Discover 4 worlds in one place: the Amazon, the Andes, the Pacific Coast and the Galapagos. Located right on the equator, this is the smallest country in the rugged and spectacular Andes. Ecuador holds within its boundaries an incredible variety of landscapes and cultures that will amaze even the most seasoned traveler.
1 HOTEL NIGHT BEFORE GALAPAGOS + AIRPORT TRANSFERS - For those of you who have very little time aside from the time you will spend in the Galapagos Islands, this package is designed to allow you to spend the very minimum amount of time required in mainland Ecuador for getting to and from the Islands. We guarantee a hassle-free experience by insuring that you are taken care of from the moment you arrive to Ecuador until the moment you return home.
SINGLE DAY TOURS - Whether you are staying in Quito, Ecuador's capital, or in the coastal city of Guayaquil, on our full-day tours you can enjoy the best of the nearby surroundings of these 2 cities. This includes majestic landscapes and the incredible bio-diversity of the Ecuadorian Andes and Coast, combined with the various fascinating indigenous cultures & markets.
2 NIGHTS / 3 DAYS TOUR - Explore a place where you can encounter 400 species of birds, or see trees and frogs found nowhere else in the world. Beautiful rivers and waterfalls surround your lodge, as felines and other fascinating mammals roam the vicinities. This paradise is just a couple of hours away from Quito.
2 NIGHTS / 3 DAYS TOUR - The avenue of volcanoes is an area of outstanding ecological and cultural importance in Ecuador, with a unique natural beauty that includes mountainous landscapes and incredible views of majestic volcanoes. It is known as the 'Province of the lakes', where countless villages of artisans are found. Stay at famed 400 year-old haciendas, which give you a real flavor of the region with time to go horseback riding, visit craft villages or relax at your beautiful country inn.
3 NIGHTS / 4 DAYS TOUR - Ecuador offers some of the finest lodges and habitat found anywhere in the Amazon basin. These lodges are run by friendly staff known for their great service and food. You can enjoy naturalist-guided rain forest hikes, canoe trips and bird watching on canopy walks. Meeting the native families of this wilderness is an experience to treasure.
3 NIGHTS / 4 DAYS TOUR - Cuenca, a Unesco World Cultural Heritage site, is considered one of the most beautiful cities of Ecuador. Surrounded by low hills and crossed by 4 rivers, this city maintains its historical colonial buildings and architecture, with its churches and cathedrals as very fine examples of a colonial Andean city. Combine this with Guayaquil, the vibrant, commercial heart of the country.
4 NIGHTS / 5 DAYS TOUR - Explore the land where the Cacao plant was first turned into the food of the Gods. We will venture into the hot and humid environment that is essential to grow the most flavorful cocoa beans around the planet, follow chocolate's progress throughout history with our partner, award winning Pacari, and discover the artful process involved to turn the cacao bean into the prized and varied delicacy we enjoy today.
2 NIGHTS / 3 DAYS TOUR - Experience the Galapagos from a different perspective - by land. Unwind from your Galapagos cruise by choosing an island-based hotel stay from where to travel on day trips to nearby islands. Amazing properties await!
6 NIGHTS / 7 DAYS TOUR - Trek on the world's second highest mountain range which extends hundreds of kilometers inland and soars thousands of meters upward. Be astonished by the sights of snow-capped volcanoes, lakes, charming haciendas and the timeless charm of indigenous communities.
3 NIGHTS / 4 DAYS TOUR - Wellness is not a place you travel to. It is a fountain of youth found within oneself. It is a state of mind, a presence of body, an expression of the soul. The unparalleled contact with nature along with the immersive and educational exposure to local authentic cultures in Ecuador pave the way for our new and very original wellness experiences.
7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS TOUR - This extended tour of the andean haciendas in the avenue of volcanoes lets you dive deeper and have more time to relax and enjoy all there is to visit in the surroundings. Perfect for those who want a week away in mainland Ecuador.
The size of this small country, together with the diverse regions within its borders, made Ecuador one of the most unique and interesting countries we have visited. We explored a big part of it in just a two weeks time.
Learn all about Ecuador and about planning the trip of a lifetime to this beautiful country.
If you are planning a specially private or VIP adventure, then let us help you with our local knowledge and those extra details that truly make the difference.
Let us help you arrange your pre or post Ecuador adventure options. You can extend your trip with a cruise to the Galapagos or venture to other parts of South America.


Poland's business environment will improve in the forecast period (2018-22), despite the PiS-led government's populist policies, which the government has tempered, following domestic and foreign criticism. Poland moves up two places in the global ranking, to 27th, and remains in third place in the regional ranking. The Economist Intelligence Unit's forecast assumes that the economic and political side effects of these measures will continue to encourage some policy adaptation. The higher overall scores in 2018-22 reflect improvements in the macroeconomic environment, infrastructure and technological readiness. Despite the deterioration in the political environment and policy towards foreign investment, Poland remains an attractive location in the region for business, owing to its large market, good geographical location and strong growth outlook.


