Daily Archives2017 January 08

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Tori Amos is a dynamic performer, brilliant songwriter, accomplished pianist, and all-around cool, cool lady. But sometimes, deciphering her poetic song lyrics can be a puzzle, especially her Silent All These Years lyrics.

I’m a big Tori Amos fan, and I’ve done my best to synthesize the Silent All These Years lyrics. Here’s a little bit of history, and the lyrical analysis I came up with….

The Song was released as the second single on Amos’s first studio album Little Earthquakes, although she wrote it much earlier when she was recording Y Can’t Tori Read. By 1992, it was picked up by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) in the UK to promote awareness for the organization, and was re-released in the US in 1997. Tori claims that the song is not entirely auto-biographical because she wrote it in order to place it with another artist at the time. (Songwriters oftentimes do this when they’re starting out.)

In my opinion, however, the song is biographical in a non-literal sense because it’s about an artist giving up her voice, or her essence as a woman. This interpretation is supported by the fact that Tori was admittedly inspired lyrically by “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christen Andersen, in which a mer-woman gives up her voice in order to catch a prince. As an artist who was trying to “make it” by pitching songs to other artists to sing, I think it’s a reasonable assumption that Tori was this symbolic woman giving up her voice to another.

A more literal and completely different interpretation, but not necessarily auto-biographical, could be that the singer has just found out about an unplanned pregnancy, and is forced to give up her voice or essence during the agonizing decision-making process of whether or not to get an abortion. Perhaps the singer has been “Silent All These Years” because she feels shame in having aborted it, coupled with the shame in not having talked about the emotional pain it caused her all these years.

Here are some lyrical references that I think support this interpretation:

“the Antichrist in the kitchen” is one of her parents screaming at her, and she’s “saved by the garbage truck” because she’s exposing her emotional “garbage” or messiness now by confessing these experiences through song.

“Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon”….telling her lover that she might be pregnant.

The “paper cup” could be a pregnancy test.

“Years go by, will I choke on my tears” may refer to the singer’s suspicion she may live to regret an abortion later in life, even if it’s the only solution right now.

Whether or not you agree with my literal and non-literal interpretations of Tori Amos’s “Silent All These Years” lyrics, it’s hard to disagree that it’s an intriguing multi-faceted song.

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Source by Liz Marrin

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There are various causes of buttocks or butt pain, depending on what you are talking about.

Pain in the Buttock/Butt muscle – Do you have pain in the big muscle of your butt while sitting, standing, walking, or during sex or other physical exercise? If you push on the center of your butt muscle does it hurt worse? How about during massage when they rub you hard in that area – do you just about jump off the table in pain? Does the pain radiate down either or both legs? Is it sharp, dull, burning, or aching, there all the time? Does it keep you from sleeping? Is it crampy? All of these could be describing butt pain caused by your sciatic nerve.

What is the sciatic nerve? – The sciatic nerve is a big nerve that comes out of your spine at the lower back, runs through your butt muscle and down your legs. It can easily be aggravated by stress. When stressed, your muscles become more tense and squeeze down on that nerve, causing all sorts of symptoms and generally making your life pretty miserable.

Pain in low back/butt – The lower back and buttocks are closely connected, so often if you have pain in one area you will also have pain in the other. The sciatic nerve runs through both your lower back and your buttock. Some people have pain only in the lower back, some only the butt or just one butt cheek, some people have pain in the low back radiating down one butt cheek all the way down the leg. All of these describe a typical sciatic nerve issue.

