text:
A MSF team visits a refugee camp in order to raise awareness of mental health issues related to traumatic experiences. Since the end of 2011, Maban has experienced an influx upwards to tens of thousands of refugees from the Blue Nile state in neighboring Sudan. Approximately 115,000 refugees live in four camps. In Doro the number is an estimated 45,000 people as of November 2012.
In 2017 MSF teams around the world provided 306,300 individual mental health consultations and 49,800 group counseling sessions.
MSF provides emergency medical aid in response to armed conflicts, natural disasters, famines, and epidemics. MSF doctors and nurses are often seen treating physical ailments: bandaging the war-wounded, rehydrating a cholera patient, performing an emergency Caesarean section. But for more than 20 years, MSF has also been caring for patients’ mental health.
In 1998, MSF formally recognized the need to implement mental health and psychosocial interventions as part of our emergency work. For people who have lived through traumatic events, the psychological consequences can be severe.
Depression and anxiety can immobilize people at just the time when they need to take action for themselves and their families. Mental health care is also part of services for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, nutrition, sexual violence, and during disease outbreaks and disasters.
MSF’s mental health care aims primarily to reduce people’s symptoms and improve their ability to function. Often this work is done by local counselors specially trained by MSF. MSF psychologists or psychiatrists provide technical support and clinical supervision.
When appropriate, MSF’s counseling services may reinforce or complement mental health care approaches that already exist in the local community.
Needs are high, and MSF continues to expand its mental health programs. Last year, MSF’s mental health teams performed more than 280,000 individual and group counseling sessions worldwide.
People seek help for many reasons—the agonizing loss of a child in an earthquake, the trauma of sexual violence, getting caught up in a violent conflict. MSF mental health workers listen to their stories, and help them find ways to cope and move on with their lives.
Setting up mental health care programs in emergency situations is not straightforward, especially when violence and trauma are ongoing, and therefore no "cure" is possible.
Sometimes, it is difficult to guarantee continuity of care in unstable and dangerous settings.


text:
What does it mean to each one of us ?
For me, it was a necessity to get the right things in life to get a good life.
1. A friend who is a housewife said : I cannot relate to it, this is for my husband to take care.
That was a normal response.
2. Another friend who is a working executive said – about 28 years old – it helps me to get an identity of my own. A sense of independence and achievement.
That’s what lots of us feel who are working or self-employed.
It is of extreme importance to know the business of money. Stocks, bonds and all that. There is no other way in life.
She said something interesting again : When I stayed with my parents it was cool, now I try to find food items of daily use at a wholesale outlet or try to get some bargains.
Youngsters learn fast don’t they ? She said I must save….things are becoming so expensive. I was impressed with what I heard.
5. A leading doctor professional responded : I think managing money is more important than earning a lot of money. I work hard but somehow the money just slips and by the month end I feel that there is hardly left to save. But I do manage.
She had a good standard of living but savings was low.
So the various responses got me thinking – is there a structure a girl/ woman /lady could follow to manage her personal finances…be it a student, working executive, professional, a Senior management executive or a Senior Citizen itself ?
I browsed the net and looked up and found that there is not really a structure they could follow in the Indian context…there is lot of information available but no structure like a Do it Yourself (DIY) …so should I work towards making a structure is what I thought ?
Cheers for now and happy investing …..
The 1st Turn on the Journey ….
A very good start. Honest and straight forward..
congrats Tejal! you will go from strength to strength..

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text: Skylights Birmingham - Welcome to the Birmingham Skylights Directory from Near.co.uk featuring recommended skylight suppliers in Birmingham. It lists those who provide skylights in Birmingham. It also includes those who offer roof windows in Birmingham. Read reviews of Birmingham roof windows and write your own review too. If your Birmingham skylight business isn't listed, then advertise it for FREE today.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
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industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
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If you are considering Nicaragua as your vacation destination of choice, we have put together some tips to help you get the perfect vacation rental for you.
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industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
A common debate among Lafourche Parish Council members is which end of the parish is seeing its numbers swell.
Those who represent north Lafourche maintain that people are moving to that part of the parish because of erosion. Those in south Lafourche argue that more people are moving to communities like Galliano for economic opportunities.
The answer, according to the U.S. Census, is that they're all correct.
The north end of the parish has seen a 5 percent increase over the past 13 years, in large part because Chackbay's population is booming. South Lafourche's population has increased by 4 percent with steady population increases in Galliano, Larose and Cut Off.
The entire parish has seen a 7 percent increase since 2000.
The migration from lower Lafourche up the bayou is "subconscious," Parish President Charlotte Randolph said.
"It's been happening for many years. Storms chase people farther up the coast, and now they're seeing an opportunity to stay in Lafourche and be somewhat protected from concerns in the past," she said.
Councilman Aaron Caillouet, who represents Thibodaux and neighborhoods north of the city, said he's seen a population increase in the northern end, though he doesn't believe people are running away from the south part of the parish.
"It's not that big of an effect," he said.
There's a smaller risk of flooding in north Lafourche, Caillouet maintains. It's farther from the Gulf of Mexico and the land is at a higher elevation.
Caillouet says there is migration from south to north, but it's not significant.
"It's no reason for concern yet. The north Lafourche area might also be in the Gulf in the future," he said of the threat posed by coastal erosion.
Chackbay, a small community between Thibodaux and Vacherie in St. James Parish, grew 29 percent over the past decade. Those who live in Chackbay cite good schools and low crime as reasons for the uptick in population.
"The school systems are the best here," said Chackbay resident Todd Tabor. "Everybody knows everybody, and we all watch out for each other by all means. It keeps crime down that way."
With cheap natural gas prices fueling profits for chemical makers, about $10 billion of investment is projected to be spent on chemical plants along the Mississippi River and within an hour's commute of Thibodaux. That's drawing new and prospective employees to Chackbay, Randolph said.
About 42,000 new jobs are expected to become available in the next six years, according to a report by the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.
Newcomers to the parish often move to south Lafourche to be near Port Fourchon and other economic opportunities, Randolph said. Though Nicholls State University and Thibodaux Regional Medical Center offer plenty of opportunities, the oil and gas industry in south Lafourche is the source of many local jobs.
Daniel Lorraine agrees, citing conversations he has had with people who moved there from Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes. Lorraine is south Lafourche's longtime representative on the Parish Council.
"They came here after the hurricanes hit their area. They started mingling with the people, who were really friendly and treated them real nice, and they saw what the area has to offer," he said.
Lorraine said south Lafourche has one of the best levee systems in the state, though he admits rising flood insurance rates and stricter requirements are cause for concern.
"The people move farther north for insurance purposes. I know people who have told me that for the same amount of coverage up north, it's less than half of what they're paying here," he said.
Lafourche's population increase is a sign that the parish's profile is rising, Randolph said.
"It's an indicator that things are going well and that we're in a good place to be."

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s private home prices broke historic records for the 13th straight month in November, with the ascent showing no immediate signs of ending and analysts expecting the rise to continue into next year.
The city’s flats are ranked the second most expensive in the world after Monaco, according to data from property consultancy Knight Frank, which shows US$1 million would only buy 200 square feet of prime property in Hong Kong, as opposed to 270 square feet in New York or 320 in London.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said during an interview last week the government “has no ways to curb property prices,” adding while she would do her best to seek more land to boost supply, she has never promised to turn around the price rise.
Major property consultancies expect Hong Kong’s housing market to remain feverish in the coming year and climb a further five to 20 percent.
The government has tried to rein in prices with additional taxes and regulations, which came on top of the de facto central bank’s eight rounds of mortgage tightenings since 2009.
However, JLL Head of Capital Markets Joseph Tsang said the net effect of measures like taxes on second homes has been to discourage buying and selling in the city’s secondary market.
A government report released earlier this month said it would be a “huge challenge” to meet its 10-year housing supply target of 460,000 units, which includes 280,000 public housing units.
“There is no easy or painless option to increase or expedite land supply, especially in the short run,” it stated.


