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1) What is Fresh from the Farm?
2) Why is Fresh from the Farm such a popular fundraiser for schools?
4) What are the products to be sold? Where are the fruit and vegetables grown?
5) What profit does the school make?
6) What is the role of the School Champion?
8) What is the sequence of events?
9) How does the school enrol in Fresh from the Farm?
10) What happens on the delivery day?
11) How do we submit our order?
12) How does the school receive their profit and send in their payment?
13) What method of payment can students accept from customers?
14) What is the role of volunteers? How many should we recruit?
15) What are the recommended storage guidelines for Fresh from the Farm produce?
16) How should issues related to shortages in the Fresh from the Farm order or quality of product be addressed?
17) What is required to make Fresh from the Farm a success?
18) How can we promote Fresh from the Farm to the community?
22) What are the procurement requirements?
23) What is involved in the procurement process? Who do I contact?
24) How do you define ‘local procurement’?
Fresh from the Farm, Healthy Fundraising for Ontario Schools, provides schools the opportunity to raise funds by selling fresh, Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables to the community, while promoting healthy eating and supporting Ontario farmers. Fresh from the Farm is a single fundraising event, with the school delivery scheduled for a pre-advised date in November through to early December.
serves to stimulate the local economy through the promotion and sales of fresh, Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables.
Since 2013, 1165 Ontario schools have participated in Fresh from the Farm.
They collectively have distributed over 2.7 M pounds of fresh, Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables to Ontario families.
Fresh from the Farm is a collaborative initiative between the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, and Dietitians of Canada.
Two ‘bundles’ of Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables are offered for sale.
Bundle A contains: 5 lb potatoes, 3 lb carrots, 3 lb yellow onions, 3 lb sweet potatoes and sells for $14.00.
Bundle B contains: 8 lb Empire apples and sells for $15.00.
Fruit and vegetable products are supplied by growers throughout various regions of Ontario. Please see GROWERS for further information. Whenever possible, produce is sourced from growers in each region. While there are hundreds of producers across the province (and many located near schools), the program must use growers who have the capacity to supply the entire program, or a particular region, with the quantities, packaging, and quality as advertised by Fresh from the Farm. All suppliers must also be food safety certified, carry the appropriate liability insurance, and demonstrate a level of responsiveness to receive their order near the end of October, and begin shipping packaged product in early November.
40% of sales go directly to the school.
Based on history, the average school raises around $1200, selling an average of 150 bundle A (vegetables) and 60 bundle B (apples).
The highest volume school in 2017 made a profit of almost $10,000.
The school champion is the key liaison with the Fresh from the Farm program coordinator and leads the management of the fundraiser on behalf of the school. Ideal candidates are a staff person or parent- volunteer, such as, teacher, vice-principal, principal, parent-council member.
co-ordinating delivery and distribution, the same day customers pick up their orders.
ALL publicly- funded Ontario schools are eligible to participate*.
May 2-October 2: School champion ENROLs the school and orders the toolkit.
September 4: Students being to fundraise.
NOTE: There is a minimum school order of 40 bundles (a total of both bundles, A and B; for instance, 20 bundle A and 20 bundle B= 40 total bundles).
October 18: Invoice is generated and emailed to the school champion.
10 days in advance of the delivery day, schools will be notified.
November 5-December 6: Deliveries to schools take place; there are no Friday deliveries and there is only one delivery scheduled per school.
The school champion registers at the ENROL page and selects the school board and the school and completes the contact information. Please be sure to include a second contact at the school (e.g., principal, vice-principal). The email for the school champion is the primary contact for Fresh from the Farm; all communication will be sent to that address. ENROL the school in the language (English, French) that the school operates in.
The School Champion will receive a confirmation email and a link to set up a password for access to submit the school order and make changes to the contact information.
Choose the fundraising Toolkit that best meets your school’s needs.
1. Kit “A” (English), and Kit “D” (French), includes 150 Information Flyer/ Student Order Forms (single sheet, printed on both sides).
2. Kit “B” (English), and Kit “E” (French), includes 300 Information Flyers/Student Order Forms (single sheet, printed on both sides).
3. Kit “C” (English), and Kit “F” (French), includes 450 Information Flyers/Student Order Forms (single sheet, printed on both sides).
4. Enter a “Toolkit Delivery” address; toolkits will be mailed starting August 27.
NOTE: You can change the toolkit information (e.g., delivery address, choice of kit) up until August 1st. Just login, click on EDIT PROFILE.
Alternately, you may choose “No Toolkit Required” and download the digital resources posted on the CHAMPIONS page to print additional Student Order Forms and/or email the Information Flyer/Student Order Form to parents. Note that there is a WORD version of both resources in the event you wish to add messaging (e.g., date to return Student Order Form to school) or other information specific to your school.
The driver delivers skids of produce to the receiving entrance (unless an alternate location is pre-advised).
Volunteers are required to assist with unloading product from the truck and delivering it to the storage area; mobile dollies should be available.
Produce is delivered in market-ready bags; apples are packaged in flat boxes or bags.
Volunteers unload, sort and pack vegetable bundles into Fresh from the Farm bags (provided upon delivery).
As a best practice we recommend that the bagged bundles are stored on a tarp or table top, ready for pick up.
Families pick up orders at the school, the same day. It is not recommended to store product in the school over-night.
Login to Submit Orders: Input total number of bundles ordered, by school, or by class.
NOTE: There is minimum school order of 40 bundles (a total of both bundles, A and B; for instance, 20 bundle A and 20 bundle B= 40 total bundles).
Add Users: Add another school contact who can also edit and update orders.
12) How does the school receive their profit and remit payment?
Schools retain 40% of total revenue collected, as the profit.
The invoice will be generated by the Fresh from the Farm website administrator and emailed to the School Champion on October 18th.
The invoice is based on 60% of total revenue collected and will be calculated accordingly. There is no delivery fee.
Payment is due upon receipt of invoice. VERY IMPORTANT: Please include the school number on the back of the cheque.
Customers can pay by cash or cheque, payable to the school.
Volunteers are required the day the produce is delivered to sort and pack bundles into Fresh from the Farm bags. We suggest: 5-7 volunteers for 100 bundles, 7-10 for 125 bundles, 10+ for 150+ bundles. Volunteers generally spend 2-4 hours packing bundles.
As a recommended best practice, all fruit and vegetables sold through Fresh from the Farm should be washed prior to consumption.
Carrots Up to 3 weeks No Store in ventilated plastic bag for best quality. Peel, chop and blanch before freezing for longer term storage.
Depending on the circumstances Fresh from the Farm will reimburse the value of any missing product or product that does not meet stated quality specifications.
Reimbursement will be in the form of a gift card and the value must be $5.00 or more.
For quality credits the end user must have followed all recommended storage instructions.
school champion or authorized school personnel quantity or quality issue Authorized school personnel must report any issues to contact@freshfromfarm.ca within 48 hours of the school delivery. Mark the issue on the paperwork provided by the driver for reference.
end user quality issue Customers should contact the school champion directly regarding product quality issues. The school champion must email contact@freshfromfarm.ca within 7 days of the date product was delivered and picked up by the customer.
an ambitious group of students dedicated to selling fresh, Ontario-grown fruit and vegetables to families and friends- while making revenue for their school.
Contact the local public health unit for additional support to present the Fresh from the Farm program to parent-council groups, school communities and other interested parties.
Promote via the media screen in front of the school (as available).
Post promotional flyers in local community centres and retail outlets.
Insert information into school newsletters.
Use the digital Fresh from the Farm brochure to email parents and raise awareness amongst the community.
Link www.freshfromfarm.ca to the school website.
Fresh from the Farm meets the Ontario Guidelines for School Fundraising in which the funds raised for school purposes should not be used to replace public funding for education or those items funded through provincial grants. Visit the Ministry of Education website for more information.
Visit RECIPES for popular recipe ideas and food facts.
Visit the Foodland Ontario website for tasty, seasonal recipes, cooking tips and videos featuring fresh, Ontario-grown foods.
"Procurement" means buying goods and services. Procurement rules ensure that program and/or taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently, with no waste or abuse. There are four fundamental concepts related to procuring goods and services for Fresh from the Farm: full and open competition, responsible and responsive vendors, the buy local provision, and the role of food safety regulations.
An important principle of a sound procurement is competition. When procuring Ontario produce for Fresh from the Farm we strive for full and open competition, which essentially means all potential suppliers are on a level playing field. This also ensures that suppliers receive, and schools have access to competitive, wholesale pricing. It is a win, win for everyone.
In order to win a contract, vendors must be considered both responsive and responsible.
To be considered “responsive,” vendors must conform to all of the program’s stated terms and conditions. For example, if the program issues a request for Canada no.1 bagged carrots and the vendor responds with a bid for ungraded carrots in 3 litre baskets, the vendor is not responsive.
To be considered “responsible,” vendors must be capable of performing successfully under the terms and conditions of the contract. For example, the program requires that responders provide evidence of past success meeting delivery times. If upon calling the responder’s references it is learned that the vendor has a poor track record regarding on-time deliveries, the vendor would not be considered responsible.
A supplier who is responsible and submits a responsive offer is one that clearly complies with the solicitation’s terms and conditions, and that possesses, at the time of contract award, the experience, facilities, reputation, and other factors necessary to successfully fulfill the terms of the contract.
Growers supplying the program are required to deliver their orders to central specified hubs in their particular regions as specified by Fresh from the Farm. This ensures that the school orders can be aggregated and distributed in the most timely and efficient manner.
Ontario has a strong agri-food industry working hard to ensure safe and healthy food for the people of the province. Fresh from the Farm is committed to purchasing produce from sources that are safe. As such, all suppliers must have proof of, and adherence to, food safety certification (Canada GAP or HACCP) and must carry a minimum of $2 million in liability insurance.
Develop specifications: Detail the annual requirements of the intended agreement, including delivery and packing conditions.
Identify sources: Contact potential vendors in a variety of ways (e.g., suggestions from schools, calling on the phone, or emailing) and collect bids.
Evaluate responses: Ensure that responders are responsible and responsive—in accordance with all aspects of the specifications. Document each bid even if it was offered in a face-to-face meeting.
Award the contract: Determine which bidder offers the best value and award the contract to the bidder that is most responsive and responsible, with a fair market price.
Manage the contract: Ensure the program receives everything from the vendor that the contract stipulates.
For those growers interested in supplying the program, please contact Dan Tukendorf DTukendorf@ofvga.org at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association.
24) How do you define 'local procurement'?
A number of apple growing regions exist in Ontario, including Prince Edward, Clarington, and Northumberland Counties, Waterloo Region, Georgian Bay and the Niagara Region. Many smaller orchards sell to the public at an on-farm market or farmers’ market. Orchards also move their products to apple packer hubs where the apples are graded, stored and packed in bags or boxes for sale to the larger retail market.
The vast majority of Ontario onions and carrots are grown in the Holland Marsh – located 50km north of Toronto. The Holland Marsh is commonly referred to as Ontario’s vegetable patch because of its incredible variety and large amounts of fresh produce. Produce selections range from more traditional crops such as carrots, onions and celery, to more diverse options like romaine lettuce and ethnic vegetables. The ability to grow and harvest these crops result from a combination of dedicated farmers and incredible muck soil. Many of these growers sell directly to grocery chains or at the Ontario Food Terminal. Smaller growers may also send their produce to local packers to be stored, graded, and packed.
Ontario sweet potatoes grow primarily in Norfolk County .These sub-tropical plants like the warm sandy soil of this region.
Fresh from the Farm is committed to sourcing produce from Ontario. Whenever possible, produce is sourced from growers in each region. It must be kept in mind that this program moves a large amount of produce. While there are hundreds of producers across the province (and many located near schools), the program must use growers who have the capacity to supply the entire program or a particular region with the quantities, packaging, and quality as advertised by Fresh from the Farm. All suppliers must also be food safety certified, carry the appropriate liability insurance, and demonstrate a level of responsiveness to receive their order near the end of October, and begin shipping packaged producer in early November.
Schools make 40% profit on sales.
Enrol May 2 - October 2 for November delivery.