Pain in your anus (or butthole) – This is more than likely hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are veins in your anus, or right outside of it, that become swollen, hard, and very sensitive. Sometimes you can even see the hemorrhoids if you aim your butt toward a mirror, bend over, and spread your butt cheeks. They may look like little, round purple balls (that is the vein,) or they might be red and swollen. (Google ‘hemorrhoids’ and select images.) Hemorrhoids are caused by sitting (truck drivers often suffer from them,) constipation (straining while trying to crap will create hemorrhoids over time,) pregnancy can cause hemorrhoids due to constipation and pressure from the growing baby, and dehydration. Being chronically dehydrated is one of the main causes of constipation, and therefore, hemorrhoids. You should be drinking 2 quarts of water, minimum, each day. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks don’t count. You can get Preparation H at your local drug store which will provide temporary relief of the itching, burning, and swelling. But to really get rid of them for good you have to add more water to your diet, and more fiber. I like to drink 2-3 quarts of water per day PLUS eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I don’t get hemorrhoids any longer because of these changes. If you think it is hemorrhoids, but it doesn’t go away after a couple weeks of hydrating yourself and curing your constipation, please see your doctor. P.S. the toilet is NOT a library. Don’t sit there for hours and read – that is one of the main causes of hemorrhoids.

Pain or burning in the top of the butt crack – If you have soreness, redness, itching, burning, and/or mild bleeding at the top of your butt crack, you could have a pilonidal cyst.

From Wikipedia: “Pilonidal cysts are quite painful, afflict men more frequently than women, and typically occur between the ages of 15 and 24. Although usually found near the coccyx, the condition can also affect the navel, armpit or penis”

These cysts often get bacterial or fungal infections. If you want to try treating it yourself, get an over-the-counter anti-bacterial cream and treat yourself twice a day after showering. If you still have the issue after a couple weeks, you might want to see your doctor. I know, embarrassing. I had to go to the doctor once for an extremely painful hemorrhoid.

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Source by Anne K West Ph.D.

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Do you have a car that is just sitting on your lawn, or in your driveway, and doesn’t get used? Perhaps you have a wrecked vehicle or an old car that doesn’t run anymore, and you don’t have the cash to fix it. It probably isn’t even worth fixing it. Did you know that you could just call number, and then magically a tow truck will come pick it up, and pay you cash? I’m not kidding! Sounds too good to be true, but it is very true. There are actually companies in your local area, that will literally pay you green paper for you to let them tow your junk away.

You can get rid of that ugly hunk of metal and replace it with cold, hard, cash! The neighbors will be happy, you will be happy, the environment will be happy, and the tow company will be happy. It’s a win, win, win, win! All you have to do is hop on the internet, and Google search to find a local company to come remove your junk car.

Your probably wondering what hoops you will need to jump through in order for someone to come do this service for you. Well it is actually extremely easy. There are only a couple things that you need to do to get this service.

#1. You need to have a junk car, or a car that you no longer want to own.

#2. You need to have the title of the car.

#3 You need to actually pick up the phone and call to give them your address. You can also visit their website and fill out a form if you don’t want to call. Most of the companies give you online quotes now.

It is really that easy. Right now today you could be a few hours away from having extra money in your pocket.

So clear off your lawn or driveway. It’s time to free up some room, and get rid of that eye soar that you have been holding onto for so long. Plus it’s so easy, why wouldn’t you do it? It will take the tow truck about 5 minutes tops to hook it up, pay you cash, and be outta your sight. So enjoy your new junk free life and fatter wallet. It really is almost too easy to get rid of your junk car now a days. So give it a shot because you have nothing to lose…except for that junk that is collecting dust and rust.

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Source by Joel T Hahn

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Freight Management is a strategic system to optimize the efficiency of freight and commercial transport. When you think about it, the numbers of big rig trucks you see on the major thoroughfares they seem countless. We realize that the trucks are transporting goods and more than likely transporting the majority of goods. We don’t realize however what the system that lies behind all that transport is. It’s like a huge puzzle where each piece fits together perfectly and intrinsically. That’s where logistics plays a key role. Logistics takes into consideration shipping practices as a whole which includes the shipment size, vehicle type, mode of transportation, facility sites, and frequency of shipping.

