That’s what teachers are supposed to say in elementary school. Your kid may eat paste and argue with his shoes during quiet time, but his teachers will still fervently claim that he’s gifted. I understand that.
But I’m pretty sure Riley’s teachers were being sincere. They’ve always praised her up and down, using phrases ranging from “uniquely intelligent,” to “smart and precocious.” Our favorite teacher, our beloved Ms. Sullivan from 4th grade, wrote on that year’s progress report: “Riley is extraordinarily smart and curious. With the right guidance, she could use her intellectual abilities to achieve world domination.”
“B’s are nothing to sneeze at, for sure. But I wouldn’t call them ‘good’ grades, exactly. Especially in subjects were you could be getting As.” In that moment, I was conveniently forgetting all the B’s I myself received in school. Not to mention… er, a few sub-B’s.
“It’s just that I don’t think of you as a… B-level thinker,” I added. “You know? You’re definitely A material. Especially when it comes to reading and writing. So I think we need to work a little harder. Shouldn’t be too tough. Let’s start making more time after school to go over your English homework. Deal?”
She didn’t really know what to say to that, and our conversation sort of sputtered from there. I got the Frown, the Brow Furrow, the Exasperated Sigh. Begrudging agreement that we’d start devoting more time to what I’ve always thought was her favorite subject.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen from here. Frankly, I find myself feeling torn. On the one hand, grades are important. I know they are. And I do believe that sometimes, we need to put the heat on with our kids to get them motivated. On the other hand, I always swore I’d never pay my daughter for good grades to provide incentive, or threaten her with the revoking of privileges if her grades aren’t high enough. Neither tactic seems right to me.
I know that by teaching discipline now, I’ll be helping her prepare for high school, where grades are more important and can make all the difference come college application time. I also know that the best way to really get good grades is to care about getting good grades.
MasterCard today announced mobile innovations and feature enhancements to Smart Data, the company’s industry leading suite of commercial expense management and analytics products. Among the updates, new receipt management mobile applications can liberate corporate cardholders from the burden of getting and filing paper receipts for expenses.
The new Smart Data Mobile Receipt Capture App for iOS, Android and Blackberry users, enable corporate cardholders to directly upload receipts by taking a smartphone picture and directly attaching them to an expense report and allowing cardholders to toss the dreaded paper receipt. Managers will appreciate the efficiency and control of the mobile app as it effortlessly connects the cardholders receipt to the backside accounting systems.
In addition, MasterCard is releasing a Mobile Fleet e-Receipt App to assist businesses and governments needing accurate and timely data to manage automotive fleets. The mobile fleet app allows drivers to visit any fuel merchant and enter the data required by their fleet managers, including the type and amount of fuel purchased or the price paid per gallon along with many additional features. With this new App, companies can benefit from greater vehicle efficiency and driver compliance that can help achieve additional costs savings.
We’ve been monitoring sensible expense management mobile applications for some time and this year decided to strategically enter the space. Our new Smart Data receipt capture app for iOS, Android and Blackberry allows corporate cardholders to keep the receipt, but toss the paper. To speed up expense reporting and reconciliation, corporate cardholders can now directly upload receipt images by taking a smartphone picture and then attaching the image to the individual transaction when they complete their expense report. We are actively taking issuers and their commercial companies on board for that ongoing pilot.
Similarly, we’ve identified a need for Fleet refueling data, especially in markets where merchants do not capture or send it along to cardholding companies. So we’ve been piloting a mobile app that requires data input at the refueling point. Responding to prompts, drivers enter data such as merchant, amount, type and cost of fuel, odometer reading and driver number, and the data ships to their reporting and accounting tools. It’s shown an improvement in efficiencies for companies in the areas in Canada and Europe where we’ve piloted.
Savings from using an automated system instead of paper-based reconciliation are well documented; for example, the combined application of travel card and expense management technology cuts the overall time to process an expense report by 54%, according to the RPMG 2011 Corporate Travel Card Benchmark Survey. Our mobile receipt capture application should speed that process even further, leaving employees more time for more profitable pursuits.
Additionally, the RPMG 2012 Purchasing Card Benchmark Survey reported that 61% of North American corporations that use spending data to negotiate vendor discounts report getting a higher discount because of the practice. That could apply to our Fleet application, as it supports more accurate data capture than manual processes (or no process at all), thus giving companies more insight into how much and how often they’re paying for fuel at specific merchants.
2013年3月21日星期四
2013年3月14日星期四
Smart shopping can keep you safe online
Those who know me well may be amused to see that I’m writing about
shopping. And I understand why. I develop an annoying twitch at the
thought of going to a mall.
But online shopping is different. I do fine with that. In fact, I do so fine that my wife occasionally feels it necessary to hide my credit cards. After a successful holiday shopping season, I feel moved to offer some year-round online shopping advice. It can save you a few bucks or, if it keeps you out of the hands of some online crook, it can save your neck.
The best thing about online shopping is the same as the worst thing. It’s blazing fast compared to driving around town to shop. But the speed of online shopping encourages impulse buying. You might start your online shopping expedition looking for a new coffee pot. But, in the process,We sell 100% hand-painted bestluggagetag online. you happen on a page describing the wonders of pressure cookers. It’s so easy to click your mouse and add that item to your order. Unless money is irrelevant stick to your original mission.
It’s smart – especially with high priced items – to check with local stores. While online stores often offer great bargains, there are times when buying from a local merchant offers the best deal. So, once you’ve found the best price online, spend a few extra minutes on the telephone checking with local stores. Not only can you find some bargains that way, you’ll be able to get your hands on the item you want almost instantly. Be sure, when comparing prices, to add in taxes and shipping cost – you want to know the final amount you’ll pay from either the online store or brick and mortar store downtown.
There are fake websites that offer unbelievable prices to lure you into their trap. They stay online long enough to make a number of “sales” then will fold their tents and disappear with your money. Obviously there also are some terrific small shops out there too. But, at the very least, spend some time making sure that new site is real. Here are so things to check – make sure it has a real street address listed rather than just an email address. Consider contacting the Better Business Bureau in the city where the site is headquartered to check its credentials. Also use Google to see if there are postings – good or bad – about the business. Even after all that, think twice before venturing into unknown waters.
If your own computer is infected with spyware, then a hacker can easily harvest your credit card information, banking data, or just about anything else.If you are looking for earcap for your bathroom walls. So it’s absolutely essential that you use a program (or separate programs) to check for viruses and spyware. It is almost certain, if you use an unprotected computer long enough,Have a look at all our customkeychain models starting at 59.90US$ with free proofing. that you’ll be hacked.
With online orders it’s always possible for a shipment to be delayed. It doesn’t happen often but will be times when the merchant won’t meet the promised delivery date. You can’t do much about that. But when you absolutely need to have the item on hand on some specific date, check with the online merchant to be sure that the item is in stock. I’ve seen cases where a product showed as in stock but it really wasn’t. Email or otherwise contact the merchant and ask specifically if it’s in stock when it’s important that you receive the item on a given date.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy inaugurated the scheme in presence of JIPMER Director Dr T S Ravikumar,Inspector General of Police R S Krishnia and legislator Tamailselvan.We sell 100% hand-painted bestluggagetag online.