text:
The Golden Keel is the debut novel by English author Desmond Bagley, first published in 1963. Written in the first person narrative, the introductory biography of the protagonist is closely patterned after that of the author.
More Than Fire is a book published in 1993 that was written by Philip José Farmer.
The Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov, published in 1986, is a collection of 28 short stories by Isaac Asimov.
Styles of Radical Will is a collection of essays by Susan Sontag published in 1969.
Dead Girls is the début novel by British science fiction author Richard Calder, and was first published in the UK in 1992 and 1995 in the US. The novel is the first in Calders 'Dead' trilogy, and is followed by the novels Dead Boys and Dead Things.
Diuturnity's Dawn is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. The full title is sometimes shown as Diuturnity's Dawn: Book Three of The Founding of the Commonwealth.
The Stray Dog is a 2001 children's picture book by Marc Simont.
Threshold is a science fiction novel written by David R. Palmer and published by Bantam Spectra in December 1985. It was his second book published, following Emergence, and was intended to be the first book of the To Halt Armageddon trilogy.
The Merchants of Souls is a 2001 science fiction novel by John Barnes and the third book in the Thousand Cultures series.
American Beauty is the seventh novel in the A-List series by Zoey Dean. It was released in 2006 through Megan Tingley Publishers.
Cut and Run is a book written by Jeff Abbott.
Strega Nona Meets Her Match is a book published in 1993 that was written by Tomie dePaola.
In Golden Blood is the third science-fiction alternate history novel by Stephen Woodworth featuring the "Violet" detective Natalie Lindstrom. It was written in 2005, and won First Place in the Writers of the Future Contest.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text: I extend greetings to you from Pastor Diogene and his wife. They, along with a team of 50 believers from his Tricotte and Port-au-Prince churches, spent December 21 – 25 sharing the gospel at an evangelistic crusade in the village of Bethel. Pastor Diogene was so excited as I talked to him on the phone today. “It was marvelous to see God working in these people’s lives,” he said. He told me that 49 more people from Bethel have become Christians. That is after 128 trusted the Lord in November.


