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Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Developing an accurate prognosis, i.e., predicting how a man’s cancer is likely to behave in the future, is the first and most important step toward optimal care. Future predictions are often looked at with some suspicion. With prostate cancer, however, our power to anticipate future cancer behavior is quite accurate unless there is a lack of thoroughness in gathering information.
The Size of the TumorTumor size is a universally important prognostic sign for almost all types of cancer including prostate cancer. The method for incorporating tumor size into the Anthony D’Amico’s staging system relies on the degree of PSA elevation, the tumor grade and on how the prostate "feels" with the finger of a trained practitioner. These indicators are useful but don’t incorporate information from modern imaging. Imaging provides accurate information about tumor size and the presence or absence of extracapsular extension. These are very powerful prognostic predictors and it would be foolish to disregard their importance. As things stand presently these indicators are often used to divide the low, intermediate and high risk categories into "favorable" and "unfavorable" subcategories, each with a different spectrum of recommended treatment options.
Knowing Past Treatments Tells Something about Future PrognosisHistorically, since the total number of available treatments is relatively limited, practitioners have used a sequential "trial and error" treatment methodology that administers the standard treatment options in a fairly predictable sequence. For example, it is not uncommon for men to start with surgery or radiation. When a relapse occurs, standard hormone therapy (Lupron) is often started and given intermittently or continuously. Hormone therapy usually controls the disease for an average of 10 years. When Lupron stops working, immunotherapy with Provenge is usually follows. After Provenge, more potent hormone therapy with Xtandi or Zytiga is started. If these two agents prove ineffective, chemotherapy with Taxotere or radiation with Xofigo would be considered next.
The whole point of presenting the treatment sequence described in the previous paragraph is to convey the idea that the number of previous treatments communicates important information about that patients’ future prognosis. Having "failed" Lupron, for example, bespeaks of a much more worrisome prognosis compared to the situation where Lupron continues to be effective.Response to Lupron, The Mother of All Metrics
The quality of the "response" to Lupron is actually one of the most powerful prognostic metrics available. The degree of PSA decline after Lupron is incredibly important. How low the PSA drops after starting Lupron is called the "PSA nadir." The specific PSA threshold used to determine a "good response" is less than 0.1. Believe it or not, there is a huge difference in prognosis between a man on Lupron for six months who has a PSA of 0.1 versus a man whose PSA levels off at 1.0.
An Established History is also a Prognostic Indicator
Another somewhat obvious prognostic indicator that is often overlooked and almost never discussed in textbooks has to do with the prognosis of men who have been diagnosed years ago -- over time it is apparent that things are turning out much better than what might have been expected based on their initial indicators. For example, take the case of a man who started off with a panoply of bad indicators—tumor is in the lymph nodes and Gleason 10—but after aggressive treatment remains in remission for 5 years. The fact that things have gone well for five years counts bigtime in his favor going forward. Remember, the original prognostic predictors of a Gleason 10 were just that, predictors. No predictor is 100% accurate. Five years of established history is a stronger predictor than the original Gleason score. The fact that things have gone well for five years, strongly indicates that the future is for that individual is bright. Such individuals have "beaten the odds."
The Location of the Tumor in the Body
Another extremely important indicator of prognosis, something that even laypeople anticipate by simple common sense, is the location of the cancer in the body. Location says volumes about how things are likely to progress in the future. For example, consider the following sequence of progressively more serious cancer sites:
•Contained within the prostate
•Extended into the seminal vesicle
•Spread to the lymph nodes
•Bone metastases
•Liver metastasis
Each of these locations is very important for determining prognosis.
This short blog is just an introduction to some of the "profiling" methods utilized in generating an accurate prognosis. Space limitations preclude discussion here about other known prognostic factors such as the size of the prostate gland (discussed in a previous blog), genetic tests and PSA doubling time. The D’Amico risk categories constitute the backbone of useful prognostic information. However, the additional prognostic information beyond the D’Amico risk categories that are discussed in this blog, provide additional useful information necessary for determining an accurate prognosis. An accurate prognosis is the starting point for accurate selection of treatment.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Dr.Kevin Nead authored an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology this month.It created a media
sensation and generated multiple calls to the PCRI Helpline. Last week, three separate articles about this
topic were posted on the Yahoo home page at the same time.
It’s
no surprise that an article on this topic generates wide-spread interest. About
500,000 thousand men in the United States are undergoing prostate cancer
treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This treatment works by blocking
the male hormone levels delivering notable anticancer efficacy and also proven
to prolong life in men with prostate cancer. Despite it’s known effectiveness, a
variety of side effects can occur, including memory problems.The previously reported studies evaluating this
phenomenon seem to indicate that when memory deficits occur, they usually
reverse after ADT is stopped.The
research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, relied on a new method
of searching through patient’s medical charts with computers. No human review
of these medical charts were performed. The computer software searched the medical
records in an attempt to determine if men on ADT had a higher incidence of
Alzheimer’s. The authors report that this new computer searching methodology in detecting a specific medical diagnosis is 74% accurate.
Review
of all the charts at Stanford and Mount Sinai hospital unearthed 16,888 prostate
cancer patients of which 2,397 were treated with ADT.After the fancy computer analysis, designed to
compensate for multiple factors such as patient age and underlying heart disease
(both of which lead to Alzheimer’s more frequently), the conclusion was that
the ADT-treated men were twice as likely to have developed Alzheimer’s. A total
of about 9 cases would have been expected from normal causes, but 18 were
actually detected. If these conclusions
are accepted as gospel truth, an additional 9 out of 2,397 men treated with ADT
would equate to an increased risk of less than half of 1%.
The
conclusion that there is tiny increase risk of Alzheimer’s with ADT, needs to
be put in context based on what we already know about prostate cancer. First,
is it possible that these men have reversible
memory problems while still taking ADT? There was no attempt in the study made
to determine if the “Alzheimer’s” patients were still on ADT when the diagnosis
of Alzheimer’s was made. Second, men treated with ADT are substantially sicker
than men who don’t need ADT.There is no
way for the computer analysis to compensate for how this may have impacted mental
performance. Third, patients getting ADT receive closer medical surveillance
and visit physicians more frequently than men who are not receiving ADT.As such, memory problems are more likely to
come to medical attention and be diagnosed when men are on ADT. Fourth, general
anesthesia (from surgery) is known to cause long-term memory problems.This study did not perform any analysis to
determine if surgery was performed with equal frequency in both groups.
In
summary, it is not clear from this JCO article whether the men labeled having Alzheimer’s
disease had memory problems while still receiving ADT or whether they had true
Alzheimer’s, i.e., long-term irreversible memory problems continuing after the
ADT was stopped. There is one thing, however, this study does show: At worst,
memory problems serious enough to be labeled as “Alzheimer’s” occur in in less
than one out of every 200 men treated with ADT.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Cancer
that spreads outside the prostate gland is what makes prostate cancer
dangerous. Metastatic prostate cancer cells cause malfunction by impeding
normal function. Some organs, like lymph
nodes for example, continue to function quite nicely, even if the degree of
cancer spread is extensive.Lymph node
spread, therefore, is the least dangerous form of prostate cancer
metastases.At the other end of the spectrum
is the liver, which is far less
tolerant.The seriousness of bone metastases, the most common site of
prostate cancer spread, lies about half way between that of node metastases and
liver metastases.
The
earliest stages of metastases are microscopic and therefore invisible even with
the best available technology. To be detected with the best available PET scan
technology, small tumors must measure more than 1/8 of an inch across. For
detection with standard CT scans and MRI scans, more than a half-inch sized
tumor is necessary. Since the presence of metastases is such a defining issue
when describing a cancer’s character, men who are newly-diagnosed are labeled
as low, intermediate or high-risk depending on their estimatedlikelihood of
micro-metastatic disease. Liver metastases are extremely rare at the time of
initial diagnosis of prostate cancer. When they occur it is usually after many
years of ongoing treatment for known metastatic disease in the bone.
Prophylactic
treatment with hormone therapy, chemotherapy or radiation to treat the possibility of micro-metastases is
common for high-risk prostate cancer and occurs maybe half the time in
intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The goal is to cure the micro-metastases at
an early stage when they are most susceptible to eradication, thus preventing
the future development of detectable metastases which is what makes cancer life
threatening.
When
talking about prostate cancer, even though this is a blog about metastases, it
should always be remembered that many common types of prostate cancer never
spread. These low grade “cancers” are genetically distinct and represent a
totally different category of disease.However,
when discussing the type of prostate cancer that is capable of metastasis, the
following factors impact how dangerous it is:
The site of spread.
The extent of spread
The tumor cell growth rate
The efficacy of available treatment
As
noted above, the liver is far less tolerant to metastatic invasion than bone or
lymph nodes. In addition, because liver metastases tend to occur in men with advanced
disease, tumor growth rates tend to be brisk. Also, the most commonly
administered treatments, hormone therapies and chemotherapy, have often already
been tried before liver metastases first develop. The advent of liver
metastases, therefore, usually represents a very serious and life threatening
issue.
Liver
metastases may first be suspected when standard blood tests such as ALT, AST or
ALP which are components of a hepatic panel blood test, register outside the
normal range. Investigation into their cause often leads to doing a CT scan or
MRI scan of the abdomen and pelvis to confirm the presence of disease in the
liver. Alternatively, a scan may detect abnormal spots in the liver during
routine periodic scanning that is being performed as regular surveillance.
Hormone
therapy with Lupron, Zytiga and Xtandi, or chemotherapy with Taxotere, Jevtana
and Carboplatin, is the standard approach to treatment for liver
metastasis.However, these treatments
may have already been tried or may no longer be effective.Since liver failure is tantamount to death,
prostate cancer growth in the liver needs to be stopped immediately, regardless
of how the disease is faring in the bones or nodes.
Much
that has been learned about the treatment of liver metastases comes from
reviewing common methods for managing metastatic colon cancer. The liver is the
cancer’s preferred site of metastatic spread for colon cancer. Treatments that
have been employed include surgery, radiation and blockage of the blood supply
to the liver by embolization of the arteries, all with variable success.More recently, radioactive microspheres
injected directly into the tumor, called SIR-Spheres, have shown notable
efficacy with very tolerable side effects.
Prostate
cancer and colon cancer are similar in that they are both adenocarcinomas which
means they are derived from glands. Therefore, they are likely to have similar
susceptibility to radiation. As such, we have been administering SIR-Spheres to
a limited number of prostate cancer patients with liver metastases. Results
have been encouraging with a notable improvement of survival compared to our
historical experience treatment patients with liver metastases without SIR-Spheres.Our preliminary results using SIR-Spheres in
six patients is being presented at the 2016 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium - San Francisco in January 2016.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
A recent UCLA
study found that a significant percentage of men diagnosed with low-risk
prostate cancer who chose "active surveillance," rather than
aggressive treatment in order to avoid the debilitating side effects of surgery
or radiation, don't follow up with the required tests and office visits.
This is
an alarming finding, because not being monitored appropriately puts them in
danger of the cancer progressing or metastasizing without their knowledge.
Before patients decide on active surveillance as a management option for
prostate cancer they should agree with their physician on a strict follow-up
schedule to closely monitor the cancer.
There is
no doubt in my mind that active surveillance is the smart treatment option for
low-risk prostate cancer. With other cancers, or if the prostate
cancer is aggressive, the main issue is survival. But with low-risk prostate
cancer, since long survival is the norm, the most important consideration
is quality of life. Having said that, with active surveillance regular
check-ups are essential, because when men are watched closely, treatment can be
started at the first sign of cancer progression.
So what
does active surveillance require? How exactly is it carried out?
Different
centers have different requirements. At a 2007 Active Surveillance Conference,
attended by over 200 of the world's leading prostate cancer experts, the
attendees recommended a biopsy after one year, subsequently repeating it every
two to three years. But as I have often said, I am not a fan of biopsies. So I
prefer to recommend doing a repeat targeted biopsy only on the basis of a PSA and
prostate imaging with either color Doppler ultrasound or 3T multi-parametric MRI.
Whatever
protocol your urologist recommends you need to be committed to following it. It
may be inconvenient or uncomfortable but the alternative is aggressive
treatment that has the potential to leave you with erectile and urinary
dysfunction.
There is
always the consideration to just treat the cancer and be rid of it. But having
lived with this disease for over two decades, with my prostate intact, I am a
firm believer in avoiding radical treatment and preserving quality of life as
long as possible. And if you have low-risk prostate cancer, bear in mind
that the longer you can wait before you submit to radical treatment, the better
the odds are that research in the field will have advanced, and treatment will
have become more effective and less
toxic.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
BY MARK SCHOLZ, MDIn 2016, the PCRI will celebrate its 20th
anniversary.The PCRI, founded in 1996
by Dr. Stephen Strum and I, was originally funded by a generous grant from the
Daniel Freeman Medical Foundation.This
initial grant was spent on hiring Harry Pinchot, aka Helpline Harry. The
helpline format adopted at the PCRI was modeled after the work of Lloyd Ney,
the founder of PAACT.PCRI’s helpline presently has four counselors: Jonathan Levy, Silvia Cooper, Bob Each and
Charles Kokaska, all who provide unbiased prostate-cancer-related information,
free of charge to the public.
PCRI started doing patient-focused
conferences in 2006. Since 2006 this has become an annual meeting. The conference
has grown in stature through the years by attracting world-renowned prostate
cancer experts who are invited to present the latest information on optimal
diagnosis and therapy. DVDs of the presentations are distributed throughout the
world. Partly due to the wonderful moderating presence of Dr. Mark Moyad, the
conference has grown to be the largest patient-orientated prostate cancer
conference in the world.
PCRI makes its biggest impact via its online
presence by providing articles and blogs authored by prostate cancer experts
from every specialty. But more importantly, PCRI is presently in entering into
a new phase, the development of the SHADEs of Blue organizational format, a
methodology to help patients sort through the overwhelming amount of information
by reducing it into a more manageable bite-sized format.As we all know, the internet has solved the
problem of getting access to information.Now the biggest problem patients face is information overload. How does
one sort through the deluge of unfiltered information?
The development of the SHADES of Blue program
will address this problem of information overload by segregating prostate
cancer information into five large categories. Three are for the
newly-diagnosed, Low, Intermediate and High-Risk, and two are for men with
either relapsed disease or metastatic, hormone-resistant disease. The SHADES
program is a big undertaking for a small organization like the PCRI, especially
considering that we have expanded our conference schedule by now doing two
conferences annually with the addition of the Mid-Year Update in March.
Looking to the immediate future, I never been
more excited by the PCRI’s potential for making a positive impact in the lives
of men with prostate cancer. If my suspicious are correct, PCRI’s
visibility is truly on the verge of taking a big jump.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Following in the footsteps
of robotic surgeons, prostate cancer continues to go high-tech. Radiation, for
instance, is no longer just radiation. There are now numerous different ways to
deliver it. But the two methods I want to write about here are Intensity
Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), and Proton Beam Therapy (PBT).
The predominant method in
the U.S. for the past decade is IMRT, a complex procedure that precisely
targets the prostate gland with multiple beams of high energy light (photons)
at different angles and intensities while significantly lowering the risk of
damage to the surrounding tissues and organs. This greater accuracy
in targeting also allows the therapist to maximize the radiation dose to the
tumor. IMRT has at least as effective a cure rate as surgery, and without the
risks and side effects of a major surgical procedure.
Having said that, I have
recently been checking out Proton Beam Therapy, a form of radiation that
targets the tumor with charged particles called protons. Several decades ago,
Loma Linda University in California was the first to begin administering PBT.
At that time, I had a friend who, at 55, developed prostate cancer and was one
of the first patients at Loma Linda when proton therapy was at a very early
stage. Bill has been free of cancer for over twenty years, and only recently
had a rise in PSA and is discussing further treatment.
Since then, thanks in part
to marketing hype, PBT is becoming increasingly popular. Now, M.D. Anderson,
Harvard, and the University of Florida in Jacksonville, are among the major
medical centers that have made PBT available. And The Mayo Clinic is
building two proton therapy centers (one in Rochester, one in Arizona) at
a cost of $380 million. Naturally PBT costs considerably more than IMRT.
When weighing treatment
options, patients generally consider two main factors: potential side-effects,
and successful outcome. So how do these two therapies measure up? Well, there
is considerable controversy in the urologic community. The good news is both
therapies have a high cure rate. Studies that have tried to compare IMRT with Proton
therapy indicate that the outcomes are quite similar and that the side effects
are comparable. No large randomized trials have been published that directly
compare patient outcomes with the different techniques. So in the end, a
treatment decision usually depends on such variables as patient preference and
doctor preference.
It is reasonable,
therefore, to keep in mind that any medical center that has invested an
astronomical amount of money on equipment will end up wanting to use it.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
BY MARK SCHOLZ, MDProstate
cancer is way over treated, and the problem starts with over diagnosis.Once men are diagnosed, the fear of cancer
naturally drives them toward radical treatment. In 2011 the US Preventive
Services Task Force intervened, trying to stop overtreatment, argued that PSA
testing causes more harm than good.Some have
questioned the expertise of the panel because of the lack of representation by
urologists, radiation therapists or medical oncologists --the types of doctors
usually responsible for treating prostate cancer.Actually, the credentials of the panel
constituents appear entirely appropriate to comment on screening, because this
is an area of medicine usually handled by primary care doctors.The panel members consisted of twelve MD’s
and four PhD’s trained in primary care, public health and statistics.
The Task Force
agrees that PSA screening may save lives. Their judgment, however, was that too
few lives are saved to justify thousands of men getting unnecessary radical
treatment. One statistic indicates that a thousand men must be screened to save
one life within the next 12 years.
Personally, I
agree with the panel in regards to over diagnosis is a root cause of over
treatment. However, simply discarding PSA is an oversimplification. PSA can
detect a variety of problems infection and benign prostate enlargement. Actually,
the majority of men with elevated PSA, don’t have prostate cancer.No, the real
problem is after a PSA test rises. Every
year, a million men are advised to have a dozen, large-bore needles jabbed into
their rectums “Just to be sure there is no cancer.”Such behavior sounds ridiculous, but really,
it is just the survival instinct in action. People will do practically anything
when they fear for their lives.So if not a
biopsy to evaluate an elevated PSA, what’s next? First, the
fear must be faced. Ralph Waldo Emerson says “Knowledge is the antidote to
fear.” So let’s look at some basic facts:
One out of 38 men die of prostate cancer
One out of seven men are diagnosed with prostate cancer
In men who are “diagnosed”
Five-year survival is 100%
Ten-year survival is 99%
Fifteen-year survival is 94%
Considering it
is cancer, survival rates are great! At least these numbers should overcome any
urge to rush. Clearly there is plenty of time is to study and learn more. Confusion
arises because a minority of prostate cancers can indeed be dangerous. Not as
dangerous as lung or pancreas cancer which kill within months. However, demise
from prostate cancer certainly qualifies as “dangerous,” even if it is rather
infrequent and much postponed.These
statistics reveal something else that is quite useful. Prostate management
issues are of long-range nature, like
saving for college or for retirement. Just as expert financial planners are
limited in the ability to make predictions about economic activity ten years in
the future, doctors should be equally humble in their pronouncements about the
future of prostate cancer. We don’t know for sure, but we strongly suspect
there will be substantial breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of
prostate cancer in the next ten years.
For the short
term, I think the best way to proceed is with imaging the prostate with a 3Tmulti-parametric MRI or color Doppler ultrasound. Scans are about as accurate
as a random biopsy for detecting aggressive cancers and they usually fail to
detect the harmless low grade types, which is a good thing. However, if there
is a worrisome abnormality, a targeted biopsy with just a couple cores is
needed.
Over-diagnosis
and over-treatment is not due to PSA. It’s the misguided policy of rushing into
an immediate random biopsy whenever there is a slight elevation. .The random biopsy procedure should be
abandoned. PSA abnormalities should be
evaluated with prostate imaging A targeted biopsy can be considered in men who
have a distinct abnormality detected by imaging.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Back into the mists of time, year after
year, in our unending struggle to protect ourselves against sinister and deadly
invaders, we expend our energies, our wealth and our physical strength to
survive and maintain our health. One mysterious and potent ally is the Anger
Response. The Anger Response system is not unique to our bodies. Parallel forms
of this “homeland defense” can be identified at all societal levels: of the
family, the community, of nations.
However, like any effective and powerful
resource, over-reliance is a potential pitfall. Over dependency on the use of
anger as a problem-solving-mechanism leads to an angry persona. “As a people
thinketh” certainly applies. So the
loose bundle of platitudes and commonplace aphorisms pertaining to sending healing,
loving messages, really needsto
become SOP, “Standard operating procedure.”
What a daunting privilege! Swing high
enough on that swing and you are led, inevitably, inexorably, to thoughts of
Our Creator, to the God of our Understanding . . . in whose image we are said
to be fashioned. We have the free choice to send messages of hate and fear or
messages of healing and love. And so we communicate with the rest of the planet.
Words come back to me, my mother frustrated and distressed, me about 25, her
launching, “Your whole modus operandi is rotten to the core.” Not even certain
she could define modus operandi. It
was a phrase she picked up from my father.
As advice for Rageaholics, I
remember various of my elders advising me to “stop and think” before I blasted
off. Well, here are five questions to teach small boys to ask themselves, to
determine, or “profile” who they are at any given moment. Five questions to
answer when they can catch themselves in the act of feeling angry:
1) Is it true?2) Is it helpful?3) Does it inspire?4) Is it necessary?
5) Is it kind?
A tremendous communication
tool, serves as a referee for our impulses, and allows an opportunity for us to
work through a kind of a checklist re. who
we want to be—what compliment of qualities would we want present in this
moment, qualities that will allow us to operate (and “cooperate” to match our
destiny) in most positive and uplifting way. I have a growing taste for
acronyms. Well there’s a good one: The acronym (what a pleasant surprise) is
THINK.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
It’s time to change our
preconceptions about prostate cancer and “reboot”
the way we think about what typically is a non-life-threatening disease. Ever
since the FDA first approved PSA testing in 1987, prostate cancer has grown
into an aggressive multibillion dollar industry. Marketing hype has created the
impression that treatments like Proton therapy and robotic surgery are
universally desirable, even though well-informed patients know this is hardly
the case.How did the prostate cancer
world deviate so far off the originally intended tract of helping patients? And
what can be done to set things straight?Ten years ago the experts believed that
immediate curative treatment was needed for every man with prostate
cancer.Today, after 20 years of
vigorously detecting and treating every case of prostate cancer, it has become
clear that almost half of the 230,000
men diagnosed every year are undergoing radical treatment for a cancer that is incapable
of metastasizing.Now it’s time for the
medical community to come to grips with the fact that over a million men in the
United States are living with impotence and incontinence for no justifiable
reason. This is a disaster of gargantuan proportions.Shockingly, even though we can now readily
identify these harmless cancers, the problem of rampant overtreatment continues.
In 2015 another 50,000 men will undergo unnecessary radical treatment. The
medical industrial complex that has been gaining momentum for 25 years refuses
to confess its tragic errors.The huge
investments in enormously expensive medical equipment need to be paid off. No
one is willing to accept responsibility, make apologies or confess wrongdoing
for all the overtreatment.The existing system
is entrenched and the doctors are too comfortable with the status quo.Reversing the momentum of twenty-five years
of recommending unnecessary radical treatments is going to require the patients
to protect themselves.They need to become
far more medically sophisticated consumers.Five years ago, Ralph Blum and I fired the first salvo by writing Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers: No More Unnecessary Biopsies, Radical Treatment or Loss of Sexual Potency. In our
book, we attempted to defang the poisonous and fear-inducing word cancer
by renaming the low-risk type that does not metastasize “The UnCancer.”Our book has been helpful at revamping the
gross misconception that every prostate cancer is potentially deadly.Invasion provides an excellent introduction
to men with newly-diagnosed cancer by presenting the important concept that
prostate cancer comes in three broad types: low, intermediate and high-risk.
One of the important themes introduced by Invasion
is a healthy mistrust of physician motives. For protection against patients
receiving the wrong treatment, Invasion argues strongly for patient
empowerment through education. The term,
“prostate cancer” is merely an umbrella term for a broad spectrum of illnesses
that behave very differently. The book simplifies the treatment decision making
process by clearly identifying the three major subtypes of prostate cancer,
low, intermediate and high-risk.Once patients
have gained an accurate understanding of where they fit into this
individualized schema, an informed treatment decision can be made. As a medical
oncologist, rather than a surgeon, the information provided in the book is unbiased
with clear presentation of all the risks and benefits associated with all the
different treatments that are available.In an era now past, physicians were trained
to put their patient’s interests ahead of their own.Today, patients need to adopt defensive
tactics that are realistic about how prostate cancer care has become a highly
lucrative business. The patient who assumes that their counseling physician
represents his best interests, is on the cusp of making a dangerous mistake. Bluntly,
the prostate cancer world has evolved into a sophisticated and well-oiled
business and the buyer better be on guard.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Whether you are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, or coping with bone metastases, learning about chronic stress and its negative impact on your body is almost as critical to your healing as whatever treatment you choose.
Short-term stress, a single episode of acute stress, generally doesn't cause problems. However, chronic emotional stress, caused by situations or events that last over a period of time, takes a significant toll on the body. Furthermore, this kind of prolonged stress suppresses the immune system, profoundly affecting its ability to detect defective or cancerous cells and destroy them.
Persistent feelings of fear, anxiety and unrelieved stress trigger the fight-or-flight response system that our ancestors relied upon. When a threat is recognized, heart rate and blood pressure skyrocket, sugar pours into the blood, muscles tense for quick action, and the whole metabolism goes into survival mode. This is great if you're on the African savannah and you hear a lion growling outside your tent. However, Nature never intended this "On your mark! Get set! Go!" response to last more than a moment or two. So when the brain sends a threat message for which there is no swift resolution, the fight-or-flight system stays stuck on "Get set!." As a result, the immune system is locked into protection mode and is no longer capable of performing the remedial function that is our most powerful defense against cancer.
So when we feel unable to manage or control the changes in our lives caused by prostate cancer, it not only reduces our quality of life, but it is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. In fact, studies in mice, and in tests in human cancer cells grown in the laboratory have found that prolonged psychological stress can enhance a tumor's ability to grow and spread.
There is always the temptation to alleviate the stress overload of a potentially life-threatening diagnosis with risky behaviors such as drinking alcohol in excess, taking drugs, and over-eating. But this kind of "stress management" only further inhibits immune function. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle—which means eating well and staying physically active--supports the immune system. As do coping strategies such as relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, and visualization. And don't forget laughter—the ultimate antioxidant.
Here's how the Discovery Health Web describes the impact of laughter on the immune system: "When we laugh, natural killer cells which destroy tumors and viruses increase, along with Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), T cells (important for our immune system) and B cells (which make disease-fighting antibodies). As well as lowering blood pressure, laughter increases oxygen in the blood, which also encourages healing."
So find out what works for you so that stress does not get the best of you. If you can’t seem to get a handle on it, laugh your way back to health!
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
BY MARK SCHOLZ, MDBuilding
up a medical practice and getting a late start with a family, my midlife crisis
was delayed past the usual occurrence for men in their early 40s.However, by the time I hit 50, self-questioning was starting to surface. My life had meaningful pursuits but
it was time to take a deep breath and do the traditional life inventory of the
“mid-years,” to reassess my goals for the last third of my existence here on
planet earth.After
reflection, I realized that I really didn’t have any great ideas to reinvigorate
my passion for the last lap. I couldn’t sell my wife on the idea of buying a
Lamborghini (I already owned a small boat).I didn’t have any specific desire to travel.I had given up on golf due to a terrible and
uncorrectable slice.I have never been
successful playing the stock market. All
these considerations were going through my head about ten years ago.Now ten years later, I turned
60 and I feel revitalized and reinvigorated.So what turned things around?
Many
of you have come to know Ralph, my coauthor in the Snatchers Blog. He is as a
sensible dispenser of advice and knowledge about life and about prostate
cancer. I first met Ralph almost fifteen years ago, first as a patient,
subsequently as a writing teacher and now as a writing partner. As I reflect
back over the years that we have worked together I am convinced that its Ralph who
spared me from my mid-life crisis.Don’t
get me wrong, I have a lovely family. My wife Juliet is a bulwark of
truth.My children are delightfully sensible, talented and hard-working. I am also blessed
with an amazing medical practice with wonderful coworkers and extra-special
patients.Even
so, visiting with a dozen men a day, five days a week, year after year, decade
after decade can wear you down. Getting paid less and less every year while the
work load steadily increases is hardly inspiring either. A midlife crisis was in the wings and I had no
idea how my passion for the medical profession could be restored. So back in
2005, I was looking for a new challenge when Ralph first approached me to write
a book . I even agreed after he told me the zany title, “Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers.”Fortunately,
when Ralph invited me to be a cowriter, he didn’t give a second thought to the
paucity of writing skills.(Ralph has so
much confidence in his own writing skills he believes he could train a monkey
to write). Over the next four years we clashed on many occasions. Considering that
English was my worst subject in school I have to give myself some credit for
having the courage to accept his proposal.Back
then I had little interest I had in developing the craft of writing.Writing is hard to do.In addition, with limited free time in a busy
medical practice, it’s no surprise that developing writing skills was a low
priority to me. But I was also starting to get upset about the injustice of so
many men’s sexual identities being robbed by unnecessary surgery.The dawning realization, that men, rather
than being helped by surgery are actually being tremendously harmed, is what
motivated me to finally confront the painful task of developing some writing
skills so I could convey my observations to the naïve and unsuspecting patients.