text:
OC.L10N.register(
    "activity",
    {
    "Activity" : "Aktivität",
    "Your settings have been updated." : "Deine Einstellungen wurden aktualisiert.",
    "A file or folder has been shared" : "Eine Datei oder Ordner wurde geteilt",
    "A new file or folder has been created" : "Eine Datei oder Ordner wurde erstellt",
    "A file or folder has been changed" : "Eine Datei oder Ordner wurde geändert",
    "A file or folder has been deleted" : "Eine Datei oder Ordner wurde gelöscht",
    "A file or folder has been restored" : "Eine Datei oder ein Ordner wurde wiederhergestellt",
    "You created %1$s" : "Du hast %1$s erstellt",
    "%2$s created %1$s" : "%2$s hat %1$s erstellt",
    "%1$s was created in a public folder" : "%1$s wurde in einem öffentlichen Ordner erstellt",
    "You changed %1$s" : "Du hast %1$s geändert",
    "%2$s changed %1$s" : "%2$s hat %1$s geändert",
    "You deleted %1$s" : "Du hast %1$s gelöscht",
    "%2$s deleted %1$s" : "%2$s hat %1$s gelöscht",
    "You restored %1$s" : "Du hast %1$s wiederhergestellt",
    "%2$s restored %1$s" : "%2$s wiederhergestellt %1$s",
    "You shared %1$s with %2$s" : "Du hast %1$s mit %2$s geteilt",
    "You shared %1$s with group %2$s" : "Du hast %1$s mit der Gruppe %2$s geteilt",
    "%2$s shared %1$s with you" : "%2$s hat %1$s mit Dir geteilt",
    "You shared %1$s via link" : "Du hast %1$s über einen Link freigegeben",
    "Activity notification" : "Benachrichtigung über die Aktivitäten",
    "All Activities" : "Alle Aktivitäten",
    "Activities by you" : "Aktivitäten von Dir",
    "Activities by others" : "Aktivitäten von Anderen",
    "Shares" : "Freigaben",
    "Files" : "Dateien",
    "\"remote user\"" : "\"Entfernter Benutzer\"",
    "in %s" : "unter %s",
    "%s and %s" : "%s und %s",
    ", " : ", ",
    "%s and %n more::%s and %n more" : ["%s und %n mehr","%s und %n weitere"],
    "%s and %n more::%s and %n more" : ["%s und %n mehr","%s und %n weitere"],
    "Hello %s," : "Hallo %s,",
    "You are receiving this email because in the last hour the following things happened at %s" : "Du erhältst diese E-Mail, da in der letzten Stunde folgende Dinge auf %s geschehen sind",
    "You are receiving this email because in the last day the following things happened at %s" : "Du erhältst diese E-Mail, da am letzten Tag folgende Dinge auf %s geschehen sind",
    "You are receiving this email because in the last week the following things happened at %s" : "Du erhältst diese E-Mail, da in der letzten Woche folgende Dinge auf %s geschehen sind",
    "* %1$s - %2$s" : "* %1$s - %2$s",
    "You will see a list of events here when you start to use your %s." : "Du wirst hier eine Liste von Ereignissen sehen, sobald Du deine %s nutzt.",
    "No more events to load" : "Keine weiteren Ereignisse zum Laden",
    "Enable RSS feed" : "RSS-Feed aktivieren",
    "Notifications" : "Benachrichtigungen",
    "Mail" : "Mail",
    "Stream" : "Stream",
    "List your own actions in the stream" : "Deine eigenen Aktivitäten im Stream auflisten",
    "Notify about your own actions via email" : "Über Deine eigenen Aktivitäten via E-Mail benachrichtigen",
    "You need to set up your email address before you can receive notification emails." : "Sie müssen ihre E-Mail Adresse zum Empfang von Erinnerungsmails einrichten.",
    "Send emails:" : "Sende E-Mails:",
    "Hourly" : "Stündlich",
    "Daily" : "Täglich",
    "Weekly" : "Wöchentlich",
    "Activity feed" : "Feed der Aktivitäten",
    "Personal activity feed for %s" : "Persönlicher Feed der Aktivitäten für %s"
},
"nplurals=2; plural=(n != 1);");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Nigerian militants declare "oil war"
Nigerian militants Sunday declared an "oil war" on the government, saying that hundreds of boats had been launched to attack oil installations in the restive Niger Delta province, reported dpa.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said in a statement that the mobilization of forces was in response to "unprovoked aerial and marine attacks" on MEND forces on Saturday.
"By dawn, destroyed oil flow stations, gun boats, burst pipelines, dead and injured soldiers trailed in the aftermath of the hurricane," MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said.
Gbomo said that 22 Nigerian soldiers had died in one attack on a Chevron Platform in Kula.
However, the Nigerian military said that it had repelled several MEND attacks, claiming it had inflicted heavy casualties.
Militant groups such as MEND often attack oil installations and kidnap expatriate workers, saying they are fighting for a greater share of profits from oil exploitation for the poor of the region.
The government says they are merely criminal gangs intent on stealing oil and extorting money.
The unrest has cut oil production by around a fifth since early 2006, helping to push up global oil prices and allowing Angola to surpass Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil exporter.
MEND said the latest operation would continue until the Nigerian government learned that "the solution to peace in the Niger Delta is justice, respect and dialogue" and warned oil companies to evacuate their staff.
President Umaru Yar'Adua on Wednesday announced the creation of a ministry to develop the region, which despite the oil money remains mired in poverty.
However, the previous body aimed at developing the region was hit by a corruption scandal and MEND has rejected the new ministry.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Address: 904 Wightman Ave, Peterborough, ON, K9J5W7, Peterborough. See full address and map.
Address: 114 Chandos Ave, Toronto, ON, M6H2E8, Toronto. See full address and map.
Address: 790 Prairie Ave, Port Coquitlam, BC, V3B1S1, Coquitlam. See full address and map.
Address: 12160 239B St, Maple Ridge, BC, V4R2T7, Maple. See full address and map.
Address: PO Box 35 Stn Main, Aurora, ON, L4G3H1, Aurora. See full address and map.
Address: 140- 1240 Kensington road nw, unit 115, Calgary. See full address and map.
Address: 4573 Portage Rd, Niagara Falls, ON, L2E6A9, Portage. See full address and map.
Address: 296 Horsham Ave, North York, ON, M2R1G6, AVE. See full address and map.
Address: 2953 Rivard Ave, Windsor, ON, N8T2J1, Windsor. See full address and map.
Address: 5646 ch St Rémi, ST-ADRIEN, QC, J0A1C0, CH. See full address and map.
Address: 17080 Robert, Pierrefonds, QC, H9J1B9, Pierrefonds. See full address and map.
Address: 47 7e Ave Grand-Mere, Grand-Mère, QC, G9T2A5, Grand-Mere. See full address and map.
Address: 20773 Bourdeau Rd, Lancaster, ON, K0C1N0, Ancaster. See full address and map.
Address: 190 Colonnade Road unit 25, OTTAWA, ON, Ottawa. See full address and map.
Address: 166, ch du Village-Saint-Pierre N, Village Saint-Pierre, QC, J6E0H4, VILLAGE. See full address and map.
Address: 2637 Lower Base Line, Milton, ON, L9T2X5, Milton. See full address and map.
Address: 103 Bude St, ON, Other. See full address and map.
Address: 1375 Southdown Rd, Mississauga, ON, L5J2Z1, Mississauga. See full address and map.
Address: RR 3 Lcd 1, Newmarket, ON, L3Y4W1, Newmarket. See full address and map.
Address: 799 Balfour, Pelham, ON, L0S1C0, Thorold. See full address and map.
Address: 21 Greenbank Dr, Richmond Hill, ON, L4E4C2, Richmond. See full address and map.
Address: 2860, rue Hochelaga, Montréal, QC, H2K1K6, RUE. See full address and map.
Address: Brookfield, NS, B0N1C0, FIELD. See full address and map.
Address: 698, rue de Terrebonne, Granby, QC, J2H2A1, Terrebonne. See full address and map.
Address: 5147 Island Hwy N, Courtenay, BC, V9J1S6, Island. See full address and map.
Address: 918 Pleasant Beach Rd, Sherkston, ON, L0S1R0, CH. See full address and map.
Address: 7192 Inadale Dr, Melbourne, ON, N0L1W0, Other. See full address and map.
Address: 369, av des Violettes, Rimouski, QC, G5M1G5, Rimouski. See full address and map.
Address: 624 Mayfield Rd, Brampton, ON, L7G4S7, Brampton. See full address and map.
Address: 5335 Ravenshoe Rd, Mount Albert, ON, L0G1M0, Mount. See full address and map.
Address: 22503 113 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T5S2S3, Edmonton. See full address and map.
Doddridge Dave Grounds Maintenance Inc.
Address: 607 Moyer, Welland, ON, L3B5N4, Welland. See full address and map.
Address: RR 2 Lcd Collingwood, Collingwood, ON, L9Y3Z1, Collingwood. See full address and map.
Address: 10530, boul de l'Ormiere, Québec, QC, G2B3L4, Other. See full address and map.
Address: 1360, rue des Lys, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E3N7, Sherbrooke. See full address and map.
Address: 107 Adelaide St N, London, ON, N6B3G7, London. See full address and map.
Address: 3-2095 45th Ave W, Vancouver, BC, V6M2H8, Vancouver. See full address and map.
Address: Laurentides, QC, Laurentides. See full address and map.
Address: RR 2, Clarksburg, ON, N0H1J0, Other. See full address and map.
Address: 27 Church St, Bowmanville, ON, L1C1S4, CH. See full address and map.
Address: 18914 Willoughby Rd, Alton, ON, L7K1T9, Orangeville. See full address and map.