text:
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There are currently 856 pupils are involved in String, Brass, Wind, Percussion Groups (Djembe, Samba, Steel Pans), Jazz Bands and Orchestras which are run (at lunchtime or after school) every week in Schools by Music Service Tutors.
All tutors work to the Sefton Music Service Safeguarding Policy and are recruited through a process which fully meets safeguarding requirements. The Music Service has a pool of 60 experienced music tutors.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
Since I’ve gotten the obvious answer out of the way, I wanted to ask about this. Excluding the samurai we see in the town, is there any information available regarding the total number of samurai in the conflict between the seven and the bandits? Presumably at least some of the bandits are samurai or former samurai (I would imagine the two leaders). No concrete indication is given in the film (at least not that I have noticed over the years), but perhaps secondary material exists that I am as of yet unaware? Are all 40 bandits samurai? Only some of them? Just the leaders?
Its an interesting question – I’d leave a definitive answer to someone who knows more about the period than I do, but from my limited knowledge of the time, most ‘bandits’ were considered samurai gone bad, but the at the same time the term ‘samurai’ had become quite fluid, extending from the traditional officer and retainer staff of nobility to pretty much any man under arms. I think it was only in the later period (17th Century onwards) when the term ‘samurai’ applied strictly to the retainers of the most senior noble families.
The bandits of course did have some samurai armour and weapons, but the haphazard distribution would suggest it was loot rather than genuine family weaponry. There is nothing I recall from the film (there may of course have been subtleties in the original Japanese script which are beyond me) to suggest the ‘seven’ considered themselves to be fighting ‘equals’ in that sense. One of the themes of the film of course is that the breakdown of societal order had made such distinctions somewhat pointless.
In a tactical sense (I think this is important because the film treats military strategy very seriously), there is nothing in the bandits attacks to suggest they realised that they were against a more sophisticated enemy, and so should adjust their tactics accordingly – which suggests they were not ‘officer class’ material.
So on balance I would conclude that the bandits were most likely drawn from the lower levels of professional soldiers at the time who would not have been considered as ‘samurai’ (or by extension, ronin), by the samurai themselves.
A tricky question, if not a semantic trap. Brings to mind the, “how many were the three musketeers”, question. Three if you count the three protagonists, four if you count in D’artagnan. It probably reflects the individuals embracing the values of the certain warrior caste in each piece of work, more than refer to the sworn members of that cast. So I’d guess, counting Kikuchiyo (Mifune) as a samurai, regardless of not been sworn one, that’ d make the seven samurai… seven. And every other character in the film not a samurai, as they don’t seem to reflect or embody the values of that particular warrior caste.
I ask the question because during the Sengoku period the classes weren’t fixed the way they were during the Tokugawa period, and therefore it would be inaccurate to refer to it as a “caste system.” For example, Toyotomi Hideyoshi–one of Oda Nobunaga’s top generals, and later the Shogun. But he started out as a peasant warrior, not even a samurai (much like Kikuchiyo).
Does anyone know if Kurosawa ever made any specific notes regarding the status of the bandits? It seems most likely to me that they were (at least partially) former footsoldiers who were on the losing side at one point or who had abandoned their liege. Although perhaps it doesn’t matter, to Kikuchiyo’s point, they’re the product of the samurai, even if they aren’t samurai themselves.
Kurosawa of course was very knowledgable about the period and the history of the Samurai in general and he always worked hard for historical and military authenticity in his films, so I think we can take it as read that he and his scriptwriters did give some active thought as to who the bandits were and whether they were ronin/samurai.
I would guess that if the decision had been made that at least some were genuine samurai (in the way understood in later eras), then I think it would have found its way into the script. I don’t know much Japanese so I can’t comment on the type of speech and dialect given to the bandits (not that they say much in the film), but there would surely be a hint there as to Kurosawa’s intentions. The bandit leader (the one with the crescent moon helmet) seems at times to me to behave in a samurai-like fashion.
But in the absence of other evidence, I’m inclined to think that if Kurosawa thought that one or more of the bandits shared the background of the ‘seven’, it would have found its way into the script in some way. And that its not there indicates to me that he deliberately decided that the ‘bandits’ were just that – criminals and ex foot soldiers gone bad.
I’m not convinced that the status of the bandits would have found its way into the script, particularly since Kurosawa deliberately did not flesh them out as characters. Although my assessment of the film and Vili‘s differ, we both agree that many important points, like how Rikuchi’s wife wound up as a concubine to the bandit leader and the role Manzo played in that, are conveyed indirectly. Also, wouldn’t a Japanese audience likely know the answer without having to be told?
All this is to say that I have assumed at least some of the bandits were desperate or disgraced ronin. Heihachi wasn’t exactly an accomplished samurai, either. Part of what Kurosawa seems to be saying is that a group formed for right and humane reasons, using proper tactics and strategies and with an altruistic motivation rather than a selfish and destructive one, will outperform a group composed of those only interested in survival through the use of brute force even if their origins are similar.
This is a very interesting question indeed, albeit one whose answer I feel depends on your definition of a “samurai”. In addition to the answers already given by periklis and Ugetsu, I suppose one could argue that outside of the town, there are in fact no samurai, at least if our definition of samurai goes back to its original meaning, which I understand to specifically refer to servants of nobility. But I don’t know nearly enough about the historical context to really argue for this, and it has already been pointed out that the definition has changed over the centuries anyway. And this answer would clearly go directly against the film.
I have always somehow assumed that the film intends the bandits to be a counterpart to the samurai who are nobly defending the village, creating a dualism that is so typical of many of Kurosawa’s films. In particular, it would be similar to the situation between Murakami and Yusa in Stray Dog, where a world in turbulence has given birth to one ethical agent and one unethical one. Because of this, I have considered the bandits a type of failed samurai. However, off the top of my head, I cannot really think of any evidence for them actually being samurai. And whether they should be counted as samurai once they become bandits, I don’t know. In a sense, I suppose that is a very core question in the film.
Mellen: But some samurai had refused to help the group of peasants.
Kurosawa: I was revealing there the worst side of the samurai class. Some ambitious samurai were naturally intent on only advancing their own careers and did not pay any attention to the weak an the needy. At the time there were many samurai who were traveling all over Japan in order to find better employment under more powerful lords. These seven samurai are the real samurai, but in the worldly sense there was something missing in them because they couldn’t get jobs and further their careers.
Seven Samurai was one of Kurosawa’s most meticulously planned films, not least because it was built on top of two unfilmed screenplays — A Samurai’s Day and The Lives of Japanese Swordsmen — that Kurosawa and Hashimoto had initially been working on but discarded. If someone has the time and the language skills, the Digital Archive has over a hundred pages of handwritten notes by Kurosawa that flesh out the characters, their backgrounds and the world that they inhabit. Somewhere in there may also be information about the bandits, although I cannot be sure.
A ton, excluding Kikuchiyo, and possibly Katsushiro who has no experience.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
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text:
Want a clearer picture than abbreviations? Well, ERP stands for “Enterprise Resource Planning” and combines all the software you use throughout your business into one single system. This unified system takes care of everything you need for your business from end-to-end. Imagine not needing to use different software systems and train your staff to use each of them for your daily business activities.
Everything will be in just one system and it will be totally under your control! An ERP system is actually the combination of different pieces of software that are considered to be separate. Think of using Microsoft Office, social media platforms, Excel, and Enterprise Software on one platform – that is one example of how an ERP system can help your retail business.
The advantage of ERP is that with centralized data and functionality, your retail store’s software will be one big single block instead of fragmented pieces. You will be able to move information and performs tasks from one section to another seamlessly. A specific example of an ERP system for your retail store is the development of billing software or a POS (Point of Sale) system.
Record sales, transfer your inventory, and specify the prices of each product within seconds. There will be no room for human error or the mismanagement of bulk data. Such systems will definitely be of assistance if you run a chain of retail stores that operate in three or more locations. A single system will supervise the activities of all the three stores from a single mode.
The prices will be uniform and the transfer of products from storage to customer delivery. Your brand is one, so why should you use different software? Use an ERP system!
The most efficient and cost-effective technology needed to develop an ERP system is the third-party application of Salesforce. There will be no infrastructure or programming environment to purchase; you will just need a Salesforce partner like SGS Technologie to set up and manage the application.
After that, your staff can just log in to the system and get to work. It’s that easy! Another option would be to use the Dot Net technology to develop an ERP system. This should be the preferred tool if you wish to completely customize the ERP system with relation to your business. SGS Technologie can be of assistance here, and we will develop a CRM system that will represent your brand name.
Visit our website or email us at info@sgstechnologies.net for more information.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
FONTANA, Calif. -- At the beginning of the season, the back of the Sprint Cup garage is always an odd assortment of promising, hopeful new teams and assorted lightly funded also-rans, but this year that real estate is downright surreal.
Car-owner points determine a lot in NASCAR, from who has a guaranteed free pass into the show to where crews physically park their haulers and work on their cars.
The garages farthest away from the entrance to pit road go to teams that are struggling. These stalls are not glamorous and, worse still, instead of the positive energy that surrounds last year's success stories, there is a feeling of loud desperation as 13 teams required to make the show on time compete for only eight open slots.
That's why the likes of past champion Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman are crammed shoulder to shoulder with part-time teams and organizations that were cobbled together at the last minute. These superstars make improbable roommates for Mike Garvey, David Starr and Todd Bodine, who were among those trying to make the Cup show this weekend at Auto Club Speedway for Sunday's Auto Club 500.
Sitting smack dab in the middle of this eclectic group of racers is perhaps the unlikeliest feel-good story of Daytona's Speedweeks: A.J. Allmendinger.
Allmendinger sits third in the points, but that doesn't make a bit of difference this week since last year's owner points determine the 35 guaranteed starting spots for the first five races of the season. He still had to qualify Friday, and he did -- he took eighth, on the outside of the fourth row, and was the fastest "go or go home" driver.
"It's one of those things that you celebrate on Sunday night," Allmendinger said about his strong Daytona run. "I was happy about it but woke up Monday and was ready to get here and focus because now the season really starts."
Allmendinger's rapid development in the second half of 2008 was instrumental in elevating one of the two Red Bull Racing Toyotas into the top 35 in owner points, but he was edged from the seat of that car in favor of rookie Scott Speed. That means that the young former Formula One driver could rest easy before Friday's qualification session while Allmendinger continued to sweat.
Is there a rivalry between Allmendinger and the racer who took his ride? "We hated each other when we came up through racing," Allmendinger said. "There's no medium about it. As we got older, everyone seemed to pit us against each other as the two Americans that are going to Formula One, that are going to fight to be the American in Formula One."
For the record, Speed made it to motorsports' top open-wheel level, while Allmendinger did not -- although he had a successful open-wheel career in the Champ Car series.
"We've always had a lot of respect for each other," Allmendinger said of Speed. "If we wrecked, we wanted the other person to wreck harder. Whether it was battling for first or second or 21st or 22nd, if we could beat each other, it was a good day. It was a lot of fun. It was a tough rivalry."
During the offseason, Allmendinger was penciled in to take over the No. 19 Richard Petty Motorsports ride (formerly known as Gillette Evernham Motorsports) of Elliott Sadler. But when Sadler, who signed a three-year contract extension last spring, started talking lawsuit, he was quickly put back in the No. 19, which he drove to a 24th-place finish in last year's standings.
Allmendinger even had one final chance to get into the guaranteed starting positions when it appeared that several top-35 cars were not going to show up at Daytona. Then NASCAR blessed a pair of 11th-hour deals that elevated Bowyer and John Andretti above him, and Allmendinger found himself in the all-too-familiar position of having to qualify on time at the start of the year -- the third straight season he's had to do that.
"I was definitely more nervous last week," Allmendinger said Friday morning. "But there are some nerves here because anything can happen out there. I've been doing this for 2 1/2 years now, but the nerves are always there."
No matter how strained his nerves may be, all of the cars outside the top 35 in points are in a tenuous position. The slightest mistake in qualifying can send them home, and that could have a drastic effect on Allmendinger's hopes to run a full season.
"As of right now, we still only have the eight races (of sponsorship for his No. 44 Dodge) plus the Daytona (July) race," Allmendinger said. "Basically, we have (just) the nine races (right now)."
Kasey Kahne understands his new teammate's frustration.
"(Allmendinger) definitely needs to run well," Kahne said. "He needs to impress and try to get sponsorship. That's what they're racing for this year. That's how it's structured as far as I've seen. For him, he needs to show up and do his best every time.
"The way I look at it, that's the same way I would race any day. I think things might change a little bit being at different positions. A.J. has had a full-time deal for the last couple of years, and this year he doesn't."
That's why what he accomplished at Daytona was so significant.
"The goal is to obviously win, but finishing third in Daytona was like winning it all," Allmendinger said. "And if we get a top-10 here, it will be a success. The expectations are just so different here."
However, finishing strong isn't enough to secure a ride. In fact, Allmendinger might need to be near-perfect in the coming weeks to not only make all of the first five races, but also to remain in the top 35 through that span.
"You go out there and try to beat the 48 (reigning three-time champ Jimmie Johnson) and 99 (Carl Edwards)," Allmendinger said. "That will get a lot more attention than the guys who are in our same boat. There are 42 other guys that I want to beat, so I don't pay attention to one specific person or anybody like that. If we go out there and win the race, that gets the most exposure.
"There are so many guys and so many more things that can happen that allows you not to win a race. You have to set your goals different here. In Champ Car, if you weren't on the podium or didn't win, you had a bad day. Here you have to set your goals differently."
What Allmendinger has achieved thus far in his brief Sprint Cup career -- particularly last season and, of course, during the just completed Speedweeks -- has earned him increased respect from his peers.
"It's not like he's new to the sport," Kahne said. "He's definitely figured it out. I think he's a great driver and will be a big benefit to our team and great to have around. They just need to perform. That's really how it is."
Allmendinger did his job on Friday in qualifying. Ironically, Speed is lined up one spot behind and was one of the first people to stop in the garage and congratulate Allmendinger.
Last year, Allmendinger looked up at the sky and watched the rain pour down before this event. Having failed to race his way into the 2008 Daytona 500, he was going to miss his second consecutive event, and that put him way behind in points.
This year is "is definitely a lot better," he says with a big smile across his face.
"I'm having a lot more fun this year," Allmendinger said. "The whole atmosphere of the team is a lot fun. (Plus) I'm confident in this team.
"I knew we were going to have a good chance to make the race, so that was not a big concern. I'm more concerned about Sunday. If we come out of here with a top-15 finish I'll be happy, (and) if we come out with a top-10 I'll be thrilled, so that is what I'm focused on."
I like A.J. and I'm pulling for him. He seems to be a likable guy and I like the fact that he shows emotion on his face an in interviews. Here's hoping he does well enough to get a full-time sponsor for his team, we need more like him!
AJ’s a talented driver that needs the right breaks, and good equipment to get on his feet. He’s a fun driver to watch when you’re at the track. I wish him the best.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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I am not afraid to admit that I have in fact called the butterball turkey hotline before. I have made many mistakes while cooking turkeys.
Here is the information, I am just going to leave this right here. Don't be ashamed and if you are go in the backroom or outside or hide... but take it from me when you have a question it's good to ask the experts.
You can call OR text. Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or text 844-877-3456. Two different numbers so remember that.
They answer all kinds of questions, so don't worry.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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What made this war different from earlier ones was that it was the first global conflict. Indians, Australians, Costa Ricans, Haitians, Thai, and multitudes of others soon found themselves traveling to foreign lands or providing resources to propel the war. And the world was never to be the same.
More than 400,000 Australians (thousands of miles and continents away from the war) enlisted, representing almost 40 percent of the male population between 18 and 44 years old. Almost 65 percent were killed or injured.
The Austrian-Hungarians mobilized 6.5 million troops. Almost 5 million, or 75 percent, were killed or injured.
The French Empire enlisted 7.5 million, and 75 percent were killed or injured.
Disintegration of empires; creation of nation states; environmental damage; new technologies in communications, medicine, aviation, weaponry; oil’s rise in importance, leading to modern conflicts; civic and human-rights movements; and a USA shift from isolationism to global leadership.
In Kansas City, people wanted to honor those who served, and they wanted to seek a peaceful world.
In 1919, 83,000 men, women, and children donated more than $2 million (equal to nearly $40 million today) to create a memorial. And they did this in two weeks. Everyone, from the city’s leading lumberman, R.A. Long, to schoolchildren contributed.
The memorial’s site was dedicated November 1, 1921. An estimated 100,000 people witnessed the stirring ceremony. The five main Allied military leaders—General Jacques of Belgium, General Diaz of Italy, Marshal Foch of France, General John J. Pershing of the USA, and Admiral Lord Beatty of Great Britain—addressed the throng.
A nationwide architectural competition yielded the winning design by New York architect H. Van Buren Magonigle. Following construction between 1923 and 1926, the mostly completed memorial was dedicated November 11, 1926. It attracted more than 150,000 people. President Calvin Coolidge and Queen Marie of Romania delivered addresses.
In the late 1990s when the memorial needed renovation, leading citizens again motivated the people. Kansas City’s citizens provided a place suitable for the tremendous responsibility of properly reflecting on the war—its sorrows and significance. More than $100 million has been spent in the past decade.
In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, historian Margaret MacMillan says today holds ominous parallels to the world leading up to World War I. For example, globalization before 1914 led Germany and Britain to be each other’s largest trading partners. Yet each felt threatened by the other’s economic success and rising commercial and military power.
The centennial of the Great War provides people of faith with an opportunity to reflect on how the world was swept into this global conflict, and what it means to live in its shadows.
I propose people of faith can do three things. Many nations are responding with similar and culturally appropriate actions.
1. Tell stories. The Great War was about people fighting people. Sure, it was also about nationalism, tribalism, empires, and geopolitical rivalries. But those things are really about people. Telling stories can help us turn history into human story.
