text:
GORDON: …AAAAND LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, IT’S WEDNESDAY NIGHT! Welcome one and all to this delayed installment of Gordon and Evan Talk. Our subject for tonight: How can we fix SNL.
EVAN: [And Toronto! . . .] Because, well, let’s face it. Saturday Night Live is not as good as it could be.
GORDON: Which is a real shame, considering the talent it produced during it’s early years. Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin- I could go on and on until I hit the early 90s.
EVAN: To be fair, I haven’t really watched a lot of the older SNL episodes, and certainly not that far back, but I’ve seen enough glimmers of goodness to know how good the show can be.
And yeah, now that you mention it, SNL used to be a factory that just cranked out the comedy talent. What happened?
GORDON: I really can’t say- I never watched the series religiously enough to be able to point to any specific point or change; I only know that unless you like Adam Sandler (I don’t), by the early 90s the show just wasn’t good anymore- barring the creation of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, for which we give thanks.
EVAN: And that we do. How about this: before we go forward to how it could be better, what do we like about it now? And there’s gotta be at least one thing.
GORDON: Like “What’s Up With That?” or “Celebrity Jeopardy.” The first time was hilarious. The fortieth time, not so much. I also like Steffan, just for the total surrealism, and the commercials can be pretty good. But those are few and far between.
EVAN: I personally love “What’s Up With That,” and it gets funnier each time for me. Kenan’s enthusiasm compounded by Sudeikis’ dancing and grinning gets me every time. I also, and I know there aren’t a lot who agree with me on this, really like Weekend Update.
And I feel like the Minnesota early morning hip-hop show has a lot of potential.
GORDON: I felt these things may have been funny the first time- heck, the first few times- but I really, really can’t stand ’em now. Minnesota early morning hip-hop radio is funny, but there are only so many times you can say the northern edge of the midwest is cold. I feel like they’re going to take it and run it into the ground, like all their other popular skits.
EVAN: So that seems to be a large problem, here. The skits that are funny don’t show up as much as we’d like to, and they continually run the risk of wringing all the life out of them when they are hits.
GORDON: Is that the fault of the writers?
EVAN: Probably a little, yeah.
GORDON: I also feel that it has the same problems The Simpsons do. Each episode becomes more about showcasing which celebrity and “we-want-to-be-Mumford-and-Sons-so-bad-it-hurts” musical guests.
EVAN: I think that to critique the show we have to leave the musical guests out of it. At this point in time they’re actually leaving that choice up to the fans.
GORDON: Fair enough. But the celebrities. Seems to me that when the show started back in the 70s, the “celebrity” guests were really just there to introduce the show and do a bit of stand-up. Everything else was dedicated to the cast performing skits.
EVAN: The hosts, you mean?
GORDON: Exactly. See- even I get confused about their intent.
EVAN: If you don’t mind me directing this conversation once again, how about comparing SNL to another skit-based show: Key & Peele.
EVAN: Key & Peele, and I think we can both agree on this, is hilarious.
Not only that, but it’s just two guys who, presumably, do quite a bit of their own writing as well.
EVAN: So how could SNL learn from Key & Peele?
GORDON: Maintain a semblance of relevance to the modern world.
Key & Peele is satirical, sarcastic. I watch the show and laugh at it when they take shots at stuff that’s relevant- like fighters trash talking each other prior to a fight.
When’s the last time you watched a show that looked even remotely like “What’s Up With That?” How many of us even know what the Laurence Welk show was?
EVAN: See, I’d say that one of the problems with SNL is that they feel compelled to “stay relevant.” So many of their skits are based on the current news, whatever’s hot right now.
Ex. Lance Armstrong doping, that one guy who got scammed by the fake girlfriend, etc.
GORDON: I wouldn’t say those weren’t funny in and of themselves- I just thought they were lousy as a cold open, and got rehashed in the Weekend Update. Kinda proves the whole “If it’s funny we’ll do it until it isn’t and then for a while longer” strategy SNL employs these days.
EVAN: I think what I like about Key & Peele is that they’re okay with breaking away from current events a little more.
EVAN: Okay, Way to Fix SNL #1: Don’t drive jokes into the ground. If a skit is recurring, do it maybe four or fives times a year, max.
GORDON: #2: Not every celebrity is funny. Stick with ones who are, and keep their appearances down to the monologue and a few key skits.
EVAN: #3: Find a way to replace Andy Samberg’s Digital Shorts. I know that nothing will truly take their place, but they were what revitalized the show after so many years.
GORDON: #4: Instead of dragging in celebrities who are already popular, go back to giving new comedians a chance- become the talent producing machine that you were in the 70s and 80s.
EVAN: Ooh, I like that one a lot. There’s definitely a conflict between hot fresh names drawing in viewers [Joseph Gordon Levitt], and looking for lesser celebrities, maybe from TV instead of movies [Krysten Ritter from Don’t Trust The B—– In Apartment 23].
I’m not super impressed with the new guy they brought on, but I really like two of the newer girls [Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong].
GORDON: I agree, for the most part. I simply wish they would actually take some people from the pool- nay, ocean- of raw talent the internet has created.
EVAN: THERE YOU GO. You, sir, are a genius.
GORDON: Imagine SNL written by the guys from Dead Kevin, BriTANick, WKUK, and other internet sketch shows. Imagine all the great new actors and comedians we could get.
EVAN: That’s what we really need.
EVAN: And SNL could be that way of getting this talent out there.
GORDON: Absolutely. Would you watch a show like that? I would. I would watch the crap out of that show.
EVAN: I would watch it all the time without stopping.
Now that you’ve wrapped up this conversation with that masterful suggestion, though, what are we talking about next week?
GORDON: I’d like to talk about guns and gun control.
EVAN: Heh. Heh heh heh. Okay.
My recommendation is . . . um . . . have you watched a lot of Christian movies?
GORDON: I’ve seen a couple. But it’s okay, I’m better now.
EVAN: I kind of want to talk about that. How Christian media is so substandard and it’s the fault of Christians themselves.
Yours is better, though. I am probably going to vote for it.
GORDON: And I like railing on things- I’ll probably vote for yours.
EVAN: Thanks for reading, you guys, and sorry again for how late this is in coming. As always, this has been Evan and Gordon Talk, be sure to vote below for what you’d like us to discuss next.
You can’t ignore Taylor Swift. Whether it’s having her mic snatched by Kanye, hosting Saturday Night Live three years ago, or having her hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” play as you flip through radio stations [yes, some people still listen to the radio] she’s become a public pop culture icon and she’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Yes, she’s loved by millions, but also derided by a sizable number. While many of the judgements stem from her seeming inability to hold down a relationship, this more often than not seems like the public concentrating on an aspect of superstardom that they tend to turn a blind eye to when it comes to their respective favourites. What Taylor Swift really receives a lot of flak for [and for better reason] is the content of her music.
It’s a follow-up to another post on tumblr where she says, in one line without profanity, “‘Mean’ by Taylor Swift pisses me off so much.” Which is fine. The video goes on to elaborate her point, and is largely about the music video. In essence Fero says that it’s fine to have a song about those bullied because of their sexuality or poverty [both seen in the music video], but you can’t marry or compare that to your own problems about being told you’re not a good singer; you can’t put yourself into this song and still have it be about these other bigger problems.


text: A bit of a niche function this one. When you perform a mailbox export in Exchange using the New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet you can specify the ContentFilter parameter. This allows you to pass an OPATH filter to only export SOME of the content from a mailbox.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
Woll Golf Course. UK Golf Courses, guide to golf course and golf clubs, locations maps, view from the air, 3D or street views.
Woll Golf Course Tel: 01750 32711. A map of Woll Golf Course is shown above. You can use the drop down menu to select from a variety of map types, including Bing maps 3D views, a street map, satellite views, and a virtual flight over the Golf Course courtesy of Google Maps (Google Earth plug-in required for your browser).
Not seeing the 360 degree aerial view of Woll Golf Course? - you may need to install the Google Earth Plug-in (FREE) for your web browser, or choose a different map option from the drop down menu above the map.
The map alongside shows the approximate location of Woll Golf Course.
View UK Golf Courses (including Woll Golf Course) from the air, street level or select from a collection of useful local maps including 3D views and Google map.
If you are trying to find how to get to the Course at Woll Golf Course you can use the various maps alongside to help you on your way.
Let Gary be your Golf Course guide to the Golf Club at Woll Golf Course!