Thank God I had Ralph to tutor me along through this long and arduous journey.Learning
to write about topics that matter to me (such as saving men from the loss their
sexual identity) has saved me from the “meaningless” philosophical wandering
that characterizes a midlife crisis. And as I get older and further polish my
writing skills, I have enjoyed even more satisfaction by helping men to avoid
numerous medical pitfalls. For example, in my next blog I’ll be exposing another
incredibly repugnant policy—men on Active Surveillance who have 12 large
needles plunged through their rectal wall into the prostate gland every year.
Yikes!In
the meantime, let me express my genuine appreciation to Ralph for having the
patience and skill to draw me down this totally unexpected pathway. At this
point I am happy to report that I see no hint of an existential crisis looming on
the horizon.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
In the old model of prostate cancer care, you were rushed into
radical treatment--usually surgery or radiation--often without
fully understanding all your options, or the risks and side effects
involved. The entire process was focused on the tumor; minimal attention was
given to you as a person, and little effort was made to explore the benefits of
healthy lifestyle choices, immune-enhancing treatments, reasonable delays, and
emotional support.
The emerging new model of prostate cancer care recognizes the
important role you can, and should, play in your recovery. The emerging model
comprehends that simply attacking the cancer is not enough. Greg Anderson, who
after surviving "terminal" lung cancer founded the Cancer Recovery Foundation, has said
that "Retaining a medical team without doing everything you can to help
yourself is like attempting to walk on one stilt."
So what do you need to know in order to take charge of your
recovery?
There are three common misperceptions about prostate cancer:
*The
assumption that the disease is as dangerous as other cancers.
*The
assumption that the urologist who did your biopsy is a prostate cancer expert.
*The
assumption that a quick treatment decision is necessary before the
cancer spreads.
First of all, prostate cancer is unique among cancers because the
mortality rate is so low. Around two hundred thousand men in the U.S. alone are
diagnosed with the disease every year, and less than 15% will eventually die
from it, usually over a decade down the line, while a majority of men who have
the far more common low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer can anticipate
living a normal life span, or dying of something else.
Your local urologist has a busy medical practice that involves
treating problems like impotence, infections, incontinence, and kidney stones.
He also does biopsies. But the average urologist performs fewer than five prostate removals (prostatectomies)
a year--far too few to be considered proficient. He may be a talented doctor,
but he is unlikely to be a prostate cancer expert. So once you have your biopsy
results, it is best to consult a prostate cancer specialist, either at a major
medical center, or at a high-volume prostate cancer clinic.
As for the third misperception, it is essential, before committing
to any form of treatment, that you do your own research, and are
convinced the treatment you choose is the right one for you. Do not
let anyone rush you into making a bad decision. Once your category of prostate
cancer is identified (Low, Intermediate,
orHigh Risk), get on the
Internet and learn about every treatment option--including no treatment
whatsoever--for your type of disease. If you are over 70, and have
low-risk disease, my advice to you is to find a doctor who has experience
monitoring an active surveillance protocol.
Your role in your recovery, however, doesn't end with choosing
your treatment. The emphasis on lifestyle changes has been one of the most
significant shifts in cancer care in the last decade. A study at UCSF showed
that improving your nutrition, reducing stress and getting more exercise, can
lower PSA levels. And according to a relatively new field of health
psychology called "illness representation," your beliefs and
expectations also impact the outcome of your disease. So take charge of your
recovery, andhave faith in your
choice of treatment.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
When you are diagnosed with prostate cancer,
keeping a folder with all your medical records can be a challenge, especially
when you are working with several doctors and addressing different health
concerns. But that is also when it is most important, both for your own
understanding and safety, and for the use of any specialists you might want to
consult for a second opinion.
The following is a list of the variety of information
you need to preserve in your medical folder (MMF):
* A Chronological Log of all your PSA
tests with dates, and note in the log any general health changes that might
impact your PSA.
* A copy of your Biopsy Pathology
Report. This should provide your Gleason Score, how many cores were positive
for cancer, the extent of disease in the cores, and the location of the cancer
in the prostate gland.
* Copies of the radiology reports
of any scans (color Doppler ultrasound, bone, CT, MRI), and if available,
digital copies of the actual scans.
* Copies of all information
regarding your medical history, including any current (unrelated to the
prostate cancer) health problems you may be dealing with, even if they seem
minor.
*A
list of all your medications (including the dosages), and a list of any
over-the-counter supplements you are taking.
It is also wise to retrieve your biopsy
slides from the pathologist and send them to a world-class cancer treatment
center, such as MD Anderson, Johns Hopkins, Sloan Kettering, Saint John's, for a second
opinion. In fact if you live in a small town or in the country, if possible you
should get yourself to a urologist or oncologist specializing in prostate
cancer at one of the major centers for a consultation before making a treatment
decision.
Keeping this medical record not only gives
you a feeling of control, but it is extremely helpful when you consult
different specialists. It is also something your partner can help you create.
Giving your partner something constructive to do can help her (or him) deal
with the worry they inevitably feel over your diagnosis.
I personally feel very strongly about the
importance of keeping and organizing all your medical information when dealing
with prostate cancer because I didn't do it. And I know how often I and my
doctors have found the MMF invaluable support. Truly, we are partners with our
oncologists and our urologists. Be an
active partner.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Every
year’s Conference presents recurring themes.This year’s focus was prevention, combination treatment and timeliness
were emphasized. We live in an era of exploding technological progress. It is a
delightful problem to have a wealth of new treatment options and diagnostic
tools.However, just like buying a new
car or a new smart phone, it takes a little time to learn the ropes and fully
exploit the complete range and capabilities of the new technology.A short blog can’t cover everything from a
three-day conference.Here are a few
comments.
Dr.
Dan Margolis, an expert on prostate imaging from UCLA, presented information on
3 Telsa, multi-parametric MRI’s capacity as a substitute for random needle
biopsy in men with elevated PSA who have never been previously diagnosed with
prostate cancer.MRI offers the
advantage of being equally or more accurate than random biopsy without relying
on invasive techniques.
Dr.
Chuck Drake, from John Hopkins, the preeminent expert in the world on immune
therapy for prostate cancer, presented exciting data on how many of the new
immune drugs work synergistically when given in combination.“Synergism” means that when either drug is
given by itself the anticancer effect is rather modest.But when the two drugs are given in
combination, the anticancer effect is multiplied.Provenge has already been FDA approved for prostate cancer.Hopefully Yervoy will also be an approved indication for prostate cancer in the
next six to 12 months.The combination
of these two drugs together offers immense hope for jumpstarting immunologic
treatment for prostate cancer.
Dr.
John Mulhall, the expert in the world on sexuality and prostate cancer from
Memorial Sloan Kettering, spent a lot of time emphasizing mindfulness in the selection
of treatment. In other words, he was saying that it is better to minimize damage
by selecting the least toxic form of prostate cancer treatment than trying to
fix an already established problem.
Dr.
Peter Grimm, sometimes called “The Father of Seed Implant Therapy,” delivered a
candid overview of the world of radiation therapy, emphasizing the improved
cure rates and reduced toxicity seed implant therapy offers.He also spoke on how increased financial
incentives to do IMRT, Proton therapy and SBRT, distorts the decision making
process and slants treatment away from seed implants.
This
is only the briefest of overviews and no words can express all the fun and
games that Dr. Mark Moyad injected into the proceedings. I can only say that
initial feedback from the attendees was extremely positive.
2015
PCRI Conference DVDs, which include all the presentations, will be available in
six weeks at a suggested donation of $150. For more information, email: [email protected]. In
addition, the PCRI will be presenting its second annual Mid-Year Update, March
26, 2016, an afternoon of educational sessions in developments in the prostate
cancer world. Laurence Klotz, MD who has been called “The Father of Active
Surveillance” will be one of the speakers. Learn more at: www.pcri.org/2016-mid-year-update
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
RALPH BLUMIn the
old model of prostate cancer care, you were rushed into radical treatment--usually
surgery or radiation--often without fully understanding all your options,
or the risks and side effects involved. The entire process was focused on the
tumor; minimal attention was given to you as a person, and little effort was
made to explore the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices, immune-enhancing
treatments, reasonable delays, and emotional support.
The
emerging new model of prostate cancer care recognizes the important role you
can, and should, play in your recovery. The emerging model comprehends that
simply attacking the cancer is not enough. Greg Anderson, who after surviving
"terminal" lung cancer founded the
Cancer Recovery Foundation, has said that "Retaining a medical team
without doing everything you can to help yourself is like attempting to walk on
one stilt."
So what
do you need to know in order to take charge of your recovery?
There are
three common misperceptions about prostate cancer:
*The
assumption that the disease is as dangerous as other cancers.
*The
assumption that the urologist who did your biopsy is a prostate cancer expert.
*The
assumption that a quick treatment decision is necessary before the
cancer spreads.
First of
all, prostate cancer is unique among cancers because the mortality rate is so
low. Around two hundred thousand men in the U.S. alone are diagnosed
with the disease every year, and less than 3% will eventually die from it, while
a majority of men who have the far more common low-risk, slow-growing prostate
cancer can anticipate living a normal life span, or dying of something else.
Your
local urologist has a busy medical practice that involves treating problems
like impotence, infections, incontinence, and kidney stones. He also does
biopsies. But the average urologist performs fewer than five prostate removals (prostatectomies) a year--far too few to be considered
proficient. He may be a talented doctor, but he is unlikely to be a prostate
cancer expert. So once you have your biopsy results, it is best to consult a
prostate cancer specialist, either at a major medical center, or at a
high-volume prostate cancer clinic.
As for
the third misperception, it is essential, before committing to any form of
treatment, that you do your own research, and are convinced the treatment
you choose is the right one for you. Do not let anyone rush you into
making a bad decision. Once your category of prostate cancer is identified (Low, Intermediate, orHigh Risk), get on the Internet and
learn about every treatment option--including no treatment whatsoever--for your
type of disease. If you are over 70, and have low-risk disease, my
advice to you is to find a doctor who has experience monitoring an active
surveillance protocol.
Your role
in your recovery, however, doesn't end with choosing your treatment. The
emphasis on lifestyle changes has been one of the most significant shifts in
cancer care in the last decade. A study at UCSF showed that improving your
nutrition, reducing stress and getting more exercise, can lower PSA levels. And
according to a relatively new field of health psychology called "illness
representation," your beliefs and expectations also impact the outcome of
your disease. So take charge of your recovery, andhave faith in your choice of treatment.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
BY MARK SCHOLZ, MDPCRI’s Prostate Cancer Conferencefor Patients is
less than two weeks away.The Conference
is a unique event giving opportunity for patients to interact closely with
experts in prostate cancer and leaders in research.It is also a great venue to establish a connection
with other patients who have “been there and done that.” This is a weekend to
stay informed about the latest in prostate cancer.
That’s where
the invited experts come in - we ask them to present their lectures in a way
that can be understood by patients. This year’s program will stress breakthroughs
in imaging, immunology, new hormone therapy, expanded roles for chemotherapy
and the latest thinking on radiation. The
Saturday program will include:
Dr. Mark Moyad, our moderator, will also be speaking about supplements and diet and how
they can lead to increased survival and better quality of life.
Cancer care
is advancing so rapidly that it takes a team effort between you and your
physician to achieve the best care. For the average patient it is overwhelming
to try to stay up to date with the latest clinical studies, journal articles
and protocols. Often the best place for information is an event like this that
specializes in distributing the latest information in a digestible format.
On Sunday morning, most of our Saturday speakers will participate in a smaller group setting and review their presented topics. The conference will end with a speaker
roundtable to see what treatment the experts will recommend when confronted
with actual patient situations.
The PCRI
Conference is for your empowerment. We want it to give you hope and a new
confidence in facing the challenging tasks of making important treatment decisions
that will impact you for the rest of your life.
SEARCH THIS BLOG
PROSTATE SNATCHER VIDEOS
MARK SCHOLZ, MD
Mark Scholz, MD is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine. He has been treating men with prostate cancer exclusively since 1995. He is the Medical Director of Prostate Oncology Specialists, Inc., and Executive Director of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute. He is an acknowledged expert on management and treatment for prostate cancer using hormone intervention, immunotherapy, chemotherapy and angiogenesis as well as vitamin, herbal and other forms of lifestyle counseling. His affiliations include St. John's Health Center, Marina del Rey Hospital and others. Dr. Scholz also served as an associate clinical professor in the department of Oncology at USC School of Medicine. Dr. Scholz volunteers for the Internet list “Patient to Physician,” found via Resources at www.pcri.org . You may also find current posts on twitter. www.twitter.com/markscholzmd
RALPH H. BLUM
Ralph H. Blum is a cultural anthropologist and author, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University with a degree in Russian Studies. His reporting from the Soviet Union, the first of its kind for The New Yorker (1961—1965), included two three-part series on Russian cultural life. He has written for various magazines, among them Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue. Blum has published three novels and five nonfiction books. He has been living with prostate cancer, without radical intervention, for twenty years.
PROSTATE ONCOLOGY SPECIALISTS
Established in 1995, Prostate Oncology Specialists has earned national acclaim for its comprehensive approach to prostate cancer prevention and management. Under the direction of Medical Director Mark Scholz, M.D., Prostate Oncology Specialists employs a highly skilled team of physicians trained in oncology, radiology, hematology, and internal medicine who treat all stages of prostate cancer. Prostate Oncology Specialists are not wedded to any single therapy for prostate cancer, but rather advocate the exploration of treatment options that are customized and tailored to the unique needs of each individual patient. Treatments employed include active surveillance, testosterone deprivation, partial cryotherapy, seed implantation, intensity-modulated radiation, and surgery. Prostate Oncology Specialists’ ongoing mission is to uncover new medical breakthroughs in the treatment and management of prostate cancer.
FOLLOW THIS BLOG
RELATED LINKS
PROSTATE SNATCHERS THE BLOG
AVAILABLE ONLINE
AMAZON
iTUNES
The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be a patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Please consult your health care provider, or contact Prostate Oncology Specialists, Inc. for an appointment, before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. Prostate Oncology Specialists, Inc. expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. Information on this site may from time to time be changed or supplemented by Prostate Oncology Specialists, Inc.
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Rachel's dad Kev recalls how his daughter was a lively teen, but she is now battling dementia
But the pretty mum-of-one wasn’t always ill – until just a few years ago she worked with young children, was a single mum to her daughter Brooke, now eight, and loved going out with her friends and travelling the world.
In pictures from just five years ago, taken at her dad Kev Potter’s wedding to wife Melanie, 39, she’s pictured in her bridesmaid dress beaming alongside Brooke.
But now she has forgotten even simple things – like how to use the washing machine and how to get to and from her home.
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Murray, who had to cancel two exhibition matches and a couple of practice sessions last week because of a hip problem, sweated his way through another three hour work-out on Sunday. "But once you tell the coaches: "Right, I'm good to go", it's back over to them to get you doing the right things on the practice court". But maybe if, you know, there'...
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Another limited partner, Matthew Papakipos, called for McClure to be removed as the general partner of 500 Startups . Another powerful tech investor is apologizing for his inappropriate behavior toward women in the industry. "I made advances toward multiple women in work-related situations, where it was clearly inappropriate". It was my fault an...
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They also blasted Trump for his frequent attacks against women, including Megyn Kelly , former Miss Universe victor Alicia Machado, Rosie O'Donnell, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Lewandowski said President Trump is still the "counter-puncher" he has always been with respect to the mainstream media. Corey Lewandowsk...
De Havilland is a two-time Oscar victor - Best Actress for "To Each His Own" (1946) and "The Heiress" (1949) - who is also known for her role in the 1939 classic " Gone with the Wind ". Murphy said in an interview with THR April that he didn't ask de Havilland about the series because he didn't want to be disrespectful. Ms. de Havilland and...
The capital of the United Arab Emirates became the first city to be exempt from a US ban on laptop computers being in the cabins of airplanes coming from the Mideast, the country's flag carrier said Sunday. Neither Abu Dhabi International Airport nor Homeland Security immediately responded to a request for comment. Abu Dhabi International Airport...
Edgar Lomax Co decreased its stake in Walmart Stores Inc (WMT) by 7.9% based on its latest 2016Q4 regulatory filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Shares of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "(NYSE:WMT) Downgraded by Vetr Inc.to "Buy" was published by Chaffey Breeze and is the sole property of of Ch...
An autopsy was performed in Surat Thani Hospital and later by the Institute of Forensic Medicine Police Hospital in Bangkok. (Contact person was Colonel Phawat Pratheepvisaroot sein). "We're more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation". It was scheduled to depart from Koh Phangan and pass via Koh Tao .
He insisted: "The last few days have been very good". Murray took a tumble reaching for a backhand during a hit with Grigor Dimitrov and his hands went to his knees a few times as he stretched his body as near to the limit as he dared just a day before he opens the tournament on Centre Court against the unpredictable young Russian, Alexander Bubl...
The neighborhoods where government forces are fighting have been under siege for months as grueling urban warfare drew out the operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. In one of the final acts of defiance, the group blew up the landmark mosque in Mosul where its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate in June 2014.
However, beginning today, July 1, Equifax, Experian and Transunion will wipe out about half of tax liens and most civil judgments from consumers' credit files. "They also must be updated every 90 days, it was a little longer in the past". While having civil judgements and tax liens eliminated from your credit report is good thing, it won't take y...
After strong opposition from Americans concerned with the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act and opposition from Senate Republicans forced Mitch McConnell to delay the Senate vote on the American Health Care Act, and growing support across the country for a single-payer health care system, the time is ripe for a push towards truly un...
The new goods and services tax was formally ushered in at a late-night session of Parliament , reminiscent of the midnight meeting presided over by India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on the eve of the country's independence in 1947.
This comes after many customers continuously complained against a higher MRP being charged at airports , malls and cinemas. However, the rule is not applicable at restaurant. Another important directive by the consumers affairs department has come is that medical devices like stents, valves, orthopaedic implants, syringes and tools for operati...
Lockheed Martin Corp now has $80.90B valuation. About shares traded. US Concrete Inc (USCR) has risen 14.26% since June 27, 2016 and is uptrending. Jefferies reissued a "hold" recommendation and given a $240.00 target price on the stock of Lockheed Martin Corporation in a note on Mon, Jun 12th.
Oil fell for the first time in three days after United States drillers added the most rigs in more than three years, making it hard for Opec to drain global oversupply. Zanganeh has expressed the hope that OPEC would agree on extending earlier output cut in the upcoming meeting. The International Energy Agency noted that the oil supply in May ros...
Axios noted that the war of wills took place on Monday, and though those opposed to such a measure far outnumbered Trump and his "America First" contingency, which support the tariffs, the latter emerged victorious. Commerce Department said that if there are tariffs, the goal would be to have them be larger than potential currency swings, accordin...
In addition to the voter information, the letter asks state officials for suggestions on improving election integrity and to share any evidence of fraud and election-related crimes in their states. Others raised privacy concerns or questioned the need to examine voter fraud. The panel did not disclose to the states how it plans to use the data, o...
Equities researchers at Craig Hallum upped their FY2017 earnings estimates for Applied Optoelectronics in a report issued on Wednesday. 2,031,177 shares of the stock traded hands. Yeh unloaded 30,000 stocks of the firms shares in a trade that took place on Fri, Jun 2nd. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 71,167 shares in ...
However, deteriorating asset quality continues to be a major concern for the company. An RSI reading above 80 indicates that a stock is overbought while anything below 20 is oversold. The firm has "Hold" rating by Standpoint Research given on Wednesday, August 26. The rating was downgraded by Goldman Sachs to "Neutral" on Tuesday, May 3.
The semiconductor producer reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. The ex-dividend date is Fri, Jun 23rd. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.67%. STMicroelectronics N.V.'s payout ...
It dived, as 48 investors sold WMB shares while 217 reduced holdings. $305,659 worth of Williams Companies Inc (NYSE:WMB) was sold by Ewing Robyn L on Tuesday, May 23. "(The) (WMB) Shares Bought by Robertson Opportunity Capital LLC" was published by The Cerbat Gem and is the sole property of of The Cerbat Gem. If you are reading this news story o...
Potash Corp had 21 analyst reports since July 29, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. With 29,400 avg volume, 12 days are for Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ:VICR)'s short sellers to cover VICR's short positions. WFG Advisors LP now owns 5,088 shares of the fertilizer maker's stock worth $160,000 after buying an additional 3,973 shares during the period. Th...
P/E (price to earnings) ratio is 0 and Forward P/E ratio of 5.29. Citigroup Inc. restated a "buy" rating on shares of Fairmount Santrol Holdings in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . However, the company's most recent quarter increase of...
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Databases
Tools
Category: Ubuntu
If you want to run a sudo command without being prompted to input the password you can do the following command.
echo password | sudo -S rm -rf /opt/jetty/
In the command above we are trying to remove the /opt/jetty directory using the rm -rf command. The -S (stdin) option allow the sudo command to read password from a standard input instead of a terminal device.
If you want to store the password in a file you can use the cat command instead of echo like the following example.
The easiest way to install Oracle Java (JDK) in Ubuntu is to use the WebUpd8 PPA. A PPA (Personal Package Archive) is a special software repository for uploading source packages to be build and published as an APT repository by Launchpad. This PPA will download the required files from Oracle and install JDK7 / JDK8 / JDK9.
The steps:
Login to Ubuntu server.
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
The apt-add-repository command add the ppa to the current repository. You will be prompted with information message about installation instructions with the detail url. You need to press ENTER key to continue the process to add the repository.
apt-add-repository
sudo apt-get update
This will update the package list from the repositories and update them to get the latest versions of the packages and their dependencies. It will update all repositories and PPAs.
apt-get update
sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
This command will start the installation process, you will be prompted to accept the license agreement. Run sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-installer if you want to install JDK7 instead. This process will take sometime to finish depending on your connection speed. And if everything runs well you’ll get Java installed at the end of this process.
apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
java -version
This command return the version of the installed JDK. In this case it should return something like:
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“Our experience of the beautiful in the recognition of models that make world and community is restricted to the moment when these worlds and communities present themselves explicitly as the plural” – Gianni Vattimo
“We is not the plural of I” – Emmanuel Levinas
Beauty and the We. Beauty as an articulation of the plural, announced in engagement practices, is the experience I know and have been lucky to support in my career. Most recently, as the Director of the Tucson Pima Arts Council. Our team has supported 66 projects since 2010 that advance civic well-being, civic engagement, and community building of the We through the arts. Most prominently, this happens through the PLACE (People, Land, Arts, Culture and Engagement) Initiative, our placemaking/civic engagement platform. These projects create art experiences that shape the identity of place, present visions and manifestations of social cohesion, and activate democracy so as to build and animate the commons. And where is Beauty in PLACE? Read the rest of this entry »
“Creative Placemaking” as described by Anne Gadwa Nicodemus and Ann Markusen offers artists and arts administrators a template to engage business and civic leaders in the articulation of new cultural policies at the local level. In her paper, “Fuzzy Vibrancy: Creative Placemaking as Ascendant U.S. Cultural Policy,” Nicodemus states that one of the hallmarks of creative placemaking is the development of cross-sector partnerships to promote “arts-centered initiatives with place-based physical, economic and/or social outcomes.”
Does this widespread interest in creative placemaking present an opportunity for us to expand and develop cultural policy at the local level? Read the rest of this entry »
In the late 1970s, artists and critics were asking “Is Painting Dead?” In the face of new approaches, media and concepts, the art world was looking at new ways of art making versus the old. It was somewhat of a facetious question, yet there was a lot of truth in it. Public art as we know it, as “government-sponsored” percent programs, is getting to be more than 40 years old. Programs are celebrating 30, 40, 50 years of existence. It is no longer a new thought, no longer exciting in its promise, reach and approach…or is it? I’m not sure I can answer that question yet, but here are a few observations that may signal a trend. Read the rest of this entry »
Wow! What a great week of blogs in our first Blog Salon on Rural Arts. Thanks to our bloggers and all our commentators, followers on Twitter, and Facebook fans.
As I read each of these blogs, I was inspired and encouraged about ways the arts are helping the economy, improving place, and creating change for rural America. I am from Wyoming and was an arts administrator on the frontier there for several years, so I especially loved Michael Lange’s blogs about how the arts are playing a leading role in revitalization efforts. This is especially challenging since Wyoming enjoys “the smallest population of any state, with 575,000 people and of the 99 incorporated municipalities, only about half have populations are over 1,000 people, and only a handful of those have a population over 10,000”.
Did you know that 2014 is the centennial of the Smith-Lever Act? And that the Cooperative Extension Service is celebrating through a partnership with Imagining America called Extension Reconsidered? Thanks to Savannah Barrett for her wonderful post on how important Cooperative Extension Service has been to rural arts and economic development.
Other highlights: Michele Anderson’s blog about Fergus Falls and the steps the community is taking to save the former state mental hospital-the Kirkbride Building was inspiring. I loved how this project has helped Fergus Falls re-invent itself using this magnificent building and the arts. Gorgeous photos accompanied many of our posts, including Anderson’s and Michael Lange’s (which can also be viewed on our Instagram) and I loved watching videos from the Higher Ground project in Mark Kidd and Ada Smith’s piece on the Kentucky coalfields. Janet Brown’s blogs informed by her 26 years of work in rural arts – and how she is still impacted by the Declaration of Dakota Cultural Identity – amazed me because it still resonates today and it obviously had an impact on Janet.
Finally, thanks to you – our readers – for participating in this great week of rural arts. I hope that you will continue to revisit this blog salon in the future for more creative ideas and inspiration. Fortunately, all of the posts will be archived here. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, we’re holding a webinar series on Rural and Small Communities THIS week, Wednesday-Thursday-Friday – sign up today! Also, there will be Annual Convention sessions dedicated to rural arts, so consider joining us in Nashville in June.
And if you are ever interested in blogging yourself, just send us an e-mail. Keep in touch!
Small places typically have small financial resources. That certainly describes the environment for Jay County (population 21,253), where Arts Place started in 1967. Small also often translates into limited audiences if an organization cannot reach beyond its traditional boundaries.
One way Arts Place has found to hurdle these obstacles has been to partner with our neighboring rural communities to create economies of scale. This approach also breaks some of the isolation natural to making the arts happen in places outside the urban mainstream.
Partnerships and collaborations have become second nature to Arts Place. While survival may have stimulated our early efforts, the benefits of such an approach have made reaching out to other communities and organizations our preferred way of making the arts happen.
Partnerships can be as simple as offering the same program in multiple communities. For example, Arts in the Parks, a series of summer workshops and community projects for children, requires significant overhead for planning, fund raising, and management during the program. But, by spreading the overhead amongst more than a dozen communities in five counties we created a more cost effective program. Read the rest of this entry »
For many of us working in the rural arts and culture movement, years have been spent incubating and developing our model. This April marks Double Edge Theatre’s 20th year of its Farm Center in Ashfield, MA—once a thriving dairy farm community that lost almost all of its nearly thirty farms over the course of the 80s. Double Edge previously was based in Boston and had established itself as an international company both in make-up and its touring/ research activities. The company first inhabited the Farm as a part time theatrical laboratory in April 1994 and eventually moved its full-time operations here by 1997 to create an international center for performance, collaboration, and training in the heart of rural Western Mass.
The Farm Center, a vision of Double Edge Founder and Artistic Director Stacy Klein, is this singular sort ofplace where creative research thrives and creativity and sustainability are deeply intertwined. The mutuality and duality between ‘W’ Work and ‘w’ work is fluid and holistic in the best and most earthbound sense. Performance, farming, administration, education, and deep individual and group research flow harmoniously on this fertile landscape in cyclical evolutions.
A slow, steady, and organic development has taken place in the past twenty years that includes renovations of barns, animal stalls, and buildings – but also a focused honing of our artistic practice and methodology and a continuous elevation of collaboration with our local community.