2. Teach people what happened and why it matters. The world today is more like the world leading up to World War I than we would like to imagine. The great American novelist, Mark Twain, is credited with saying “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Appreciating the past can help us successfully navigate the future. In partnership with a consortium of churches and affiliates, including Community of Christ Seminary, the National World War I Museum will host a symposium in 2017 about conscientious objection as a response to war.
3. Remember the courage and values of those days. Many thought World War I would be over in days, surely by Christmas. But the war was not over by Christmas. War was envisioned as romantic and colorful—flags, spiked helmets, flashing sabers. Those called to arms would be heroes, defending their homelands and way of life. The grim reality was far different. To remove any notion of war as a grand adventure, remember what happened. Remembering also can make us aware of real and present threats to our world.
The world came undone in those days. When it was put back together—if it ever was—it was forever changed: new countries, new weaponry, new threats and ideologies.
This war matters, if only because it is about the power of a fractured world. And it showed us as never before destructive power on a massive scale.
These have dared bear the torches of sacrifice and service. Their bodies return to dust but their work liveth evermore. Let us strive on to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
Remembering those who served and learning and finding meaning in the Great War and its enduring impact is a tribute to the past and a commitment to a world of peace.
Church leaders were among the many guests who found images of peace amid stories of conflict at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Hall.
It would be easy to think the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City reflects battle, pain, and strife—and it does.
Even more, however, it tells of humankind’s yearning for peace.
To be sure, when Community of Christ leaders toured the site in May, they found many spectacles of warfare: tanks, trenches, and testimonies of tragedy. They also saw reflections of our desire for peace: red poppies depicting the Flanders Fields, where so many died in Belgium and France; 40-foot-tall carvings of Guardian Spirits, who symbolize protectors of peace; and the Great Frieze, a 488- by 48-foot sculpture that represents the end of the war and the creation of an era of peace.
Sadly, peace was short-lived. The war to end all wars didn’t. Since its first shots 100 years ago this month, wars have popped up across the world like mushrooms in a moist forest. Today people fight in Ukraine, and others needlessly die in places called Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and more.
All of this makes Christ’s mission—our mission—imperative.
Many anniversaries are seen as celebrations. Not this one. No party hats, no cake, no reliving past glories. Rather, this centennial reminds of war’s horrific nature and humankind’s imperative to find different paths.
“For me, the claim as a peace church forces us to be aware and see the presence of non-peace in our midst, and it requires us to look into the ugly face of brokenness and conflict,” said Scott Murphy of the First Presidency.
Apostle Susan Oxley echoed that sentiment: “I don’t think the church ever can be reconciled to war. We stand for looking for alternatives. War is alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ. His teachings are designed to solve conflict and encourage us to seek solutions.
Historians cite many reasons for the start of World War I, which killed 9 million, wounded 21 million, and brought changes the world still feels today. Among the causes was widespread and fervent nationalism, still a force today.
Not all members. F. Henry Edwards, an English citizen and future member of the First Presidency, was in England during the Great War. He was drafted but refused to fight, and he went to prison.
It appears evident that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints moved from a position of strict neutrality with respect to the war in 1914 to a position of unqualified support for the United States and Allied nations by 1918.
Today leaders from the church, the museum, and others are seeking peaceful paths and hoping to learn from history. Among them is US Army Colonel Robert Ewing, who leads the 79th Service Support Command. His group toured the museum at the same time as the church leaders.
Presiding Evangelist David Brock, like many other church leaders on the tour, holds hope that humankind will learn from the causes and tragedy of World War I.
Apostle Linda Booth noted the irony of the US entrance into the war. It was April 6, 1917—the church’s birthday. While church members were celebrating their heritage, the nation was entering a dark period.
But Booth also found hope in the tour.
I grew up in the church, hearing sermons, singing songs, and listening to prayers about Zion. There was an awareness Zion was coming, and we needed to be ready to go to Independence, Missouri, when the call came. I remember one reunion before I turned 16. The message focused on the idea that Zion was coming very soon. We were living in the latter days, and we needed to be ready.
I was petrified in the following months that Zion would happen before I got my driver’s license, and I’d never get a chance to drive a car. (I guess somehow I had inferred that cars would be unnecessary in Zion.) I was also sad that I would have to leave my life and friends in Illinois and move to Independence. Even with my limited understanding of God and Zion, leaving others “behind” seemed like something a loving God would not require or even want.
I remember all of these feelings about Zion with a bit of humor and deep fondness. My understanding of Zion may have been incomplete then (and probably still is), but the idea of Zion coming was—and still is—a formative vision for me. It has continued to guide my discipleship and ministry throughout the years.
When I first heard, and later read, the closing paragraphs of the words of counsel presented in April 2013, my heart overflowed with joy. There was that old familiar idea: Zion, beckoning us onward. More important was the idea that God challenges us to move beyond talking about and just waiting for Zion into the action of co-creating with God the reality of Zion. How amazing is that?
If we survey Doctrine and Covenants about Zion it becomes clear this closing paragraph of the 2013 words of counsel repeats counsel we have heard before.
This counsel highlights that Zion is not something we are waiting for. Rather it’s something we help make happen. More than 100 years later, in 1982, Section 155:8 reminded us: “The call is for workers in the cause of Zion.…” This was another reminder that God was looking for people to help bring about God’s vision of shalom. Again the indication was that God wants and needs workers to help build Zion, rather than for people to wait faithfully until God brings Zion to us.
It has taken me awhile in my own journey to grasp that I’m not waiting on God to bring about Zion. The call to go to Independence is not going to come. God’s waiting on me and—more importantly—us to create expressions of God’s reign on Earth in our families, neighborhoods, and cities.
It reminds me of the song, “Waiting on the World to Change,” by John Mayer. In a world where we often feel powerless to overcome injustices and bad situations, we feel like we are stuck waiting. Waiting on the powerful. Waiting on an intervening God. Waiting on something or someone to change the world.
I love the challenge to test God’s words. Throughout our journey as a people, we have received many “words” on how we can help Zion happen: tend to our spiritual condition; have courage; witness; heed the call; create pathways for peace in sacred communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness; hold to God’s covenant of peace in Jesus Christ; visibly be one in Christ; and more.
Words are funny things. They often mean different things to different people. No matter how clearly I think I’ve said or written something, inevitably someone will have an interpretation that differs from my intent. So even agreeing on how we test God’s words is a challenge.
We have filled volumes with beautiful words about Zion. Meanwhile, God keeps calling us into action. I am certain each of us has a different idea of what Zion might be or how to help create it. I suspect this is why we get stuck in the “talking about it” phase and never get on with the “testing of God’s words” phase.
Meanwhile, our words have limited impact on influencing others and inviting them into a new way of seeing and interacting in the world. If Mark Twain was right and our actions do speak louder than our words, then our inaction as we wait for God to bring about Zion is screaming an unfortunate message to a world in need.
I talked for years about becoming more fluent in Spanish. However, every time I thought about taking action, it seemed too overwhelming. I wanted the “quick fix” that magically would move me from illiterate to fluent without any real effort on my part. The reality is that learning a new language (or a new way of being) is really hard, very time consuming, and most humbling.
The call to build Zion is a call into a new way of being. It is the action of developing zionic skills and behaviors. It is really hard, very time consuming, and most humbling.
We have to start small. I had to relearn the Spanish alphabet so I could start learning the basic words and grammar rules. I had to move beyond just reading the rules and into the action of practicing them. I had to experiment with speaking and writing the words. I had to test everything I was learning. I had to be willing to be humble because of my countless mistakes.
With each new section in Doctrine and Covenants about Zion we have gone deeper in our understanding of the “alphabet” and basic grammar rules of Zion.
Now we need to start experimenting with what we’ve learned by “testing God’s words.” We have to be willing to jump into living, loving, and sharing as Zion, striving to be visibly one in Christ, where there are no poor or oppressed.
We’ve been told our ability to create zionic conditions in our family, with neighbors, at our workplace, and in interactions with others is dependent on our spiritual condition. If our cup is filled, we are more likely to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus in the way we live, love, and share. We need to tend to our spiritual condition.
We have been told to have courage about our call to bring about the cause of Zion. If we make time to be spiritually healthy, this will give us more confidence.
We need to ignore natural insecurities about being incapable of making a difference and instead look for opportunities to serve and jump in.
This means we have to get out of our homes and congregations and become involved in the community around us. As we prayerfully engage with others, God will open our eyes to opportunities for service.
God, where will your Spirit lead today? Help me be fully awake and ready to respond. Grant me courage to risk something new and become a blessing of your love and peace. Amen.
Those who have made this a daily practice have discovered that prayers are answered and opportunities to bring blessing become visible.
We have been told to witness of God’s love and concern for all people and to become a global family. We do this by listening to others’ stories, sharing our stories, and weaving our stories with God’s unfolding story for creation. We are called to be in healthy relationships with others to include bearing each other’s burdens.
Actions shared with others in Christ-like love are great ways to share our witness. This then leads to the opportunity to invite others to be part of Christ’s mission through baptism and confirmation.
We have been told to create pathways for peace in sacred communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness. For me sacred communities include my family, friends, work colleagues, my church family, and neighborhood. As I consider each of these communities, I am challenged to consider how I can be more attentive to making all of these encounters a zionic experience and a witness to the world.
When I visited Honduras after my first week of Spanish immersion, I realized my Spanish-language skill was equivalent to the abilities of the Honduran 2- to 3-year-olds. I remember Carlos Enrique teaching his grandson, David Enrique, a song to help him learn the alphabet. I almost cried when I realized David Enrique could sing it better than I. I wanted to give up.
In reality, I just want to wait for the technology that will allow me to insert a data card into my head and bam!…I am fluent in Spanish. However, what I am learning goes so much beyond knowing the language. I am shaped and formed by the struggle. I would lose so much if I just wait for technology to do it for me.
Similarly, we’ve been invited into the creative struggle with God. For me, this is what the last two paragraphs of the 2013 words of counsel are all about. We are being shaped and formed as we tend to our spiritual condition, act in courage, develop healthy relationships, and create sacred communities that witness of Zion through our collective actions. This often comes with pain and suffering, but the outcome makes it all worth it.
More than a year has passed since the 2013 USA National Conference. As I look back, I see that all who gathered created a sacred community that witnessed to the world a new way of making decisions about difficult topics. Regardless of whether people agreed with the result, most present recognized the profound nature of sacred community struggling to listen to God’s guidance through the blessing of the Holy Spirit. It was hard and even painful at times.
Those gathered were generous with their love, patience, and contributions. They sought to be just in how they treated one another. Most experienced a peacefulness that passed all human understanding, even amid heart-wrenching moments.
People came spiritually prepared to be together with one another and the Holy Spirit. Most received an undeniable glimmer of the nature of Zion that has continued to bless many throughout the USA as stories have been shared.
So you see, the closing paragraphs of the 2013 words of counsel align with our own story of why we should have courage and hope. Our story teaches us to trust what will happen when we test God’s words. It encourages us that we can struggle together with difficult issues, trying to be true to God’s vision of shalom in our actions. It shows that Zion happens as we endure, persevere, and stay the course, holding to God’s covenant of peace in Jesus Christ as best we understand it. Ultimately, it is about seeking to visibly be one in Christ not only in word, but in action.
Most experiments that yield significant results are not easy and can even be dangerous. As we continue to experiment with living, loving, and sharing Zion, we undoubtedly will experience difficulties and setbacks. We need to be patient with one another and open to continued understanding of how God is leading us.
Enough with the words…What are we waiting for? Let’s build Zion…Onward!
We respond by intentionally linking ministry in a continuum of disciples and priesthood members who serve together to fulfill Christ’s mission. What does this mean for you? For members it emphasizes your covenant and role as a disciple.
As living expressions of Christ’s life, ministry, and continuing presence in the world, disciples covenant with God to bring peace and reconciliation to the world, break down the walls that divide people, and share Christ’s peace with everyone they meet.
…As ministry takes place, sacred communities of unconditional love, tolerance, reconciliation, and Unity in Diversity are born. These Christ-centered communities invite and welcome those who are searching for a spiritual home and yearning to know of God’s redeeming love….
For priesthood, recent inspired counsel calls for faithful, holistic ministry. Priesthood ministry, as a sacred covenant, includes the highest form of stewardship of body, mind, spirit, and relationships. Priesthood members express their ministry with humility and integrity and extend themselves in servant ministry for others and for the well-being of the faith community (163:6a).
Being comes before doing. President Steve Veazey says effective servant ministry comes from the overflow of daily spiritual disciplines that allow one to immerse oneself in God’s love and generosity. Priesthood members are most effective when they focus on bringing blessing to others (163:6b). To increase one’s capacity for ministry, it is essential for priesthood members to spend time in personal renewal and spiritual rest. Priesthood members magnify their callings through continual “spiritual growth, study, exemplary generosity, ethical choices, and fully accountable ministry” (163:6c).
To help disciples and priesthood members learn about or reconnect to covenant commitments, new Temple School courses are under development. They are designed to help students learn what they need to know, be, and do for effective servant ministry. The courses will focus on basic principles one needs to understand, or know, at the beginning of a new ministry responsibility. Learning and knowing are best achieved by being receptive to the intervening presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
Each lesson will open and close with spiritual practices that attune participants to the Holy Spirit’s movements leading into, through, and following each session. Ministry effectiveness is achieved best when one practices how to bring blessing to others. The courses will include the opportunity to do by practicing ministry skills with other participants. Together students also will learn to evaluate how ministry effectiveness can improve by continuing to know, be, and do as ministry and priesthood teams.
For the first time there will be a disciple course. The course will be designed to prepare members to serve in mission. There also will be new preparation courses for priesthood members. These will include a new Introduction to Priesthood Ministry course, a revised Introduction to Scripture course, and new or revised office-specific courses for deacon, teacher, priest, elder, seventy, high priest, and evangelist.
The Ministry and Priesthood Team and course writers will conduct pilot classes over the next several months. If you have the opportunity to take part, we’ll look forward to your feedback. We expect to release final course materials at the 2016 World Conference.
A monthly Herald series will begin in September, focusing on ministry and priesthood. The articles will preview the new course content and will serve as excellent study materials for groups or Sunday school classes.
We affirm All Are Called. We respond by learning what to know, be, and do to best serve together to fulfill Christ’s mission.
Categories : Christ's Mission...Our Mission!
I had an hour of spiritual-practice time dedicated to reflection and connection with the Divine. I was in the Rocky Mountains. A racing creek was right outside, snow-capped mountains waited for my eyes, and birds flew back and forth. Other blessings were waiting to reveal themselves.
I walked to a bridge over a raging creek and sat down. I communed with God. I reflected on what had been a terrific weekend—a retreat experience at Peaceful Valley Dude Ranch.
As I was letting my heart dwell in God, flowing with the breeze and the water, I felt prompted to cross the bridge. In a small pasture I found a donkey gently grazing, having some dinner. As soon as the donkey heard me, we made eye contact.
Now, I am a city boy. I don’t know how donkeys behave, what they like, or how to touch them. But I thought I would give it a go. I was in the middle of connecting with the Divine. I thought, “What a wonderful opportunity to experience God through this creature!” So I made my way closer, and he made his way closer to me.
We met, and I stuck out my hand in the same way you do when you meet a dog.
The donkey rubbed against my hand as if to tell me to start rubbing his nose and head. I began to pet him, and I swear he smiled at me. He opened his big, old mouth and bared his teeth in a grin. I felt a connection to this creature.
His coat was coarse and dirty. As I patted his neck and back, dust flew into the air. His owner had mowed his meadow clean. I picked from the plentiful grass outside the fence. As soon as I leaned forward with a handful of greens and dandelions he smiled again.
The donkey is the lowliest of creatures in the equestrian world. It is not a beautiful stallion or a giant Clydesdale. It isn’t exotic or fast. Yet, the donkey is what Jesus rode into Jerusalem—what Jesus used to flip this world’s understanding of power and status into love and peace.
The donkey for Jesus is an ambassador for peace. I was at peace with an animal that doesn’t hold honor and glory or even the tourism appeal of a zebra. I was with God, having a peaceful agape meal.
I love going to reunion at Camp Chihowa, west of Kansas City. I didn’t get to go often when I was a kid, but I have been able to go with my children since they were small. I also have the special privilege of taking other children.
Doug and I are foster parents. Over the last 13 years more than 55 children have passed through our house. Some have stayed a few days. Others have stayed a few years. One we adopted, and we are adopting another. Most have returned home or to a different relative. We have been able to keep in contact with some.
One child calls me every January and asks, “When is reunion?” He and his sister lived with us about six years ago and spend a few weekends throughout the year with us. They go to Camp Chihowa every summer.
A 16-year-old came with me last year. He had lived with us when he was 10. We had lost contact with him for a while but recently reconnected. He has been coming over for short periods as we rebuild a relationship. He had some difficult behaviors to manage, so we have been taking things slowly.
Because of immaturity and poor choices, he isn’t often placed in roles with responsibility. At reunion, I told him he would be expected to help with cleaning, serving, and washing dishes. He loved it! He volunteered for all kinds of jobs.
He washed pots and pans. He offered to vacuum the chapel. He liked serving in the food line, and he got to cook hot dogs on the grill. People kept telling him they appreciated him and his good work. His smile was huge, and he was very proud of himself.
The theme one night was God’s Grace and Generosity. What a great theme for our family. We get to see God working every day in the lives of these kids. So many people work to make Chihowa a safe, clean environment. People show up at work days, serve on the board, plan reunions, shop creatively to keep food costs down, and quietly work behind the scenes. I can’t thank them enough.
My kids and my “extended family” need this place. Too many of them have experienced pain no child should have to face. At reunion, they find acceptance, fulfillment, and a sense of belonging they desperately need.