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
The accompaniment for the whole of this song evokes operatic orchestration. The opening bar of the recitativo stromentato, for example, suggests strings, and the answering phrase in the next bar a reply from the woodwinds. The voice part is marked 'Recit' at the outset, something which Schubert was less inclined to do as he got older; he preferred to integrate recitative and aria without a sense of formal division. After the words 'wenn mir die Zeit die Locken bleicht' there is a ravishing falling sequence of phrases in the accompaniment (written out for all the world like a short score of an orchestral interlude) where each bar seems to represent a different age of man with sharps sinking to naturals and then to flats as if colour were being drained from the hair, and youthful vitality from the body. This sense of receding energy also does splendid service as an introduction to 'Wie du über Berge fuhrst'; the same music might also be thought to describe, in advance, the friend's departure over the mountains as we lose sight of him with each step of the harmony. The recitative has begun in A minor and wends its way, via a beautifully ornamented cadence full of sighs and longing, towards G major. This is the dominant of the key of the extended section which now follows.
There is a great deal about this C major effusion (including the same opening notes of the vocal line) which recalls another aria in the same key, Liebe schwärmt auf allen Wegen. This is actually an orchestrated aria from a Schubert opera, and once again we are made aware that the writing of this piece suggests a piano reduction of a full score. In both cases the vocal line is interrupted by an echoing orchestral interlude or interjection; in the case of Die abgeblühte Linde the piano writing suggests cello solos as miniature interjections. It is interesting too that the theme of both works is 'Treue' or constancy, perhaps the reason the composer has chosen C major, unsullied by chromatic complications, to paint this sterling quality. No matter where the piece wanders, it returns to this key. Mention of the future on 'Und was die Zukunft beugt' in the second verse takes us into the exotic reaches of B flat minor as if we are being led into uncertainty, not to mention temptation, but mention of the lime tree at the beginning of the third verse ('Sieh, die Linde blühet noch') returns us to the security of C major. Unusual phrase lengths are a feature here (4 bars + 3 bars in the opening cantilena) as well as quasi-operatic melismas and in one instance a trill on 'die' – a strange word to have inspired this exuberance; even the vocal line seems to have been thought in instrumental terms at this point. The sequence of modulations at 'doch Ihre Blüten stiehlt der West' suggests cunning and trickery as if Time was stealing a march on its ageing victims. The descending bass-line chromatics of 'Einsam steht sie dann' droop and wither most effectively as the accompaniment, with the right hand's group of quavers off the beat, suggests a mood molto patetico and again operatic. Mention of the true and trusty gardener (the second line of the fourth verse) prompts one of Schubert's magical changes from A minor into A major. From then on all is rapturous operatic fantasy as these two remaining lines of text provide all the words necessary for a further seven lines of music. Repetition of this kind is highly unusual in Schubert's songs; the composer treats the poem as a libretto and the singer has her work cut out to make her rapturous repetitions sound convincing. Various tricks of the trade (including extending the word 'Nur' as it is sung over shifting harmonies which triumphantly return us to C major for good and all) reinforce the feeling that this song's place in the canon stands between Lied and aria. The piece closes undramatically in a mood of quiet rapture, murmuring its delight in love and constancy. The poem enshrines a touching thought about the enduring nature of love and friendship which must have appealed to the composer. The only poem which he himself penned, and then set to music (Abschied from the summer of 1817) is also about a leave-taking between friends. Is it possible that Schober's departure from Vienna in the summer of that year also occasioned this setting?
John Reed questions that this song and its Op 7 sibling, Der Flug der Zeit, were composed in 1817. He prefers to think of them as written in 1821 and offers arguments about when and how the composer might have encountered the poet. And yet I find it hard to believe that the two Széchényi songs belong to a year which numbers Geheimes and the first Suleika among its achievements. There is something about these two works which, for all their beauties, remains experimental. The operatic nature of Die abgeblühte Linde suggests that either the mature composer was pandering to the tastes of the work's dedicatee (none other than the noble poet) or that as a younger man he was still very taken with the Italian style and interested, as a musical gardener, in how he could cross-breed it with the Lied.
when time has made my hair white?
is a paler gleam of life.
though the west wind steals its blossoms.
pass by, indifferent, scarcely noticing it.
since he loves the tree for itself.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
Sunday mornings from the weekend following Labor Day to the weekend before Memorial Day, adults and children gather Sunday mornings for fellowship, worship, outreach and fun.
Children are an important part of our community, and their natural activity and noise is expected and welcomed! Children are always welcome with their parents in worship. We offer Activity Bags for our children located near the entrance to the church, and weekly children’s worship bulletins that focus on the lessons of the day.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: Christian Formation 10:20 am – joining parents at the Peace.
Established in 1957 by St Michael’s Episcopal Church, St. Michael’s Episcopal School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools(NAIS). Our kindergarten through eighth grade co-educational school draws students from Richmond City and the surrounding counties of Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Chesterfield and Powhatan. For more information contact 804-272-3514.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
The Goods and Services Tax (GST), the biggest reform in India’s indirect tax structure, at last looks to become reality. The Constitution (122nd) Amendment Bill comes up in Rajya Sabha today, and if all goes well, the Bill is likely to be introduced in India from April 2017.
In India, GST is proposed to have a dual structure— a Central GST levied and collected by the Centre and a state GST administered by States. The rationale behind the bill is that it simplifies the indirect tax regime with a single tax.
The Bill’s draft does away with additional tax on the movement of goods across state boundaries. States will be compensated for revenue losses in the first five years of implementation of GST and a mechanism has been put in place to decide on conflicts between states, if any.
The move will create uniformity in taxes across states, increasing efficiency and compliance and also boost Modi government’s big push towards ease of doing business.
Once implemented, the Bill will convert the country into a unified market, replacing most indirect taxes and subsuing all those into a single tax regime. With the implementation of the GST, the entire indirect tax system in India (excise, state-level VAT, service tax) is expected to evolve.
Tax in India is payable at the final point of consumption. At each stage of sale or purchase in the supply chain, this tax is collected on value-added goods and services, through a tax credit mechanism, whereby it seeks to address challenges with the current indirect tax regime by broadening the tax base, eliminating cascading of taxes, increasing compliance, and reducing economic distortions caused by inter-state variations in taxes.
In India, GST is proposed to have a dual structure— a Central GST levied and collected by the Centre and a state GST administered by States.
The implementation of GST will essentially benefit those consumer durable companies which have not availed tax exemptions in the past, reducing price margin between organized and unorganized sector.
According to a report in The Economic Times: The warehouse/logistics costs across the operational and non-operational segments will be curtailed. This will improve the operational profitability by almost 300-400 bps.
The impact may remain neutral or negative for FMCG companies, specifically for those firms which either enjoy tax exemptions or fall under the concessional tax bracket.
The Economic Times reporurther says: The logistics sector is largely fragmented and comprises many unorganized players. Several players in the unorganised sector avoid tax which generates a cost gap between them and the organized players.
However all said and done, GST has remained one of the biggest stalled projects to the debit of our ruling Government. With the passage of the Constitution amendment Bill now looks near certain, here’s the journey so far in India and what it looks like in other countries.
Budget 2006-07: In the Budget speech of this financial year, a proposal to introduce GST by April 1, 2010 was first mooted.
May: Empowered Committee(EC) of State Finance Ministers started to work on GST roadmap.
2008, April: EC finalized views over GST and submitted report titled ” A model and roadmap for Goods and Services Tax” in India.
2011, March 22: The Constitution (115th Amendment) Bill introduced in Lok Sabha for levy of GST on all goods or services except for the specified goods.
November: EC rejected Govt’s proposal to include petroleum products.
More than 160 countries have introduced GST in some or other form. It has been a part of European tax landscape for over 50 years. It is also widely accepted and preferred form of indirect tax in the Asia Pacific region. It is interesting to note that there are over 40 models of GST currently in force, each with its own distinct peculiarities.
Countries such as Singapore and New Zealand tax virtually everything at a single rate, Indonesia has five positive rates, a zero rate and over 30 categories of exemptions. While in China, GST applies only to goods and the provision of repairs, replacement and processing services. It is only recoverable on goods used in the production process and GST on fixed assets is not recoverable.
In Australia GST is a federal tax, collected by the Centre and distributed to the States.
1. Federal GST and provincial retail sales taxes (PST) administered separately – followed by the largest Majority.
2. Joint federal and provincial VATs administered federally (Harmonious Sales Tax – HST).
3. Separate federal and provincial VAT administered provincially (QST) – only for Quebec as it is like a quasi independent province.
Similarly Brazil too follows dual GST model, which divides revenue collected between the centre and states.
World over, GST rates are typically between 16 per cent and 20 per cent. In India, it is likely to be the same. The tax-rate(s) under the proposed GST would come down, but the number of assesses would be likely increased by 5-6 times. Although rates would come down, tax collection would go up due to increased buoyancy and enhanced taxpayer base.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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Port of Tacoma commissioners seek public comment on a proposed policy that would require additional public meetings before they authorize development leases that meet certain criteria.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Jack Nevin sided with the Port of Tacoma Friday, ruling invalid two proposed initiatives that sought public votes on potential developments.
The Port of Tacoma filed a lawsuit Monday asking Pierce County Superior Court to declare invalid two proposed initiatives currently gathering signatures.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Yesterday, it was reported that several roads were closed and there was a heavy police presence in Baxter near Cypress Drive and Clearwater Road.
According to the Baxter Police Department, a man had barricaded himself in his vehicle with a gun around 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. The individual contacted police dispatch and told them he was parked at the end of Cypress Drive in Baxter. Members of the Baxter Police Department and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office talked with the individual for six hours and were successfully able to get him the help that he needed.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or having thoughts of suicide, call the Crisis Line and Referral Service at 218-828-HELP (4357).

