LAUTARO MARTINEZ'S agent has confirmed there is a "good chance" of him moving to Barcelona this summer despite interest from Manchester City.

The Inter Milan ace has banged in 16 goals this term and is one of the hottest transfer targets in Europe.

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Barcelona seem to have overtaken Manchester City in the four-way battle with Real Madrid and Chelsea to secure Martinez's signature this summer.

The 22-year-old arrived at San Siro from Argentine outfit Racing Club in 2018 and has three years left on his contract, which includes a 97.5million buy-out clause.

Quique Setien's side were linked with the Inter golden boy in the January transfer window - but the club stopped short of triggering his release clause.

The Catalan giants are eyeing an eventual replacement for Luis Suarez - who is recovering from the knee operation he had in January.

And a mega-money signing of Neymar is becoming less likely after football across Europe was halted by coronavirus.

Sergio Zarate, one of Lautaro Martinezs representatives believes a move to Barca could well be on the cards.

He told SPORT: "Theres a very big possibility.

"Hes a great player. A tremendous player, this kid doesnt have a ceiling.

"Its the player who decides. Lionel Messi is there, I think he has a bit more chance of wanting to move beside the best (player) of all.

Inter can want whatever they want, but the market rules. As always, when European giants want a player, they go with everything. Now what is important is not the shirt.

Inters hopes of getting him to agree a new deal were hit by thecoronavirus pandemic but the club's vice-president Javier Zanetti remains confident of keeping his star player in Serie A.

He toldESPN: "At Inter I see him happy, he identifies with the club.

"We believed in him. I see his future at Inter."

City boss Pep Guardiola sees Martinez as the long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero and former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo hailed Martinez as the predators successor.

More:
Lautaro Martinez agent confirms good chance of Barcelona transfer this summer from Inter Milan amid Man Cit - The Sun

More than 26 million is to be spent on improving school buildings across Staffordshire.

The work is outlined in Staffordshire County Councils schools capital programme for 2020/21, which includes a range of priority projects.

Pupils are set to benefit from upgraded playgrounds, new toilets and energy efficient heating and lighting systems.

Leaky roofs, pipes and windows will also be replaced. And other measures are expected to include refurbishing or remodelling some classrooms.

There will also be a focus on increasing capacity in mainstream schools to support pupils with special educational needs.

The councils cabinet will be asked to approve the rolling programme when it holds its first virtual meeting on Wednesday (April 15).

Councillor Philip White, cabinet member for learning and employability, said: It is essential that pupils have access to good, local schools as it is widely accepted that the quality of a young persons surroundings can have a huge effect on their academic performance.

The investment is in addition to the millions of pounds already earmarked for brand new schools to help meet demand for extra places.

At Horton Lodge Community Special, in Rudyard, a number of schemes are being put forward, including internal refurbishment, roof repairs, replacing windows and work to the car park and driveway. There could also be more efficient heating installed.

Energy efficiency will also be a theme of the proposed improvements at Dove Bank Primary, in Kidsgrove, St Johns CE Primary, in Keele, and Endon High. They have been earmarked for new lighting.

Boiler or other heating improvements are planned for St Lukes CE Primary, in Silverdale, Fulford Primary, and Moorside High, in Werrington.

Mr White added: Energy bills are the biggest burden on a schools budget after staff wages, so we make sure new schools incorporate the latest technology.

With our existing, older buildings we have a double purpose of cutting costs wherever possible and reducing our carbon footprint as part of the county councils commitment to reducing CO2 emissions.

Schools earmarked for refurbishments or remodelling include Ravensmead Primary, in Bignall End, Betley CE Primary, Dove Bank Primary, and Walton Primary Middle School, in Stone.

Meanwhile, those set to benefit from roof repairs include Barlaston CE First School, Westlands Primary, Hassell Primary, in Newcastle, St Chads CE Primary, in Red Street, Baldwins Gate CE Primary, St Annes CE Primary, in Brown Edge, and Stones Pirehill First School.

The local authority will try to complete as many projects on the list as it can, based on funding available.

Schools are contributing to some of the work from their own capital budgets. Other sources of funding include Government grants, housing developer contributions and capital receipts.

Newcastle

Wood Lane Primary School Mechanical - Heating

Dove Bank Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement/Heating Efficiency Works

Hassell Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement

Hugo Meynell CofE (VC) Primary School Electrical - Distribution Board

Betley CofE VC Primary School External - Playground

St Chad's CofE (C) Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement

Baldwins Gate CofE(VC) Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement

Springhead Primary School External - Car park/Driveway

Westlands Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement

St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School Mechanical - Water Heaters

Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School Fire Safety

St John's CofE (C) Primary School Lighting Efficiency Works

Staffordshire Moorlands

Werrington Primary School Windows Replacement

Cheadle Primary School Windows Replacement

Endon High School Lighting Efficiency Works

Endon Hall Primary School Electrical - Distribution Board

St Anne's CofE (VC) Primary School Roof Repair/Replacement

Blythe Bridge High School Windows Replacement

Horton Lodge Community Special School Roof Repair/Replacement/Windows Replacement/Car park/Driveway/Heating Efficiency Works

Stafford

Oakridge External - Playground

Pirehill First School Roof Repair/Replacement

Flash Ley Primary Electrical - General

Berkswich Primary Roof Repair/Replacement/Mechanical Heating

Tittensor First School Fire Safety/External - Playground

Walton Priory Middle Roof Repair/Replacement - for Salix Lighting

Fulford Primary Mechanical - Boilers

Tillington Manor Roof Repair/Replacement

Doxey Primary Roof Repair/Replacement

Castlechurch Roof Repair/Replacement/Heating Efficiency Works

Barlaston First Roof Repair/Replacement

Burton Manor Primary Heating Efficiency Works

St. Leonard's Heating Efficiency Works

See original here:
Dozens of North Staffs schools to receive funding boost - and here's which ones - Stoke-on-Trent Live

BI/20/00795/DOM: Tides Reach, 30 Greenacres. Removal of existing outdoor swimming pool, replaced with indoor swimming pool and pool house to the south of the property.

