SCOTT SPORTS, Inc., established in 1958 and located in Sun Valley, Idaho, is a leading international manufacturer of premium bike accessories/equipment, running shoes, motosport and wintersport products.

As we count down the 36 days until the start of the 2017 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Loretta Lynns AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, we are going to look back at each year in the history of the event. Today we look back at 2005.

With believe the hype officially graduated from the amateur ranksMike Alessi now off and running with a pro career with KTM, and in the hunt for the 125 National MX Championshipthe focus shifted to his old rival, Ryan Villopoto. Villopoto came into his own on 85cc bikes to become Alessi's stiffest competitor, but in 12 knock down drag out minicycle motos in 2002 and 2003, he won just two. Alessi was a machine at the ranch. Villopoto won plenty of amateur races elsewhere, but the pressure was on to prove he could perform when the stage was his.

But a new nemesis loomed. Suzukis Jason Lawrence, who dominated the B class the previous year, heard all about Villopoto and set about establishing himself through his classic J-Law ways. All week, rumors spread through the ranch of J-Law skirting with trouble, leading to the classic quote from Carrrie Coombs (Davey's sister): "I've got two names on the shit list and both of them are Jason Lawrence."

But man could J-Law ride. Villopoto kept struggling with starts while Lawrence ran up front, winning the 125 A/Pro Sport title.Villopoto finished fourth that year, behind Kyle Chisholm and Martin Davalos.

"They keep saying Villopoto is supposed to be the next big thing and I never even saw him," said Lawrence in one podium interview.

In his final chance, after enduring frustration from team Alessi and talk and mind games from Lawrence, Villopoto finally came through to win 125 A going 1-1-1 to beat out Jake Weimer and Davalos. It's his only championship at Loretta's, a fact that shows sometimes being the chaser leads to the best possible motivation.

That was true in another class, also. The 125 Modified 12-15 ranks were loaded with the likes of Zach Osborne, Austin Stroupe and more, but Minnesota's Ryan Dungey scored an upset victory. The previous year, Dungey finished fourth in the same class behind Stroupe, Osborne, and Trey Canard.

Like Villopoto, that 2005 triumph would prove his only title at the event. Five years later, they were setting up to take over at the sport's highest levels. As for Alessi and Lawrence...do we have time to write a book?

Just as significant was a new method of coverage for the event. Led by teenaged video visionary Wes Williams and the DMXS Radio team, MX Sports Center, the first daily internet review show in the sport, debuted here. Shooting, editing and uploading daily 30-minute clips in the days before even YouTube existed is also a challenge worthy of a book. Williams and crew pulled it off, barely, with sweat, all nighters and youthful exuberance.

That was just the right mix for an event like this. Check out this clip from the first ever episode.

Go here to read the rest:

36 Years of Loretta's - Racer X Online

About four months ago, the Orlando Sentinel created a new food-centric Instagram account: orlando.foodie. Guess who has been uploading some (in my humble opinion) pretty delectable shots?

Its rare that one of my cooking creations makes it onto the account, thanks mostly to timing (you will understand why soon). Local restaurants make some really fantastic looking eats, anyway.

Im not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I have picked up a few lessons through trial and error. The next time you grab your cellphone or camera to snap a photo of your meal, I hope you keep them in mind.

If you have any suggestions of your own, please email me at ldelgado@orlandosentinel.com. Im always trying to improve.

Lighting is so key you cant completely disguise bad lighting with edits or filters.

For those of us without access to great lighting equipment, natural light becomes our best friend. Between work and daytime activities, most of my cooking is done at night in my older, poorly lit home hence the lack of home-cooked food photos on my social media.

When Im in a restaurant, Ive been known to pick up my plate and move it into better light for a quick shot (as long as Im not disturbing my fellow diners).

Does the food have texture? Is it colorful? Is it interesting? Ive vetoed shots because the delicious food wasnt photogenic.

For Instagram, hone in on your subject especially if it includes several dishes. If youre aiming for Instagrams classic square shot, you may not fit in all of those items if they are spread too far apart.

Bringing in a human element makes the photo more engaging. Include a hand holding everything from an ice cream cone to a spoonful of pot pie. You get the picture.

Take a photo of your plate from above, on the side or at an angle. Some foods such as pizza look best when photographed from above. Burgers, however, look fantastic at a side view.

Still, its always a good idea to shoot a variety of photos from different directions. Dont take just one picture of your meal. Who knows? That shot of a pizza slice at an angle may be winner.

Read the rest here:

5 tips to a delicious food photo - Orlando Sentinel

So we start day one without Gordon Hayward, how will we ever recover from his loss? I think the Utah Jazz are going to be fine in the long run. They may not look fine from the jump, but its going to work out with the gaggle of younger guards and wings who will be the primary beneficiaries of all of these extra meaningful minutes.

Im not disappointed that Gordon excised his choice to pick where in the world he lives. I am disappointed that if he had a 2k word blog post in the chamber, why didnt he make this news come out sooner instead of waiting for all these small forward free agents to be sent to other teams while Utah was left holding onto a massive cap hold and couldnt make any moves. Im also not a huge fan of the timeline of how things went down yesterday either - with the leak actually being what precipitated any news from coming out. The denials werent great either as in the pit of our collective stomachs we felt that Gordon was gone, in mind and spirit, if not yet body.

However, its not the end of the world. If anything Im more disappointed that the Utah Jazz had to accommodate him so much after all the special treatment he received. He didnt get to start right off the bat and play big minutes as a rookie, but he was a bigger part of the rotation than Derrick Favors (the #3 pick of that same 2010 Draft class). He was the only one out of the Favors, Enes Kanter (#3, 2011), Alec Burks (#12, 2011) group that had a regular role in the roster for much of their rookie contract.

The marketing department featured him, the sales department sold him, and the in-house PR / broadcasting / propaganda division adored him. They fawned over him like he was an over the hill veteran who signed on to play ahead of a guy on a rookie deal. All of this reached a crescendo in the days leading up to July 1st. The #Hayday thing, their radio guys suggesting that he could be the best wing player ever in franchise history. Or that he would one day have a statue in front of the Delta Center EnergySolutions Arena Vivint Smart Home Arena Aunt Viv that was the last straw for me.

How dare the Jazz own propaganda wing forget their own history? Gordon Hayward? Up there with John and Karl? Really? Moreover, this became a personal project for me over the next few days and I researched every wing player in New Orleans / Utah Jazz history. And the statement is entirely baseless and ludicrous.

Gordon Hayward, who has four total playoff wins to his credit, all in the first round, is the best wing in franchise history? Gordon Hayward, who was the first option for four straight years and got over 20 ppg just once, is the best wing in franchise history? He didnt have to defend Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals. He didnt have to carry a team of some of the worst talented Jazzmen ever. He didnt have to face triple teams on the regular, as a wing player.

Even thinking about it again makes me upset at all the sucking up that went his way for the last two seasons - two seasons of development hijacked by trying to convince a guy that he should give us a chance when hes a free agent? This isnt the way Jerry Sloan and Frank Layden would have handled it. This is not Larry H. Millers team anymore if that trade-off is made.

Utah earned every single one of those draft picks. They are assets to be used, but back in the day some of the best players to play for the team were draft picks that turned into Jazzmen. Now were throwing away lottery picks in order to keep Hayward happy? Can you list all of the lotto picks John and Karl played with? You go to the NBA Finals with Adam Keefe being the only other lotto pick, Gordon. Show us that youre really the best wing in franchise history?

Pathetic.

Lets actually look at the numbers and judge for ourselves what his legacy in a Jazz jersey is. This data comes from the database over at basketball-reference.com - and I trust them implicitly.

In regards to the time put in, and the simple metrics of what shows up in the box score - a few wings right off the bat have been much more productive on the court. A few of them have put in more time as well, and been a much more visible part of Jazz history, especially in the NBA Playoffs. Just in minutes alone we see Hayward is between Jeff Hornacek and Matt Harpring. Thats probably where his actual legacy lies as well.

Career Utah Jazz per game averages (regular season and playoffs combined):

Yeah, I dont see how a 15 / 4 / 3 / 1 guy is the best this great franchise has to offer. He was the best player on some of the worst teams weve seen though. So theres that. His peak is more similar to Kendall Gill (with the New Jersey Nets) than it was with the actual Hall of Famers. Adrian Dantley (rounding up) averaged 30 ppg in four straight seasons. And he still added 3 apg to his 30 ppg and 6 rpg over his entire Jazz career. Pete Maravich was the do it all star for this early franchise. His 25 / 4 / 6 / 1 is also better.

Ah! But both of these guys didnt start their career with the team, nor did theirs end with the Jazz either. So to be the best you have to spend all of your career with the team? What about Darrell Griffith, his 16 / 3 / 2 / 1 is pretty similar to Hayward - but Griff was Rookie of the Year, was in the Slam Dunk contest, and actually won games in the NBA Playoffs. One rpg and one apg dont make Hayward better than Dr. Dunkenstein.

If were expanding it to guys who were Jazzmen for parts of their careers you have to give it up to Bryon Russell, Jeff Hornacek, and Andrei Kirilenko as well. B-Russ had the hardest job of any Jazz wing. Horny turned a 2nd round team into an NBA Finals team. AK-47 was just better than Hayward, period. But got none of the love from the team that Gordon did. (2nd quarter time out ceremony? Not even a half-time ceremony?)

Note: I have the data for per 36 minutes and analytics as well, but I have been getting errors on uploading the table for the past 10 minutes. I think this post has too much data in it, and its not allowing it to happen. So Im not going to go into the deep stuff. But I will say that Hayward doesnt look like the best wing ever in either dataset. He wasnt the most efficient player per 36, with guys like John Drew, Nate Williams, Donyell Marshall, and even Allan Bristow coming ahead of him.

Part of that is pace related, and just flat out ability. Hayward worked hard on his game to be a very good player. But hes not the best that ever was. Hes just the one from the vine / instagram generation.