text:
Home > Posts > Blog > Pepsi Refresh Challenge $250K Winner Speaks: How to Assess if Contesting is Right for Your Nonprofit
Pepsi Refresh Challenge $250K Winner Speaks: How to Assess if Contesting is Right for Your Nonprofit
By	Ami Neiberger-Miller	on	Monday, November 28, 2011
Online contests with opportunities for nonprofit organizations to win funding and raise awareness abound. But how do you know if contesting is right for your organization? Mark Neidig, Sr., executive director of the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation, spoke recently in Washington, DC about winning $250,000 through the Pepsi Refresh Challenge and how it helped his organization.
How does a small foundation working to eradicate cancer, win a major online contest and stand out in a world dominated by much bigger fish, such as the Susan G. Komen Fund or the American Cancer Society? Being gutsy, putting a face on the disease, and commiting to win the contest, pay dividends.
"If you are in a contest, you've got to commit to winning it. You put everything into it," said Neidig. For the Pepsi Refresh Challenge Contest, the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation did no direct mail appeals or paid advertising, and did not issue a call through a newsletter. At the time of the contest, the foundation had one employee – Mark.
Mark Neidig, Sr. discusses winning $250,000.
Photo courtesy of Association Bisnow.
Media exposure can be critical to success in a contest – but you may have to do something extreme – gto get attention. Mark and two volunteers went to Times Square in New York City, to give out 10,000 fliers asking people to vote for the foundation in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge Contest.
The story of their gutsy trip to New York City, landed Neidig and his volunteers on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Fox and Friends. By the time they got back to Pennsylvania, they had risen from 70th place to third.
Because they talked about what a treatment without side effects would mean to people – even strangers, who had never heard of the foundation, found their appeal compelling. And the foundation's local community was also inspired by their media blitz. Located in a smaller media market (Erie, PA), community newspapers, radio stations and TV stations encouraged the public to vote. Local schools allowed people to vote during the day, loosening a firewall to permit voting. Proclamations were issued, and social media and email appeals were drivers for the campaign.
Admittedy, there are some downsides to particpating in these online contests. The labor invested by nonprofit volunteers and staff, can be intense. Not to mention slightly obsessive-inducing. Neidig admitted that he would get up in the middle of the night to check their rankings, while the contest was running. But the foundation also improved its email lists and social media followings because of the participatory marketing thrust. They won the challenge. The foundation now has a budget of almost $2.5 million and a staff of six people.
Neidig encouraged nonprofits attending the workshop he was speaking at, to be strategic when considering a contest and to invest wholeheartedly in trying to win. While competition is often a dirty word in the nonprofit community, which values collegialism and consensus, the reality is that nonprofits compete every day for limited funding and attention.
The Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation has also won $25,000 from the Ellen Degeneres PinkWell Award Challenge, and is looking forward to the PinkWell Challenge in early 2012. Neidig spoke at "PR Issues of the Day for Nonprofits and Associations," sponsored by the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Tagged: fundraising, social media
Everyone wants to know what you think. Cancel reply


text:
Enrico Gasparri S.T.D. JUD (25 July 1871 – 20 May 1946) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop.

Biography
Enrico was ordained on 10 August 1894 at the age of 23. He studied in Rome receiving degrees in theology and philosophy and worked in Rome in a pastoral role from 1894 until 1898.

He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See and was working as the auditor in the nunciature to Brazil when, on 14 November 1915, Pope Benedict XV appointed him Titular Archbishop of Sebastea and Apostolic Delegate to Colombia.

On 1 September 1920 Pope Benedict appointed him Nuncio to Brazil.

The appointment ended when on 14 December 1925 he was created Cardinal-Priest of San Bartolomeo all'Isola at the age of 54. His creation was an exception made to the 1917 Code of Canon Law that forbade anyone having a relative in the Sacred College of Cardinals.

On the 18 May 1933 Pope Pius XI appointed him Prefect of the  Apostolic Signatura. On the 16 October 1933 he was elevated to Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri. He was one of the cardinal electors in the 1939 papal conclave, which selected Pope Pius XII.

He died on 20 May 1946 at the age of 74.

He was the nephew of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri (1852-1934).

