Pets

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

admin

The local animal shelter has created a new program called “Adopt a Dog for Christmas.” Todd McCray decides that his family should remove a dog from the show the week before Christmas. However, there is a big problem with Todd’s plan. He is a mentally disabled 20-year-old adult boy who still lives at his farm home in Kansas with his parents and his dad doesn’t want a dog. Todd can be very persuasive, so it doesn’t take him long to convince his father that this is a good plan. George, his father, tells Todd that he will agree to the plan, but that Todd must realize that Christmas ends on December 26 and that the dog returns to the shelter that day. Todd understands and promises that the dog will be returned to the shelter.

While they are at the shelter choosing their dog, Todd asks the shelter manager what will happen to the other dogs. He is very concerned when he learns that those dogs will be spending Christmas in their kennels at the shelter.

It has been McCray’s Christmas custom to hold an open house on the Sunday before Christmas and almost every family in his small town stops by. On that open house, Todd begins telling everyone about the shelter and the “Adopt a Dog for Christmas” program. Little by little, recruit enough families for all the dogs to be adopted for Christmas week.

Well, as you can imagine, the week “Christmas” stays with the McCrays, he works his way into every heart, especially George’s. George, however, is determined to teach Todd that when you make a promise, who must keep it. George has also had some heartbreaking experiences with dogs in the past and is not sure he can survive by giving his love to another dog.

There is no doubt that this is a Christmas first story, but it is also the story of a man who strives to be a good father and a family that fully supports each member. There are so many stories about dysfunctional families, it is wonderful to read about a real family working together to help each other. If it is a family that reads aloud together, Dog named Christmas was written for you! If you just want to enjoy a Christmas story, you won’t find a better selection. If you are as stuck with George McCray as I am, you can read his story in the prequel, Christmas with Tucker. Be sure to add them to your bookshelf. Put them right next to Miracle on 34th Street.

Real Estate

Calculating the hidden costs of renting office space

admin

When looking for office space for rent, calculating the total cost is crucial. Many business owners take a look at square footage and calculate the cost based solely on this number, which can be a costly mistake. While many corporate space leases clearly define what is included and what is not, others are deliberately confusing or contain fine print that is difficult to interpret. Before signing any lease, be sure to ask about common hidden costs that can quickly add to your monthly costs.

Remember the cost of furniture

While you may intend to move most of your current office furniture to its new location, it is inevitable that there will be some pieces that you will need to buy new or rent for the long term. You may also find that some of your furniture will not work well in the new office, so be sure to measure everything and determine what you will need to replace and what new parts you will need to invest in. If there isn’t enough ambient lighting, even the cost of new task lighting can quickly add up.

Security and services

Do office rental contracts in your area usually include extras such as cleaning and security services? If it is not included, you will have to pay a premium to third party service providers to ensure that your property is properly maintained and protected against theft, vandalism and other security risks. In some cases, a homeowner may even make payment for these additional services mandatory, which could add several hundred dollars to their monthly budget. Ask the owner if cleaning and security are included. If security is included, make sure you know what it includes. Is there a night watchman? A security officer on duty during business hours?

Public services and Internet access in offices for rent

Commercial owners with office space for rent generally do not include utilities in the listing price of the space because there is no way to determine precisely how much electricity each tenant will use and a uniform division is not fair to businesses that maintain the use of electricity and internet. to the minimum. But this does not mean that you cannot have a general idea of ​​what your utilities will cost. Ask to see examples of utility costs for the past six months for a comparable unit for an approximate number you can work with.

Sometimes a landlord may include the cost of electricity in the office space rental agreement based on the load (the amount of energy used). If this is the case, make sure the figure used is the “demand load”, which is the actual amount of energy you use each month. Some will use “connected load,” which calculates a figure based on whether accessories are connected. In other words, as long as your computers are connected, you will pay for energy even when you are not using the machines.

Maintenance requirements

If you find office space for rent that includes reasonable maintenance fees, you might be in luck. If your fees are minimal, you could save yourself a lot of trouble down the road when you need to perform routine maintenance. But what you perceive as reasonable may not be the same for your landlord. Your definition of “routine” may also be different. You probably want to include snow removal, but not change the bulbs or you could end up paying a maintenance provider $ 50 or more each time you need to change a bulb.