He has a three point shot, and many of these guys from the 70s and 80s did not. But skill development is cumulative. Today we have power forwards learning more difficult dribbling drills than guards from back in the day. Everyone is shooting from three, and back then there wasnt even a three point line for some of the players in this data set. Skills are cumulative. Gordon Hayward has a lot of them. Thats a product of his era. Its not all on him.

And the mantle of best Wing player ever isnt either. He didnt lead a team of nobodies to near immortality like Andrei did. He didnt destroy the league like Pistol Pete or AD did. He didnt bring the team to the cusp of a championship like Horny did. Even as a second or third banana, what he apparently wants, he didnt do it quite like Jeff Malone or Darrell Griffith.

Is Hayward right now one of the best players in the NBA? Absolutely. Was he one of the best players on last years 51 win team? Yes. Did he score big in three playoff games? Yes he did.

Is his departure going to wreck the team? No more than his inclusion in it changed the history books of the franchise.

Goodbye Hayward. Thank you for being so precious for so long. Hopefully now everyone and stop acting like you were better than you actually were. The numbers, especially the analytics, suggest that you were a generalist - not a specialist. You were vanilla in a whole store full of more colorful and memorable flavors.

Excerpt from:

Gordon Hayward the best Jazz wing player of all time? Not what the numbers say. - SLC Dunk

#Youtube celebrities, people who gain stardom from uploading videos of themselves and whatever performances they have in mind, are often a refreshing alternative from mainstream entertainment media. But even they cannot escape the trappings that befall their more conventional counterparts. One example is the unfortunate fate of Chicago-based singer Austin Jones, charged with several counts of child pornography for soliciting nude videos from his fans. Another, more recent instance is the sudden death of #Stevie Ryan, who was better on YouTube by her channel name Little Loca. Following a series of posts discussing the subject of #depression, Ryan was found dead in her Los Angeles home over the weekend.

Stevie Kathleen Ryan was discovered lifeless in her LA residence last June 1. According to the autopsy report by the Los Angeles County Coroners Office, the cause of death was determined to be suicide by hanging. Ryan had been open about her personal struggles with depression, which may have been compounded by the recent death of her grandfather. Most of her monologues on her bouts with depression were aired on an online podcast entitled Mentally Ch(ill) of which she was a co-host of. The coroners office did not respond to requests for additional comments on Ryans death.

The YouTube personalitys worries about her grandfather first gained notice online from a tribute she posted on Fathers Day, where Ryan noted that he was confined to the hospital and may not have long.

Posted on Instagram had been a photo of her kissing her grandfathers cheek. Shortly after his passing, Ryan posted a farewell to her grandfather on Twitter. On last weeks episode of Mentally Ch(ill) she expressed her concerns about falling feeling even more depressed given her loss and even discussed suicide with her co-host, Kristen Carney. That was her last online appearance before her death.

Starting with character sketches on her Little Loca YouTube channel, Stevie Ryan quickly built up a solid fan following, leading to her beginning to perform celebrity parodies as well. Her popularity led to her being scoped out by VH1, leading to her first TV sketch program Stevie TV which lasted one season from 2012 to 2013. Ryan also became co-host with Brody Jenner in his E! reality show Sex with Brody.

This week celebrities and fans took to social media to give their condolences for Ryans passing. Her Mentally Ch(ill) co-host Kristen Carney described her as the coolest girl Ive ever known. Stevie Ryan was only 33 years old.

More here:

Stevie Ryan, YouTube personality, found dead at home - Blasting News

If youre a loyal reader of Cloudwards.net, you probably know that were always happy to recommend Google Drive as one of the best cloud storage solutions out there. Its free up to 15GB, offers plenty of options and Google Docs is a great word processor, to boot. However, no program is without its quirks, so weve decided to make a guide on how to upload to Google Drive.

Uploading files to Google Drive is generally a very pleasant experience though a bit slow, depending on your connection speed but as with everything Google, there is more than one way to skin a cat. With the web client you can simply drag and drop, the sync folder allows you to mark files and the mobile app (which comes both in Android and iOS flavors) also has a few nifty features.

Besides this upload guide, we also have a more general overview on how Google Drive works, as well as a full Google Drive review. If reading through either of those is too time-consuming, we also offer a nice Google Drive video review, which you can check out below.

Now, without further ado, lets take a look at the many ways in which you can upload files to Google Drive. First off, well start with the web interface, as it will work for anyone, regardless off which operating system theyre rocking and is pretty much foolproof as well.

Once youve set up your Gmail account, all you need to do is click on the apps button in the top right of your browser window and then select Drive.

This will take you to the main Google Drive interface.

Here its a simple matter of picking the file you need from your computer and dragging and dropping it over into Google Drive, like so (click on the image to activate the animation):

Thats really all there is to it, though keep in mind that while a small file (like the image I uploaded above) will only take a few seconds, a larger file will take much longer. Though Google Drive is one of our best online storage for videos, it is by far the slowest of the bunch. If you need something with a bit more speed, you may want to check out our Sync.com review or pCloud review.

Though the method described above is by far the simplest way to upload files to Google Drive, it does involve you looking through your files by hand and then dragging them over one by one for some reason, when you drop multiple files over into the Google Drive interface the upload slows down considerably.

A much less involved process is simply setting up the Google Drive sync folder; youve probably seen the notifications pop up at the top of your browser. Setting up the folder is a piece of cake and not only will your online and offline documents be synchronized, youll also have a handy little backup system set up at the same time (though note that its a very basic one; for a full solution, make sure to check out our best online backup providers).

To set up your sync folder, simply go to the Google Drive download page and hit the big blue button that says download Drive. This will automatically place a Google Drive folder onto your computer, which will look something like this:

97 percent of readers will likely notice that my file system looks nothing like theirs, this is because Im using Linux. Google offers sync folders only for Windows and Mac, with a promise that a Linux version is coming soon (the company has been saying so for over five years, so dont hold your breath, Team Penguin).

Linux users need not despair, however, as there are plenty of third-party solutions available; my favorite is overGrive, which seems to work well and offers a 14-day trial. If you want to keep using it after that period is up, it costs a $5 flat fee.

No matter which operating system youre partial to, however, they all work the same way: you can select which files from Google Drive will be synced into the Google Drive folder on your computer, as well as how often they will sync (again, my interface looks a little different, but not by much):

One youve that set up, all your marked folders in Google Drive will pop up on your hard drive, and any changes made while working either directly in Google Docs or on your local system will carry over to the other.

Its hard to overstate how handy this is, as the main drawback to Google Drive is the necessity to always be online. If, for instance, your Internet is cut off, that would normally mean you have to stop working. By setting up sync, you can keep on going and when the Internet comes back on, the files will simply upload without the need to flip a switch.

The sync process works both ways, so all you need top do is put files into the Google Drive folder and theyll be copied into the cloud automatically. If the drag and drop method is too labor intensive for you, setting up sync is the way to go.

Last but not least, if you own an Android or iOS device you can also easily upload files onto Google Drive. The following instructions are all based off using an Android phone, but the experience is pretty much the same for iPhones.

First, go to the Google Drive app (if you dont have it, get it off the Google Play Store or the App Store). Open the app and youll see a miniaturized version of the Google Drive web interface. Theres a large blue button with a plus icon in the bottom right corner; this is where you need to be, so tap it.

A small menu will pop up, select upload.

This will take you to a file menu, where you can select the folder you leave your pictures, videos or even text messages in and, once tapped, they will upload automatically (though note that there are better ways to backup text messages on Android than this one). Make sure youre on WiFi when you upload files this way, unless you feel the strong urge to pay for extra data this month.

If you want to have more of a sync feeling, like you do by installing a Google Drive folder, the easiest way is to simply take all your notes with Google Docs while on your phone. Optionally, Evernote as well as other note-taking apps will allow you to sync everything you do to Google Drive. Note, however, that third-party apps may have limited functionality in this regard, so make sure to check whether they will play nice with Google Drive before settling for one.

And there you have it: three easy ways in which you can upload files to Google Drive. This fantastic ease of use is the main reason why we at Cloudwards.net use Google Drive to work online and we feel confident to recommend it to pretty much anyone that needs to stay on the go without spending too much money.

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on new releases and more.

Though when it comes to pure backup and storage there are better alternatives out there, when it comes to online collaboration and productivity, Google Drive is hard to beat. We hope that this guide has helped you figure out this important step, if you have any questions, dont hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.

Read more here:

How to Upload to Google Drive - Cloudwards

At the writing of this blog, I'mabout to post a video that launches into a bit of a rant (that video is now at theend of this post). But thats enough of the rant. Check the video out below to see the complete rant. Regardless, in watercolor, [Read more]

If you follow my YouTube channel, you may have noticed that I've been uploading Strathmore Workshopvideos over the last couple weeks. These were 4 videos done for their web site last spring (2016) and aired during each week of May. This year, as per [Read more]

Ok, so I just recently posted on Skillshare an extended versionof my latest spontaneous painting with additional commentary.All said, its aboutan hour long and takes you with me through the process ofhow I approach spontaneous landscape painting [Read more]

We all want to improve as artists don't we? Growing as an artist isthe key to more enjoyment and satisfaction as we tread this adventurous but sometimes frustrating path.Practice is a given, but what happens when we get stuck and don't know how to [Read more]

Looking for cool gift ideas for the artist in your family? Or maybe you're the artistjust looking to add a little something to your own Santa's list. Here are a few of my personal picks to keep theartistic inspiration fired up. Art Supply Kits [Read more]

Veterans have servedfor a variety of reasons. For Americans, the reasons usually include the protection or our great nation, propagation of freedom and the dismantling of tyranny. While not all wars have been popular, the men and women who have [Read more]

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Steve Mitchell The Mind of Watercolor Blog

Recent graduates and job seekers can connect with potential employers at Auto Care Careers, the premier online career resource center for the $381 billion auto care industry.