References

20th-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops
20th-century Italian cardinals
Apostolic Nuncios to Colombia
Apostolic Nuncios to Brazil
1871 births
1946 deaths
Prefects of the Apostolic Signatura
Pontifical Roman Seminary alumni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Archive for the 'Carol (2015)' Category
Blu-ray Review: Carol
Posted: March 8, 2016 in Carol (2015)
Tags: Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray review, Carol, Carol (2015), Cate Blanchett, Claire Morgan, Film Review, Kyle Chandler, Movie Review, Patricia Highsmith, Phyllis Nagy, Rooney Mara, The Price of Salt, Todd Haynes
Distributor: Starz / Anchor Bay
Length: 118 min
Main Audio: 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio
Alternate Audio:
5.1 Spanish Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Notes: A DVD edition of this film is also available.
"Our friendship wasn't really about her work at that point in my budding career as a dramatist. She was so disappointed in all of the adaptations she had seen of her work, even great work, like Strangers on a Train. There was wistfulness about, 'Gee, maybe when you grow up, and you're able to do something, maybe you could see about doing a good one.' It was vague and she would direct me to, actually, four or five of her other books which she was very keen on seeing done well. 'The Price of Salt', or 'Carol', as it had been re-titled by then, wasn't on the list." –Phyllis Nagy (Film School Rejects, January 06, 2016)
Cinema lovers will remember the name Patricia Highsmith. Her work has been adapted to the screen for nearly half a century. The most notable Highsmith adaptation is probably Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. Highsmith's controversial follow-up to "Strangers" was entitled, "The Price of Salt," and was published under a pseudonym due to the controversial nature of the book's subject matter.
This is the First Edition Hardback cover of "The Price of Salt." Due to the controversial subject matter, the pseudonym "Claire Morgan" was used at the request of her publisher.
Carol follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light.
Highsmith fortunately had the opportunity to write about her trailblazing novel when it was re-published under her own name and re-titled Carol in 1990. Her memoirs about the novel are rather enlightening:
"…I had just finished 'Strangers on a Train,' but it wasn't to be published until 1949. Christmas was approaching, I was vaguely depressed and also short of money, and to earn some I took a job as salesgirl in a big department store in Manhattan during the period known as the Christmas rush, which lasts about a month. I think I lasted two and a half weeks.
The store assigned me to the toy section, in my case the doll counter… One morning, into this chaos of noise and commerce, there walked a blondish woman in a fur coat. She drifted towards the doll counter with a look of uncertainty – should she buy a doll or something else? – And I think she was slapping a pair of gloves absently into one hand.
Perhaps I noticed her because she was alone, or because a mink coat was a rarity, and because she was blondish and seemed to give off light. With the same thoughtful air, she purchased a doll, one of two or three I had shown her, and I wrote her name and address on the receipt, because the doll was to be delivered to an adjacent state. It was a routine transaction, the woman paid and departed. But I felt odd and swimmy in the head, near to fainting, yet at the same time uplifted, as if I had seen a vision.
As usual, I went home after work to my apartment, where I lived alone. That evening I wrote out an idea, a plot, [and] a story about the blondish and elegant woman in the fur coat. I wrote some eight pages in longhand in my then-current notebook or cahier. This was the entire story of 'The Price of Salt.' It flowed from my pen as if from nowhere – beginning, middle and end. It took me about two hours, perhaps less…
…I did not immediately start writing the book. I prefer to let ideas simmer for weeks. And, too, when 'Strangers on a Train' was published and shortly afterwards sold to Alfred Hitchcock, who wished to make a film of it, my publishers and also my agent were saying, 'Write another book of the same type, so you'll strengthen your reputation as…' As what? 'Strangers on a Train' had been published as 'A Harper Novel of Suspense' by Harper & Bros, as the house was then called, so overnight I had become a 'suspense' writer, though 'Strangers' in my mind was not categorised, and was simply a novel with an interesting story.
If I were to write a novel about a lesbian relationship, would I then be labelled a lesbian-book writer? That was a possibility, even though I might never be inspired to write another such book in my life. So I decided to offer the book under another name. By 1951, I had written it. I could not push it into the background for 10 months and write something else, simply because for commercial reasons it might have been wise to write another 'suspense' book.
Harper & Bros rejected 'The Price of Salt,' so I was obliged to find another American publisher – to my regret, as I much dislike changing publishers. 'The Price of Salt' had some serious and respectable reviews when it appeared in hardcover in 1952. But the real success came a year later with the paperback edition, which sold nearly a million copies and was certainly read by more. The fan letters came in addressed to Claire Morgan, care of the paperback house. I remember receiving envelopes of 10 and 15 letters a couple of times a week and for months on end. A lot of them I answered, but I could not answer them all without a form letter, which I never arranged.
My young protagonist Therese may appear a shrinking violet in my book, but those were the days when gay bars were a dark door somewhere in Manhattan, where people wanting to go to a certain bar got off the subway a station before or after the convenient one, lest they be suspected of being homosexual.
The appeal of 'The Price of Salt' was that it had a happy ending for its two main characters, or at least they were going to try to have a future together. Prior to this book, homosexuals male and female in American novels had had to pay for their deviation by cutting their wrists, drowning themselves in a swimming pool, or by switching to heterosexuality (so it was stated), or by collapsing – alone and miserable and shunned – into a depression equal to hell.
Many of the letters that came to me carried such messages as 'Yours is the first book like this with a happy ending! We don't all commit suicide and lots of us are doing fine.' Others said, 'Thank you for writing such a story. It is a little like my own story…' And, 'I am 18 and I live in a small town. I feel lonely because I can't talk to anyone…' Sometimes I wrote a letter suggesting that the writer go to a larger town where there would be a chance to meet more people. As I remember, there were as many letters from men as from women, which I considered a good omen for my book. This turned out to be true. The letters trickled in for years." -Patricia Highsmith (Afterward to "Carol," 1989)
Phyllis Nagy enjoyed a friendship with Patricia Highsmith (author of "The Price of Salt"), and used the writer as a basis for her screenplay interpretation of Therese.
The book's happy (or hopeful) ending was adopted for the film adaptation, and it is this element that sets Carol apart from other films about homosexuality. Todd Haynes directs Phillis Nagy's screenplay with a level of subtlety and sensitivity that is rarely seen in films of this nature.
"I didn't know that he would do the film because it's the first thing he hasn't written, and I know what that's like. You might think you can't, or you don't want to, or you want to take it in a completely different direction. So I think we were all thrilled, no one more than me, when we spoke and realized that we were simpatico in very important ways. Todd encouraged me to take things that I had always thought were good for it but which had been changed over the years in various polishes for various people.
We went back to something approaching the early draft, which was smarter for having 18 years of experience. So that was great. Todd spoke to me about his love of framing devices and, in particular, Brief Encounter, and so I added that. We talked about a few other things. It was a very good, fruitful, easy process and I think probably easier than he thought it might be from some of his prior experiences." –Phyllis Nagy (Deadline, December 29, 2015)
According to Nagy, Carol's character was expanded from the ghost-like fantasy in Highsmith's novel using Grace Kelly's character in "Rear Window" as a template. ("Reading from top to bottom," that character's name is Lisa… Carol… Fremont.)
The collaboration was more than simply enjoyable, it was also an enormous critical success. Living up to its groundbreaking source material, the film premiered to a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival—and won the festivals' Queer Palm award. Since this auspicious debut, it has continued to collect both adoration and accolades. The Academy Awards honored the film with six nominations (including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design). The film also garnered five Golden Globe® nominations—the most of any film this year—including Best Motion Picture, Drama, alongside nominations for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama. Blanchett and Mara also received Screen Actors Guild nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, respectively. Other awards and nominations include: nine BAFTA nominations; six Spirit Award nominations; four wins from the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography; nine Critics' Choice nominations, and over 125 Top Ten lists.
The disc is protected by a standard Blu-ray case with the film's one sheet art, which is attractive (if not particularly impressive).
The menus utilize footage from the film accompanied by Carter Burwell's original score. They are at once attractive and easy to navigate.
4.5 of 5 Starss
Edward Lachman's Oscar nominated Super 16 mm cinematography is represented with a respectable amount of accuracy here. The transfer showcases the film's grain pattern without allowing the grain to become irregular or distracting. Colors are accurately represented, as are the contrast and brightness levels. Best of all, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable digital anomalies to distract from the viewer's enjoyment of the film.
The English DTS-HD Master Audio is equally impressive. The mix seems to pull the viewer into the world in subtle ways, and subtly is a rare commodity. Dialogue, ambience, sound effects, and music seem to be well prioritized at all times. This is a solid sound mix, and one would be hard pressed to find any reason for complaint.
3 of 5 MacGuffins
Q & A with Cast and Filmmakers – (29:25)
These excerpts from various cast and crew Q & A sessions is surprisingly interesting and informative. Instead of short clips of various interview statements padded with an overuse of footage from the actual film, viewers can listen to the cast and crew discuss the film and its creation. Fans of the film should really be happy to have this included here.
"Behind the Scenes" Featurette Gallery – (35:56)
While most of these featurettes don't have a lot in the way of comprehensive "behind the scenes" information, viewers might find some of the commentary interesting. There is also some "behind the scenes" footage of the cast and crew shooting the film. There are eight featurettes in all:
Cate Blanchett as 'Carol Aird' – (04:02)
Rooney Mara as 'Therese Belivet' – (04:39)
Todd Haynes (Director) – (04:45)
Phillis Nagy (Screenwriter) – (04:58)
Edward Lachman (Cinematographer) – (04:56)
Sandy Powell (Costume Design) – (03:41)
Judy Becker (Production Design) – (04:03)
Carter Burwell (Original Score) – (04:53)
Carol is a sensitive and engaging adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's follow-up to Strangers on a Train, but the film is worth seeing for other reasons. It has an elegant and graceful simplicity that is rare in contemporary cinema. It easily earns a recommendation.


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'Sage Fright' says @timeshighered
The new term/semester starts next week, and there's the usual rush to get all the materials ready, whilst wondering what the students will be like. Combined with all the uncertainty in the sector at the moment, quite a difficult time… thankfully I'm only teaching one module this semester: I've taught it before, it's enjoyable, and I am not the module leader!
Many have in common such things as insomnia on the eve of classes, or nightmares, which are surprisingly similar across cultures. Some even practise particular rituals – wearing a specific article of clothing or playing a favourite song in preparation for the start of the new academic year. Yet at a time when an entire industry has grown up around readying students for the resumption of university each autumn, only a few institutions prepare their staff to cope.
"It's not a topic that is discussed often in the faculty lunchroom but faculty have high levels of anxiety when the semester begins," says Peter Seldin, an emeritus professor of management at the Lubin School of Business at Pace University in New York and author of the book Coping with Faculty Stress, who has worked as a consultant to universities in 40 countries. "In fact, I cannot remember ever talking about this topic with any of my colleagues, and that's over a 30-year span."
Seldin says he has visited universities in countries as varied as South Africa, Finland and Malaysia, and found, after careful encouragement to speak frankly, that "there's a commonality to that faculty experience. It's the uncertainty that comes at the beginning of a term."
Read full story.
Tagged Academic YearLecturePerformanceTHE