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Following on from my earlier post on selling my book, Romancing The Sale, here are my experiences of using on-line advertising to promote awareness and ultimately sell copies of my book.
This was an experiment and I enjoy measuring the results of experiments so here are my findings.
Well it look like advertising is a waste of money and completely ineffective - at least when it comes to selling books. If you you are an author, I wouldn't recommend advertising as a vehicle to promote your book!
I set up a Google AdWords advertising campaign to display adverts to potential prospects for my book based on carefully selected keywords.
I had a selection of different adverts to measure which adverts achieved the best response rate.
My adverts were displayed a grand total of 58,000 times and I had 97 people click on the adverts. Just a 0.16% click through rate at a cost of £28 (approx £0.29 per click). My best advert has a 1.25% click through rate which is very high.
Amazon doesn’t provide statistics on how many people have viewed your product page. The only stats are for purchase complete. I had heard that Amazon have an 80% shopping cart abandon rate and they are one of the better performers in the industry. Well my experience seems to back that up.
In order to measure the stage from my advert being clicked and eventually being purchased, I set-up and Amazon Affiliate account. This enables me to see a little more detail once my prospect clicks on the advertising link.
So my 97 click throughs translated into zero sales on my book but interestingly it did sell other stuff which I will cover shortly. I'm currently selling an average of 1 copy of the book per day so these sales are clearly not coming from advertising but other activities such as social media and word of mouth. I have a big campaign sheduled for the end of November so I will be able to compare other marketing vehicles and their effect on sales.
I had originally assumed a 1 in 4 conversion rate to purchase. Let's assume my 97 clicks through is actually 100 click throughs. I assumed of this 100 that 25 would decide to buy the book. Deciding to buy and actually buying are two very different things. Amazon's 80% shopping cart abandon rate means only 20% of people that decide to buy actually buy (good old Pareto yet again).
Based on my numbers, it would mean that I should have had 5 sales but I had zero. Interestingly with an Affiliate account you can see what people did buy and I had 4 consequential sales - someone bought a nice sofa and the other 3 bought books (not mine). One person bought a how to book on murder which is a little different to my Romancing customers.
Although it is interesting that I created consequential sales it doesn't achieve my primary goal of selling my book.
So what would it take to sell one book through advertising?
I think my original 1 in 4 conversion rate should be 1 in 5 (20% again) since this would match the 4 resulting sales. However the additional sales step is important. There is a decision to buy something and there is a decision to buy my book. I think Pareto kicks in again and only 20% of those that decide to buy decide to buy my book - the rest decide to buy something else like a new sofa.
So I need 125 people to click on links in order to achieve 1 sale. Assume 30p per click, this means spending £37.50 to achieve one sale! I need to increase the price of my book to make this viable!
I'm now abandoning my AdWords campaign since it is clearly not effective.
I am now experimenting with the LinkedIn advertising to see if that it more effective. It wasn’t very effective in the past on other campaigns I've run. I'll share the results in the near future. So why LinkedIn. Google doesn't have user profiling - the adverts are displayed based on keyword triggers. LinkedIn has excellent user profiling so my adverts can be displayed to my target audience. In this case I am restricting it to show to people in the UK and North America that have the word sales in their job title and have specified a skill of either complex sales, professional sales or relationship based selling.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text: Getting ordained online is very simple. A group of my friends use this as a way to manage low costs weddings, with several of us ordained. Be sure to check the laws in your State to confirm that such an ordination is allowed to sign the certificate, if you want your marriage recognized by the Government.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Have your energy costs begun to rise? Many homeowners fail to realize how much of an impact their windows make on their overall energy costs. If drafts are coming in around your windows, your heating or cooling unit will run more often. This will drive up your energy costs. Replacing those windows is the only way to lower your energy costs and make your home’s temperatures more comfortable. Allied Siding and Windows offers the quality homeowners have trusted since 1988. We offer a number of replacement window options and will ensure that your new windows perfectly fit your decorative and your budgeting needs.
In addition to quality replacement windows we also offer quality siding replacement. We install Hardieplank siding. Hardieplank is the most durable siding on the market today. It offers protection from a number of elements and will never fade, crack, peel, buckle or warp. If you really want to lower your energy costs, replacing your windows and having Hardieplank siding installed is an excellent combination. Your home’s temperatures will be much more comfortable and you will instantly add beauty and value to your home. Allied offers a number of design and color choices with our siding installation and your replacement windows will be custom made so that they will fit your home perfectly.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Matchmakers do not judge, so don't be nervous.
Everyone has a story. Each chapter of yours made you the multifaceted and interesting bachelor that you are today. We are interested in the journey that brought you to us.
When single, we often think that we are a 10. A great catch according to our friends, who think we just haven't been discovered by another fantastic 10. They make it sound as though the perfect guy is going to show up on the doorstep in the middle of the night, like the stork dropped him off. But the truth is, each of us is better off thinking of ourselves as an 8, looking for another 8 to love us back. And to be COMPLETELY honest, if we truly have an open heart and mind, we could find a wonderful man that will love us for who we are, no matter his number or yours.
Matchmakers base our work in reality.
That is where you, as the client, need to focus as well. It is okay to pop your head into the clouds every now and then, as long as you return back to earth. A good matchmaker will match you with someone who will choose you back. Otherwise it would be an endless search for a man with perfect abs (or bank account, or car) who won't give you the time of day, since you are not what he is looking to date.
Be the man you want to meet.
When we tell you to take some time to work on you, that usually means we know there is something that needs some fine-tuning before we set you up. Whether that be your health, your mindset, or your first date etiquette, put some work into it. And even if we aren’t specific about what you need to work on, go and get a good workout, a healthy meal, more water, and even a little Vitamin D on the face. What's the harm? You may just discover you are an even more eligible bachelor than before!
Listen to us. We are professionals; we know what we are doing.
We are certified in Matchmaking, as relationship professionals, and also provide unlimited Dating Coaching. We often say love is not a science. Love is an art form. Which means there can truly be no "love doctor", but we are the closest thing you may get. Otherwise, you can keep getting set up by your half cousin with the gay guy from their office, with no other context, other than his being gay.
It may take a few matches to get it right.
Just like dating on your own, we often work through a process of elimination. You wanted trustworthy, driven, successful, witty, with a love for travel and fit? We would likely match you with someone with a fit build for his height (with even greater potential), who is partner at his firm, and will travel the world with you. If he doesn't feel like a fit, the next match may be slightly further down at his company, with a heart of gold, and less money in his savings account. But if you never give the quality person you are meeting a second chance, we can't do much for you.
Give each bachelor a second chance for a first impression.
Unless they plucked a hair from your head during dinner and started flossing with it, it wasn't that bad. We believe it takes up to four meetings for you to truly know if you can see yourself spending more time with a new compatible bachelor. Most of us give up after one. It doesn't sound like we are setting ourselves up for the best odds, does it?
Matchmakers can tell if you are truly ready for love.
Sometimes we will not invite someone to become a client, as it takes a person that is truly prepared for a relationship and not someone looking for a dating service. We do what we do because we believe in it. You have to believe in it as well.
You must be completely transparent with us.
We will with you. Your relationship with your matchmaker is completely private and confidential. Nothing of confidence you share will ever be shared with another party. It’s helpful if we know the good, bad, and ugly. We are your love agent. We should know the details of who you are and how or why.
Becoming a matchmaking client may change your life.
We can attest to this. We have been matchmakers for years and have had clients achieve their goal in weight loss, received that dream promotion or career move, receive that award-winning nomination, and have had those fall in love. All because of the changes that come when taking the time to focus on YOU and hiring someone to do the hard part for them.
Our date was fun, exciting, and completely out of the ordinary. Playing ping pong and having a few bites was a great way to get to know her, without the anxiety of a formal date. Thank you, Tammy and H4M, for making this experience FUN - and not stressful at all.