After setting up a free profile atjobs.autocarecareers.org, candidates can upload a resume, choose to make it confidential, designate military status and receive email alerts of new job postings.

Career fields in the auto care industry include accounting, customer service, engineering, finance, human resources, inventory management, manufacturing, marketing, research and development, retail, sales, sourcing, supply chain, technical support, training, vehicle repair and more.

When people think of the auto care industry, vehicle repair often comes to mind. The truth is that our industry employs 4.6 million people in a wide variety of exciting career paths, said Courtney Hammer, director, job and career development, Auto Care Association. If you are looking for your first job or want a career change, setting up a free profile at Auto Care Careers and uploading a resume is the first step toward connecting with hiring managers in this thriving industry.

To learn more, visit autocarecareers.org.

See the rest here:

Industry Job Seekers Can Set Up A Free Profile At AutoCareCareers.Org - AftermarketNews.com (AMN)

Career fields in the auto care industry include accounting, customer service, engineering, finance, human resources, inventory management, manufacturing, marketing, research and development, retail, sales, sourcing, supply chain, technical support, training, vehicle repair and more.

"When people think of the auto care industry, vehicle repair often comes to mind. The truth is that our industry employs 4.6 million people in a wide variety of exciting career paths," said Courtney Hammer, director, job and career development, Auto Care Association. "If you are looking for your first job or want a career change, setting up a free profile at Auto Care Careers and uploading a resume is the first step toward connecting with hiring managers in this thriving industry."

To learn more, visit http://www.autocarecareers.org or follow Auto Care Careers on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About Auto Care CareersAuto Care Careers is the premier online career resource center for the auto care industry. A significant sector of the U.S. economy, the auto care industry employs more than 4.6 million people, offering a wide range of career paths from the corporate office through the distribution channel to the repair shop floor. Featuring a robust job board, in-depth resource materials and informative videos, the Auto Care Careers website connects hiring companies with high-quality job seekers. For more information, visit http://www.autocarecareers.org.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/searching-for-a-career--set-up-a-free-profile-at-autocarecareersorg-300480457.html

SOURCE Auto Care Careers

http://www.autocarecareers.org

Read the original here:

Searching for a Career? Set up a Free Profile at AutoCareCareers.org - PR Newswire (press release)

boonchok

Here are our six best tips to be a better candidate, by tomorrow, and one that could land you your dream job today.

Employers want to hire someone who will help their team succeed someone who is passionate, knowledgeable and not afraid to give it his or her all. They want new hires who are eager to learn, can think critically and will contribute ideas that take them to the next level.

That all seems pretty intuitive. But theres reportedly a huge mismatch between what employees are bringing to the table and what employers look for in candidates. Why? We think its a matter of messaging.

Research actually shows that everyone has the potential to be the rock star who takes work from good to great. But the real trick to being a standout candidate is helping your potential come across on paper, online and in person.

If youre in the job market (or even if youre not!), here are our six best tips to be a better candidate, by tomorrow ... and one that could land you your dream job today.

1. Revamp your resume

We think the resume is outdated, but its still a must if you want the job. A great resume can propel you to the top of the pile, while an average one can deflate your accomplishments. If youre dropping off a resume in person, your demeanor can really help you shine. But if youre uploading it online, with hundreds of other job-seekers, the material has to be top-notch. And, considering that the average corporate recruiter only looks at each incoming resume for a grand total of six seconds, theres no room for error. Proofread it. Format it. Tailor it to the position. This one sheet of paper deserves serious attention.

2. Call up some colleagues

Getting in touch with professional contacts can bolster your job hunt. They can recommend open positions you should apply for. They can also help you brainstorm what makes you stand out from the crowd. They can help you define your true strengths, as seen by your leaders and peers. Ask a close colleague what you excel at, and we bet theyll have an answer more thoughtful and original than a blanket term like leadership. Teamwork makes the dream work: The best projects come out of collaborative efforts, so dont be afraid to ask for help.

3. Do your research

Due diligence is important, especially when youre trying to convey how interested you are in an open position. With all the online tools available, its easier than ever to look up your company, its business, and even your hiring manager. Check out Glassdoor. Peruse the companys website. Find your hiring manager on LinkedIn (you may even have some contacts in common who can put in a good word for you!). Make yourself familiar with the ins and outs of the mission statement and the basic business model, so you can truly answer Why do you want to work here?

4. Become a storyteller

Whats the secret of a great conversation? Keeping the story going. An interview is no different. Research shows that the most compelling speakers and orators rely on storytelling to keep audiences captive. Relate your work triumphs with a narrative arc. Practice with a friend or spouse so that you answer questions in a conversational, professional tone. And dont forget to leave time for natural breaks, too.

5. Give yourself a pep talk

If you dont believe in yourself, no one else will. Before you walk in the door for an interview, bolster your confidence with a pep talk. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that pep talks arent just for sports teams. In fact, saying short, positive phrases delivers an immediate performance boost for athletes and professionals alike. Something as simple as I can do this. Yes, I can! will do the trick. And then keep it running through your mind as youre headed in for an interview.

6. Clean up your online presence

Applying for a job in the 21st century? Get ready to be Googled. Its the reality: Employers check up on potential candidates social media profiles before they even step into the office for an interview. Make sure there arent any old pictures or posts that could embarrass you. If this sounds like old news, this may shock you: In 2015, 48 percent of companies turned down a job candidate based solely on content in his or her social media profile. Spending just 20 minutes cleaning up your online act pays dividends.

For any job in any industry, these easy tips will get you on the road to being a better candidate by tomorrow. But, theres something better weve found that really makes you stand out from the crowd and proves youre the perfect fit.

7. Add value before youre hired or interviewed

If you really want to go above and beyond and prove youre the best fit find a way you can be a problem-solver, a relationship-connector or a hurdle-remover for the team before they hire you. Try to discover your new teams pain point and make a plan to relieve it. Fellow contributor Liz Ryan shares some great advice on writing a pain-letter instead of a cover letter here. Taking action and creating value (and not just communicating it) on the company, team or managers behalf without being asked speaks volumes more than you could ever write.

What are your best ideas for how to stand out from the crowd and be interview ready? Share with us below.

Learn more about The New York Times best-selling book "Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love."

This article originally appeared at Forbes.com.

David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom work with the O.C. Tanner Institute. Learn more about The New York Times best-seller "Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love" (McGraw-Hill) at http://www.greatwork.com.

Continued here:

6 ways to be more hirable and 1 that could land a job today - Deseret News

JUNE 26, 2017

MEG GARDINER is an American whose suspense novels were first published in the United Kingdom. She came to the attention of many American readers when Stephen King, writing for Entertainment Weekly, called her the next suspense superstar. Gardiners latest novel, UNSUB, is a cinematic thriller revolving around the return of a serial killer, nicknamed The Prophet, to the Bay Area two decades after his last killing and Caitlin Hendrix, the daughter of the cop who never caught him, vowing to bring him to justice.Caitlin takes on a cunning killer who not only terrorized her childhood but also shifted the very course of her life. Shes a narcotics detective pulled into the task force investigation and finds herself racing to decipher his insane ritual of communications and killing. I spoke to Meg Gardiner over email about UNSUB, how she conceived and researched it, and how she wrote such a vivid, high-concept novel.

JEFF ABBOTT: UNSUB asks the dramatic question: What if a killer like the Zodiac returned? How did you come up with this premise?

MEG GARDINER: The premise found me. I grew up in California, where the Zodiac wasnt a theoretical threat. He was a nightmare: a killer who wore an executioners hood, attacked young couples, then bragged about it to the police and media. He taunted the public, wrote still-unsolved cryptograms, and threatened to shoot kids on school buses. He sowed terror.

Then he disappeared. Hes never been identified.

I was haunted by that. And I wondered: If the Zodiac left the stage on his terms somebody so violent, so vicious, so eager to play mind games and hungry for publicity whats to stop him from returning?

That was the genesis of UNSUB.

Its the start of a series featuring investigator Caitlin Hendrix. Did you plan for this to be a series, or did Caitlin seem like she had more story to tell once you started writing?

Both! Caitlin has a will to seek justice shes a cops daughter and has a bone-deep conviction that wrongs need to be put right. She also loves the thrill of the hunt. Theres a world of stories for her to tackle.

Technology how we can use it to both track and evade notice plays a huge role in this book. How did you research these topics?

I could talk about our era of always-on communication, and our thirst to drink from the firehose of social media, and how the human desire to only connect leaves us vulnerable to online attacks. But thats not what you want to know.

Yes, malware exists that allows bad actors to access the camera on your phone and computer, and thankfully I didnt find that out while singing My Heart Will Go On in front of my laptop. If anybody says I did, theyre a liar.

No, I didnt research niche online dating sites by signing up forMime-Mates.com.

Maybe I spent time in online discussion forums, learning whether its possible to mask the signal from an electronic ankle monitor to avoid setting off the alarm if you violate the terms of your probation.Yourprobation. Not mine. I was nowhere near that Waffle House the night of the robbery.

And also for a serial killer who craves attention technology now gives him a platform to bypass the press and the police and directly terrorize the populace. Do you think well see that happen in real-life cases eventually?

If you can imagine it, so can a psychopath.

Picture bot armies swarming the Twitter feeds of people who mention a killer, to threaten them in shocking terms. Or a killer anonymously uploading a video of a murder to YouTube.

Its only a matter of time.

UNSUB has sold to CBS as a TV series. Its a very cinematic book, and I mean that in a good way. How did you approach the action sequences to make the story so visually compelling?

Before I write, I mentally place myself in a scene. I paint a visual canvas for readers, so they can picture the narrative playing field. When we read, the action hits the mind, not the eye. To create a visceral impact like the one we get from watching movies, I concentrate on motion, color, light, and action and reaction. And of course, I throw obstacles in the path of the characters. Thats Plotting 101.

Above all, I remember: What counts most is a scenes emotional impact. Action must reveal character, tighten tension, move the story forward, and raise or resolve vital questions. Thrillers can give readers a roller-coaster ride. That ride must be emotional.