BO/20/00800/DOM: Montrose, The Drive. Single storey extension and associated alterations.

BO/20/00841/FUL: Heron House, Taylors Lane. Demolish existing dwelling and replace with 2 no. detached dwellings. Variation of Condition 2 of planning application BO/19/00877/FUL - To reference amended plans showing amendments to fenestration, gable projection to front elevation of Plot 1 and internal layout changes including replacement of the approved internal garages with detached garages. In accordance with drawing nos. 1177/SK00, SK01, SK02, SK03, SK04, SK05, SK06, SK07, SK08, SK09, SK10, SK11, SK12 & SK13.

BO/20/00857/DOM: (Wessex Lodge) Land South Of Critchfield Cottage, Viking Way. Installation of PV panels to flat roof.

BO/20/00891/DOM: 1 Harbour Cottages, High Street. Sea defence works to South elevation, including replacement access steps.

BO/20/00892/LBC: 1 Harbour Cottages, High Street. Sea defence works to South elevation, including replacement access steps.

BX/20/00853/ADJ: Land To East Of Boxgrove Quarry, Halnaker. Screening Opinion for proposed infill of land east of Boxgrove quarry.

BX/20/00855/ADJ: Boxgrove Quarry, Halnaker. Screening opinion on Variation of Condition 2 (Timescale) and provision of amended Landscape Plan (Condition 16) and Landscape and Restoration Management Plan (Condition 17) of Planning Permission WSCC/109/13/BX to allow an extension of time to complete restoration works until 31 December 2021 and provide a new restoration planting scheme.

CC/20/00604/LBC: Santorini Restaurant, 14 Southgate. Front external masonry painted white from grey. Sash window and framing painted blue from white. Front door and framing painted blue from white. Sign on front facade to be reduced in size and different font to be painted in blue.

CC/20/00708/LBC: 1 The Courtyard, St Martins Square. Repair to external windows and front door, removal of section of cement render on the front elevation. Internal works include removal of staircase/walls and reconfiguration.

CC/20/00775/DOM: 229 Whyke Road. Replacement of existing retaining wall and fence.

CC/20/00776/ADV: City Centre. Temporary erection of a series of themed flags within city centre.

CC/20/00792/FUL: The Steven Pimlott Building, Broyle Road. Installation of HVAC plant consisting of 2 heat pump air conditioning systems.

CC/20/00801/FUL: Loco Restaurant Loco, 9 St Pancras. Rear extension with a gable ended roof, clear/glazed roofing and grey aluminium framed doors and window to the rear and an opening into the main body of the building.

CC/20/00805/ADV: 29 East Street. Redecoration of existing fascia panel to new brand colour. Installation of 1no. non-illuminated fascia sign, 1no. non-illuminated letter to entrance wall and 1no. non-illuminated branded awning.

CC/20/00868/DOM: 20 Maplehurst Road. Front porch extension.

CH/20/00642/FUL: Plot C2a And Cb, Pond Farm, Newells Lane, West Ashling. Use of land as a Gypsy and Travellers caravan site consisting of 2 no. pitch containing 1 no. mobile home and 1 no. touring caravan.

CH/20/00780/FUL: The Nest, 13 The Avenue, Hambrook. Erection of 4 no. dwellings and associated works. (Variation of condition 2 of permission CH/18/00810/FUL - substitute plans for garaging and roof lights on Plots 1 and 2).

SDNP/20/00871/HOUS: 2 East View, A286 The Croft To Bex Lane, Cocking Causeway. Replacement single storey rear extension with roof light and pergola timbers to form side canopy.

SDNP/20/01283/LDE: Herringbroom Studio, Duncton Common Road. Existing lawful development - change of use of land to domestic garden for use in connection with 1 no. existing dwelling.

SDNP/20/01195/LDE: The Annexe at Verdley Hill House, Henley Old Road, Henley. Existing lawful development certificate for use of as ancillary habitable accommodation.

East Wittering And Bracklesham

EWB/20/00833/DOM: Westering, 16 Barn Road, East Wittering. Two storey front and side extensions. Infill crown roof to main roof.

EWB/20/00852/DOM: 2 Marineside, Bracklesham. Change of loft space to habitable accommodation with an addition of a front dormer.

SDNP/20/00890/HOUS: Downview Cottage, Fitzhall Road, Elsted. Replacement of the gates to the property with new automatically operated.

SDNP/20/00762/OUT: Land at rear of 47 Midhurst Road. Outline planning permission (access, landscaping and layout) - Erection of 1 no. detached bungalow.

SDNP/20/01065/FUL: Wardley Farm, Fernden Lane. Erection of barn and horse trainer.

FB/20/00799/DOM: Lowood House, 2 Old Park Lane. Retrospective application for exterior alterations to garage and use of roof space for ancillary habitable accommodation.

SDNP/20/01067/HOUS: 5 Birch Court, School Close. Proposed rear conservatory.

SDNP/20/01410/DA: Richard Arms, Mill Road, West Ashling. Request to operate takeaway food from the above premises.

SDNP/20/01298/TCA: 1 Yew Tree Cottages, Down Street, West Ashling. Notification of intention to reduce height by up to 3m and reduce widths by 2m on 2 no. Yew trees (T1, T2) and reduce widths on west sector by 2m on 6 no. Conifer trees (T3-T8).

SDNP/20/01168/LDE: High Hollist, Hollist Lane, East Harting. Existing lawful development to establish use of land for residential purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the associated dwellinghouse.

SDNP/20/01438/DA: The Unicorn Inn, Heyshott Street. Registration for class use DA.