Termed as “partners in prevention”, the programme will target preventable health conditions among police personnel who are serving the community at large for the safety and well being of the population.
As per the programme, the police personnel numbering around 3,000 in Puducherry have been issued Smart cards which contains 16 digit code numbers, specific to each individual, and a bar code, said Dr Anita Rastogi, Additional Medical Superintendent,The term 'bobbleheads control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. JIPMER, and coordinator of the wellness programme.
All the details of the personnel including basic details and their health records could be accessed through the smart card, even if the personnel is out of the country. It is a web-based service and the details can be accessed online.
The police personnel will be screened in batches of 30, twice a week (Wednesdays and Fridays) facilitating checkup for around 240 police personnel in a month, said Dr Anita Rastogi.
Thereafter those requiring further investigations will be referred to the particular department, depending on the disease.
The details of the patients would be audited every month to see whether the follow ups have been done properly, she said.
The goal of this wellness programme is to attain better health,wellness for the masses at an affordable cost, said Dr Ravikumar.
However, the wellness programme will take off in a big way only after the establishment of the School of Public Health, which will tie up with the other medical colleges, National Rural Health Mission, and other institutions of the state and central government, Dr Ravikumar told Express.
There will be different platforms for major diseases like cardiac diseases, cancer, from road traffic accidents to rape and people will be stratified according to the risks, he said.
But online shopping is different. I do fine with that. In fact, I do so fine that my wife occasionally feels it necessary to hide my credit cards. After a successful holiday shopping season, I feel moved to offer some year-round online shopping advice. It can save you a few bucks or, if it keeps you out of the hands of some online crook, it can save your neck.
The best thing about online shopping is the same as the worst thing. It’s blazing fast compared to driving around town to shop. But the speed of online shopping encourages impulse buying. You might start your online shopping expedition looking for a new coffee pot. But, in the process,We sell 100% hand-painted bestluggagetag online. you happen on a page describing the wonders of pressure cookers. It’s so easy to click your mouse and add that item to your order. Unless money is irrelevant stick to your original mission.
It’s smart – especially with high priced items – to check with local stores. While online stores often offer great bargains, there are times when buying from a local merchant offers the best deal. So, once you’ve found the best price online, spend a few extra minutes on the telephone checking with local stores. Not only can you find some bargains that way, you’ll be able to get your hands on the item you want almost instantly. Be sure, when comparing prices, to add in taxes and shipping cost – you want to know the final amount you’ll pay from either the online store or brick and mortar store downtown.
There are fake websites that offer unbelievable prices to lure you into their trap. They stay online long enough to make a number of “sales” then will fold their tents and disappear with your money. Obviously there also are some terrific small shops out there too. But, at the very least, spend some time making sure that new site is real. Here are so things to check – make sure it has a real street address listed rather than just an email address. Consider contacting the Better Business Bureau in the city where the site is headquartered to check its credentials. Also use Google to see if there are postings – good or bad – about the business. Even after all that, think twice before venturing into unknown waters.
If your own computer is infected with spyware, then a hacker can easily harvest your credit card information, banking data, or just about anything else.If you are looking for earcap for your bathroom walls. So it’s absolutely essential that you use a program (or separate programs) to check for viruses and spyware. It is almost certain, if you use an unprotected computer long enough,Have a look at all our customkeychain models starting at 59.90US$ with free proofing. that you’ll be hacked.
With online orders it’s always possible for a shipment to be delayed. It doesn’t happen often but will be times when the merchant won’t meet the promised delivery date. You can’t do much about that. But when you absolutely need to have the item on hand on some specific date, check with the online merchant to be sure that the item is in stock. I’ve seen cases where a product showed as in stock but it really wasn’t. Email or otherwise contact the merchant and ask specifically if it’s in stock when it’s important that you receive the item on a given date.
Chief Minister N Rangasamy inaugurated the scheme in presence of JIPMER Director Dr T S Ravikumar,Inspector General of Police R S Krishnia and legislator Tamailselvan.We sell 100% hand-painted bestluggagetag online.
Termed as “partners in prevention”, the programme will target preventable health conditions among police personnel who are serving the community at large for the safety and well being of the population.
As per the programme, the police personnel numbering around 3,000 in Puducherry have been issued Smart cards which contains 16 digit code numbers, specific to each individual, and a bar code, said Dr Anita Rastogi, Additional Medical Superintendent,The term 'bobbleheads control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. JIPMER, and coordinator of the wellness programme.
All the details of the personnel including basic details and their health records could be accessed through the smart card, even if the personnel is out of the country. It is a web-based service and the details can be accessed online.
The police personnel will be screened in batches of 30, twice a week (Wednesdays and Fridays) facilitating checkup for around 240 police personnel in a month, said Dr Anita Rastogi.
Thereafter those requiring further investigations will be referred to the particular department, depending on the disease.
The details of the patients would be audited every month to see whether the follow ups have been done properly, she said.
The goal of this wellness programme is to attain better health,wellness for the masses at an affordable cost, said Dr Ravikumar.
However, the wellness programme will take off in a big way only after the establishment of the School of Public Health, which will tie up with the other medical colleges, National Rural Health Mission, and other institutions of the state and central government, Dr Ravikumar told Express.
There will be different platforms for major diseases like cardiac diseases, cancer, from road traffic accidents to rape and people will be stratified according to the risks, he said.
Is cash-only good or bad for businesses, customers?
For some local businesses, credit cards aren't worth the hassle or
the cost. Consequently, more entertainment spots – particularly
restaurants and bars – want payment in cold, hard cash.
When Ruby Erickson, co-owner of The Soup House, 324 E. Michigan St., purchased the business with her mother three years ago, it was already cash-only, and so they decided to keep it that way.
"I just don't think it's necessary for us to take credit cards. Our transactions are for very little amounts: $6, $7, $8," says Erickson.
Erickson says not having to work with credit card transaction companies makes her job easier.The term 'bobbleheads control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. She also appreciates not having to deal with malfunctioning credit card machines.
Michael Schmidt is the business development manager for SwipeWorks, Inc., a company that works with Wisconsin-based small and medium-sized businesses with the mission to provide cost-effective credit / debit card payment options.
According to Schmidt, the overall cost of accepting credit cards for most businesses is between 1.75 percent and 3.5 percent or more. He understands the impact the fees could have on some businesses, but on the flip slide,We turn your dark into light courtesy of our brilliant sun, stonemosaic, solar power generation. believes businesses miss out on sales when they are cash-only.
"Studies have shown that the average ticket is higher for a credit card sale than a cash sale. Even for quick-service type restaurants, consumers paying with plastic are more likely to purchase the add-ons such as sides,A ridiculously low price on this All-Purpose indoortracking by Gordon. and up-sells like specialty beverages," says Schmidt, the former owner of the now-defunct burger and custard chain, Bella's Fat Cat. "I definitely saw that to be the case in my former life as a restaurant owner."