So many factors come into play for freight management, with the priority being to minimize freight costs. Take into consideration the dramatic increase in fuel prices leading up a year ago and how they greatly affected shipping costs involved with transporting products and goods. Suppliers passed on their increased freight costs either by increasing the cost of the goods directly, or indirectly by charging surcharges on shipping. In the end, consumers paid more for items in stores or at restaurants. The bottom line is the bottom line. Freight management helps to keep freight costs lower which directly affects the bottom line and the price paid by all of us for goods and supplies.

There are a number of approaches to implement freight management in the transportation of goods. When possible shippers are encouraged to utilize either water or rail systems. Standard trucking of goods can cost as much as ten times more then shipping by water or railroads. Other ways to optimize shipping through logistics and freight management include optimizing truck loads by improving the routing and scheduling to avoid empty trucks on return trips. Organizing regional deliveries to reduce trips, not only saves on energy expense, but also the benefits to the environment while minimizing freight costs to the shippers. The two go hand in hand when you consider the costs involved in the energy utilized and the pollution expended during the process of shipping.

Freight costs are a considerable expense to take in to account when one who produces goods determines a fair yet profitable price to charge for their product. Freight management is the tool used to not only help minimize that expense but also help the in the determination of the set price. A freight management company can provide an analysis to the manufacturer the exact cost per product of the anticipated freight cost.

Not only does shipping involve shipping your product across the country and around the world, but also the regional delivery of your goods into the hands of the final destination or the consumer. It’s a web of events that has evolved into a major undertaking too great for an individual producer or smaller company to take on. Again, it all goes back to efficiency and minimizing freight cost which is the purpose of freight management.

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Source by Ruby Stein

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According to the legend of the money tree plant, a poor, hard working old farmer one day came across an unusual plant in the fields. Since he’d never seen anything like it before, he decided to dig it up. The little tree was difficult to uproot, but he managed to bring it home. At home, he found that the tree was resilient and grew without much care. He decided to take a lesson from the plant, and decided to be stubborn, resilient, and not to give up on the things he worked for. Soon, he became a great entrepreneur.

The Real Story of the Money Tree Plant

The real story behind the braided money tree is not quite as romantic, but no less fascinating. The story goes back to the 1980’s. During a typhoon, a truck driver in Taiwan was unable to drive his truck. So, he stayed home and helped his wife braid hair in her beauty salon. The thought struck him–why not braid a few money tree plants together? He took five plants and made a shape out of them. They were an instant hit, immensely popular throughout Asia. Today, the braided money tree plant has become one of the world’s most popular houseplants.

Pachira aquatica or money tree

Pachira aquatica or money tree refers to the tropical wetland tree, which is a native to Central and South America and it grows in swamps in these places. The popular names of this plant are provision tree, Guiana chestnut, Malabar chestnut as well as Saba nut.

This plant can reach up to a height of 18 m (59.1 ft) in the wild areas. It is comprised of palmate leaves, which are shiny green as well as lanceolate leaflets and green bark. Its flowers tends to be very showy and includes long and narrow petals which while opening resembles a banana peel to make a display of hairlike yellowish orange stamens. The cultivation of Money tree is done for getting edible nuts that can be grown in big and woody pod. The nuts are generally light brown in color as accompanied with white stripes.

Their tastes are like that of peanuts and are possible to consume in raw or cooked form. It can also be grounded for the formation of bread. It is possible to eat its leaves and flowers also. It grows nicely in the form of a tropical ornamental in areas that are moist as well as free of frost. Money tree has greater durability and is able to adapt in an excellent manner in all the various conditions.

It requires large amount of sunlight but exposure to direct sunlight is harmful for it in the summer months because the leaves tends to get sun burnt. “Money tree” term for this plant is used mostly in East Asia. It is used in the form of ornaments in Japan. This plant is a symbol of good fortune and in the field of finance is seen most commonly in business houses with red ribbons or other kinds of ornamentation.