KD/20/00848/ELD: Sussex Game Farm, Scratching Lane. Existing lawful development certificate for occupation of dwelling, without compliance with an agriculture occupancy condition.

SDNP/20/00786/HOUS: Harthanger, The Street. Replace existing porch with new pitched roof porch. Removal of tiles hanging to the west and south elevations, replaced with moisture resistant membrane and oak feather edged boarding. Repairs to chimney and replacement of roof tiles.

LX/20/00860/TPA: Trehenney, Spy Lane. Fell 6 no. Ash trees (in rear garden) within Area, A1 subject to LX/78/00650/TPO.

SDNP/20/01285/LIS: Harrow Cottage, North Street. Conversion of integral garage into additional living accommodation. Removal of garden wall section to increase parking provision.

SDNP/20/01284/HOUS: Harrow Cottage, North Street. Conversion of integral garage into additional living accommodation. Removal of garden wall section to increase parking provision.

NM/20/00173/DOM: Stoneley House, Runcton Lane, Runcton. Garage conversion, first floor extension, new porch and swimming pool.

NM/20/00726/FUL: Runcton Nursery, Pagham Road. Temporary site entrance.

O/20/00761/FUL: Oakham Farm, Church Lane. Change of use from agricultural vehicle storage barn (Use class B8) to 6 no. business/workshop units (flexible use between B1/B2), including some minor external alterations.

SDNP/20/01260/HOUS: Quarry Hill, Grove Lane. Construction of garage to East of the property to include car ports and store.

PS/20/00250/DOM: 4 Nell Ball, Plaistow. Double storey side extension, garden store and additional vehicle access.

SDNP/20/01185/HOUS: Langley Bridge Farm, Langley Lane, Langley. In-ground swimming pool (10m x 5m).

SI/20/00851/PNO: Fairfields, Ham Road. Construction of 2 no. reservoirs to hold winter abstracted water for irrigating summer crops.

SI/20/00883/PA3Q: Willowdene Nursery, Fletchers Lane. Notification for prior approval for a proposed change of use of agricultural building to a dwellinghouse (Class C3) and associated works.

SB/20/00525/FUL: Prinsted Care Home, Prinsted Lane, Prinsted. Construction of 2 no. annexes.

SB/20/00812/DOM: 4 Slipper Mill, Slipper Road. Addition of 1 no. window and 1 no. door on first floor, 2 no. windows on second floor to the south elevation, raised garage roof and reinstatement of railings to form terrace, extended rooflights to the west elevation.

SDNP/20/01274/LIS: Fitzhall, Fitzhall Road, Iping. Retrospective internal alterations, including en suite in second floor bedroom.

SDNP/20/01141/APNB: Green Lanes, Back Lane, Forestside. 1 no. agricultural straw barn.

SDNP/20/01324/HOUS: St Marys Farm, A285 Selhurst Park Road to Droke Lane. Single sorry extension to rear.

WE/20/00785/FUL: Meadow View Stables, Monks Hill. Change of use of land for use as extension to Gypsy caravan site for the stationing of 6 additional caravans, including 3 pitches, each pitch consisting of 1 no. mobile home, 1 no. touring caravan and a utility building together with laying of hardstanding

WR/20/00815/DOM: The Granary, Newpound Lane. Proposed two storey extension and associated alterations. Removal of 1 shed and 2 stables. Variation of condition 2 to planning permission WR/19/01809/DOM to amend the approved drawings by removing the proposed chimney stack and installing patio doors, replacing original plans with 70312/PGF/R2, 70312/PFP/R2 and 70312/PEL/R2 and citing these in condition 2.

WW/20/00779/DOM: Orchard Cottage, Acre Street. Single storey annexe extension to existing cottage.

WW/20/00832/DOM: Mudskipper, 22 Marine Drive. Replacement of existing front fence, proposed bin store, driveway gate and new fence adjacent to western boundary.

WW/20/00869/DOM: Cakeham Manor, Cakeham Road. Dismantling of a 1960s walkway and staircase and replacement with a new oak walkway and stair. The new oak walkway will be a freestanding structure adjacent to a Scheduled Monument and listed building.

WW/20/00870/LBC: Cakeham Manor, Cakeham Road. Dismantling of a 1960s walkway and staircase and replacement with a new oak walkway and stair. The new oak walkway will be a freestanding structure adjacent to a Scheduled Monument and listed building.

WW/20/00893/FUL: Surbitonia, 45 Howard Avenue. Demolition of an existing bungalow with a garage and erection of 2 replacement two storey dwellings.

Visit link:
Chichester planning applications submitted to the district council and the South Downs National Park Authority - Chichester Observer

The tips that we are yet to share with you here will not only help you clean the window panes, but bathroom mirrors too. Essentially, we are going to teach you how you can handle cleaning glass materials.

While some people can try to do it anyhow, the window panes may still remain dirty, or they can end up breaking, putting you in great danger. That is why during your next summer window clean up; you should approach https://www.getmywindowsclean.com/scottsdale-az/ for a professional window clean up.

So, back at home, how do you go about window cleaning to ensure that the panes look sparkling clean at the end of it all? well, the tips include the following:

Before you take your cleaner on the windowpane, you need to prepare the whole window by giving it a thorough rinse first. That way, youll get rid of any dirt or particles that may have found their way there. For instance, if you live in a compound with many trees, it is common for birds to release their waste on window panes. Get rid of the waste with water and rinse until the window remains clear.

There are commercial glass cleaners or even home-made cleaners to choose from. If you hired professionals to do the job, they would likely come with commercial cleaners. Commercial cleaners can be the best option here because they are specially formulated to clean gas, and may not interfere with texture or construction material.

The biggest mistake people do is using moist toilet rolls or old newspapers to clean windows and end up having a lint-covered mess. In other words, you should only use low-lint rags that arent rough enough to create scratches. Remember, you can easily wipe a streak, but a scratch may need a new window replacement.