After recent touring to major cities in transition such as Baltimore and Hartford, as well as to more developed and gentrified places like Chicago and Washington D.C. (not to mention Moscow), it has become clear to our company through these interactions with these urban communities that now is the time for more highly developed inter-local exchange and cross pollination between these rural models and urban contexts as well as cross-pollination through rural to rural exchanges. Read the rest of this entry »
In my work helping other artists with their careers, I spend a lot of time thinking about the types of resources younger artists need in rural communities. For the most part, this means just what you would expect: developing or identifying ways to help them find funding, sell their work, or learn new skills. But I also want to think more deeply than that: What kind of unique resources might actually motivate young artists to create art in the first place, be connected to their community and stick around to provide the strong, innovative leadership that small towns need right now?
In other words, what are the conditions of creativity and talent development in a small town, and how does this affect the $100 million-dollar question of rural America: Why do our young people stay or go?
Here at Springboard for the Arts’ rural office, working with and encouraging younger artists has become a priority. Last Saturday, we led a day-long creative placemaking workshop on the role of art in historic preservation and economic development as part of our Imagine Fergus Falls initiative. Much to our surprise and delight, this workshop attracted a powerhouse of young artists from the region, most of whom had never met one another before. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s impossible to talk about what makes northern New Hampshire unique without talking about the environment. I’ve found that the stereotype of North Country residents — hardy, resourceful and independent – is basically true, and I’m sure this is in no small part due to the landscape of our region, which captivates us – and, in some ways, holds us captive.
Northern New Hampshire is beautiful in all seasons, but our communities are also isolated; much of the region’s land mass is part of the 1,200 square mile White Mountain National Forest, with mountains, lakes, and rivers defining the area’s character, offering locals and visitors alike a wealth of recreation opportunities – and simultaneously separating even “neighboring” communities from one another.
Northern New Hampshire is more depressed economically than the rest of the Granite State. Since the economic center of New Hampshire is in its southern corridor, making a living up north is often a struggle, especially since the past few decades have seen almost all of the manufacturing and “big” businesses in the region close down or move elsewhere.
In the nineteenth century, our mountains drew some of the country’s greatest artists to the region, and the White Mountain artists and their work became associated with the identity, expansion and development of the region. Many of the grand (and not-so-grand) hotels housed “artists in residence,” whose images became important drivers and symbols of the new and thriving tourism industry. Read the rest of this entry »
Embodied energy. For anyone working to save a historic building from the wrecking ball in their town, this preservation term has likely come up in the fight— it powerfully illustrates the fact that buildings are literal repositories of the energy, labor and materials that they took to be constructed.
I love this image of energy just bubbling under the surface of our old buildings. It also makes me think about the stories, relationships and imagination that our historic buildings hold within their walls. For a long time I have wondered: How might creative placemaking be a strategy in activating a building’s embodied cultural energy – even before a permanent solution is found for its reuse? And how might many small creative gestures lead us to authentic and compelling reuse of the building, and attract responsible stewards of both the building’s cultural and physical embodied energy?
In Fergus Falls, our former state mental hospital, or the Kirkbride Building, has been front and center as a key community and economic development issue since 2005. Last July, the narrative of this complex problem began to shift closer to a renaissance, as a new developer and the city finally began the complicated process of working out a purchase agreement and redevelopment plan.
There is still a lot of work to be done and I admire the individuals behind the scenes who are working out the complicated web of tax credits and other things I don’t fully understand. As the rest of us wait to see if the building will finally have a new life, small acts of creative placemaking through our community’s Imagine Fergus Falls project have been helping the community step back ever so slightly from the preservation fight, and focus more on temporary animation of the space and artist-led storytelling about the building.
Our first official activity of Imagine Fergus Falls, a project funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town program, was a community picnic this fall in front of the hospital’s administrative tower. The picnic featured our community jazz band, The Lakes Area All-Stars, who played from the same sheet music that was used by the hospital’s resident band, The Happy Ramblers. Our community college choir also performed. A local photographer created a lovely (and hilarious) photo booth with costumes for friends and family to pose in, and another visual artist facilitated a community history collage with photos both of the buildings history and the preservation efforts in more recent years. We even had a camera obscura booth set up in front of the tower, made from a portable ice fishing house.
This event was a hit, and a way to demonstrate to the community what we had in mind with using the arts to foster interaction about the building. But this winter, the magic has really taken hold as we have been forced to take our creative placemaking efforts indoors, and unable to do activities at the Kirkbride Building itself because, well, we would freeze there. The average temperature here in west central Minnesota has not risen above zero for several months, which makes creative placemaking in an abandoned building near impossible.
As it turns out, indoor creative placemaking, slightly removed from the place that you are focusing on, is something really special too. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve been a community arts developer for over 26 years. Most of that time was spent working in rural communities in South Dakota and the Great Plains. Moving back to South Dakota after a stint in New York City and San Francisco, I became increasingly aware of how people passionate about the arts impact rural and small communities making certain that art is a part of the lives of their children and their neighbors. Community arts councils, community theatres, visual art galleries, community choruses and bands…all defined the word “community” for me.
In South Dakota, many amazing professional artists draw inspiration from the rural countryside where they were raised. Others have escaped from the city and now feel at home on the prairie. There was no mistaking that these artists live and work in rural settings because it inspires their art. These professional artists, as well as the community artists who would not think of themselves as professionals, became my inspiration. This is where I learned that the arts do not need to be taught, that they are instinctive. Formalized learning can expand and inform art making, but the practice of music, dance, theatre, literature and visual art comes from the soul, from everyone’s soul. I’m still not sure what the terms “placemaking” and “rural arts” mean but I know what it means to be inspired by your home, your neighbors, your land and its people—and to express that inspiration through the arts that envelops an entire community. I know the sorrow of losing an elementary school and the pride of turning that school into a local center for the arts. I know the joy of combined church choirs singing Handel in December and of music and arts festivals in the parks in the summer.
We had our state centennial while I was director of South Dakotans for the Arts. For that event, I was honored to be part of an amazing team of artists and arts administrators who helped to write the following Declaration of Dakota Cultural Identity. (We wrote it with North Dakotans since we have the same state birthday.) I love this language but mostly I love the memories of people and places that come back to me, of ordinary people singing, dancing and celebrating through the arts in the place they call home. Read the rest of this entry »
Doug Kornfeld knew he won the gig the moment someone mentioned Mardi Gras. He had just presented to the jury for New Orleans’ public art City-Assisted Evacuation marking project – dubbed “Evacuspots” – with his proposal for 14-foot-high, 850 lb stainless steel stick figures with one arm reached out in the universal sign for “I need a ride!” But what Doug, an artist based in Boston, MA, hadn’t counted on was that his design would have a perfectly iconic Big Easy connection: that of someone gesturing to have beads thrown at them on Mardi Gras.
This festive figure has a serious task, though. It’s part of a new solution for hurricane evacuation developed by the nonprofit philanthropy organization Evacuteer.org in the wake of the 2005 disaster Hurricane Katrina, which left more than 100,000 residents stranded in the city with no means of escape. Through an agreement with the City of New Orleans, Evacuteer.org recruits, trains, and manages evacuation volunteers – dubbed evacuteers – to run a system that is capable of picking up and transporting 30,000 residents to state-run shelters in the event of a necessary evacuation. The system was tested once in September 2008 in advance of Hurricane Gustav. While about 18,000 residents utilized the City-Assisted Evacuation Plan, many residents had little idea of where the pickup points were since they were marked by small, unnoticeable placards with a lot of text. So Robert Fogarty, co-founder and board president of Evacuteer.org, brought up a new idea: what better way to draw attention to the spots than with a public art piece? Read the rest of this entry »
I moved to Washington D.C. four years ago, after living in a village of 600, and I absolutely love where I live. I enjoy trying new restaurants, seeing world premiere plays, watching drummers and acro-yogis perform in my favorite public park and the proximity of it all.
Although I cannot deny the benefits of living near national cultural centers such as the Smithsonian museums, I find that most of my moments of bliss have come from time spent away from the national mall, in the city’s smaller pockets of cultural activity. Therefore, I argue that moving resources and attention from the center to other parts of the city would bring D.C. to the next level.
During a panel discussion I moderated at the Corcoran last year, I heard from D.C. arts champions on the challenges of working in a city where a small but thriving local arts scene is often overshadowed by the national centers. For those of us on the consumer side, there is also a downside when the emphasis is placed on “tourist D.C.” rather than “local D.C.”.
Though I am skeptical of the metrics used in some of these studies, I have observed that when a cultural center such as a small music venue opens in my neighborhood, cafes, restaurants, and even other arts organizations pop up around it, drawing more visitors to the area. This influx of money and people is consistent with the vibrancy indicators used by ArtPlace. Read the rest of this entry »
This year, for me, has been about taking action—I was standing in a line at the BMV (or DMV, depending on where you live) and I turned towards one of the TV screens playing and a message —clear as day, white letters on a black screen—ominous in their intent and direct in their purpose: INACTION IS NOT AN OPTION. Read the rest of this entry »
Endowment. Much like the word “elite” or “patronize,” the term “endowment” seems to have acquired a negative connotation.
The traditional endowment model was sold as a core strategy of sustainability for an organization; the interest provided reliable budgetary support, and the principle was the legacy of dedicated arts patrons. But organizations began to use the fund’s annual draw in place of fundraising.
Then, when times got tough, the principle became a financial lifeline. When this happened, a new trend emerged; funders began to redirect their initiatives towards innovation and creative placemaking instead of endowment.
But, as with most trends, there are exceptions to the rule.
Springfield, MO is nationally recognized as a collaborative community, as highlighted recently by Mayor Robert Stephens on the Huffington Post. With consistent job growth in the city as well as lower than average unemployment rates, Springfield’s collaborative nature has helped the community weather the recession.
In the arts community, more than 30 local groups share The Creamery Arts Center. The 35,000-square-foot building, once home to the Springfield Creamery Co. and later the first distribution center for O’Reilly Automotive, includes administrative offices, as well as an exhibition hall, board room, arts library, arts classroom, film editing bay, a shared costume shop, and set design/fabrication studio. Read the rest of this entry »
Pomegranate Center works with communities to imagine, plan, and create shared public spaces designed to encourage social integration and build local identity.
In the world of commerce scaling up has a long history. In the eighteenth and ninetieth centuries, mass production spawned the industrial revolution. In the twentieth century, scaling applied to retail businesses like fast food and electronics manifested as chain stores and franchising.
The intention with these enterprises is to maximize profit by providing reliable and affordable products and services through economies of scale. In terms of profitability, mass production, chains, and franchising have been stupendously successful.
On the nonprofit side, given the significant gap between community needs and resources it is understandable that policymakers and funders are going to eager to find ways to extend the benefits of what they see as effective ideas and practice. Slow Food USA, Link TV, and KIPP charter schools are good examples of how innovative nonprofits have shared and spread the wealth.
The downside, of course is that one-size-fits-all predictability and sameness can have a sterilizing effect on the delicate strains of quirk and diversity upon which vital culture depends to multiply and thrive. For people like me who are concerned with community cultural development, or in the current vernacular, creative placemaking, this is no small thing. Read the rest of this entry »
Coming Soon at Americans for the Arts
ARTSblog holds week-long Blog Salons, a series of posts by guest bloggers, that focus on an overarching theme within a core area of Americans for the Arts' work. Here are links to the most recent Salons:
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Rights group: Venezuelan prisons crisis alarming
Relatives of inmates react outside the Uribana prison in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. A bloody riot erupted at the Uribana prison in the central Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto Friday when National Guard troops clashed with inmates. Venezuelan media reported that dozens were killed. It was the latest in a series of bloody riots in the country’s prisons. (AP Photo/Roger Varela/El Informador)
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The human rights group Amnesty International urged Venezuelan authorities on Wednesday to determine whether troops used excessive force during a clash with prison inmates that left at least 58 dead.
The government said the violence in Uribana prison erupted last week when armed inmates fired at National Guard troops who were attempting to carry out an inspection. Nearly all those killed were prisoners.
“It’s unacceptable that an inspection, which should be a routine operation, should lead to so much violence,” Amnesty International said in a statement. “This clearly shows once again the crisis in the Venezuelan prison systems, which has reached truly alarming levels.”
The group said Venezuela should conduct “an independent, objective and impartial investigation” to find out who was responsible for the slayings.
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The chief prosecutor has begun an investigation, as has the National Assembly.
Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, also expressed concern on Tuesday about “an alarming pattern of violence in Venezuelan prisons, which is a direct consequence of poor conditions.”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua called the appraisal by the U.N. human rights office “hasty.” He said on television Wednesday that the government will provide the U.N. agency with all relevant information, and insisted that the government has been complying with recommendations made by U.N. officials in an annual review of prisons.
“It’s part of a complex battle, a difficult battle, but it’s being confronted every day,” Jaua said.
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Age and Your Fantasy Team: Why We Should Be Worried about Garrett Jones
by Eno Sarris //
Age matters. We know, for example, that the age of a prospect matters. If he’s a 23-year-old slugger beating up on 19-year-olds in A-ball, that should be noted when looking at his stats. We also know that a slump at 37 is not the same as a slump at 27. But does the age at which a player debuts in the league matter?
It seems that it does. Baseball analyst /economist J.C. Bradbury took a look at age and career lengths (pay link) and Colin Wyers provided some summary and additional work at The Hardball Times late last year. It looks like the later you join the major leagues, the shorter your career is. Intuitively, it makes sense. If a player has to be closer to his peak to even make it to the bigs, then he will be gone earlier once he falls from that peak. To say the same thing in numbers, look at the table to the right. It shows the average career length by age of major league debut.
It’s always nice to see a player finally make it after struggling in the minor leagues for years. Ryan Ludwick, who crossed 300 major league plate appearances at 28, and Nelson Cruz (who did so at 26) are relative success stories for this group.
There’s also Garrett Jones knocking on the door after his great 2009 season. In just 358 plate appearances, Jones made an impression, especially as a slugger. Take a look at the Bloomberg Sports Fantasy Toolsspider graphs on the left for an idea of how good he was last year.
While Ludwick and Cruz have gone through slumps and have made it through to the other side, Jones is currently slumping. Since he debuted at 26 and didn’t get a regular gig until last year at 28, it’s possible that we should be more worried about his current slump than we should about your garden-variety slump. After all, the average player that debuted at 26 only lasted three years in the bigs.
In Jones’ defense, players with lesser debuts might be happy to be putting up the .259/.352/.411 line that he currently sports. Those numbers are above-average compared to the average hitter, but slightly below average for a corner outfielder. But after showing a .274 ISO (isolated slugging, i.e. slugging average minus batting average) last year, his slugging has fallen off, and his current .152 ISO is below his .192 minor league ISO. Since ISO takes 500 plate appearances to stabilize, his career major-league .219 ISO is just barely statistically significant. If he did experience a little power surge, it would take Jones away from a guy on pace for 20 home runs to one closer to being useful in mixed fantasy leagues.
But it’s no sure thing that a surge is coming. For one, Jones is chopping the ball into the ground (47.7% this year, 41.8% career) while his flyball rate is low for a supposed power hitter (33.6%). Via minorleaguesplits.com, we can see that Jones has hit more groundballs than flyballs every year since 2006 in the minor leagues. Even during last year’s big league breakout, he hit just 41.3% flyballs. He’s no flyball-heavy slugger.
Most of his swing rates are similar this year to last year’s breakout numbers, but there’s evidence that the league has adjusted to Jones in the pitching mix he’s seeing. FanGraphs tracks Linear Weights, which use game-state statistics to attempt to give value to specific pitches. Jones was very good against fastballs last year – his plus-14.6 runs put him just short of established sluggers Lance Berkman (+15 runs) and Brad Hawpe (+16.4 runs) against the heater. So this year, pitchers are throwing the fastball less often: 49% of the time, versus 54.9% of the time last year. It’s up to Jones to adjust now.
Given the fact that Jones hits a lot of groundballs and is seeing a different pitching mix this year, we probably shouldn’t expect a repeat of last year’s power binge — and he probably isn’t a good buy-low candidate. Placing him in the context of other late-blooming players like Cruz and Ludwick only makes the picture worse. If you own Jones in a deep league, you might as well just hold. In a shallow league, you might find something better on the waiver wire.
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Hey Eno,
I just wanted to jump in and try to clarify something. I’m not so sure “we should be more worried about his current slump than we should about your garden-variety slump.”
The table you reproduce from Colin’s article doesn’t necessarily say that players who debut at the major league level at an older age are any different than players who debut at a younger age. If you look, it seems that the average career ends at Age 29 regardless of debut age, indicating that aging effects are the same regardless of debut (of course it’s not a definitive study, but this table is all the evidence we’re focusing on for now).
That Garrett Jones (an Age 26-debuter) is struggling at Age 29 shouldn’t be anymore worrisome than if an early-debuting 29 year old like Alex Rios or Shane Victorino were struggling – at least in the absence of other evidence. That’s not to say we shouldn’t worry about Jones (that’s another matter entirely). I just wanted to clarify the age point.
You make a good point. However, I think I still have a point as well in re Jones.
If a 21-year old debuts and we are looking at a slump from him in his age-29 season, we have 8 years of data to look at to determine if the player is ‘average’ or not. So we have all sorts of sample size to use in our analysis to determine if a guy will be so bad that he may not be in the league the next year. Or if the slump actually represents his true talent level.
However, in Jones’ case, he’s a 26-year old debut that’s slumping less than three years later. We have a mere 629 plate appearances to use to determine if he’s one of the average 26-year-old debuts or one of the above-average ones.
Another way to look at it might be intuitively. If a guy debuted at 21 and he’s 29 and slumping, what does that player look like? A former top prospect that never made it? Or a utility player that has outlived his usefulness? Those might be the guys that are out of the league at 29. If he’s a star that debuted at 21 and is slumping at 29, we have little to worry about.
But a guy that debuted at 26? I’m not sure what that looks like typically, but it might just be Garrett Jones. We just don’t know what point of the bell curve of that player’s personal career he’s at.
In any case, I said none of this in the article, so you’re right to point it out, and I enjoyed thinking it through. And I may yet be mistaken.
I get your general point, Eno, but it’s not as if all we have of Jones is his 557 major league ABs. We also have a couple thousand from the minor leagues. I don’t believe that MLEs are as good as they’re ever going to be, but they have been shown to be nearly as reliable as major league data (I’m pretty sure MGL showed this, but I can’t find a link at the moment).
Again, I get your general point. I know that there are things we aren’t considering, but I too have enjoyed discussing this.
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NPR Calls Violent Occupy Protests 'Restrained'
The comforting whisper voices of authority at NPR want to keep their liberal pledge based hermetically sealed from the reality of nationwide May Day riots and chaos caused by the Occupy movement yesterday.
That’s the only conclusion to be drawn from Morning Edition’s scant coverage of what was supposed to be Occupy’s great spring renewal, downplaying if not denying the violence that was evident to anyone paying attention.
Several photographers, including a freelancer on assignment for Metro shooting the Occupy Wall Street May Day events today, were attacked by so-called Black Bloc protesters rallying on the Lower East Side.
Photographer Jeremy Sparig was following protesters as they ran along Forsyth Street after marching across the Williamsburg Bridge. The protesters he was specifically shooting were dressed all in black, with black hoods and goggles covering their faces. This group has taken on the moniker Black Bloc.
“I was in the street, shooting this protester as he ran and he said, ‘Get out of the street,’ or something,” Sparig said.
Sparig told the man he was a journalist trying to record the day’s events, but that’s when the man took a swing at him.
Credit where it’s due — some other Occupy protesters pulled the Black Bloc thug off the reporter in this case, before going back to marching alongside the Black Bloc. NPR didn’t breathe a word of this, however.
More than 100 masked protesters — dressed in black and gray and wielding crowbars and paintball guns — descended on a busy restaurant and retail stretch in the city’s Mission district. Vandals smashed windows, defaced cars and attacked the neighborhood police station.
On Tuesday, a glass crew was parked outside the Mission district police station, and Jeffrey Garcia was inside filing a police report about damage to his two vehicles. His Volkswagen Passat and Chevrolet pickup had been parked on Valencia Street as he had dinner at a nearby restaurant.
In Los Angeles, a group that broke off from a downtown rally for immigration reform briefly skirmished with police and left an officer injured, and 10 union demonstrators were arrested for blocking an intersection near Los Angeles International airport.
In Oakland, police in riot gear fired tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse protesters who they said threw objects at officers and struck them with corrugated metal shields during a mid-afternoon altercation.
City officials said marchers had vandalized two banks, a police van and a news vehicle.
To NPR, this is apparently all another “restrained” day at the theater. Nothing here to make you drive your Volvo off the road.
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Miniature trees were the stars of the show at the Philippine Bonsai Festival, formally opened last May 15 at The Podium and lasted through May 30, filled with seminars and workshops about the art of Bonsai.
Organized by the Philippine Bonsai Society Inc. (PBSI), with the cooperation of Bulacan Bonsai Artists Inc., Kapampangan Horticulture, and the Bonsai Artists Association of Tarlac, the Philippine Bonsai Festival 2010 also featured the Suiseki Competition. Suiseki is the Japanese art of stone appreciation.
Among the seminars and workshops featured were: the Introduction to the Art of Bonsai (May 16), Penjing: The Art of Chinese Landscape (May 16); Training of Bonsai (May 22); Suiseki: The Art of Natural Stone Appreciation (May 23); Caring for Bonsai and Preparation for Exhibit (May 29); and the Hands on Bonsai Workshop (May 30), conducted by the PBSI.
The summation of “Art + Environment + Sustainability”, which was the festival’s theme, installed the 3rd Bagasbas Beach International Eco Arts Festival at the Bagasbas Beach, Daet, Camarines Norte last May 30 to June 6, 2010.
Through the initiated efforts of various artists who graced the event, this year’s festival aimed to provide creative learning through four media for the Daet community. The first medium was the installation art, where found items from host communities and bamboo are used to create sculptural installations along the Bagasbas Beach in Daet, Camarines Norte, one of certain actions that might embellish the place’s title as the 60th Surfing and Kite Surfing Destination in the World. Video presentations listed as second. This was where artists showed their video works in spaces in and around the town of Daet. Third on the dossier is the public furniture design for the campus of the Our Lady of Lourdes College. Finally, the final media were economic upliftment seminars where communities will take part in economic enhancement programs from the business community and government technical institutions.
This year’s festival also hoped to provide communities an approach to uplift their lives through a connection with internationally significant artists, and to help them realize that solutions to economic and environmental problems can be met by community cooperation and harnessing simple creativity.
Some of the national and international artists who attended the event were Filipino artist Irma Lacorte who taught her host community Brgy. Mangcamagong in Basud how to make ‘puso’, which she used to create her artwork “Taub-Hubas” that illustrated the changes of the tide, from low to high tide; Artist Chung Ho Chak, from Hongkong-China, who epitomized the simple yet colorful life of the people in his host community, Daet and the Our Lady of Lourdes College, through his “Heart” artwork; and, Norwegian artist Stuart Frost who was amazed with the abundance of natural materials that can be found in Daet, and believed that the people of Daet can generate renewable energy from the wind from simply using bamboo and other indigenous materials - “generate power in places where there is no access”.
The project is supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Our Lady of Lourdes College Foundation.
For more information on the event, contact the Our Lady of Lourdes College Foundation at (6354) 721-1368, (63917) 464-4034, email [email protected] or visit http://www.bbieaf.org/.
Participants, who have registered from April 1 to May 14 and divided in three categories—Relay Category, Age Category, and Elite Prizes—step up and won in 5K Run-30K Bike-5K Run event. Winning parties received cash prices and gift certificates.
“The Columbia Trail Masters Duathlon series is our way in urging more Filipinos to engage in exciting and challenging outdoor sports,” said Tiffany Batungbacal, Columbia Brand Manager.
This special events is co-presented by Nuvali, Res/Toe/Run, R.O.X., Royal Carribean Jamaican Patties, Gatorade, Manila Water, and in partnership with Business Mirror, MultiSport, OneSport, Runner Speak, Run Radio, Action and Fitness and Takbo.ph.
For more information, contact Thumbie Remigio at 0915-6872380, Soleil Sanchez at 0916-7834839 of Columbia Sports Wear or visit www.columbiasportswear.com.ph.
From the Robinsons Iloilo’s nine-day bridal fair entitled “Wedding Rituals Bridal Show”, award-winning fashion designer Jojie Lloren graced the bridal catwalk through her reputed designs as the finale of the event. The show was held at the Fountain Area of Robinsons Place Iloilo last May 28, 2010 at five ‘o’clock in the afternoon.
Lloren, a former president of Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines, is one of the country’s well-known designers, undisputed with his genuine creations and inspirations to his fashion subordinates. He is also a former president of Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines and is popularly known as the adviser of the contestants on “Project Runway Philippines.”
Six Lloren’s personal handpicked designs were most represented in the bridal show. These were worn by two of his Manila muses, catwalk superstar Jo Ann Bitagcol and Filipina-German newcomer Marita Fe Ganse.
Aside from this highlight, the event also gathered Iloilo’s homegrown talents and Manila-based imports. Part one was made up of “Design Lab” graduates. This was distinguished through the province’s pool of creative neophytes, primarily to discover new talents and fashion/business makers in the Robinsons Mall. The second part was the showcased works of the established Iloilo designers, Bo Parcon and Jaki Peñalosa, who are also tenants in the mall. The models of this part two ramps were products of the “Campus Fashionista” which is just one of Robinsons Iloilo’s unique and longstanding marketing efforts that has won them awards within the Robinsons group. Finally, the walk of Lloren’s creations culminated the event.
For further information, contact Robinsons Iloilo group at telephone number (+63) 33-336-3836.
“Challenges for a Sector in Transition: Innovation and Opportunities.” This was the theme that fueled the 2010 Land Sector Summit held at the Heritage Hotel last May 28.
"Land is a very important natural resource. Under the environment of good governance and effective land administration system, land can serve as an important asset and a catalyst for poverty reduction and economic development," said Hon. Horacio Ramos, secretary of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), in his keynote speech for the event. Ramos also pointed out that inconsistent and outdated land laws in the country cause land disputes and double issuances or fake land titles.
Included in the government’s efforts to revitalize and reform the land sector is the launch of the Land Administration and Management Project (LAMP), with support from the World Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID).
Among the current achievements of the government in this endeavor are the introduction of innovations and development of technologies in land survey and titling; land valuation and land information management; improved capacity building in the land sector in terms of trainings, education, and research and development; and improved partnership with stakeholders.
Advocates of the organic culture showcased a host of different products and technologies in the Third Pinoy Organic Festival held at the AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center at the Quezon Memorial Circle last May 28–30.
The event was also held as a celebration of the passage of the Philippine Organic Agriculture Law (RA 10068), expected to give a boost to the efforts of various groups in promoting and supporting organic farming and gardening.
One of the major highlights of the festival was a trade fair, which featured various organic products currently available in the market, including fresh and processed farm produce. Several seminars were also conducted and a public forum was slated on the second day to discuss RA 10068.
Speakers for three-day event included Senator Miguel Zubiri, who is also the guest of honor and speaker and the principal author of the Organic Agriculture Law, discussed “The Opportunities and Challenges of the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010,” as well as the budget allocation that will go together with the passage of the law.
Representatives Proceso Alacala of Quezon, Ibrahim Mitra of Palawan, and Leonardo Montemayor of the ABA Party List and Federation of Free Farmers, and Sec. Bernie Fondevilla helmed the public discussion regarding RA 10068.
Mr. Raymond Rubia, Mr. Jun Catan (of Mapecon), and representatives from Amway and Costales Nature’s Farm (Majayjay, Laguna) served as the panel for a discussion on organic and natural fertilizers, vermiculture, vermicast in organic agricultural production, and organic liquid fertilizers.
Organic livestock production, meanwhile, was discussed by an expert from the Laguna Organic Farm, followed by a discussion by Ms. Teresa Saniano about integrated organic rice systems.
Aside from the discussions and seminars, organic farming projects such as The Villegas Organic and Hobby Farm in Malvar, Batangas; the Leonie Agri Corporation, an Organic Certification Center of the Philippines certified farm; the Platinum Island Farm in Tanay, Rizal; and the Santuario de la Natividad Farm, Inc., were also presented.
For more information, contact Ms. Desiree Segovia at 0918-8001728 or 0905-3422265 for more information. You can also get in-touch with Ms. Rhoda Galos at 497-2755. Visit their website at http://www.pinoyorganics.com.
The Industrial Machinery, Factory Automation, Hardware Products, Power Tools, Material Handling, Welding Technology and Accessories Exhibition dubbed as Manufacturing Technology Davao already reached its fourth year in its showcase. This was held at the convention hall of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last May 27 to 29, 2010.
Secretary Jesus G. Dureza, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, graced the event that gathered various key stakeholders and businessmen, both from within and outside of the country, as the event’s keynote speaker.
Manufacturing Technology Davao has established itself as the premier machinery and technology exhibition in the Mindanao region in a short span of three years through the efforts of top event organizer, Global-Link MP Events International Inc. (GMP), and is divided into three categories according their exhibitor's specialized industry.