Feng Shui

The plant has significance to followers of feng shui. Its five leaves symbolize the five elements of feng shui: wood, water, earth, fire, and metal. Some say that if the plant is placed near places where money is kept (or where wealth is needed), prosperity and wealth will follow. The plant is referred to in Asian cultures as “Bringer of Good Fortune”, particularly when given as a gift. A new proverb even arose to describe the intertwining trees: “The five fortunes come home, richer at each juncture.”

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Source by Edward Gonzalez

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The basic function of a skid steer it to save manual labor on bodily jobs, it can be applied to everything, from farm work to heavy industrial work. This loader is a versatile and flexible device and its application is almost wide as your thoughts. Due to this reason, this loader is somewhat popular among large varieties of operators.

The fundamental role of skid steer is the loading and clearing of debris and some other materials. It is somewhat similar to usual front end loaders. The skid steer has an exceptional role in doing jobs around the vicinity of Oregon in cramped situations wherein bigger vehicles may not be possible. In forestry, for example, the compact design of the skid steer is very much appreciated because the jobs can take place in situations without much need of maneuver. Bigger machines like front end loader, might not be capable to enter some areas surrounding Oregon wherein the skid steer may be able to operate. The compact form of skid steer enables the forester to perform tasks that not are possible to bigger vehicles.

The skid loader is likewise valuable in ranches or in the farms. It has some advantages when used in farms and ranches. The compact design of the steer can maneuver in places which can not be done by conventional tractors. The steer loader is useful in ranch works where fences may run intimately together, or in places where buildings are located close together which may prohibit bigger vehicles. Plenty of farms and ranches are not planned to have broad access entrances, so though a usual loader can offer more power and leverage, a skid loader gives a particular benefit in mobility.

One reason of the versatility of skid loader is due to its adaptability to broad variety of tasks and jobs. Their natural design is partially to credit, but inventive companies have planned several attachments and alternatives for skid loaders. These attachments include diverse engines, arm designs, wheel system and a big record of diverse arm accessories and tools.

Skid loaders are even designed to be operated even from standing position in the grounds, in place of the seat of the driver with a rotating cage. These models are very light; the small ones weigh 500 pounds, whereas the biggest models weigh over 3,000 pounds. The horsepower used by skid loaders range from below twenty to over eighty five or more.

Tool attachments differ, ranging from essential buckets to auger to revolving cutters and to snow shovels. These tools can be applied for farming also in ranching, leveling, debris clearing, industrial work and other jobs.

The benefits of the tracked form includes better traction over terrains that are not stable, but can harm soft grounds or even concrete surfaces, depending on the heaviness of the skid steer. The wheeled forms sacrifice the additional traction for better flexibility on more fragile terrains.

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Source by Evelyn Villanueva

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Jobs for felons are always hard to find and as most felons looking for a job know, any job or business that requires a license is usually a waste of time to try and apply for or try to start. Well I’ve found one profession that will give you a license, assuming you meet the regular qualifications, even if you have a felony conviction. Cargo Transportation Brokers; people who broker shipments of freight, household goods, or even cars and other types of vehicles.

There is one exception however. If you were convicted of a drug related felony then you are disqualified. I know that’s messed up, but at least, if your felony was not drug related, you may be good to go.

Transport brokering does not entail driving a truck. Its a job for felons that can be run out of your house or apartment if you want. Basically, you find people or companies that need to get something large moved within the country. Let’s say somebody in NYC doesn’t want to drive their car to Florida, where they’ll be spending the winter. People in this situation usually hire an auto transport company to take their car, on a car carrier, to Florida, so that they don’t have to drive it themselves all the way there. In this example you’re probably talking about people who are retired or close to retiring and can’t or don’t want to do an all-nighter driving to Florida.

So where do you come in. Well as an auto transport broker, you basically find the people who need this type of service and match them with a transport company. When the deal is agreed upon, to you get paid, sometimes up to $500 per car.

Who else would need this kind of service? Well, lets say your daughter just got accepted to a college 1,500 miles away from where you live. Do you really want your 18 year old daughter driving from say Georgia to California all by herself?….I didn’t think so.