This is easy. If you wipe downwards, make sure that the next wipe is upwards on the same spot. That way, youll minimize the chances of leaving streaks behind.

Even after wiping in alternative directions as advised above, youll still get a streak, even if it isnt the same day that you washed. No one is ever perfect when it comes to window cleaning, and that is why you should follow it up with buffing. You can easily buff with a clean, dry cloth. If you use a moist cloth, then the streaks will reappear again after some time. Also, dont make the using cotton or toilet roll because they absorb and release the same moisture creating streaks.

Cleaning windows isnt something that you need to attend a college to learn. Just make sure that you follow all the tips weve shared with you above, and all shall be well in as far as cleaning windows is concerned. Lastly, if you notice any crack, please make sure you replace the pane before your next cleaning exercise because it can collapse at the slightest pressure and injure you. Let us keep our windows sparkling, clean, and glittering!

Read the original:
Window cleaning tips that will leave your panes sparkling - AZ Big Media

With dual-screen Windows devices apparently off the table for 2020, Microsofts Windows 10X has to find a home. Will it become a replacement for Windows 10 S on low-cost single-screen devices instead?

According to ZDNet, the delays associated with the coronavirus have pushed back the launches ofSurface Neo and other dual-screen PCs, past their expected holiday 2020 debut and into 2021. Microsofts Android-powered Surface Duo has apparently not been affected.

Sources close to the company had told PCWorld that the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 launch was being delayed until the end of April. That delay was due to concerns that Microsoft simply wouldnt have enough devices to put in stores, they said. Microsoft is also wrestling with the reality that audiences might not want a premium Windows workstation and a mobile-centric Windows device when consumers are stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, worried about losing their jobs.

A source close to Microsoft indicated that the Surface Neo is being paused to realign resources to address the most urgent customer needs. The Android-based Surface Duo is still on track to ship in 2020.

Microsoft has also invested resources into developing Windows 10X, which was released as an emulator in February. Enterprising users figured out a way to put it on a single-screen device shortly thereafter.

According to ZDNet, single-screen Windows 10X devices are now the priority, including potentially traditional clamshells and two-in-ones. The reason may have a lot to do with the lukewarm reception for Windows 10 S.

The Surface Neo may be in doubt, but the Surface Duo isnt; Microsoft corporate vice president Brad Anderson showed off the Duo, Surface Book, and a Surface Pro tablet in a photo posted to Twitter this week.

When Microsoft launched Windows 10 S in 2017, it had designs on upending Google and its inexpensive Chromebook hardware in schools. At the time, Windows devices were criticized as being expensive and overcomplicated. They still are. Googles approach was to confine pretty much everything to the web, and sandbox it within its ChromeOS operating system. That met schools budgetary needs, and also gave them a device that was harder for kids to mess up.

Up to now, weve all been somewhat obsessed with Microsofts vision for pricey dual-screen hardware, and whether that makes sense in a PC world largely predicated on a single screen and keyboard. But with Microsoft now delaying those dual-screen devices, the company could pivot and start positioning Windows 10X for the low-cost market.

If youve read our earlier coverage of Windows 10X, its easy to see the potential. Like Windows 10 S, Windows 10X is designed to be locked down, so that only trusted apps can run in the OS. (This time, however, theres a broader range of trusted apps, beyond the Windows Store.) Updates will take place quickly and behind the scenes. Its possible no anti-malware will be required.

Perhaps the most important advantage to Windows 10X will be its container model, however. Every app within Windows 10X will run within its own virtualized container, protecting the OS, the users data, and other applications in case an app goes rogue. Microsofts also saying, however, that it will require fewer resources and operate with lower latency than traditional virtual machines, a necessity for an environment whose hardware will probably as cut as many corners as possible in the name of cost.

Windows 10X is also visually simple. Gone is the traditional Start menu, replaced with a very bland app drawer model that mimics the interface of a smartphone.

Whatever happens will likely take some time to shake out. As ZDNet notes, nailing the app container model will likely be Microsofts short-term priority. It will have to finish off the OS, polish it, integrate it with its existing device management software, and convince PC makers either to create dedicated single-screen Windows 10X devices for it or repurpose some of its existing hardware. Most likely, virtually all PC makers will follow suitwhile continuing to develop and supply Chromebooks just in case Windows 10X fails to gain traction.

If youre a Surface Duo fan, dont worry. Microsoft has been happy to show off the Surface Duo Android phone in a work-from-home environmentright next to a Surface Book, incidentally. As for Windows 10X: Well, Microsofthasto be shooting for July or August of 2021 to release Windows 10X, in order to make the back-to-school deadline. Until then, traditional Windows PCs (and Chromebooks) will rule the roost.

Excerpt from:
Windows 10X may be the new Windows 10 S after the Surface Neo gets delayed - PCWorld

Throughout the 1990s, Microsoft developers were in a race of one-upmanship to produce the most elaborate secret Easter eggs. These included games of pinball, racing, and even flight simulators, all hidden within Office and Windows. Lets take a look back at some of the best.

Easter eggs are developer credits, silly features, or inside jokes hidden in software. Because you can only access these through a series of arcane steps resembling an Easter egg hunt, thats how they got their name.

Easter eggs were a sly, fun way for authors to secretly immortalize themselves in their work, even if individual programmer credits were discouraged for the sake of company unity.

Microsofts history with software Easter eggs began as far back as theCommodore PET BASIC in the 1970s. Over the decades, it grew dramatically, continuing through MS-DOS and reaching peak complexity during the late 90s in Microsoft Office applications.

Microsoft Management officially put the kibosh on the practice in the early 00s, citing security and customer trust concerns.

For a while there, however, the eggs were on a rolland they got pretty wild!