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From Chicago Daily Tribune , October 6, 1876.
Sketches and a newspaper article describing stockyard workers and their drinking habits. Polish and Bohemian workers are singled out.


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Twitter is one of the most active social media platforms out there. And as more and more brands and companies take to Twitter for advertising their products, it is rapidly becoming the most reliable source of information on the web. So why not explore ways of making money on Twitter?
With over 255 million monthly active users and 170 minutes per month spent on the platform per user. It’s a lucrative space to leverage your reach and make some money. Twitter allows people to follow others’ tweets when they come across something they like. You will use this to get regular traffic to your Twitter, and ultimately to your affiliate website.
So let us take a look at how affiliate marketing can help you make some cash through Twitter.
There are probably several products and services that you use every day. You probably even recommend a few to your friends and family every now and then. Now those promotional efforts won’t be in vain! Start reviewing the market and select brands and products that fall into your niche. Once you’ve found the right products, it’s time for the next step.
1. Keep in mind the character limit!
The first thing is mastering the art of maximum impact in minimal space. You only have 280 characters. If you had 10 seconds to catch someone’s attention with a story about your day, you wouldn’t start at the toast you had for breakfast. You can rave about a product in only so many words. Not to mention that you then have to link to the product’s host to lead your followers to the company’s website. That’s where they can make the purchase and you can make that sweet commission.
However, in order to fit all of that into a single tweet and still make an impact, it is advised to use shortened links, that save on character count and so allowing to spend more words on promoting the product.
Your Tweets are your voice here, so it’s critical to make them high quality. Why? The social media cycle. Great Tweets get more followers. More followers lead to a higher level of social media engagement. That engagement is what ultimately leads to traffic. Keep it relevant to your niche, and really try to get into the head of your audience to produce a headline that they would click through on.
Whenever you write a Tweet, keep it as snappy and interesting as you can, putting in only what you need to.
To get your faithful Twitter followers to believe in your promotions and actually click on to the link you provide; you should make your tweets relatable and relevant.
If your followers don’t see the sincerity in your recommendation, they might dismiss it as a hoax or a sponsored post; this can also lead to you losing creditability with your hundreds and thousands of followers. Make sure you tweet out stuff that sounds reliable and which your followers can relate to.
4. Resist the temptation to buy fake followers!
Tweeting is the language, followers are the population, and you want as many citizens loyal to you as possible. Nevertheless, resist the temptation to go and buy Twitter followers. They will probably be fake or non-responsive accounts, and you could end up banned, which is the last thing you want for your brand.
Announce on your affiliate site that you have Twitter and that people should follow you for up-to-the-minute content. That seesaw of “I follow you, you follow me” is really one of the best ways to generate a following.
To avoid slipping off the radar of your new-found followers, you need to post regular Tweets. Try to aim for at least 3 or 4 daily at first, to show your account is active. Some social modules allow you to schedule posts on Twitter, which can make regular Tweeting easy, without having to be on Twitter all day. If you do schedule Tweets, however, keep an eye on the news to stop them going out if circumstances change. And don’t forget about the general rule of almost all social media: tweet when your followers are actually online to ensure the best chance of interaction.
The overall strategy with using Twitter as an affiliate is to drive traffic back to your affiliate site via your social media interactions, and the key is a patient, smooth and seamless transition. Link to quality testimonials, blog posts, and squeeze pages to get them to your affiliate site, as well as other valuable info they might be interested in.
Always tell people what you are linking to, though. No one likes feeling tricked and if the link goes to something different or poor quality, they won’t exactly become your biggest fan.
Overall, Twitter is another useful tool for your business, which can definitely bring you some earnings for sure, just keep in mind several simple but effective rules above. Good luck!
This entry was posted in Affiliate marketing, Community, Guides and tagged affiliate marketing, marketing tools, traffic monetization, twitter.