The first is the Total Office Products Show (T.O.P.S.), which is an exhibit of Business IT Solutions, Audio and Visual Communications, Digital and Large Format Printing, Corporate Gifts, Office Automation, Technology, and Products and Services.
The next is the Woodmach Davao, an exhibit focused on Woodworking, Furniture-Making Machinery, and Furnishings and Accessories Finally, the Davao Food Exposition is a showcase geared towards International Food Packaging, Processing and Refrigerating Equipment, Technology Materials, and Accessories and Services.
The second edition of this year’s World Slasher Cup set last May 31, June 2, and June 4 at the Araneta Coliseum, featuring champion breeders from the Island of Hawaii dubbed as the World Slasher Cup-2 Hawaiian Invitational 8-Cock Derby.
The event was hosted by the Pintakasi of Champions and co-presented by Thunderbird. They also held the “Bigtime ka sa World Slacher Cup” raffle promo. The four grand prize winners from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao together with one chaperon will be brought to the Big Dome for free complete hotel accommodations, with salon and spa treatment, pocket money and a trio (2 hens and a broodcock) from Sonny Lagon of the Thunderbird Winning Team members.
Organizers of the event said event can be reached at 9112928, 9113101 loc. 8361 or 8351.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Over the past years, people start to become more conscious of their lifestyle habits. They continuously search for ways to enhance themselves physically or physiologically, to look and feel good about themselves.
With this idea, San Mig Coffee came up with its new Pro-Health line which is a variety of complete sugar-free coffeemix enriched with functional ingredients for added health and wellness, and to further promote this product, a running race dubbed as the “San Mig Coffee Bay Run, Dash For Health 2010” was held last May 23 at SM Mall of Asia grounds.
A San Mig Coffee Sampling Café was placed at the central point of the Activity Area, which server free cups of San Mig Coffee. Other activities include a 3k Pro-Beauty Run Booth, 5k Pro-Fiber Run Booth, 10k Pro-Slim Run Booth, 15k Pro-Power Run Booth, and a Photo Area.
Last May 20 to 23, 2010, the Soroptimists International of the Philippines Region (SIPR) (A Foundation) Inc. celebrated its 22nd Biennial Conference at the Fontana Leisure Parks, Clarkfield Pampanga.
Ms. Carmen A. Flor, SIPR Governor, recognized the conference as a celebration of the varied accomplishments of SIPR clubs throughout the country. The conference was also a showcase of the best of the 2010 SIPR from the approved new SIPR Bylaws – the merger of the SIPR Foundation and SIPR official by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SIPR Clubs’ support to SIPR Dream Raffles, and SIPR members’ support to the Disaster Relief Fund and Sampaguita and Laurel Societies, to the “SIPR Club Grant” that will provide startup capital for the micro-enterprises for the women in the barangays.
Soroptimists International of the Philippines Region (SIPR) (A Foundation) Inc. is in partnership with government agencies, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
For more information, contact SIRP through the telephone numbers (02) 706-2366 or 994-7861, telefax at (02) 706-3933, e-mail at [email protected] or visit the website: www.soroptimistphil.org.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The country’s sought-after specialists in the field of sport science will share key information on how athletes and sports enthusiast can achieve maximum performance and be better than their competitors during the Sports Science Initiatives (SSI) Sports Science seminar series-Cebu leg on May 28 - 29, 2010 at the Theodore Buttenbruch Hall of University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City.
Sports enthusiasts and athletes are always aiming to become stronger and better in their chosen sport. Proper training and conditioning are important to achieve this. Whether its basketball, volleyball, swimming, badminton, or contact sports, an athlete and their respective coaches and trainers need to understand what the body needs in order to achieve full potential.
Limited seats are available for 2010 Sports Science Initiatives Seminar Series - Metro Cebu. Registration Fee is PhP1, 000.00 inclusive of giveaways, handouts, lunch for both days, and Certificate of Participation. Deadline for registration is on May 24, 2010.
For more information about the event, contact Ms. Astrid Ocampo of the USC PE Dept at (0923) 280-7120 or Coach Pio Solon, CSCS at (0932) 641-9772 or email [email protected].
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Almost 600 youth leaders of the 4-H Club, youth coordinators, and volunteer youth leaders nationwide gathered at the Camarines Sur Capitol Convention Center last May 17 to 20, 2010 to celebrate the club’s National Convention.
The convention with the theme “Youth Empowerment on Climate Change Adaptation: A Time for Action” was also attended and graced by Assistant Director Alberto Maningding of ATI-Central Office, together with other officials like Mr. Allan Vega, Federation President of 4-H Club Philippines, Inc., Guiamaludin Mohamad, Volunteer Leaders Association of the Philippines (VLAP) National President and Hon. Loreto Yu, Mayor of Alang-alang , Leyte and International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) President.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol Regional Executive Director Marilyn V. Sta. Catalina happened to deliver the message of Secretary Bernie G. Fondevilla, who was supposedly one of the event’s guest speakers, to the visitors and delegates. Shared insights from the secretary were messages to the government and the people that they must work together in addressing critical threats of climate change which is largely attributed to man’s abuse to the environment. In additional, the secretary pointed out that in order for the government to achieve its agri-fishery development and modernization amidst climate problem, there must be a stronger and sustained collaboration among stakeholders – the DA, Local Government Units (LGU), other policy makers and implementers, farmers, fishers, entrepreneurs and other industry players.
The 4-H National Convention is an annual gathering of all farm youth in the country which is principally being carried out by the DA’s Agricultural Training Institute, in cooperation with the regional, provincial and municipal Farm Youth Development Program (FYDP) from the DA-Regional Field Units, and LGUs, VLAP, and IFYE.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
It will be red carpet all the way for Skålleagues and their families and friends who will be attending the 39th Skål Asian Congress from May 27 to 30, 2010 in Cebu.
Hosted by Skal Club Cebu, at least 100 foreign stakeholders in the international tourism industry and 60 more of their local counterparts are expected converge in Cebu and take part in the said event.
Numerous activities have been lined up for the Skålleagues throughout the four-day affair. The Asian Board of Officers' Dinner will be held on May 26 at the Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa. Major activities and meetings will be held at the Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa. Golfer delegates will show off their strokes at the Asian Golf Tournament to be held on May 27 at the Mactan Airbase. Later, welcome cocktails and dinner will be served at Plantation Bay Resort & Spa. The President’s Meeting, set on May 28, will be held at the Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa. Finally, a Gala Dinner will be held on May 29 at Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
The Cebu Congress will, for the first time, include the Young Skål Forum. Young Skål members from Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines and other Asian cities are expected to participate and inject a new phase to Skål Asia. Another first for the Asian Congress is the Skål Tourism Awards for outstanding clubs and personalities to be conducted by the Asian Area and Skål International Philippines to be presented by Skål International Makati.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A true runner will never let the intense summer heat get in the way of a good workout. This is what inspired the only cable network in the Philippine television exclusively for women, the Lifestyle Network, in partnership with Neutrogena, when they’ve encouraged women across the metro to step out under the sun and participate in one of the country’s faster-growing sport—running.
This is the first road race organized by a beauty brand. Moreover, it is also a tribute to the woman who can sport beautiful, summer skin and strut her stuff as an active runner, the Chase the Sun Run will give runners the chance to experience firsthand how Neutrogena takes care of their skin.
With the theme, “Chase the Sun: The Neutrogena Run”, the run started last May 16 at the Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, which featured race categories on 3K, 5K, 10, 15K.
Interested and challenging women begin to register last April 19 to May 12 through the logging on the websites www.lifestylenetwork.multiply.com, www.finishline.ph, www.thebullrunner.com, www.abs-cbn.com or to http://teamkapamilya.multiply.com and followed abscbndotcom on Twitter.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Hollistic Philippines.com in partnership with Trigo World Inc., presented the very first E-commerce Marketing Conference which was exclusively conducted for the Natural Health and Wellness Industry last May 15, 2010 at the Dasmarinas Function Room of Hotel Intercontinental Manila located at Ayala Avenue, Makati City.
Included in the wide-range of topics tackled that concerns the industry is a discussion about the Hollistic Health Care in Global Marketing as presented by the Financial Benefits Speaker Dr. Josef de Ubaldo, FS., FRCP, FRINM and Edgar Canlas of SMilDS.COM.
Aside from inspirational talks, lecture trainings, and presentations, the conference also displayed exhibits and sample products of natural and herbal Coffee, Nutritional Foods Supplement such as Vida Booster, Noni and other similar products which was open for public viewing and is for free admission.
Registration was conducted online through www.holisticphilippines.com and through the Secretariat office at (632) 371-7015, 371-7016, or email [email protected].
The BMW Car Club of the Philippines presented the 7th Bimmerfest 2010, an all BMW Car Show, at the A Venue Open Grounds in Makati City last May 15. Bimmerfest is the annual gathering of club members in a show and shine competition, while non-competing members came to appreciate the nicely prepared cars and enjoy the camaraderie with fellow members. The event featured more than thirty BMW vehicles that extremely amazed all the participants and competitors.
Moreover, club members also reminisce with video/slideshow of their get-togethers from the past year’s celebration. Among the display presentations were aftermarket products from Bilstein, PIAA, Motospray, Spring Cushion, Wayfinder, and Eurovision. King Luxury Limousine Service brought in their "White Minx" custom stretch BMW 740i for those who want to roll in style.
The big winners of Bimmerfest 2010 were: Jun V for Best of Show with his e93 M3; Best Interior went to e46rara's e30 323e; Best Exterior went to satsumabus' e30 325i; Best Heritage went to iTango's e30 325ti; Best Modern went to the e46 318MS of iastute; Best Special went to the e63 M6 of Jun V; Best Guest Display went to the e21 3`6i of F. Sia; and the People's Choice award went to K Balingit's e46 316i.
This year's event was more than just a car show, it is indeed a fashion show with the support from Asian Carmakers Corporation, Chevron Philippines, Bridgestone, RCBC, San Miguel Beer, Tumi, Globe Platinum, Concept One Wheels, Magnolia Purewater, Big Bert’s, Aguila Auto Glass, Acer, Eurovision, Blade, Magic 89.9, Business World, 103.5 Max FM, Doppler Audio, the Philippine Star, and TopGear. The event was concluded with a concert by True Faith.
For more information, contact the BMW Car Club of the Philippines at (63917)826-3887.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Soon-to-wed couples, debutants, and other individuals can start planning their parties by meeting up with local wedding and events suppliers during Celebrations! A Bridal Show and Events Expo to be held on May 22 – 23, 2010 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Celebrations! is created with the idea that all of life’s big events deserve a special celebration. Hence, Celebrations! covers it all: venues and facilities, catering, entertainment, event styling and decoration, photo and video services, invitations, souvenirs, wedding rings, cakes, flowers and balloons, lighting and sound facilities, audio visual equipment, special effects and more.
Celebrations! aims to make your special event exactly what you have hoped for – perfect weddings, successful corporate events and fun private parties. With this goal, Celebrations! will showcase only the best and most credible in the industry to help save time in the process of selecting the right suppliers for your every event need.
Numerous activities have been lined up for attending guests. Admission is free for pre-registered couples, debutants and guests. P100.00 will be charged for walk-in and non-registered guests.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Parkinson’s disease is one of the most complicated and also one of the least understood disease in the Philippines, if not the whole world.
In a continuing effort to provide understanding and support for people who suffer the disease, the Parkinson’s Support Group of the Philippines (PSGP) held a lay forum last May 9, from 1pm–4pm, at the Cathedral Heights Building Complex, South Tower of St. Luke’s Medical Center.
The forum was sponsored by Darvys Pharma and was open to the public with free admission. Cardiologist Dr. Roberto Raymundo of the Philippine Heart Center presided over the forum, with discussions on how Parkinson’s disease affects the heart, blood pressure, and blood vessels. He also talked about ubiquinone, a powerful antioxidant, and its benefits in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cardiac disorders, as well as fostering general health, wellness, and youth.
Interest parties may contact the PSGP at 631-1531 or the Movement Disorders Center of St. Luke’s at 727-5552.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The International Food Exhibition Philippines (IFEX), a premier sourcing hub for quality Filipino food, held its 2010 run last May 6–8 at the World Trade Center Manila, attracting hundreds of local and international food buyers and enthusiasts.
The event, divided into the Exporter’s Zone, which was opened for trade buyers on May 6 and then to visitors on May 7 and 8, and the Retailer’s Zone and International Hall, which was open for the who duration of the event for buyers, visitors, and the general public.
The IFEX 2010 was organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and held in partnership with Department of Agriculture Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service. Media partners include the Business Mirror, the Department of Science and Technology, Cook Magazine, ClickTheCity, Business World, Mega Publishing Group, the Manila Bulletin, and Hinge Inquirer. The Radio Partners, Inc., Magic 89.9, Jam 88.3, Wave 89.1, 99.5 RT, and Max FM.
From the hard-fought battle for suffrage, women have and still are playing a vital role in the shaping and restructuring of the political arena. In the Philippines, women provide a voice of reason and a tone of decision-making that is both stern and tender.
Campaigning for clean and honest elections, Proudly Filipina staged a fun run at the Mall of Asia grounds. The event was held in cooperation with the Soroptimist International Eastwood City District and 3 Thousand Club of the Americas, Philippine Chapter.
Proudly Filipina is an all-Filipina international online community, dedicated to bringing together Filipino women from all over the world. Proudly Filipina and its partners formed and advocacy campaign for awareness and support for clean, fair, and honest elections in the country.
The “Takbo para sa Tamang Boto” was held last May 8, with three different races: the 10 k, 5 k, and 3 k runs.
The event was also held as a fundraising event for the Sisters of Mary Girls Town in Silang, Cavite for their continuing mission of providing support and reaching out for the poor and needy.
For more information, please call 0908-1984183 and look for Kyle Bueta, Jr. You may also visit www.proudlyfilipina.com/events.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Researchers and educators in all areas of pure and applied mathematics, math education, statistics, and other related areas are invited to join the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP) 2010 annual Convention to be held on May 20-21, 2010 at the Montebello Villa Hotel in Cebu City.
Local researchers will also be given a chance to present their papers and share with their colleagues their latest findings and application practices of mathematics. Participants are encouraged to pre-register, via mail, fax, or email, on or before May 7, 2010.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Nursing has become one of the most in-demand educational degrees in the Philippines in the past few years. With the clamor for more nurses both here and abroad, nursing education in the country should continually improve, at the same time inculcating personal values and leadership qualities that would further give our nurses an edge.
Through the leadership of the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADCPN), annual and summer workshops have been conducted from its inception, concentrating on quality instruction and quality outcomes, which contribute to a more positive outlook in the competencies of nurses.
This year, the ADCPN’s summer workshop was held at the Manila Hotel last May 4 and 5. Carried by the theme “The Call to Professional and Personal Leadership,” the conference served as a challenge for administrators of nursing schools in the country to continually secure their growth as educator, administrators, and individuals.
The ADCPN Summer Conference was aptly themed as there are constant changes in the approaches in delivering quality education. This year, members of the ADCPN were also given the chance to interact with official from the Commission on Higher Education and the Professional Regulation Commission.
The ADCPN was established in 1959 and is now led by Dean Carmelita Divinagracia,
For more information about the event, contact the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing at (632) 921-7466.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Trail runners and mountain bikers will surely have their work cut out for them as they take part in the 4th Men’s Health All-Terrain Race to be held on May 16, 2010 in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
The Men’s Health All-Terrain Race is the most eagerly anticipated race in the country by both mountain bikers and trail runners. It’s is also the perfect springboard for new riders and runners to try something new and to push their limit.
Participants may choose to run the 6-kilometer, 10-kilometer or 16-kilometer trail course, or ride their bikes on the 20-kilometer or the 40-kilometer route. But for those up for the challenge, there is also the option to do both the 10-kilometer trail run and 20-kilometer bike ride. Racers will be running and/or riding on pavements, dirt roads and grass lands. They will also get the opportunity to admire the view from the top of a ravine, and get wet while crossing a river on their way to the finish line.
Registration is now ongoing at Akt!v Sports and Lifestyle Centers in Trinoma and Festival Super Mall, Recreational Outdoor Exchange (R.O.X.) in Bonifacio High Street and at the Summit Media Office at the 7th Floor of Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong, City. Deadline of registration is on May 12, 2010.
Good food, cool music and, great company awaits all participants as the event coincided with Men’s Health Philippines’ Fifth Anniversary celebration.
The 4th Men’s Health All-Terrain Race is co-presented by Keen and sponsored by Cherifer Premium, Emperador Light with official venue partner, Nuvali; official timer, Timex; official outfitter, AllStar; registration partners, Akt!v Sports and Lifestyle Centers and ROX and official radio partner Magic 89.9.
For more information about the event, contact Summit Media Publishing at (632) 451-8888 local 1070 or 1071, visit www.menshealth.com.ph or grab a copy of the current issue of Men’s Health, available in newsstands, bookstores and supermarkets nationwide.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Considered as the biggest Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) since its conception in 1992, the 18th SuBIT boasted of a record 650-strong list of participants from over 23 countries. The Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) was forced to close down the registration even before the deadline with this unexpected yet welcome turnout of participants.
Slated last May 1 and 2 at the Subic Freeport Zone and presented in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), this year’s edition of the SuBIT focused on young triathletes with the Asian Junior and U-23 (Under 23) Championships.
Said TRAP President Tom Carrasco, Jr.: “For this year, we decided to put more premium on the development of young triathletes who will take the place of current stars.”
Teams from Japan, Hungary, China, Kazakhstan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, United Kingdom, Macau, Singapore, Iceland, France, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Poland, Israel, Syria, Belgium, and Norway all sent their contingents to battle the bets of the Filipino hosts.
The race began at the Dungaree Beach and ended at the Waterfront, with the female elite and U-23, female age groupers, junior sprint, adult sprint, mini sprint, and female interclub relay competing on the first day. The elite/U-23 male and age groupers and inter-club team championships were held on the second day.
Two days of wonderful summer art and nature were showcased at the beautiful gardens of The Flower Farm Corporation on its 4th Country Fair last May 1-2, 2010 in Tagaytay City.
The event’s special highlight was an exhibit of the “Vanishing Scenes” paintings by the late Lino Severino—the pilot-turned-artist brother of Ging delos Reyes. He is recognized of his valuable works that captures the Nostalgia of Negros Occidental’s grand ancestral homes. One of his best works is the “Paris of Negros” on canvas, was one of the highlight displays.
Two members of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artist and local photo enthusiasts joined as new exhibitors in the said event. They presented on-the-spot painting, and showcased the Philippines’ most scenic spots by the association’s photographers in the events’ photo exhibit.
Apart from gallery displays and exhibits, visitors also enjoyed shopping in the garden bazaar where a variety of fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, imported fabrics, garden accessories, and home décor items were available. Specialty Food items from Silay City are also offered, with the proceeds going to the Home for the Aged in Silay City, Negros Occidental. Via Mare, on the other hand, served sumptuous meals for everybody who needs their stomach after feeding their eyes and minds with beautiful displays of painting and photographs.
The Laguna de Bay Conservation Foundation (LBCF) staged the Laguna de Bay Ultra Marathon Challenge last May 1-2 on the perimeter of the Laguna Lake.
Mr. Ed Manda, Laguna Lake Development Authority General Manager, noted that the event hopes to create awareness in preserving the lake. Moreover, he also stressed that with this event, the foundation aims to instill the values of bayanihan, love of nature, and teamwork.
The race draws 40 teams, which is composed of five runners—only two tem members should be elite runners and should also include one female member. The race, moreover, started at Frontera and run toward the Laguna Provincial Capitol in Sta. Cruz—both on the first and second day of the event.
Sponsored by Accel, PAGCOR, Outlast Battery, and Shakeys, the proceeds of the race will go to the Galalan Community Forest in Pangil, Laguna, and the Laguna de bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council.
For more info, contact TEAM VENTURES at (632)522 5953, e-mail: [email protected] or LLDA-International and Local Cooperations Division (ILCD) at (632)284 4797.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Pinoy Reggae legends once again gathered at the 7th Annual Puerto Galera Reggae Festival at Encenada Beach Resort in Puerto Galera last May 1, 2010.
One of those who took the “riddims” was the Tropical Depression which is also an annual band performer in the event. Tropical Depression, the band which popularized “Kapayapaan”, is spearheaded by founder and band leader Papadom, who is also the lead vocals and riddim guitar, and his longtime musical partner, Bong on lead guitar, together with Lala and Arlene on back-up vocals. The band has marked their legendary beat through headlining several concerts nationwide. They perform in the clubs, music festivals, in high profile shows, up to benefit concerts. But above all, they truly had the “Tropical Depression Infectious Island Riddim” that pumped up the enjoyment especially of the reggae festival’s visitors while enjoying beach football, windsurfing, barbeque, and a lot more until midnight.
Other Reggae bands and guests that joined the festival were Cocojam, the band which popularized “Lakambini” and “Ulap”, Turtle Club, Cool Laki, Grassroots, Kapis, Herb Culture, Wicked Tarsiers and one of the Pinoy great guitarist, Jun Lopito.
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Gorgeous Taylor Raz is ready to kick the randy stud's pulsating nuts like never before. Her long leg is so strong that it makes the fellow scream while the blonde is enjoying the view and preparing to hurt the guy even more.
Kicking your tiny balls gives me great pleasure so spread your legs and let me make you suffer while your cock is getting big. Don't scream. Real men can endure pain. Get up and let me hurt you again since I can see it is turning you on.
I will boot your balls so hard you will not be able to walk for days but that is not my problem. Pain is what you crave so enjoy the time I am spending on your pathetic sack which is not good for anything but kicking. You look silly while rolling on the floor and begging me to stop which you know will not happen anytime soon.
Your balls stand absolutely no chance against me and my pointy high heels. You've seen my videos and how hard I love to kick losers like you in the balls!
I have absolutely no mercy and will kick you harder and harder until your balls are black and blue! You deserve it and you crave ballbusting. You need a little structure in your life and a good swift kick to the balls should do just the trick.
Hey there little bitch boy, your balls are now mine. I'm going to reach down and SQUEEZE your balls until you can't take it anymore.
Then, I'm going to give you some nice swift kicks to the balls while you whither on the ground in pain. Your lucky I'm not wearing shoes or heels or I might just pop those balls!
Get on your knees and take your ballbusting like a man. Haha yea you know you love the feeling of getting kicked in the balls by a hot bitch like myself. Now stand up straight, put your hands behind your back and close your eyes for one last kick to the balls. This is going to hurt.
Losers like yourself like getting kicked in the balls and we are going to use you!
You're so pathetic that we'll have you stand up, put your hands behind your back and take our kicks to your balls! You will LOVE the pain when your balls go up into your stomach. You will be begging for more...
You really want to make a Princess happy, don't you? What makes Princess Anna really happy is watching a loser submissive like yourself do some self-ballbusting for her! Princess Anna demands that you are going to follow her directions and ballbust yourself.
She absolutely loves kicking guys in the balls but since she is not there to bring you to your knees in pain, she is just going to have you to do it to yourself and laugh at you. Your pain is her pleasure! Do you think you can take the pain?
Princess Anna demands that you punch yourself in the balls as hard as you can over and over again until you drop to the floor in pain! Now take your balls, SQUEEZE them and twist them...and let her hear your screams. Now get back to slapping yourself in the balls and Princess Anna wants to make sure they are swollen before she tells you to stop.
You're such a pathetic loser. You love being humiliated and dominated by women, don't you? Yes, you do. You love the feeling of me kicking and stomping on those balls of yours.
You have a ballbusting fetish and I love demolishing your testicles. I'll reach right down and grab your balls, squeeze as hard as I can and TWIST them while you beg for mercy. The pain is going to be unbearable and your balls will officially be busted by me.
Natalie Laine is going to do exactly what makes her feel happy and that is to kick you directly in the nuts! She is just going to walk up to you and kick you right in the groin.
You will go down and be in so much pain as she stands over you and laughs at how pathetic you are. You love getting kicked in the balls and just the thought of Natalie kicking you turns you on.
Natalie Laine loves dominating men and ballbusting is one of her favorite hobbies. The thought of her bringing her foot back and then connecting with your sensitive testicles turns you on so much but you'll be in so much pain afterwards. You're so pathetic and submissive and will be bunched up in a ball on the ground! You're nothing more than a ballbusted loser.
Making You Gay - Gay & Bi Fantasy
You'll do anything for a couple of hot bitches won't you? I think we should totally whore you out and make you suck dick. You've always thought of sucking another man off and being humiliated by femdommes
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Backwash: What pop culture chews up and spits back out -- 'Gangnam Style'
Perhaps you’ve heard of a song called “Gangnam Style.” It’s by some Korean dude who calls himself PSY and it’s got, like, a trillion views on YouTube. No? Well, take my word for it, it’s popular. And as with most things that are popular - Snuggies, pretty girls, singing competition reality shows - it’s inspired all sorts of imitators. Now before you rush to the nearest tablet or mobile device and hunt these down for yourself, be warned: not all of the imitations are good. In fact some of them are quite bad. So, with that in mind, we noble souls at EW.com have combed the teeming thicket of the internet and selected the mashups and reenactments that may actually be worth watching. I can’t promise that they measure up to the original K-Pop hit - because, honestly, what can? But I can promise that someone, somewhere, found them amusing. And in this short life of ours, PopWatchers, that’s all we can really ask for.
The 3 Best Mashups
1. “Gangnam Style” x “Starships” x “Satisfaction” x “Acapella”
There are plenty of club-banger mashups out there, but how many of them include Nicki Minaj, Kelis, and Italian techno wizard Benny Benassi? Only one, that’s how many. And it is every bit as nonsensical as you’d expect.
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2. “Gangnam Style” x “Somebody that I Used to Know”
It was only a matter of time before someone mixed the most-liked video on YouTube with Gotye’s hit single.
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3. “Gangnam Style” x “Levels x First of the Year – Equinox”
Mashing PSY with Avicii and Skrillex could produce one of two things: bro-step gold or a hate-seizure. I’m partial to a little bass wobble so, for me, this one works great.
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Honorable Mention: Gangnam Busters
Gotta give these guys props for patching together a catchy tune without totally ruining the classic theme song.
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3 Best Live Reenactments
1. University of Oregon Marching Band
This is probably the only “Gangnam Style” live video you’ll ever need to watch. Check out that orchestration! That commitment! Those hips!
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2. Indonesian flash mob
Yeah, yeah, flash mobs are old news. But it’s still cool when 1000 people pony-dance in a gigantic fountain in the middle of Jakarta.
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Who Pays Federal Income Taxes?
Today’s Wall Street Journal has an estimate of who paid 2014 federal income taxes. The estimate is from the Tax Policy Center, as official IRS data won’t be available for a couple of years. The Journal headlines, “Top 20% of Earners Pay 84% of Income Tax,” but that actually understates how skewed the tax burden is.
This chart shows shares of income and income taxes by quintile. Note that the bottom 40% is actually getting money. Click to enlarge:
This chart is more interesting. It breaks down the top 20% of income earners. Note that you have to be in the $261,500+ income group to pay more than your fair share in taxes. And it is only the hated 1%, those earning over $615,000, who pay significantly more than their fair share:
The federal tax system has gotten steadily more progressive over the years, and is now the most progressive personal tax system (including payroll taxes in addition to income taxes) of any developed country.
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We oldsters grew up with “fewer sources of distraction and entertainment,” he writes. The TV had four channels. “Digital natives” can avoid even mild boredom, most of the time. They never learn that patience brings rewards.
Jennifer Roberts, a Harvard art and architecture professor, tells students to select a painting in a Boston museum, study it for three hours and write a paper on it.
The duration is “meant to seem excessive,” Roberts says. She wants students to think they’ve seen all there is to see, keep looking and see more.
As part of a book she was writing on 18th century American painter John Singleton Copley, she studied at length the painting A Boy With a Flying Squirrel.
Despite her experience, it took time before “she noticed that the shape of the white ruff on the squirrel matches the shape of the boy’s ear, and is echoed again in the fold of the curtain over his left shoulder.”
Students “need to feel the pleasure of discovering that something you thought you had figured out actually has layers that you had not appreciated,” Willingham writes.
Boring is bad, responds Tim Holt. He accuses Willingham of shouting, Get off my lawn, you damn kids.
“We were amazed at how frequently they multitasked, even though they knew someone was watching,” Rosen says. “It really seems that they could not go for 15 minutes without engaging their devices,” adding, “It was kind of scary, actually.”
. . . evidence from psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience suggests that when students multitask while doing schoolwork, their learning is far spottier and shallower than if the work had their full attention. They understand and remember less, and they have greater difficulty transferring their learning to new contexts. So detrimental is this practice that some researchers are proposing that a new prerequisite for academic and even professional success—the new marshmallow test of self-discipline—is the ability to resist a blinking inbox or a buzzing phone.