In early 2016 BAMcinématek held a major retrospective of all Michael Mann's filmography, throwing up a few surprises, such as a fresh and one-night-only exclusive showing of a new "Director's Cut" of Marmite hacker movie, Blackhat, and a great conversation with the director, moderated by New York Magazine critic Bilge Ebiri. But although it also screened, fans were out of luck if they expected the director to announce any kind of restoration of, or illumination on, the oddity in his back catalog, the self-proclaimed "World War II Fairy Tale," The Keep. The film, Mann's second feature which followed his ice cool heist drama Thief, is his one attempt to delve into the truly fantastical, an expressionistic foray far removed from his standard template of Pinteresque, self-reliant and solitary professionals, on each side of the law. Loosely based on F Paul Wilson's novel, The Keep has Nazi soldiers in 1941 unearth an ancient evil locked deep within the eponymous sepulchral Keep, buried in the Carpathian mountains. A small unit of war-weary Wehrmacht soldiers led by Woermann (Jurgen Prochnow) set up base there. The local village priest warns him that it is an evil place, and not to touch any of the 108 nickel crosses embedded in the rock. Two bored and greedy soldiers pry one out of the wall, unleashing the evil being within, Molasar, who kills them. This action alerts Glaeken (Scott Glenn), who is the guardian of The Keep, who hops on a boat from Greece to confront the creature. Meanwhile, more vicious Nazis led by Major Kaempffer (Gabriel Byrne) arrive and take reprisals against the villagers for the deaths of the soldiers. He finds an inscription of an ancient language (a spell to imprison the creature?) and summons a wheelchair bound elderly Jewish scholar Dr. Cuza (Ian McKellen) and his daughter Eva (Alberta Watson) from Dachau to translate. They see Molasar as the embodiment of an ancient Golem. Molasar carries on killing Nazis, and proposes to Dr. Cuza that if he removes the Talisman that imprisons him within the stone walls, he will kill all the remaining Nazis for him. Glaeken knows Molasar won't be satisfied with that, and the stage is set for the final confrontation. Oh, by the way, Glaeken is a vampire. But you'd never know it. Perhaps because Mann's three-hour supernatural fairy tale was slashed to 93 minutes after going wildly over time and budget, with abrupt edits and cuts that make no sense.
Mann dismissed the presence of the Nazis as incidental to the central three-way struggle between Glaeken, Molasar, and the "Golem's" temptation of unearthly power offered up to a newly revitalized Dr. Cuza. Yet when researching, Mann also boned up on Otto Skorzeny, the Nazi Brandenburger officer who rescued Mussolini by daring glider assault in 1943. Mann was drawn to "the specific kinds of aberration that explain why a lower middle-class bourgeois in Munich would be attracted to the Waffen SS in 1933." To what end this particular research manifests itself in Gabriel Byrne's performance is debatable.
Poor Ian McKellen suffered the most. The exterior location for The Keep was an abandoned Welsh slate quarry. It was 150 feet deep requiring crew and equipment to be lowered in, working 16 hour days in the cold and rain. The actor recalls being made up to look 30 years older, a process that took five hours. At one point, for twelve days in succession, he was put through make-up, but never called to work. The producer sent him home to recuperate, fearing a nervous breakdown. Mann seemed driven by a vision, but whatever it was, it was elusive, almost as much as the feeling evoked by Tangerine Dream's anachronistic score. Incidentally, copyright around the score is one reason (apart from Mann's unwillingness) why you won't see a home release on DVD or Blu-ray of The Keep anytime soon.
There are films I've seen multiple times that I don't love unreservedly. I love them in part, or I am impressed by them.
There are films that do very little for me emotionally that I cherish because of their brilliant technique. The reverse is also true.
Or maybe it's also because Mann finds that, looking back, he really wasn't sure what he was trying to achieve, becoming lost in the night and fog of The Keep's black heart.
Here's a rarity: Michael Mann's script for The Keep [PDF]. (NOTE: For educational and research purposes only). The LaserDisc of the film is available at DaDon's Rare LaserDiscs and other online retailers.
Here are several photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of Michael Mann's The Keep. Photographed by Graham Attwood © Paramount Pictures, Associated Capital, Capital Equipment Leasing. A special thanks to the great folks at A World War II Fairytale: The Making of Michael Mann's The Keep. Intended for editorial use only. All material for educational and noncommercial purposes only.


This educational program is designed to prepare students to apply technical knowledge and skills to make repairs, and maintain time-measuring devices, timepieces, and jewelry items. This program frequently includes in depth instruction in mechanical timekeeping systems, timesetting, digital timekeeping systems, casting, polishing, engraving, soldering, stonesetting, redesign and restyling techniques, equipment and tool maintenance, fine microscopic work, and customer relations.
The list below includes regionally and/or nationally accredited Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking schools, colleges and universities.


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            DataCenter Monitor
            Zookeeper
            Kafka
            Druid


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MET Transit Adopts Mask Policy For Bus Riders
Elwin Huffman
Photo By: Elwin Huffman - Townsquare Media
Public bus riders in Waterloo and Cedar Falls will soon be required to wear masks.
The policy goes into effect Monday, officials with Metropolitan Transit Authority (MET) of Black Hawk County said in a press release. The requirement is for all passengers on fixed route buses in the metro area.
In the press release, MET Transit General Manager David Sturch said requiring passengers to wear masks while riding the buses is necessary. He pointed that social distancing is unrealistic, while referencing the daily rise in local COVID-19 cases and a recent increase in ridership.
"Our goal is to work and assist our passengers to follow this new policy in order to fight this global pandemic we are all experiencing," Sturch said in the press release. "This initiative goes along with the city's (Waterloo, but also applies to Cedar Falls) policy of wearing masks in public buildings, the increase in the number of private businesses that require a mask on their customers, and also, in anticipation with the start of the new school year."
MET Transit is following the lead of other transit agencies in Iowa that already require masks on all passengers that ride the fixed route service. Notice about the mask requirement has been posted on all buses that run fixed routes in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
According to the press release, riders will be required to wear masks at all times while on the bus. Drivers will supply masks to any rider who doesn't have one.
Northeast Iowa Water Towers (#1)
Filed Under: Black Hawk County, Cedar Falls, Evansdale, MET Transit, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Waterloo
Categories: Articles, Cedar Valley News, COVID-19 NEWS, Featured


If you have been paying attention to the national political scene, you are aware that election activity is increasing at a rapid pace. Ted Cruz has announced his candidacy for President. Marco Rubio and Rand Paul will probably be announcing in April. Other candidates have exploratory committees. Carly Fiorina stated that she will be announcing her decision by late May.
How do Republicans in Sonoma County do their part in the coming political battle?
We have a chance to lay the groundwork for upcoming elections.
The County Board of Supervisors has proposed an increase in the sales tax to purportedly pay for road repairs. However, the money will go into the general fund where it can be spent on anything the Supervisors decide to spend it on. The Sonoma County Republican Party is urging a NO vote on this tax.
The Sonoma County Central Committee is encouraging Republican voters to obtain their precinct list and get to know Republicans in their neighborhoods. We have a flyer regarding the proposed tax that is being sent to our e-mail list that can be dropped off at the homes of Republican voters. This is also an opportunity for residents of Sonoma County to know that there are Republicans in the county. So many Republicans feel as if they are alone in their beliefs. This is a time when Republicans can start organizing in the county.
Precinct numbers can be obtained from the Registrar's office at the County Complex. The clerk will give you your precinct number when you give her your address. The phone number for the Registrar's office is 565-6800.
Contact Ron Sondergaard, Second Vice Chair in charge of Precincts and Campaigns for the County Party. His e-mail is rondergaard@gmail.com. When you give him your precinct number he will get the information to you.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND is what wins elections. Republicans need to mobilize and start doing the work that is required to win. Let's Get Started.