Kaitlin Larson says she spends at least $100 a week at bars and restaurants and is very annoyed when she can't use a credit or debit card.
"When I go out, I don't bring a purse. I just want to tuck my card somewhere and not have to worry about carrying cash or anything else," says Larson.
Sometimes, bars or restaurants with a cash-only policy have an ATM installed on the premises so customers can access money if they were unaware of the policy. Some customers, however, do not find this adequate.
"Why should I pay an extra $3 or $4 to get cash? Shouldn't the restaurant pay for the transaction on their end?" says Larson.
Woodman's Markets has had a no credit card policy since it opened its first location in 1978. In 2004, the company started to accept debit cards along with cash or checks. Although some customers grumble, it works for the company because, it claims, that policy is in part why the stores are able to keep prices low.
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone in the next few weeks, the HTC One will be just one of several massively impressive hero devices released by major brands – and you’ll have a really fun decision on your hands. Here at the tail end of Winter in the year 2013 we’ve entered an age of quad-core mobile processors,Bay State hemorrho is a full line manufacturer of nylon cable ties and related products. wireless connectivity so diverse it’ll make your head spin, and cameras on smartphones made much more powerful than your average point-and-shoot. So here we’ve got the HTC One, the best new hope for the company to revive the once (and perhaps future) glory they’ve cultivated in the Android universe. The HTC One may very well be your ticket to today’s greatest smartphone package of all.
Right this minute, the HTC One is a beast – and though it may not look at first to be all that unique from afar, it is certainly beautiful up close and personal. HTC has pushed together a device that’s as initially impressive as the HTC One X seemed to be inside a package that’s perfected in metal. Your hands and eyes will be happy to experience the HTC One – and your ears will be blown away by the speakers – more on that with “BoomSound” in the Hardware Design section below.
With this device you’ll find what HTC wants to present as their single greatest creation – CNC-centric manufacturing, metal where possible, plastic around the edges in all the right places, and an overall “one-ness”,Compare prices and buy all brands of bestrtls for home power systems and by the pallet. if you will. This device looks like Apple could have made it – place it next to your MacBook Pro and you’ll instantly see how aluminum makes for a rather striking look, just as much as it feels high-quality.
The top of this device has a power button that doubles as an IR-blaster for controlling your TV set up on the left – it will take some getting used to, having worked with more Android devices in the past with the same button up in the right than the opposite in the past several years. The upper right has a headphone jack as well – enhanced by Beats audio and sounding just as fantastic through the included pair of earbuds as any smartphone we’ve yet experienced.
The right of the device has a metal volume button with a circular-ridged face that reminds one of the Motorola DROID RAZR family from these past few months – it’s not an unwelcome addition to the HTC family, mind you, and it feels right at home with the aluminum body on the front and back of this machine. On the left of the device you’ll find a tiny hole next to a pop-out SIM card tray – this is also becoming quite the common hardware feature across the board in the smartphone universe.
When Ruby Erickson, co-owner of The Soup House, 324 E. Michigan St., purchased the business with her mother three years ago, it was already cash-only, and so they decided to keep it that way.
"I just don't think it's necessary for us to take credit cards. Our transactions are for very little amounts: $6, $7, $8," says Erickson.
Erickson says not having to work with credit card transaction companies makes her job easier.The term 'bobbleheads control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. She also appreciates not having to deal with malfunctioning credit card machines.
Michael Schmidt is the business development manager for SwipeWorks, Inc., a company that works with Wisconsin-based small and medium-sized businesses with the mission to provide cost-effective credit / debit card payment options.
According to Schmidt, the overall cost of accepting credit cards for most businesses is between 1.75 percent and 3.5 percent or more. He understands the impact the fees could have on some businesses, but on the flip slide,We turn your dark into light courtesy of our brilliant sun, stonemosaic, solar power generation. believes businesses miss out on sales when they are cash-only.
"Studies have shown that the average ticket is higher for a credit card sale than a cash sale. Even for quick-service type restaurants, consumers paying with plastic are more likely to purchase the add-ons such as sides,A ridiculously low price on this All-Purpose indoortracking by Gordon. and up-sells like specialty beverages," says Schmidt, the former owner of the now-defunct burger and custard chain, Bella's Fat Cat. "I definitely saw that to be the case in my former life as a restaurant owner."
Kaitlin Larson says she spends at least $100 a week at bars and restaurants and is very annoyed when she can't use a credit or debit card.
"When I go out, I don't bring a purse. I just want to tuck my card somewhere and not have to worry about carrying cash or anything else," says Larson.
Sometimes, bars or restaurants with a cash-only policy have an ATM installed on the premises so customers can access money if they were unaware of the policy. Some customers, however, do not find this adequate.
"Why should I pay an extra $3 or $4 to get cash? Shouldn't the restaurant pay for the transaction on their end?" says Larson.
Woodman's Markets has had a no credit card policy since it opened its first location in 1978. In 2004, the company started to accept debit cards along with cash or checks. Although some customers grumble, it works for the company because, it claims, that policy is in part why the stores are able to keep prices low.
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone in the next few weeks, the HTC One will be just one of several massively impressive hero devices released by major brands – and you’ll have a really fun decision on your hands. Here at the tail end of Winter in the year 2013 we’ve entered an age of quad-core mobile processors,Bay State hemorrho is a full line manufacturer of nylon cable ties and related products. wireless connectivity so diverse it’ll make your head spin, and cameras on smartphones made much more powerful than your average point-and-shoot. So here we’ve got the HTC One, the best new hope for the company to revive the once (and perhaps future) glory they’ve cultivated in the Android universe. The HTC One may very well be your ticket to today’s greatest smartphone package of all.
Right this minute, the HTC One is a beast – and though it may not look at first to be all that unique from afar, it is certainly beautiful up close and personal. HTC has pushed together a device that’s as initially impressive as the HTC One X seemed to be inside a package that’s perfected in metal. Your hands and eyes will be happy to experience the HTC One – and your ears will be blown away by the speakers – more on that with “BoomSound” in the Hardware Design section below.
With this device you’ll find what HTC wants to present as their single greatest creation – CNC-centric manufacturing, metal where possible, plastic around the edges in all the right places, and an overall “one-ness”,Compare prices and buy all brands of bestrtls for home power systems and by the pallet. if you will. This device looks like Apple could have made it – place it next to your MacBook Pro and you’ll instantly see how aluminum makes for a rather striking look, just as much as it feels high-quality.
The top of this device has a power button that doubles as an IR-blaster for controlling your TV set up on the left – it will take some getting used to, having worked with more Android devices in the past with the same button up in the right than the opposite in the past several years. The upper right has a headphone jack as well – enhanced by Beats audio and sounding just as fantastic through the included pair of earbuds as any smartphone we’ve yet experienced.
The right of the device has a metal volume button with a circular-ridged face that reminds one of the Motorola DROID RAZR family from these past few months – it’s not an unwelcome addition to the HTC family, mind you, and it feels right at home with the aluminum body on the front and back of this machine. On the left of the device you’ll find a tiny hole next to a pop-out SIM card tray – this is also becoming quite the common hardware feature across the board in the smartphone universe.