A theme throughout UNSUB is Caitlins damaged relationship with her father, who hunted The Prophet during his first ritualized killings. How did the character of Mack Hendrix come about, and what does he say about those left behind after a serial killer has destroyed so many lives?

Police officers who work serial killings can suffer devastating PTSD. Mack Hendrix saw too much, cared too much, and took the case home with him. It broke him emotionally and tore his family apart. The effects of violence ripple and never entirely die out. Decades after a real case is closed, the cops who worked it may still visit victims graves. We owe these investigators our gratitude for facing the worst of humanity on our behalf.

One compelling character in the story is a crime blogger who is obsessed with The Prophet killings; do you think blogs, podcasts, et cetera, have changed the way we learn about famous crimes?

Inevitably. Weve always been fascinated by true crime. These days, instead of reading pulp magazines likeTrue Detective,we listen to Serial and post on the discussion boards onZodiackiller.com.

Humans are curious. Give us an unanswered question, and we hunger for the solution. Give us an unanswered, salacious, or creepy question, and we getFindTheProphet.com, the website Deralynn Hobbs runs in the novel.

On sites like these, amateurs dip their toes into investigative waters. They can build virtual libraries of case information or can defame and endanger people with wild accusations. A crowd-sourced amateur manhunt can veer wildly off track, as happened after the Boston Marathon bombing, when online sleuths wrongly accused an innocent man.

Dont get me started on keyboard cowboys who call out serial killers online, posting their own phone numbers and daring a murderer to meet them in person if hes man enough.

Was it a research challenge to write about a crime case that covers so many jurisdictions? Did it give you thoughts on how jurisdictions should work better together in real-life cases?

The Zodiac killed in Benicia, Vallejo, Napa, and San Francisco. That greatly complicated the investigation. In the novel, I could shape the geography to thwart the investigation as much or little as I pleased. These days, law enforcement agencies often form task forces to combine their investigative power. But city limits, county lines, andWelcome to Arkansasremaina prime reason that some serial killers choose interstate highways as their hunting grounds.

There have been so many serial killer novels, but UNSUB felt fresh and compelling. How did you avoid some of the overused tropes of this kind of story?

I watched every movie and reread every novel I could, telling myself: Been done. Done. Done. Dont do that. Ax? No. Chainsaw? Oh, come on. Killer dresses in a onesie and sucks a pacifier? Maybe next time.

Serial killers fascinate us. We want to understand what drives them sadism, rage, twisted fantasies? We want to believe that if we can decipher their minds and motives, we would be the target who survives an attack.

The antagonist in any story must be powerful, motivated, andindividual.In UNSUB, I created the killers secret world. The Prophet plays mind games and marks his victims bodies with the astrological sign for Mercury. I delved into codes, poetry, and ancient symbolism, as well as modern hacking.

I wanted to create a killer whose goal is powerful, but veiled. Caitlin can only stop him by uncovering that goal. Her relentless pursuit pulls readers along for the ride.

The way the plot unfurls in UNSUB is particularly clever; do you outline in detail before you start, or do you just jump in and work out the interlocking pieces in rewrite?

I brainstorm and outline before I ever write one word of fiction. I never jump in. Ive tried that, and end up floundering. If you ever come upon me trapped in a paper bag, flailing to get out, youll know I threw myself unprepared into drafting a novel.

What is next for Caitlin Hendrix?

The sequel to UNSUB Into the Black Nowhere. Caitlin hunts a slick, charming killer across the western United States, from Austin to Oregon.

Jeff Abbott is the New York Times best-selling author of Panic, Adrenaline, and many other novels.

View original post here:

Action and Emotion - lareviewofbooks

Not everyone feels comfortable sharing every bit of their lives to social media. Some people arent even comfortable uploading a profile photo for fear of them being misused, but now Facebook is trying to give users a bit more peace of mind.

The company is testing a new feature in India that allows you to add an extra degree of protection to your profile photo. Tap on your profile photo and select turn on profile picture guard. In the companys own words, once activated:

Profile (and cover) photos are normally forcibly public on Facebook, so this gives users a bit more flexibility for adding a profile photo without worrying that every passing creep will try to share it with someone or keep it in some creeptastic collection.

Well cant they just take a screenshot (if not on Android) or use a camera? Of course. But much like Snapchats screenshot alert, the point is deterring misuse, not stopping it completely.

Also notable, Facebook found it could also deter misuse by applying overlay filters:

Based on preliminary tests, weve learned that when someone adds an extra design layer to their profile picture, other people are at least 75% less likely to copy that picture.

Think of it kind of like a stock photo with a watermark nobody wants to steal those.

I still think Facebook could solve a lot of trouble by simply letting you hide your profile photo altogether from strangers, or at least keep it to the smaller thumbnail size.

Even changing the privacy setting to be visible by only me simply hides details like comments and the date. The public still gets a full view of whatever you end up uploading.

But hey, its a step forward. The feature will remain limited to India for now, but Facebook says it hopes to expand it to other countries soon.

Giving People More Control Over Their Facebook Profile Picture on Facebook

Read next: YouTube's VR180 solves some of VR's biggest problems - by chopping it in half

Link:

Facebook wants to stop creeps from downloading your profile picture - TNW

Daughter receives hilarious text from mum at her college.

STARTING at a new school, university or workplace can be quite daunting, especially if youre doing it all alone.

But for one student in the US the experience was completely different.

Avery Leilani attended the Texas State freshman orientation day with her mum you know those uncomfortable events where a really passionate student takes you on a tour and you try and make new friends? Well, yes those.

But as Avery went off to do her own thing she received a strange text from her mum.

The text said, I made some friends. Dont wait up.

And then the photos came.

The young students mum was pictured among some very toned members of the college football team.

My mum dropped me off today for College freshman orientation and she sends me this ... Avery posted the string of messages to Twitter and it quickly went viral.

Since uploading it online the post has been retweeted more than 97,000 times with nearly half a million likes.

One Twitter user responded our mums should be friends, and shared a photo of her mum doing the exact same thing. Youre not alone, Avery.

We dont know why, but this scene from Mean Girls comes to mind ...

The best scene in Mean Girls.Source:YouTube

Original post:

Mum drops off daughter at college then sends her hilarious texts with football team - NEWS.com.au

Google's Chrome OS is one of the world's most misunderstood computing platforms. Chromebooks are foundationally different from traditional PCs, after all -- and consequently, there are a lot of misconceptions about how they work and what they can and cannot do.

Since people are always asking me whether a Chromebook might be right for their needs, I thought I'd put together a quick guide to help any such wonderers figure it out. Whether it's you or someone you know who's curious, the following three questions should help shed some light on what the platform's all about and for whom it makes sense.

Think carefully here, as the answer might surprise you: What do you do most often on a computer?

If the majority of your time is spent in a web browser -- whether it's reading news stories, surfing social media, or using web-centric services like Gmail and Google Docs -- then Chrome OS would probably meet your needs just fine. In fact, there's a good chance it'd actually make things easier than what you're used to with a traditional PC setup (more on why in a minute).

Now, it's important to note that just because something is "web-centric" doesn't necessarily mean you have to be online in order for it to work. One of the most common misconceptions I hear about Chromebooks is that they're completely useless without an active internet connection. In reality, a huge and ever-expanding number of Chrome OS-compatible apps works both online and off, including things like Gmail and Google Docs as well as calculator apps, calendar apps, news-reading apps, games, and even Google Play Movies. (You can browse through the "Offline" section of Google's Chrome Web Store for many more examples.)

The truth is that for most people, using a Chromebook offline isn't terribly different than using a traditional PC offline. You aren't going to be able to get on the web or download new content, obviously, but aside from things that inherently require an active connection, there isn't a heck of a lot you'd want to do that wouldn't be available.

Take a moment to think about what programs you use that are locally installed on your PC -- things like word processors, email apps, image and video editing software, resource-intensive games, or specialty software you need for your work.

Now think about how many of those programs could or couldn't be replaced with web-centric equivalents and/or Android apps -- the latter of which are now available to install and use on a growing number of Chrome OS devices (and make no mistake about it: Their presence is a pretty big deal).

If you use Outlook for email, for instance, would you be okay with using either Microsoft's Outlook.com or Google's Gmail instead -- or with using the Outlook Android app? If you rely on Microsoft Word on your PC, would Microsoft's Office Online app or Google's Google Docs utility do the trick just as well -- or could you get by with the Word Android app, which requires an active subscription for full editing functionality? If you use Adobe Photoshop for image editing, would a web-centric suite like Pixlr be powerful enough for your needs -- or would one of the many Android photo-editing apps (Adobe-made or otherwise) be sufficient for your needs?

If the answers are "yes" or even "maybe," then Chrome OS could work for you. If, however, you have specific local software that you absolutely need and that has no suitable web-centric or Android app equivalent, moving into a Chromebook might be a stretch. While Chrome OS has plenty of viable options for common everyday computing tasks, you aren't going to find any robust multimedia editors designed for the web, nor will you find web-centric versions of many specialty business programs that were created with Windows in mind. The Android app availability may fill some of those voids, but it can't cover all of them (especially when it comes to the custom corporate program category).

There is one more asterisk to that: Google offers a simple tool called Chrome Remote Desktop that lets you tap into a traditional PC from a Chromebook and work on it remotely. With that tool, you can effectively use local PC software via the Chromebook, provided you have a PC that's on and available for the remote session. It's not entirely ideal, but depending on your situation and how often you use the local PC software, it might be enough to bridge the gap.

This is the real test. And let's be clear: In order for this to work, you'll probably have to make some adjustments to your routine -- switching to web-centric apps like Docs for word processing if you haven't already, uploading any pertinent files to an online storage service like Dropbox or Drive, and so forth. Spend a few minutes browsing through the Chrome Web Store to find the tools you need, then give it an honest go.