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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Advice for Parents Regarding Hemangiomas: Time to change our approach in Pediatrics?
The story is typical. A family notices a small red spot in the weeks following delivery which enlarges over the next month. They present to their family doctor or Pediatrician who identifies the most common skin lesion in childhood; a hemangioma affecting about 3-10% of all children depending on the population observed. As a resident I was given the following advice regarding hemangiomas; “As long as the hemangioma is not of cosmetic concern, sight threatening, multiple in number or causing anemia or thrombocytopenia watchful waiting is recommended.” Furthermore I recall the following general advice that while they tend to enlarge over the first year of life, 40% are gone by 4 years, 60% by 6 years and 90% by 9 years. After my training I started a practice passing along the same advice to the infants I now cared for.
Then something happened similar to the serendipitous discovery of penicillin. In 2008, Leaute-Labreze et al published a case report in which they described a child being treated for a facial hemangioma with corticosteroids. Unfortunately the hemangioma did not respond to treatment but rather led to a cardiomyopathy requiring treatment with propranolol. Curiously the hemangioma demonstrated significant regression on propranolol. The results of this case report prompted further treatments with propranolol in an unblinded fashion. Since this time propranolol and more recently topical Timolol (sample size 41) have been studied both in observational and small randomized controlled trials. Propranolol while effective has potential side effects such as hypotension, bradycardia and bronchospasm which has limited it’s widespread application except for those patients with either large, sight threatening or multiple hemangiomas. Topical timolol in the RCT above was demonstrated to be safe and when given locally, free of such side effects making it a seemingly ideal treatment for smaller hemangiomas that may have some cosmetic concerns later in life as they regress. That being said, the time of onset for regression was noted to be after 12-16 weeks of therapy and the target they aimed for was a reduction of >5% which is certainly modest. While only a small improvement it was seen 60% of the time in the treatment group and 11% in the placebo arm. From personal experience I have used topical Timolol with patients in the NICU with varying success but in some cases the results were quite impressive. Looking at the RCT by Chan, timolol was only applied to those hemangiomas that were small and deemed unsuitable for treatment with propranolol.
This leaves us with the question; what does one use if anything for larger hemangiomas which traditionally don’t fit into the category of needing treatment vs patient observation. Secondly, is it wise to systematically treat all larger hemangiomas with propranolol as outpatients, given the potential severity of the side effects, some of which may be life threatening.
This past week in the New England Journal of Medicine we have come full circle as Leaute-Labreze et all have published a large prospective RCT http://bit.ly/1ACqn2C to determine the optimal dose and duration of propranolol for treatment of hemangiomas requiring systemic treatment. The number of patients enrolled in this study was 456 which makes it the largest study to date in this field. This study sought to determine whether 1 mg/kg/day vs 3 mg/kg/day divided twice a day for 3 or 6 months would provide the best resolution without unacceptable side effects. Eligible patients were between 1-5 months of age with a proliferating hemangioma and were treated for either 3 or 6 months depending on which arm of the study they were on. The results of this trial were striking and found that the best balance of benefit and risk was with 3 mg/kg/day for 6 months and is shown below graphically compared to placebo.
This difference translates into a number need to treat to cause regression = 1.7 or rounded up 2. For every two patients that you treat with propranolol you will cause one hemangioma to regress. Try finding a therapeutic benefit like that in another trial!
But what about safety? Side effects were rare compared to placebo but not negligible. The most common side effect was diarrhea and with respect to life threatening adverse effects the only one really noted was bradycardia but in a patient with enterocolitis. My take on this treatment is that it appears to have great impact with little downside!
How do we apply these results though to “real life” situations. We now have as I see it a “one-two punch”. Hemangiomas that are deemed to require no systemic treatment can be treated with a safe topical drop that has been used for years for glaucoma patients. Patients with larger more significant hemangiomas may be treated with a highly efficacious treatment that may have very few side effects.
The downside of systemic therapy at least in Winnipeg is that treatment with propranolol generally requires a hospital admission at the start of treatment to monitor for side effects that would be considered life threatening. With an incidence of 5% of children it would be impractical to admit 600 children a year for such treatment based on an estimated 12000 births in the region a year.
I do believe the time is upon us for change though. As I see it, gone are the days where we tell parents that we will see what develops when their child has a small hemangioma. If you have a willing parent who is concerned about the hemangioma and it is < 1.5 cm in size I believe topical Timolol should be offered to the family for a period of 6 months treatment. Anything larger than that would merit treatment with propranolol. Nine years is potentially a very long time to wait for a lesion to regress and potentially leave a scar or telangiectasia behind. If we can do something about it now with such a high rate of success and minimal risk to the patient, why wait?
My advice to you if you either have a child with a hemangioma or know someone else with one is to have them ask their doctor whether Timolol or Propranolol would be right for them. Given these findings I know my practice will change.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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Join the SV Ambassadors for a Saturday Happy Hour at Paper Plane in San Jose. This is our first event this year in San Jose. This time I have booked the private lounge area for the event.
Use link below to prepay orders will process based on RSVPs, cash payments will be $20.
The entry fee is prepaid online or cash ($20) at the door see above terms. This fee goes toward covering the costs of our InterNations Events. Albatross members pay a small subscription fee online, dedicated to improving InterNations' website and developing new features, and therefore enjoy a reduced entrance fee to the monthly get-togethers. Well worth it if you join us regularly!
As always, I look forward to seeing Saturday 2 February!

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
This deckchair is a combination of a traditional deckchair but with the addition of a comfortable wooden seat and arm rests. This deckchair with arms is perfectly designed to help you get in and out of the chair as well as providing a handy place to lay a book or magazine.
This range of deckchairs with arms are all made from solid hardwood and high quality cotton and are extremely easy to set up. They are the perfect deckchair for relaxing out in the summer sun on your patio or in your garden.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
Wikileaks Drops 'Vault 8': CIA Wrote Code Impersonating Russian Anti-Virus Giant -- DNC 'Hack' Claims Suffer Huge Blow?
WikiLeaks says it has published the source code for the CIA hacking tool ‘Hive,’ which indicates that the agency-operated malware could mask itself under fake certificates and impersonate public companies, namely Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab.
The CIA multi-platform hacking suite ‘Hive’ was able to impersonate existing entities to conceal suspicious traffic from the user being spied on, the source code of the malicious program indicates, WikiLeaks said on Thursday.
As The Gateway Pundit’s Carter Brown previously reported, WikiLeaks published over 600more files back in March claiming to show the CIA used extensive measures to hide its hacking attacks and make it look like Russia, China, North Korea, or Iran carried out the attacks.
The Vault 7 tranche of files and code WikiLeaks continues to drop gives us a better look at what the CIA’s ‘Marble’ software is and how it carries out its attacks.
The code traverses a number of languages from Arabic to Chinese, to Korean, Farsi (the language of the Iranians), and Russian.
WikiLeaks claims that the release of this new batch of confidential documents on the CIA exceeds the amount published during the NSA-Snowden leaks.
The release is expected to completely rattle the CIA.
The timing of the release by WikiLeaks is particularly noteworthy. Former DNC head Donna Brazile is currently promoting her book, alleging Russia hacked her party’s servers, stealing mass amounts of voter intel and internal communications.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text:
A letter to Wagnalls Memorial Library members, patrons, donors, sponsors and visitors on the expanded efforts we are taking to preserve our community’s historic library building, theater group, and other vital programs.
The Wagnalls Memorial Library has helped educate and enrich the lives of people living in the Columbus area since 1925 when Mabel Wagnalls Jones designed and built the library in memory of her parents, Anna and Adam Wagnalls. A historical landmark rich with history and splendor, first-time visitors are always enthralled at its architectural beauty and original handcrafted features. In these fast-paced and ever-changing times, The Wagnalls Memorial has maintained its authenticity making it a unique destination for lifelong learners, history lovers, and visitors from across the country.
Located in Lithopolis, just outside of Columbus, our library serves over 7,000 local library members (cardholders) who use the library in various traditional ways. Cardholders have access to our collection of over 57,000 physical titles at Wagnalls, while also being able to reserve and enjoy thousands of other titles through a consortium of 17 area libraries that mutually share their collections with us. Library members may also borrow from over 3 million titles online through Wagnalls’ shared collection which includes yearly renewable contract with OverDrive, a digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, music, and DVDs . The collection also includes magazines, local newspapers, CDs, movies and audio books.
Our recently remodeled children’s section of the library is located on our lower level, making it a safe, contained area for little ones to explore and learn. Knowing that reading is essential to every child’s development, we offer popular hands-on storytime programs for preschool-aged children. We have a fine arts program for grades K-3 during the school year. For children in grades K through 12, We work closely with area schools to support their learning goals and curriculum, adapting our programs as needed while making certain we have the proper materials to promote reading comprehension, learning and reading enjoyment. Wagnalls also offers a variety of youth programs tailored for different ages including a Harry Potter Book Club, a Teen Book Club, a Writing Club, a Math Club, a Mini Chefs Club, and our Summer Reading Program.
Adults of all ages rely on Wagnalls to expand their knowledge and improve their business and technology skills. By offering classes on computer keyboarding and computer technology, we’ve been able to help people become more employable, understand how to use technology in their everyday lives, and better manage their small businesses. Adults also participate in a number of library clubs, programs, classes and activities including book clubs, gardening clubs, art classes, yoga classes, essential oils classes, and other healthful activities at our library.
To honor its legacy of also being a center for cultural activities, Wagnalls provides Central Ohio with a Theater Arts Enrichment program that includes children’s acting classes and performances managed through Mouth of the Wolf Productions. The rotational 8-week program features age-appropriate performances regularly held the Wagnalls Historic Auditorium for the public to enjoy. Students who participate in our Theater Arts program not only learn acting, movement and projection basics, but also develop important life skills such as creativity, self confidence and team building.
As president of the Wagnalls Memorial Foundation, I am tasked with ensuring that Wagnalls has the funding it needs to: a) Maintain our beautiful, historic facility; b) Continue our tradition of providing quality titles and enriching programs to local residents; and c) Sustain our Theater Arts program. Through intense and careful planning with our board of directors and dedicated library staff, we have identified an immediate need to raise $200,000 within the next two years to ensure the future of Wagnalls.
It is my hope to share in this letter with you, the community that holds us accountable for this historic treasure, a genuine plea for immediate support from all sectors of our local society. I am confident in the creative methods of our marketing team as well as the generous giving of our stakeholders that Wagnalls will remain an integral part of our lives for generations to come.
In order for Wagnalls to thrive, we are developing a variety of community building events designed to bring people together, raise awareness of the library, and generate needed revenue. We will be reaching out to individuals, families, local companies and organizations to give and to become sponsors of various programs and events while continuing to explore grants and other revenue generating possibilities. By establishing Wagnalls as premier wedding venue and working with carefully selected catering partners, we are projecting our wedding event income to triple in 2019.
I welcome your thinking and your suggestions as we collectively strive to meet the financial challenges that so many nonprofit and historical organizations are facing today.
For more information about The Wagnalls Memorial, please call us at (614) 837-4765. We’d love to hear from you.


