student who was never eligible. If that family had wanted to put the student into an ESA in kindergarten, they could have done so. But because they tried making it work in public school and sent their child to a campus someplace further away and then realized that approach still wasn't working for them, they'd be out of luck and discover that they'd been shut out from the ESA program, even though they continue to reside in the exact same place, near the exact same failing school as before.
So yes, it is true, that for the sliver of families who live near a D or F rated school (less than about 10 percent of students) AND who moved to that neighborhood after their kids were kindergarteners (surely the vast minority of that 10 percent) AND who had moved away from a higher-performing neighborhood where they wouldn't have qualified as a kindergartener in the first place, AND who then enrolled in a public school outside their new neighborhood school, AND then decided they wanted to get an ESA after spending at least 1 year in that public school…yes, they would constitute a new population who was never previously eligible for an ESA. But this tortured hypothetical is not grounds for labeling SB 1395 as an expansion bill.
Again, this is not about expansion or bringing in a new class of students who qualify; this is about eliminating confusion, frustration, and needless complexity in the program.
As I recently wrote elsewhere, there are indeed ESA expansion bills that have been introduced this session, and those are appropriate grounds for a spirited debate over the future of the program. But to claim that supporters of SB 1395 are somehow "disingenuous" because the facts on the ground don't fit into the headlines of the day is beneath the journalistic decorum Arizonans deserve.
Matt Beienburg is the Director of Education Policy at the Goldwater Institute.
Posted in EducationTagged Arizona in Focus, Empowerment Savings Accounts, ESA
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Application and service complexities have no bounds as digital transformation continues to accelerate. Every day companies are finding new ways to extract value from data they are amassing and quickly adapting to customer experience through their application deployment pipeline. As a result, the burden of assuring application performance is shared between Dev, QA and Ops and requires a common situational awareness. Independent research firm, TechValidate, asks your peers how NETSCOUT solutions are impacting their DevOps process, day to day operations and business value. Read what they say below and download the IDC report which explains how continuous monitoring and service visibility in the cloud and on-premises requires a new approach.
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE THE MOST OF DEVOPS?


Some time ago, I asked for your favorite leadership quote that represents your personal definition of leadership and several of you responded on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages. As you can see from the submitted quotes (below), there are many different descriptions of what a leader must be or key attributes that a leader must have. Here at The Leadership Center, we have defined 10 Leadership Essentials as constructed by Dr. Snow. You can find these essentials expressed throughout our site. The quotes submitted provide great examples of key leadership qualities and attributes.
"Leaders help people to see themselves better than they are" is a great example of how a leader must cast vision and inspire. Leaders need to cast a vision of where they see the organization, themselves, and their followers become and inspire them to see the vision realized. Leadership is more than managing and directing people and organizations; leadership is about inspiring. "Getting people to willingly do what you want them to do" is all about motivation, inspiration, and vision. Effectively casting vision will result in a teamwork centered organization working together to accomplish the mission and fulfill the vision.
The Army's "Be, Know, Do" conveys that what leaders "Do" is a result of who they are (Be) and what they "Know". A leader will have certain skills, values, and attributes that define their character. These qualities are not enough to be an effective leader; a leader must Do something with these skills and qualities – they must apply what they know. Much of what a leader knows is learned over time. There are various arguments that great leaders are born and only a few are made. The fact is, some people are natural born leaders; these people have certain skills and qualities that they are born with. Others must simply try harder; they must work harder, learn more, and have more experiences to be effective. Regardless, all leaders – born or made – become more effective as they gain more experience and develop their skillset.
I will end with, "always do what you are afraid to do." As a leader, it is important to realize and leverage your strengths and embrace your weaknesses to become more effective. What is equally important, is realizing that you cannot rely solely on your strengths and ignore your weaknesses. Successful leaders embrace change and work to improve upon their weaknesses resulting in gained experience and knowledge and becoming a more effective leader.
Take the time to identify and leverage your strengths, embrace your weaknesses, and strive to become the leader you were born to be or working to become.
Don't send your ducks to eagle school because it won't help. Start with where people are before you try to take them to where you want them to go.