Optional: If you feel like you need the presence of Android apps to bridge the gap, grab Bluestacks -- a free PC- and Mac-compatible program that lets you use Android apps on a traditional-OS computer. It isn't perfect and is far less native-feeling than what you'll get with Chrome OS (it basically just puts an emulated Android tablet into a window on your screen, and you then click around on it to install and run whatever apps you want), but for these test-run purposes, it should be good enough to give you a basic idea of what sorts of things you will and won't be able to do.

If you can ignore your local PC programs for a week and get everything you need accomplished in your browser and/or in Android apps without much trouble, Chrome OS will definitely work for you. If it's a struggle, you may want to think twice about going the Chromebook route.

Now, keep in mind that this is merely a simulation -- a test of the basic tools and limitations of the Chrome OS environment. Crucially, while the limitations are similar, using only a browser on a PC is not the same experience you'd get on an actual Chromebook, Android apps or not. (That's another one of those pesky Chrome OS myths.)

As I've noted before, the reason Chrome OS doesn't run regular local apps and act like a traditional PC environment is because the type of person the platform is designed for doesn't need regular local apps or a traditional PC environment -- and eliminating those elements allows some attractive benefits to be added in.

To quote a devastatingly handsome writer I know:

Startup speed aside, the Chrome OS systems make a lot of things about traditional computing environments feel outdated: the cumbersome setup and installation procedures; the annoying and time-consuming OS upgrades; the need to manually update applications over time; the need to use antivirus software (and the accompanying likelihood and potential consequences of infection); the reliance on complicated drivers; and the inevitable bogged-down, slowed-down effect that always seems to happen to PCs after you've had 'em for a few months.

Plain and simple, for folks sold on the cloud-centric concept, Chrome OS can take much of the hassle out of computing -- because as a result of the platform's very nature, you don't have to deal with the types of annoyances mentioned above. By utilizing Google's universal syncing system, the OS also allows any Chromebook to look and act like your own personal machine within moments of your signing in. All of your data, settings, extensions, and applications are instantly and continuously synced across all systems, so you're never tied down to any one device.

With all of those advantages, a Chromebook can be a refreshing alternative to the traditional PC environment -- if it makes sense for your needs. And it certainly won't make sense for everyone.

Answer the three questions above, and you'll know if it does for you.

NEXT: 6 important things you might not know about Chrome OS upgrades

Read the original post:

Is Chrome OS right for you? A 3-question quiz to find out - Computerworld

They'll be available starting Wednesday. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook on Wednesday is unveiling new features that it hopes will make women in India feel safer on its platform.

The social network is introducing two tools that will give users in the country more control over who can download and share their profile photosimages that Facebook users can often see even if they're not friends with the person pictured.

Facebook's research in the Indian market revealed that some users, especially women, are uncomfortable uploading a profile picture of themselves for fear it might be distributed more widely than they wish or otherwise misused online, according to Facebook product manager Aarati Soman. Instead, they use photos of something elsesay a dog or other animalwhich can make it hard for friends to find them on the site.

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The first feature is a photo guard that users can trigger. It will keep others from being able to download, share, or send the photo in a Facebook message. The latest version of the Facebook app on Android devices will also prohibit users from screen-shotting a guarded photo. Profile pictures with the added security will be displayed with a blue border and shield, which Soman calls "a visual cue so people understand you would like your picture to be protected."

The second feature is a design overlay that users can put on their profile pictures. There are several different pattern options that Soman says mimic "traditional art designs from around India." Facebook's decision to add the feature stems from a research finding that an extra design layer on a profile picture made other users 75% less likely to copy it.

Both tools will be promoted in Indian users' news feeds, and they'll be available in over 30 local Indian languages. Their gradual rollout starts Wednesday; they'll be available throughout India by June 27.

India is one of Facebook's fastest growing markets in terms of users , but low internet speeds, weak infrastructure, and a lack of consumer trust remain challenges there, according to Quartz . In May, Facebook launched its Express Wi-Fi Internet service in India with 700 hotspots. The company partnered with 500 local entrepreneurs to sell the service through vouchers that are priced by the day or the month. It's Facebook's second attempt to promote universal connectively in India. Its first, called Free Basics, was blocked by India's telecom regulator last year for not supporting net neutrality since the service favored some sites over others.

In explaining the rationale behind the two new tools being introduced Wednesday, Soman pointed to CEO Mark Zuckerberg's February manifesto , which called for the creation of a worldwide community. In it, he also mentioned the "real opportunity to build global safety infrastructure." Soman says that in India in particular, the risk of photo misuse "is a top-of-mind concern for women."

"A lot of what affects women offline affects women online," she says.

Anshul Tewari of New Delhi is founder and editor in chief of Youth Ki Awaaz, a content publishing site aimed at India's youth. His organization helped Facebook in the development of the new tools, and he told Fortune about the online risks that many Indian women face.

"Gender-based violence and sexual harassment is a big problem in India," he said, due in large part to "an extremely patriarchal way of thinking." Those attitudes are also present online.

Many men feel they command power over women, even in a virtual setting, Tewari explains. One rampant problem is the unsolicited online messages that women receive on social media from men who try to befriend or control them. Pushback against such advances has, in some instances, prompted men to download women's photos, create fake profiles based on the woman's identity and post unflattering, even pornographic, content, Tewari says.

" There's not clear information on how much it happens," he says, but "a lot of people are struggling [with it]." A legal system in India that's ill-equipped to combat this kind of cybercrime only exacerbates that problem, according to Tewari.

"One thing that a platform like Facebook can do," he says, "is identify ways to protect aspects of your profile that can lead to such violence happening online."

See the rest here:

Facebook Is Introducing New Tools to Protect Women in India - Fortune

The original article can be found at: VampireWorld.com "Real Vampire FAQ".

Yes, but not in the ways you may think. Living "Real" Vampires are human beings with a higher energetic need for vital life-force (Chi, Prana, Mana, Ki) than the average human. If this Need goes unfulfilled, the Vampire experiences lower states of spiritual, physical, and emotional wellbeing. In order to sate this need, one must learn ethical techniques of gathering excess energy (called feeding). Vampires are usually divided into psychic (energy) and sanguine (blood) categories, but this often leads to misconceptions. A better terminology separates them into awakened and unawakened. All Vampires can practice just energy feeding. Lifestylers may practice a philosophy or employ the imagery, but are not all energetically Awakened. We also recognize Sympathetic Psychic Vampirism, a temporary Need resulting from a donor being depleted after being fed upon too much and for too long.

Awakening is the revelation and understanding of one's nature as a Vampire, and also of his or her Need. Most Vampires are not born Awakened; they must have a revelation, accident, or experience to trigger the first stages of Awakening. The Awakening is not a singular event, but a cumulative process of smaller awakenings as the Vampire develops and learns. Being newly Awakened can be a difficult time and is often a solitary journey.

Lifestylers are individuals who embrace and incorporate the Vampire archetype into their lifestyle. Some are Unawakened or Awakened Vampires, yet most are not. Many are also Black Swans. These love the Vampire aesthetic and embrace elements of the mythology in their lifestyle, fashion, and mannerisms. Like the goths, they have their own subculture, social codes, events, and gatherings.

Black Swans are friends, lovers, family, and others who are open, friendly, and accepting or involved in the Vampire lifestyle, subculture and culture, but do not directly identify as Awakened Vampires. They can be lifestyle vampires or mundanes (normal folk), and often (but not always) act as consensual donors.

Certainly not. The individual must have dormant potential which the Vampire is most often be born with. A deep communion (exchange of energies) between an Awakened Vampire and an Unawakened may trigger an Awakening in someone with potential.

Not physically. Like everyone, Vampires are bound by the laws of physics in the "Dayside" world. However those awakened to the metaphysical and spiritual "Nightside" world take many forms of astral shapeshifting, becoming wolves, felines, and even mist. This phenomenon is akin to the totem in shamanistic traditions.

Are Vampires at War with Werewolves?

No. This idea was introduced to the Vampire Mythos through the World of Darknessroleplaying games Vampire: the Masqueradeand Werewolf: the Apocalypse by White Wolf Game Studio, in the early 1990s. It later appeared in Twilightand Underworld films. Werewolf mythologies is entirely different from Vampire mythology, and modern Vampire culture often calls Werewolves Therians. Some traditions include spiritual and astral shapeshifting, often using the term Lycanthropy.

No. Just like humans there are good people and bad people. Most modern Vampire cultures are built on honor, safety, respect, and consent. However, like any group of individuals, each member brings his or her own principles and perspectives..

Do Vampires Actually Feed?

Yes. Unawakened and Awakened Vampires must feed on vital life-force to fulfill their energy Needs. Unawakened feed unconsciously and without training or discipline, draining those around them emotionally. Awakened and properly trained Vampires learn to feed ethically and with discipline. There are three basic levels of feeding: Ambient, Surface and Deep. Sanguine or blood feeding is a technique not a level of feeding.

Not physically (except in a hang glider or airplane like any other human). But many Nightside metaphysical, spiritual, and esoteric traditions of vampirism practice astral projection or Out of Body Experiences.

Not generally. Vampires hail from many spiritual and religious backgrounds ranging from agnostics, atheists, pagans, Christians, Catholics, Animists, Muslims, etc. Many spiritual and religious organizations practice vampirism within their esoteric/spiritual traditions and philosophies.

Do Vampires Worship Satan or Lucifer?

Most do not. Satan and Lucifer are Judo-Christian concepts and Vampires are free to believe what they wish about them. Some Vampires are Satanists or Luciferians. Some are atheists. Many Vampires love the symbolism of Satan in rock & roll but dont worship him. Since Vampirism is not a religion, the concept of what Vampires worship is irrelevant..

No. Not all goths are Vampires and not all Vampires are goths. Although many Vampires enjoy the accepting nature of the gothic scene, it is more about music and aesthetics, making it very attractive to lifestyle Vampires for social purposes.