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Home From when are you too old to borrow money?
From when are you too old to borrow money?
By Kenyatta Davis November 1, 2018 | Comments Off on From when are you too old to borrow money?
More and more people are choosing to purchase a new home at a later age.
That does not seem to be such a problem at first sight, until you visit the bank. From the age of 60 it is perfectly possible that obtaining a home loan.is made considerably more difficult. Does this mean that in practice you can better put your dream to get hold of a dream home in the freezer? We will gladly go into it and tell you all about it in this interesting blog article.
One of the perhaps most important factors that a bank takes into account when issuing a credit is the life expectancy of the borrower (s). However, there are no general rules for this. This is expressed in practice under very different conditions. For example, Argenta is a bank that prefers to see a home loan repaid by the age of 70. At BNP Paribas Fortis this limit is a bit lower. The youngest borrower may be up to 67 years old. The reasoning behind this, however, may not be the one you think. For a bank, however, it is important that the borrower is a wage-earner. From the age of 67, the borrower is by definition no longer because he or she has reached the status of pensioner.
By the way, not every bank chooses to use an age limit for providing their loans. In particular, KBC & Belfius major banks, for example, have already indicated that they are not so much adopting a fixed maximum age for whether or not to grant their loans. Naturally, they determine the potential approval of their credit files on the basis of criteria drawn up by them. Indirectly, the age of the borrower can therefore play an absolutely significant role in this.
What about the debt balance insurance?
The above makes it clear that it is absolutely not correct that a person in later life can automatically no longer take out a home loan. But it is true that there are some times to the medal. An important and often decisive factor in whether or not a (residential) credit is granted are the guarantees that are in return. Especially with borrowers who are a bit older, they look at these guarantees with a magnifying glass. Are they insufficient and is the risk for the lender too large? Then it is still possible that you run into a refusal of your credit application. It must be said, however, that this applies not only to the older, but certainly also to the young (er) borrowers.
An extra point to keep standing still when taking out a home loan later in life can be found in the form of the cost of the debt balance insurance. The premium that is charged for this is largely geared to the life characteristics of the borrower. This not only concerns his general health or lifestyle, but also, for example, the risk of death during the payment period. For seniors, this risk is obviously higher compared to 25-year-olds, which will always have an impact on the costs to be paid.
Is there perhaps also a minimum age?
A formal maximum age is therefore not used by banks nowadays, does this also apply to the minimum age at which you can take out a loan? Unfortunately not. The law says that every person who wishes to take out a loan must be legally competent. These are, of course, difficult words to indicate that a borrower must always have reached the age of 18 years. In principle, it would be possible to circumvent this law, but this requires a substantial procedure which actually has little chance of success in practice. Moreover, it goes without saying that in this situation, the bank will also be looking explicitly at the repayment possibilities of the loan in question.
What about the income of an older borrower?
Throughout this article we have indicated several times that the chance of success of a credit application at a later age is not seldom dependent on the income that is available. It goes without saying that the bank always wants to have the best possible security with regard to the repayment possibilities of the financing provided. Is income no longer available, for example because you have already taken early retirement or because, for example, you became unemployed due to circumstances? In that case, other guarantees will have to be provided in order to be able to prove the repayment capacity of the loan in question. In any case, the assumption that it is no longer possible for elderly people to take out a loan is in practice absolutely not correct. However, it is necessary to prepare well and of course take into account the conditions of the bank in question.


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Davido dares INEC, declares Adeleke as ‘Governor’ Of Osun – Effervescent singer, Davido shocked his fans at the just concluded Felabration 2018 concert held at the New Afrika Shrine , Ikeja, Lagos.
Midway into his performance with Mayorkun , the outspoken entertainer declared his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke winner of the Osun governorship election.
Recall that Davido had opposed the result of the rerun election, stating that PDP supporters were not allowed to vote in some LGs by some APC thugs.
The 21st edition of the much anticipated annual music festival, Felabration 2018, marking the 80th posthumous birthday of afro-beat maestro, Fela finally ended on Monday morning , October 22nd, 2018.
It is true Adeleke won the election.
Mr davido, so look INEC like Nigerians girls you can use their brains!
He must be stupid for saying that… Adeleke didn’t win the election, he wanted winning from the beginning but Omisore later gave them a shut up in the rerun election and that was the point/centre of their failure.
Well he needs to accept the reality.
The case is still with the election tribunal I guess so let’s wait until the final judgement is given.
The truth need to be said.
Court should avoid biasness, call a spade a spade.
He has spoken his mind. He only declared his opinion.
He should be arrested, well, small boy stuff sha!
Please davido just believe that the deal has been done already.
Good i support him on that.
Adeleke is the main winner.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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I was having trouble setting up service providers. Turned out the problem was 2 users with the same nickname. As soon as I changed one, I was able to create service providers fine.
So far I'm *loving* this plugin.
If you still wittiness this issue then please let me know.
I tested this and I couldn't see a problem. Well, having same display names may be confusing in the service provider list, but even if this is the case this shouldn't cause a problem as far as A+ concerned, because A+ doesn't rely on display or nicknames. It just uses user ID's.
As Tim has already noted, if you are still having issues, please let us know.
Actually, for some reason I had 2 accounts with the same display name and the same email (which I must have set at some point, though it shouldn't have been possible). I noticed another forum post with the person having the same problem. But in my case it no longer exists.
Incidentally, I'm a one-person shop. The only reason I set up a service provider is because it shows up in the output and I thought it looked silly to have a dropdown menu with no options. Possibly for the future only show that section on the appointment page if a service provider has been defined.
Wow... a new version since In installed yesterday morning. Cool.
If you don't need service provider dropdown, you can simply remove its shortcode. Then you can save from the td area it is occupying. A+ cannot do this itself as td is on the page content; it is not controlled by the plugin once it is added there.
I didn't noticed that the plugin created the page the way it did. Awesome way to let novices monkey around with placement and style and not mess up the works!