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Take the grocery aisle less traveled.
If you recently scored higher than expected on the basic-ness test (i.e. Starbucks fraps, Ugg boots, and yoga pants), then you might be looking for ways to become less mainstream and more flawless. While you may choose to cling to your yoga pants (no judgement), you can still update your fridge with Trader Joe's snacks that are super fly.
Yes, fall is upon us, but resist the urge to pile your cart with all things pumpkin spice. If you are feeling like a big spender, check out the other list of Trader Joe's goodies to grab.
Here is your next shopping list to the great TJ's, courtesy of your favorite personal shopper.
Always start with dessert. If you are low-key lactose intolerant like I am, these will be a dream come true for your ice cream fix at 2 am.
Eat your veggies and make your momma proud by adding this as a side dish to pasta, burritos, or add into a vegetable chicken stir fry. Good stuff.
My new favorite find that I have been force-feeding to all my friends. Awesome substitute for potato chips and the cure for all the salt cravings.
Next to oatmeal, this is the most dad breakfast possible. However, there are some dope ways to eat it as dessert, and other grown up ways to incorporate it in an adult dinner like grapefruit shrimp salad.
Goat cheese is life. And to prove that, here's three other ways to utilize it in some super fly recipes like Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Crostini With a Balsamic Glaze, Apple, Goat Cheese and Honey Quesadilla, or add it into a boxed mac and cheese for a tangy kick.
YES. Thank you TJ's for making fish easy. For some reason, the regular frozen cuts resist me and turn out terribly in my oven so these easy-bake breaded fish nuggets are amazing. In the cart you go!
What Trader Joe's list would be complete without some weird healthy food. I love tofu as an addition to salads and stir fries, like this recipe.
So although TJ's has an endless number of pumpkin spice snacks, throw something a little less basic in your cart this year.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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Oh what a club we have……..the call went out to all members to support our wine tasting and the members answered….Thank you to all for the strong support of this event…You all made it a successful evening. The Sculpture Barn in New Fairfield was a perfect setting and David and Carter were such gracious hosts. We had 80 people in attendance, 47 of which were our members. Thank you to Lion Marlene Lamendola, who chaired this event, and her committee for making it an elegant evening for everyone to enjoy.
The raffle is coming to a close. The drawing will be on Saturday, April 21st at Union Savings Bank in New Fairfield at 1:00 pm. I am asking all members again to get out there and sell as many tickets as we can over the next three weeks to make this a success also…I have asked Lion Marty to contact members to ask for volunteers to team up and sell tickets on Saturdays in front of Union Savings Bank in New Fairfield or Stop and Shop or Home Depot. We have met the cost of our prizes and have just a little over $100.00 in profits. Any tickets we sell now are 100% profit. Also, if you have money to be turn in you may drop it off to Lion Marlene at Union Savings Bank in New Fairfield or to Lion Gerry Platania at the Union Savings in Danbury. Please remember April 21st is the drawing and all tickets must be turned in before that date.
Our biggest fundraiser of the year is scheduled for April 28th and our dance committee is planning an exciting evening. Bill Trotta (Mr. Morning) from 98Q will be our DJ for the evening. Our member, Governor Jodi Rell, has once again graciously offered a lunch for two at her Hartford residence for our live auction. There will be plenty of good food, dancing and fun for everyone. Half of the tables have already been reserved and seats are going fast. Please call Gerry or Lynn at their home (203-748-8879) or Gerry at work (203-860-6958) to reserve the number of seats you will need. We do not want Lions turned away because tickets are selling so fast.
I have reserved the Reading Road House for our Annual Installation Brunch for Sunday, June 10th, 11:00 AM. The cost will be $27.00 pp and it includes an extensive buffet and one cocktail. The Redding Road house is at 406 Redding Road at the junction of RT 53 and 107. Invitations will be coming.
I am sad to report our club loss a great friend, as well as all Lions throughout the world. Past International Director Otto Strobino passed away on March 18th. PDG Otto was a dedicated Lion and great supporter of the Candlewood Lions Club; he was a true gentleman in ever sense of the word and will be greatly missed.
Also, our heart and prayers are sent to our own Lion Othella Mays who’s son passed away this week.
In closing I would like to thank all members for the beautiful bouquet of Iris that were sent to me with good wishes for a speedy recovery. I have been on medical leave for the last 6 weeks and hope to be able to return to work (and Lion duties) by the first week of May. I would like to thank you for the cards and good wishes. Also I would like to thank Lion Marty, Lion Gerry, Lion Lynn, Lion Seamus and Lion Marlene for stepping in for me to complete tasks. I miss being a part of everything and look forward to be back soon.
April 21st - Raffle Drawing - 1:00 PM - Union Savings Bank - New Fairfield - we need volunteers to sell tickets there a couple of hours before the drawing.
Once again, I am calling on all members….make our club strong…get out there and sell your raffle tickets and reserve your tickets for the dance. We are committed to supporting 8 local charities, in addition to our Lion projects and we need everyone’s help. Last year we netted just under $10,000 to give back to the community. Let’s beat that number this year. Thank you all.


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Grammy Award-winning Portugal. The Man announced their 2018 summer tour on Tuesday, including a stop at Artpark on Aug. 1, as part of the "Coors Light Concert" series. The 6 p.m. show will take place in the Outdoor Amphitheater.
Tickets for the concert, co-presented by Artpark and Funtime, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9. Advance general admission bowl tickets are $42.
Tickets will be available online at www.tickets.com and www.artpark.net, by phone at 1-888-223-6000, or in person at the Artpark box office, 450 S. Fourth St., Lewiston (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays). Listed ticket price includes a $2 facility fee; additional service fees apply for online and phone orders. Ticket price increases to $47 on the day of the show.
Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" was a staple at rock radio in 2017.
This concert event with Portugal.The Man joins the previously announced Primus and Mastodon (May 23) concert and the Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and The Head and the Heart (June 2) show in the "Coors Light Concert" series at Artpark. Tickets for those installments of the series are on sale now.
Visit www.artpark.net for more information on the shows previously announced.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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Care2 Healthy Living | Are You Cooking With the Best Type of Onion? Probably Not.
Are You Cooking With the Best Type of Onion? Probably Not.
All onions are not created equal — which is why it’s frustrating when a recipe calls for “an onion.” Sure, it’s not the end of the world if you use a red onion when the recipe writer had a yellow one in mind, or vice versa, since pretty much every onion will cook the same way. But using the best onion for the job can really add a depth of flavor to your meals that using a subpar type just, well, won’t.
For most of the year, you’ll find red storage onions at the supermarket, which are pungent and spicy. In the summer months, you’ll often find fresh red onions, which are much more mild, and lack a bit of the “onion-y” flavor you’ll find in their yellow and white cousins. They do much better raw than cooked. If you find the taste of raw red onions (and really any other type of onion) too sharp, you can soak red onions in water for 30 minutes-1 hour.
Best For: Salads, sandwiches, burgers, pickling, salsas.
The gold standard onion and usually the cheapest one at the market. If you’re using a recipe that doesn’t specify what type of onion to use, a yellow onion is your best bet. Yellow onions are particularly hardy, and their flavor complex and spicy. They also have more sulfur than other onion varietals, so they’re much more pungent, difficult to eat raw, and more likely to make you tear up.
Yellow onions keep for a very long time.
Best For: Dishes that cook for a long time on low heat, like soups, including French onion soup, stocks, risotto, sauces and stews. Anything sautéed, too.
Of all of the main types of onion, white onions are the least common. Sharper than yellow onions, crisp and clean white onions are great raw and cooked. You can cook white onions like you would yellow onions.
White onions have a slightly shorter storage life than yellow onions, but should not be kept in the fridge.
Best For: Mexican food, white sauces, pasta salads, raw in salads, in chili, and potato salads.
They tend to be larger, and have thinner skin, than other types of onions. Some are so sweet that you can actually eat them like an apple. You may have seen sweet onions called Vidalia, Walla Walla, and, less commonly, Texas sweet onions and Maui onions. Sweet onions are much less pungent, and yes, sweeter, than yellow onions. They break down quickly and aren’t very complex, so it’s best not to use them in lieu of regular yellow onions as an aromatic flavor.
Unlike other onions, sweet onions spoil quickly and should be stored in the fridge.
Best For: Gratins, roasted vegetables, onion rings. They’re also great raw on salads and sandwiches. My favorite? On the grill with a little olive oil, salt and pepper!
My onions seem to work just fine for me...Thank you for posting.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: EuroVis 2019 will be held from June 3rd till the 7th in Porto, Portugal, within a single conference venue. The co-located events will take place on Monday, 3rd and the conference will run in the following four working days. More information will be available soon.


text:
The Olde Towne Depot rests under the shade of trees lining the rails upon which trains currently pass and anchors the Olde Towne District to the east.
Our story begins in the 1831 when the State of Mississippi granted a charter for the construction of thirty miles of rail connecting the growing towns of Clinton and Vicksburg, with movement of cotton to the River City being of primary importance to the economy of the area.
The Depot’s warm interiors create an inviting place for gatherings, whether social, educational, or business in nature, with seating for up to 90 attendees.

industry_corpus2: Transportation


text:
She can't see his whorls, either.
Are the whorls in his belly button?
So his whorls are no longer massive and visible to anyone who can see them from anywhere?
And clothes now get in the way?
thanks, Tober. Must be feeling better again. Hope all is well.


text:
If you need cash advance right now and your location is Lake Arthur, Louisiana, all you need to do is fill out simple form to get payday loan online.
How long does it take to get a payday loan in Lake Arthur, LA?
I have been rejected by other lenders in Lake Arthur, Louisiana, why will I be approved for a payday loan?