This is another example of the type of customer a transport broker is looking for. Plus, in a case like this, you could also broker the transport of anything else she is bringing to college, like furniture boxes of clothes etc.

The mere fact that you need a license for this business sets you apart from the crowd, whether you’re a felon or not. But the fact that you can get a license like this, even with a felony conviction, seems like a great opportunity for any felon looking for a job.

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Source by Jason DiLello

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We found that as many as 50% of the people coming to dealerships do not go through the sales process because they are lost in the very first step – the Meet and Greet. This happens when the salesperson says “can I help you?” or “What can I do for you today?” and the customer responds with, “I’m just looking.” Too many times this dialogue ends with the salesperson saying something like, “Ok, if you find anything you are interested in or have any questions let me know – I’ll be right over here.” If this happens 50% of the time and could be eliminated 100% of the time – sales can potentially double if all of the other steps of the sales process can be accomplished by that salesperson. The first thing attendees will learn is how to help the shopper shop on your lot for the purpose of continuing to move that shopper “through the sales process” in order to..

Help the customer shop smartly

Allow the salesperson and customer a chance to build rapport so that follow up and referrals can occur,

and, help turn shoppers into “Buyers” by putting everyone through the five step sales process.

MEET AND GREET

Choose a greeting that will not END with the customer shopping by themselves.

Example: “Hello, Welcome to ABC Nissan! Thanks for coming to visit us today. My name is Sam and whether you are just looking and have a few questions or you find something you like and want to take it home, I CAN DEFINITELY HELP YOU TODAY”. “Are you looking for a truck, SUV or car today?”

To keep control you have to keep asking questions.

If you use the suggested greeting provided here and the customer says “I am just looking” – Smile – Restate – your greeting starting with;

“I completely understand and that is why I said…whether you are looking and have a few questions or you find something you like and want to take it home, I CAN DEFINITELY HELP YOU TODAY.” – “Are you looking for a truck, SUV or car today?”

REMEMBER YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN. (Memorize this script for a greeting).

Mental focus in this step SMILE, SMILE, SMILE AND SMILE SOME MORE. Realize that you can help someone in any stage of their shopping experience, AND ALWAYS LOOK THE CUSTOMER IN THE EYE! You always need to have a smile on your face when meeting customers. A smile on your face will tend to get the same response from your customer. A smile will increase the opportunities of the customer liking you. A salesperson needs to make eye to eye contact with the customer in order to get their attention. NEVER WEAR SUNGLASSES WHEN MEETING A CUSTOMER! If a customer cannot see your eyes then you cannot make “CONTACT.”

THE SHOPPER – Sometimes you will be faced with the customer that insists that they are only there to shop. How do you effectively respond to this statement and bring the customer back into the SALES PROCESS without the customer becoming offended.

ROLE PLAY:

” Hello, Welcome to San Diego Nissan! Thanks for coming to visit us today. My name is Sam and whether you are just looking and have a few questions or you find something you like and want to take it home, I CAN DEFINITELY HELP YOU TODAY. Are you looking for a truck, SUV or car today?”

“We are just shopping.”

“I completely understand and that is why I said…whether you are looking and have a few questions or you find something you like and want to take it home, I CAN DEFINITELY HELP YOU TODAY.” – “Are you looking for a truck, SUV or car today?”

If customer is negative or unresponsive to your first two attempts, the customer may still say something such as:

“Like we said, we are just looking.” 2nd time.

“All I will do today is assist you in gathering information. I’m sure you have taken the time to consider what is important to you such as equipment, model, price, color, trade-in value, financing options, payments, etc. What is the most important thing to you for your next purchase? Payments, price, color, room, horsepower?

Listen – then ask…What…Why…How… to get all of the information needed. What price range or monthly payment range were you considering?

– Were you looking for a sports car, sedan, van, truck or SUV?

– What colors were you considering?

– Do you have a vehicle that you are planning on trading?