In the 90s, Excel attracted a large share of elaborate Easter eggs. For example, in Excel 95, if you follow a series of complex steps, a window called the Hall of Tortured Souls appears. In this apparent reference to Doom, you can actually roam a 3D, first-person environment. After crossing a zigzag bridge, you discover a room with the names of Excel 95s developers and a low-resolution photo of the team.

During the development of Windows 3.1, one of the programmers carried around a stuffed teddy bear. It became an inside joke and unofficial mascot for the operating system.

When the team hid developer credits in the Program Manager of Windows 3.1, the bear naturally made an appearance. The Easter egg normally shows a man in a yellow suit next to a scrolling list of the developers internal email system names. If you perform the trickrepeatedly, though, you might see the bears head in the yellow suit instead.

Once word got out about the hidden flight simulator Easter egg in Excel 97, it spread quickly in the press because it sounds so sensationally weird.

In truth, though, its not exactly a flight simulator in the sense of gauges and airplane controls. Rather, its more of a surreal 3D, first-person flying experience over a purple landscape. If you fly around enough, you find a black monolith with the scrolling names of Excel 97s developers on it.

Several versions of the Windows NT operating system shipped with a pioneering 3D OpenGL screensaver called Pipes. It displayed endless linkages of pipes, connecting and extending in 3D space.

If you set the joint style to mixed,in the screensavers settings, one of the joints will sometimes be replaced by the famous Utah Teapot. The teapot originated in 1975 at the University of Utah and later became a standard reference model for testing 3D rendering across many platforms.

Not to be outdone by the Excel 97 team, the developers of Word 97 included a simple game of pinball you could accessvia a series of obscure steps. It included a scrolling list of development team credits on a pinball-style, faux LED scoreboard.

Players used the keyboard (Z for the left flipper and M for the right) to control the game. It was simple, but amusing.

Windows 95shipped with a hidden musical tribute to its developers. If you created a new folder on the desktop, renamed it several times, and then opened it, you saw the moving, fading names of the Windows 95 team accompanied by a MIDI musical score. Windows 98 included a similar developer tribute Easter egg.

According to some Microsoft insiders (see the comments on this blog post), Office 2000 was the last version of the software to include Easter eggs as sanctioned by Microsoft management.

However,that might be true for Windows versions only, as a developer did hide a game of Asteroids in Office 2004for Mac.

Excel 2000 made sure Easter eggs went out with a bang!A 3D car racing/shooting game reminiscent of the arcade classic Spy Hunterwas included in the software. You raced down a road with the developers names on it while shooting at other cars.

Imagine how complex the hidden games might have gotten over the next few years if Microsoft hadnt stopped to the practice.

Finally, there was a physical Easter egg! In 2007, a Spanish blogger with the screenname Kwisatz discovered something stunning on the holographic anti-piracy label on the Windows Vista Business DVD. It was atiny (less than 1mm wide) photograph of three men. News of this discovery rattled through the blogosphere until Microsoft responded officially about four days later in a blog post.

It turns out the three men were members of Microsofts anti-piracy team. They hid the photo of themselves and several public domain paintings as part of the labels anti-piracy technique. These details were far too small to copy without specialized equipment, and most pirates duplicating Vista DVDs probably didnt even know they were there.

As more computers started to connect to the Internet in the early 00s, and the worlds infrastructure became more reliant on Microsoft software (voting machines, ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and U.S. Navy ships have all run a version of Windows at some point), the existence of secret undocumented code in applications took on a new meaning. As a result, Microsofts elaborate Easter eggs fell out of favor.

During the 1980s and 90s, Microsoft developers tucked hundreds of amusing Easter eggs in their products. If youre interested in finding more, check out Wikipedias list of Microsoft Easter eggsand the Easter Egg Archive website. Happy hunting!

See the rest here:
The Best Retro Easter Eggs in Windows and Microsoft Office - How-To Geek

You can rename files on Windows 10 in many ways. If youre still right-clicking and selecting Rename every time you want to change a files name, weve got some tips to make it faster.

Windows 10s File Explorer is a powerful tool. Did you know that there are four separate ways to rename a file or folder built-in? Theres a keyboard shortcut that lets you rename a file or folder without having to click a mouse, too.

All methods using File Explorer to rename a file or folder work identically for both.

Fire up File Explorer by pressing Windows+E, and navigate to a directory with either a file or folder to rename.

Click on a file or folder to select it, and click Rename from the Home menu at the top of File Explorer.

Once the name is selectedif youre renaming a file, not the file extensionyou can start to type a new name.If youve configured File Explorer to show file extensions, make sure only to change the file name.

When youre done typing, press Enteror just click somewhere elseto save the new name.

Fire up File Explorer by pressing Windows+E, and navigate to a directory with either a file or folder to rename.

Select the file with a single click, pause for a second, and then click one more time.

After the name is highlighted, type out a new name, and press Enter to save the changes.

To rename a file from the context menu, right-click a folder, and click Rename from the context menu that appears.

With the name of the folder highlighted, start typing out a new name, and press Enter when you finish.

If you prefer to use a keyboard shortcut, you can use one to highlight a file or folders name so you can rename it without using a mouse.

Select a file or folder with the arrow keys, or start typing the name. Once the file is selected, press F2 to highlight the name of the file.

After you type in a new name, press the Enter key to save the new name.

If you feel more comfortable in the Command Prompt, you can use the ren command to rename files or folders with ease.

One of the fastest ways to open a Command Prompt in the desired directory is from File Explorer. First, open File Explorer and navigate to the destination. Click the address bar and type cmd in, and press the Enter key.

To rename a file or folder, you can use the following commandif youre renaming a folder, just omit the file extension:

Although the quotes arent mandatory, theyre required if either of the current or new names has a space in them. For example, to rename the file Home Movies.ogv to First Birthday.ogv you would use the following command:

Windows PowerShell is even more powerful and flexible than Command Prompt when it comes to renaming files and folders in a command-line environment. While well only scratch the surface of naming your files, you can do some really powerful things, including piping cmdlets together to batch replace characters in a filename.