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Karen Witemeyer holds a master’s degree in psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and the Texas Coalition of Authors. She has published fiction in Focus on the Family’s children’s magazine, and has written several articles for online publications and anthologies. Tailor-Made Bride is her first novel. Karen lives in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.
Hannah Richards bit back a laugh as Victoria Ashmont effectively put her nephews wife in her place with three little words. Trying hard to appear as if she wasnt listening to her clients conversation, Hannah pulled the last pin from between her lips and slid it into the hem of the controversial fabric.
Miss Victoria pivoted with impressive speed, the cane she used for balance nearly clobbering Hannah in the head as she spun.
You may have my nephew wrapped around your little finger, but dont think you can manipulate me with your theatrics. Like an angry goddess from the Greek myths, Victoria Ashmont held her chin at a regal angle and pointed her aged hand toward the woman who dared challenge her. Hannah almost expected a lightning bolt to shoot from her finger to disintegrate Nan where she stood.
Nans affronted gasp echoed through the room like the crack of a mule skinners whip.
The door slammed shut, and the resulting bang appeared to knock the starch right out of Miss Victoria. She wobbled, and Hannah lurched to her feet to steady the elderly lady.
Hannah nodded, not about to argue. She gathered her sewing box instead, collecting her shears, pins, and needle case from where they lay upon the thick tapestry carpet.
She had sewn for Miss Victoria for the last eighteen months, and it disturbed her to see the woman reduced to tremors and pallor so easily. The eccentric spinster never shied from a fight and always kept her razor-sharp tongue at the ready.
Hannah had felt the lash of that tongue herself on several occasions, but shed developed a thick skin over the years. A woman making her own way in the world had to toughen up quickly or get squashed. Perhaps that was why she respected Victoria Ashmont enough to brave her scathing comments time after time. The woman had been living life on her own terms for years and had done well for herself in the process. True, shed had money and the power of the Ashmont name to lend her support, but from all public reportsand a few overheard conversationsit was clear Victoria Ashmonts fortune had steadily grown during her tenure as head of the family, not dwindled, which was more than many men could say. Hannah liked to think that, given half a chance, shed be able to duplicate the womans success. At least to a modest degree.
Yes, maam. Hannahs forehead scrunched. She couldnt be sure, but she thought Victoria Ashmont might have just paid her a compliment.
Hannahs gaze flew to her clients face. Miss Victorias slate gray eyes assessed her, probing, drilling into her core, as if she meant to rip the truth from her with or without her consent.
Dizzy from the abrupt starts, stops, and turns of the strange conversation, Hannah kept her mouth closed and assisted Miss Victoria. She unfastened the brightly colored silk, careful not to snag the pins on either the delicate material of the gown or on Miss Victorias stockings. Once the dress had been safely removed, she set it aside and helped the woman don a loose-fitting wrapper.
Im anxious to have these details put in order, Miss Victoria said as she took a seat at the ladies writing desk along the east wall. I will pay you a bonus if you will stay here and finish the garment for me before you leave. You may use the chair in the corner. She gestured toward a small upholstered rocker that sat angled toward the desk.
Hannahs throat constricted. Her mind scrambled for a polite refusal, yet she found no excuse valid enough to withstand Miss Victorias scrutiny. Left with no choice, she swallowed her misgivings and forced the appropriate reply past her lips.
Masking her disappointment, Hannah set her box of supplies on the floor near the chair Miss Victoria had indicated and turned to fetch the dress.
She disliked sewing in front of clients. Though her tiny boardinghouse room was dim and lacked the comforts afforded in Miss Victorias mansion, the solitude saved her from suffering endless questions and suggestions while she worked.
Hannah drew in a deep breath. I might as well make the best of it. No use dwelling on what couldnt be changed. It was just a hem and few darts to compensate for her clients recent weight loss. She could finish the task in less than an hour.
Miss Victoria proved gracious. She busied herself with papers of some kind at her desk and didnt interfere with Hannahs work. She did keep up a healthy stream of chatter, though.
You probably think me morbid for finalizing all my funeral details in advance. Miss Victoria lifted the lid of a small silver case and extracted a pair of eyeglasses. She wedged them onto her nose and began leafing through a stack of documents in a large oak box.
Im sure your nephew will remember you. Hannah glanced up as she twisted the dress to allow her better access to the next section of hem.
Hannah poked her needle up and back through the red silk in rapid succession, focused on making each stitch even and straight. It wasnt her place to offer advice, but it burned on her tongue nonetheless. Any church or charitable organization in the city could do a great amount of good with even a fraction of the Ashmont estate. Miss Victoria could make several small donations without her nephew ever knowing the difference. Hannah pressed her lips together and continued weaving her needle in and out, keeping her unsolicited opinion to herself.
She was relieved when a soft tapping at the door saved her from having to come up with an appropriate response.
The sound of paper ripping echoed in the quiet room as Miss Victoria slid her letter opener through the upper edge of the flap.
Hannah turned the dress again and bent her head a little closer to her task, hoping to escape Miss Victorias notice. It was not to be. The older womans voice only grew louder and more pointed as she continued.
It seemed to be enough, and Miss Victoria turned back to her correspondence as she continued her ramblings.
An expectant pause hung in the air. Keeping her eyes on her work, Hannah voiced the first thought that came to mind.
Hannah tied off her thread and snipped the tail. She reached for her spool and unwound another long section, thankful that the discussion had finally moved in a more neutral direction. She clipped the end of the thread and held the needle up to gauge the position of the eye.
The needle slipped out of her hand.
If the woman was determined to have her speak her mind, Hannah would oblige. This was the last project shed ever sew for the woman anyway. It couldnt hurt. The only problem was, shed worked so hard not to form an opinion during this exchange, that now that she was asked for one, she had none to give. Trying not to let the silence rush her into saying something that would indeed prove her lacking in intellect, she scrambled to gather her thoughts while she searched for the dropped needle.
Victoria Ashmont considered her for several moments, her eyes piercing Hannah and bringing to mind the staring contests the school boys used to challenge her to when she was still in braids. The memory triggered her competitive nature, and a stubborn determination to win rose within her.
Exultation flashed through her for a brief second at her victory, but self-recrimination soon followed. This wasnt a schoolyard game. It was an aging womans search to create meaning in her death.
Feeling chastised and oddly encouraged at the same time, Hannah threaded her needle and returned to work. The scratching of pen against paper replaced the chatter of Miss Victorias voice as the woman gave her full attention to the documents spread across her desk. Time passed swiftly, and soon the alterations were complete.
After trying the gown on a second time to assure a proper fit and examining every seam for quality and durability, as was her custom, Victoria Ashmont ushered Hannah down to the front hall.
Thank you, maam. Hannah collected her bonnet from the butler and tied the ribbons beneath her chin.
I will settle my account with Mrs. Granbury by the end of the week, but here is the bonus I promised you. She held out a plain white envelope.
Hannah smiled as she stepped out the door, sure that not even the angels could drag Miss Victoria away until she was ready to go. Yet underneath the womans tough exterior beat a kind heart. Although Hannah didnt fully understand how kind until she arrived home and opened her bonus envelope.
Instead of the two or three greenbacks she had assumed were tucked inside, she found a gift that stole her breath and her balance. She slumped against the boardinghouse wall and slid down its blue-papered length into a trembling heap on the floor. She blinked several times, but the writing on the paper didnt change, only blurred as tears welled and distorted her vision.
She held in her hand the deed to her new dress shop in Coventry, Texas.
J.T.! J.T.! I got a customer for ya. Tom Packard lumbered down the street with his distinctive uneven gait, waving his arm in the air.
Jericho J.T. Tucker stepped out of the liverys office with a sigh and waited for his right-hand man to jog past the blacksmith and bootmaker shops. Hed lost count of how many times hed reminded Tom not to yell out his business for everyone to hear, but social niceties tended to slip the boys notice when he got excited.
It wasnt his fault, though. At eighteen, Tom had the body of a man, but his mind hadnt developed quite as far. He couldnt read a lick and could barely pen his own name, but he had a gentle way with horses, so J.T. let him hang around the stable and paid him to help out with the chores. In gratitude, the boy did everything in his power to prove himself worthy, including trying to drum up clientele from among the railroad passengers who unloaded at the station a mile south of town. After weeks without so much as a nibble, it seemed the kid had finally managed to hook himself a fish.
J.T. leaned a shoulder against the doorframe and slid a toothpick out of his shirt pocket. He clamped the wooden sliver between his teeth and kept his face void of expression save for a single raised brow as Tom stumbled to a halt in front of him. The kid grasped his knees and gulped air for a moment, then unfolded to his full height, which was nearly as tall as his employer. His cheeks, flushed from his exertions, darkened further when he met J.T.s eye.
I done forgot about the yelling again, huh? Sorry. Tom slumped, his chin bending toward his chest.
The General, huh? J.T. rubbed his jaw and used the motion to cover his grin.
Tom had names for all the wagons. Fancy Pants was the fringed surrey J.T. kept on hand for family outings or courting couples; the buggys name was Doc after the man who rented it out most frequently; the buckboard was just plain Buck; and his freight wagon was affectionately dubbed The General. The kids monikers inspired a heap of good-natured ribbing amongst the men who gathered at the livery to swap stories and escape their womenfolk, but over time the names stuck. Just last week, Alistair Smythe plopped down a silver dollar and demanded he be allowed to take Fancy Pants out for a drive. Hearing the pretentious bank clerk use Toms nickname for the surrey left the fellas guffawing for days.
Shop? J.T.s good humor shriveled. His arms fell to his sides as his gaze slid past Tom to the vacant building across the street. The only unoccupied shop in Coventry stood adjacent to Louisa Jamess laundrythe shop hed tried, and failed, to purchase. J.T.s jaw clenched so tight the toothpick started to splinter. Forcing himself to relax, he straightened away from the doorpost.
I think shes a dressmaker, Tom said. There were a bunch of them dummies with no heads or arms with her on the platform. Looked right peculiar, them all standin around her like theys gonna start a quiltin bee or something. The kid chuckled at his own joke, but J.T. didnt join in his amusement.
A dressmaker? A woman who made her living by exploiting the vanity of her customers? Thats who was moving into his shop?
A sick sensation oozed like molasses through his gut as memories clawed over the wall hed erected to keep them contained.
Toms question jerked him back to the present and allowed him to stuff the unpleasant thoughts back down where they belonged. He loosened his fingers from the fist he didnt remember making and adjusted his hat to sit lower on his forehead, covering his eyes. It wouldnt do for the kid to see the anger that surely lurked there. Hed probably go and make some fool assumption that hed done something wrong. Or worse, hed ask questions J.T. didnt want to answer.
Yes, sir! Tom bounded off to the corral to gather the horses, his chest so inflated with pride J.T. was amazed he could see where he was going.
Ducking back inside the livery, J.T. closed up his office and strode past the stalls to the oversized double doors that opened his wagon shed up to the street. He grasped the handle of the first and rolled it backward, using his body weight as leverage. As his muscles strained against the heavy wooden door, his mind struggled to control his rising frustration.
Hed finally accepted the fact that the owner of the shop across the street refused to sell to him. J.T. believed in Providence, that the Lord would direct his steps. He didnt like it, but hed worked his way to peace with the decision. Until a few minutes ago. The idea that God would allow it to go to a dressmaker really stuck in his craw.
It wasnt as if he wanted the shop for selfish reasons. He saw it as a chance to help out a widow and her orphans. Isnt that what the Bible defined as pure religion? What could be nobler than that? Louisa James supported three kids with her laundry business and barely eked out an existence. The building she worked in was crumbling around her ears even though the majority of her income went to pay the rent. Hed planned to buy the adjacent shop and rent it to her at half the price she was currently paying in exchange for storing some of his tack in the large back room.
J.T. squinted against the afternoon sunlight that streamed into the dim stable and strode to the opposite side of the entrance, his indignation growing with every step. Ignoring the handle, he slammed his shoulder into the second door and ground his teeth as he dug his boots into the packed dirt floor, forcing the wood to yield to his will.
How could a bunch of fripperies and ruffles do more to serve the community than a new roof for a family in need? Most of the women in and around Coventry sewed their own clothes, and those that didnt bought ready-made duds through the dry-goods store or mail order. Sensible clothes, durable clothes, not fashion-plate items that stroked their vanity or elicited covetous desires in their hearts for things they couldnt afford. A dressmaker had no place in Coventry.
This cant be Gods will. The world and its schemers had brought her to town, not God.
Horse hooves thudded and harness jangled as Tom led the grays toward the front of the livery.
J.T. blew out a breath and rubbed a hand along his jaw. No matter what had brought her to Coventry, the dressmaker was still a woman, and his father had drummed into him the truth that all women were to be treated with courtesy and respect. So hed smile and doff his hat and make polite conversation. Shoot, hed even lug her heavy junk around for her and unload all her falderal. But once she was out of his wagon, hed have nothing more to do with her.
Hannah sat atop one of her five trunks, waiting for young Tom to return. Most of the other passengers had left the depot already, making their way on foot or in wagons with family members who’d come to meet them. Hannah wasnt about to let her belongings out of her sight, thoughor trust them to a porter she didnt know. So she waited.
Thanks to Victoria Ashmonts generosity, shed been able to use the money shed saved for a shop to buy fabric and supplies. Not knowing what would be available in the small town of Coventry, she brought everything she needed with her. Including her prized possessiona Singer Improved Family Model 15 treadle machine with five-drawer walnut cabinet and extension leaf. The monster weighed nearly as much as the locomotive that brought her here, but it was a thing of beauty, and she intended to make certain it arrived at the shop without incident.
Her toes tapped against the wooden platform. Only a mile of dusty road stood between her and her dream. Yet the final minutes of waiting felt longer than the hours, even years, that preceded them. Could she really run her own business, or would Miss Ashmonts belief in her prove misplaced? A tingle of apprehension tiptoed over Hannahs spine. What if the women of Coventry had no need of a dressmaker? What if they didnt like her designs? What if . . .
Hannah surged to her feet and began to pace. Miss Ashmont had directed her to be bold. Bold and self-confident. Oh, and confident in God. Hannah paused. Her gaze slid to the bushy hills rising around her like ocean swells. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. The psalm seeped into her soul, bringing a measure of assurance with it. God had led her here. He would provide.
She resumed her pacing, anticipation building as fear receded. On her sixth lap around her mound of luggage, the creak of wagon wheels brought her to a halt.
A conveyance drew near, and Hannahs pulse vaulted into a new pace. Young Tom wasnt driving. Another man with a worn brown felt hat pulled low over his eyes sat on the bench. It must be that J.T. person Tom had rambled on about. Well, it didnt matter who was driving, as long as he had the strength to maneuver her sewing machine without dropping it.
A figure in the back of the wagon waved a cheerful greeting, and the movement caught Hannahs eye. She waved back, glad to see Tom had returned as well. Two men working together would have a much easier time of it.
The liveryman pulled the horses to a halt and set the brake. Masculine grace exuded from him as he climbed down and made his way to the platform. His long stride projected confidence, a vivid contrast to Toms childish gamboling behind him. Judging by the breadth of his shoulders and the way the blue cotton of his shirt stretched across the expanse of his chest and arms, this man would have no trouble moving her sewing cabinet.
Tom dashed ahead of the newcomer and swiped the gray slouch hat from his head. Tufts of his dark blond hair stuck out at odd angles, but his eyes sparkled with warmth. I got the General, maam. Well get you fixed up in a jiffy. Not wasting a minute, he slapped his hat back on and moved past her.
Hannahs gaze roamed to the man waiting a few steps away. He didnt look much like a general. No military uniform. Instead he sported scuffed boots and denims that were wearing thin at the knees. The tip of a toothpick protruded from his lips, wiggling a little as he gnawed on it. Perhaps General was a nickname of sorts. He hadnt spoken a word, yet there was something about his carriage and posture that gave him an air of authority.
She straightened her shoulders in response and closed the distance between them. Still giddy about starting up her shop, she couldnt resist the urge to tease the stoic man who held himself apart.
His right brow arced upward. Then a tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth told her hed caught on.
He dipped his chin in a small nod. Not a very demonstrative fellow. Nor very talkative.
Oh. Wait just a minute, please. There was no telling what foul things had been carted around in that wagon bed before today. It didnt matter so much for her trunks and sewing cabinet, but the linen covering her mannequins would be easily soiled.
Hannah sensed more than heard Mr. Tuckers sigh as she hurried to collect the quilt from the trunk she had been sitting on. Well, he could sigh all he liked. Her display dummies were going to be covered. She had one chance to make a first impression on the ladies of Coventry, and she vowed it would be a pristine one.
Making a point not to look at the liveryman as she scurried by, Hannah clutched the quilt to her chest and headed for the wagon. She draped it over the side, then climbed the spokes and hopped into the back, just as she had done as a child. Then she laid out the quilt along the back wall and gently piled the six dummies horizontally atop it, alternating the placement of the tripod pedestals to allow them to fit together in a more compact fashion. As she flipped the remaining fabric of the quilt over the pile, a loud thud sounded from behind, and the wagon jostled her. She gasped and teetered to the side. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught sight of Mr. Tucker as he shoved the first of her trunks into the wagon bed, its iron bottom scraping against the wooden floor.
The man could have warned her of his presence instead of scaring the wits out of her like that. But taking him to task would only make her look like a shrew, so she ignored him. When Tom arrived with the second trunk, she was ready. After he set it down, she moved to the end of the wagon.
Hannah set her hands on his shoulders as he clasped her waist and lifted her down. A tiny voice of regret chided her for not asking the favor of the rugged Mr. Tucker, but she squelched it. Tom was a safer choice. Besides, his affable manner put her at easeunlike his companion, who from one minute to the next alternated between sparking her interest and her ire.
She bit back her admonishments to take care as the men hefted her sewing machine. Thankfully, they managed to accomplish the task without her guidance. With the large cabinet secured in the wagon bed, it didnt take long for them to load the rest of her belongings. Once they finished, Tom handed her up to the bench seat, then scrambled into the back, leaving her alone with Mr. Tucker.
A cool autumn breeze caressed her cheeks and tugged lightly on her bonnet as the wagon rolled forward. She smoothed her skirts, not sure what to say to the reticent man beside her. However, he surprised her by starting the conversation on his own.
She twisted on the seat to look at him, but his eyes remained focused on the road.
That got a reaction. His chin swiveled toward her, and beneath his hat, his intense gaze speared her for a handful of seconds before he blinked and turned away.
She swallowed the moisture that had accumulated under her tongue as he stared at her, then continued.
Two years ago, I was hired by Mrs. Granbury of San Antonio to sew for her most particular clientele. One of these clients was an elderly spinster with a reputation for being impossible to work with. Well, I needed the job too badly to allow her to scare me away and was too stubborn to let her get the best of me, so I stuck it out and eventually the two of us found a way to coexist and even respect each other.
What kept her from selling it before then? His deep voice rumbled with something more pointed than simple curiosity.
A prickle of unease wiggled down Hannahs neck, but she couldnt quite pinpoint the cause.
A hard lump of dread formed in the back of Hannahs throat.
It was cold, wet and rainy! But the boys had alot of fun! It is fun to watch them find their friends and the ones they compete best with to team up with for competing. We came home with a couple ribbons for P. and H. in different categories!
H. got one in the three legged race….which was fun for him! It is so fun to watch them work together on things.
By the mid afternoon, I was freezing, in spite of two jackets and changing into dry shoes part way through! It is amazing what rain can do for you, as far as chilling you to the bone. I was ready for a cup of hot tea and a shower when i got home, but let the boys go first!
Later that night, we attended my niece’s concert. She plays the violin and did a beautiful job, she had a little dessert reception afterwards, which we stayed for and then I took them home to bed. She is growing up so fast, she is almost 12, already.
It was another late night though, so I am moving slowly again today, which is fine. But on to another busy weekend, with a wedding tomorrow. I just hope it is nice and we are not sitting in the rain again!
When a dressmaker who is smart, values beauty and has an eye on starting her own business is handed a gift that can fulfill her dreams, she is elated! What else could go wrong?
Her welcome to the new town is by someone who has reason to bear a grudge, through no fault of her own. He is too familiar with swallow women who seek only to indulge in fashion, instead of true beauty, or so he thinks. His whole has been effected by what he thinks dressmaking, ribbons and the like took from him and all joy has been taken from his life.
Hannah Richards tests those things he thought was true and by her winning smiles and kindness to others, puzzles him and makes him dig deeper into what he thought was true. Can Jericho Tucker find joy again?
This sweet, somewhat predictable love story, between these two characters was a fun read. This new author was someone I would for sure pick up again. Hannah was a fun character, smart and witty, which I found refreshing. She was not so stubborn, she was frustrating, but was genuinely sweet and warm hearted. She worked hard to help others, promote her business and did not really think about romance all the time. J.T. fights his feelings when he meets her, and is gruff, stern and even rude…..you start to just want to shake him to make him loosen up a bit and Hannah does a good job of it.
I was a bit frustrated by the many references to curves and moist pink lips and could have done without them, but mostly this was a pleasant historical fiction book.
You can buy this book from many book sellers, it retails for $14.99 and may be cheaper from other place like Amazon or Christianbook.com.
This book was provided for review from Bethany House Publishers.
Thursday: Roasted chicken in crockpot…..steamed frozen vegetables, sweet potatoes. I will be busy all day at Track and Field day, so hopefully this will be an easy dinner.
Sunday: Chicken, vegetable, potato soup….bread in bread machine.
Monday: Sweet and sour meatballs with rice and vegetables….
Tuesday: Fried rice and clean out the fridge dinner..
I had alot of apples to use up so i decided to make this easy apple cake recipe I had found awhile back. I changed a few things with it, and added more apples to it! It was great!
Cream sugar, eggs and butter. Add sour milk and mix well. Mix Flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to mixture. Fold in chopped apples.
Spread in greased 9×13 pan. Mix in a bowl 1/2 c. brown sugar (you can cut this down, i used probably a 1/2 per pan….which was really sweet with some molasses added) 1/2 t. cinnamon and sprinkle over top of cake. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.
It really vanished very fast! My boys loved it and we scraped the pan clean!!! We had it for lunch (I know, I know, not the healthiest lunch) with cheese sticks, sweet peppers and whole wheat crackers.
I know, everyone has something that really irritates them, and i am sure what irritates me does not irritate you…..but I needed to write it down. Just like non-capitalized letters irritate me (which if you notice I have a keyboard that only sometimes works properly and refuses to capitalize) I get irritated at people who attempt to make others feel guilty for the activities they enjoy.
When I am online, on forums, groups etc. often you will see these long drawn out emails or posts about how they have decided to take care of their family instead of being online so they will not be posting much anymore. They have loved the encouragement they have gotten, but they are feeling bad and neglectful of their family.
So, at first glance, this is great. I am glad they care so much about their family, they see they have a problem and are fixing it. But to me it is a temporary solution, if they don’t have the self control or the strength to take care of their children then there are other issues at play here.
Of course, everyone would laugh and say you were crazy, give you ideas on how to organize your life better, work in the kitchen with your children and other things so you could still feed your family and not ruin your life.
For me, the internet and the computer is a tool. It is something I really appreciate. I was very lonely as a teen and so instead of getting very depressed, I got several pen-pals. To me, the internet, properly used is like that. it can be a time waster, but on rare occasions, who says there is something wrong about wasting a little time?
Now, instead of wasting money i do not have on stamps, i can connect with people, use my brain, and utilize my time all while teaching school. Yes, i do not own a laptop, I do not want a laptop to carry around because I think it can become an addiction, but i think in some ways like the Amish and cars…..sorry, but the internet is the new way to communicate and make friends.
I have lived without electricity, running water, telephones, showers. Yes, I heated my water to wash dishes and hauled all my water in and out of my house. I know what the “simple life” is. But I think sometimes if we want to leave a group or not use the computer anymore, just don’t use it. Please don’t write me a long email about it. Yes, it used to take all day to go twenty miles on a horse, I bet they spent alot of meaningful conversation during that time, but does that mean we should go back to driving on horses? Maybe instead of making excuses we should look at our days and see how we can change it and spend time with our families, fellowship with our friends and balance it with modern conveniences.
And this is not directed at any one person….just a general rant.
I hardly ever get sick…..i mean, but I think I may be…we will see tomorrow. But i feel miserable. My nose is all stuffed up and I am in pain, and of course the house falls to pieces the minute i do not feel good. i am not sure how that is. Maybe it is to show me how much work i do in the house or how when I am not on top of things, everything falls apart. Either way, I took a bath, i read a book and I think i will read another one and go to sleep after taking more GSE and vitamins.
Tuesday: Pepper, steak fajitas/tacos with avocado, tomato etc.
cornmeal crust (Make your favorite pie crust recipe but use 1/3 c. cornmeal for 1/4 c.
Sprinkle with one or all of toppings.
After her fatal choice… extraordinary hope.
Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook on life. Once a happy child, Kristen’s world darkened after three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a depression that didn’t seem to have a bottom.
One January night, the seventeen-year-old made a decision: She no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited-for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.
Fear coursed through me. I squeezed my eyes tighter.
It’s going to be over now. The pain is going to end. I’ll be in heaven soon.
As the train whistle blew, the vibration of my body stilled.
The sound stopped. The wind stopped. The train stopped.
Amazingly, Kristen survived her suicide attempt… but the 33 freight cars that ran over her severed her legs. Now she not only had to deal with depression; she also had to face the physical pain and life without legs.
But Kristen’s story didn’t end there. After her darkest days Kristen discovered a real purpose for living. Now, in her compelling book Life, In Spite of Me, Kristen shares her journey from despair to hope.
Includes letters from Kristen that share messages she wishes someone would have told her-when she was depressed and struggling with loss, shame from sexual abuse, and suicidal thoughts.
You can find this book for sale in your local bookstores, Amazon, Christianbook.com etc.
There is also a contest if you would like to win a copy by doing one of these two thing!
For a chance to win a 5 book Tricia Goyer library  any five books of your choice!
Leave a comment here http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-am-so-excited-to-announce-that-life.html for a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of Life, In Spite of Me.