Young people think they can do two challenging tasks at once, but they’re “deluded,” says David Meyer, a University of Michigan psychology professor. “Listening to a lecture while texting, or doing homework and being on Facebook—each of these tasks is very demanding, and each of them uses the same area of the brain, the prefrontal cortex.”
He adds,“There’s nothing magical about the brains of so-called ‘digital natives’ that keeps them from suffering the inefficiencies of multitasking. They may like to do it, they may even be addicted to it, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s far better to focus on one task from start to finish.”
Sure, today’s kids CAN play video games and surf YouTube videos and send text messages and check their Facebook profiles without any help.
And YES, they have Pinterest pages long before their parents figure out that Pinterest isn’t some clever marketing campaign for newfangled online savings accounts.
They ARE successfully liking and poking and friending their way through life without our help.
But is that REALLY something to celebrate?
Aren’t those entertainment-fueled behaviors nothing more than concrete evidence of a troubling disconnect between what kids CAN do and ARE doing with technology?
Ferriter’s digital friend, Brad Ovenell-Carter, asked high school students in Vancouver what they’d do with two hours in a tech-loaded room and no assignments to tackle.
While some of Brad’s kids planned to spend their time making videos for the greater good or creating digital art, most figured that Instagramming it, editing themselves into Justin Beiber’s videos or printing 3D images of Harry Styles to take home would be more fun.
He asked if they agreed there’s “a gap between what you CAN and ARE doing.”
One student responded: “Maybe there is a gap, but perhaps only because we don’t exactly know what is all possible.”
Another said: “I would try and change the world… but I’m not sure how yet.”
North Carolina school districts are using $3.5 million in Race to the Top funds to “put Apple iPads in the hands of students and teachers at two low-performing schools,” reports the Raleigh News & Observer. Durham Public Schools Superintendent Eric Becoats said, “Our kids are telling us, ‘This is how we learn. This is what we want.'”
New technology rarely provides a new way to learn, writes Rick Hess, who’s unimpressed with “digital natives.” In schools with one-to-one computing, personal computers, and iPads, students typically work on “graphics, clip art, powerpoints, or adding sound and visual effects to video shorts.” Or students go to “Wikipedia for material to cut-and-paste into powerpoints or word files.”
. . . I had a chance to spend a couple days visiting acclaimed “technology-infused” high schools. Yet, most of what I saw the technology being used for was either content-lite or amounted to students using Google-cum-Wikipedia as a latter day World Book Encyclopedia. Making powerpoints and video shorts is nice, but it’s only us “digital tourists” who think it reflects impressive learning.
A “digital native” who uses an iPad to find Wikipedia’s entry on the Harlem Renaissance isn’t learning more than an encyclopedia-using student 25 years ago, Hess argues. Today’s student may learn less because it’s so easy to cut and paste text instead of copying information (or taking notes!) by hand.
I’m a huge fan of using technology to rethink schooling. But it’s the rethinking that matters, not the technology.
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With the last day of school upon us, I knew I wanted to do something fun and different for the end of the year Teacher Gifts. I wanted something that would stand out, and be a nice reminder all summer long of all the great work teachers do to help their students throughout the school […]
Meet the Blogger
Hiya! I’m Sue Purdy and I’m a mother of 3, an avid DIYer, thrift store treasure hunter, and lover of all things that make a home beautiful and functional. I live in Ontario, Canada with my wonderful husband, and 3 amazing daughters.
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Fall Decor
The weather has been spectacular lately, and I’m loving every minute of it. Mostly because I know it’s not going to last too much longer and as Ned Stark would say “Winter is Coming…” Since I’ve been spending so much time outside lately, I wanted to create a pretty Fall Front Porch. Remember a year […]
It’s (almost) Fall Ya’ll. I’ve turned the corner on this new season and have finally let go of my denial about Summer ending. I feel like it was ‘the summer that never really was’, if you know what I mean? One thing that I love to do to celebrate anything, whether it’s a special occasion or […]
I’m am so stoked about taking part in the Simply Seasonal Fall Home Tour series this year, hosted by the lovely and talented Caroline from the blog Organize Nashville. There are some truly AMAZING bloggers who are opening up their homes to us for this series, and I’m truly honoured to be among them. As part of this […]
With the fall temperatures being so mild this year, I was completely stoked to finally be able to host an outdoor Thanksgiving for friends and family. With the help of Porch.com and ATG Stores.com, this was definitely one of my more memorable family gatherings, and I’m so excited to show you all. Here is my […]
For Halloween this year, I wanted to create some easy and fun living room accessories. Since I love using black and white in my Halloween decorating, and I wanted to keep my costs low, these cute mummy pillows were just the ticket. Here are my completed (and spooky) pillows. I shopped my house for […]
A Thanksgiving Tablescape might seem a bit early for my American readers, but for us Canadians, our thanksgiving is being celebrated this weekend. In this post, I’m going to show you two different variations of tablescapes I did using mostly the same common elements. Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays, since it’s all about […]
I’m a huge fan of pretty Fall decor (like, who isn’t, right?). I’m not however a fan of decor pieces that are fragile and expensive. So, my solution is often to come up with a creative DIY project that is simple and inexpensive. This easy project took me all of about 30 min, most of which […]
For the #30DayFlip, hosted by the talented Jeanette from Snazzy Little Things and inspiring Meredith from Arts and Classy, this month’s challenge was to upcycle a thrift store item. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, until I saw the item and inspiration struck. As soon as I saw the CD tower, […]
Last weekend I finished my fall inspired mantle, and my favourite item was the Harvest banner. In this post, I’ll show you the easy steps I took to create this cute banner. The completed banner. I used mostly items I had lying around the house. The only item I needed to purchase was the faux […]
Fall is definetely in the air, and as hard as it is to bid adieu to summer, the next few months certainly make up for it with their ever changing beauty. This mantel in my den was just screaming out for some fall love, so I created this fun fall fireplace mantel to get ready […]
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Not since June. Huh. Guess there's not as many folk on the forums as they used to. Hmm...
Anyway, excuse for the bump, but Sombre sucks at art. XD
I'd to request an avatar as like my signature says, I cannot find my old one.
Those whom probably know me would of guessed right as I'd like to ask for a Cubone one. A rather solemn, sombre one would fit the bill nicely.
Thanks for you time. If it's too much of a bother, I understand, just thought I might ask is all.
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When President Barack Obama sat down for an interview with "60 Minutes," he said his policies were responsible for only 10 percent of the cumulative deficits over the past four years. We check his math.
In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes that aired on Sept. 23, 2012, President Barack Obama blamed the Bush administration for much of the nation's recent debt.
"Over the last four years, the deficit has gone up, but 90 percent of that is as a consequence of two wars that weren’t paid for, as a consequence of tax cuts that weren’t paid for, a prescription drug plan that was not paid for, and then the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression," Obama said. "Now we took some emergency actions, but that accounts for about 10 percent of this increase in the deficit."
To figure out what caused the accumulation of deficits over the past decade, CBO tracked the surplus it had projected back in 2001 and compared it to the actual cumulative deficits that resulted instead. Between 2002 and 2011, the government was projected to run a cumulative surplus of $5.6 trillion. Instead, the government ran a cumulative deficit of $6.1 trillion. That’s a swing of about $11.7 trillion.
We combined the CBO data into four broad categories, which broke down like this:
* About 37 percent of the swing came from higher spending
* About 24 percent from tax cuts
* About 12 percent from increases in interest costs
* About 27 percent from CBO’s failures to predict economic conditions accurately.
Obama's Treasury Department took CBO’s detailed, bill-by-bill calculations and assigned some of those laws to Bush and some of those laws to Obama. When Treasury did this, it found that 29 percent of the cumulative shortfall came from CBO forecasting problems, 59 percent of the shortfall came from Bush administration policies and only 12 percent from Obama administration policies. That’s where Obama’s claim comes from -- roughly 10 percent due to himself, and 90 percent due to either Bush or an economy so bad that CBO was unable to predict it.
However, we see two problems with this methodology. We’ll take them in order.
"Over the last four years"
On 60 Minutes, Obama said his 90-10 split referred to "the last four years." But that claim is a stretch at best if you’re using the Treasury document. Its percentages refer to the cumulative deficit swing over a 10-year period between January 2001 and August 2011.
We can calculate a more appropriate number using the original CBO data. We’ll use three years -- 2009, 2010, and 2011 -- because those are the years that reflect Obama’s presidency. (Data for 2012 isn’t available yet.)
Over this period, 38 percent of the swing comes from spending, 20 percent from tax cuts, 14 percent from interest increases and 28 percent from faulty CBO projections. Using Obama’s strict definition of what laws count as "Bush’s" and "Obama’s," about 17 percent of this swing is attributable to Obama, not 10 percent.
What should count as "Bush’s" and "Obama’s"?
The bigger problem with Obama’s figure, though, is in what he blames on Bush.
Obama in the interview mentioned the big-ticket "Bush" programs -- the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Medicare prescription drug program. The total by his Treasury department also includes other laws, such as the 2008 Bush stimulus package, which Obama supported as a senator. Meanwhile, Obama claims as his own the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus), TARP and the tax act of 2010.
However, this division seems unduly generous toward Obama because it includes policies he supports, or has supported. Obama has said he intends to keep the Bush tax cuts for Americans earning under $200,000, which accounts for a significant chunk of the cost. If he supports the policy, he shouldn’t be able to fob off 100 percent of the responsibility on his predecessor.
The same goes for the Medicare drug program -- a program Obama not only supports but actually expanded in his health care bill. Even the responsibility for the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan are more nuanced than Obama’s formulation makes it. While Obama didn’t start the wars, he did make policy decisions that wound down one war (Iraq) and extended, at least temporarily, another (Afghanistan).
We won’t venture a guess as to the actual percentage; CBO in its report acknowledges that its own numbers are "only a very rough approximation of how changes since January 2001 have contributed to the swing from projected surpluses to a string of annual deficits over the 2002-2011 period and should not be interpreted as precise tracking of all the components of that cumulative change over the past decade."
Still, even our revised starting point of 17 percent is higher than Obama’s 10 percent. And it would rise much higher if Obama were to take some responsibility for the Bush tax cuts, the Medicare drug program and the wars, as we believe he should. (The Washington Post Fact Checker gave Obama's claim four Pinocchios, its lowest rating.)
Our ruling
Obama said that "over the last four years, the deficit has gone up, but 90 percent of that is as a consequence of" President George W. Bush’s policies and the effects of the recession.
But Obama misstated his own documentation by using four years rather than the 10 that were included in the analysis. At a minimum, that makes him responsible for at least 17 percent. But more importantly, he engages in significant cherry-picking by assigning pricey programs to Bush’s column while ignoring the fact that he supported, or supports, many of them. We rate the statement False.
Email interview with Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, Sept. 27, 2012
How to contact us
Email comments and suggestions for fact-checks to [email protected] or find us on Facebook,and Twitter. (If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.)
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Description
The easiest way to the best new Android Apps! BAM discovers new apps & games and recommends the best for you. Focused on FREE Top Apps & Top Games, BAM brings new apps you will love!
Now powered by Fetch, your smart personal assistant for apps and games. Fetch uses our team of Android experts and the technology of App Genome Project to find the best apps that match your likes. We test and review dozen of new apps and games every day so you can quickly get to the best ones. Optimized for speed: Fast to open, fast to browse & fast to search, no clutter!
- FREE: New Top Apps & New Top Games, everyday- REVIEWED: Android experts test and review the best apps for you- PERSONALIZED: our algorithm learns what you like and brings more
Install the best alternative to the Android Market. It's the best discovery tool in the Market, including personalized recommendations based on app you have installed.We organized the applications in ways to get to the best apps & games quickly & we have tools for expert Android user:
"BAM", now powered by Fetch, is the Best Market App for Android to search Google Play! Update Today! Start with Top Apps & Top Games: it’s like the editorial lists in iPhone for the Android Market. BAM is the best way to find a new app & new game without wasting time searching through junk!! Our editors review many apps & actually play games, then create useful lists of only the BEST ones for you. We have the best for each type: you'll only see one "poker" app or the best antivirus for Android or the best camera app, not many similar ones. Each has quotes on why we like it & we make our lists useful & practical: "Optimize My Phone", "Pranks & Jokes", "Best Themes",etc
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Google Play reviews now use Google+ so it's easier to see opinions from people you care about. New reviews will be publicly linked to your Google+ profile. Your name on previous reviews now appears as "A Google User".
Google Play reviews now use Google+ so it's easier to see opinions from people you care about. New reviews will be publicly linked to your Google+ profile. Your name on previous reviews now appears as "A Google User".
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1. The editors had fetched and selected a lot of great Applications, games and so on.2. Mobogenie can help you clean up the mobile phone memory, let your mobile phone to run faster and save battery power.3. Transfer files from your Android to your PC and from your PC to your Android.4. Clean up your mobile phone, saving battery power, let your mobile phone faster and more durable. 5. Help you manage your phone's picture, applications.6. 100% free! All applications and all the games forever free!7. Support English; Portuguese; Indonesia; Vietnam; Russia; Poland; Italy;French; South;Korea; Thailand; Spanish; Persia; Arabic; hindi, Traditional Chinese.With truly localized high-speed content and features such as one-click downloads, smart and highly intuitive exploration for easy access.8. A variety of different types of application collection，game collection, let you need not to look for hottest content9. Download a variety of high quality products, let your mobile phone running more smoothly.10. Introduce the latest application and games in the first time, let you find the latest applications and games. released software update information in the first time.11. Mobogenie has the largest quantity of 100% safe and secure high quality localized mobile apps and entertainment resources.
Simplify your life with easy and convenient contact management and group messaging.Mobogenie is not just a mobile marketing but also a easiest and simplest way to manager you mobile.Mobogenie lite is a great platform for Android resources, where you can find the best mobile applications, games, as well as various other types of resources. Now it has been promoted in 23 different languages, and owns more than 200,000,000 users around the world. Good android store to get interesting game, A good store to find the most popular games/Apps, and the apps in Tops are worthy of trying. It’s not the best market app for Android to search Google Play, but it will be wothy to have it. Powerful Apps, games! There are so many amazing resources in Mobogenie. the UI is very clean, there're all kinds of apps\wallpapers you need. Fabulous platform that you can download plenty of resources include apps, games and wallpapers, best of all I can use it in my own language Get everything for free and it is the pocket edition. Its so cool in fact the coolest app, but not perfect. It’s a best of all apps Give more help, Give more fun A new homepage interface：quickly find interesting products you want. Helps clean useless data from your mobiles. Helping you manager your mobile more quickly. Personalized recommendations: guess You may like New navigation bar(always on the top) Level/point system
Make the Android market usable, and find your next favorite app, live wallpaper or widget:- App recommendations- New and hot apps of the day- Find top Android apps with a price drop- Share your best apps (eg twitter/facebook)- Tracks market update: notifies of updates available- Fast uninstaller- Browse "my apps" on www.appbrain.com and install apps with a sync instead of barcode scanner- Keep your list of installed apps as a backup on AppBrain.com
AppBrain is the best way to discover top Android apps in the Android market and to manage your apps. The recommended apps helper provides recommendations based on what you already use. We also have recommended games. It does not work with the Amazon app store.
The manage apps is like a killer file explorer / task manager for your already installed apps:- Start app, Quick uninstaller, share to Facebook- Fast sync widget to access AppBrain from the desktop and backup your apps to the cloud- app2sd functionality to move apps to sd (app 2 sd)- Find market update: notifies you of any updates available
AppBrain is the best app market and app discovery tool for Android apps from the Android Market. It allows you to easily find the best apps in the Market, the free apps and downloads, the price drops, live wallpaper, widgets and much more.
The World's Most Trusted Optimizer, Clean Master, Helps Clean Up Over 400 Million Phones!
When Do You Need Us?CM is perfect for you if your phone has become laggy or runs out of battery easily, if it's stopped playing games smoothly, if it becomes too hot to hold, or if you want to free up some space to store more photos or songs.
What We Can Do For YouWe make it easy to free up more storage from your phone and SD card, boost games and device memory, enhance speed & extend battery life, stop overheating and protect your device against malicious apps and vulnerabilities.
Highlights of Clean Master - Phone Booster & Antivirus
☆ Accurate: The junk-creating behavior of millions of apps has been analyzed so that Clean Master can efficiently hone in on its targets (cache and residual files) with perfect accuracy. ☆ Fast & Intuitive: Simple to use, super-fast and smooth UI, plus cool transition effects ☆ Ranked #1 by AV-TEST for the seventh time! A professional quality antivirus service scans devices in just 8 seconds, 500% faster than other paid antivirus apps.
Features of Clean Master- Phone Booster & Antivirus
► CPU COOLER Cool off your device by finding and stopping the apps that are causing it to overheat and make your battery last longer!
► MEMORY BOOST Boost your games and apps, free up memory (RAM), speed up your device and save more battery. Our 1 Tap Boost and Game Boost features make it easy to optimize directly from your homescreen.
► APP MANAGER Uninstall unwanted apps or bloatware and back up important ones. Some rooted devices will be able to move apps to the SD card as well as uninstall pre-installed and system apps. Our own Picks section lets you find useful apps that match your interests.
Camera permission: This permission is used for Clean Master's flashlight feature, which uses the camera flash from the device's rear camera. Clean Master does not use the device's microphone at all - Android lists both camera and microphone permissions together, even if only one is used.
-- Help fight against deceptive ads
Cheetah Mobile (formerly KS Mobile) is committed to fighting against misleading downloads. You can find our full official policy on this matter here: http://www.cmcm.com/about/promotion-policy.html
If you come across one of these ads, you can help us to take them down. Please visit the following URL and fill out the requested information - http://feedback.ksmobile.com/ReportFeedback/index?app_id=7 . The more detail you can give the better. Thanks for helping us improve the Android ecosystem!
Brand new interface design, smoother operation experience and richer content that will take you on a journey of software discovery.
• Over 100,000 free apps;• 100% free! All apps, all games always free!• Enter the Mini Game to explore the hottest new hit games in HTML5, play anywhere without installation! • Discover more cool stuffs with professional editorials.• App collection is the best way for Android beginners.• All APK are from GP directly.
Most downloaded app lock in Play Store★ #1 App lock in over 50 countries.★ Over 50 Million users, supporting 24 languages.
☞ AppLock can lock SMS, Contacts, Gmail, Facebook, Gallery, Market, Settings, Calls and any app you choose, with abundant options, protecting your privacy.☞ AppLock can hide pictures and videos, AppLock empowers you to control photo and video access. Selected pictures vanish from your photo gallery, and stay locked behind an easy-to-use PIN pad. With AppLock, only you can see your hidden pictures. Privacy made easy!
★ With the help of App Lock, you may:Never worry about a friend borrow your phone to play games again!Never worry about a workmates get your phone to have a look again!Never worry about private data in some apps may be read by someone again!Never worry about your kids may changing phone's Settings, paying games, messing up it again!
2) I hide AppLock icon, how to open AppLock now? There are two ways to open it:
1. dial pad
enter #password in your dial pad, and tap call button to open AppLock.
2. Browser
domobile.com/applock open this website in your browser,
3) How to stop other people uninstall AppLock?Please enable Advanced Protection in settings of AppLock, so nobody can uninstall or kill AppLock without password.You can disable Advanced Protection in settings, when you don't want it.
4) How to uninstall AppLock?After you enable Advanced Protection, nobody can uninstall AppLock without password. If you want to uninstall it, open AppLock, left menu, scroll down to last item, tap the uninstall item to delete AppLock.
5) I forgot my password，How to find it?
Tap AppLock icon to start AppLock. If you are using pattern lock, please change to number lock. Tap the 'forgot password' or '?' .
ON JELLY BEAN, NORMAL MINECRAFT PE TEXTURES CANNOT BE ACCESSED BY THIS APPLICATION! A demonstration texture pack has been provided.THIS APPLICATION IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH SOME SAMSUNG DEVICES! Devices with Samsung Knox or other security solutions may not be able to utilize the live patching and the ModPE Script Runtime of BlockLauncher. Patching .mod-formatted patches and texture packs still work. A fix is being worked on.
BlockLauncher is a custom Minecraft PE launcher that wraps around Minecraft PE and provides loading of patches, texture packs, and mods.(formerly known as MCPELauncher)
Just choose Options on the main screen, then select mods. It is that easy!
THIS MAY NOT WORK ON ALL DEVICES! If it crashes with your device, please post on the forum thread with your device model and your operating system version for support.
THIS APP REQUIRES THE FULL VERSION OF MINECRAFT PE TO RUN. The demo version or the J version is not supported.
This program loads libminecraftpe.so from the currently installed copy of Minecraft PE, so it should be compatiable with the mod patching features of PocketTool and QuickPatch.
Jelly Bean users: currently, this application cannot load original textures from copies of Minecraft installed by Google Play on Android 4.1 and above. The built-in texture pack will be used.
Features: - Patch up to 3 patches - Test the texture pack support with the built-in RepetiCraft texture pack
Battery Doctor is a FREE battery saving app that can extend your battery life up to 50% by finding apps and settings that drain power on your device. Join 330+ million users on Android and iOS who have seen the benefits!
Professional, easy to use and supporting 27 languages, Battery Doctor by Cheetah Mobile (formerly known as KS Mobile) gives a longer life to your Android phone , provides you with detailed battery information and helps it charge healthily with our unique 3 Stage Charging system. Enjoy an incredible power saving experience that's as good as Project Volta, even before Android L comes out.
Accurately Estimates Remaining Battery TimeTells how long battery will last under a variety of situations (playing games, wifi on or off, etc)
Professional ChargingBattery Doctor regulates the manner in which your device is charged with a Unique 3 Stage Charging system to ensure you get the most out of your battery and reminds you not to over charge. It also has features that can monitor and regulate power consumption.
Q: Can Battery Doctor save power and extend battery life?A: Yes!Tap the circle at the home screen (Save Power) to kill power hog apps that are not currently in use to improve battery life. Run our app while charging to let Battery Doctor manage the process with its Unique 3 Stage Charging system that ensures a longer battery life.Use the "Task Killer" widget to optimize your power consumption conveniently
Q: What is a full charge and why does it matter?A: Plug in your phone when the battery has about 20% remaining and continue to charge until Battery Doctor tells you the 3rd stage of trickle charging is complete. Do not overcharge by keeping your device plugged in nor undercharge by charging in short bursts whenever convenient.
Q: How does "Saving Mode" work?A: "Saving Mode" is an extreme setting that shuts down all non-essential functions of your phone with exception of making phone calls and sending/receiving text messages. WiFi, Data, GPS, etc will all be shut down to ensure battery life and defend your juice.
Q: How do I set up the widgets?A: The "Task Killer" widget will automatically appear on your home screen with installation. The other widget that monitors WiFi/GPS/etc can be installed just as any other widget on your device would be set up.
QR Code Reader is the fastest and most user-friendly QR code scanner available. If your Android came with a built-in scanner, this would be it. Here is what our reviewers are saying:
“Quick and very reliable. I’d give it six stars if it were possible.”“No ads, beautiful design, and even caught blurry QR codes I didn’t expect it to scan”
HOW THE APP WORKS
To scan a QR code simply open the app, point the camera at the code, and you’re done! There is no need to take a photo or press a button. QR Code Reader will automatically recognize any QR code your camera is pointing at.
When scanning a QR code, if the code contains a website URL, you will automatically be taken to the site. If the code just contains text, you'll immediately see it. For other formats such as phone numbers, email addresses, or contact info, you will be prompted to take the appropriate action.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
• View a history list of all of your past scans• Sync your scan history across the web and all of your devices• Scan pictures of QR codes from your camera roll• A switch to turn on your device’s light (if it has one) for scanning in low-light circumstances
Our goal is to make our app the best scanning app in the store. We can’t do this without you. We are dedicated to your satisfaction and need to hear feedback from you. If you have an issue with QR Code Reader, please do not write a review of the app saying "it didn't work." This does not help us make things better for you. Instead, please contact us at [email protected] or on Twitter @scan and we'll do our best to help.
REQUIREMENTS
In order to use QR Code Reader, your device must have a built-in camera. When scanning codes that redirect to online content, such as websites, you will need Internet connectivity.
MAKE YOUR OWN QR CODES ON SCAN.ME
Want to make your own QR codes for others to scan? Visit our site at http://scan.me to create and manage your own QR codes for free.
Update: We recently released a new Wi-Fi QR code type on our site. These new Wi-Fi QR codes allow visitors to your home or business scan a QR code to get easy access to your wireless network.
2. Memory: Provides memory info for both Phone and SD card. How much memory is free / available and how much has been used?
3. Call History: Information about outgoing, incoming and missed calls for today, yesterday and last one week. Plus, it separately shows calls from known (the ones in your address book) and unknown contacts (the ones which are not in your address book). This is a very practical feature.
4. Camera Information: How much is the megapixel of back and front cameras. This info usually is buried in marketing material, but here you could easily find out. Plus, a very useful info on the number of photos that can be clicked from the camera based on megapixel of your phone camera and remaining memory on your phone.
Tiny Flashlight + LED is a simple, free flashlight app with LED light and several screen modes. Free plugins like the Strobe / Blinking light make Tiny Flashlight one of the best productivity tools for your device.
Try the best flashlight on the market!- FREE!- No need for a real flashlight- Insanely bright flashlight- Bright screen light- A flashlight, which is always available when you need it.- Strobe / Blinking, Morse Code, Police Lights plugins
★★★Featured on Google Play in 30+ countries.★★★Recommended by PCWorld, BGR, LifeHacker, CNET, Gizmodo, XDA, Phandroid and many more technology media/websites.
AirDroid allows you to access and manage your Android phone or tablet from Windows, Mac or the Web, wirelessly, for free.
Better focused: Calls, SMS, and the app notifications you allowed, mirrored to the large computer screen you are focusing on.Better equipped: Type with full physical keyboard and control with a mouse. Transfer things faster without looking for a cable. Better equipments, better life.Better connected: Control your Android from computer and use any apps on computer, like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Line. (root required for some devices)
Things you can do with AirDroid from PC/Mac client (http://goo.gl/tB6V84):✔ SMS: Send and receive individual or group messages.✔ Files: Transfer files between Android and computer from any network.✔ Notification Mirror: Mirror phone notifications from any allowed apps to computer.✔ AirMirror (beta): Complete control of Android, and use any apps, like WhatsApp, WeChat and Line. (Root required)
Other things you can do with AirDroid Web (http://goo.gl/1mXdlr):- Contacts: View and edit all the contacts.- Photos: Transfer photos between Android and computer.- Music & Videos: Play and manage music & videos on Android and transfer them between Android and computer.- Ringtones: Set music as ringtone and export ringtones.- Screenshot: View the real time screen of Android devices, take static screenshots. (requires root)- Apps: Import and export .apk files.- Camera: See through the lens of both front and back cameras.- URL: Push url to Android and open it with default web browser.- Clipboard: Share clipboard content between Android and computer.
The only all in one mods app for MCPE 0.9.5! Get all your favorite MCPE 0.9.5 content here if you're unable to update to the latest version! This makes getting custom content for MCPE so much easier to do and makes MCPE that much more fun! Enjoy!
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Embattled Republican Senate hopeful Roy Moore is having a hard time maintaining ties with his former allies. While some in his home state seem willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, many of the people he would have to work with (if he’s elected) see him as toxic. Others, like Republican Rep. Scott Taylor, are taking that condemnation one step further.
“All I know is what I’ve seen,” Taylor, a former Navy SEAL said. “I saw the man give his interview. Me personally, I don’t think it was sufficient enough.”
“The 14-year-old girl that was there, I can tell you right now if it was my daughter, I’d break his face, I’d break his fingers, and I’d probably do a lot worse,” Taylor told CNN’s John Berman.
Taylor is addressing the allegations that Moore, when he was in his 30s, was seeking out relationships with teenagers.
“I think that the president has probably looked at raw politics, and the alternative, of course, would jeopardize his agenda in a very close Senate,” Taylor added.
“The people can have their feelings about that, whether he should do it or not … but I certainly don’t feel comfortable with his explanation and everything that happened,” he said.
“I think you have to listen to the women,” Taylor said. “Clearly, this isn’t an isolated case now.”
Moore continues to stand by his insistence that these allegations are politically motivated. He insists that the women are lying and that the whole thing is a well timed political assassination attempt headed by his opponent in the Alabama election, Democrat Doug Jones.
“If you look at this situation, you’ll see that, because I’m 11 ahead, or 10 and 11 points ahead — this race just being 28 days off, this is a political maneuver. It has nothing to do with reality, it is all about politics,” Moore said earlier this month.
And Moore refuses to step down. The special election to fill Alabama’s open Senate seat will be held in December.