The cost of ending a lease

Office space for rent in popular urban areas can usually fill up quickly, but most landlords include a penalty clause for early termination of a rental agreement. This can be from the first and last month’s rent to the full cost of the remaining time of the lease. You may also need to return the space to its original condition, including patching and repainting the walls, removing added fixtures, and replacing anything (like window blinds) that you removed when you took possession of the property. .

When looking for an office space to rent, make sure you are equipped with the right questions so that you can determine not only the obvious but the hidden costs as well. This can protect you from unexpected expenses that could give your business additional financial headaches that you don’t need when you move out.

Shopping Product Reviews

Another Phablet Review: Apple iPhone 6S Plus Vs Samsung Galaxy Note 5

admin

Two super smartphones have been placed on the phablet market, and today we compare the most important features and specifications to help you make up your mind.

Design

Both devices are very similar in size and both are expanded versions of their predecessors. Much like the 6 Plus, the iPhone 6S Plus hangs from its sleek aluminum design with curved edges and an improved, stronger glass cover. This model fits well in the hand, but is significantly heavier than the iPhone 6 due to its size (the 6S weighs 192g).

The Note 5 is considered even more comfortable than the Note 4, cutting inches off its design and placing curved edges on the back of the phone. This makes it easier to hold and the aluminum frame provides strength and a sleeker look. Lighter than the iPhone 6S Plus, this model weighs 171g. While the 6S Plus is actually larger in size, the Note 5 has a better screen-to-body ratio, with a larger 5.7-inch screen (compared to Apple’s 5.5-inch). This brings us to the next feature comparison.

Screen

It is good to have competition between a very important feature, as both models use different display technologies. Apple sticks to an IPS LCD screen and Samsung uses its famous AMOLED screen. As a result, the Note 5 offers a higher resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, making it much sharper with more vibrant colors that are great for viewing images and videos. However, the iPhone 6S Plus comes with Apple’s new 3D Touch technology. This is a pressure sensitive function of the screen that reacts depending on the pressure of the user’s finger. For those who don’t care about the 3D touch, Samsung is the clear screen winner this time.

Performance

No matter how many apps you have open, be it gaming, media recording, browsing, and other intensive apps, these two powerhouses can handle it.

Inside Samsung’s Note 5 is a 64-bit Exynos 7420 chipset, backed by 4GB of RAM and a Mali T760 GPU. It’s a clear, high-quality performance setup. In the iPhone 6S Plus, you have Apple’s latest 64-bit A9 chip and 2GB of RAM. It’s great to know that Apple has finally updated the internal RAM this time as a means to compete. This means smoother performance and fewer crashes.

It is important to understand that these numbers only have meaning when tested. Various benchmarks show that the iPhone 6S Plus often outperforms the Note 5 when performing common tasks such as opening email attachments or heavy-duty apps with others already running in the background.

Cameras

The iPhone 6S Plus offers a new 12-megapixel camera sensor, while the Note 5 features the same 16-megapixel camera that the Galaxy S6 offers. With both devices, the results are sharp, with accurate colors and fantastic contrast. Low-light situations are where smartphone cameras fail to impress us, but this time both manufacturers have prevailed.

The real camera app offers more customization through the Samsung device such as HDR mode. Apple tends to make things quick and simple, which is why it lacks the more professional camera options seen with the Note 5.

However, Apple has also introduced Live Photos, allowing the user to capture a couple of seconds of footage on either side of their snapshot. Then you can 3D Touch on the image and it will reproduce the scene for you.

Both devices, of course, support 4K video recording and editing, so there is no clear winner here. Google search photo comparisons for these devices and the results can speak for themselves depending on what you are looking for.

Battery duration

It is important to worry about this feature. In theory, going for a powerful device makes sense, but if your power supply can’t support the system well, then you’ll be next to a mains socket more often than you think.

Specs-wise, the Note 5 has a higher capacity 3,000 mAh battery, while the 6S Plus has a smaller battery than its 2,750 mAh predecessor. However, Apple’s new chip and improved efficiency make the device last as long as the 6 Plus.

Both phones can last all day and, if used wisely, until the next. The Note 5 offers a more useful power saving mode, allowing you to save those extra hours just when you need them. It also beats the iPhone with a wireless charging option and fast charging support. Both are useful if you need a quick start.