Square’s expansion in Canada ‘beyond expectations’
If there’s anything Jack Dorsey has learned from bringing his mobile
payment company Square Inc. to Canada roughly five months ago, it’s that
most food trucks aren’t equipped with winter heaters.
When Mr. Dorsey first launched Square three years ago, the San Francisco-based company soon discovered many of the early adopters of its mobile credit card reader service were food trucks and other small outdoor businesses.
Since launching in Canada in October, Square has noticed the average size of a Canadian transaction using its service is $120, compared with an average of $70 after five months of operations in the U.S.
The discrepancy can likely be explained by the strong adoption of Square by brick-and-mortar retailers in Canada — Square’s technology is sold in Best Buy, Future Shop and Apple Store locations — where average transaction values are higher, compared with in the U.S., where there are more smaller transactions from individuals, thus dragging down the average.
While he waits for the weather to warm up, Mr. Dorsey said Square’s Canadian expansion — the first international market for the company — has gone “beyond expectations.”
“We’ve been really surprised and also impressed by the growth in the country,” Mr. Dorsey said in an interview with the Financial Post.
“When we first announced the company and when we first announced what we were doing, we found immediate resonance all over the United States, and we had a lot of interest from Canada. We’re happy that just really took root right away and we’re seeing an amazing velocity, and even more so than the U.S., and I think it really speaks to the power of local businesses.”
Regularly touted as one of the hottest startups in the technology industry, Square produces a small credit card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of a smartphone or a tablet, enabling even the smallest-scale business owners to accept credit card payments. The service offers free registration and Square takes a 2.75% fee from each transaction.
While Square officials declined to provide specific Canadian user numbers, its overall user base has grown from two million individuals and businesses in October to more than three million today, and Square is now processing US$10-billion in sales each year.
“We’ve always built the technology where we want something that works for the smallest customers — such as someone selling something on Craigslist or at a yard sale — all the way up to the largest organizations in the world, like Starbucks. It truly levels the playing field.”
Square’s technology supports Visa and MasterCard credit cards, however it does not support the chip and PIN technology employed by many of the credit cards and debit cards issued by Canadian banks and financial institutions.
Mr. Dorsey said Square is always looking to expand its offerings to incorporate services its customers want, but could not speak to any immediate plans to offer chip and PIN integration. “Our mindset and our philosophy is that we’re going to accept any form of payment that comes over the counter so that the merchant can always make the sale and buyer always gets what they want,” he said.
“There’s a lot of different payment devices in the world and they constantly evolve — sometimes in the right ways, sometimes in the wrong ways. But it’s a question of making sure we support where people are going to, and as we see more and more adoption of new technologies, such as chip and pin or chip and signature, we will build for that.”
While Square’s service is currently only available for devices running Apple’s iOS platform and Google’s Android software, Mr.A ridiculously low price on this All-Purpose indoortracking by Gordon. Dorsey didn’t rule out the possibility that the company might consider building a version of the service that works with BlackBerry 10, the new operating system from Canada’s smartphone maker, Research In Motion Ltd.A car parkingguidance is a mechanical device that multiplies parking capacity inside a parking lot., now known as BlackBerry.
That night, the defense had one of its best performances of the season in a convincing victory at Dartmouth. It allowed Quinnipiac to enter the postseason on a positive note. Rested and healed after an ECAC Hockey first-round bye, the Bobcats (24-5-5) are recharged for a best-of-3 quarterfinal round series with Cornell starting tonight at 7 (WQUN-1220.) All games are at High Point Solutions; Saturday’s game will be broadcast live by NESN.
In a season that’s brought enough firsts to fill a scrapbook, including the program’s first Cleary Cup, the opportunity to truly make history begins now. Quinnipiac,A smooth and lanyard not only looks bright and clean. which clinched its first NCAA berth since 2002, can wrap up the No. 1 overall seed and a spot in the East Regional in Providence,You've probably seen ultrasonicsensor at some point. R.I. this weekend.
“We were lucky enough to lock a playoff spot up pretty early,” senior captain Zack Currie said. “We had a lot of other stuff to play for along the way. But we’ve been looking forward to this a good amount of weeks now. For a lot of us, it’s our last kick at the can.”
Goaltender Eric Hartzell, a Hobey Baker Award candidate and shoo-in for the ECAC’s Ken Dryden Award, rightfully gets his share of attention. But Quinnipiac’s defensive core, led by Currie and fellow seniors Zach Davies, Loren Barron and Mike Dalhuisen, helped it finish the season as the nation’s stingiest at 1.59 goals-allowed per game. Junior Zach Tolkinen,We professionally produces and export all types of polishedtiles at low price. sophomore Danny Federico and freshman Alex Barron complete the unit. Defense wins championships. That core group will be tested in the postseason.
“Hartzell is the best player in our league and maybe one of the four best in college hockey,” Pecknold said. “But those guys do a nice job in front of him. They clear rebounds, they block shots, they puck up sticks. We don’t have a Bobby Orr type back there, but we’re seven deep. We play six, but all seven have contributed and been really good.”
While defense has always been Cornell’s calling card, the offense is peaking at the right time. The Big Red, behind senior forward Greg Miller, have scored four goals in six of the last eight games, all wins. That includes a two-game road sweep of Colgate in last weekend’s first round.
When Mr. Dorsey first launched Square three years ago, the San Francisco-based company soon discovered many of the early adopters of its mobile credit card reader service were food trucks and other small outdoor businesses.
Since launching in Canada in October, Square has noticed the average size of a Canadian transaction using its service is $120, compared with an average of $70 after five months of operations in the U.S.
The discrepancy can likely be explained by the strong adoption of Square by brick-and-mortar retailers in Canada — Square’s technology is sold in Best Buy, Future Shop and Apple Store locations — where average transaction values are higher, compared with in the U.S., where there are more smaller transactions from individuals, thus dragging down the average.
While he waits for the weather to warm up, Mr. Dorsey said Square’s Canadian expansion — the first international market for the company — has gone “beyond expectations.”
“We’ve been really surprised and also impressed by the growth in the country,” Mr. Dorsey said in an interview with the Financial Post.
“When we first announced the company and when we first announced what we were doing, we found immediate resonance all over the United States, and we had a lot of interest from Canada. We’re happy that just really took root right away and we’re seeing an amazing velocity, and even more so than the U.S., and I think it really speaks to the power of local businesses.”
Regularly touted as one of the hottest startups in the technology industry, Square produces a small credit card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of a smartphone or a tablet, enabling even the smallest-scale business owners to accept credit card payments. The service offers free registration and Square takes a 2.75% fee from each transaction.
While Square officials declined to provide specific Canadian user numbers, its overall user base has grown from two million individuals and businesses in October to more than three million today, and Square is now processing US$10-billion in sales each year.
“We’ve always built the technology where we want something that works for the smallest customers — such as someone selling something on Craigslist or at a yard sale — all the way up to the largest organizations in the world, like Starbucks. It truly levels the playing field.”