Unlike energy feeding, Communion is an exchange of energy between two or more Vampires and/or donors. While feeding is a one-way act to benefit the Vampire, Communion is a mutual feeding, creating a cycle of energy among all participants. Communion can be used to raise or clear energy, or during tantric sex magic.

Are Vampires Killed by Sunlight?

No. Vampires can go out in the day like any human. Some claim to be sensitive to sunlight and get headaches including migraines. Many Vampires are naturally night owls and prefer to be up all night, actively nocturnal like cats.

Do Vampires Have Hypnotic Powers or Supernatural Presence?

Not naturally, but many have natural charisma or radiance that outshines the average human. Some Vampires practice mentalism, NLP (neurolinguistic programming), and social dynamics, practices often used by stage magicians. Vampires call application of these skills "Glamour" and Projecting. Many also learn practices of seduction to aid in feeding. These are not supernatural powers and are strictly within the realm of illusion, psychology, and sociology.

Do Vampires Need to Drink Real Blood?

No. According to modern psychology and scientific research, no human needs to drink blood to survive. The physical risks of contracting bloodborne diseases (HIV, Hepatitis, etc.) and legalities (in some places only phlebotomists and medical care professionals can legally draw human blood) are clear concerns. However, some Vampires known as Sanguines believe they need to drink small quantities of human blood to survive or at least balance their emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Some Sanguines believe drinking blood gives them life-force. Most Sanguines seek consensual donors and employ strict safety practices like testing for diseases and using highest quality medical safety techniques. Some Sanguine Vampires prefer only to have one donor at a time, using the process as a powerful bonding technique. DISCLAIMER: VampireWorld.com recognizes this practice as part of the Vampire culture but does not actively promote or endorse these activities / feeding techniques.

Do Vampires Have Any Superhuman Powers?

No. Vampires have physical human bodies. They eat, sleep, breathe, and move about like any other human. They live and they die. They are limited by the constraints of normal human life.

No. Living Vampires are not physically immortal. They are human, and as such they physically age just like every other mortal. Many Vampires are interested in developing technologies like cryonics (freezing the body), life-extension, cybernetics, mind to computer uploading, and research into curing aging. Some Vampires and vampiric orders believe in reincarnation, apotheosis (self-deification) and immortality, and that the soul can become an ascended being.

Do All Vampires Wear Capes and Dress in Black?

Most Vampires look like any other individual. They can be your postman, school teacher, Uber driver and local butcher. Many Vampires believe wearing black gives them a sense of drawing energy to themselves, projecting a form of mastery (like judges, black belts in martial arts and police officers), and of course exuding mystery. However, most just follow their own fashion interests. Lifestylers living inside the Vampire subculture often dress theatrically in movie-inspired or couture style aesthetics, often inspired by designers like Alexander McQueen or Jean Paul Gaultier.

Do All Vampires Practice the Occult, Rituals or Magic?

No. Not all Vampires practice the occult and magic. Awakened Vampires are generally highly energy sensitive, making them attracted to energy work, Wicca, Neo-Paganism, chaos magic, meditation, yoga, Hermeticism, Reiki, Tantra, Qi Gong, etc. Many varieties of ritualizing, ceremonies and rites of passage are prevalent among the many spiritual and occult-minded clans, covens, traditions and orders.

Are Vampires Affected by Silver?

No at all. Quite to the contrary: most Vampires prefer silver for its reflective mirror-like aesthetic and its symbolic relationship the moon and the night.

Do All Vampires Form Covens and Clans?

No. Most Vampires are highly individualistic and solitary by nature, yet they can still be very social at times. The age of the Internet and social media has created a host of groups, websites, and forums for Vampires to gather and discuss. There are many inperson meetups and social events world-wide for Vampires. Covens, also known as houses, were very popular before the Internet, and have become less popular in modern times.

Do All Vampires Have Titles Like Lord, Count, etc.?

No. This is mostly seen in the Lifestyle vampire community, and is largely inspired by pop culture and roleplaying games like Vampire the Masquerade and TV shows like True Blood. Titles can be fun for glamour and fascination but have no relevance to the real practices or the Need of true Vampirism. Be cautious not all but many Lifestylers have taken the Vampire Game of Thrones (VGOT) too far and take their titles way too seriously. They are roleplaying, and there is usually no harm in a little imagination. Elder is not a formal title. Elders are more experienced and wiser Vampires who mentor younger Vampires (or aid in their Awakening). Titles within an organization should remain as offices of duty, position of leadership, or a measure of time served. They have no place outside their own order or clan, and are generally not acknowledged in the greater Vampire subculture.

Are All Vampires Into BDSM?

No. Many Vampires (especially Lifestylers) are involved in the consensual BDSM (bondage discipline sadomasochism) lifestyle because it fits their vision of the Vampire archetype. The core nature of Vampire/donor dynamic creates dominant and submissive roles, but this is not always expressed as BDSM. 50 Shades of Grey and the mainstreaming and popularization of the BDSM lifestyle has brought greater acceptance to the Vampire community.

Do All Vampires Wear Fangs?

No. Yet fangs are a symbol of the Vampire lifestyle and having a set made is very much a rite of passage for many entering the community. Fangs are a connection to ones primal nature, a magic trick, a mask, and tool of seduction. Fangsmiths around the world (previously called family dentists) make custom fangs for those who want them. Many fangsmiths are specially trained as SFX artists or dental technicians.

The original article can be found at: VampireWorld.com "Real Vampire FAQ".

The Morning Email

Wake up to the day's most important news.

Continued here:

The Living Vampire / Real Vampire FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) - HuffPost

Sometimes a smiley or a meme isn't enough to convey your feelings on Facebook. We show you how to post a GIF to Facebook. Sometimes a smiley or a meme isn't enough to convey your feelings on Facebook. Here we show you how to upload a GIF to Facebook

By Mohamed Wahid | 15 mins ago

Facebook has in the pastavoided the use of GIFs on its social network, fearing that along with its autoplaying video the News Feed would become overly cluttered. But Facebook users love a meme, and memes and GIFs go hand in hand. Also see: How to stop autoplaying video on Facebook.

Uploading a GIF to Facebook is simple, although you can't simply attach a GIF to your post as you would do a photo or other image. Below we show you step-by-step how to start using animated images on Facebook. Also see: How to create a GIF.

A GIF is a short animated image that plays in a loop, and can be viewed anywhere. In comparison to a video, GIFs are much smaller files that are more suitable for viewing over slow internet or mobile connections. It's faster to upload, too.

1.As you can't upload your own GIF files to Facebook, you'll either need to create your own and upload it to another hosting site, or find a GIF you like on Tumblr, Imgur, Giphy or elsewhere. Open the GIF, then right-click on the image. Also see: Best Facebook tips and tricks.

2.In Google Chrome select the option to Copy Image URL. If you're using Firefox, instead look for and select 'Copy Image Location'. In Opera you want 'Copy Image Address'. Other browsers will have slightly different options, but in all cases you're looking for an option that allows you to copy the URL that takes you directly to the GIF.

3. Next, log into your Facebook news feed in a new browser window and paste the link into the 'What's on your mind?' status field at the top of the page. You can use Ctrl, V on your keyboard, or right-click in the box and select Paste.

4.Give it a second and the GIF will automatically appear below the URL. You can delete this URL or leave it there - it's up to you.

5.To post the GIF simply click Post - it's that easy!

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How to post a GIF to Facebook - Tech Advisor (registration)

Today, well be taking a look at all the packages that Fiberlink offers. Fiberlink is the fastest broadband service in the Pakistan.

Internet quality and prices in Pakistan are always the hot topics. There are a number of ISPs providing their services in Pakistan like the PTCL and StormFiber. But as we know, PTCL is known for its frequent disconnections and unreliability but it is present in most areas of Pakistan while other ISPs are only available in big cities. 3G/4G Internet has also solved the issues for some users but due to limited data it prevents users from downloading big files.

Fiberlink is one of the major ISPs of Pakistan and provides the fastest Internet connections in Pakistan. It provides up to 400 Mbps download and upload speed. No other ISP is even close to this speed. Thats not all, the connection speed on all Fiberlink packages doubles at night, which makes it even more interesting. Just like the StormFiber, Fiberlink provides equal speed for uploading and downloading.

There is one big known issue with the Fiberlink. The service installation is a time-taking process and usually, requires a month. So you just have to be patient after ordering your connection.

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Fiberlink offers high-speed internet packages at amazing price rates. We will be having a look on each one of them so that you can choose the package which suits you the most.

This package includes a 12 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 1,500 only. The internet speeds doubles to 24 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

This package includes a 20 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 2,000 only. The internet speeds doubles to 40 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

This package includes a 40 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 2,500 only. The internet speeds doubles to 80 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

This package includes a 100 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 4,000 only. The internet speeds doubles to 200 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

This package includes a 150 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 4,500 only. The internet speeds doubles to 300 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

This package includes a 200 Mbps internet connection for a price of PKR 4,800 only. The internet speeds doubles to 400 Mbps at night (2:30 am to 9:00 am). One time installation charges of PKR 5,000 applies.

Keep in mind that all of the above-mentioned packages come with same upload and download speed.

You can get the Fiberlink connection by visiting their official website and signing up there. Or you can call and place your order on UAN: 111-456-123.

Make sure to check before applying that you are in the coverage area. The officials will also tell you if you are in the coverage area or not.

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Fiberlink Internet Packages & Prices 2017 - TechJuice (press release) (blog)

General / How-to

To create a type of content, choose the appropriate type of content from the sidebar on the left. For this example, lets choose Posts, as these are the bulk of the content on our sites. Hovering over posts in the sidebar opens up a sub-menu, giving us options to view All Posts, Add New, as well as view the categories, tags, and slotting available to posts. Select Add New from this sub-menu.

This will open up a page with all of the options available to create this particular type of content. While the options may slightly change, the general layout will be the same across all types of content.

At the top of this screen is the Title, marked with Enter title here. This is the title of your content, as you would like it seen and promoted across the site.