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MountainView arrivals - International flights
Ctrip makes it easy to find and book a cheap flight from MountainView to Iwami online. By comparing real-time airfares for multiple airlines, you can choose the cheapest MountainView to Iwami flight ticket easily. Search for the best MountainView to Iwami flight deal by flight time, flight departure, flight arrival, flight duration or flight price. With Ctrip, you can be sure you’re getting great MountainView to Iwami airfares and excellent customer service from one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
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Procedure & Benefits Of Facial Massage Therapy With a Spoon
It has become a certainty that every human being is getting older, will grow older. not a few people especially women do a variety of skin care and face to keep looking attractive and youthful. Along with increasing age Gradually the skin begins to have wrinkles and dark circles and eye bags. However, you do not need to be too worried because these are the normal signs of aging, with the age and exposure of cosmetic substances used every day, slowly the elasticity of the skin begins to decline and the aging of the cells will be more visible. If you want to keep the beauty and facial appearance to keep looking young, try using spoon therapy. This spoon massage was recommended by Rene Koch a doctor and a German beauty expert.
Benefits of facial massage therapy with a spoon
-No cost because it can be done anytime and anywhere and by anyone.
– Can eliminate excess fluid often found in the tissues, improve blood circulation, reduce visible fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and smoothness, all this in the comfort of your home and free of cost
Tools and materials needed:
Prepare two teaspoons, a small bowl of essential oils such as olives, sunflower or linseed oil) and a glass of cold water and ice cubes
Therapeutic steps:
Clean your face first, apply a facial moisturizer thoroughly. sterilize the spoon using alcohol and store it in a glass of cold water and ice
After a cold spoon, place them on the upper eyelid. Then hold for 10 seconds, repeat this technique for 5 times. This technique is excellent for removing swelling in the eyelid area.
Before starting with a facial massage, keep a spoon in warm oil. Then press gently on the lines of your face.
– Begin with the forehead from the top of the nose and continue through the temples and hair growth lines
– Use on the eyelid with rotary motion from the inside and back angle.
– Use on the cheek from the beginning of the nostrils; on the chin. Each of these movements must be performed ten times
– To further facilitate and lubricate facial skin, you need to apply more oil on it. After you finish the massage, use warm water to thoroughly cleanse the face. Maximum time this facial massage should reach ten minutes. Start with 1-2 minutes on your first day and gradually increase its duration every day. Do it every day. The best effect can be seen if you do it for 10 days in a row
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Children dealing with deafness and blindness can get help in New Orleans
The Louisiana Deafblind Project, a program at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Allied Health Professions Human Development Center, is seeking to identify children and youth with both deafness and blindness at an earlier age to provide best practice techniques to overcome the unique challenges of dual-sensory impairments.
The LSUHSC’s Louisiana Deafblind Project provides services statewide at no cost to those from birth through 21 who have both a vision and hearing loss at the same time. Coordinated by Cassondra Glausier, the program’s services include technical assistance, training, information, and referral to educators, families and service providers. The only requirement is that the child must be entered into the LADBP Deafblind Registry.
The project is required by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs to maintain a statewide registry of children and youth with deaf-blindness.
LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans needs assistance to identify children and youth who are, or may become, deaf-blind. Children do not have to be totally deaf and totally blind. Services are available to children and youth with any degree of the combination hearing and vision loss. Most of the children served have useable vision and hearing. The free services are provided in homes, day care centers, schools, or any place a child with deaf-blindness may be receiving other services.
Any family member, educator or service provider of a child or youth who meets the eligibility requirements for deaf-blindness and has been referred to the Louisiana Deaf-blind Registry can request information, resources, professional development, or technical assistance from the project.
The project also includes a family training program designed to provide family members access to information, training and resources pertaining to deaf-blindness. This is a mini course that teaches parents about the impact of deafblindness, vision loss, hearing loss and interventions. It's a DVD-based training and assists the parents in building a personal profile for their child. LSUHSC’s program is also part of southeast consortium of deafblind projects that are partnering to develop a parent-driven network focused on resources and topics of interest in deafblindness.
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Like this:
I love trees, they shape my thoughts and feelings and connect me to the wonder of a living universe. So when we came across this bizarre scene in Glengarry , West Highlands, Scotland, we took a double take. It had a very eerie atmosphere, creating a possible backdrop for a Dr Who episode. Should I let them know?
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Tag Archives: school surveillance
On the 24th of May 2014 an article was published in the UK Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Government allows problem schools to take up free camera surveillance trial’.The article details how a report had been published revealing the extent of drug problems in UK schools and how a company called Watchbot thought a good solution to this was to put Internet Protocol television cameras (IPTV) in classrooms, corridors and schools playgrounds to livestream images and audio in real time to parents phones and tablets “to keep tabs on schoolchildren’s behaviour.”
Britain’s schools extensively have CCTV but never before have schools broadcast real time images from classrooms.Schools using this technology are thought to be the first to do so globally.
The scenario allows parent and carers unprecedented visual and audio access to their children in school, watching every moment of their school life.Children’s learning, socialising and recreation time all broadcast live to parents ‘smart’ devices, every minute of the school day.But it is not just their children that are available to watch; it is everyone else’s children too.
“…any proposal to use technologies which allow potentially vulnerable youngsters to be viewed by a wider audience in what should be a safe and confident learning environment needs very careful consideration.
The use of such [livestreaming IPTV] technologies, if not properly considered and not used with strong safeguards, could potentially be in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 and at the very least would not be considered good practice”
Imagine a scenario where a camera was situated so parents could see the comings and goings of children to the school’s nurse, what if a parent sees a friend’s child take regular visits to the school nurse?Does that parent then tell the other parent?– apart from the fact that medical information is classed as ‘sensitive data’ under the Data Protection Act and the school has a responsibility to keep that information confidential for the child.How would this constant monitoring affect relationships between students, curbed perhaps because of the student’s knowledge of other parents snooping on their children, their friends? What if little Jonny is ill, off school, and logs in on his parent’s smart device to see what is happening in school?In the wrong hands this IPTV footage would be dynamite ammunition for a bully.Recorded images and audio could potentially be put on social media and a child’s life be made a misery because of it.How could anyone possibly quantify the psychological damage done to a child by this?
Beaming live video off a school site in real time, to potentially hundreds of people, brings up many areas for consideration, least of all the complete invasion of privacy to the children and staff.The glaringly obvious question that springs to mind is, who is checking exactly who the persons are watching these images? Adults cannot step foot into a classroom without the appropriate safety checks.Access to children in school is had only by accredited adults. This livestream system would give not just general information about children, when they arrive/leave school and what classes they are in, but potentially sensitive information about a child to unknown third parties in real time.Where are these safety checks for ‘school livestream’ viewers?
The ICO’s closing statementwas that, “the ICO is not aware of any particular schools using live stream CCTV or similar, but we would of course respond to any concerns that are subsequently brought to our attention.”
Bizarrely the names of the schools trialling this technology were kept from the public for ‘privacy’ reasons.See 3 minutes into this radio interview:
To find out which schools were livestreaming images of children off site, so a complaint could be made to the ICO, a Freedom of Information request was sent to all secondary schools in the local authorities where the four schools were – Liverpool, Waltham Forrest and Herefordshire; a total of 61 schools.The Freedom of Information request was sent September 2014.
The response rate to the Freedom of Information requests was dismal.Schools clearly had little grasp of their obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and it was not until March 2015, with assistance from the ICO, when finally all schools in those local authorities responded to the request.A six month process that should have taken 20 working days under the Act.
Interestingly not one secondary school in any of the local authorities answered affirmative to trialling the livestream IPTV technology. A 100% denial that any secondary school was using the Watchbot technology. The BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester radio interview done with Richard Hillgrove from Watchbot, featured a secondary school head teacher and pupils, which certainly lead listeners to believe it was being trialled in secondary schools, as did the Telegraph article and an article by Wired, simply by the nature of the reasoning why IPTV cameras had been installed –drug abuse.
Good news, it seems the secondary schools in these areas are sufficiently drug aware to not need this technology to monitor drug taking and drug deals.Which means, as responses under FOIA have to be robust as those given in a court of law, that this technology must be in primary schools.
If this is the case, then not only is it alarming that images and audio of primary age children are being livestreamed from classrooms and playgrounds in real time to ‘smart’ devices, but more concerning is that primary school children in these areas have a drug problem serious enough to seemingly warrant vigilant parents policing school life, minute by minute, by having access to these classroom live feeds.
So there are three scenarios here: a) that four secondary schools are lying under the Freedom of Information Act, b) Watchbot livestream IPTV cameras are being used in four primary schools, c) the article in the Telegraph is simply fabricated, perhaps a ploy by Watchbot for some free publicity.
As there are 266 primary schools in the four local authorities cited in the Telegraph article it will be a large undertaking to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information on this, especially given the poor response by the FOIR on this to secondary schools in those areas.
According to the Telegraph article, in a letter to Watchbot from the Department of Education, regarding livestreaming from schools, they stated:
“The department [of Education] appreciates your efforts to improve the safety of our children in schools …we do not endorse, fund or promote specific resources for use in schools. We leave these decisions for teachers to make, as we believe they are best placed to recognise the needs and abilities of their pupils.”
When new technologies emerge in schools, such as biometrics and tagging children with radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, the UK Department of Education takes a step back, allowing industry to sell such technologies to Head Teachers, in this case supposedly for children’s safety to tackle drug use.Biometrics for buying food was to stem bullying for money, fingerprint registration for library use was to improve reading habits, RFID tagging children was to improve attendance and for improved safety in school.In reality, it is plain and simply mass surveillance of our children in education to gather data.
Technology cannot stop drug use, improve reading habits or stop bullying. Money spent on educating children, empowering them with knowledge, being able to make the right decision in a tough scenario is what our children would benefit most from.As the Information Commissioner’s Office states, schools should be a “safe and confident learning environment”. Mass surveillance of school children, available randomly in real time to the general public without any consideration to privacy, has to be wrong. It softens them to being surveilled, leading the next generation into a world where privacy is non existent.
Eventually the schools using this IPTV will be found and a complaint to the ICO will ensue.
Article – Biometrics and RFID tracking in UK Education
Documenting the rise of biometric and RFID technology used in education
Book – Surveillance Schools
With the growth of surveillance technologies globally, Dr Emmeline Taylor focuses on the phenomenon of the Surveillance School and explores the impact that continual monitoring is having upon school children, education and society.
433MHz military capabilities of tracking students
Interview with Katherine Albrecht, technology and privacy in schools
Katherine Albrecht show - July 2013. Katherine and Pippa King discuss the victories in removing or preventing biometric and other tracking systems from being used on our children.
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As Gizmag's Mike Hanlon explored in his recent trip to Techno-Classica Essen, the classic car world is riding pretty high at the moment. It's been a particularly good run for (super-wealthy) lovers of 1950s/60s sports and race cars. If you have the means, you can add a genuine, newly built 1957 Jaguar XKSS to your collection. Or a high-tech, all-electric Shelby Daytona Coupe from Renovo. Or one of the most expensive cars in the world. And now, too, you can buy an all-new, race-influenced berlinetta hand-built in Italy. The Effeffe Berlinetta is an Italian modern classic so alluring that even Prince Albert of Monaco had trouble pulling himself away.
Brothers Leonardo and Vittorio Frigerio developed a love for fast, beautiful cars racing vintage cars around Europe. Iconic venues like Monza and Nürburgring, and the fierce competition therein, made lifelong memories, but what the brothers' really took away from the experience was an appreciation for the cars, and the meticulous craftsmanship behind those cars.
After taking a level of expertise away from the automotive artisans they spent time around, and honing their skills restoring their own cars, the Brothers Frigerio decided the time ripe to design and build a car all their own. They had no interest in a modern-day sports car weighed down by fancy digitization and creature comforts, but conceptualized a car built in the tradition of the late-50s Gran Turismo, a race car for the road guided by speed and aerodynamics, its beauty both undeniable and fully functional.
The journey started as little more than a question, a challenge to themselves. Could they hand-build a car true to the style and technique of this classic era? The answer stands before you in the photo below.
The Frigerio brothers have created a hand-built, two-door aluminum-bodied coupe that is the spitting image of a classic, 1959-ish Italian GT. It recalls any number of Italian race and road cars from the 50s and 60s – the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Zagato and Maserati A6GCS/53 are a few that leap to mind – but is not an homage to any specific one.
Instead, the brothers have reinterpreted visions and memories of stunning Italian sports cars of generations past into something new and original. Unless we're forgetting a ringer, they've succeeded admirably.
While their approach stresses the passion and technique of a bygone era, the Frigerios haven't abandoned modern technology altogether. They've relied on modern CAD systems in developing the lightweight but rigid steel tube frame of the 1,742-lb (790 kg, dry weight) car.
The front-mid engine, fittingly a 2.0-liter straight-four from the Alfa Romeo 2000, has been tuned to 180 hp and drives the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual. The car rides on an independent front suspension with wishbones and a live axle with trailing arms and a Watt's linkage in back. Disc brakes bring things to a stop.
The two-seat interior is every bit as beautiful as the exterior, hand-worked leather adorning the seats, door panels, shifter boot, dashboard and transmission tunnel. The flat-faced instrument panel includes toggle switches and Jaeger gauges. The driver's hands enjoy the feel of the Nardi steering wheel's warm mahogany and the palm-able comfort of the shifter, and his foot stays busy with the adjustable aluminum pedals hovering just over the wool carpet.
First revealed as a prototype at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014, the Effeffe Berlinetta made its production (very limited production, of course) debut at this month's Top Marques Monaco. We watched Prince Albert make a beeline for the car upon entering the main hall, chatting with Leonardo Frigerio so long his handlers became restless. He didn't miss the chance to look over every retro inch of the stunning car, including having a good look under the hood.
The Berlinetta drives in the same neighborhood as some very convincing modern Italian exotics, with pricing starting around €300,000 (approx. US$340,000) and rising based upon customization. Compare that to what original 1950s/60s Italian sports cars are fetching at auction, though (many rank on the previously linked list of most expensive cars ever), and it looks much more manageable.
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These septa also benefit from also with the non-stick coating and the CenterGuide design. The result is a mid-range general purpose septum made of uniquely formulated silicone rubber you can use for all your daily analyses.
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SPENDSWIFT
Slide Title
Write your caption here
Button
Use this page to describe what’s special about this company and your campaign. Does the company have a unique business model or unusual goal? Are they a nonprofit organization or a new company striving to reach a distinct audience. Write a bit about the company and give a teaser or two about your campaign.
Your website is not the place for modesty. Describe what obstacles and challenges you faced when launching this project. Perhaps the company had a limited budget or a really short time frame in which you had to pull it all off. Remember to give specifics that are interesting and relatable, so that website visitors see that your company knows its stuff.
What We Did
After describing the challenges, it’s time to describe with pride how you faced them. Make sure to address all the challenges that you mentioned above, because potential clients want to know how you handled real life obstacles. Of course, if you achieved any additional benefits, be sure to mention these too. You don’t need to go into too much detail, but this is a great forum for explaining what you did and why.
What We Achieved
So now it is time to toot your own horn. And while you don’t want to exaggerate the results, you do want to make sure that all your achievements are evident.
Write a paragraph or two about how the campaign was launched, what elements were included, how many people were involved, and how many of your goals were achieved. You can also write about some unexpected achievements here, like surpassing your expected ROI or making it even more viral than you expected. There’s no need to list too make numbers and stats here, as you have room to do this immediately below, in a format that’s easy to read and absorb.
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All posts tagged "bgr"
Thursday, March 17, 2011
"HTC often likes to highlight "firsts" in its marketing messages. While the days leading up to the launch of HTC's Arrive are noticeably devoid of any relevant advertising, Sprint and HTC could have easily kept the "first" theme alive had they chosen to raise awareness. The Arrive is Sprint's first device to run Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system. In fact, it's the first modern Windows Phone in the world compatible with a CDMA network. Finally, HTC's Arrive is also the first phone to launch with Microsoft's "NoDo" update for Windows Phone 7 - a prerequisite for CDMA compatibility. But do all these firsts add up to a first-class smartphone experience, or are Sprint customers better off waiting to see what's announced next week at CTIA before making any buying decisions?"
The wait for Windows Phone 7 is nearly over for all you Sprint users out there! Are you excited? Zach Epstein at BGR put together a pretty good review here. He goes into pretty good detail on the hardware, and talks about some of the changes in the 'Nodo' update. Some good, some less than good. But overall, he really likes this phone. Does he recommend that you get it? Well, I guess you'll just have to read his review...
I'm very excited to finally see CDMA devices for WP7, and we expect to see Verizon jump on board in the next few weeks. But I'm concerned that Sprint has chosen a physical keyboard for their only option. Most people love the onscreen keyboard in WP7 and are looking for smaller, slimmer devices. I can only hope that they quickly add other options to their line-up very soon. People like variety. I think that's been the biggest problem with T-Mobile's rollout. Just one option in the HD7. Kudos to AT&T for bringing in three different manufacturers with HTC, Samsung, and LG and a variety of form factors. This leaves me asking two questions. Is there a need for a physical keyboard anymore? If so, what do you primarily use it for? If not, does Sprint have another Windows Phone coming down the pipes? Tell us what you think.
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Secure Payment Methods / Secure card payments
On www.bonitablomster.no, it's easy to order flowers and you have multiple secure payment options to choose from. You can pay with Visa, MasterCard or via Paypal. We also offer bill payment to our private and business customers.
We use the STRIPE platform for credit card payments. The system provides a quick processing of your credit card information and everything happens in a very secure form of encryption. No one can physically see your credit card number through the checkout process and we are only provided with a processing code to confirm receipt of payment and proceed with your order.
When you place an order and pay by credit card the system automatically requests for authorization on your credit card. This means that we check that the card is genuine and that there are sufficient funds in it.
If your order is canceled, reservation will be raised and the money is refunded to your card. This operation may take two to three days. Bonita Handel AS can not influence this reservation in any way. If you have any questions about this please contact your card issuer or bank.
About invoice payment
Residential Customers
For our private customers we offer payment via Invoice. When paying via Invoice, shop safely and easily. You never need to enter your card information and you always pay after you have received your items.
Business Customer
Companies / organizations who wish to pay by invoice must apply for credit to our Customer Service via email ([email protected]) or over the phone. Customer Service will provide answers to your application within 24 hours Monday to Saturday.
We do not give credits to private individuals.
Those who are granted credit from Bonita Flowers are for example:
-public sectors (state / county / municipality)-private enterprises-clubs, associations, federations and foundations that meet the following three requirements:
They are registered with an organization in Brønnøysundregisteret.
They have applied for credit through application or through direct inquiry to the customer service center in connection with a framework agreement.
Whoever seeks agree that invoice added a charge of NOK 55.-
About Us
Company Name: BONITA HANDEL AS (org.nr 914263468) Commercial Name: BONITA BLOMSTER or BONITA FLOWERS Colombia is a country of an immense beauty in nature and richness in colour. We feel happy to share a part of our culture with you. You are welcome to visit us in our shops in Oslo or explore our products here and place your orders directly via Internet or by sending a text message..[...]
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Sprinter Adventure Van Build – Laminate Flooring
We decided to put laminate flooring in the front half of our van, leaving the back half for the rough and tumble of cargo. We worried that if we made the whole thing laminate flooring our cargo – like out refrigerator/cooler, would just slide around everywhere. So half the van was done with the laminate.
Overall this project was very easy. We purchased the 3 boxes of laminate flooring from home depot and purchased the blue underlayment from amazon. We used the existing plywood floor as template, so we could cut out the openings for the seat and tie down escutcheons. That was probably the trickiest part – but not that tricky, really.
We first built an oversized square of laminate flooring on the flat concrete garage floor.
Then we took the factory plywood floor and placed it over the top of our temporary laminate square.
We traced the openings and the outside edges.
We returned the original factory plywood floor back to the van (after placing some noico sound deadening panels in various places).
We carefully labeled each piece of laminate as we took the square apart.
Then cut out the pieces per the traced lines.
We put down the blue underlayment on top of the original plywood floor.
Finally, we reassembled the now cut out laminate flooring inside the van and bolted it down with the escutcheons.
And that, was it. The photos below show the progress in order from start to finish.
3 thoughts on “Sprinter Adventure Van Build – Laminate Flooring”
And I really like the way you did it. I was wondering if simply drilling into the current plywood that came with my vehicle and setting the width very tight and screwing into the walls would work. It looks like for you it did quite well. I think I’ll go that route.
I absolutely LOVE your build! We just purchased a sprinter 170″ and are super excited to get everything underway. In all of the reading I have done, the only thing that has left me puzzled is knowing where I can / can’t anchor to the floor and what to use? I’ve heard self-tapping screws and bolts, but I cannot seem to find how long they should be and where I can drill. Any advice would be so much appreciated.
Mike – Thanks for reading! Our build isn’t very fancy – but it certainly gets the job done – we love it too! Unfortunately we haven’t done much drilling into the floor, with the exception of moving the back seat back and cutting a few holes under the passenger seat for the heater. For the back seat, the captive nuts were already there – we just opened up the floor sheet metal to find them. As far as the rest of our build, it basically sits on top of the floor. Our wheel well boxes are just anchored down into the plywood floor only with tiny wood screws. Sorry I can’t be more help – I only have my simple experience with my own van.
I guess I should also add that for our laminate floor install it is not screwed into anything. It just ‘floats’ between the fixed edges of the van body and where it’s held down by the back seat escucheons and the tie down points. I would be worried about putting any new holes in the floor, for fear that they would leak. But I am sure a lot of people have done it and have ways to mitigate that if you check out the sprinter-source forums.
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Showroom Hours
Contact Us
2019 Hyundai Accent Price and Specs Review | Watertown, CT
Serving Watertown, CT, Waterbury, and Bristol
The 2019 Hyundai Accent is a four-door compact sedan that gets outstanding gas mileage, a spacious interior, and some high tech safety features. The 2019 Hyundai Accent comes in three model trim levels: the base model SE, SEL, and Limited. Each Hyundai Accent also comes with America's Best Warranty and five years of unlimited roadside assistance.
Specs
2019 Hyundai Accent SE
Starting MSRP*
$14,995*
Fuel Economy (City/Hwy)**
28 city / 37 hwy mpg**
Standard Engine
1.6-liter
Horsepower
130 horsepower
Transmission
6-speed manual transmission
Exterior and Performance
Under the hood of the 2019 Hyundai Accent you'll find a 1.6 Liter four cylinder engine that produces 130 horsepower and 119 pound feet of torque. All models are equipped with front wheel drive. The base model comes with a six speed manual transmission, but can be outfitted with the same automatic transmission as the SEL and Limited. The Limited and SEL models get 38 miles per gallon on the highway and all models get 28 miles per gallon in the city.
Review Video:
Interior and Technology
The Hyundai Accent boasts a spacious cabin with ample room for five passengers. There is 90.2 cubic feet of passenger volume and 33.5 inches of legroom in the back seat. The rear bench has 60/40 spilt folding seats for easy access to the trunk space and the Limited model can be outfitted with a hands-free trunk release and heated front seats. The SE model comes with a 6-way adjustable driver's seat that slides and reclines. It also has steering wheel-mounted controls for audio, Bluetooth and cruise control.
The 2019 Hyundai Accent limited trim comes with a Proximity Key. As long as you have the Proximity Key, you can remotely open doors and start the engine. Another way to access your vehicle's controls is through the Blue Link app. You can easily download it to your smart phone or internet-enabled device. The Blue Link service can remotely open and lock your doors, start the engine, adjust the climate, and deliver vehicle maintenance information directly to your inbox. Another way the Accent keeps you connected to the world around you is with USB chargers in the front and rear of the cabin.
Safety
The 2019 Hyundai Accent comes with a rearview camera, child safety locks, and a tire pressure monitoring system as standard equipment on all models. Just a small bump up to the mid-level trim includes a driver blind spot mirror to help you keep track of all the vehicles and pedestrians around you. The 2019 Hyundai Accent puts technology to work for you with its Forward Collision Avoidance Assist system. If the driver fails to react to a forward collision, the safety system automatically applies the front brakes to bring the Accent to a full stop.
Test Drive Today!
The 2019 Hyundai Accent has best in class cargo space and impressive fuel economy. With Blue Link, Apple Car Play and Android Auto you have the technology you need to keep up with your fast-paced digital life. This is just a brief overview of the Accent's features and there's plenty more to see. So, head on over to our local Hyundai dealer and take a closer look at the 2019 Hyundai Accent today.
*MSRP excludes destination, taxes, title and registration fees. Starting at price refers to the base model, optional equipment not included. A more expensive model may be shown. Pricing and offers may change at any time without notification. To get full pricing details, see your dealer.
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Stories naked outdoor shower
Outdoor Shower: A true, personal story from the experience, I Got Caught Naked. A few years ago, my wife and I were traveling and had stop to visit a divorced friend of hers, who had a lake house. There was an outdoor shower on the side of the house and during the hot summer mont. Outdoor Shower Gets Hot – Married sex stories – erotica – marriage sex blogs
Cassidy. Age: 22. I'm mature, fun, intelligent, open minded, educated and have a good sense of humor.
It was so nice, loved it!
Do You Shower Outdoors Naked? Join friendly people sharing 36 true stories in the I Shower Outdoors Naked group. Find forums, advice and chat with groups who share this life experience. I like to shower naked when I visit my favorite nudist park.
Katie. Age: 20. Hello Gentlemen :)
‘outdoor shower’ stories Outdoor Shower. I always wanted an outdoor shower in my back yard. The ones to rinse the chemicals from a pool off. I visited a friend who had one and that was it, I had to . I wasn't letting her get away with not being naked, so I turned her so that he could see us both and I pulled her skirt down until it too had dropped.
Apr 27, - Now I could think of nothing better than to see her nude under the gentle waterfall of an outdoor shower at sunset. Using just a tape measure, pencil, and paper, the design began to take shape. A short concave curved wall around the small dogwood would work to hide us from any of the curious neighbor.
Rachael. Age: 27. ???? Don t hesitate to call me ???? The best GFE with no rush ♥?
Jul 4, - We wound up working naked in our secluded yard and when we were finished we had incredible hot sex on our double patio lounger. We were really sweaty & hot by this point and needed a shower. Luckily last year I installed an outdoor shower with both hot & cold water attached to our garden shed. ENF, CFNF, CMNF, Exhibitionist, Stories, Accidental Exhibitionist, Clothed female naked female, Clothed male naked female, flashing, streaking, naked, female, So after a moment I stepped outside the cubicle past the steadily growing shower queue, even though blushing furiously I paused long enough to tell the person.
Oct 4, - Oh la la, how do you address a naked neighbor who is showering in front of their house? Since they now spend more of their time in France than Holland, Marion recently asked Jean-Marie to install an outdoor shower here as well. Both of them declined to be photographed for this story--chickens!
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221B Baker Street
A woman who is way too old for this bullshit.
When I'm not on Gaia, I'm either working on my kimono collection blog or ******** around on tumblr, where I spend way too much time fawning over Sherlock and Benedict Cumberbatch.
I had brain surgery a few months ago and am a bit absent-minded because of it. If you ask me something and I forget, please don't take it personally.
oof that's rough. I'm glad you made a good recovery. Are you all better now then? Welcome back to the workforce ^__^ How's that going for you? Has your Kimono collection grown since I last talked to you? I'm not on FB anymore cause it triggered major paranoia in me when I tried to return after a summer of not being on FB based on advice from my counselor. I feel like I'm missing out on everyone's lives now though.
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Governance
Internal Controls
The Ricoh Group aims for continuous improvement based on the values embodied in The RICOH Way. This includes operating an internal control system designed to strengthen competitiveness while maintaining transparency based on principles of corporate ethics and legal compliance. Ricoh has established the Ricoh Group Corporate Management Principles as a set of guidelines for corporate activities, and follows the Internal Control Principles included therein.
The Ricoh Group established the Group Management Committee (GMC) to oversee the Group’s overall business operations and to enable quick analysis and decision making from the perspective of the best result for the Group as a whole.
The Internal Control Committee was established within the GMC to determine action policies, report incidents, and evaluate and correct the control system regarding internal controls, risk management and compliance, in particular.
Corporate Management Regulations for Ricoh Affiliates stipulate the establishment of a supervising organization to oversee risk at all Ricoh Group companies.
Ricoh has established a set of common rules that must be followed — the Ricoh Group Standards (RGS) — and ensures adherence to these rules across the Group.
Ricoh has developed a basic disclosure policy to ensure that the corporate information it releases is accurate, timely and comprehensive. We have also set up the Disclosure Committee, an independent body charged with verifying the process, to prepare the information to be disclosed.
The Ricoh Group has deployed its own Fraud Risk Management (FRM) program that includes a check for fraud risk. We have adopted a check sheet and use tools to detect anomalies within large volumes of data in the integrated internal audit.
*The Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan requires listed companies to disclose their assessment of the effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting. The legislation is regarded as the Japanese version of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX), enacted in the United States and it is known as “J-SOX.”