The winter months are when we can regroup ourselves after a busy year. The first phase, right after Samhain, is the time of shedding and sorting, after which the time of processing reaches us at the winter solstice. It is with this first spark of light that the impetus comes to understand our past experiences and recycle them into resources for the next cycle.
That part is familiar to anyone celebrating the festivals. That part we generally accept and are even grateful for. For we were tired and we needed rest. And so we accepted the coming of winter. Only… then we had the promise of renewal beginning to take hold: the promise of renewed life, even though it is not yet visible in the outside world.
But still: we have been allowed a brief vision of the future, and as a result the continuing reign of darkness makes that we begin to feel restless. Was it then mere illusion?
This will change at Imbolc. At this time, the hold of darkness on the land begins to loosen. And if you pay attention to the energies, you can feel how at this time the land breathes a sigh of relief. It welcomes the returning light and begins to turn its gaze towards the sun.
We still find ourself in the middle of winter, with part of the harshest weather still ahead of us. So we have to take care to not let hope carry us away into foolishness. This is seen in the planetary associations with this time of the year: there is the spirit of revolution we know as Uranus, which is ushered in by the light that is returning. At the same time, there is the necessity of restraint that is forced on us by Saturn.
But let us not see these forces combining as a contradiction, but rather as an opportunity for growth and learning of a type that will not present itself at other times of the year.
What this season invites us to do is to give shape to our dreams, and to create a blueprint for change and growth that can fuel us through the coming year. The following ritual suggests a way to harness the magic of the season.
open sacred space in your usual way. As you draw a circle, you may want it to be opened and closed in the northeast, the place of Imbolc.
Now, take some time to sit in silence in the northeast, while you contemplate the light of the candle. Open yourself to its influence, and feel its blessing and inspiration flow through you.
Then, take your box and hold it to your heart. Make a wish, and ask that the box be filled with all the inspiration and understanding needed to allow you to fulfill your dream. Visualize how the light of the candle grows brighter, and a shaft of light illuminates the box. Notice how the box feels notably heavier afterwards.
Give thanks and close the ritual. Do NOT open the box. If possible, allow the candle to burn up fully, with the box sitting next to it, continuing the impregnation process.
The contents of the box represents the period of incubation between Imbolc and the beginning of spring. If you open it, ideas will spread prematurely and the magic will be lost. Instead, over the coming days and weeks, hold the box during meditation, or place it right next to your bed, and ask that you may be granted the inspiration to help you fulfill your dreams.
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Your tax-deductible donation will make a difference and is greatly appreciated.
Easy online credit card donations can now be made on the secure site GIVE NOW - CLICK HERE!
The Literature Centre (TLC) is a not-for-profit organisation in Fremantle, which nurtures quality Australian literature for children and young adults throughout Western Australia. In 2015, our 'Friends of The Literature Centre' initiative was launched to formalise a programme for donors, fundraisers and volunteers passionate about supporting Australian children's and young adult literature. Follow this link to our 'Friends' brochure for details.
We know we can help children and teenagers love to read and write.
So many children leave our workshops itching to read another book, to want to write or illustrate their own stories, and to apply new skills in the classroom. How wonderful for them to discover the sheer delight of curling up with a great book or entering the secret world of the author or illustrator.
TLC is unique in Australia. We are a haven for those interested in children's and young adult literature. Testimonials from teachers, students, and parents all point towards the valuable contribution we make in the community, and the profound effect our programmes can have on individuals. We'd love you to feel a part of this.
We know that Australia's authors and illustrators depend on us.
"The Literature Centre is not only a valuable resource for students and creators like myself, but an essential cultural hub in the landscape of Australian children's literature." Shaun Tan – Multi award winning Australian author and illustrator and recipient of the prestigious 2011 Astrid Lindgren Award.
Help us to sustain innovative literature and writing programmes, expand our reach into the regions, nurture our nation's current and emerging authors and illustrators, and preserve our unique centre and resources. We believe our work is worthy of support and we invite you to see our Centre - our galleries, residence (where authors and illustrators stay with us), original picture book exhibitions, archives, bookshop selling only Australian books, and more.
Making a tax-deductible donation to TLC is easy.
We invite you to use one of the following options to make a donation, or contact Nicole Clarke or Lynne Kendrick at the Centre to discuss your gift further. Send an email nicole.clarke@thelitcentre.org.au or phone 08 9430 6869. We also encourage a visit to our Centre to see art exhibitions in our galleries, facilities and even workshops in action. In our experience, tours of our Centre are a wonderful way to truly know us and to see how donations can assist. Phone to make an appointment.
Receipts will be promptly issued for all payments. Our Centre is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient and has Tax Concession Charity status.
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BY MAIL - Make your cheque payable to The Literature Centre Inc. and post to PO Box 109, Fremantle, WA 6959.


Inspired by my Chocolate Cinnamon Babka loaves, these adorable rolls make any morning (or tea-time) brighter!
In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer add all of the dough ingredients. Start processing using the paddle attachment. When the dough starts coming together, change to the dough hook and knead for 10-12 minutes, checking the consistency occasionally. Add water a little at a time if the dough seems dry; more flour if it's too wet. It should feel slightly tacky but not stick to your finger when pressed.
While the dough is being "kneaded," put the dates, the soaking water, maple syrup, cacao powder and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.
Lightly oil a large bowl with coconut oil and place the dough ball in it, swirling it around so that it's coated completely. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F and lightly coat 24 muffin cups with coconut oil (or cooking spray). Punch down the dough, divide it in two equal parts and working with one piece at a time, roll out to a 12″ x 15″ rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
Spread half of the filling nearly to the edges of the dough rectangle and sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips. Tightly roll the dough from the short side. It could get messy! Using a length of dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 pieces and place into the prepared muffin cups. Repeat for the second half of the dough. Cover the pans and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Bake the rolls for about 30 minutes. They should be slightly browned on top and firm to the touch. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a cooling rack. Eat warm or wrap tightly and store in the freezer.
Using dental floss instead of a knife assures that the rolls don't get flattened on one side.