The quickest way to open a PowerShell window at your desired location is to first open the folder in File Explorer. Once there, click File > Open Windows PowerShell, and then click Open Windows PowerShell.

RELATED: 9 Ways to Open PowerShell in Windows 10

First, letslook at renaming a single file. For that, you would use the following syntax:

So, for example, to rename a file from SampleVideo.mp4 to My Video.mp4 you would use the following cmdlet:

PowerShell isnt just a shell. Its a powerful scripting environment you can use to create complex scripts for managing Windows systems much more easily than you could with the Command Prompt. If you want to learn how to use PowerShell cmdlets, weve put together a list of the best ones to get you started.

RELATED: 5 Cmdlets to Get You Started with PowerShell

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6 Ways to Rename Files and Folders in Windows 10 - How-To Geek

March 15

Watching the dog across the yard has taken on new meaning, now that we arent supposed to leave our homes.

Im sorry this is such a terrible image. Im a very self-conscious person, so when I cant do something perfectly, I do it terribly instead. The white area is the dog. The yellow shapes are a long window and a glass door that leads out into the second story porch. The black shapes are the porch, the stairs that lead up to the third story fire escape, and the woman of the house, who is sitting on the steps with a hot drink in her hand. (I cant see the drink, but since she always has one, Im assuming she has one now). Ive been watching her for months, since I moved my desk from the front of my apartment to the back. But now that she and her neighbors are the people I see most everyday, beside my boyfriend and myself in the mirror, I feel especially invested in them. Park Slope looks as picturesque as a stage set: a quality thats easy to miss in real life, when youre being shoved and yelled at in the food coop.

Ive named the dog Walt, for now at least. Im not very good with names. I feel like things are embodied completely by their physical forms this deep, patently false belief is one of the many problematic things about us cartoonists and a name just adds another, confusing, wholly unnecessary dimension. Names work best in fiction, when there are no images. The names are the images. That said, Ive named the womanWalts ownerJasmine. I think shes a Pilates instructor or something. Shes very fit, and also very wholesome. Maybe forty-five. Drinks a lot of tea(?). (Or maybe, I like to think, whiskey.) She has a son, maybe twelve, whom Ive named Elias. Ive never seen the man who must be her partner, except as a fleeting shape behind the window.

Next door is Sonia, my favorite. Shes oldermaybe seventy-two. She sits huddled up on the porch all winter smoking cigarettes and talking on the phone. Sometimes, when its nice out, she reads a book. She, too, possesses a vague man who looms behind windows.

Downstairs is Beth, a vest enthusiast with a new puppy, Whiskers. Once Beth had companya blondish woman Ill call Nance. I hope theyre a couple, but Im not sure.

The gray squirrels are Douglas and Phyllistwo lovely, soft, blue-gray names. (Vladimir Nabokov believed blue-lavender-gray was the color of eternity, and I agree). The black squirrel is Rockfeller. The woodpecker is Simon. The orange cat is Frisco. The Grackles (why do I capitalize that?) are Larkin and Fly-By-Night.

Of all these names, Sonia is the only one Im really content with. Ive watched her the longest. Shes the only one who spent any time outside during the winter.

Im procrastinating working on my comican adaptation of the Book of Genesis with a childlike, female God, which I think Ill call Let There Be Light. My understanding of how my own work is going consists mostly of strong but hard-to-read feelings. The deadening boredom Ive felt since I got to Abraham must mean somethingthat Im off course. But Im not sure how, and Im not sure how to figure out how. And Im not sure whether to ignore the feelings for now and push ahead with this draft of the book, or listen to them, stop working, and consider. One relevant piece of information is that God has a much smaller part in The Torah after the arrival of Abraham. Shes the catalyst that sends him on his journey, but hes the hero (and the patriarch).

Im not interested in him. I dont understand him. A good man, savvy about real estate, very aware of the needs of strangers, but rather dense when it comes to empathizing with his wife, Sarah. He reminds me of most of the men in my family, who really have no place in my art (art is not life).

God, on the other hand. I love her. I cant let these epic heroes steal her show. Anyway, nothing is happening in the comics department. Im shading in blacks and grays on pages Ill probably end up scrapping in a month, and procrastinating by writing this journal.

March 16

My boyfriend, Bartholomew (who, to protect his privacy, is pseudonymous, and also possibly imaginary), is isolating with me at my place. All my complicated ritualsfood, caf, weekly museum, weekly day trip to Long Island, friendshave flown out the window (the metaphorical window, not the rear window), replaced by a vague, somehow calm sensation of falling down a well. For now, things are very quiet. Bartholomew and I cook our meals. We wipe the doorknobs of our apartment. We avoid people. We wash our hands. We feel guilty and worried about our parents and my grandma, whom we are not visiting. The crisis lurks around the corner. Its a bit of a relief to let the rituals goto have been forced to. My rituals were mostly about feeling freewandering around, looking at things, touching all the places at once without being touched myself. Watching people without being seen by them. An impossible thing to pull off.

I often wonder why ghosts are portrayed, in ghost stories, as sad. If ghosts existed (they dont), I think Id very much enjoy being one.

8 AM. Jasmine is in the yard downstairsBeths yard(?)throwing the ball for Walt, who stands on two legs in glee. Jasmine is holding a steaming mug again. Other people are endlessly entertaining, as long as they dont see, touch, or expect a single thing from me.

11 AM. First I saw a woodpecker. Then Jasmines man came out(!). Baseball hat, cigarette. Surprising in Park Slope.

March 17

8:30 AM. Sonia is behind her glass porch door drinking somethinga hot toddy?

The magnolia out my window will burst into flower in a couple of days.

The governor and the mayor seem to hate each other.