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Month: June 2016
A couple of weeks ago, I ditched coffee. I was generally a one-iced-mocha-in-the-morning guy with the occasional refresher towards the end of the day.
Bad.
Coffee as part of a routine is kind of like cigarettes as part of a routine. It’s not exactly good for you, and once you’re used to it, you need it just to feel “normal”.
Quitting coffee, however, doesn’t mean I never want an occasional dose of caffeine. There are all sorts of alternatives out there like Red Bull, Jolt, hot tea, or iced tea, but I think I found my favorite:
Hi-Ball tastes like San Pellegrino or Perrier, is available in plain or lightly flavored, and contains no sugar, sucralose, or other sweeteners. Its caffeine comes naturally from guarana berries and it also contains 120% of your daily B vitamins (whatever those do).
So if you’re looking for a reasonably harmless caffeinated drink to try, see if you can find Hi-Ball at your local store. Most places around Seattle don’t have it but I’ve found a few that do.
Whatever happened to the good old days when you could glance quickly through the beverage aisle and tell the diet beverages from the good beverages? We’ve had such a great system for so long: if it says “diet” or “sugar free” it’s DIET, and if it doesn’t, it has some form of super tasty sugar derivative in it, whether it be cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or something else awesome.
I used to be so good at telling the two drinks apart.
Lately, however, I’ve found myself repeatedly hoodwinked by the chemically synthesized impostor known as sucralose… or “Splenda”, its Christian name. The substance is 600 times sweeter than table sugar, and although it’s not as bad as saccharin, aspartame, or any other past cancer-powder, it’s still not sugar, and it still tastes like crap.
As such, I humbly request of beverage companies that you please quit trying to be sly about these DIET drinks and label them just as previous DIET drinks were labeled: with the letters D.I.E.T.
When I see those letters, I know that purchase of the beverage in question will result in palate-shriveling aftertaste and lack of drinking satisfaction. When I see those letters, I know to move right along.
Instead, however, these sucralose-tainted drinks often use small, subtle terms like “lower sugar”, “lower calorie”, and sometimes no marquee labeling at all. This is confusing as there are plenty of legitimate “lower sugar” drinks on the market that simply removed some of the sugar (see Paul Newman’s Lightly Sweetened Lemonade). Often times, you need to read the entire label to know the difference. And to make matters worse, a lot of these drinks contain sugar near the top of the ingredient list and sucralose near the end… so it’s not even sufficient to just “look for the sugar” anymore.
“Noni Berry” for metabolism and “Goji Punch” for immunity. Can you tell which one is the diet one?
To be clear, I have nothing against sucralose itself. It could very well be the best artificial sweetener ever invented. I just resent that marketers, by not clearly labeling it, have blurred the representation of what is and what isn’t a diet drink; and as a front-line soldier in the weekly quest to discover and sample new beverages, I’m just sick of getting hit by all this repackaged, remarketed diet shrapnel.
UPDATE: Literally the very nanosecond I pressed the Publish button just now, a Splenda television commercial came on. It’s everywhere.
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TURNCOAT CHRONICLE DEMO VERSION 0.4 is up and running! The link is same as ever, listed at the very top of the thread. Here it is again for convenience: demo link.
This update contains two additional time units, the first of which is a dynamic scene with multiple options. I call this the down to business menu. It will appear several times throughout chapter 2, and allow you to explore the story’s side avenues. Do not that old saves will not work with this version, due to some important restructuring.
@ me for game-breaking bugs. Otherwise, enjoy! If you want to leave feedback but aren’t sure what to say, tell me what skills and paths you hose for your MC, and why! I love hearing about that.
I quickly went through the new demo twice. First, I enjoyed the new conversation with Sheyer and writing the letter to MC’s father.
However, I noticed that both times, despite one MC being rather secretive and the other more straightforward about our plans, when I tried talking to Lux it just said I don’t trust him enough yet. If that option does eventually allow you to talk to Lux, then it might be better to wait until you actually can talk to him for it to appear, or have it appear but be unable to select it. Because on one hand, that lack of trust makes sense for the character, but on the other it feels like all that choice is there to do is oppose and undermine the player’s decision and perception of the MC.
As for the path of the MC, I started with the MC being compassionate, but I couldn’t help but choose the more ruthless options as I use Lux to stop Morun.
A bone of contention. The level of choice in the game right now is working as designed, and I’m not likely to change it. There might be some specific places where I would consider adding some choice, but on the whole, the text is meant to respond to the several large choices you make at major plot junctions.
Specifically the addition of the word “Papa” was meant to bookend the use of the invented word “Noni” to describe a nonbinary parent. I wanted to make it clearer that this was intended to be an endearment and not a given name, so I gave the contrast to clarify. You’ll find the MC addresses their father a number of different ways, based on the context of the scene.
I’m glad you enjoyed the story more than not. I hope you keep enjoying it.
Chargen is a closed story segment and I’m unlikely to change it at this point.
I will consider your second point further, but I’d like to point out in return that the clothing budget of a prince or princess is negligible in size compared to the expenses of the palace household as a whole, let alone the kingdom’s treasury. Household management is generally not one of the skills that the Suthis heir was meant to be schooled in. But like I said, I will consider it as an opportunity to tweak trust variables a little more.
@Jeeshadow1 & @Avid_reader & @Perom, I am glad that you continue enjoying my work! Seeing people get excited about updates is honestly so encouraging.
Regarding the Lux dialog option in version 0.4: it’s done the way it is due to a technical restriction that I haven’t found a way around. Successfully completing this interaction is dependent only on the trust meter. If it’s not high enough, you’ll be able to access the same dialog later in the game. If you select it and find it closed off, it should lead you right back to the choice menu, where you can select another option. If it doesn’t work like that, please let me know because that would be a pretty bad bug!
I only started this just a few minutes ago and I find this has a GoT feel to it. One thing that I noticed that the first parts were too rushed in my view like meeting up with the former heir and the plan to create a fake heir.
For one, I feel like I am placing my plans one after another without observation and info gathering. In my view, I prefer to have a situation to observe and have dig up some info on the heir and on the fake Heir before proceeding to have a drink with the heir or meeting up with Lux to assess them.
Another thing that I noticed that I publicly allow my MC to drink with two guards. I don’t think our dear father’s spymaster are not on a lookout that missing heir, regardless of they are real or not. Is it just too early to show our hands at this point of the story?
Another note that the MC seems to have some predetermined personality. I do understand that it is hard to a MC in a blank state but I felt not much difference at the start even though I chose a compassionate or ruthless one. I know it’s too early but I felt that most scenes, the MC has their own set of personalities. Is this intended?
I really the story so far but I just felt very restricted throughout the demo.
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Monday, November 3, 2014
Polo Pineapple Buns - Water Roux Tang Zhong Method 湯種菠蘿麵包
Irene whatsapp me on last Fri afternoon informed me that Fion has invited us to join in the polo pineapple bun post-it-together event. Of course I agreed immediately although I was thinking, woa polo bao leh, seem like quite difficult to make. However I take it as a challenger, if is not this event, I dunno will wait until which year which month then I will embark on it lol. Well, it is a bit more work but it is not as tough as I was thinking, so happy that I finally make it. And so look forward for today post-it-together event, can't wait to check out the posting today but I need to wait till lunch time :p. Thanks Fion for the invitation.Recipe adapted from Carol 自在生活
a bit less than 1/4 tsp edible ammonia powder, available at Asian stores
1/4 tsp baking powder
To make buns:
Combine
all dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Make a
well in the center. Whisk and combine all wet ingredients: milk, egg and
tangzhong, then add into the well of the dry ingredients. When all
ingredients get together, knead in the softened butter. The dough is
quite sticky and messy at this stage. Keep kneading until the dough is
smooth, not sticky and elastic. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a
greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof till
it's doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Knead
each little dough portions into ball shapes. Let them complete the 2nd
round of proofing, about 35 minutes, doubled in size.
Preheat
oven to 210°C (410°F). When the dough portions are doubled in size,
remove topping paste from fridge, cut into 12 equal portions and roll in
balls. Cover by a film wrap and press each portion into a flat disc.
Place on top of the small dough. Repeat this step with the rest. Brush
the top with whisked egg yolk and bake in a preheated 210°C (410°F) for
5minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another
15 minutes.
- See more at: http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2011/01/pineapple-bun-bo-luo-bao-by-christines.html#sthash.QfFHwCiM.dpuf
a bit less than 1/4 tsp edible ammonia powder, available at Asian stores
1/4 tsp baking powder
To make buns:
Combine
all dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Make a
well in the center. Whisk and combine all wet ingredients: milk, egg and
tangzhong, then add into the well of the dry ingredients. When all
ingredients get together, knead in the softened butter. The dough is
quite sticky and messy at this stage. Keep kneading until the dough is
smooth, not sticky and elastic. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a
greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof till
it's doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Knead
each little dough portions into ball shapes. Let them complete the 2nd
round of proofing, about 35 minutes, doubled in size.
Preheat
oven to 210°C (410°F). When the dough portions are doubled in size,
remove topping paste from fridge, cut into 12 equal portions and roll in
balls. Cover by a film wrap and press each portion into a flat disc.
Place on top of the small dough. Repeat this step with the rest. Brush
the top with whisked egg yolk and bake in a preheated 210°C (410°F) for
5minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another
15 minutes.
- See more at: http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2011/01/pineapple-bun-bo-luo-bao-by-christines.html#sthash.QfFHwCiM.dpuf
a bit less than 1/4 tsp edible ammonia powder, available at Asian stores
1/4 tsp baking powder
To make buns:
Combine
all dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Make a
well in the center. Whisk and combine all wet ingredients: milk, egg and
tangzhong, then add into the well of the dry ingredients. When all
ingredients get together, knead in the softened butter. The dough is
quite sticky and messy at this stage. Keep kneading until the dough is
smooth, not sticky and elastic. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a
greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof till
it's doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Knead
each little dough portions into ball shapes. Let them complete the 2nd
round of proofing, about 35 minutes, doubled in size.
Preheat
oven to 210°C (410°F). When the dough portions are doubled in size,
remove topping paste from fridge, cut into 12 equal portions and roll in
balls. Cover by a film wrap and press each portion into a flat disc.
Place on top of the small dough. Repeat this step with the rest. Brush
the top with whisked egg yolk and bake in a preheated 210°C (410°F) for
5minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another
15 minutes.
- See more at: http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2011/01/pineapple-bun-bo-luo-bao-by-christines.html#sthash.QfFHwCiM.dpuf
Ingredients for Tang Zhong :250ml ice water50g bread flour
Method :
1. Mix the flour with ice water, stir until no lumps.
2. Cook it over medium low heat, keep stirring constantly with wooden spoon or whisk to prevent the mixture sticking to the pot or burning. Stir until the mixture become thicker and there are "lines" appearing in the mixture when stir it. 3. Off the fire and continue to stir the mixture to let the water vapor evaporates (I stirred for another few mins), set aside to cool down.4. If not using the tangzhong immediately, cover with cling wrap and keep in the fridge up to 3 days or discard if turn to grey color.
Note :100g of tangzhong is only about 1/3 of the above.Ingredients for Topping :60g unsalted butter, soften40g caster sugar120g bread flour, sifted1/2 egg, beatenMethod :1. Whisk butter and sugar until pale.2. Add in egg in 2 addition and mix well.3. Fold in flour and mix well to become soft dough.4. Wrap it with cling wrap and keep in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.Note :Topping using bread flour will be more crispy, cake flour will be softer.Ingredient for bread :100g tangzhong270g bread flour30g cake flour3/4 tsp instant yeast1 egg about 50g40g caster sugar1/4 tsp salt80g milk30g unsalted buttersome beaten egg for glazing Method :
1. Combine all ingredients except butter and half portion of the milk in the mixer and beat until form the dough, slowly add in the balance of milk and continue to knead until the dough is not sticky.
2. Add in the butter and continue to knead until the dough become smooth and elastic, until reach windowpane stage.
3. Shape the dough into ball and place it in a greased bowl, spray some water at the dough and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof until double in size, about 45-60 mins.
5. Bring the topping dough out from fridge and divide into 8 portion (about 29g each) and roll into balls. Press each ball into a flat disc then place on top of each bread dough. The topping dough will be very sticky, sprinkle some cake flour at the rolling pin and table. (I used my fingers to help to push and press it.)
6. Use the dough cutter to press on the dough topping to make the criss-cross pattern.
7. Place the buns on the baking tray, spray some water on the top and put in the oven to proof for 20 mins.
8. Remove the buns from the oven after 10 mins of proofing and continue to proof outside. Pre-heat the oven at 170C.
9. Once the 20 mins proofing is over, brush the bun top with egg wash and bake for 20-22 mins or until top turn golden brown.
Verdict?
The bun is so soft, however the topping is a little bit hard, but nevertheless still very delicious, everyone given a thumb up. My Mil took one after she reached home from discharged of the hospital and she given thumb up too. However I think the bun is a little too big, is even bigger than my palm, next time must reduce the size lol.
This post in joining Best Recipes for Everyone November Event : My Bread Story
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Gift Store
Our gift store is filled with unique gardening decor, birdhouses, hand crafted items, photo cards, jewelry, and gift ware for all occasions. Watch for new and exciting gift ware items throughout the year! Let us help you create a beautiful indoor or outdoor living space. Our gift ware adds character and charm to any garden or home. We also offer great prices on all our gift ware! A selection of our gift ware can be viewed on our Online Store. More details - Gift Store
Landscaping Supplies
At Jensen Nursery and Garden Centre we have all the supplies you need to landscape your yard. Whether you are a residential or commercial landscaper, or a do-it- yourselfer we have everything you need to make your project a successful one. Stop in for all your gardening supplies. We are here to help you with friendly expert advice. Great prices and knowledgable staff will make your visit a positive one!
Barkman Products
We have a large selection of Barkman Products available for pick up at our Garden Centre for affordable prices. Bring a truck and we can help you load you up with all your patio, retaining wall and walkway needs. Large full pallet orders can be arranged for delivery by emailing [email protected]. Special contractor pricing available to landscaping business owners. More details - Barkman Products
Plants
We have a huge selection of high quality shrubs, trees, evergreens and perennials available at affordable prices. We offer a one or five year warranty on most shrubs, evergreens and trees. We offer a one year warranty on all perennials. We also have a huge selection of vegetables, annuals, tropical plants, hanging baskets and pre made designer containers available for sale in the Spring and early summer season. We offer a selection of services including delivery, planting, landscape design and home consultation services. More information on our services is available by following our "Services" link.
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Vintage French Yellow Daybed
SKU:PFA-1017-110
$850.00
$850.00
Unavailable
The greatest little vintage daybed/crib, found in the markets of Paris, that could be used in so many ways. As the side folds down....you can add your favorite cushion and it would be the perfect outdoor bench! Or, use this piece to showcase your potted plants as a jardiniere. The seat/platform is 10"high.
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I've moved this thread into Pirate Discussion to keep the Greater of Two Evils (Dee Dee) from keel-hauling your collective ninja-pirate carcases. If you want to recruit outside of Pirate Discussion, use PMs, or be very circumspect. Dee Dee's got enough sub-groups on her hands. DON'T make her get Evil.
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All apartments feature a fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer connections, a patio or balcony, and extra storage. Your new home gives you full access to community amenities like the fenced dog park, playground, your choice of three pools, and a business center.
Please contact our office team to learn more about available apartments in Marietta. Apartment pricing is dependent on lease term and availability.
Great News, You Pre-Qualify For the Below Floorplans!
Continue now with your apartment selection and complete your application:
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Exclusive! Get A Sneak Peek Of Noel Fielding In Kasabian's 'You're In Love With A Psycho' New Video
You know it's the place I needBut you got me walking circles like a dog on a leadThe doctors say I'm crazy, that I'm eight miles thickI'm like the taste of Macaroni, on a seafood stickYou got me switched on baby, like electric EelAnd I'm tight with Axel Foley, that's just how I feelLike a grapefruit and a magic trickThe prodigal sonI'm walkingI'm walkingI'm walkingI walk so quick
And it just don't mean a thingWe've been waiting far too longWe'll play it out againThis is just my serenade
You're in love with a PsychoYou're in love with a PsychoAnd there's nothing you can do about itI got you running all around it
You're in love with a PsychoYou're in love with a PsychoAnd there's just nothing you can do aboutYou never gonna be without it
Jibber jabber at the bargain boozeReciting Charles Bukowski I got nothing to loseAnd I wait for you to follow me to share my chipsBut you're walkingYou're walkingYou walkYou walk so quick
Nobody's gonna take you thereI stick around for the thousand yard stareI go to sleep in a duffle bagI'm never up, never down, down down down
You're in love with a PsychoYou're in love with a PsychoAnd there's just nothing you can do about itI got you running all around it
You're in love with a PsychoYou're in love with a PsychoAnd there's just nothing you can do aboutYou never gonna be without it
Maybe this will be the fine solutionMaybe this way we'll find a solution
You're in love with a PsychoYou're in love with a PsychoAnd there's just nothing you can do about itI got you running all around it
You're in love with a PsychoTu amor es muy locoAnd there's just nothing you can do aboutYou never gonna be without it
Writer(s): SERGIO PIZZORNO
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Hide the lyrics
Kasabian's brand new album For Crying Out Loud drops exactly a month today (28th April) and now the band have given us a couple of exclusive pics from the music video shoot for its lead single 'You're In Love With A Psycho'.
We already knew there'd be some special guests in the form of Noel Fielding and Stephen Graham and it'll have a One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest vibe, but here's an official look at what to expect.
Squint and you'd have a hard time telling the soon-to-be next co-host of The Great British Bake Off with Serge Pizzorno and below, here's This Is England actor Graham with Tom Meighan, who's sporting a rather big bump on his barnet.
They're not the only cameos to keep an eye out for though. In an interview with Australia's The Music, Serge said: "Yeah, there's a few, if you look closely, there's a few of our pals and any avid fan'll pick them out, yeah. It was great…
"And we're really excited about the song so it was nice to sort of have those cameos in it and it's just, you know, people that we really respect and they're so brilliant."
Tomorrow we'll have another treat for you from on set of the video shoot so keep your eyes peeled for that one!
View the lyrics
What is thisIf it ain't love then it's overUnderstand me when I tell youThat we just can't keep on holding on to this
Now your friendsThey're all saying that I'm no goodAre you kidding, this is mental'Cause you know what we had was broken from the start
Now we're both standing hereI'm doubled up with fearThe hardest words to dropBut this love has got to stop
Take a bow and say goodbyeLet the hours pass on byNow you get to feel so highIt's overIt's all over now
What is thisIf it ain't love then it's overAnd understand that nothing lasts forever
And now I say to herAs loud as a silencerWe just can't carry onAnd in the morning I'll be gone
Take a bow and say goodbyeLet the hours pass on byNow you get to feel so highIt's overIt's all over now
Take a bow and close your eyesFor a moment fantasiseNow you get to feel likeGet to feel likeIt's all over now
And tell me that I'm freeSo I can see the worldNo more tears, this is the endThe final curtain call
Take a bow and close your eyesFor a moment fantasiseNow you get to feel likeGet to feel likeIt's all over nowIt's all over nowIt's all over now
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A few have argued that the Orthodox Jewish community is to blame for the tragic suicide death of Faigy Mayer. The aspiring entrepreneur was 30 years old and reportedly left the Orthodox Jewish fold at age 24. May she rest in peace.
When blaming "the community," does it refer to the father running to his job 7:00 AM or does it refer to the mother juggling the care of her children and a part time job? Does the blame fall on the teens in Yeshivah; kids in school; seniors in homes; volunteers changing tires midnight? These groups more or less comprise the Orthodox Jewish community. It seems odd to blame them.
Rabbi Yesoscher Katz took to the Forward claiming the whole Orthodox Jewish community is "somewhat complicit" in the death. The Rabbi brought up the Eglah Arufah, writing that "the Bible prescribes a communal cleansing ritual for when someone in the community dies under questionable circumstances." But more accurately, the ritual refers to when a visitor is found dead outside the city. The elders of that city - not the whole community and not the elders from other cities - need to say yes, we should have escorted out the visitor for protection and given him food too, but no, we are not complicit in the death and we did not see it coming.
Rabbi Katz reports that Ms. Mayer was now part of the Ex-Orthodox community. Using the Rabbi's un-American tool of spreading collective blame, the community Ms. Mayer was part of in recent years should - again, using the Rabbi's wrong reasoning - reflect on how they could have stopped it. Rabbi Katz - an elder in the community of ex strict Orthodoxy - should (using his own standard of blame) ask himself if he is not to blame for what happened.
A tragic death is not an opening to generalize and defame a community. Instead, every person should strive to do things better individually and collectively for the vulnerable, irrespective the way of life they lead.
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How it works
1
Enter your repository information
Provide in the above form a URL or a GitHub repository that contains Jupyter notebooks, as well as a branch, tag, or commit hash. Launch will build your Binder repository.
2
It builds a Docker image of your repository
Binder will search for a dependency file, such as requirements.txt or environment.yml, in the repository’s root directory (more details on more complex dependencies in documentation). The dependency files will be used to build a Docker image. If an image has already been built for the given repository, it will not be rebuilt. If a new commit has been made, the image will automatically be rebuilt.
3
Interact with your notebooks in a live environment!
A JupyterHub server will host your repository’s contents. We offer you a reusable link and badge to your live repository that you can easily share with others
JupyterHub, a multi-user Hub, spawns, manages, and proxies multiple instances of the single-user Jupyter notebookserver. JupyterHub can be used to serve notebooks to a class of students, a corporate data science group, or a scientific research group.
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When audio builds come with two-tone paint jobs and two-tone interiors you know they mean business. Especially when they rock it in cream and orange like my personal favorite frozen treat, the Creamsicle. With a tangy orange interior and smooth vanilla ice cream filling, the combo just works and in this particular G35, it’s working well too.
Stemming from a Kenwood DDX-714 headunit, the speakers and amplifiers are all courtesy of Kicker.
Beyond the popular two-tone treatment, Andy Wong’s ’05 Infiniti G35 Coupe took a departure from what we typically see around here. Usually, heavy audio builds have no power adders and although this one doesn’t have a twin turbo setup, it does have a supercharger. A Vortec supercharger provides all of the jam along with supporting roles from GReddy, Deatchwerks and Megan Racing.
The focus shifted to the exterior where some JDM parts found their way onto a car which is decidedly dirty south style. A GReddy GRacer front bumper along with an INGs rear bumper is complimented by IMPUL sideskirts and AIT wing. The exterior was clad in a 2-tone 350Z orange with pearl white paint by DysfunctionalDesigns.com in Orlando, FL for the right look.
The correct stance was achieved using Sprint lowering springs and Tokico D-Spec dampers. The wheels are Avus AF901 measuring 22x9-inch and 22x10.5-inch sizing. The wheels are cloaked in Nexen N3000 tires 245/30R22 with 295/25R22 for added grip all around.
Then it was time to spruce up the interior as well as audio and multimedia. The headliner and pillars were recovered in suede by Hector’s interiors. All of the engine vitals are relayed on Auto Meter gauges. But the real story is the audio install...
More Vehicle Features
Written by Dave Pankew | Photos By Chris Manacop Honda tuners are known for going to great lenths to obtain rare JDM parts. Unfortunately not every tuner goes about it in a legit way, as many H-badge and Type-R enthusiasts…
Alan Phan built his Honda S2000 as a track weapon that still carried the aesthetics of a street-driven show car. His affinity for the Honda brand started with his old Acura RSX, a popular starting point for many Honda enthusiasts.…
The Daily Driven Lotus Fueled By Sandwiches. Johnny Ngo of Rancho Cordova, California, is no stranger to unique and interesting vehicle builds. Many years ago he had a custom yellow Toyota Celica GTS, named “Bumble Bee Cali,” (remember when builds…
Written by Dave Pankew | Photos by Chris Robinson When your average enthusiast with a few bucks to throw around gets a hold of a Subaru they can really make some jam easily. But when you are an enthusiast and…
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– Jesse Sorensen actually suffered a broken C-1 vertebrae at TNA’s Against All Odds pay-per-view. This is the top vertebrae of the spine that connects the spine to the skull.
Sorensen had lost feeling in his extremities last night and is still hospitalized but able to move his arms and has feeling in them. Earlier this afternoon, Sorensen was able to feel a tingling sensation in his legs but could not move them yet.
– New York Giant Brandon Jacobs is already backstage for tonight’s Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando. One name that is not there is Vince Russo.
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ELENA, Divinity Rising: Review
Publisher: Alien Apple Studio
Created by: Darren Pearce and Stu Jennett
Written by: Darren Pearce and Stu Jennett
Artwork by Stu Jennett
At first you think you are reading your typical espionage comic but very quickly you realize that it is not. We are introduced to a young woman, Elena a young Russian woman along with her partner Miller. Elena is not you typical young woman. Elena is a CIA operative with a gift. Along with Alex Dawson another gifted agent they are out investigate what they believe is a terrorist organization called Yuri. They quickly come to realize that it is not Yuri they are after but someone else.
Elena gift is a telepathic link to electronics. The ability to access email’s and text messages. Alex is strength and agility. Through a series of flash backs we are introduce to Elena and Alex. Showing them grow together as agents and friends. The flash backs are not in depth but enough to give us a basic understanding of the characters.
I got a mixture of a old school Bond film mixed in with a mutant under tone.
Elena is a well written story that right from the start grabs your attention. Writers Darren Pearce and Stu Jennett don’t waste time dropping you into the action. The build up is quick but not rushed. I was lucky enough to get a copy of issue 2 and I am glad I did. I finishes issued 1 I quickly moved on to issue 2.
Stu Jennett co-wrote and penciled the story. There is a bonus having the artist being part of the writing team. The vision between writer and artist can sometimes hit a bump on the road. Elena is dark with some splash of color and I feel it helps with the feel and tone of the book. The book also has the look of a underground book that really works here.
Overall Elena: Divinity Rising is a adventure ride that deserves a read.
The Pop Culture Cafe App
Once again Scott, Paul, and I get together to discuss all kinds to geek and stupid stuff. That's right more of the stuff you can find other old nerds talking about. Except it's us. Ha. This show we talk about, Trailer Park Boys, The Gentlemen, Upload, Star Wars, Clone Wars, Ozark, and comics coming to the store.
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We have taken note of the many suggestions and comments received by phone, mail and in the field. We combined this information with our own market research and designed the aircraft “you wanted.” The MX Sprint has extremely fast roll response and handles crosswinds easily with its conventional three-axis controls. Yet it retains the docile and predictable slow flight characteristics that made the original MX famous. With its combination of great flying performance, Quicksilver’s world-renowned quality and a six-month written limited warranty, the MX Sprint sells itself!
But performance and handling are only part of the picture. It’s proven design and complete factory and dealer support help to make your flying as enjoyable as possible. And Quicksilvers are the easiest kits on the market to assemble. Only basic tools and a few weekends, and you’re ready to fly!
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What you can expect when you sign up to get PitchPerfect...
Davide helped me SO much with my pitch! He is so insightful and very capable at zeroing in on just what needs to be said to create exactly the impact I wanted to have. Besides helping me with my pitch he also helped me get more clear about what I have to offer and new ways to say it. Definitely reach out to Davide! You'll be amazed!
My pitch was really boring before Davide got to it. He helped me to better articulate the benefits of my program and crafted a pitch that was exciting and attractive to joint venture partners. He was really amazing and super inspirational - very easy to work with, flexible, responsible - and I received so much value! Davide's PitchPerfect method is so effective!
Davide not only helped me to like a pro, his suggestions on the content, cadence and flow nailed it. If you have a chance to work with Davide on any of his programs, you’ll definitely come out a winner. I highly recommend working with him to help you create the talk that will boost your credibility and help you stand out from the crowd.
Sharon N.
The value that I received from working with Davide Di Giorgio is huge. Before working with Davide I was lost and lacking the direct focus necessary for a great pitch. Davide gently and easily offered suggestions and modifications which brought it together with ease. His expertise is invaluable and helped me deliver a powerful pitch that has attracted many positive comments and at least 12 potential Joint Venture Partners.
I get it. We’re all busy building our businesses and on any given day, we’re checking off the boxes of any number of random activities to move us forward. Mixed into a typical day, there are even strategic calls, Skypes, and Zooms scheduled where you know you’re ready to absolutely nail a new deal.
You are focused, you’ve completed your miracle morning mantras, squeezed in a good workout, and you’ve productively hustled your way to the big call! Nothing can stop you now (roll the 80’s anthem).
And then…it happens. You commit a crime that is so insidious, so commonly committed by others just like you that you don’t even know you’re doing it anymore…(cut the music).
You pitch TOO SOON! (See my last #hotPITCHtip on foreplay) …And you just spent an hour practically obliterating any chance of ever landing that particular deal again.