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
The two largest religions in the world—Christianity and Islam—face restrictions in the most places, with Christians facing harassment in slightly more countries.
Religious restrictions continue to spread globally in Pew Research Center’s ninth annual study of laws and social hostilities in 198 countries, although most countries still rank low to moderate on a study scale researchers devised.
Less than half of the countries, 42 percent, ranked high or very high on Pew’s scale of restrictions including both laws and social hostilities, up from 40 percent in 2015 and 29 percent in the baseline study period of 2007, Pew said.
“Since some of these countries are among the world’s most populous (such as China and India), this means that a large share of the world’s population in 2016—83 percent—lived in countries with high or very high religious restrictions,” Pew said, as compared to 79 percent of the world’s population living in those countries in 2015.
In spite of the rankings and variables, religiously motivated harassment and restrictions of varying amounts, whether from the government or society, were reported in 187 of the countries studied. The findings are up from 169 countries in 2015 and indicate the most widespread harassment since 2007.
Rankings are based on a composite of government restrictions, including laws, policies, and actions by officials, which had increased, and hostilities perpetrated by organizations and social groups, which had remained stable. In its study, Pew devised a 10-point scale based on several indicators and divided the countries into five regions, the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle-East/North Africa.
Christians were most likely to face governmental and social harassment in the Asia-Pacific region, Pew said. There, governments in 30 percent of the countries harassed Christians, and social groups in 27 percent of the countries had done so. Across the globe, Christians were harassed in 144 countries, up from 128 countries in 2015.
Muslims were most likely to face harassment by both governments and social groups in Europe, where governmental harassment was found in 28 percent of the countries and social harassment in 36 percent. Globally, Muslims were harassed in 142 countries in 2016, up from 125 the previous year.
Jews, who comprise 0.2 percent of the world’s population, faced harassment in 87 countries, most often perpetrated by individuals rather than the government.
Egypt, Russia, India, Indonesia, and Turkey had the highest levels of both government restrictions and social hostilities in 2016, among the world’s most populous countries. In government restrictions alone, China ranked highest, with India ranking highest in social hostilities.
When considering government restrictions alone, 55 countries comprising 28 percent of those studied ranked high and very high on the scale, Pew said, compared to 50 countries or 25 percent in 2015.
When considering societal harassment, the 54 countries that ranked high or very high on the scale in 2016 were virtually unchanged from the 53 countries ranking high or very high the previous year, remaining stable at 27 percent.
Ranking highest in government restrictions in addition to China, Russian Egypt and Turkey were Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Turkmenistan, Syria, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Eritrea, Morocco, Brunei, Singapore, Western Sahara, Azerbaijan, Laos, Burma, Iraq, and Mauritania.
Ranking highest in societal harassment in addition to India, Russia, and Egypt were Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Palestinian territories, Israel and Bangladesh.
Government restrictions included efforts to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversion, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups. Social hostilities included religion-related armed conflict or terrorism, mob or sectarian violence and harassment over religion-based attire.
Researchers studied more than a dozen sources of public information, including reports from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, various European groups, the United Nations and many independent, nongovernmental organizations, Pew said.
DIANA CHANDLER is Baptist Press’ general assignment writer/editor. A version of this article originally appeared at Baptist Press.


text:
Rogan's study reminded me of something else.
validity of the research?  One would assume.  Did the researchers know?

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text:
Alpine Action - an independent fully protected ABTA Y5435 & ATOL 3292 Tour Operator that has been providing quality catered chalet holidays in Meribel & La Tania for over 24 Years. Book your holiday with complete financial confidence.
The skiing? Its the largest linked ski area in the world and we think the best in the world!
Is the prettiest catered chalet in our programme. A real chocolate box design, the dark wood displaying some rather unique charms, giving a truly alpine feel. Situated close to the piste and La Tania resort centre, the quiet location and area surrounding this quality catered chalet is perfect for adult groups as well as families being safe for the children to play outside. You can ski back close to the chalet or just simply walk back from the ‘Folyeres’ blue piste only 3 minutes away. La Tania resort centre is only a 5 minute walk for an après ski beer or tea-time shopping and browsing . The cosy open plan lounge and dinning area offers a real homely feel encouraging lazy nights-in playing board games or just relaxing. This quality catered chalet has seven bedrooms all en-suite, five with showers and two with bathrooms. There is an outside Jacuzzi hot-tub.
There is an Alpine Action representative based in resort looking after all La Tania chalets who can arrange all your ski school, ski hire and lift pass requirements. He can also advise of the best restaurants all in the La Tania area. This is a no-smoking chalet.
PRICES QUOTED INCLUDE A GATWICK FLIGHT + £35 FOR MANCHESTER.
The chalet is conveniently located close to the blue "Folyeres" piste. You can ski back close to the chalet or just simply walk back from the ‘Folyeres’ blue piste only 3 minutes away. La Tania resort centre is only a 5 minute walk for an après ski beer or tea-time shopping and browsing .

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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The days are short. The nights are long.
Let us be here. In the darkness.
The holiday lights and festivities can be good medicine, but they can be unhelpful if we use them as distractions. Let’s not pretend it is light. It is dark. The Buddha teaches that suffering comes from craving what we want and avoiding what we don’t want. Are we putting up twinkle lights to avoid the darkness?
So, let us sit here for a moment, and embrace what is - beautiful, rich, mysterious darkness. Stars and moonlight. Deer, fox, and owl. Our bodies, like bear and groundhog, seek rest. Our souls enjoy dreamtime, in the darkness.
I find deep joy in this practice of tuning into the season. When we take time to appreciate the benefits and challenges of this unique moment in time, we embrace our place in the cosmos. We know we are in relationship to the Sun and the Earth. We belong here. This is our rhythm; together we are spinning through space, twirling and tilting as we dance with the moon. Let us weave our personal stories into this cosmic tale. Know that you belong here, in the darkness.
Notes on Winter Solstice from My Personal Grimoire.
AND, we have power. We have memory and consciousness. WE are light. THAT is why we light fires in the darkness. Not because we are avoiding the darkness, but to give voice to our hope, our faith, our courage. We glow with gratitude. We shine a light in the shadows and illuminate our fears so that we may grow wiser and more joyful. We strike matches, plug in twinkly lights, and burn logs because this, too, is part of darkness. When we celebrate the Winter Solstice, we honor darkness and celebrate light. We tune into seasonal markers of change. We invite our body, mind, and soul to align with here, and now.
Technically the Solstice is the shortest day of the year. But, the holiday of Yule is so much more than one day. Only you know the right time to begin your observance. This year, our family moved from California to New York. The darkness feels different this year. The cold has us turning inward, sooner. And, so, we find ourselves meditating on fires, huddled around the woodstove. We decorate our home with fir and pine, appreciating their greenery in this leafless landscape.
Coming from Catholic families, Christmas still takes on a leading role during this time of year. Heck, even I believe in Santa Claus. I mean, sort of. He embodies the Spirit of Christmas, and we all have a little Santa inside us, right?. So, I guess, I believe in us. THIS is the story I tell my kiddos. I emphasize the importance of spreading joy and light. I also emphasize that Santa needs A LOT of helpers. I invite them to help out. “How would you like to spread light?” My boys love making (and wrapping) gifts. My favorite moment so far... hollering “Merry Christmas” to our mail carrier as she plucked a bag of cookies from our mailbox. Gift giving is just one way to bring joy into the world. Our family enjoys creating experiences together, like breakfast dates with the nephews or Handel’s Messiah with my mom.
This year I am excited to simply sit and think about the sun. Here is a list of my favorite activities.
Writing thank you letters to Grandfather Sun.
Coloring images of the sun. Check out this collection.
Reading books about the Sun, like this one, and this one.
This year we are taking it to the next level and celebrating with a ritual filled with fire, verses, candles, story, and cocoa. At the heart of the event is a Spiral Walk, inspired by the Waldorf Advent Spiral. I love walking labyrinths and the symbolic movement of leaving the outerworld and turning toward the center. Our Yule ceremony incorporates a similar walking meditation, as we look to our inner light on the darkest night.
Optional: Prepare a bonfire with paper, sticks, and logs. Light it if you need it for warmth.
Create a spiral on the ground. Traditionally it is made with evergreens (ours is made from extra branches from at the Christmas tree farm), but it can be made with chalk, ribbon, garland, rope….
Place one larger votive/pillar candle (unlit) in the middle of the spiral as a symbol of the enduring light of the sun and the light within ourselves.
Place 12 smaller candles (unlit) along the path of the spiral, symbolic of the 12 months/moons of the year.
Place 8 candles around the outside of the spiral, one for each cardinal direction and each equal division. It demarks the sacred circle.
As the sun’s light begins to fade, distribute long/taper candles to each participant.
Call in the elements and directions asking for their love, protection, light, and energy.
Mother, give birth to our brother the Sun.
Mother, give birth to our brother the Sun!
Out of the cold comes the promise of newness.
*Note: I will go first to model how this is all done. I will do it once while narrating my actions. I will do it a second time, in silence. Then, the kids will have a go. Eric will go last.
One at a time, each person silently walks to the center with their unlit taper candle.
This is a meditation on personal darkness (that which no longer serves you).
When you get to the center, silently light your taper candle from the central candle.
This is a symbol of the eternal light of the sun as well as the eternal the light within you.
As you walk out of the spiral, use your lit candle to light a few candles along the spiral. This is a symbol of carrying your light out into the world and into the coming year.
After exiting the spiral, write down an intention/light you want to nurture in the coming year, this may be an attitude, a goal, a behavior, a relationship you will tend.
These can be saved in a “manifesting box,” turned into a mobile or prayer flags, incorporated into a family vision board, or thrown into the fire so the winds can carry your wishes into the ether.
Take turns reading a line of the “call”.
When the earth is barren.
When the leaves have all fallen.
When the rivers are frozen.
When the ground is hard.
When the shadows grow long.
Sleep – ing spir – its grow strong!
Hark, the Light is re – born!
Rest your spir – it in peace!
Blow out your personal candle.
Go inside for cocoa and cookies.
It was the middle of winter, and the sun had grown very old. All year long the sun had worked very hard, rising and setting day after day. All year long the sun had fed everybody on earth, shining and shining, giving energy to the trees and the flowers and the grasses so they could grow and feed the animals and birds and insects and people. All year the sun’s gravity held tight to the spinning ball of the earth and the twirling ball of the moon and the eight other whirling planets as they traveled around and around and around, until the poor sun was dizzy watching it all. Now the poor tired sun could barely make it up in the morning, and after a very short time, needed to sleep again. So the days grew shorter, and the nights grew longer, until the day was so short it was hardly worth getting up for. Mother Night felt sorry for the sun.
So Mother Night wrapped her great arms around the sun, and the night was very long indeed.
“Why does the dark go on so long?” asked children all over the earth. “Won’t the sun ever come back again?” “The sun is very tired,” the old ones said. “But maybe, if you children say thank you for all the things the sun does for us, the light may return in the morning.” The children sang songs to the sun. They thought about all the things the sun gave them.
Every time a child said thank you, the sun began to feel a little warmer, a little brighter. Wrapped safely in the arms of Night, the sun grew younger and younger. At last the children had to go to bed. “We will stay up and wait for the sun to rise again” the old ones said. “Can’t we stay up, too?” the children asked. “You can try, but you will get too sleepy,” the old ones said. “But you can each light a candle, because all fire is a spark of the sun’s fire. Put your candle in a very safe place, and let it keep vigil for you as you sleep and dream of sunrise.” So the children lit their candles and put them in very safe places, and each flame was a little spark of the sun’s fire.
And the sun peeped out from between the arms of Night, and saw all the little fires, and began to feel warmer and brighter and younger still. Early in the morning, the old ones woke the children. Together they climbed a high hill and faced to the east, the direction of sunrise. They sang songs to the sun and ran around trying to keep warm. They waited and waited to see what dawn would bring. The sky began to turn from black to indigo to blue. Slowly the sky grew light. A golden glow crept over the horizon. Night opened her great arms, and in a burst of brightness, the sun appeared, new and strong and shining.
And so concludes our ceremony. Remember, when you have little kids: the ceremony will likely change and flex in the moment (she reminds herself). Be gentle with yourself and your family.
Sit with darkness. What fears, wishes, dreams come up for you?
Weave your personal story into the cosmic tale of the Sun. You belong here, now.
How do you make light in the darkness?
Feel into the season and sense how you want to observe this holy time.
Create an altar. You can start with one candle.
Incorporate the spirit of Solstice into your other winter celebrations.
Perform a ritual. Do what feels right to you. Maybe it’s as simple as singing a song or reciting a verse while lighting a candle.
I’m excited to hear how you celebrate the Winter Solstice. Please share your magic in the comments.
I always begin with a little research. I made a Winter Solstice Worksheet for collecting notes, correspondences, activities, and more.
Hooray ! Your Winter Solstice Worksheet is headed your way.
Check your email for a confirmation, and then your printables will arrive shortly.
If you can any issues, feel free to reach out. You can email me at magicalhomemaker@gmail.com.
Sign up for the 'Letters from Home,' emails that inspire, nourish, and delight.
AND, gain access to the Magical Homemaking Library, full of resources to help you live a mindful, joyful, and magical life.
If you like what you are reading, pass it on!