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Shadowrun Play > Play-by-Post
[6E] Dome Sweet Home IC
Aria:
[Early Evening, Monday November 13th, 2079; Downfall, Redmond, Seattle Metroplex]
The Downfall was nice, at least by the available standards of Redmond. He'd done some research on the way here and it seemed like as good a place as any to collect his thoughts, although now he was beginning to regret his decision to come at all. The clientele were the usual eclectic mix of street toughs and SINless just trying to scrape by after whatever crap job their limited status afforded them. But there was also some Talent here, and from the curious glances he'd received when he came in he knew they'd seen the dim spark that was in him too.
The air wasn't too laden with nic or stale alcohol and piss and the music was loud enough to drown out casual conversation but not make your ears bleed!
Watcher nursed his drink musing at the water still pooling off his cuffs from the soaking he'd taken getting to Redmond from his ratty apartment all the way over in Puyallup. He ruefully reflected that he was getting jaded, a bit of rain had never bothered him much but he would once have made more of an effort to stay dry at least. He'd removed his damp gloves and his metallic right cyber hand tapped an unconscious rhythm on the faded table top as he considered the message from his daughter again.
> Hi Dad, hope you're ok? Sorry haven't got time to talk, maybe next week? Tom's in trouble, possibly big trouble, I've seen it coming. I know you don't see eye to eye and if I could I would be there myself to stop you two fighting, but I can't…some things are even more important than family. He won't want your help, he's too damn stubborn, but I know you will want to do something.
> Lace
He sighed, damn it Beth, Silkie, Lace, whatever she was calling herself these days… He'd tried, he really had. But Beth was right, Tom blamed him for the death of their mother and the wound was fresh even after all these years. He'd gone to where Tom had holed up with his tribe, had tried to speak to his son… and had been turned away. But he knew that Beth wouldn't have sent him there without good cause, so a new plan was needed…
Time to recruit some outside assistance. With what he wasn't sure but there were runners that would help a cause for more than just nuyen. He'd briefly pondered trying to recruit some himself, possibly even at a bar like this one, but it was too random, he didn't know this part of town any more (too many painful memories) and he didn't want to end up on the wrong end of some street razor's grudge. So that meant squeezing his limited funds further and getting hold of a fixer to set him up with a team. Thankfully Feather owed him one and it might be time to check in that marker…
ZeroSum:
[Early Morning, Monday November 13th, 2079; Enumclaw, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex]
The little apartment wasn't much, but the lock on the door was strong and the electrical grid only rarely suffered from blackouts; aside from the omnipresent hum of heavy industry in the area, the wireless signal to noise ratio was better than any of the other places he would have been able to afford.
Viktor was seated at the large workbench in the middle of the room, the internals of a Shiawase Cyber-6 laid out before him and surrounded by spare parts and various junk. He adjusted the overhead lamp to provide better light for the task at hand, and gingerly slipped the tiny optical relay into place. Despite being mostly broken and in pieces the deck had cost him most of his savings, and that was even after the trade-in on his old model.
"The circuits are good, but she needs a little TLC before she'll purr like a kitten." Max, one of Viktor's corporate contacts at Shiawase, had been adamant that the deck was worth the price even in it's present condition. "If anyone can fix 'er up it's you, and I'll give you a real good price on part. Chip truth!"
Thinking back on that conversation, Viktor realized he should have picked up on the somewhat obvious attempt at flattery, but the temptation had just been too great. Outside of the corporate elite and state of the art tech, a Shiawase Cyber-6 was about as advanced a deck as he'd ever expected to see, no less own! So instead of haggling like he should have, he had thrown caution to the wind and now all of his hopes and dreams rested on the various little pieces of plastic and metal arrayed in front of him.
He sighed deeply, then set to work reassembling the miniaturized cyberdeck. Everything fit onto a slot no larger than a couple of credsticks, and within a few hours he had everything neatly wrapped up. The circuit tester chirrped happily when he applied it to the optical connection port, indicating that the procedure had gone well.
"Only one way to find out," Viktor thought as he slid the deck into the receptacle in the back of his head. A barely perceptible *click* announced that the connection had seated firmly, and the dwarf subconsciously moved his hand over the implant location before steeling himself for the next crucial part. He couldn't afford the hospital stay if this didn't work, and the deck going critical inside his skull would be the least of his long-term issues. He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his favourite chair.
"This is it. All or nothing, chummer. You got this."
With a mental trigger, he bridged the neural interface between his cyberjack and the new deck lodged firmly inside his skull. For several nano-seconds nothing seemed to happen; his stomach began to sink, when all of a sudden the Matrix rushed out of nowhere and wrapped his consciousness in digital code.
Clad in the blackened armor of a modern samurai, 0day, his persona, rose from a smoke cloud into the Emerald City host.
"Time to see what this baby can do..."
[Early Evening, Monday November 13th, 2079; Enumclaw, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex]
Hours had passed and the Cyber-6 has handled every test he'd thrown at it. Viktor had sliced through the Matrix for hours, and he couldn't have been happier.
The notification that someone was at his door had brought him back to reality, and he checked the video feed from the tiny MCT Gnat positioned in the corner of the hallway leading up to his apartment.
"Ah, delivery!" he exclaimed to no one in particular inside the host he'd been decking. He had completely forgotten that he'd placed a McHugh's order earlier that day to ensure he would eat, but now that he was reminded of it he realized he was starving.
Jacking out of the Matrix brought the familiar sense of loss with it, and it took a few tries before he managed to get out of his chair.
He plodded to the door after grabbing his commlink, and was instantly reminded of how low his funds were. "Drek. I should have gone and picked it up myself" he muttered to himself as he opened the door.
After ensuring his note about no soy had been adhered to he settled up, and shook his head at the mere ¥195 left in his account. Back in the apartment with a plate of chick pea falafel neatly organized on a tray in front of him, he began cataloging local events and news stories in the hope that he could find some work.
gwilym:
Phaeton and Dynamyt stool holding hands at the flames lick up around the box that contained their mother's remains. They probably should have buried her but the idea of devil rats knawing on her did not sit well with either of the sisters .
"I spoke Mr Wu you can stay at his and work on his stall." said Dynamyt as they stared at the dying flames
Phaeton tried to speak but Dynamyt held her hand up,
" you need a place he needs the help, with both his boys dead "
" but he don't speak English and I ain't got no 'nese "
" he speaks English plenty good when I sort his burns and cuts, he just pretends"
Both girl giggled
"we better get back, Grimble will be there soon."
Grimble was dutifully solemn but everyone knew he had wanted this pitch of years
"I be sorry for your loss there Shaman, glad it were quick. She were go people. Look theres te things you wanted even fueled it up and here's some script n cred. You can be turned can you, folks are no happy you going an all"
"Grimble, I gotta go find what behind the mountains, I got Phaeton a good 'prentice. An' got me a bike" she eyed the keys "you sure this feather is straight up?"
Grimble chuckled "peice of advice, e everyone wants something, nothin' 'ti's free"
Jack_Spade:
Omen sat at his acustomed place at the bar he had chosen as his current haunt - drinking away what remained of his last mission's salary.
As usual he raised his glass in a silent toast to his dead brothers in arms. 'Vive la mort, vive la guerre, vive le sacre mercenaire'.
The drink tasted bitter - not just because of the quinine from the tonic water, but also because of the memories of their last mission.
For a moment he thought about going back on board of the ship, before remembering that the "Sea Witch" had already left two days ago while he had decided to go on a bender.
Seattle was as good a place as anywhere to get back on his feet now that the malaria had finally been purged from his system.
Better in fact, since he actually new someone here. Right. Enough self pity. He pulled out his commlink and searched for her number.
"Hey honey, guess who."
"Omen? Curse your disease ridden hide. I hope the jackals finally got your balls."
"Bah, after living with you for three years, a jackal's bite would be akin to a soft kiss.
Speaking of which, are you still with that prick of a pimp Marshall?"
"You've been away for awhile. Marshall's dead. I took over his business."
"Seriously? You are a Madam now with a stable of mares? Congratulations, I guess.
Anyway, I'm not calling for a quicky for old times sake. I'm back in the city and I need a job."
"Sorry, there's currently no demand for a good-for-nothing piece of drek that can't even manage to get himself killed with the rest of his unit."
"Listen Sandra, forget for a moment that you are my ex and try to act like a goddamn business woman: You know my talents, you know the commission that's in for you and you goddamn know I'm calling you instead of Sharkeye, because I don't want the kind of jobs he is handing out.
So either use old Mars' contacts for me, or hang up and think about what a man with my talents can do for a real piece of work like old Sharky."
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'll put the word out that you are back on the market. And stay away from Sharkeye. Bastard."
The call dropped and Omen smiled.
Sandra wasn't half bad all in all - in any case she'd be a better fixer than a wife.
"Mrs. Mary, Quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With souless shells and about three hells
and mutations all in a row."
Elga seemed calmer if Tipperman made himself heard before walking into the 'cottage'. And recently she seemed to be responding to silliness and wordplay, so the dwarf had been digging up vaguely remembered songs and rhymes and playing around with the words.
He entered the converted shipping container, and was pleased to see that Elga was still there, that she was not hiding in a corner, and that it looked like the posts and dishes were still in the sink. In the first weeks she'd kept taking things like that and hiding them, or making shivs out of cutlery. He'd almost think that she had been in prison, but her skin just seemed too good for that. Or it had been, somewhere between living on mostly soy paste and living in a radiation zone she was losing some of her glow.
He made small talk at her, and even coaxed out a few 'yes' and 'no' answers -- along with the usual ratio of what seemed like nonsense. But his thoughts were elsewhere, and eventually he said out loud "I think you'll be OK for a while if I take on some work." He definitely needed to find a way to move her somewhere better, and to get proper treatment for whatever had happened to her.
There was a lot of people he could call, but in the end he decided to start to start with his old protege. The image on his link still showed Brianna in her Neonet security uniform, dark hair buzzed short, a petite and athletic figure. It was hard to remember that her hair was showing grey, her face and hips had rounded out and she'd been civilian for a decade. But at least her mind was still sharp -- he may have changed less physically but his mind was not as fit as it had been back then. And he had to remember to use her business name, not her personal one.
<<Branta, Got any work you could throw my way?>>
<<Tipperman, you coherent enough to present to a Johnson?>>
<< I'm as clear as one credit beer. I've got someone I'm taking care of, keeping me focused>>
<< Spirits, you've adopted another stray?>>
<< More like a discard. Found her half dead, still making less sense than me>>
<< If you found her around your place she's lucky. Almost anyone else would have seen her dead or ... well you know. I'm glad you have a cause and you ready to work, but I'm afraid I can't risk adding you to an existing team, nor trust you solo -- not until I see that you can stay focused. Let me see if anyone is looking for a less proven team.>>