Immediately below the title is a large area for the bulk of your content. A toolbar across the top provides options for formatting: links, bold text, bulleted list options, as well as several commonly used styles are available from this toolbar.

Also on the top, to the right, are two tabs: Visual and Text (HTML). The Visual tab allows you to edit your changes and see them reflected fairly closely to how they will be shown when the content is published and available to readers, while the Text (HTML) tab allows you to add specific HTML and styles to your content, as well as fine-tune any specific details you might need to tweak. In general, the Visual tab will handle most needs the Text (HTML) tab is available, but only necessary in very particular situations.

Within this content section, you are also free to insert images and videos.

To insert an image, located the Add Media button above the toolbar and click it. This will open up the media gallery, allowing you to select and upload an image. Once it is uploaded, some options will appear on the right-hand side of the screen, asking you for the images title, caption, alt-text, description, as well as several category and display options. The title and alt-text should accurately reflect the image, while the caption will usually appear near the image (the exact location will depend on what type of content and image it is). The description field is a useful, internal-to-EH field that can be used to describe the image in a way that helps other editors search for and re-use images. For example, ASIS 2015 Crowd Photo would allow other editors to search for and re-use this photo if they ever want to re-use it. Categories are also available, providing an easy way to organize and re-use images. The display options beneath include: alignment, link to, and size. Alignment allows you to decide if the image should be inserted within a sentence, mad-lib style, take up the full width of the article (creating whitespace on both sides if necessary), or align left / right and allow text to wrap around it. The link to option allows you to have the image link to something (a full-sized version of the image or a custom URL, for example). The size option allows editors to choose the size of the image to upload -in cases where a thumbnail or smaller size is more appropriate than the full-size image.

After selecting all of the appropriate options, choose insert into post and the image is now a part of your content. Should you wish to go back and change any of these options, click on the image and look for an edit pencil icon clicking on this will give you an opportunity to change these options.

After creating the content, formatting, and inserting any images that are needed, we can proceed to some of the other options available to us on this page.

Immediately below the content area is the Excerpt. This is the equivalent of the deck and summary from the old site, combined together. This is a short sentence or two about the content that will appear across the site; whenever content is listed out, the excerpt will be used as a brief description of what the story is about. This appears at the head of the article and is also passed to search engines, so it is important to spend some time and make a quality excerpt.

This is the equivalent of the old sites URL title, and is the unique web address for this particular content on the site. Please keep in mind that you should not change the slug after you have published content, as you may accidentally break links that have gone out in newsletters, social media, or have been shared by others. Editing slugs should be carefully considered before hitting the publish button!

The author is a dropdown list for the attributed author for a piece of content, made up of all editors, authors, and contributors that have been created for the website. Should a particular author be needed that isnt there, they can be set up and will be available from that point onward. Learn more about creating users.

These fields can be used to enhance your content.

The first available option, Breaking News, can be set for breaking news, and will flag content on the home page as such, bringing emphasis to the dynamic nature of the story. There are two options, Yes and No, but this can be ignored if you do not wish to declare this content as breaking news.

Content Feature is where large / hero graphics can be added, as well as videos. Click the Add Feature button, then select whether you would like a large image or a video. If you choose large image, some instructions will appear as well as an upload button, where you can choose the image you would like to use. If you would like to use a video as a hero graphic, select Video from the options and follow the instructions, providing the youtube or vimeo link, as well as a video caption.

The last option is related post. This will allow you to select other content from the site and insert them into your own content. You may select up to three other pieces of content and decide, for each, how it should be aligned relative to the content. Within the instructions is a link that provides you with a shortcode, or a way of flagging where you would like these related posts to appear within your content. Simply pasting (the shortcode provided by the link) within your content will insert these related posts, in order, across your story wherever the code has been placed.

In addition to the related posts that editors can manually insert into their content, we programmatically choose related content that readers are likely to also be interested in. This is done similar to the primary tag method on the old site simply choose a related category or related tag that is most relevant to this content, and stories from this category or tag will be selected whenever related content is displayed. Please note that if you choose both a category and a tag, only the category will work you cannot combine both.

Beneath the Related Fields is the section for Slideshows.

Clicking Add Slide will provide you with two options: an image slide or a video slide, and you can create a slideshow with any number or combination of these.

Creating an Image Slide will prompt you to upload an image, via the add image button, as well as to specify the caption you would like for that slide.

Create a Video Slide will prompt you to select whether the video exists on YouTube or Vimeo. Once that is chosen, enter the video ID (examples of how to find this are provided in the slide instructions). Lastly, a field exists for the video caption.

These slides can be collapsed, expanded, and rearranged to make them easier for you to edit. Clicking on the Slide Video or Slide Image header will allow you to collapse / expand, and clicking & dragging will allow you to rearrange the order in which they appear.

Now, we will scroll back up to the top of the edit page, where options are available to choose a featured image. This is required for all posts, and you will not be able to publish your content until one has been selected. The Featured Image is generally used, with the exception of on the feature section of the home page and newsletters, where a hero image will be used if available. Setting a Featured Image is similar to uploading / selecting an image clicking the set featured image option will open the media gallery and allow you to add, select, or customize your image.

Slotting allows editors to specify whether a particular piece of content should be particularly emphasized on the home page. The home page will look for the latest content selected as Primary Feature, and use that as the largest, most obvious story. The additional stories below this are the latest content items selected as Secondary Features. If a piece of content is categorized as both, it will not appear in both sections the Primary Feature will take precedence.

Below slotting is a list of the sites categories, where you can check any boxes that apply. As an internal process, if a selected category belongs to another category, please also select the parent category.

After selecting multiple categories, a primary category option will appear. This is how content can be assigned to particular contextuals or ad-targeting. If there is a contextual on news and your content is categorized news, consider whether this should be set as the primary category.

Tags are the topics that the content is about, that arent covered by categories. Begin typing a topic and, if there is currently a similar tag on the site, it will provide the option to use that tag. If the tag doesnt exist, clicking add or hitting the enter key will create it and assign it to this content.

Company tags are ways of associated content with particular companies, and are how the site decides what content is associated with a particular content. If your content contains mention of a company that this content is about or heavily emphasized in, this should be a company tag.

After assigning any company tags, scroll back up to the top of the page where a Publish box appears.

This box contains options to Save Draft, aka save your work so far and come back to this later, without publishing on the site. Likewise, you can preview the content, seeing what the article page looks like without publishing yet. Status is similar to the old site, where Draft and Pending Review mean this content is not visible on the site yet. A status of Publish means it is live and visible on the site.

Visibility can be safely ignored this is not used in the site.

Below visibility is a link to publish immediately, with an edit link next to it. By default, clicking the blue Publish button will set the content live immediately, however you can schedule posts by clicking this edit link and choose the date and time you would like the content to go live. Choosing anything will change the blue publish button the schedule, and you are free to select this the content will appear live on the site only at the scheduled date.

This process is repeated across all of the other types of content while some of the particular options may change (and are explained below), the overall process is the same.

Company Pages are a dedicated section of the site where information about particular companies are collected. These come in two flavors: basic and premium, with the basic variant containing a simple latest news roll-up of content given a particular company tag, as well as some demographic information. Premium allows for a section dedicated to press releases, social links, custom HTML sections and similar up-sells.

Company Fields contains a collection of basic information needed for a company page. Address, Phone, Website, Logo, and similar fields are explained but are fairly straightforward. Social Networks can be added simply paste the location of the companys social profile, and the site will automatically link to it.

This is how a company is flagged as Basic or Premium. Some information, even if filled out in this company page, will not appear unless the company is flagged as a Premium company page.

Downloads are for lead-gen items and links TO lead gen items, depending on whether they are on-site or off-site. PDFs can be uploaded provided as a free reader resource or used to collect information. Likewise, offsite URLs provide a link to a particular resource while still providing a central, SEO rich environment for this download.

This section allows you to specify the type and location of downloads / lead-gen items. Clicking Add Download will provide four options: Free PDF, Locked PDF, Locked Offsite URL, and Offsite URL.

A Free PDF is something that we post on our site, entirely free, and collect no information on.. A Locked PDF will prompt readers for an email address before providing them with a link to the PDF. A Locked, Offsite URL will prompt people for an email address, before sending them to an off-site URL, such as a digital edition link. An Offsite URL will simply direct readers to a particular URL, such as a funnel link.

Please keep in mind that Locked PDFs and Locked Offsite PDFs will ask for a KM Pub Code and KM Cat Code these are available from Elizabeth Crews group, and allow us to sync with our reader database.

If a particular download has been sponsored, you may enter sponsor information here. A logo, URL, custom HTML, and/or company page can be selected and the sponsor information automatically included in the download page.

Events are central hubs for information about particular events, where event information and related content can be aggregated, providing a one-stop shop for a reader interested in a particular event. These pages can be used to showcase our coverage of an event, as slideshows, hero graphics, and related content can be used to create an SEO rich resource for readers.

Start Date, End Date, Start Time, and End Time all refer to the events actual, physical dates. Start and End Times can be omitted, as can an End Date if the event is a one-day event.

The Event URL represents the URL of the event itself, such as http://www.infocomm.org.

The Event Location uses Google Maps and can take an address or location name.

The Event Logo is where you can place a logo specific to this event.

The Event Tag is where you choose a tag that can be associated with this event. All recent content with this tag will appear on this event page.

Podcasts are for audio files where you would like an audio player to exist.

There is a single podcast field, the attached file, where an MP3 file can be uploaded. Once uploaded, an audio player will automatically appear on the page.

If a particular podcast has been sponsored, you may enter sponsor information here. A logo, URL, custom HTML, and/or company page can be selected and the sponsor information automatically included in the podcast page.

Webcast URL is the location of the registration or archive link, while Webcast Date is the date and time of the webcast, in Eastern time.

If a particular webcast has been sponsored, you may enter sponsor information here. A logo, URL, custom HTML, and/or company page can be selected and the sponsor information automatically included in the webcast page.