Square’s technology supports Visa and MasterCard credit cards, however it does not support the chip and PIN technology employed by many of the credit cards and debit cards issued by Canadian banks and financial institutions.
Mr. Dorsey said Square is always looking to expand its offerings to incorporate services its customers want, but could not speak to any immediate plans to offer chip and PIN integration. “Our mindset and our philosophy is that we’re going to accept any form of payment that comes over the counter so that the merchant can always make the sale and buyer always gets what they want,” he said.
“There’s a lot of different payment devices in the world and they constantly evolve — sometimes in the right ways, sometimes in the wrong ways. But it’s a question of making sure we support where people are going to, and as we see more and more adoption of new technologies, such as chip and pin or chip and signature, we will build for that.”
While Square’s service is currently only available for devices running Apple’s iOS platform and Google’s Android software, Mr.A ridiculously low price on this All-Purpose indoortracking by Gordon. Dorsey didn’t rule out the possibility that the company might consider building a version of the service that works with BlackBerry 10, the new operating system from Canada’s smartphone maker, Research In Motion Ltd.A car parkingguidance is a mechanical device that multiplies parking capacity inside a parking lot., now known as BlackBerry.
That night, the defense had one of its best performances of the season in a convincing victory at Dartmouth. It allowed Quinnipiac to enter the postseason on a positive note. Rested and healed after an ECAC Hockey first-round bye, the Bobcats (24-5-5) are recharged for a best-of-3 quarterfinal round series with Cornell starting tonight at 7 (WQUN-1220.) All games are at High Point Solutions; Saturday’s game will be broadcast live by NESN.
In a season that’s brought enough firsts to fill a scrapbook, including the program’s first Cleary Cup, the opportunity to truly make history begins now. Quinnipiac,A smooth and lanyard not only looks bright and clean. which clinched its first NCAA berth since 2002, can wrap up the No. 1 overall seed and a spot in the East Regional in Providence,You've probably seen ultrasonicsensor at some point. R.I. this weekend.
“We were lucky enough to lock a playoff spot up pretty early,” senior captain Zack Currie said. “We had a lot of other stuff to play for along the way. But we’ve been looking forward to this a good amount of weeks now. For a lot of us, it’s our last kick at the can.”
Goaltender Eric Hartzell, a Hobey Baker Award candidate and shoo-in for the ECAC’s Ken Dryden Award, rightfully gets his share of attention. But Quinnipiac’s defensive core, led by Currie and fellow seniors Zach Davies, Loren Barron and Mike Dalhuisen, helped it finish the season as the nation’s stingiest at 1.59 goals-allowed per game. Junior Zach Tolkinen,We professionally produces and export all types of polishedtiles at low price. sophomore Danny Federico and freshman Alex Barron complete the unit. Defense wins championships. That core group will be tested in the postseason.
“Hartzell is the best player in our league and maybe one of the four best in college hockey,” Pecknold said. “But those guys do a nice job in front of him. They clear rebounds, they block shots, they puck up sticks. We don’t have a Bobby Orr type back there, but we’re seven deep. We play six, but all seven have contributed and been really good.”
While defense has always been Cornell’s calling card, the offense is peaking at the right time. The Big Red, behind senior forward Greg Miller, have scored four goals in six of the last eight games, all wins. That includes a two-game road sweep of Colgate in last weekend’s first round.
2013年3月7日星期四
Getting busy with baking soda
I admit it. I’m chemically dependent; I can’t imagine life without sodium bicarbonate– in layman’s terms, baking soda, or soda, for these purposes. As of late, soda is basking in a Heloise comeback. Internet and magazine articles site its economical widespread benefits as often as they use the word eco-friendly, with good reason. It’s an all-in-one, magic-miracle, powder used in health, home, cooking, pest control, and cleaning applications; a product that will save you money, a lot of money, when you look at all the products it replaces.
I requested my hairstylist treat my hair for product build-up. She put a dollop of clarifying shampoo in her hand and retreated to the backroom to add a little baking soda to it. Sure enough, my hair shines like a 2013 copper penny; if need be, I use it as a dry shampoo. A good dusting freshens our little Biscuit dog, as well as the carpet she rolls around on playing with her hedgehog. I use it religiously on grease spotted fabrics. Before treating the fabric with spot remover, I generously dust the spot with baking soda, let it sit to absorb the oil, vacuum off, and continue treatment. The same treatment can be used for pet mishaps. These few examples are but powder particles in the endless list of soda uses. Let’s take a look at a day in the life of HCO3 dependency.
Rise and shine, clean the coffee maker by running a pot of soda and water through it, rinse and put the morning pot on. After a vigorous morning run/workout, sprinkle soda into athletic shoes to freshen and deodorize. Call and invite family or friends to dinner; it’s always a good incentive to clean the house. Take stock of the soda arsenal; it comes in a variety of sizes and user-friendly packaging: 1lb. boxes, mesh-sided (spill-proof) boxes, plastic shaker, solid refrigerator filter disc, and a 13.5 lb. bag of soda powder. Grab what you need and begin deodorizing and cleaning. Place spill-proof boxes in the pantry, linen, and wardrobe, closets to deodorize. Head to the bathrooms…
Use a soda shaker, water, and sponge, to remove shower and bathtub soap scum, as well as, clean the diaper pail, lavatory, countertops, marble, and ceramic tile. Head to the kitchen…
Polish up the silver flatware by placing a piece of aluminum foil, tablespoon of soda, and liter of water in a stock-pot, bring to a boil and drop in flatware for 10 seconds, longer if heavily tarnished. Shake soda on a wet sponge to remove handprints and smudges from stainless steel appliances. Spoon four tablespoons down the drain; weekly doses keeps water flowing, and clogs to a minimum. Head to the laundry…
To enhance cleaning power, add a 1/2 cup to heavily soiled loads of clothes. Sprinkle soda in the litter box to absorb odors. Head outdoors…
Position a handy solid refrigerator filter disc under the seat of the car, to keep it odor free. Sprinkle some in the garden to deter rabbits from decimating the veggies. Cut flowers for the dining room table; add a teaspoon of soda to the posy water, and enjoy flowers days after the party. Treat the insect bite with soda paste to relive itching. Head back to the kitchen…
Make a quick bread using soda as the leavening agent. Add a pinch of the miracle powder to eggs, for a fluffier omelet, and to tomato-based entrees, to lower the acidity; another pinch added to a gallon of tea will eliminate cloudiness. Dust wet produce with it and rub to remove wax and dirt. Place a soda refrigerator filter disc in the refrigerator to neutralize odoriferous party leftovers. Don’t fret over baked-on party foods; they can be cleaned up easily after a 15-minute soak in a hot water and soda solution. Prepare 1/2 teaspoon soda dissolved in a 1/2 glass of water as an anti-acid for over-indulgence unless restricted by a doctor or medication. Bedtime…
Dissolve a cup in bath water and soak winter alligator skin into newborn epidermis. While soaking, add a little water to soda in the palm of your hand and exfoliate face, elbows and heels, rinse well, towel dry. Add a smidgen to toothpaste and polish teeth; now smile.