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Household waste and recyclables are collected weekly. Items must be placed at curbside no later than 7:00 a.m. on collection day. Residents are responsible for providing their own trash cans, but they should be no more than 32 gallons.
Due to our terrain, there are a few streets where it is easier for one vehicle to collect all of the bags and then meet the other vehicle on a different road. This most often occurs with recyclables and household waste.
The Town collects mixed recyclables in blue bags. Blue bags are available for purchase at most grocery and retail “big box” stores in Waynesville.
Caps and lids should be left on and included with bottles and cans. It is not necessary to remove labels from cans, bottles and jars. Create extra space in your blue bags by crushing bottles and cans.
Used electronics, including old computers, monitors, printers and keyboards, VCRs and DVD players, small peripherals (such as cameras, PDAs and other devices that can be plugged into a computer), phone equipment, video/audio equipment, network equipment and test equipment.
PLEASE NOTE that the disposable grocery bags are not to be used for recyclables - only those blue or clear bags that can be purchased and indicate recyclable bags should be used.
Corrugated cardboard - Fold, flatten, or cut corrugated cardboard into bundles no larger than 2' x 2' x 3' and place next to or under your blue bag. It should be secured so that it won’t blow away before collection. Discard packing material and badly stained items with regular garbage.
Large amounts of cardboard should be taken directly to a Haywood County convenience center.
Bulky items are collected the second and fourth week of each month.
Items cannot be heavier than two men can lift.
DO NOT place carpet, tires, building materials, shingles, commercial trash or heavy auto parts at curbside. You may call the Haywood County Recovery Facility at 627-8042 for disposal information for these items.
Yard waste is collected the first full and third week of each month. Limbs are chipped on-site and must be free of wire or anything that may hinder or damage the chipping equipment.
Grass and vines - Yard trimmings should be free of trash and placed for handling with a pitchfork. Grass clippings or loose materials that cannot be handled easily with a pitchfork must be bagged (30 pound maximum limit per bag).
DO NOT put logs, stumps, root balls, land cleared, machine piled or contract tree trimming materials at the curb. This service is intended to collect the amount a resident will produce.
Please keep yard waste off the streets and sidewalks and out of drainage ditches.
The Sanitation Department uses a vacuum leaf collection process each fall to collect unbagged leaves. Leaves are collected following the same routes used for garbage collection. Vacuum leaf collection operations are undertaken in the fall from mid-October to mid-January each year.
Residents are responsible for ensuring their leaves are at curb at the appropriate time for collection.
Leaves are vacuumed and shredded, and transported to a designated composting site.
During dry weather, the leaf collection operation generates significant leaf dust. Residents should keep this in mind when parking vehicles on the street or near piles of leaves.
Wet weather makes the leaves very heavy and slows collection operations. Snow delays the program significantly.
Bagged leaves are also collected year round as part of the regular yard waste collection schedule.
Rake leaves to the street prior to the advertised date for crews to be in your neighborhood.
Be careful not to block sidewalks, fire hydrants, drainage inlets, gutters or parking spaces.
Cover vehicles or move them off street during leaf collection if leaf dust is a concern on vehicle surfaces.
Don’t mix tree limbs, branches or any other debris in with the leaves.
Don’t block sidewalks with piles of leaves.
Don’t park vehicles in locations that make leaf collection in the immediate vicinity difficult.
Don’t call to request that your leaves be collected out of order.