Pages are for static, site pages. They do not roll up into any news feeds, but are where we store pages specific to About Us or subscriptions.

More here:

CS Editors: Creating Content - Security Sales & Integration

Richard Westlund, For Progress & Innovation 8:00 a.m. ET June 19, 2017

Jeff Leslie is CEO of ITS Telecom and ITS Fiber, LLC.(Photo: HOBIE HILER/FOR PROGRESS & INNOVATION)Buy Photo

If you were listing Floridas technology hubs, Indiantown is probably not the first name that comes to mind. But ITS Fiber, LLC, has brought national recognition to this small Martin County community for its state-of-the-art data center, high-speed fiber network and array of managed services.

Businesses today need powerful, secure IT solutions, along with the ability to easily send and share large data files, such as videos and presentations, said Jeff Leslie, president and CEO. We support their operations by offering enterprise-level network, broadband, voice, data center and cloud services.

In 2013, ITSopened its co-location facility and network operations center in Indiantown, following its deployment of a high-speed fiber network for the region.

That year, the company was honored with the Smart Rural Community Award from NTCA the Rural Broadband Association, and received an innovation awardfrom Calix, a national telecom supplier and an expansion award from the Business Development Board of Martin County.

ITS Telecom and ITS Fiber's Customer Service & Sales Center is in Indiantown. The sister companies offer services in Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach County.(Photo: HOBIE HILER/FOR PROGRESS & INNOVATION)

ITS is an early adopter and industry leader in the growing movement toward edge computing, and should be an example for other rural telephone companies to follow, said Mark Hurley, data center solution architect withSchneider Electric, which partnered with ITS Fiber in deploying the data center.

Leslie says ITS was the first company in South Florida to offer symmetric bandwidth with speeds up to 1 gigabit (1000 mbps) to both residents and businesses, rivaling large national competitors.

Thathigh speed is important for uploading large digital files, as well as streaming videos at home or at work, he said.

Rudy Hernandez, voice engineer, works at his desk at ITS Telecom and ITS Fiber.(Photo: HOBIE HILER/FOR PROGRESS & INNOVATION)

ITS Fiber, along with its sister company, ITS Telecom, offers a full suite of communications services in Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach County.

Using the Indiantown network operations center, the company also offers hosted voice services in seven states.

We can put voice service on any device desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet so its available wherever you travel, Leslie said. Its like putting everyone in the same office, even if the business has locations outside Florida.

Thats one of the many ways ITS Fiber is growing in the cloud services market.

Many small to mid-size businesses dont have the capital to constantly invest in their on-premise infrastructure, Leslie said. We can take care of their network needs and offer software as a service . With our fiber connections, its like having our data center right there on site.

Currently, ITS has about 30 employees, a number that Leslie expects to grow in the next few years as the company expands its fiber network on the Treasure Coast and adds more business and residential customers.

We think the Treasure Coast is an excellent place for technology companies in todays digital era, he said. Fiber is the key to connectivity and collaboration, and we bring that to a region with a warm climate and a great lifestyle.

Read or Share this story: http://www.tcpalm.com/story/specialty-publications/progress-and-innovation/2017/06/19/research-technology-innovation-its-fiber-brings-fast-connections-data-center-services-local-business/368034001/

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RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY/INNOVATION: ITS Fiber brings fast connections, data center services to local business - TCPalm

TODAYS RUNOFF between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff has generated such interest that it has spread across the pond.

Cobb GOP Chairman Jason Shepherd, who has been traveling in Germany with his family, said he planned the trip back in December. To save money, while his wife and children flew to Berlin, he used miles to fly to London, planning to use cheap regional carriers to fly on to Berlin and meet them.

Originally, Shepherd said he planned only a quick visit to Oxford to turn in some paperwork at the university where he has been studying, but when the congressional election ended in a runoff, another idea crystallized.

Shepherd emailed the Georgia Republican Party, asking if it knew where Ossoffs London office was, and enlisted a friend who works for a member of the U.K. Parliament.

The two met in front of Ossoffs office a few hours after Shepherd landed in London. Shepherd said he edited the video on his iPhone before uploading it to the internet (www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW0jg5STJZY&feature=youtu.be).

The video begins with Shepherd reading an Ossoff campaign pamphlet about bringing jobs to Georgias 6th District.

But today, Im in London, England, Shepherd says, looking into the camera. And whats behind me? Jon Ossoffs London business. Jon Ossoff doesnt live in the 6th District, and he doesnt even bring his own business to the 6th District. How can we count on him to create jobs in the district?

The GOP chairman ends the piece by placing a Karen Handel campaign sign at the gate of Ossoffs London office.

And well just go ahead and leave this right here for Jon Ossoff to remind him to move to the 6th District, Shepherd says.

Michael Owens, chair of the Cobb Democratic Committee, said while he can appreciate Shepherds dedication in attempting to win this election, he hardly sees what the London trip has to do with the Ossoff campaign or the issues that affect 6th District voters.

Jon has stated many times that he is the co-owner of Insight TWI, a company that produces investigative documentaries. This means that Jons company works and partners with local investigative journalists around the world, Owens said. Just this year, one of Jons teams uncovered mass killings and sexual slavery by ISIS on the front line in Iraq while producing a documentary for the BBC. The BBC is in London, so Im not sure why Jason finds it so troubling that Jon may have a presence there. Again, I appreciate Jasons effort, but I think he wasted a bunch of money to take a Karen Handel sign across the Atlantic.

(Owens said he wasnt aware Shepherd was in London anyway because he didnt mention it in the video.)

In any case, as chair of Cobbs Democratic Party, Owens said he has chosen to spend his time in the district working directly with the voters and volunteers to help send Ossoff to Washington.

If Jason, as the chair of the Cobb GOP thinks its more effective to go leave the district at this crucial time and track down leads about the good work that Jon Ossoff has done in London then that is up to him. I along with Jon, the campaign and our volunteers are focused on issues that matter and affect the people of the 6th District, Owens said.

Yet Shepherd said thats the beauty of technology.

While I may be in Europe, I am still able to coordinate the Cobb GOPs GOTV (get out the vote) efforts to recruit volunteers for our team captains, get our message out via email and social media, and receive reports via text and phone, Shepherd said.

FLUNKED. A school choice group awarded state Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-west Cobb, an F in its report card for the 2017 legislative session. The grade is of particular interest given that Tippins is chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

Calling themselves the Georgia Center for Opportunity, the group graded lawmakers on such things as expanding the current tax credit scholarship program through HB 217 and HB 338, which would create so-called education savings accounts that allow the tax money to follow the child to charter or private schools.

Cobb school board member Randy Scamihorn, a Republican, had a few things to say about the report card. Scamihorn said he reviewed what scores the other members of Cobbs Legislative Delegation received.

And one of the things on several of them that I saw got an A-plus grade they may not be anti-public school, but they certainly give the indication that they are not for public schools, that theyre more for school choice, charter schools and vouchers, Scamihorn said. So for Lindsey to get a Grade F along with others that are strongly for public schools trying to do what they can do to help us at least thats my indication I dont see that as a negative grade. I went down through all of the senators and some of the representatives and this might be somewhat anecdotal, but I glanced at Democrat and Republican, and those that got the poor grade in my mind tended to be the ones that are strong public school supporters.

The report considered very few bills lawmakers voted on in arriving at its grade, Scamihorn believes.

I think Lindsey, if not wearing it as a badge of honor, should look at it as a skewed report from a group wanting to push an agenda, Scamihorn said.

Theyre just supporting school choice, and the question I would like to ask if I was part of the group or addressed the group is what is your group doing to help public schools? They say public schools are failing but how are we failing?

Other senators who represent parts of Cobb County received the following grades from the report: Hunter Hill, R-Smyrna: A plus; Bruce Thompson, R-White: B; Horacena Tate, D-Atlanta: C; Michael Rhett, D-Marietta: F.

In the House, John Carson, R-northeast Cobb, received an A-plus, as did Earl Ehrhart, R-Powder Springs, Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, and Sam Teasley, R-Marietta.

Receiving an A were Sharon Cooper, R-east Cobb, Matt Dollar, R-east Cobb, Rich Golick, R-Smyrna, and Bert Reeves, R-Marietta.

Don Parsons, R-north Cobb and Sheila Jones, D-Atlanta, both received a B.

Stacey Evans, D-Smyrna, Michael Smith, D-Marietta, and Erica Thomas, D-Austell, received a D.

And Roger Bruce, D-Atlanta, and David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs, received an F.

Senior Assistant Solicitor General Latonia Hines has been named prosecutorial liaison to SunTrust Park and the Battery.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: Senior Assistant Solicitor General Latonia Hines will be spending time at the Atlanta Braves new stadium but not in the way most baseball fans would want to. Hines, who works in Cobb County Solicitor Barry Morgans office, has been named prosecutorial liaison to SunTrust Park and the Battery. In that position, Hines handles the investigation and prosecution of misdemeanors and code violations in and around the stadium. She said since taking the position most of her cases have been . you guessed it . alcohol-related.

Hines lives less than two miles from the ballpark and said shes already seen the positive impact of having the Braves in Cobb.

I truly have a vested interest in keeping the area safe and enjoyable for everyone, the Cobb attorney said. Hines also serves as editor in chief of Justicia, the official magazine of the Cobb Bar Association.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN: Whether you Hurrah for Handel or Jump for Jon, everyone can agree what a mercy it is that the tiresome political ads that have choked television, phone lines and social media for far too long are coming to an end. Its reason to celebrate until coming across these lines by MDJ reporter Ross Williams in todays MDJ: Whoever wins tonight will have little time for confetti and champagne. The winner will have to fight for their seat once again in November 2018 as the remainder of (Tom) Prices term expires at the end of that year.

What?!

The sequel is coming real soon, the article quotes KSU professor Kerwin Swint as saying.

And the beat goes on. The beat goes on.

Original post:

AROUND TOWN: GOP chairman questions Ossoff's London office - MDJOnline.com