Tile maker Asian Granito Ltd has chosen the contract manufacturing route to add capacity quickly, as demand for ceramic tiles is expected to firm up in 2013-14 after a muted growth this year.
The Ahmedabad-based firm is tying up with some 15 contract manufacturers to add a capacity of about 25,000 sq m per day in the next six months. It currently operates six manufacturing units with a combined output of 81,000 sq m a day in Gujarat.
“We are investing about Rs 300 crore for putting in place the network of contract manufacturers, including modernising their facilities,” A.P. Manoj Kumar, Vice-President (Sales and Marketing), told Business Line on the sidelines of the launch of its exclusive showroom here today.
Asian Granito is amongst the top seven or eight companies in this sector after H R Johnson, Kajaria, Nitco and Somani. The domestic tile market is estimated at Rs 18,000 crore, which registered a lower growth of about 11 per cent this year against 14-15 per cent in the previous fiscal.
I requested my hairstylist treat my hair for product build-up. She put a dollop of clarifying shampoo in her hand and retreated to the backroom to add a little baking soda to it. Sure enough, my hair shines like a 2013 copper penny; if need be, I use it as a dry shampoo. A good dusting freshens our little Biscuit dog, as well as the carpet she rolls around on playing with her hedgehog. I use it religiously on grease spotted fabrics. Before treating the fabric with spot remover, I generously dust the spot with baking soda, let it sit to absorb the oil, vacuum off, and continue treatment. The same treatment can be used for pet mishaps. These few examples are but powder particles in the endless list of soda uses. Let’s take a look at a day in the life of HCO3 dependency.
Rise and shine, clean the coffee maker by running a pot of soda and water through it, rinse and put the morning pot on. After a vigorous morning run/workout, sprinkle soda into athletic shoes to freshen and deodorize. Call and invite family or friends to dinner; it’s always a good incentive to clean the house. Take stock of the soda arsenal; it comes in a variety of sizes and user-friendly packaging: 1lb. boxes, mesh-sided (spill-proof) boxes, plastic shaker, solid refrigerator filter disc, and a 13.5 lb. bag of soda powder. Grab what you need and begin deodorizing and cleaning. Place spill-proof boxes in the pantry, linen, and wardrobe, closets to deodorize. Head to the bathrooms…
Use a soda shaker, water, and sponge, to remove shower and bathtub soap scum, as well as, clean the diaper pail, lavatory, countertops, marble, and ceramic tile. Head to the kitchen…
Polish up the silver flatware by placing a piece of aluminum foil, tablespoon of soda, and liter of water in a stock-pot, bring to a boil and drop in flatware for 10 seconds, longer if heavily tarnished. Shake soda on a wet sponge to remove handprints and smudges from stainless steel appliances. Spoon four tablespoons down the drain; weekly doses keeps water flowing, and clogs to a minimum. Head to the laundry…
To enhance cleaning power, add a 1/2 cup to heavily soiled loads of clothes. Sprinkle soda in the litter box to absorb odors. Head outdoors…
Position a handy solid refrigerator filter disc under the seat of the car, to keep it odor free. Sprinkle some in the garden to deter rabbits from decimating the veggies. Cut flowers for the dining room table; add a teaspoon of soda to the posy water, and enjoy flowers days after the party. Treat the insect bite with soda paste to relive itching. Head back to the kitchen…
Make a quick bread using soda as the leavening agent. Add a pinch of the miracle powder to eggs, for a fluffier omelet, and to tomato-based entrees, to lower the acidity; another pinch added to a gallon of tea will eliminate cloudiness. Dust wet produce with it and rub to remove wax and dirt. Place a soda refrigerator filter disc in the refrigerator to neutralize odoriferous party leftovers. Don’t fret over baked-on party foods; they can be cleaned up easily after a 15-minute soak in a hot water and soda solution. Prepare 1/2 teaspoon soda dissolved in a 1/2 glass of water as an anti-acid for over-indulgence unless restricted by a doctor or medication. Bedtime…
Dissolve a cup in bath water and soak winter alligator skin into newborn epidermis. While soaking, add a little water to soda in the palm of your hand and exfoliate face, elbows and heels, rinse well, towel dry. Add a smidgen to toothpaste and polish teeth; now smile.
Tile maker Asian Granito Ltd has chosen the contract manufacturing route to add capacity quickly, as demand for ceramic tiles is expected to firm up in 2013-14 after a muted growth this year.
The Ahmedabad-based firm is tying up with some 15 contract manufacturers to add a capacity of about 25,000 sq m per day in the next six months. It currently operates six manufacturing units with a combined output of 81,000 sq m a day in Gujarat.
“We are investing about Rs 300 crore for putting in place the network of contract manufacturers, including modernising their facilities,” A.P. Manoj Kumar, Vice-President (Sales and Marketing), told Business Line on the sidelines of the launch of its exclusive showroom here today.
Asian Granito is amongst the top seven or eight companies in this sector after H R Johnson, Kajaria, Nitco and Somani. The domestic tile market is estimated at Rs 18,000 crore, which registered a lower growth of about 11 per cent this year against 14-15 per cent in the previous fiscal.
2013年3月5日星期二
Good Vs. Evil
I am not ashamed to admit it. The 1980′s helped shape my life and who I am today. I still listen to much of the same music. I still tune into Nick at Night now and then. Some of my friends used to call me Ty-ami Vice for goodness sake. Let me brush away the pastel cob webs from my mind for a moment.
There is a reason some call it the Big 80′s. The music, the hair, the Delorean. There was even a movie “Big” which starred Tom Hanks. It was the decade where bigger meant better. More meant better. As Gordon Gecko declared in the movie Wall Street, “Greed is good.” It was ten years of inflated self-importance.
It was only fitting that the 80′s produced the biggest and greediest production college football had seen to that point. The 1986 NCAA Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona featured the Miami Hurricanes, the number one ranked team in the land, against number two Penn State in a winner-take-all for the national title. Neither team at the time had a conference affiliation and were not tied to any particular bowl game. #1 versus #2 was up to the highest bidder. And the Fiesta Bowl won the war. This game was ripe for hype.
The number one ranked Hurricanes came into the game favored by a touchdown. Miami was unbeaten and destroyed everything in its path during that 1986 college football season, outscoring opponents a ridiculous 420-136. All while Penn State looked vulnerable squeaking by lesser competition on their way to an unblemished mark.
The lead up to the game was labeled by some as “good versus evil,” a direct tie to the phrase that then-President Ronald Reagan attached to America’s struggle in the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
All week long, the players from Miami were wearing combat fatigues. While Joe Paterno had his men be seen in suits and ties.
Miami’s roster was stock piled with NFL talent, led by Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverede, and future-NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin. Penn State, while skilled, was not nearly as loaded top to bottom. Miami had indirectly forged itself into becoming a farm system for the NFL. And they had no qualms of being seen as the bad boys of college football. The Canes were college football’s version of the Los Angeles Raiders.