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You always have your phone on you, no matter where you're going. In fact, you usually just carry it in your hand and check instantly if it notifies you of something new going on. It's even made its way into the standard setting of a table; because of course your setting is not complete without knife, fork, spoon and phone. Don't forget to take a picture of your meal!
No matter what the question is, Google will always have the answer and that's where you go first; every time. Can't remember that guy's name from that film? You've got to check Google; it'll bug you until you do.
Whenever you send an email discussing the attached document, you realise you forgot to attach it just after you hit send.
You're great at multi-tasking - texting and talking, talking and texting; this is modern life, no?
You forget things; a lot.
You can waste days online and not even realise it. You suddenly feel hungry even though you've only just had breakfast, only to realise it's 4pm; where did the time go? It can take you forever to get something done; sometimes hours to complete a task that should have only taken about 30 minutes.
You're reluctant to let anyone use your phone, tablet or computer. You always keep the product boxes; you just never know when you might need them. You're obsessive over keeping fingerprints off of your screens.
The first thing you do on a morning is check your phone and all of your social media pages. You repeat this at least once an hour throughout the day and when it's time to retreat back to bed...repeat.
The bathroom is no longer a solo visit; instead it provides the perfect opportunity to catch up with your social circles.
No longer do you laugh or use logical sentences; you actually say 'LOL' when something funny happens (and then laugh, because you are too funny). You say 'hashtag', that's right. You live your life and if you think of a relative word to a situation, you will sit there and say something like 'hashtag bored', 'hashtag totes amazeballs' or 'hashtag adorbs'.
We all know technology is a wonderful thing, but sometimes you need to be more aware of your surroundings and the physical world in front of you. If you fit into every one of the above categories, it's maybe time to ease off on the gadgets and check out some other opportunities that may currently be passing you by.
Let us know what your technology vices are in the comments section below and don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Stumble, Blog Lovin', LinkedIn, Google+ and of course subscribe by email (yeah, you got me, I'm an addict).


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Wagner Seahawks Basketball Tickets with a 100% Guarantee! InSeats.com specializes in providing some of the industry's largest inventory of Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets. If there are Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets available, we've got them. Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets can be tough to come by, but at InSeats.com we make the ticket buying experience safe, simple, and secure!
InSeats.com specializes in providing all kinds of Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets, from front row seats, to the cheap seats in the upper levels. Whatever your Wagner Seahawks Basketball ticket need, we can provide it at a reasonable cost. Along with having a large selection of Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets, we carry tickets to lots of Concerts, Sports, and Theater events in the U.S. and around the world.
Most Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets sold through InSeats.com are shipped using Federal Express. Most Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets will be shipped within 24 hours of the order being placed. However there are some circumstances when the tickets cannot be printed or received until a later date. If you are purchasing Wagner Seahawks Basketball tickets internationally, you must select an international shipping method.


text: It's All So Sudden How I Find Myself Here. With You Cradled In My Arms; So Afraid My Shouting Heart Will Wake You. I Lie Here Admiring This Gift. The One I Don't Deserve But I Have Wanted Forever; And Thank Fate For This Moment. The Hardest Part Of My Day Is Leaving You, So Thank You For This Night. So Close Your Eyes And Dream Of Me. Say Everything You're Too Scared To Say. Leave Worry To The Waking World And Know That I'm Here To Keep You Safe. Morning Comes So Quickly These Nights, So I Keep This Time With Me. Replaying It Over And Over. Every Detail, Every Gentle Sigh. And As You Leave To Begin The New Day, Please Think Of Me.