– Do you know how much you owe for your trade? To whom?

– Do you have financing pre-arranged or would you like for me to provide you financing options and information?

– How long have you been shopping?

– What other models are you considering? Have you driven them?” (Key question for selling “your” test drive,).

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Source by Mike Whitty

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Less than truckload (LTL) shipping refers to the transportation of freight that amounts to less than a full delivery load for a semi trailer. The partial shipments can weigh anywhere between 151 and 20,000 pounds and are combined with other partial shipments to form a full load. Once on the truck, the shipments are transported to terminals where they’re sorted and then reloaded for further shipment to their destination. The number of times that a partial shipment changes hands is determined mainly by the distance that it’s traveling. For small companies, LTL arrangements are often the result of shipping options that have been refined by the use freight transportation software (logistics software), which focuses on integrating a company’s shipping procedures, reducing delivery time and cutting delivery costs. Most LTL trucking companies make deliveries in the morning and make pickups in the afternoon.

The primary advantage of less than truckload shipping is that it reduces shipping costs. Instead of paying higher rates to deliver shipments by parcel carrier, companies can take advantage of lower trucking rates. LTL is advantageous for trucking companies because it allows them to extend their business to smaller companies, which, prior to the deregulation of the trucking industry in the 1980’s, were bound to shipping products by parcel carrier or private trucking company. The primary disadvantage of LTL shipping is that delivery time is considerably longer than in full truck load shipping (FTL). However, when a company’s small shipments are a reflection of customer demand, the timeliness of LTL is usually a non-factor.

Companies who consider the efficacy of less than truckload shipping usually compare it against the value of parcel shipping. Typically, parcel carriers only ship pieces that weigh 150 pounds or less. But they try to convince companies to divide their shipments into smaller packages that will be awarded with algorithm based pricing. LTL shippers, on the other hand, prefer to ship as few units as possible to cut down on loading and unloading time, damage during transit and to simplify inventory requirements. The primary similarity between LTL carriers and parcel carriers is that they both use a system of terminals to deliver goods, while their primary difference is that price per pound rates are typically lower with LTL carriers.

Despite the fact that less than truckload carriers and parcel carriers compete for business, many companies use them in tandem. For example, a company might use LTL shipping to deliver its products to the right state and then use a parcel carrier to deliver it to the right locale. Known as “zone skipping” because the company uses LTL to “skip” parcel zones, many trucking companies refuse to participate in zone skipping because it represents a conflict in business interest. For new companies that are weighing the options of LTL shipping, parcel carriers and zone skipping, implementing logistics software is an economical way to arrive the best result for a company’s particular shipping needs. In addition to the judging the cost effectiveness of carriers, the software can also reduce delivery time by analyzing traffic patterns, road construction patterns, speed limit and route length.

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Source by Ruby Stein

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Finding jobs for convicted felons can be quite a challenge. With a felony on your record, it is not straight forward to find a normal job. Unfortunately, most companies won’t offer jobs for convicted felons and will refuse to hire a felon. The ones that do end up hiring will usually pay minimum wage, or only slightly higher. This leaves you with only a few options.

Option 1 is to wait it out. Most states do not allow background checks after seven years. However, if you are looking for jobs for convicted felons now, there are a few decent options out there.

One of the most popular jobs for convicted felons is to drive a truck. Driving a truck could incorporate a variety of jobs. Most delivery agencies are okay with hiring convicted felons, meaning you could work for UPS, DHL, or FedEx. You could also just be a normal truck driver and drive cross country carrying cargo. Most trucking companies supply jobs for convicted felons as long as you have a valid drivers license.

One of the most popular options for convicted felons is to start an online business. Many people are making a considerable income with their online business and many convicted felons choose to do this same. There are a number of websites to help you get started. The reason this is so popular is because you have the ability to be your own boss and do not have to constantly defend your past.

While finding jobs for convicted felons is not easy, it can be done. Best of luck to your success.

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Source by Marion Lament