I believe Sonia has two floors, which she shares with the shadowy bald man. There are now a number of people in her apartment: two, three generations? Do they always live there? Or is this some kind of a group quarantine? The younger ones cook and bake, while Sonia helps out and does laundry upstairs. Sonias been smoking much less than usualeither, Ive decided, for fear of getting sick, or because her family doesnt like when she smokes.

Jasmine and her man, on the other hand, both seem to have taken up smoking with gusto. These are unprecedented times.

A note on capitalism: Ive always considered myself to be a person who doesnt particularly hate capitalism. Being paid for my art has meant being accepted by society, which is not something I take for granted. But now that society seems to be crumbling, theres less pressure.There is less of a stigma attached to not making moneyto not having work. So while I still want those things, I only want them insomuch as they will allow me to pay rent and buy food. Theyre no longer symbols of success. Without the implication that busyness equals success, Im happy to have slowed down. Im just sitting at my desk, drawing, and writing this journal sometimes.

I also like not rushing around buying things, and not being pushed and trampled by other people who are rushing around buying things. There is a lot to think about there, and lots of time to think.

1 PM. Phyllis and Douglasboth squirrelshave sex, or foreplay, or a fight.

2 PM. Jasmine is wiping down her doorknobs.

2:09 PM. Jasmine is smoking on the porch. She looks so sad.

5 PM. Went for a run with Bartholomew in a very crowded park. Swerved and dodged to try to keep the recommended six-foot distance from others, but it wasnt easy, especially as a twosome. Social distancing has been nice for me, in a way. In general, I cant stand having my personal space invaded, especially by a stranger, and am always trying to manage things so people dont touch or lunge at me on the sidewalksa losing battle. But now, Im keeping my distance for the common good. Everyone is doing it. Except the people who arent, who are irresponsible assholes.

We saw three Irishmen playing music on their stoop for Saint Patricks Day. I teared up. The world as we know it seems to have ended.

6 PM. Lonely.

March 18

Sonia ate a banana. The normal way.

March 19

One of the magnolia buds is just, just, just about to bloom.

Ive decided to name Jasmines man Peter.

Sonias man, the bald one, is more of a Calshort for Calvin. A nice, bald name.

Last night I panicked because the fairy doll I keep on my counter had lost her baby. I bought the fairy from little girls on the street a few months ago. Shy girls, and good artists. We found the baby (who is made of yarn and a wooden bead) under the counter, untouched, and reunited them. I named the fairy Nectar, and Bartholomew named her baby Seedling.

Im starting to understand why things are named. Its a way of making friends with someone you shouldnt be friends with, because that person is unknown, or imaginary, or an object.

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Rear Window - The New York Review of Books

Judy Armbruster of Grosse Pointe Woods, right, talks to her mother Mary Lou Wholihan by the windows outside of Sunrise Senior Living in Grosse Pointe Woods, Friday, March 27, 2020. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

Every day around dinner time, Judy Armbruster goes to see her 88-year-old mother at the assisted living community she lives in.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Armbruster sat with hermother while she ate dinner at Sunrise of Grosse Pointe Woods.

Since COVID-19, Armbruster, 53,who lives in Grosse Pointe Woods within walking distance of the facility,stands outside the building at her mothers first-floor window and talks with her on the phone as her mother sits on her bed.

On a recent visit, she saw an aide, wearing a mask and gloves, take her mother's temperature and write it down.

Its kinda cool," Armbruster said of her daily visits. "Its a version of FaceTime. I get to see her. Make sure she looks OK. She gets to see me, which is a bonus for her, too. It does provide some peace of mind.

But it doesnt replace the direct contact that she and so many others had with their loved ones who reside in nursing homes, assisted living and other senior care facilities before the deadly virus hit.

These types of facilities house the most vulnerable those who may be ill, recuperating or elderly.

But their doors were shuttered to visitors in mid-March after the first known cases of the virus were reported in Michigan on March 10, specifically, in Wayne and Oakland counties.

The move was devastating to families, but necessary in an effort to protect their loved ones.

More: Death toll rises as COVID-19 sweeps through Michigan nursing homes

By Friday, there were more than 22,700 positive cases and more than 1,200 deaths from the virus in Michigan, according to state figures.Hundreds of those cases and dozens of the deaths have been in nursing homes.

Armbruster said the decision to close off visitorswas a striking blow. We cant go see her at all or take her to get her hair done or to the doctors, which seems trivial now. I understand they have to be very careful with that population.

She said her mother, who has a compromised memory, isnt tech-savvy, so the offerings of Skype and FaceTime with relatives werent as good as simply talking with her mother on the phone.

Armbruster said she would rather free up time for staff to help other residents use the devices to communicate with their loved ones since she's able to see her mother every day.

Armbruster said she isn't the only person who has stopped by to see a loved one at Sunrise of Grosse Pointe Woods.One woman, whose father was on the second floor, had a sign saying she missed and loved him. The man was deaf, Armbruster said, so the daughter brought the sign to convey themessage to him.

Facilities across Michigan say they are doing their best to obtain technology for their residents so they can see and communicate with their loved ones who can't visit.

Michael Perry, CEO of NexCare Health Systems, which has 26 facilities (eight of which are branded The WellBridge Group) said a lot of residents already have phones, and facilities have iPads and computers residents can use.

They also are trying activities, such as hallway bingo, where residents stay in their doorways and play. They're playing music and using whiteboards for residents to write messages to relatives and posting photos on social media.

Judy Armbruster of Grosse Pointe Woods shows the mail that she brought as she talks to her mother Mary Lou Wholihan over the phone outside of Sunrise Senior Living in Grosse Pointe Woods, Friday, March 27, 2020.(Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

"Staff is keenly aware and the facilities are keenly aware residents aren't able to see their families," said Melissa Samuel, president/CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan. "They're doing everything they can."

More: Families worry as they are cut off from loved ones at Michigan nursing homes

But its difficult for residents, who are isolated in their rooms, now for weeks on end.