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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and on 14th February, couples old and new will be cosying up together to celebrate and show their affections for one another.
Whether you’re looking to make your grand romantic gestures on the day or the weekend after, we have some delicious breakfast in bed recipes that are both speedy and special at the same time!
So if you feel like treating your sweetheart to a Valentine’s breakfast that shows how much you care, we’re sure that you’ll find the perfect breakfast recipe here that won’t waste any cuddle time.
A gorgeous combination with the added addition of pastel pink tones that are perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Begin by simply poaching 200g of chopped rhubarb for 3-5 minutes, in 1 tablespoon of honey and enough water so that the rhubarb is just covered. Remove from the pan once soft.
Prepare 2 sachets of MOMA’s Plain (No Added Sugar) oats in two bowls, as instructed – it only takes a moment! Add half a tablespoon of honey into each of the bowls, along with 2-3 drops of rose extract. Rose is quite a strong flavour, so try adding a little at a time, then give the oats a stir in between each addition. Taste and only add more if you feel it needs it!
Top the porridge with the cooked rhubarb, along with 25g of chopped pistachios. For an added wow factor for your loved one, drizzle some of the pink poaching syrup on top, too!
Perfect for the one you love berry much! Our DIY Bircher Blueberry Parfait is made using our crunchy granola recipe, which can be made ahead of the day!
Start by mixing together 250g frozen blueberries with a little sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Cook very gently on a low heat for about 3-4 minutes until the blueberries begin to break down, then take off the heat.
For a stylish and sophisticated breakfast, we’d recommend layering the parfait in 2 glasses. Begin with some greek yoghurt, then top with a spoonful of the cooled blueberries and a spoonful of granola. Keep layering until the glasses are bursting with delicious blueberry parfait, then serve!
It’s still a little chilly outside, making it even more difficult to make your way out of the covers. Not to worry though, as a soothing bowl of this spiced cherry and apple porridge will certainly warm up your loved one on a frosty Valentine’s Day morning.
Use a small saucepan to slowly melt a knob of butter, then add 1 chopped apple and 150g defrosted cherries to the pan. Cook ever so gently for about 5 minutes until the apple begins to soften. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup, as well ¼ teaspoon each of ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Prepare 2 sachets of MOMA’s Plain (No Added Sugar) as instructed, then top with the cherry and apple concoction. For an additional treat, why not grate some good quality dark chocolate onto the top?
If you’re wanting to spoil your special someone rotten this Valentine’s Day, opt for pure indulgence with our dark chocolate and raspberry porridge!
Simply prepare 2 sachets of MOMA’s Plain (No Added Sugar) Porridge Sachets as suggested on the packet, then stir in ½ a tablespoon of cocoa powder, along with half a teaspoon of maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in each of the two servings.
Scatter a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips onto each, and finish with a handful of juicy red raspberries for a tangy kick.
I’m ‘bananas’ for you porridge!
Forget banoffee pie and treat your loved one to a breakfast and dessert, all in one! Caramelised bananas will make them even more crazy for you this Valentine’s Day!
Take 2 bananas and slice them in half, lengthways. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon onto each banana, then grill for 5-10 minutes.
Whilst the bananas are under the grill, create your MOMA Plain (No Added Sugar) Porridge, using 2 sachets in 2 bowls. Stir in ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract into each bowl, then place the cooked bananas on top!
Are you planning a special breakfast in bed for your loved one this Valentine’s day? Why not tag us in a post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


text: Peppered maple sugar is perfect for using on salads, in salad dressings or even in baked goods. It adds a delicious flavour to BBQ vegetables and meats. Also great for baked beans and fish.