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
Audio Recording "They were all very efficient at their work, these foremen."
Audio Controls for "They were all very efficient at their work, these foremen."
- Interview with Sam Balistrieri (aka Sam Balister) at the Paterson Museum, 2 Market St., Paterson, NJ. Balistrieri works at the museum as a docent/textile expert.
- Summary of audio segment: Final operation at throwing plant: shipping--management at the throwing plant: there was one shop manager who was called the foreman, he oversaw everything in the shop from one end to the other; the foremen "were all very efficient in their jobs"; foremen had no manual work of their own. Throughout the year, the work was always the same in the throwing plant; it was monotonous; in the weaving mill, work was seasonal because styles would change; in weaving operations that made upholster, the work stayed mainly the same except that colors changed.
Balistrieri, Sam, and David Alan Taylor. "They were all very efficient at their work, these foremen." . -08-07, 1994. Audio. https://0-www.loc.gov.oasys.lib.oxy.edu/item/afcwip000014/.
Balistrieri, S. & Taylor, D. A. (1994) "They were all very efficient at their work, these foremen." . -08-07. [Audio] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://0-www.loc.gov.oasys.lib.oxy.edu/item/afcwip000014/.
Balistrieri, Sam, and David Alan Taylor. "They were all very efficient at their work, these foremen." . -08-07, 1994. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afcwip000014/>.


text:
The delightful Carter Seibels of Gypsy Temple/Woman Shops World along with her husband Aveesh Singh will share their travel tales with you on Saturday, September 15 at 1 PM. I am so looking forward to this presentation. Please join me in celebrating their talents!!!
BBI is in the house. That's a triple woo hoo! Come and tap your toes, sing along, and have some fun....Saturday, Septamber 15 from 4 PM to 8 PM. Adult beverages and food will be available for purchase.
Debra from Annie Sloan paints will be demonstrating these fabulous products on Saturday, September 15 at 11 AM....lots to learn about vintage furniture transformation!
See what I mean?! From ugly duckling to swan in the blink of an eye.
My dining experience presentation will of course include a floral or two. You know me and my flowers....can't get enough of them. The rest of course will be a surprise, even to me. I'll be working with what I find at the show. Wish me luck! See you on Saturday, September 15 at 3 PM!!! Dancing and celebrating to follow!
September, 14, 15, and 16, 2012!!!
On the cutting edge of Vintage, Art, Design & Antiques; this select group of exhibitors will inspire the next generation of enthusiasts with their unique style, energy and determination to share what they love.
Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET, JUNKMARKET Style, and most recently GETFRESH Vintage is the nation’s industry leader in “junk” and “vintage” style. She has authored 3 books, 2 magazines, is currently a contributor for Better Homes and Gardens Country Gardens, and is the most highly respected national speaker in her genre. What is her style? It is the combination of roadside acquisitions, flea market finds, vintage for 400 please, and antiquities all wrapped up in one very stylish, affordable, green, and user friendly lifestyle package. The world is ever changing…JUNKMARKET stays abreast of those changes and offers fresh, innovative, and approachable concepts for you and your home. From the beginning (over twelve years ago) the original JUNKMASTER had a vision: to pursue her passion and share it with others. That’s something she will never transform. Among other things, Sue will be presenting on the main stage. Let her show you how to entertain, JUNKMARKET Style! The entire dining experience will be created of finds from Vintage Marketplace. Sue believes that spontaneity is a key ingredient to great design. You may just want to follow her around while she shops and learn how it’s done first hand!
The Vintage Marketplace is chock full of fine vendors oozing with style and offering up the finest vintage wares anywhere. Several of these experts will share their wisdom and experience on the main stage…Carter Seibels and Aveesh Singh of Woman Shops World and Debra of Annie Sloan Paints will offer up presentations that are interesting and informative. Make sure to attend both!! All presentations are scheduled for Saturday, September 15, 2012.
7AM to Noon: Early Bird Shopping; Admission $12…good for all 3 days.
You know what they say…”The Early Bird Gets the Worm”! This is a great value for all you serious shoppers. See you at daybreak! Wait there’s more. Attention please! The first 2,500 cars will receive swag bags (one per car) and a chance to win one of 6 shopping prizes in the form of “Vintage Marketplace Golden Tickets”! There will be five, $100 golden tickets and one, $500 golden ticket. You may just be one of the lucky ones and find a golden ticket in your swag bag. All golden tickets must be redeemed at Vintage Marketplace, September 14 - 16, 2012. In addition to the golden tickets lucky show goers might also find a $250 gift certificate for Heart of Ohio, free food vouchers (of which there are 100’s), oodles of vendor discounts, and some last minute surprises brought to you by the fine folks of Vintage Marketplace.
Noon to 2 PM: Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!
The $500 Vintage Marketplace sweepstakes winner will be shopping with the expert, Sue Whitney. If you ask Sue and the winner real nice like I’ll bet they’ll let you tag along! Never hurts to ask…just saying! You better wear your running shoes though…Sue knows how to make her way around a market.
Bring on the crowds and let the next wave of the party begin!
8AM to 5PM: Shop ‘til you drop!
In the mood for some education…and a whole lot of fun?! Join Debra and the folks from Annie Sloan Paints at the main stage and watch and learn how to transform vintage pieces of furniture from beast to beauty.
Carter Seibels and husband Aveesh Singh have been in the bead business for a combined total of 30 years. Though their love of beads has never faded, the exhaustion and over-saturation of the market encouraged them to travel other paths. When Aveesh, who is from India, took Carter on her first buying trip to India 2 years ago, their whole world changed! Carter started filling her suitcases with colorful finds, both vintage and new. She found all of these fabulous items that she needed to bring home and share with the US market (sari borders, harem pants, beaded slippers, to name a few). Slowly the pair started growing their offerings, to include antique and vintage African textiles, more handicrafts from India and Nepal, Thai clothing, shoes, and accessories, and more. And of course there is always a huge selection of vintage and antique African beads!
This pair will share their travel experiences and a whole lot more with you. Please join this delightful couple and learn a little about layering your life with pieces from faraway lands.
4 PM to 8 PM: Music and a Par-tay!
Whoa doggies…now here’s something to shout about. We have a band….and it’s a big one!! The fabulous BBI will be in the house just for you. This is a free performance with your paid admission. Beer and food will be available for purchase during the concert.
BBI has transcended the test of time and become an entertainment phenomenon!
Energizing audiences around the globe with their universal crowd appeal. BBI is unparalleled by any other regional band.
BBI possesses an ebullient live spirit that cuts across ages, races, backgrounds. It’s not just the accolades of great songs, and unforgettable stage show, and being well dressed that have elevated BBI to superior status. BBI connects with their audience in the most fundamental way: inspiring audiences to have fun!
To go along with the ab fab music…we have some celebrating to do! It’s somebody’s birthday. Our very own Sue Whitney will be celebrating her 29th birthday one more time! Anyone who wishes to celebrate their own 29th birthday right along with Sue, you’re invited to do so. The more the merrier! I think I remember seeing something on Facebook about birthday beardos? We’ll have to see how the evening unfolds!
As a way of saying thank you…kick start your day with Jon Jenkins and company of Vintage Marketplace along with Sue Whitney and the GETFRESH Girls of JUNKMARKET Style before you’re off and shopping the final day! Coffee and donuts will be served. The meet and greet will be held at the JUNKMARKET Style/GETFRESH Vintage booth. Donuts and coffee are limited and on a first come, first serve basis, so get there early!!!
Until we meet again….in May, 2013!!