There is no communal dining anymore. Allmeals are brought to residents in their rooms. Therapy and activities, such as crafts, also are done in the rooms versus in a larger group setting and may be limited.

All of this is also challenging to staff, who are dealing with protocols that are ever-changing as the pandemic continues.

Relatives have been visiting their loved ones through windows,celebrating birthdays and anniversaries or just saying hello. Even alpacas reportedly made a visit recently to the exterior of a Riverview nursing home to cheer up residents.

Manda Ayoub, chief operating officer for Pomeroy Living, said the residents are doing the best they can.

Its important for family to come and sit outside windows and talk with them. What I need is engagement for my residents. Get outside the window, have a call, let them see your face, she said, encouraging folks to use FaceTime and Skype if they can.

Theyre isolated. Its hard," she said. "These seniors are already going through so much."

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/04/12/coronavirus-covid-19-michigan-nursing-homes/5120204002/

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Families use FaceTime, other technology to stay connected to loved ones in nursing homes - Detroit Free Press

Homes are selling during the coronavirus crisis, despite heightened unemployment, widespread business losses, a whipsawed stock market and stay-at-home orders.

The number of Portland metro residential properties that traded hands in March -- 2,356 -- was 7.9% more than March 2019 and a 24.2% jump from the 1,897 closings recorded in February 2020, according to the local listing service RMLS.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

In the last three weeks, precautions to reduce the spread of the deadly virus have altered almost every aspect of a real estate deal, from seeing a property to signing the deed. (Read details).

Not only are real estate agents showcasing properties through 3D imagery and video tours instead of widely marketed open houses, they have also shifted focus on the homes benefits that they promote.

Hunker down here," states Bonnie Roseman of Living Room Realty about her listing at 8064 S.E. 19th Ave., in Southeast Portlands Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, which is priced at $749,900. Room for your whole brood. Be close and have privacy."

She also underscores that there is a guest room and a self-contained smaller home, an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU.

She added that the house "will be sanitized for you at closing.

Roseman received an accepted offer three days after she listed a 2013 Craftsman-style house at $599,900 on April 3: 113 N.E. Fargo St. in Northeast Portlands Eliot neighborhood has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,042 square feet of living space including a bonus space and a private patio on a 2,178-square-foot lot.

On Friday, her listing, a 1971 ranch-style house on a third acre at 12004 S.E. Henderson Dr., near the Leach Botanical Garden, was put on the market, priced at $379,000. Its an urban retreat with a small home but theres value in having woody space around you, she says.

A sale of hers that fell through due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is back on market: The 1929 English-style house at 1334 N.E. 51st Ave. is listed $549,000.

Here are Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus:

8443 N Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30 by Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.Keller Williams-PDX Central

8443 N. Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30. The house, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,346 square feet of living space.

Convert 12x20 structure to office, playhouse, ADU (accessory dwelling unit)," says listing agent Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.

7523 SE 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12 by Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

7523 S.E. 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12. The two-story contemporary house, built in 2005 on a 7,405-square-foot lot, has hardwood floors, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,996 square feet of living space, including a second family room.

The fourth bedroom and full bathroom are on the main level, says listing agent Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

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3934 NE 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26 by listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.Coldwell Banker Bain

3934 N.E. 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26. The English-inspired house, built in 1928 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has original woodwork and hardware, built-in cabinets, hardwood floors, three bedrooms, one bathroom and 2,230 square feet of living space, including a bonus room with a vaulted ceiling.

Remodeled kitchen features ample cupboard space, granite counters, ceramic tile and stainless-steel appliances. There are many other upgrades in the last 10 years, says listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.

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11239 SW Capitol Hwy. in Southwest Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 by Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

11239 S.W. Capitol Hwy. in Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 on March 11. The updated bungalow, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,019 square feet of living space, including a finished basement with a family room and bonus room/office.

"The private yard is the perfect canvas to create your personal oasis, says listing agent Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

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1518 N Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11 by listing agent Shelle Zimmer Angell Realty.Angell Realty

1518 N. Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11. The two-story, remodeled house, built in 1915 on a 3,484-square-foot lot, has refinished hardwoods, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,132 square feet of living space.

There is a full, unfinished basement plus a newly built studio and deck.

"Roof replaced in 2017, new windows, new paint inside and out, too many upgrades and updates to list, says listing agent Shelle Zimmer of Angell Realty.

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4667 NW Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms sold for $509,888 on March 31 by listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.Residential Realty Northwest

4667 N.W. Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms area in the Bethany neighborhood sold for $509,888 on March 31. The two-story contemporary house, built in 1997 on a 6,534-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,114 square feet of living space.

There are vaulted ceilings in the foyer. The stunning remodeled kitchen has wraparound counters, granite and a gas stove. The family room with a gas fireplace looks out to a private backyard, says listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.

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9504 SW 54th Ave.in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17, 2020 by listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.Living Room Realty

9504 S.W. 54th Ave. in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17. The contemporary house, built in 1978 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has bamboo floors, skylights, a central kitchen, three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,724 square feet of living space, including a family room that opens to a deck.

"The updated, terraced landscaping sits among Douglas fir trees on a quiet cul-de-sac, says listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.

3807 SW Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2 by Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.Urban Nest Realty

3807 S.W. Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2. The tri-level townhouse, built in 1990 on a 2,613-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,998 square feet of living space.

This refreshed and move-in ready end unit row home boasts walls of windows, new carpet throughout and hardwoods on the main level, says listing agent Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.

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300 NW 8th Ave #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8 by listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.Realty Works Group

300 N.W. 8th Ave. #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8. The condo, built in 1909 on the southeast corner of the eight floor, has high ceilings, wood floors, one bedroom, one bathroom and 956 square feet of living space.

Stunning, unobstructed city, mountain and bridge views, window walls and wraparound balcony, says listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.

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--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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On the market: 10 Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus - OregonLive