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Trends such as technology and changing customer preferences prompted Scotiabank to introduce a comprehensive business strategy that would transform service delivery in its Canadian branch network. The challenge was to implement the changes quickly while causing minimum disruption to its 28,000 employees at more than 1,000 branches.
In its new customer-focused sales and service culture, Scotiabank wanted to introduce consistent sales delivery processes, new job descriptions, and titles; revamped compensation policies, a web-based sales management tool; and redesign of branch real estate. The goals were to promote and explain a new Sales & Service initiative, to engage employees in how they would fit into the change process, to foster brand positioning through communication, and to promote communication between executives and front-line employees.
Scotiabank's Employee Communication department concluded that radical business change required an innovative communication solution. Working with Root, Scotiabank developed a series of Root Learning Map® modules along with traditional employee communication tools. By their design, the modules maximized employee involvement and two-way communication.
A cross-functional team of professional communicators and business-line managers developed a communication strategy to parallel the business strategy. Each phase of implementation began with a Root Learning Map® module. Scotiabank also employed traditional communication tactics including a corporate newsletter, executive speeches, staff meetings, and an existing Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) telephone system called TeamVoice as a mechanism for employee feedback. With Root, the company produced modules that helped its employees understand changing customer needs in the financial services industry, as well as Scotiabank's new sales process.
Phase I began with a Root Learning Map® experience for all branch employees. "The kick-off meetings were a high-energy, fun opportunity to explore and discuss change in a way that was unprecedented," said Tracey M. White, Senior Manager, Employee Communication. "The approach captured employees' attention, signaling the importance of this change." Phase II focused on implementation of the new sales process. Bank branch employees experienced the modules about customers and strategy during this phase.
The success of this effort was measured by an employee survey of a 100-branch sample and by monitoring call volume to TeamVoice.
On both measures, the results exceeded Scotiabank's expectations, from 5% to 12% above the 85% goal. Some particulars:
95% agreed that the Learning Map® modules helped them understand the components of the Sales & Service business strategy.
93% agreed that the modules helped them understand their role in Sales & Service.
90% agreed that the modules helped them understand Scotiabank's brand position.
The number of calls to TeamVoice tripled.
Feedback from employees was overwhelmingly positive. Typical comments:
"The modules helped to clarify Scotiabank's position in competing with other financial institutions. It also helped us to understand our role in meeting Scotiabank's objectives."
"This is the first time in 25 years that everyone was involved and knew what was happening. Thank you."
Contact Root


The nine-in-one elections tomorrow are set to be not only the biggest poll in the nation's history in terms of the number of local government posts up for grabs, but also a chance for voters to exercise another constitutional right of equal importance — the right to recall.
The Appendectomy Project, an offshoot of the Sunflower movement in March and April, is preparing to set up stands near 586 polling stations in three constituencies in Taipei and New Taipei City to collect signatures for petitions to recall Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Alex Tsai (蔡正元), Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) and Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池).
There has not been a case in Taiwan of a lawmaker being removed from office through recall and only once has a recall election been held — in July 1994, when the KMT forced through a budget for the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City's Gongliao District (貢寮), which triggered people to initiate a signature drive that placed five KMT lawmakers on recall ballots.
The 1994 recall campaigns were given a boost by a hunger strike by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄), but were resisted at every turn by the KMT, which then rammed an amendment to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) through the legislature.
The then-Taipei County Government, which was run by the DPP, initially decided to hold the recall vote on the same day as elections for Taiwan provincial governor and Taipei mayor in December 1994, but it was forced to decouple the votes as a result of the KMT's amendment, which prohibits a recall vote being held with an election. The amendment also elevated signature requirements that recall petitions must meet to qualify, and increased the turnout and voting thresholds for a recall to succeed.
The Taipei County recall vote on the four KMT lawmakers failed due to insufficient turnout, as did a recall vote against another KMT lawmaker in Taipei, held separately from the Taipei mayoral election.
Twenty years later, a public initiative to exercise the right to recall, enshrined in Article 17 of the Constitution, met with stronger opposition from the KMT administration. The Central Election Commission (CEC) came up with a new official template for signature sheets and demanded that all signatures on the same sheet of paper be from the same neighborhood — a change from its previous template, which had each signature on its own sheet of paper.
By changing the template, the commission was being obstructive.
The new template, which can have seven signatures on the same sheet, could make people hesitant to sign it, because their personal information — including ID number, date of birth and address — would be visible to other people signing the same form.
The template might also have been designed to take advantage of signature collectors who are not aware that each page must be signed by people from the same neighborhood. The commission could then invalidate signatures collected from neighborhoods different from that of the first person listed on the form.
Through months of effort to collect signatures on streets, in communities, markets and other crowded places — without the DPP's support as in 1994 — the campaign to recall Tsai, Wu and Lin entered the second stage. This phase requires the collection of at least 13 percent of signatures from the electorate in each of the lawmakers' three constituencies in 30 days for the recall motion to be considered by the CEC.