text:
The question of how novice financial brokers, actively developing their activities in the world financial markets, without fear of competition from the “old-timers”, confounds not only amateur traders, but also professionals who devoted this activity almost all their lives. Indeed, where do the daredevils who are able to invest not only personal savings, but also other people’s financial resources, with the purpose of creating and developing a new trading platform?
At the same time, many of them are not afraid of such factors as lack of necessary experience, ignorance of all the nuances of the functioning of international economic systems, a huge number of legislative restrictions, etc. On the other hand, a well-known economist said that if all the beginning entrepreneurs were afraid to deal with a new business, believing that they were not capable of defeating their competitors, we would gradually become a country resembling the USSR or Cuba. Therefore, the creation in 2017 of the new financial broker Optionfield is quite natural phenomenon (even taking into account the “terrible” forecasts about the future of the world economic crisis). And this issue is of great interest to everyone who makes a living by doing online trading.
The first factor that causes displeasure of domestic traders who decided to study in detail the presented trading platform is the lack of a Russian-language version of the web resource of this company. And the application, prepared by the best programmers of the Optionfield site (allows you to work using modern means of mobile communication), and the worldwide popular MT4 platform, which perfectly copes with its direct functional duties, of course, ensure an impeccable operation of the web resource, but the beginning trader to understand all the subtleties of this program is almost impossible if he does not know English, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese or Vietnamese. It is much easier for our compatriots who know the main principles of the work of companies providing Internet-trade services.
Before registering for the Optionfield login, every experienced trader will necessarily check all legal aspects of the company. And in this case, do not even have to be a professional to not pay attention to the fact that Optionfield was created and successfully survived the hardest time for most brokers of binary options, accompanied by massive bankruptcies and bans of activities of such firms in many countries of the world at the legislative level. Not the least role in this situation was played by the professionalism and rich experience of the company’s founders who knew well how the Forex market works and the Binary Options brokers.
Having received the prestigious award Rising Star 2018 from FinancesOnline and having built the company’s work in such a way that every new trader opened a trading account in 80-90% became a regular customer of Optionfield, the resource creators very quickly gained popularity, often outstripping more experienced competitors.
● Protection of personal information and financial means of users.
● The most convenient system of work for clients.
● Honest and trustful relationship between the resource administration and its users.
● An effective partnership program.
● A high percentage of payments – about 85% (one of the leaders among young brokers).
The only drawback of the company in question, in terms of security – is the lack of a regulatory body. Despite the fact that the broker is registered on Fr. Cyprus, the owners of the resource came to the conclusion that the cost of obtaining a license, in this case, will not add to the broker an additional reputation.
Despite the fact that the company only recently “forcibly” international financial markets, in terms of the level of development and introduction of new methods for making profits, it can be safely added to the list of some of the most promising brokers. Every prospective novice or even an experienced trader can count on help from the help desk around the clock. To do this, you can contact the experts of the web resource with help, site, email or traditional telephone communication.
Note that to gain practical experience, a future trader can use the Optionfield demo account, which allows you to study all the nuances of working on a web resource without risking your own savings.
Unfortunately, the network refers to the period when they were just starting to write about Optionfield reviews, there was little precise information about how much the novice trader should have to have this kind of activity bring him a more or less decent income.
1. Classic account. It is necessary to pay from $ 100. The main task is to learn how to work on this resource.
2. Account Pro opens from 2 thousand dollars, and also allows you to bet from 5 $.
3. Elite. To open an account, the trader must be from 100 thousand dollars. This account gives a lot of opportunities, but it is of interest only for experienced traders who have the appropriate capital.
● A bonus of 100% of the deposited deposit is provided, in some situations, users receive to their trading account 3-5 times more from the original amount.
And the final question of the presented review: what traders of the prospective project can use as financial instruments. At the moment, binary options are the key commodity of the resource under consideration, but no economist will venture to risk the binary options in just two or three months.
Hi, everyone. Just to let you know that our free October monthly Binary Options MT4 demo contest has just started. The winner takes an award of 1000 USD. Expert Advisers (automated trading) are welcome. You can find more information here URL: optionfield.com/company-blog…-october-2018/ and can check out the current ranking here URL://optionfield.com/demo-contests/eternal/.
If you have any questions, you can reply here or contact our Support.
Hi, guys. We hope you are doing well.
Just a quick update on what’s ongoing currently at Optionfield. This month we are having a free Binary Options Demo contest with a prize pool of 2000 USD to be split among the first 3 winners. We are also running a 5% profit boost program which gives you 5% trading rebates on all your April winning trades. For more information, please visit our website or contact our Support team.


text:
« Exploring Motion, Tracks and Traces with Junior Infants.
A Visit to the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
We began with a visit to the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s Coastlines exhibition. The museum staff explored lots of very interesting ideas with the children.
The Children exploring Op Art and Colour.
We finished the morning with a workshop. There were lots of coloured papers, glue and scissors where the children could try out some colour and optical ideas.
Complementary Colours and After Images.
Back in school we tried out more colour ideas. The children had already used paint to make colour wheels which are displayed in their classroom. We looked at these to see what colours were opposite each other – the complementary colours. They made paper collages with complementary colours and noticed how the colours vibrated.
Then they cut or teared a shape of primary or secondary coloured paper. They laid it on a white sheet of paper. After staring at in for a while they stared at the white part of the paper. What did they see? The were amazed. The same shape but now it was the complementary colour.
They stared at their colour collages and then at a white paper. There were a lot of wows as they noticed that they could see the shapes of their art works but the colours were the opposite colours to the collage.
We recapped on the artworks we saw in IMMA by looking at a slideshow. I had a Tim Robinson Map of the Aran Islands similar to the one printed on the floor in IMMA. We decided to make five islands, one per group.
At this stage I thought it would be good to do a session on paper construction, so the children would have the skills to make their islands.
Each group was given time to discuss their island. I asked them to look at their paper constructions to see what techniques they could use and to think about colour and how they could use it. Could they have an island of warm colours only or cool colours or complementary colours or black/ white island?
We then invited the parents in. Each parent and child was asked to choose a place on the island that they would like to have a holiday. Ms. Sheridan printed out small portrait photographs of each child that they could incorporate into their work.
Children who didn’t have a parent worked very happily together.
The children were given coloured plasticine to create animals and wildlife for their island. As we didn’t have all colours I showed them how they could mix colour by rolling coloured plasticine together.
They decided that the animals could be ones we already know about or undiscovered species.
When the animals were ready they were very careful deciding where they should live.
Tracy adds a full Irish breakfast to her work.
I became the wildlife photographer.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 at 8:08 pm and is filed under Liz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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With California in the grips of drought, farmers throughout the state are using a mysterious and some say foolhardy tool for locating underground water: dowsers, or water witches.
Practitioners of dowsing use rudimentary tools - usually copper sticks or wooden "divining rods" that resemble large wishbones - and what they describe as a natural energy to find water or minerals hidden deep underground.
While both state and federal water scientists disapprove of dowsing, California "witchers" are busy as farmers seek to drill more groundwater wells due to the state's record drought that persists despite recent rain.
The nation's fourth-largest wine maker, Bronco Wine Co., says it uses dowsers on its 40,000 acres of California vineyards, and dozens of smaller farmers and homeowners looking for wells on their property also pay for dowsers. Nationwide, the American Society of Dowsers, Inc. boasts dozens of local chapters, which meet annually at a conference.
"It's kind of bizarre. Scientists don't believe in it, but I do and most of the farmers in the Valley do," said Marc Mondavi, a vineyard owner whose family has been growing grapes and making wine since the mid-20th century in the Napa Valley.
Mondavi doesn't just believe in dowsing, he practices it.
On a recent afternoon, standing in this family's Charles Krug vineyard holding two copper divining rods, Mondavi walked slowly forward through the dormant vines.
After about 40 feet, the rods quickly crossed and Mondavi - a popular dowser in the world famous wine region- stopped. "This is the edge of our underground stream," he said during the demonstration. Mondavi said he was introduced to "witching" by the father of an old girlfriend, and realized he had a proclivity for the practice.
After the valley's most popular dowser died in recent years, Mondavi has become the go-to water witch in Napa Valley. He charges about $500 per site visit, and more, if a well he discovers ends up pumping more than 50 gallons per minute.
With more farmers relying on groundwater to irrigate crops, Mondavi's phone has been ringing often as growers worry about extended years of dryness.
He had six witching jobs lined up over a recent weekend, three homes whose springs were running dry and three vineyards. It's so popular that he's even created a line of wines called "The Divining Rod" that will be sold nationwide this year.
While popular, scientists say dowsers are often just lucky, looking for water in places where it's already known to likely exist.
"There's no scientific basis to dowsing. If you want to go to a palm reader or a mentalist, then you're the same person who's going to go out and hire a dowser," said Tom Ballard, a hydrogeologist with Taber Consultants, a geological engineering firm based in West Sacramento.
"The success is really an illusion. In most places you're going to be able to drill and find some water," he said.
Still, the consistent interest in water witches nationwide even spurred The U.S. Geological Survey to officially weigh in on the fairly harmless practice.
Dowsing has not held up well under scientific scrutiny, the USGS said, adding that dowsers are often successful in areas where groundwater is abundant.
"The natural explanation of `successful' water dowsing is that in many areas water would be hard to miss. The dowser commonly implies that the spot indicated by the rod is the only one where water could be found, but this is not necessarily true," the survey said in its report.
Christopher Bonds, senior engineering geologist for the state Department of Water Resources, said his agency does not advocate using witchers.
"DWR is an advocate for having qualified and licensed water professionals locate groundwater resources using established scientific methods," Bonds said in an email.
Don't tell that to John Franzia, co-owner of Bronco Wine Co., the nation's fourth-largest wine producer based on sales. It makes wine under hundreds of labels, including the famous "Two Buck Chuck."
Bronco also owns more vineyard land in California than anyone else, and when it needs a new well there's a good chance a dowser will be employed.
Franzia said the company uses many technologies to find water on its 40,000-acres, but turns to dowsers often and with great success.
"I've used witchers for probably the last 15-to-20 years," Franzia said. "Seems like the witchers do the better job than the guys with all the electrical equipment. I believe in them."
Associated Press reporter Terence Chea contributed to this report.