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Up-cycled oil-drum, metal angel crafted in Noailles, Haiti. Measures 5" high x 3" wide. Available in 7 unique designs for multiple orders. Purchase of each angel includes a $30 donation to fund an educational program of your choice in an under-served area of the world.
Please allow 2 weeks for delivery. Angels purchased prior to 12/18/18 will be delivered by US mail before 12/24/18, packaged in a custom-designed box with a hand-written insert of gratitude. .


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ATLANTA, GA, December 14, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ — Ackerman Retail, a division of Ackerman & Co. and the exclusive advisor to the estate of Charles S. Ackerman, announced today it has brokered the sale of 85,525-square-foot Woodstock Square shopping center in Woodstock, Ga., for $7 million ($82 PSF).
Dallas-based Tabani Group Inc. purchased the neighborhood shopping center, located on GA Highway 92 about 1.5 miles from the city of Woodstock’s historic downtown. Ackerman Retail Senior Vice President Sean Patrick and Vice President Stephen Lapierre represented ownership in the transaction.
Located approximately 25 miles north of Atlanta, the 93% leased Woodstock Square is anchored by Stars & Strikes Entertainment Center and features a wide range of national and local tenants, including Subway, Goodyear Auto Service, Philly Connection cheesesteaks, Bub-Ba-Q barbecue restaurant, Stevie B’s Pizza Buffet, BSN Sports, U.S. Army Recruiting Center and more. Recent improvements at the center include replacement of its roof.
Woodstock’s population (currently estimated at 31,000) has increased by approximately 310% since 2000. The busy GA Highway 92 corridor, the submarket’s main business and retail artery, boasts retailers such as Sam’s Club, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Goodwill, Starbucks, QuikTrip, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A.
PreviousUN Ambassador H.E. Roy Fernandes Successfully Carved His Name in the Market as One of the most Talented Protocol Officials and Goodwill Ambassador Working for IIMSAM, UNITED NATIONS.


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Establish which product idea receives the highest interest and acceptation of the target group. You can choose the concept with the greatest market potential by testing every concept.
The test measures the in-market acceptance by using a validated acceptance method. The concept test uses a set of validated techniques that help in understanding the real impact of the product idea and how to improve it.
Because of the holistic set-up you will get all the necessary diagnostics to optimise and improve your product idea or customer value proposition. The concept test provides specific answers that help make the go/no go decision, alongside reference points to improve your product idea.
We compare your concept test with a strong up-to-date benchmark. We compare with the average and the top 20%.
The scorecard contains the most important results to help you determine whether the concept is good enough. It helps you make the selection of what is important and what not. In addition, the reading guide helps you understand and interpret the results.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


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So I've been over at digg.com looking through the listings and I came across this article from usatoday.com.
The gist of it is that some big-shot tele-evangelist is building himself a nice cosy $4M (US dollars!) house, while people within the ministry are being laid off.
A religious broadcaster is building a $4 million home in a gated, lakefront community in western South Carolina at the same time that the ministry has cut jobs and reset thermostats to save money in its new headquarters.
Inspiration Networks' CEO David Cerullo is building the 9,000-square-foot home on a lot that overlooks Lake Keowee, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
Inspiration Networks has drawn scrutiny for up to $26 million in incentives it won from South Carolina to move from Charlotte to Indian Land, S.C., in Lancaster County. The network's revenues are expected to approach $100 million, largely donations from people who are told God favors those who donate.
Cerullo has said 80 cents of each donated dollar is spent to spread the Gospel.
In addition to laying off workers, the newspaper reported, the ministry froze wages and stopped making contributions to 401(k) retirement accounts. The thermostat on the network's new building was cut to 65 degree during the winter.
"...largely donations from people who are told God favors those who donate"
In other words, they prey on people's feelings of emptiness and yearning for something more to fleece them of their money. It's called the 'prosperity gospel' and it's not a new thing.
As a really basic definition, it says that if you give all your money to the church, then God will repay you ten-fold. They twist scripture to make it fit their msg and hundreds of people fall for it, handing over their hard-earned money in the belief that they will be repaid ten-fold..., in other words, get rich.
And then, when they don't get rich, they feel let down, used, and resent God. The Bible does talk about being repaid for the things you do for Him, but not in the way they make it sound.
It gives God, and Christianity in general a bad name. Christianity already has enough hypocrites to make it look bad that it doesn't need this aswell.


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There are 13012 used cars for sale at your local Greensboro DriveTime dealerships. Why not go and take one for a test drive? All it takes is a quick application, and you could be behind the wheel of your next used vehicle.
Would you like to buy a used car, but don’t want to deal with used car salesman? At DriveTime Greensboro, we’re undoing all of the stereotypes and changing people’s minds about the used car buying experience. There are no pushy salespeople at DriveTime Greensboro. Their job isn’t to pressure you into buying a used vehicle, it’s to show you options and answer questions so you can make an informed decision. This is your car we’re talking about.
You’re in the driver’s seat, so you decide where to go. Whether you’re looking for a used car for commuting, a used van or SUV for the family or a used truck for heavy lifting; Greensboro DriveTime has a large selection of vehicles that fit your wants and needs. Find the car you want, and schedule a visit at one of our Greensboro used car dealerships and experience the DriveTime Difference.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text: In the event that we consider some unbelievable romantic tales, the greater part of them had a horrendous, grievous closure. This makes a profound intrigue for dismal romantic tale and makes the legend everlasting. Each obvious darling experiences an emotive, profound, and tricky inclination for that.


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If tournament poker is a game of situations, then it’s important to know how to play from the blinds. Poker comes down to three basic decisions: fold, call, or raise. When you’re facing a pre-flop raise, folding the blinds will usually be your best option. You have a significant disadvantage when you defend your blinds because you will be out of position for the remainder of the hand. However, there are times during the course of a tournament that you can pick up a key pot or two by making the right play from either the small or big blind.
Being first to act leaves you at a clear disadvantage. The reward of winning a small pot simply isn’t worth the risk of playing out of position. Later in a tournament, when the blinds are more significant and antes come into play, you should think twice about automatically folding your blinds to a raise because there are so many more chips at stake before the flop.
In fact, these are the times in a tournament when you need to think about playing back at your opponents from the blinds. As I mentioned, tournament poker is a game of situations and it’s critical that you evaluate your situation properly throughout the event. When appropriate, you may want to just flat-call a late position raise or even think about re-raising from the blinds.
I’ll never defend my blind with marginal cards against an early-position raiser no matter what point of the tournament I’m in. When a player raises in early position, it’s often safer to assume he has a real hand as opposed to thinking that he’s just trying to pick up the blinds. Against strong players, I usually let the blinds go because I know there’s going to be a battle. I’m looking to pick up pots, not pick a fight.
John Cernuto – As each player folds and action gets passed closer and closer to the button, the likelihood of a “blind-stealing” raise increases. These are the situations where you want to evaluate your opponent and determine if you think they’re vulnerable to a re-raise. If you sense weakness, this is a good time to play back in order to show that you’re not going to be bullied, and to build your stack.
Against a late-position raise from an opponent who I read as weak, I’m going to re-steal the blinds by putting in a re-raise. I don’t recommend re-raising all-in because it’s not wise to risk your tournament on a bluff. Instead, I think it’s best to determine your re-raise based on the size of both your own and your opponent’s chip stacks. You should put in enough of your stack to make it look like you’re pot-committed – even though you’re really not. Giving the appearance that you’re pot-committed displays your strength which makes it unlikely that your opponent will come back over the top unless he’s holding some kind of monster. By properly sizing your bet here, you can still get away from your hand and save yourself some chips by folding.
There are many factors that come into determining how you play online poker from the blinds in tournaments, including your opponent’s position at the table. Of course, that’s not the only factor to take into consideration.
Throughout a tournament, everyone develops a table image that impacts how people play against them. Depending on your opponent’s style of play − and how your opponent perceives you − you might be able to play back at someone who is trying to steal your blinds from late position. As mentioned earlier, this is especially useful later in tournaments when the blinds are much bigger and antes come into play.
You always have the option of re-stealing at anytime in a tournament, but this isn’t a move you should make without some careful consideration. For example, if you’re worried about your opponent calling your re-steal attempt, I recommend not even attempting this play unless you’re holding a hand no worse than A-9. Preferably, you’re looking for something even stronger.
If, on the other hand, you think your opponent will fold to your re-raise, the cards in your hand shouldn’t affect your decision to make this play one way or the other. I’m not suggesting that you re-raise blind, but rather, that you shouldn’t let a weak hand deter you from playing back at an opponent you’re sure is going fold under pressure. If I know my opponent is going to fold if I re-raise, but I look down at 7-2, I might second guess myself and not make the move.
This concept may be a little difficult to pull off when you are playing online, so try to employ the “ATC Rule.” If you have a good handle on the situation and a strong read on your opponent, then Any Two Cards will do the trick. Make sure that you don’t try this too frequently because the success of a re-steal partially depends on your table image. If another player sees you making this move frequently, they might be willing to gamble with a hand they would normally let go.
For example, if there’s a kamikaze out there who just keeps firing away, I’m going to wait until I have position on them to pick them off. These types of players are too willing to gamble to make re-stealing a profitable play for me. There’s nothing worse than making a move with Q-4 and being called by Q-J. You should primarily be looking to re-steal against a relatively tight player who knows how to release a hand.
Sometimes, calling from the blinds can be a better option than re-raising. Again, the decision comes back to the criteria of your opponent’s position, playing style, and perception of you. In a recent tournament, I had a very aggressive player who not only raised a lot of pots, but continued to fire away at every street. When I was in the big blind, he made his standard raise and I looked down at pocket Kings. I chose to just flat-call because I knew I could get at least one more bet out of him. In fact, I check-called him all the way to the river because I knew he was hyper-aggressive and would read my flat calls as a sign of weakness rather than strength.
Remember, you have three options when you’re in the blinds and your default option should be to fold. However, players who win tournaments do so because they made the right moves at the right times. If you decide to either re-steal or flat-call from the blinds, it should be based on your opponent’s position and playing style. If you can learn to read these situations correctly, both your chip stack and your tournament success will grow.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