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A World-Class Artists Community in Upstate New York
Mar 31 A World-Class Artists Community in Upstate New York
Posted at 11:22h in Art, Experiences, Festivals	by	Washington County
COVID note: Be sure to check with our local businesses for up-to-date hours and visiting information as COVID-19 precautions change.
Rural as it may be, Washington County is home to a vibrant community of artists. With the support of numerous organizations, artists have helped to build an oasis for Upstate NY artists between bustling Saratoga Springs and beautiful Vermont.
From modern, large-scale sculpture work to more traditional styles like fiber work and painting, visual artists have found inspiration here for hundreds of years.
When you look around at the incredible landscape, however, that probably comes as no surprise. It's hard not to be moved by the bold colors of fall, rolling hillsides, and quiet moments of winter.
Art in Washington County, of course, is not a new phenomenon.
Grandma Moses donating her painting "Battle of Bennington" to Mrs. George Kuhner who accepts it for DAR / World-Telegram photo by Roger Higgins. 1953.
One of the most well-known folk artists of the 20th century is Grandma Moses, but did you know she spent most of her life here in Washington County? Anna Mary Robertson Moses was born in Greenwich in 1860.
She and her husband left for Virginia when she was 27, and they returned 20 years later. Grandma Moses had a lifelong interest in art but couldn't find the time to paint while raising children and tending to the family farm.
Her art career began in earnest in her late 70s after arthritis made needlework too painful. Inspired by scenes of rural life growing up, which she called "old-timey," Moses often omitted features of modern life, such as tractors and telephone poles.
Those same hillsides inspire today's Washington County artists every day.
More traditional art forms, like paintings, clay work, and photography can be seen at small, independent galleries and artist studios throughout the area. Excitingly, many of these galleries are housed in refurbished barns, farmhouses, and former factories!
The Valley Artisans Market in Cambridge, NY. 2018.
The Valley Artisans Market, reopening on April 1, is home to a cooperative of local artisans focused on bringing quality pieces and small gallery shows to Main Street in Cambridge, NY.
In Hudson Falls, local photographer and artist Kendall McKernon runs the McKernon Gallery, located in the Sandy Hill Arts Center. Stop in to explore the rotating inventory by local artists and McKernon himself.
For a unique mix of contemporary art and antiques, visit McCartee's Barn in Salem. Currently open by appointment only, you can explore local art displayed in their historic house and barn!
Also open by appointment is the Design Store at Cambridge Lantern Works. Featuring their artisan copper light fixtures, you can also shop handcrafted furniture, antiques, and objects de art.
Folk artist Will Moses, a fourth-generation member of the renowned Moses family, also calls Washington County "home." Moses resides in Eagle Bridge, in the same 200-year-old farmhouse where his great-grandmother spent her days. You can visit the artist studio and farm at Mt. Nebo Gallery!
Washington County is home to artisans of all kinds.
There are basket weavers, fiber artists, potters, stained glass artists, and more creating unique pieces out of unexpected materials. And don't forget about the Southern Adirondack Farm to Fiber Tour!
A glassblower works on a piece at SAW in Salem, NY. 2019.
You can find any number of international and historic art forms being practiced in Washington County.
One artist featured at the Valley Artisans Market in Cambridge, Christine Levy, is known for her pysanky, which she has been practicing for more than 50 years. This Ukrainian folk art is often passed down from generation to generation, and Christine uses a beeswax resist and dye technique, very similar to batik.
What's batik? Another artist based in Washington County, Carol Law Conklin, specializes in this ancient art form. Batik is the process of painting with wax on fabric and then submerging the cloth in a dye bath to create intricate patterns and designs. Carol's work includes farmscapes, equine art, landscapes, and fantasy/myth creations.
The area is also home to the internationally renowned SAW, or Salem Art Works. This 119-acre former dairy farm is now home to artist studios, workshops and community programs, and summer art camps including blacksmithing, glass blowing, jewelry making, screen printing, drawing, painting, and welding facilities. Plus, public grounds feature rotating sculptures by regional, national, and international artists
If you want to meet some of these makers all in one place, don't forget about the annual Wool and Arts Festival. There are dozens of musical and theatrical productions to enjoy every year all over the county, from the Strand in Hudson Falls to Cambridge's Hubbard Hall. Plus, there are open studio days and various art events all year long. Check out our video for more:
Washington County NY Tourism
Did you know Washington County is home to tens of thousands of acres of Important Bird Areas? Each winter, birds of prey migrate to our grasslands to hunt and nest until heading back to the Canadian tundra in the spring. Get out and enjoy the quiet this season while spotting some of these raptors! washingtoncounty.fun/explore-some-of-the-best-winter-birding-locations-in-upstate-ny/	... See MoreSee Less
Explore Some of the Best Winter Birding Locations in Upstate New York
washingtoncounty.fun
Washington County's grasslands are home to many birds that breed or migrate to our winter birding locations in Upstate New York.


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ESPN analysts say Tigers are by far the best team in America
By Will Vandervort October 11, 2020 2:15 pm Follow	@steelerwill
By Will Vandervort | October 11, 2020 2:15 pm	Follow @steelerwill
After a week of hearing how great Miami was and "The U" was back, Clemson left no doubt Saturday night on who the top team in the country is right now.
The top-ranked Tigers smothered Miami quarterback D'Eriq King all night, while Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne made a strong case as the top two candidates for the Heisman Trophy in a 42-17 victory that was not even that close.
Clemson (4-0, 3-0 ACC) racked up 550 total yards, while holding the Hurricanes to 210 yards overall. Miami came into the game leading the ACC with 499 yards and 43 points per game.
"And that is why they are the most complete team and so when the defense plays well, I don't know what you do with this team," ESPN analyst Joey Galloway said on College Football Final. "You have Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, the best quarterback in the country and he is athletic and then behind him you have the two-time ACC player of the year and offensive player of the year in Travis Etienne, who had 149 yards rushing in this game and also added eight catches."
Etienne also had 73 receiving yards and had two rushing touchdowns. Lawrence completed 29-of-41 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while also running for another score.
"You add Amari Rodgers, so the weapons they have on this offense you don't come into this game and you can't take one guy away because if you do they will take hurt you in other places," Galloway said. "They have proven through this season that they are the only team that hasn't show a weak spot.
"We have seen Alabama's weak spot. We have seen Georgia offensively struggle a little bit in this season, so when you talk about those top three teams Clemson is that team they haven't shown one weakness whatsoever besides a blocked field goal, which will upset a coach and Trevor Lawrence who doesn't have to take a hit. Slide and you don't fumble the football. So, Clemson, right now, is by far the No. 1 team in the country."
Galloway's colleague at ESPN agreed.
"They are going to give offensive coordinators nightmares and headaches for years to come now, I think, because of this D-Line playing better." Jesse Palmer said. "We already know what they do on offense. I think this right now is the most complete team in college football."
A great gift for any Tiger fan. Just one of many great items available from Clemson Variety & Frame
Clemson, Clemson football, Clemson Tigers, Feature, Football
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Our next competition has started. You can win Duram paint to the value of R10 000 (yes, you read correctly) in any colour your heart requires. Let Laughtons Hardware and Duram brighten up your life this Spring.
Tell us in the comments below how winning R10,000 worth of paint will brighten your Spring.


The New England Patriots didn't practice Wednesday, but they still released a projected injury report.
Midway through Sunday's AFC Championship Game, safety Nate Ebner was ruled out with a head injury. Wednesday's injury report confirmed the special-teamer is dealing with a concussion.


Can I make the model in sketchup and it prints fine.?
I've been spending some time with 123D but for some reason I can't get simple models to print correctly.
For instance if I make a simple tube 10mm diameter and wall thickness of 1mm and length 50 it prints a tube but with a neat gap all the way down the side.I've tried other shapes too, but will little success. Usually it prints the raft and stops.
The model even shows correctly in the UP software.Must be missing something simple, as I can make the model in sketchup and it prints fine.


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The 2013 Nantou earthquake struck central Taiwan with a moment magnitude of 6.2 on 2 June at  local time. The epicenter was located in mountainous terrain in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan, not far from Sun Moon Lake, close to the epicentre of another large earthquake a little over two months earlier. News reports indicate that five people were killed; three in Nantou County and two in neighbouring Chiayi County. The earthquake could be felt in Hong Kong, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, China.

See also
List of earthquakes in 2013
List of earthquakes in Taiwan

References

Further reading

2013 06 Nantou
2013 earthquakes
2013 in Taiwan


SPICE Fashion Channel, the international network dedicated to African Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle broadcasting 24/7 on DSTV Channel 190 and GOtv Channel 28 presents the inaugural launch of SPICE LIFESTYLE HONORS.
African singer, songwriter and recording artiste, Asa teams up with fashion and lifestyle brand, Spice TV for SPICE LIFESTYLE HONORS which will pay homage to African fashion icons and brands while honoring the best within the fashion and lifestyle space on the continent. Asa, with several albums including Beautiful Imperfection, Bed of Stone and her self-titled debut album will give a powerful performance from her newly released album during the awards ceremony and gala night with the backing of her orchestra. The live stream for the event would begin at 6PM from the Eko Convention Center, Eko Hotels, Lagos, Nigeria.