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With her dream of opening The Cookie Jar taking shape, Hannah’s life matches the hectic December hustle and bustle in Lake Eden—especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care.
But instead of poring over decadent dessert recipes for the merry festivities, she instantly becomes enthralled by Essie’s old notebooks and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York.
Hannah’s surprised by Essie’s secret talent for penning crime fiction. She’s even more surprised when the story turns real. As Hannah prepares to run a bakery and move out of her mother’s house, it’ll be a true miracle if she can prevent another Yuletide disaster by solving a mystery as dense as a Christmas fruitcake . . .


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Sail numbers and letter for Laser sails and others. Size: 30,5 cm. Available colors: black, blue and red.
Specify the number, letter or nothing for digital, behind the part number. Order per piece.


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From 24 to 27 September last, the international conference entitled “Stakeholders, waste, the informal sector and territorial negotiation in large urban areas in developing countries”, which was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, by the French national research institute for development (IRD), brought together 40 waste management professionals and researchers. This was an opportunity for Ninh Huu Nguyen, GRET’s representative in Vietnam, and Josselin Ravaz, waste management expert with GRET in Vietnam, to present GRET’s actions via two projects: one in Brazzaville, Congo (in French) and the other in the province of Vinh Phuc in Vietnam.
Various subjects relating to waste management were discussed by the forty specialists attending, such as environmental pollution, the role of stakeholders in the informal waste collection and recycling sector, the role of street vendors, etc. Several types of geography were examined such as Bombay, Cairo, Hanoi, Ho-Chi-Minh-Ville, Surabaya.
Via projects in Brazzaville (Congo) and Vinh Phuc (Vietnam), GRET’s experts presented the NGO’s experience, in particular in terms of support to local authorities and the professionalisation of precarious operators in charge of waste management. Aspects concerning the role and effectiveness of these small operators, their relationships with local authorities and official waste management companies generated many questions.
The deputy director of the sub-department of environmental protection in the province of Vinh Phuc, and two directors of small cooperatives working in waste management in the province, also attended the session and provided insights as key local stakeholders working in the sector.
Apart from this feedback, a group of French researchers explained its interest in the activities conducted by GRET to improve waste management in Vinh Phuc province. They went into the field and learnt about the provincial waste management policy, in particular regarding recycling and the effectiveness of incineration.


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Are you starting to get bored with how your house looks inside and out? Do you have an idea or a plan brewing in your mind for a few months now, even for a year, with how you can bring new life to your home? If you say yes but unfortunately you do not have the carpentry skills to turn your ideas into reality, then it is time to look for some carpenter services to help you out.
In every city and every town there are a good number of contractors offering their carpenter services. And these carpenters have a wide range of skills level, usually depending on their experience and also the size of the company. For example, a lone carpenter who has been in his trade for only a couple of years must just be specializing in home repairs. That is for things like fixing your door and window, fixing a creaking floor or building a nice tree house for your kids.


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Didier Drogba showed he still had plenty of energy by celebrating his winner over Barcelona with a late-night restaurant visit.
The Chelsea striker spent much of the evening on the Stamford Bridge turf after faking a number of injuries.
But he ultimately capped a powerful display by tucking home the winner to hand them the advantage going into Tuesday's second leg in Spain.
Drogba dusted himself off to head to fancy Mayfair restaurant Novikov to refuel on some posh nosh.
Chelsea's players occasionally head out together for a night out after a huge win but it seems most of them opted for a quiet night with the Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime fast approaching.
Salomon Kalou, who came off the bench in the second half, did head off to celeb hangout Chinawhites.
But it appears the major celebrations are on hold until the Blues navigate their way through the remainder of the season with two trophies still up for grabs.

industry_corpus2: Sports


text: At JUST4VIP we do everything to please you and we offer for rent the last Aston Martin DB11 Volante. At the first thinning, stripping can be done in 14 seconds, but it will take two more to put the roof back in place. The maneuver can be triggered remotely via the ignition key. More importantly, in case of an impromptu shower, you can recapote while driving up to 50 km / h. The folded canvas is 20% more compact than the DB9. It therefore encroaches less on the volume of the trunk. The only shadow to this beautiful painting, the musical V12 Aston Martin is not part of it. The DB11 Volante will only be available with the 510 hp twin-turbo V8, developed by Mercedes-AMG, coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission. We will be satisfied, especially with a time of 4.1 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km / h and a top speed of 300 km / h, this Aston Martin convertible is badly disheveled.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


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Horner School of English has been shortlisted for the 2017 StudyTravel Awards as STAR English Language School, Europe 2017.
We are now one of the FIVE final schools shortlisted for 2017. The winning school will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 2nd September which will be attended by 860 school owners and travel agents from all over the world.
The StudyTravel STAR awards showcase top-class performance, achievement and outstanding standards across the Language School Community.
We are absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for this very prestigious award and wish to thank all of our partners that voted for us to receive this achievement.


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Apple has upped the processor speeds on its range of PowerBook G4 professional laptops, with the top-end model now reaching 800MHz. This model sports hard drives up to a 60GB. Graphics cards have also been promoted to the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 with 32MB DDR video memory – up from 16MB on the previous range.
The entry-level PowerBook adopts the previous high-end 667Mhz G4 chip, and all models now boast a 133MHz system bus.
brightness and better colour saturation.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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It will give you the better odds to win.
Warnings Even someone who doesn't know these strategies will catch on quickly if you start from the same position each side.
5 If at any point, your opponent doesn't make the exact move described above, you'll have to settle for a draw.2, place your third X in the last empty corner, and your opponent won't be able to block you from winning with your fourth.Then, if your opponent puts the third O in the edge that is adjacent to your X, making a line that reads O-X-O, put your third X in the empty square to block their row of two O's.It has also had two versions.A grand prize was given to the winning team, with the losing team getting a consolation gift.
For example, say your first X is in the top left square, and your opponent puts an O in the top middle square.
Question Is three-person tic tac toe a thing?
Question How could they cheat?The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows (3.).As in the Draw-stacle Course round, clue-givers might have to draw clues using a wand-type stylus while having his/her back turned to the board, draw while on a revolving chair and drawings moving from screen to screen at certain intervals (this changed from episode.Loni Anderson, Betty White, Burt Reynolds, and, tony Danza playing the game, with, rod Roddy announcing.But he has got time to work all of that out - garden of morning calm discount coupon there are 195 days to go until the World Cup starts.You don't want to give your opponent the upper hand by allowing him to put his next "O" in a square that is one move away from a win.11 Be careful with your moves and think in advance.Since your opponent can only make one move, he can only block one of those squares.2, try to win if your opponent plays the first O in the center.England manager Gareth Southgate will be quietly pleased with our draw for next summer's World Cup but let's not get carried away - we have been here plenty of times before.Most people are quick-minded enough to play anybody to a draw.As in all previous versions, the team that was trailing went first (or the team that went first in round one going first if the score was tied and clues were worth 20 points, with as many clues played as possible within the time limit.There's something more important to be focusing on!3 Theoretically, you can win from this position, but your opponent would have to make a huge mistake, such as not seeing that you have two X's in a row.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


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It’s been 6 years since we last heard a full-length project from Hip-Hop pioneer Kool G Rap, and next month, June 2nd to be exact, he plans to put an end to the drought with his Return of The Don EP.
Naturally, the project won’t arrive without a few teasers, and today, the storied emcee gifts us with “Wise Guys” with a little help from Fame of M.O.P and Freeway.
If this track is any indication, the new project is aptly-titled. Set to be produced entirely by Toronto-based producer MoSS, Return of The Don will feature the likes of Sheek Louch, Cormega, Raekwon, and Noreaga among others.