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"Questions were largely competency and personality-based. The interview was focused on whether I would be a good addition to the company."
"If you had £100m, what would you invest it in?"
"I had a diverse range of questions from specific ones about me to property market questions."
"I was given a bit of a grilling on my industry knowledge and asked standard questions about why I was a good candidate etc."
"I was asked a range of competency-based and personal questions that referenced my CV and wider experiences."
"I was asked where I can see myself in ten years' time in addition to why I chose to work for Knight Frank."
"During my interview I was asked why I went into property, to describe myself in three words and to give an example of where I have been a team player."
"I was asked to show awareness of both the company and the industry, from questions such as: who is the senior partner of the company, what is the FTSE doing today, what is the USA stock market doing, and how would I market/advertise a product."
"Throughout the interview I had to give a ten minute presentation with questions at the end - you should know yours well. This was alongside other general questions surrounding the property market and yield calculations, in addition to competency questions, such as when I showed certain traits."
"I was asked a number of personal- (such as illustrating a time when I showed leadership and why I chose to work in property) and property-based questions. In addition, we were asked to prepare a presentation also on something that interested us in property."
"I was asked several HR competency questions, technical questions, questions related to the Real Estate profession and questions about myself."
"I was asked a mixture of competency based questions and questions about the property market - had to do a pre-prepared presentation and answer questions on that."
"Questions included: why did I want to work for Knight Frank? And why did I want to work in this line of work? etc."
"Why you want to work in property? How have you worked in a team? etc"
"I was asked: How I would describe myself? What are my biggest regrets? Why should Knight Frank hire me? Who is the senior partner? What is the FTSE doing at the moment? What is the American stock market is doing at the moment? What a good marketing campaign would be and why? How to conduct a valuation. And numerous other more specific questions related to tasks and my presentation."
"There was a range of competency and technical questions, giving examples of when you have exhibited certain characteristics and also questions on the current property and economic market."


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Great game! Great final! And the right winner. Bayern are among the favouriter each year, simply for being Bayern. But this year, they've had that extra something. I expect more finals involving Bayern in the coming years.
You didn't mention that Bayern should have had Dante send of for a second bookable offence but the ref(Italian) bottled out.
With Bayern down to ten men that would have been more intresting.
Still a good game. Bayern had a couple of attempts on the posts as well, so I guess that makes it even. And it still doesn't change my opinions about how strong Bayern has been looking this season. Also, 3 finals in 4 years speaks its own language.
Dont ignore Dortmund they had their chances, the first half it was only the goalkeepers who saved both teams.
It was pointed out that Dortmund is a young team and it seemed that they were tired and that is why gaps appeared in their defence.
Easy. Next season, Mario Götze won't be playing for Dortmund no more, but for... Bayern. They will be dominant for the next years, I tells ya!
Your turn (this is actually a good warmup for the boxing match).
Mario Gotze was on the sidelines, injured.
They will be dominant for the next years, I tells ya!
^ Oookay, I see the arguments are getting watered down here, so let's just leve it at that, and just say, that without Mario, they wouldn't even have made it to the semis. And good boxing match, Froch's victory was well deserved, but just like in Herning, it was a very close match. Now I'm just hoping for a 3rd match on neutral ground.
Dortmund had the energy at the beginning of both halves. If it was going to take the game away from the high-priced assemblage of crafty veterans it had to score early and then play an energetic keep-away for the rest of the match. Instead, it came up against am amazing Bayern goalie who saved his team, which then allowed Bayern to regain confidence and then it was only a matter of time. You can stop Robben 8 times, but the ninth...he is going to score. Nice to see Gomez come out in the final minutes for a fond farewell.
I though the Ref did an okay job. Dante's offence in the box was more of a misplaced kick rather than an intentional foul, so perhaps the Ref was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and keep the game competitive.
The sliding save by Subotic was the play of the match.
Intentional or not, Dante should have definetely been sent off. Maybe Mr.Hoeness spent some of his hidden money on the refereee? Who knows?
Next year it might even become more boring, as not only Götze but also Lewandowski will play for Bayern. With Dortmund short of their two best players, who is supposed to beat them? We may be looking for a bloody shutout season, which would really stink.
On the other hand: congrats, Bayern, well deserved win. Now please don't show up for the German Cup final all drunk (even though you may probably still beat Stuttgart even then).
Let's see what the new manager can do for Bayern next year. He will certainly feel the pressure.


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It appears that three girls will be able to start their lives again after living a nightmare for the last few years.
Three sisters were freed from a Tucson, Ariz. home on Tuesday after spending up to two years locked in their bedrooms, fed only once a day and denied baths, police said, according to the New York Daily News.
The two younger girls, aged 12 and 13, managed to escape the house and get to a neighbor’s house on Tuesday morning. The girls told cops that their stepfather Fernando Richter attempted to break into their bedroom and attack them with a knife when they fled the house. Police who responded to the scene found a 17-year-old girl locked up in another bedroom of the residence.
The living conditions were horrible for the girls, who told police they hadn’t taken a bath in four to six months and were fed just once a day.
Richter and Sophia Richter, the mother of the girls, were taken into custody and each charged with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of child abuse/emotional abuse and three counts of child abuse/physical abuse.
The Arizona Daily Star reports that the two younger sisters said they hadn’t seen their 17-year-old sister in about two years.
"They were kept in filthy living conditions and kept separately," Tucson Police Capt. Michael Gillooly stated. "They told officers they had not seen each other in two years and were kept separately in bedrooms in that house."
Fernando Richter is reportedly also facing one count of sexual abuse of a child under 15.
"We are doing all we can to make sure these kids are kept safe," Gillooly said at a news conference.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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A really interesting read examining the challenges underwriters face when considering the risk of a connected home.
The (abridged) list that I've quoted are the parties that could be responsible, and the covers that would likely be in place for a loss arising as the result of someone hacking in to a home's wireless sensor network, specifically a sensor embedded in the walls to monitor for potential fire risk.
I find the whole connected world issue to be an exciting topic, and certainly the role of the underwriter in this new world will be ever more demanding. What then are the skills that need to be fostered and developed for underwriters to provide accurate and effective pricing??
here’s a list of potential responsible parties and the insurance policies designed to absorb their loss costs: The drywall manufacturer, which is covered by product liability, general liability (GL), and errors and omissions (E&O). The drywall installation contractor, (GL and E&O). The manufacturer of the sensor, (product liability, GL and E&O , and possibly cyber). The programmer that created the code for the sensor, (E&O). Third-party manufacturers that contributed components to the original equipment manufacturer, (product liability, GL and E&O). The company that embedded the sensor in the drywall, (GL, E&O and possibly cyber). The providers of Internet and wireless services, (GL, E&O and cyber). The maker of the data analytics system interpreting the signals coming from the sensor, (GL, E&O and cyber). The house or building owner’s traditional package of first-party and third-party property and bodily injury insurance policies.