Fiesta Bowl organizers wasted no time getting the most bang for their buck. The first move was to extend the college football season to January 2nd. While common place today thanks to the BCS, back then, the college football season ended climatically on New Year’s Day. It was an insult on tradition for the college football’s national title to not be solved on New Year’s Day.
Second, bowl organizers wanted the game in prime time. Initially NBC was not keen to the idea of preempting their top-rated program, Miami Vice (there’s that show again.) But once the Fiesta Bowl had sponsorships in place, NBC agreed to broadcast the game on a Friday night in prime time.
The ratings for the game were off the chart. Millions watched the nationally televised on NBC. The game drew a 25.1 Nielsen rating, which was the highest rated college football broadcast at the time. By perspective, last January’s Notre Dame-Alabama title tilt brought in a 15.1 Nielsen rating.
Remember in January of 1987, there was only one ESPN station, not multiple sports networks. And there were just a handful of cable networks period. All eyes were on the Fiesta Bowl. How big was the game? President Reagan was the halftime interview. This was sports spectacle at its finest.
As often happens in sports, the quality of the game did not match the build up. Penn State could not move the football for most of the game. But Miami’s trash talk and showboating was overshadowed but its generosity with the football.
The Canes turned the ball over seven times, including five interceptions from Testaverde, a trend that would plague him throughout his long NFL career. I remember vividly the game having no flow whatsoever. As soon as Miami would gain some momentum, their mistakes would stifle good fortune. Right before half, Penn State put together their only sustained drive of the game, a 74 yard drive to tie the game at seven as both teams headed to the lockeroom.
It stayed tied at 7-7 until early in the fourth quarter, when Miami took a 10-7 lead. Midway through the period, Testaverde threw his fourth pick of the game that was returned to the Miami five-yard line Penn State cashed in to go up 14-10 setting the stage for a dramatic finish to the National Championship.
Miami’s Heisman Trophy winner put together a drive from Miami’s 23 with a little more than three minutes to play. Testaverde through six straight completions, converted a fourth down, and moved the Canes all the way to the Penn State 10. But the drive and Miami’s hopes of a national championship would end thanks to Testaverde’s final interception.
For many, good had indeed conquered evil. I remember Joe Pa being carried off the field. The celebration. The big mouth Hurricanes and their brash coach Jimmy Johnson had gotten what they deserved on the biggest stage college sports had ever seen in this country. Justice had been served.
There is a reason some call it the Big 80′s. The music, the hair, the Delorean. There was even a movie “Big” which starred Tom Hanks. It was the decade where bigger meant better. More meant better. As Gordon Gecko declared in the movie Wall Street, “Greed is good.” It was ten years of inflated self-importance.
It was only fitting that the 80′s produced the biggest and greediest production college football had seen to that point. The 1986 NCAA Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona featured the Miami Hurricanes, the number one ranked team in the land, against number two Penn State in a winner-take-all for the national title. Neither team at the time had a conference affiliation and were not tied to any particular bowl game. #1 versus #2 was up to the highest bidder. And the Fiesta Bowl won the war. This game was ripe for hype.
The number one ranked Hurricanes came into the game favored by a touchdown. Miami was unbeaten and destroyed everything in its path during that 1986 college football season, outscoring opponents a ridiculous 420-136. All while Penn State looked vulnerable squeaking by lesser competition on their way to an unblemished mark.
The lead up to the game was labeled by some as “good versus evil,” a direct tie to the phrase that then-President Ronald Reagan attached to America’s struggle in the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
All week long, the players from Miami were wearing combat fatigues. While Joe Paterno had his men be seen in suits and ties.
Miami’s roster was stock piled with NFL talent, led by Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverede, and future-NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin. Penn State, while skilled, was not nearly as loaded top to bottom. Miami had indirectly forged itself into becoming a farm system for the NFL. And they had no qualms of being seen as the bad boys of college football. The Canes were college football’s version of the Los Angeles Raiders.
Fiesta Bowl organizers wasted no time getting the most bang for their buck. The first move was to extend the college football season to January 2nd. While common place today thanks to the BCS, back then, the college football season ended climatically on New Year’s Day. It was an insult on tradition for the college football’s national title to not be solved on New Year’s Day.
Second, bowl organizers wanted the game in prime time. Initially NBC was not keen to the idea of preempting their top-rated program, Miami Vice (there’s that show again.) But once the Fiesta Bowl had sponsorships in place, NBC agreed to broadcast the game on a Friday night in prime time.
The ratings for the game were off the chart. Millions watched the nationally televised on NBC. The game drew a 25.1 Nielsen rating, which was the highest rated college football broadcast at the time. By perspective, last January’s Notre Dame-Alabama title tilt brought in a 15.1 Nielsen rating.
Remember in January of 1987, there was only one ESPN station, not multiple sports networks. And there were just a handful of cable networks period. All eyes were on the Fiesta Bowl. How big was the game? President Reagan was the halftime interview. This was sports spectacle at its finest.
As often happens in sports, the quality of the game did not match the build up. Penn State could not move the football for most of the game. But Miami’s trash talk and showboating was overshadowed but its generosity with the football.
The Canes turned the ball over seven times, including five interceptions from Testaverde, a trend that would plague him throughout his long NFL career. I remember vividly the game having no flow whatsoever. As soon as Miami would gain some momentum, their mistakes would stifle good fortune. Right before half, Penn State put together their only sustained drive of the game, a 74 yard drive to tie the game at seven as both teams headed to the lockeroom.
It stayed tied at 7-7 until early in the fourth quarter, when Miami took a 10-7 lead. Midway through the period, Testaverde threw his fourth pick of the game that was returned to the Miami five-yard line Penn State cashed in to go up 14-10 setting the stage for a dramatic finish to the National Championship.
Miami’s Heisman Trophy winner put together a drive from Miami’s 23 with a little more than three minutes to play. Testaverde through six straight completions, converted a fourth down, and moved the Canes all the way to the Penn State 10. But the drive and Miami’s hopes of a national championship would end thanks to Testaverde’s final interception.
For many, good had indeed conquered evil. I remember Joe Pa being carried off the field. The celebration. The big mouth Hurricanes and their brash coach Jimmy Johnson had gotten what they deserved on the biggest stage college sports had ever seen in this country. Justice had been served.
2013年3月3日星期日
Helping Hearts lends helping hand
Three doctors, three hours, 58 cats and dogs — and one sick guinea pig: Ottawa Animal Hospital’s annual Helping Hearts Clinic saw no let-up in the need for veterinary care for low-income families this year.
Some people had to be turned away, officials said, because there just wasn’t room or time to care for them all.
“The clients who come in and qualify for these services are extremely grateful and these pets would not be receiving this care if it weren’t for this clinic,” said Dr. Wendy Swift.
As people hit economic hardship, veterinary care is usually one of the first things to be shelved. Vendors donated heart worm preventative medicine, flea and tick treatments, vaccines and tests. The clinic’s doctors and staff donated their time Saturday morning.
Furry clients received everything from normal check-ups and vaccines to more intensive care. The preventative vaccines also help staunch the spread of disease to other animals and even humans, Swift said.
“We have the ones who love us and the ones who don’t particularly want to be here,” she said.