Price

Both devices are at the higher end of the price scale, so it won’t interest you if you’re looking for an “affordable” smartphone. The Note 5 is priced slightly cheaper when comparing storage capacities, but your decision should be based on testing and seeing which operating system suits you best, as their specifications are very similar. Always compare the latest contracts from all networks and retailers to help you save money and find the perfect allocation package.

Sports

Great teams win despite adversity

admin

Duke Basketball goes crazy

One of Duke’s most admirable basketball victories took place in what many might call the saddest and most unlikely of circumstances. Bucky Waters had replaced Vic Bubas as Duke’s coach in 1970. He recruited some of the best players in the nation, but after his introduction to Duke basketball, the bad chemistry became apparent and they began dropping out to other schools. Hard Waters didn’t seem willing or able to stop the bleeding.

The bottom fell in 1972-73, the year this game was played. Recruitment had now dropped in a big way. Only two members of Bucky’s first recruiting class were still available as seniors: Gary Melchionni and Alan Shaw. Duke had Randy Denton, Chris Redding, Kevin Billerman, and of course Melchionni and Shaw. To top it all, Duke was also facing a year of probation for recruiting violations involving the great David Thompson.

Melchionni Roller Coaster Duke Race

Gary Melchionni had experienced a chaotic career at Duke. In his second year he battled mononucleosis. He then suffered a sprained ankle and, later, a thigh injury. Still, he was talented enough to start at the end of the season. In his third year he blew his ankle in a game against Virginia. However, he came back and ended up averaging 11.7 points per game. True to form, just before his senior year, Gary injured his Achilles tendon, missing the entire preseason practice period. So once the season started, he was desperately trying to get in shape and play games too. Game programming was crazy that year too. After an easy home win against William & Mary, only 3 of the next 16 games were at home.

The worst thing for the players was the fact that the Duke student base had gradually turned against coach Bucky Waters. As I kept losing the best players and losing games, things were getting ugly on campus. It was a huge disappointment and distraction to hear the boos and chants from Cameron like “Goodbye Bucky. We’re glad to see you go.” In this climate, most teams would be playing listless and uninspired basketball, to say the least, just longing for the season to end.

A hero emerges

At the time, this game was being played against no. 3 at Maryland, Duke was 8-9 and the Terps 14-2. Maryland featured All Americans, Len Elmore and Tom Mcmillen, talented seniors, Jim O’Brien and Howard White, and super point guard John Lucas.

Surprisingly, against the Terrapins Waters was willing to allow his players to use a loose-motion offense rather than the strictly structured pattern offense. During the first half, Duke ran with the Terps breaking fast and keeping up. That didn’t bother Coach Driesell, he figured any team competing against Maryland would lose to their run-and-shoot specialists. Melchionni’s shots were falling and he finished with 14 points at halftime. Duke was defending himself.

Melchionni’s mentality changed during the halftime break. He had always tried to be disinterested on the court, perhaps disinterested in the extreme. He decided that he would try to dominate during the second period. It would be just an experiment.

Maryland kept trying to get away in the second half, but every time they made a short run, Duke made a basket or threw a few free throws and barely stayed within reach. Then late in the game, Duke somehow scratched and scratched his way to a slim lead, 66-60. At that point, Waters decided to continue his mongoose offense. Some said it was a copy of Dean Smith’s Four Corners, but Waters said he adapted it from Chuck Noe of Virginia Commonwealth.

The Melchionni show

The other four Duke players spread out across the court and Gary Melchionni took on anyone who tried to score him one on one and almost invariably beat him down the lane or performed the most beautiful jumpers you’ve ever seen. Gary had to be one of the softest players on Duke. He had a near-perfect left-handed shot and could shoot it from almost anywhere in the midfield. Melchionni said: “I decided that until they stopped me I was not going to stop wearing it to the basket.” He scored 11 points in a row to bring Duke’s lead to 77-62 with two minutes remaining. The Blue Devils got a bit sloppy at the time, but Maryland’s rise was too small, too late. Duke ended up winning, 85-81. Gary Melchionni had scored 39 points.

Flickering light in dark tunnel

With this victory, the Blue Devils won the next three games against stiff competition. His record reached 12-9. Then a Cameron loss to a killer NC State team sent the team spiraling into four losses. Duke finished 12-14, his first losing season since 1939. But Duke fans had to be thankful for the ray of hope provided by an unlikely victory against the third-ranked team in the nation.