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Featuring Wiz and Curren$y, Roy Woods, Migos, Desiigner, and Aminé featuring YBN Cordae.
Another week has peeled off the calendar, and with the impending weekend brings another influx of new music. While we only have one album release today, Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa’s 2009, we have an abundant of dope singles to dig into.
Joining Spitta and Wiz are Migos, Roy Woods, Desiigner, and an Aminé remix featuring YBN Cordae.
The collaborative album from Wiz and Spitta, 2009, marks their second full-length joint effort, following the decade-old How Fly, which was just recently added to streaming platforms. On the 14-track excursion, the two faces of stoner hip-hop take turns enlisting their staple, complementary laidback vibes, leaving just enough room to add some creative pizzazz.
With supporters clamoring for the Culture III release, which was promised at the top of 2019, it seems like fans can now breathe a collective sigh of relief as the trend-setting Migos have come through with their new single, “Position To Win”. Capitalizing on a proven formula, “Position To Win” isn’t a creative departure for the cultural purveyors, but still induces excitement for the pending trilogy bookend.
Additionally, Roy Woods, Desiigner, and Aminé with the help of YBN Cordae have come through with “Worth It”, “Toot!”, and “Blackjack (Remix)”, respectively.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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This apprenticeship is for anyone wanting to a career in the retail industry.
You will study units from the list below relevant to your job role.
•You will need to be at least 16 years of age and must hold three GCSEs at grade A*-D, plus GCSE English Grade 3 or above.


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I proudly remember the time that I discovered how a healthy lifestyle and diet could help me to become both physically and mentally well.
Before that time, and for many years, I had lived with chronic health problems including anxiety, anorexia, depression, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and bipolar disorder.
I am amazed that after 37 years, and working as a nurse for 14 years, I didn’t know the impact that food, and lifestyle, was having on my health. Like many people, I relied heavily on refined carbohydrates, stimulants, and processed foods, without realising that these (cakes, bread, muffins, processed cereals, biscuit, chips, tinned soup and beans, processed cheese and meats) provided ‘empty calories’ which would rob my body of the nutrients that it needed.
In addition to this, my own experience of healthcare at the time of my bipolar diagnosis was centred around blood tests and drug treatment without attention to the impact my diet and lifestyle could have been having on my mental health. In 2015, and after several episodes of hypomania and depression, I decided to take control of my health qualifying as a nutritional therapist.
With the support of my husband I began to implement the principles of optimum nutrition into my life with dramatic results to my mental health. By focusing on the right diet I no longer experienced dramatic mood swings which allowed me to become medication free. I also enjoyed clearer skin, more energy, and reduced symptoms of PMS and irritable bowel syndrome.
Out of my own experience the Rosie Rocks online health programme was born because I wanted to share the amazing effects of nutrition with others in the hope that they could feel as well and become as healthy as I am. Since October 2017 I have supported many people who, like me, were troubled with physical and mental health problems with amazing results.
The programme is simple – we eliminate refined, processed, cancer causing, and inflammatory foods, that stress our body replacing them with tasty nutritious foods and a healthy lifestyle. After every programme it is such a wonderful feeling to hear that people are experiencing the benefits of healthy living which includes more energy, less pain, balanced moods, clearer skin, improved sleep, and significant weight loss if that is their goal.
The Rosie Rocks programme is individually tailored to meet everyone’s health needs providing everything they need to reach their goal – recipes and meal plans, daily nutrition advice and support, nutritional deficiency assessment, supplement advice, exercise tips, skincare advice, and a 24/7 online support group.
My hope as more people sign up for the programme, learn about nutrition, and reap the benefits from making positive changes to their life is that we can reduce symptoms, delay the onset, and in some cases even prevent the occurrence of many serious and debilitating health conditions such as cancer, bipolar, depression, fibromyalgia, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease. As my mother says - prevention is better than a cure and you are what you eat.


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Crystal Vision has released two video distribution amplifiers for its new Vision frame system, both with more outputs than the company has ever offered before and including remote control as standard. The 3GDA-VF is a very flexible video distribution amplifier: it can be configured as reclocking or non-reclocking, it will distribute any digital video (3Gb/s, HD and SD) as well as being DVB-ASI compatible, and it is not even limited to video with its ability to distribute MADI audio. Including useful gain, equalization and clamp adjustments, the VDA-VF analog video distribution amplifier has been designed to distribute SD Black and Burst or HD tri-level syncs reference, and can also be used to create multiple copies of analog video. Those using the Vision DAs have discovered that their systems work out cheaper compared to using the company’s traditional Indigo range.
Remote control and monitoring is included as standard on all the Vision products – particularly useful with broadcasters having less engineers manning their stations and therefore relying on a centralised control system to look after their equipment. Control options include the integrated control panel on the Vision frame, the VisionPanel remote control panel, SNMP and the VisionWeb Control web browser software. The 3GDA-VF is Crystal Vision’s most cost-effective digital video DA with signal reporting to date, as well as the first time the company has offered remote control on a MADI distribution amplifier.


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HFA’s Symposium Institutionalizing Your Brand to Effectively Raise Capital will provide actionable insights and timely advice from industry experts.
Technology’s role in sales and marketing.
This event is hosted and sponsored by K&L Gates. Space is limited. RSVP today!
Please note: Fund managers and investors/allocators will receive priority registration for this event. Registrations will be reviewed and are subject to approval by the event organizers.
And for free Wall Street and hedge fund industry news, event invitations and updates, please feel free to connect to me on both LinkedIn and Twitter.
Also, as we have many active and very large investor mandates and searches for compelling hedge funds, please let me know if you work with or otherwise know any compelling hedge funds (great team and track, AUM $100MM-$1B, any leading HF strategy) that are looking for more investors and to appreciably grow their AUM.


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J&J has struck a deal with Chinese biotech company Genscript, giving it entry to the global market for CAR-T therapies.
Despite success in haemato-oncology with drugs such as Imbruvica and Darzalex, Janssen has been conspicuously lagging behind in CAR-T and the wider cell and gene therapy field.
Its new alliance with Genscript and its US and European subsidiary Legend Biotech should help remedy this – but the deal hasn’t come a moment too soon, as competition in this field is intensifying daily.
Genscript’s (CAR) T-cell drug candidate is LCAR-B38M, which targets the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) to treat multiple myeloma.
This is the next frontier in the CAR-T field, following the breakthrough approval of the CD19-targeting CAR-Ts, Novartis’s Kymriah and Gilead/Kite’s Yescarta this year in lymphoma.
Legend Biotech’s LCAR-B28M has shown some of the most promising results among a host of CAR-T candidates for multiple myeloma.
Data presented at this year’s ASCO conference showed that among 35 relapsed, drug-resistant patients, 33 – 94% of patients – demonstrated clinical remission ranging from a complete to a partial response.
There was a 100% objective response rate, according to investigators, as well as signs of a durable response. This stunned commentators, as the Chinese company’s work had been little known of before.
However there is plenty of competition: GSK’s GSK2857916 has a FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation status in this setting, and encouraging data was presented at the recent ASH conference.
Bluebird Bio and Celgene, Novartis, and Autolous also studying this class in multiple myeloma, making it a very crowded field.
J&J’s pharma division Janssen is to pay a $350million upfront payment to kickstart the alliance, but will pay much more in undisclosed if and when this and subsequent CAR-T candidates reaches the market.
Janssen will record worldwide net trade sales, except for sales made in Greater China. The companies have entered into a 50/50 cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement, except in China, where Janssen and Legend have a 30/70 cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement.
Janssen will make an upfront payment of $350 million that will be recorded in Q4 and additional payments based on development, regulatory and sales milestones.
LCAR-B38M has already been accepted for review by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), putting it in pole position for approval in the world’s most populous country, and a pharma market of growing importance.
The cell therapy is also in planning phase of clinical studies in the United States for multiple myeloma.
“Despite significant advances, multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease for most patients, creating the need for additional, highly active options. LCAR-B38M provides an innovative approach with the potential to transform the treatment of myeloma,” said Peter Lebowitz, global therapeutic area head, oncology, Janssen Research & Development.
Another emerging frontier is the use of CAR-Ts against solid tumours, and to this end, Gilead has just acquired again in the field, buying Cell Design Labs for up to $567 million.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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Not all DIY home renovation projects pay off. The way to successfully complete one is to know exactly what you are getting into so you can set your budget and allocate your time accordingly.
So before starting a project, weigh the opportunity cost. Ask yourself: are the time and costs worth the benefit? You definitely don't want to make a personal and financial commitment to a home renovation project if it's not worth it in the end.
Installing an outdoor swimming pool. Having a pool is considered a luxury for many homeowners. If you live in a climate where you can enjoy your outdoor swimming pool twelve months of the year, it can be a good investment. But if you live in a colder climate, you may not be able to fully enjoy your renovation and your pool could just end up costing a fortune.
RealEstate.com says that the average person lives in their home for five to seven years. The costs of installing and maintaining an outdoor swimming pool may not increase the value of your home by as much as you would like it to when you are ready to sell. Keep in mind that not all home buyers are looking for a home with an outdoor swimming pool so it may also limit your market clientele.
Converting your bedrooms. Many homeowners convert bedrooms into other usable spaces such as an office or a home gym. It's important to note that bedrooms are a major selling point for home buyers and if you have fewer bedrooms your home may be on the market longer than expected.
It is OK to use an additional bedroom for another use but don't change the space to eliminate windows, closets or doors. This way the room can be easily converted back into a bedroom when you are ready to sell.
Coverting your garage into a livable room. More bedrooms are better when it comes to selling your home, but not if one of those bedrooms used to be your garage. Converting a garage into a livable space such as a recreation room or a bedroom actually lowers the cost of a home by up to $10,000.
If you are looking to sell your home, then be smart with your money. Update the kitchen, bathroom, or keep things simple with a coat of paint and new decor.