Michelle Wilson and Derek Clay brought in Sasha, a 5-month old Australian shepherd-dingo mix, and a pair of black cats who can only be told apart by the color of their collars — Imoja and Josephine.
Clay is a disabled veteran, and Wilson works periodically through employment agencies.
“We’re living on a very limited income,” she said. “We’d really have to do some real hard work with our budget (to afford veterinary care).”
Having the animals around is “a really big deal” when it comes to Clay’s therapy, Wilson said. Just caring for them helps, and they provide mental stimulation and help him keep active.
Ottawa Animal Hospital also has an “angel fund,” which raises money year-round for big-expense procedures clients might not be able to afford. Donations to the angel fund can be sent to either Ottawa Animal Hospital location: 620 Butternut Drive or 2691 120th Ave.
Polaris Project opened a Newark office in 2005 and launched a client services program in 2010. Since then, Polaris has helped 143 victims in New Jersey: 107 of sex trafficking, 34 of labor trafficking, and two of both sex and labor trafficking, said Kate Keisel, the director of Polaris Project New Jersey. A recent grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will allow the organization to enhance coordination between local, state and federal agencies in order to provide more services to victims of trafficking in northern and central New Jersey.
Polaris, like the city where it is located, is an important transfer point for women traveling between fearful captivity and freedom. One woman who managed to escape from labor traffickers after being held against her will for one year spoke about her experience during a visit to the Newark office. She’s still afraid to give her name. Her captors may be imprisoned, but she’s not taking any chances. Call her Maria.
Maria, who is from a small town in the Philippines, looks like any other woman you might see waiting for a commuter bus on a weekday morning, or waiting to check out purchases on a supermarket line. She’s dressed stylishly, but not flamboyantly. She looks as if she could be someone’s mother — which she is.
Maria’s harrowing descent into the world of trafficking began innocently enough.
One day she saw an ad in her local newspaper: A hotel in the United States was hiring for office work in Florida and Arizona. Maria and her husband struggled to raise their three children on a limited income, so she leaped at the opportunity. She got a work visa at the U.S. Embassy and arrived in the United States at the end of 2006 ready to work. She was guaranteed 40 hours a week and a shuttle bus to work. “It was very specific,” she recalled. Her fear is such that she won’t say if it was Florida or Arizona where she first landed.
“When we arrived, it was the slow season and we only had two days a week of work,” she said. Money was deducted from her paycheck for housing and travel. Housing was shared with other women, many of whom started working in a nursing home to make ends meet and have something to send home. When the hotel contract was up, the workers were instructed to go home and reapply again — not an easy thing to do for workers who were not making the money they had been promised.
Maria found another employment agency and paid a $100 fee. When she arrived to start work at the new job, she found 12 other hopeful workers there — all thinking they had found a legitimate employer who would provide decent temporary housing for them as well. Instead, the nightmare began. “When we arrived, they dumped us in one apartment. I knew something was wrong, but I had no money.”
Frightened, she attempted to wait them out, refusing to take the hotel housekeeping jobs they offered. “I told them, ‘This is not the job you promised.’?” After two months, they threatened her family with harm if she attempted to leave. Others who didn’t have work visas as she did were threatened with deportation. They comforted each other as best they could.
Some people had to be turned away, officials said, because there just wasn’t room or time to care for them all.
“The clients who come in and qualify for these services are extremely grateful and these pets would not be receiving this care if it weren’t for this clinic,” said Dr. Wendy Swift.
As people hit economic hardship, veterinary care is usually one of the first things to be shelved. Vendors donated heart worm preventative medicine, flea and tick treatments, vaccines and tests. The clinic’s doctors and staff donated their time Saturday morning.
Furry clients received everything from normal check-ups and vaccines to more intensive care. The preventative vaccines also help staunch the spread of disease to other animals and even humans, Swift said.
“We have the ones who love us and the ones who don’t particularly want to be here,” she said.
Michelle Wilson and Derek Clay brought in Sasha, a 5-month old Australian shepherd-dingo mix, and a pair of black cats who can only be told apart by the color of their collars — Imoja and Josephine.
Clay is a disabled veteran, and Wilson works periodically through employment agencies.
“We’re living on a very limited income,” she said. “We’d really have to do some real hard work with our budget (to afford veterinary care).”
Having the animals around is “a really big deal” when it comes to Clay’s therapy, Wilson said. Just caring for them helps, and they provide mental stimulation and help him keep active.
Ottawa Animal Hospital also has an “angel fund,” which raises money year-round for big-expense procedures clients might not be able to afford. Donations to the angel fund can be sent to either Ottawa Animal Hospital location: 620 Butternut Drive or 2691 120th Ave.
Polaris Project opened a Newark office in 2005 and launched a client services program in 2010. Since then, Polaris has helped 143 victims in New Jersey: 107 of sex trafficking, 34 of labor trafficking, and two of both sex and labor trafficking, said Kate Keisel, the director of Polaris Project New Jersey. A recent grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will allow the organization to enhance coordination between local, state and federal agencies in order to provide more services to victims of trafficking in northern and central New Jersey.
Polaris, like the city where it is located, is an important transfer point for women traveling between fearful captivity and freedom. One woman who managed to escape from labor traffickers after being held against her will for one year spoke about her experience during a visit to the Newark office. She’s still afraid to give her name. Her captors may be imprisoned, but she’s not taking any chances. Call her Maria.
Maria, who is from a small town in the Philippines, looks like any other woman you might see waiting for a commuter bus on a weekday morning, or waiting to check out purchases on a supermarket line. She’s dressed stylishly, but not flamboyantly. She looks as if she could be someone’s mother — which she is.
Maria’s harrowing descent into the world of trafficking began innocently enough.
One day she saw an ad in her local newspaper: A hotel in the United States was hiring for office work in Florida and Arizona. Maria and her husband struggled to raise their three children on a limited income, so she leaped at the opportunity. She got a work visa at the U.S. Embassy and arrived in the United States at the end of 2006 ready to work. She was guaranteed 40 hours a week and a shuttle bus to work. “It was very specific,” she recalled. Her fear is such that she won’t say if it was Florida or Arizona where she first landed.
“When we arrived, it was the slow season and we only had two days a week of work,” she said. Money was deducted from her paycheck for housing and travel. Housing was shared with other women, many of whom started working in a nursing home to make ends meet and have something to send home. When the hotel contract was up, the workers were instructed to go home and reapply again — not an easy thing to do for workers who were not making the money they had been promised.
Maria found another employment agency and paid a $100 fee. When she arrived to start work at the new job, she found 12 other hopeful workers there — all thinking they had found a legitimate employer who would provide decent temporary housing for them as well. Instead, the nightmare began. “When we arrived, they dumped us in one apartment. I knew something was wrong, but I had no money.”
Frightened, she attempted to wait them out, refusing to take the hotel housekeeping jobs they offered. “I told them, ‘This is not the job you promised.’?” After two months, they threatened her family with harm if she attempted to leave. Others who didn’t have work visas as she did were threatened with deportation. They comforted each other as best they could.
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