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Disney Sea is great especially if you go in the evening when its less busy, mostly adults, and you pay evening price.
Tsukiji is fun and you can use your Taijutsu to dodge all the forklifts and bumbling tourists.
Rather than seeking out certain temples or shrines I'd take a walk within 30 minutes of where you sleep. I bet you will stumble over a couple interesting ones.
Any place that has onsen, hiking, and restaurant serving beer is a sure fire destination for a fun day.
Definatly check out which local festivals are happening when and where. Some are more famous than others but they are all fun.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks struggled higher yesterday, lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average within striking distance of 10,000 for the first time since May 2002, as a strong start to earnings season eased worries that the market’s rally has been overly optimistic.
Nasdaq stocks pushed to their highest levels in 20 months as investors anxiously awaited a third-quarter profit report from Intel Corp., which topped most analysts’ forecasts after the close of trading.
The Dow rose 48.60, or 0.5 percent, to 9,812.98, the first close above 9,800 since May 31, 2002. Broader stock measures also rose.
Johnson & Johnson led the Dow’s advance, rising $1.14 to $50.93 after the drug and medical-products maker posted a 20 percent improvement in third-quarter profits, beating most analysts’ estimates. Other big names that topped expectations for the just-ended quarter included Merrill Lynch and Bank of America.
The market hung lower for much of the session, an expected pause after the strong gains of recent weeks, but turned moderately higher by midafternoon.
Investors appear to have fallen into two camps lately. One argues that prices already take into account a strong third-quarter showing and are unlikely to go much higher. But another faction contends that a validation of third-quarter forecasts will boost expectations for the current quarter and 2004, fueling further market gains.
“We rallied into earnings season … so you walked in having already built-in great expectations,” said Bryan Piskorowski, market analyst at Wachovia Securities. To extend the rally, “you pretty much have to hit every metric this quarter,” he said.
Yesterday’s reports, at least, offered an encouraging start.
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. reported a 50 percent increase in third-quarter earnings. Although the results topped most analyst forecasts, Merrill’s stock fell 82 cents to $58.07 after rising $8 so far this month.
“Merrill was the number that everybody latched onto today,” said Ed Peters, chief investment officer at PanAgora Asset Management Inc. in Boston.
Intel rose 28 cents to $31.08 in advance of its quarterly report. After the close, the world’s largest semiconductor company reported that third-quarter profits doubled to $1.7 billion amid strong demand for personal computers. The results beat Wall Street expectations by 2 cents a share, and Intel was up 62 cents a share in extended trading.
Among major market measures, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 4.13, or 0.4 percent, to 1,049.48. Like the Dow, the S&P; 500 finished at its highest level since May 2002.
The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 9.66, or 0.5 percent, to 1,943.19, its best finish since Jan. 28, 2002. The Nasdaq last closed above 2,000 earlier that same month.
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 4-to-3 ratio on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to 1.62 billion shares, up from 1.34 billion in Monday’s light holiday session.
The Russell 2000 Index of small-company shares rose 4.27, or 0.8 percent, to 531.84.
In other earnings news, Bank of America Corp. rose 72 cents to $82.46 after posting strong results, and Delta Air Lines Inc. fell 98 cents to $13.74 after posting a smaller-than-expected loss of $168 million.


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Online gaming has proven to be highly popular for consumers within the Canadian market. If gamers want to get started in just a short amount of time, they will likely want to think about how they can choose the right format. Microgaming and Playtech have been some major contributors to this format over the years. This has enabled gamers to experience gambling in an all new way, adding to their overall appeal. Nearly everyone will be impressed by how simple it is to adjust to the way that these new casinos take shape. This article will provide a breakdown of what Microgaming and Playtech have to offer. But most new users will simply be impressed by how simple it is to test out these games going forward as well.
Visit our online casinos guide for a list of accredited Playtech and Microgaming casinos for Canadians. Casinoman saves you time by doing all the research and directing you to casinos which are safe, fair and responsible.
Microgaming will prove to be an invaluable asset for gamers who simply want a varied experience. This company has been operating since 1994, which will prove to be an invaluable asset for many in the industry. Gamblers will appreciate that they can find some of their favorite classic casino games online. Among the most popular games you will find blackjack, slots and roulette games. The software itself will also be easy to download and manage, adding to the overall appeal of this model. Supposedly, Microgaming helped a fan secure the biggest win in the history of online gaming during 2009. This was through their Mega Moolah site, which has proven to be a highly popular option for many people out there. Fans may want to check out a full listing of the different types of sites that people can find when they log on through this provider.
Playtech is another company that has been on the cutting edge of online gaming resources. They have steadily grown as a provider, offering hundreds of different options for fans. They are also well known for providing a lot of fan support for some of these different types of projects as well. This will give people the resources that they need to effectively manage how this is done. Most people will be interested in learning more information about how Playtech may be operating in the future. The company has announced that it will be supporting live mobile gaming. This will make the company uniquely prepared to deal with a few different types of issues throughout the year as well.
Fans should realize that these companies do undergo some changes at times. For instance, Playtech has actually announced that they may be moving out of the Canadian market soon. This will cause a few significant changes to the way that many people will be able to work with these games. But most people will appreciate that they can secure support for some of the different challenges that they might incur along the way. Staying up to date through company websites can help people anticipate these changes. People will be able to join up and get consistent updates for how they want to manage this process.


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What Does Kate Carry In Her Handbag?
We are back with a few updates and then an answer to another reader question. These are proving to be great fun, allowing us to cover topics that get lost during the busier times of the year.


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How do i gather wikis and sub-wikis from my blogs?
Is it possible to gather globlal wikis in a widget?
Do you mean from subsites or from independent wordpress installations? Do you just want the url of the wiki's gathered into a widget?


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An integral part of everything we do.
Built around our employees, customers and communities, corporate social responsibility is an integral part of everything we do.
But, it starts with our people - Our growth and success over the years hasn’t been coincidental. It’s been down to us attracting, recruiting and retaining, fresh thinking, like-minded individuals with a passion to make a difference and who share our values. Our people and their commitment to do well for their customers, colleagues and communities is a defining characteristic of Civica.
As well as improving the way we deliver services through the use of efficient technology, Civica works with customers to develop innovative technology-based services that help reduce property, power and consumables requirements, as well as delivering cost savings, for example, as a result of paperless working.
Run by volunteers from across the Group, the Civica Foundation has been supporting and organising charitable and community support initiatives for years. All initiatives aim to make a positive difference and are supported and funded by individual and company donations.
Our EMT provides a focus for the development and implementation of our policies and to ensure there is environmental consideration in our decision making. The team also leads on cross business initiatives like ‘Chair Miles’ where we encourage employees to car share when travelling for business by paying an additional mileage rate per passenger.
In an ongoing commitment to address domestic and family violence in our communities, we are currently working towards accreditation as a White Ribbon Workplace. White Ribbon Workplace accreditation builds on our existing diversity and inclusion initiatives and helps us to strengthen our culture of respect and gender equality at all levels.


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My client, based in the East Midlands, has recently invested heavily in new B1 Machinery, creating a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Business Development Manager.
The company is currently looking for a Business Development Manager to cover the whole of the UK; they are happy for the candidate to be based anywhere in the UK, working remotely.
Specialising in B1, POS and Digital Print and selling into a wide variety of markets, the company is a main player in the Midlands and is one of the leading companies in their field.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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GRAND RAPIDS — Auxo Investment Partners closed fundraising for its first fund after netting $50 million from family offices and institutional investors.
The close last week enables Auxo’s partners to focus solely on seeking and vetting investment prospects.
The Grand Rapids-based private equity firm expects to invest in 10 to 15 companies over the next three years through Auxo Growth Holdings I LLC, deploying an estimated $150 million in capital through co-investments with family offices.
Managing Partner Jeff Helminski called the successful capital raise a “validation of our approach and the values that underlie our unique perspective and our approach to private equity investing, which is flattering and, frankly, it’s humbling when people entrust us as the stewards of their hard-earned capital.
Auxo Growth Holdings I was oversubscribed, and the investment firm closed the fundraising after hitting $50 million.
While raising capital is “always difficult,” Auxo Investment Partners found success as investors looked for alternative investments, Helminski said.
“There’s a lot of capital looking for homes outside of the public markets right now,” he said. “Times are good, the economy’s strong, and the public markets have had a run up in the last number of years and so people only want a certain allocation in the public markets.
Formed in 2016 by Helminski, Jack Kolodny and Fred Tedori, Auxo Investment Partners has already invested $30 million to acquire three die manufacturers, plus M/G Transport Services, a barge company based in New Orleans.
The fund has two more deals in progress that should close within a couple months, plus “some interesting opportunities in the pipeline,” Helminski said.
Auxo Investment Partners invests in companies based in North America that are involved in manufacturing, industrial, value-added distribution and business service sectors and have annual EBITDA of $1.5 million to $15 million. The firm seeks to acquire companies with owners who want to retire, are family-owned and lack a succession plan because they do not have the next generation to take over the business, or are seeking capital to grow.
The fund will hold the companies for the longer term — for five to seven years or more. Investors who put money into the fund also invest separately in acquisition targets alongside Auxo Investment.
The family offices that invested in the Auxo Growth Holdings I are involved in the sectors and industries in which the fund invests, or have backgrounds in building private equity funds, Helminski said. That gives the fund added expertise and insights internally that it can apply to grow the companies it acquires.
“We’ve been able to build strong relationships with substantial and active family offices who created their wealth in the industries we’re looking to invest in, which offers immense benefits both to Auxo and our portfolio companies,” Helminski said.
Investors in the private equity fund came from “all over the country,” including the Midwest and as far away as Texas and the east and west coasts, he said.