Your pitch, no matter how slick, tested, and proven as a conversion workhorse is nothing but a crime scene waiting to happen UNLESS you….
BUILD A RELATIONSHIP - FIRST.
Let me say that again… TAKE THE TIME to BUILD A RELATIONSHIP - FIRST!
Look, the difference between a millionaire and a billionaire - the latter has MORE relationships - high quality, nurtured over and for the long term, mutually valuable relationships. (As an aside, the billionaire also does LESS overall, because s/he knows the power of relationship-leverage at every level!)
Remember, YOU ARE THE KEY and YOU effectively unlock the doorway of opportunity when you invest in building relationships. That means - talk less about yourself and your business, and ASK MORE questions about the person right in front of you. Authentic questions! Get to know the person - what do they love? What’s their story? Why are they doing what they do? Who matters to them? How are they moving forward? What are they struggling with? When are they taking their next vacation? Who do they want to be connected with (that you may be able to connect them to)?
I’m not saying that you need to get all this information before ever considering a pitch, however, I’m sure you can see how getting to know someone on a slightly deeper level than just ‘are we an ideal business match’ is a way to organically amplify your potential.
So, are you willing to step back from pitch-pouncing to allow for a little more space to build relationships (that convert)? Try it out. I’d love to hear your relationship building success stories!
This tip is HOT HOT HOT :) The ‘Pitch’ is ONE COMPONENT of the bigger picture and in 99% of scenarios, you simply cannot pitch someone without…foreplay…ahem.
The pitch is the final step in the ‘sales conversation’ if you will and essentially takes everything you’ve gathered in the rest of the rapport building part of your interaction and brings it all together to sell and close.
Those of you who have been following my Tuesday Tips will really see how last week’s ‘You talk TOO MUCH’ tip becomes critical.
To effectively close a deal you need to spend a lot of time asking questions and listening - the foreplay component. Build rapport, determine suitability, uncover the problem or desire, help them to imagine possibilities, find out the options they may have…. etc.
THEN, once you’ve collected all the information you need and you’ve figured out if that person is an ideal match you go in for the pitch.
Transition by saying something like, ‘based on everything we’ve talked about…’, ‘I’ve got a program/product/service that would support you and your audience’ — and then deliver your POP statement…problem-discovery-solution story…and the rest of the pitch (which you should keep to about 2 - 3 minutes - avoid going on too long).
It’s not often that we are in a situation to flat out pitch (Shark Tank style like on the PitchFest calls). Take time to figure out how to lead up to your pitch in a natural conversation where you ask questions and make the other person feel listened to and supported, and then you’ll land more of your partners, deals, and sales more of the time! …And you’ll enjoy yourself more, too ;)
When you jam pack your pitch or sales conversation with too much talk, too many details, and my personal fave, too much about yourself, potential clients, investors, and partners RUN AWAY!
Less is more when it comes to your pitch.
YES. You want to share enough to paint a clear picture of:
1. WHY you’re pitching, aimed directly (and in their language) at
2. WHO you’re pitching
3. WHAT you’re pitching, and
4. HOW it will result in a benefit (for them).
BALANCE and be aware of the amount you share in each area.
The goal (part of the WHY) of your pitch is for you to CREATE space for intrigue and pursuit.
Think of it this way.
Imagine if you open the door and throw someone inside to a situation they’d consider their worst nightmare… When you talk too much, that’s what you do.
Your pitch OPENS THE DOOR so that the person you are pitching gets a peek inside, maybe stands at the threshold, and feels invited and intrigued to step in further.
So, instead of shoving MORE into your pitch, think about saying only what needs to be said to
STIR the IMAGINATION,
ACTIVATE some HOT BUTTONS, and
INVITE PURSUIT.
Are you guilty of trying to say and talk too much?? At some point, we all are. I invite you to sit back and experiment with sharing a little less and watch how you’ll build authority and positive pursuit…and more partners and deals!
Despite the ever growing number of people telling you that you need to tell your story, what the vast majority of programs and coaches don’t tell you is that your story could, in fact, be losing you clients, partners, and sales!
If your story is included to elicit an emotional response OR if you include it to gain know-like-trust factor, then you’ve really missed the boat, and so will the people on the receiving end of your story.
Here’s the deal… Your story (or any number of your stories) will only matter if it is relevant and relatable in the given situation. IT MUST fit (organically or as pattern interruptor) to connect the dots from where your potential partner, client, or listener is at, to where you are - or where you want to take them.
In addition to relevant and relatable, especially when you're making a first impression, keep your story sincerely succinct. Save the longer version for interviews, your live events, and keynotes.
A story is an excellent tool to invite positive interest and pursuit - ONLY when you design it to be relevant, relatable, and to activate imagination and curiosity ;)
#HotTip Stick to the 'Rule of 3’ to land more sales, partners, and deals, and STAND OUT from the crowd!
You’ve created a pitch - whether it be to land an investor, partner, or to pitch your product/program/service - and you’ve shared a list of hot benefits that you absolutely know are attractive! In fact, you know that your offer is so hot, you’ve got 5 (or 7, or 4, or 10) things you simply know will push someone over the edge…. so you list them… and…. NOTHING HAPPENS!
HUGE ERROR ALERT!
It’s an age-old writer’s secret, and it applies to storytelling, comedy, and YES - even PITCHING! Things are more effective, more entertaining, and more likely to be remembered when they come in 3’s!
So, stick to 3 of the TOP, most RELEVANT, JUICIEST benefits or points whenever you’re listing things while you’re doing your pitch and you’ll get more response, more sales, and more partners!
You’re already thinking it - ‘What’s in it for me’ as you begin to read this post. Take that as a huge indicator and guide when it comes to crafting your pitches of any kind.
What’s in this post for you? A HOTpitchTIP that will get you more sales, clients, and partners.
The more people I work with to develop their pitch, the more I see this as the most common, and most critical error.
YES, your story, your expertise, and your passion for your topic is absolutely important, HOWEVER, when it comes to pitching, nothing (NOTHING) is more important than reaching someone by identifying what’s in it for them - FAST!
When you are pitching yourself, a product, program, service, or partnership of any kind, get to the 'What's in it for them' factor - FAST! In fact, start off with a 'Statement of Seduction’ (big impact in the fewest, most concrete - jargon free - language) that is benefit rich, invites intrigue and pursuit, and reveals some aspect of the WIIFM factor.
YOU ARE A CONVERSION MACHINE. In fact, NOTHING will convert higher. Not your copy, not your ads, not even your videos or carefully crafted pitches.
YOU are the key, and in a lot of cases, the missing link.
When I work with people on their pitches, talks, and turning their events into world class experiences, the majority of my work revolves around uncovering your authentic message, essence, and the brilliance you have to offer the world.
And here’s the big catch. I always tell clients that the most effective thing they could possibly do in any of these situations (pitch, talk, event…) is to make a real personal connection, and to build an authentic relationship - at least to open the door to one.
It is in that moment (where you open the door to authentic connection) that YOU show up, and your conversion rates will soar! Combined with your personal clarity of what you have to offer, why and how… you are truly a conversion machine.
Try it out. Experiment, even. I’d love to hear about your experiences, and how you’ve been able to out-convert your copy with a simple personal conversation or phone call ;)
After a lifetime of pitching and presenting all sorts of things in all sorts of situations, I’ve discovered that success (conversion, engagement, authority) is greatly increased when you address the following 3 big areas:
1. PHYSICAL - HOW you deliver
2. MENTAL - WHAT you say
3. CREATIVE - WHY they should take action
When you balance the physical and mental and spark imagination (accessing the creative realm), you will nail the sale, elevate your authority, and land MORE of the partnerships you want, MORE of the time.
So, take a look at your presentations and pitches…are you hitting the 3 areas? Effectively? Affectively? Succinctly? Dynamically?
Don’t get stuck like my African warthog friend ;) Always have someone coach you before your big moment so you don’t miss your one shot to make that first impression.
Every day, you are required to pitch ideas, yourself, a product or program - maybe it’s as simple as where it is you want to go to dinner, or what movie to watch, or maybe it’s a big money deal or strategic partnership…
After a lifetime of pitching all sorts of things in all sorts of situations, I’ve discovered that in any situation, a successful pitch addresses 3 big areas. When you nail all 3, you can consistently enroll, convert, land more of what you want. (Cool, right?)
What do you think are the essential areas to cover in a pitch? What would make you give a YES?
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Teen to stand trial for gang slaying
ESCONDIDO — An Escondido teen accused of firing the shot that killed a 15-year-old boy during a gang-related shooting was ordered to stand trial Nov. 13.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan Weber found enough evidence to bind over Nestor Garcia, 17, on a single count of murder with additional weapons and gang allegations for the June 28 slaying of Eduardo Aranda.
Garcia, whose bail was set at $1.5 million, remains in jail and faces a potential of 50 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 20 for an arraignment, at which time a trial date maybe set.
Prosecutors allege Garcia and two other Escondido gang members, Eliud Eduardo Rangel, 18, and Osiel Junior Reyes, 17, drove up to a group of teens on Spruce Street near 7th Avenue, at which time Garcia stepped out of the car and fired several shots. Aranda, of Escondido, wasn’t a documented gang member, but prosecutors believe some of the people he was with were associated with a rival Escondido gang.
There were no other injuries from the shooting, according to police.
Following the half-day preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Geoff Allard said Aranda was killed by a single .22-caliber bullet to the back, which caused him to bleed to death. The lawyer said the alleged murder weapon, a .22-caliber revolver, was found a couple of blocks from the crime scene; however, he said he couldn’t elaborate about whether the defendant’s DNA or fingerprints were found on the firearm.
Allard said he couldn’t discuss why the two other teens that were also charged in the slaying are being tried separately from Garcia.
Rangel is charged with one count of murder, while Reyes is charged with a single count each of murder and being an accessory after the fact. Rangel and Reyes each remain in custody in lieu of $1 million bail and are scheduled to be in court Dec. 15 for their preliminary hearing.
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The DELPHI TRIPOD
After the victory over the Persians in 479 B. C. the Greeks offered this
tripod at the oracle of Delphi, from where it was brought to
Byzantium. It may be one of the tripods mentioned there in the early
byzantine time, and possibly gave the name to the palace hall usually
called the Delphax.
It is unknown when the tripod came into the hippodrome
where it stands today, and when the tripod itself disappeared. In the late
byzantine time only the three snakes remained that formerly had supported
the bowl in the middle. The Column of the Snakes, as it was called now,
survived until the ottoman time, the heads of the snakes were broken off
only around 1700. Upper jaw of one of the snake heads is now in Istanbul Archeology Museum.
The model below shows the Delphi Tripod as it was in Delphi and is based on Didier Laroche's research. Please see "Nouvelles observations sur le Trépied de Platées, BCH 113 (1989), 183-198".
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Aadhaar Pay will be cheaper than cards
New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- An Aadhaar-enabled payment system will be launched soon, finance minister Arun Jaitley announced in his Budget speech for the financial year (FY) 2017-18. Aadhar Pay is the merchant version of Aadhaar-enabled payment system. The Aadhaar Pay app lets consumers pay without any physical payment instrument. It runs on the Android platform and has to be installed by merchants.
To use it, merchants need to first download the Aadhaar Pay app and then register to start using it. After registration, the merchant's mobile phone needs to be linked to an Aadhaar biometric reader. Once the merchant has this infrastructure in place, the consumers can start transacting. To make a payment, the consumer has to just enter her Aadhaar number. The fingerprint is the password for the transaction. To use this service, the customer has to first link her bank account to her Aadhaar. Jaitley said that Aadhaar Pay will be specifically beneficial for those who do not have debit cards, mobile wallets and mobile phones. However, the consumer needs to have a bank account and Aadhaar number. "The launch of Aadhaar Pay for people without mobile phones will spearhead the country's transition to digital economy," said Neel Ratan, leader- government and public sector, PwC India. In January, law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that more than 14 banks had been integrated with Aadhaar Pay and 1.11 billion people had an Aadhaar number. The government is banking on this infrastructure to build Aadhaar Pay. As of now, you can make electronic payments to offline merchant using cards, e-wallets and the Unified Payment Interface (UPI).
In case of online merchants, you could do it using Net banking as well. For card transactions, a merchant needs to install PoS machines, which cost between Rs5,000 and Rs15,000. The consumer needs to have a credit or debit card to do the transaction. For card transactions, merchants have to pay a merchant discount rate in the range of 0.5-1% of the value of the transaction. If you are a consumer, you also incur the cost of holding the card-in the form of annual fee and joining fee, which usually start from Rs200. In case of e-wallets, the merchant transaction has not picked up pace because of interoperability issues. Therefore, both the merchant and the consumer need to have an e-wallet from the same service provider to complete the transaction. There are no charges for the consumer, however the merchant may have to pay a fee to the e-wallet service provider-which could start from 0.5% of the value of transaction. UPI, which was launched in August 2016, currently has over 35 member banks. To use this service, customers need to have a UPI-enabled app, a bank account and a registered mobile number. Besides these modes of payment, you can also pay using QR codes-a machine-readable matrix, which you can scan with your smartphone to pay. At present, various payment companies and banks provide different QR codes. The government sees potential in QR codes and is looking to provide a common QR code solution, which will be interoperable across payment networks. A common QR code will allow merchants to display a standard QR code, which can be linked to all the three payments networks-RuPay, MasterCard and Visa.
India is currently at a stage where it is building the road for electronic payments. Aadhaar Pay will be another channel to make payments. Compared with card payments, it will be cheaper.
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life
life,
although there is no universal agreement as to a definition of life, its biological manifestations are generally considered to be organization, metabolism, growth, irritability, adaptation, and reproduction. Protozoa perform, in a single cell, the same life functions as those carried on by the complex tissues and organs of humans and other highly developed organisms. The attributes of life are inherent in such minute structures as viruses, bacteria, and genes, just as they are in the whale and the giant sequoia. In seeking an understanding of life, scientists have broken down many barriers that once separated the physical sciences from the biological sciences; a result of the growth of biochemistry, biophysics, and other interrelated fields of study has been a better understanding of the composition and functioning of living tissues of all kinds.
Characteristics of Life
Organization is found in the basic living unit, the cellcell,in biology, the unit of structure and function of which all plants and animals are composed. The cell is the smallest unit in the living organism that is capable of integrating the essential life processes. There are many unicellular organisms, e.g......Click the link for more information., and in the organized groupings of cells into organs and organisms. Metabolism includes the conversion of nonliving material into cellular components (synthesis) and the decomposition of organic matter (catalysis), producing energy. Growth in living matter is an increase in size of all parts, as distinguished from simple addition of material; it results from a higher rate of synthesis than catalysis. Irritability, or response to stimuli, takes many forms, from the contraction of a unicellular organism when touched to complex reactions involving all the senses of higher animals; in plants response is usually much different than in animals but is nonetheless present. Adaptation, the accommodation of a living organism to its present or to a new environment, is fundamental to the process of evolution and is determined by the individual's heredity. The division of one cell to form two new cells is reproduction; usually the term is applied to the production of a new individual (either asexually, from a single parent organism, or sexually, from two differing parent organisms), although strictly speaking it also describes the production of new cells in the process of growth.
The Basis of Life
Much of the history of biology and of philosophy as related to biology has been marked by a division of thought between vitalistic (or animistic) and mechanistic (or materialistic) concepts. In the most antithetic interpretations of these concepts, the vitalistic school maintains that there is a vital force that distinguishes the living from the nonliving and the mechanistic school holds that there is no essential difference between the animate and inanimate and that all life can be explained by physical and chemical laws. Such diametrically opposed views have actually seldom been held by investigators of either school; elements of both are usually involved. The animistic school, largely predicated on the inexplicability of the basic phenomena of life, has been greatly overshadowed by the accumulating weight of scientific data. As more and more is learned of the minute details of the structure and composition of the substances that make up the cell (to the extent that some have been synthesized chemically), it has become increasingly apparent that living matter is made up of the same (and only those) elements found in inorganic material, except that they are differently organized.
The Origin of Life
Fundamental religious concepts center around special creation and belief in the infusion of life into inanimate substance by God or another superhuman entity. On the other hand, many scientists have hypothesized that during an early geological period there gradually formed in the atmosphere increasingly complex organic substances composed of available inorganic compounds and water, utilizing ultraviolet rays and electrical discharges as energy sources. At a certain stage they formed a diffuse solution of "nutrient broth." Then in some way they were drawn together and developed the capacity for self-renewal and self-reproduction. In 1953, S. L. Miller synthesized several of the most basic amino acids in a glass flask by introducing an electrical discharge into an atmosphere of water vapor and some simple compounds thought to have been present naturally at the time when life first developed on earth. A more recent theory now widely held is that life originated in a volcanic setting more than 3.5 billion years ago, perhaps in hot deep-sea vents, utilizing a biochemistry based largely on sulfur and iron. The theory that life on earth came in a simple form from another planet has had small currency, although the discovery by Melvin Calvin of molecules resembling genetic material in meteors has given it some force.
Life
the highest form of matter (by comparison with the physical and chemical), arising in conformity with regular principles and under particular conditions in the course of evolution.
Living objects differ from nonliving objects in the phenomenon of metabolism—an indispensable condition of life—and in the capacity for reproduction, growth, active regulation of composition and functions, various forms of movement, irritability, and adaptability to the environment. However, strictly scientific differentiation of living and non-living matter meets with certain difficulties. Thus, there is to date no unanimous opinion as to whether one may consider viruses to be alive. (Outside the cells of the host’s body, viruses do not possess a single attribute of living things; they lack metabolic processes, they are incapable of reproducing, and so on.) The specific nature of living matter and the life processes may be characterized from the point of view of both material structure and the functions at the basis of all manifestations of life. The most accurate definition of life, which simultaneously embraces both these approaches to the problem, was offered approximately 100 years ago by F. En-gels: “Life is the mode of existence of protein bodies; this mode of existence consists, in essence, in the constant self-renewal of the chemical components of these bodies” (K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 20, p. 82). The term “protein” had not yet been precisely defined, and it was usually applied to protoplasm as a whole. All objects now known that possess the indisputable attributes of life have in their makeup two principal types of biopolymers: proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Aware of the incompleteness of his definition, Engels wrote: “Our definition of life is, of course, quite inadequate, inasmuch as it is far from embracing all the phenomena of life; it is, on the contrary, limited to the most general and the most simple among them.… In order to obtain a truly exhaustive concept of life we would have to trace all the forms of its manifestation, from the lowest to the highest” (ibid., p. 84).
C. Darwin, in the final lines of The Origin of Species, writes of the principal laws that, in his opinion, lie at the basis of the emergence of all forms of life: “These laws, taken in the largest sense, being Growth and Reproduction; Inheritance, which is almost implied by reproduction; Variability from the indirect and direct action of the conditions of life, and from use and disuse: a Ratio of Increase so high as to lead to a Struggle for Life, and a consequence to Natural Selection” (Soch., vol. 3, Moscow-Leningrad, 1939, p. 666). Leaving aside the role of use and disuse, which, according to the latest data, are factors in nonhereditary variability, Darwin’s generalization retains its force to this day, and his basic laws of life can be reduced to two even more general laws. These are, first of all, the capacity of living matter to assimilate substances obtained from outside itself—that is, to restructure them, assimilating them into its own structure and, in this way, to reproduce them repeatedly; if the initial structure is by change changed (mutated) it reproduces itself in the new form. (The capacity for abundant self-replication is the basis of cell growth, cell reproduction, body reproduction, and, consequently, the ratio of increase—the basic condition for natural selection—as well as the basis of heredity and hereditary mutability; the Soviet biochemist V. A. Engel’gardt regards the reproduction of one’s own kind as the fundamental property of living matter, which is now interpreted in terms of molecular chemistry.) The other characteristic of life consists in the enormous diversity of properties acquired through the variability of the material structures of living things. Each of these fundamental properties is basically connected to the functions of one of the two biopolymers. The “recording” of hereditary properties, that is, the coding of the characteristics of an organism, which is necessary for reproduction, is accomplished by means of DNA and RNA (although in the process of reproduction itself, protein enzymes continuously participate). Thus, it is not the individual molecule of protein, DNA, or RNA, that is alive, but the system as a whole. The realization of the diverse information about the properties of the organism is accomplished by means of synthesis according to the genetic codes of various proteins (enzymes, structural proteins, and so forth), which, owing to their diversity of form and structure, determine the development of the most varied physical and chemical adaptations of living organisms. It is on this foundation that, in the process of evolution, there have arisen living control systems unsurpassed in their perfection. Thus, life is characterized by highly ordered material structures containing two types of biopolymers (proteins and DNA-RNA) which make up a living system capable as a whole of self-replication on the template principle. A characteristic feature of the chemical composition of the known forms of life is the optical asymmetry of the constituent substances, which are represented in living things by levorotatory or dextrorotatory forms.
Life is possible only under certain physical and chemical conditions (temperature, the presence of water and a number of salts, and so on). However, the cessation of life processes, such as in the desiccation of seeds or the deep freezing of small organisms, does not lead to a loss of viability. If the structure is preserved undamaged, life processes will resume upon a return to normal conditions.
Life qualitatively surpasses other forms of existence of matter in respect to the diversity and complexity of its chemical components and in terms of the dynamics of the transformations that go on in living matter. Living systems are characterized by a much higher level of ordering of the structural and the functional, in space and in time. The structural compactness and energic economy of living matter are results of the highest ordering on the molecular level. One of the important consequences of this compactness is the universal effect of “magnification,” which is characteristic of all living systems. Thus, 5 x 10-15g of DNA contained in the fertilized ovum of a whale contains information for the overwhelming majority of characters of the animal, which weighs 5 x 107g. Consequently, in the presence of the necessary conditions the weight increases by a factor of 1022. “It is precisely in the capacity of living matter to create order out of the chaotic thermal movement of molecules,” writes Engel’gardt, “that the most profound and radical distinction between living matter and nonliving consists. The tendency to regulation, to the creation of order out of chaos, is none other than the counteraction to the increase of entropy” (Kommunist, 1969, no. 3, p. 85). Living systems exchange energy, matter, and information with the environment—that is, they are open systems. At the same time, as distinct from nonliving systems, equalization of energy differences and restructuring in the direction of more probable forms do not occur in living systems; rather, the opposite is observed: differences in energy potential, chemical composition, and so forth are restored, that is, continual work goes on “against equilibrium” (E. Bauer). Erroneous assertions arise on this basis that living systems are not subject to the second law of thermodynamics. However, a local decrease in entropy in living systems is possible only at the expense of an increase in entropy in the environment, so that the process of increasing entropy as a whole continues, which is in accord completely with the requirements of the second law of thermodynamics. According to the figurative expression of the Austrian physicist E. Schrodinger, it is as though living organisms feed on negative entropy (negentropy), drawing it from, and thus increasing the growth of positive entropy in, the environment.
Life on earth, which began no less than 1.5–2 billion years ago, is represented by an enormous number of organisms. Each organism can exist only under the condition of a constant and close bond with the environment, that is, with other organisms and with nonliving nature; in this sense, the bond is a two-way system. Life in all its manifestations has produced the most profound changes in the development of our planet, at least in its outer layers. As they become more perfect in the course of evolution, living organisms spread ever more widely over the planet, participating ever more fully in the redistribution of energy and matter in the earth’s crust and in the air and water that blanket the earth. The emergence and spread of vegetation led to a fundamental modification of the composition of the atmosphere (which initially contained very little free oxygen, consisting mainly of carbon dioxide and, probably, methane and ammonia). Plants, which assimilate carbon from CO2, led to the creation of an atmosphere that contains free oxygen and only traces of CO2. Free oxygen in the atmosphere served not only as an active chemical agent but also as a source of ozone, which obstructs the path of shortwave ultraviolet rays to the surface of earth (the “ozone screen”). At the same time, carbon, which accumulated for ages in the remains of plants, formed huge energy stores in the earth’s crust in the form of beds of organic compounds (coal and peat). The plant cover changed the physical and chemical character of the planet: specifically, there was a change in the coefficient of reflection of various parts of the solar spectrum by land surfaces. The development of life in the oceans led to the development of sedimentary rocks that consist of the skeletons and other remains of marine organisms. These deposits, and their subjection to mechanical pressure and to chemical and physical transformations, altered the surface of the earth’s crust. Active selective absorption of matter by organisms caused a redistribution of matter in the surface layers of the crust. All this testifies to the presence on earth of a special sheath, which the Soviet geochemist V. I. Vernadskii called the biosphere, in which life phenomena evolved and continue to evolve.
In the course of the evolution of living organisms the processes of regulation and adaptation to external conditions improved continuously; this, in free-moving animals, favored the development of a central nervous system. The development of the most perfected form of higher nervous activity in man’s ancestors under the influence of communal labor created the prerequisites for the transition of life to a new, social, level, which is associated with a new form of movement peculiar to man and qualitatively distinct from the biological movement characteristic of other forms of life. After the transition to this level, with the emergence of social consciousness, it becomes possible to predict development and to create new forms of regulation and adaptation capable of ensuring advantages that are impossible in the process of purely biological development.
Life
an American weekly picture magazine, published from 1936 to 1972 in New York by Time Inc. Life published photo essays on problems of international relations, US domestic and foreign policy, science, literature, and art, as well as entertainment features. One of the magazine’s main purposes was to advocate “the American way of life.” In 1973 financial difficulties brought an end to the magazine’s publication.
Life
one of the three Fates, spins the thread that represents the life of each individual. [Gk. Myth.: NCE, 927]
life
1. the state or quality that distinguishes living beings or organisms from dead ones and from inorganic matter, characterized chiefly by metabolism, growth, and the ability to reproduce and respond to stimuli
2.
a. a biography
b. (as modifier): a life story
3. all living things, taken as a whole
4. sparkle, as of wines
5.Arts drawn or taken from a living model
6. (in certain games) one of a number of opportunities of participation
Life
(games)
The first popular cellular automata based
artificial life "game". Life was invented by British
mathematician John Horton Conway in 1970 and was first
introduced publicly in "Scientific American" later that year.
Conway first devised what he called "The Game of Life" and
"ran" it using plates placed on floor tiles in his house.
Because of he ran out of floor space and kept stepping on the
plates, he later moved to doing it on paper or on a
checkerboard, and then moved to running Life as a computer
program on a PDP-7. That first implementation of Life as a
computer program was written by M. J. T. Guy and
S. R. Bourne (the author of Unix's Bourne shell).
Life uses a rectangular grid of binary (live or dead) cells
each of which is updated at each step according to the
previous state of its eight neighbours as follows: a live cell
with less than two, or more than three, live neighbours dies.
A dead cell with exactly three neighbours becomes alive.
Other cells do not change.
While the rules are fairly simple, the patterns that can arise
are of a complexity resembling that of organic systems -- hence
the name "Life".
Many hackers pass through a stage of fascination with Life,
and hackers at various places contributed heavily to the
mathematical analysis of this game (most notably Bill Gosper
at MIT, who even implemented Life in TECO!; see
Gosperism). When a hacker mentions "life", he is more
likely to mean this game than the magazine, the breakfast
cereal, the 1950s-era board game or the human state of
existence.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.
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MarketWatch’s Sital Patel was at the Pierre Hotel live-blogging the event hosted by CNBC and Institutional Investor, with help from William L. Watts on the markets desk in New York. Read their coverage below.
The Delivering Alpha conference gets under way shortly, but some of the big wheels are already rolling in. Jim Chanos, president and founder of Kynikos Associates, tells CNBC he’s still short Hewlett Packard Co. and doesn’t see much hope for the personal-computer business in general. Shares of Hewlett-Packard have risen by around 40% since Chanos made the case for shorting the company at last year’s conference. He tells CNBC that he first got short in the high $20s.
The computer business, in general, is becoming a difficult place to be, he says, because brand names no longer carry much weight. Big companies that use lots of servers, such as Amazon, are building them themselves, he notes. “It seems to me to be a terrible business,” he says. And with the growing shift to mobile computing, it’s very “tough to justify” a premium, he says.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew officially kicks off Delivering Alpha, and uses the opportunity to mount a full-on defense of the Obama administration’s financial reform efforts. Despite critics’ predictions to the contrary, “Dodd-Frank did not stifle economic growth. It did not halt lending activity,” Lew says in prepared remarks. “We are actually seeing just the opposite. Banks have more than doubled their capital on hand, while achieving nine straight quarters of loan growth. And with Dodd-Frank signed into law, forward economic momentum has continued.”
Lew says he’s committed to stepping on the accelerator when it comes to implementing Dodd-Frank and says that by the end of this year, core elements of the law will be “substantially in place.”
Lew likens opponents of Dodd-Frank to former New York Stock Exchange Richard Whitney, who argued in 1934 that the creation of the Securities and Exchange Commission would “destroy our security markets.”
Lew also emphasizes that the Volcker rule is “particularly important” and that he will push for swift completion of rules that “keep faith with the intent of the statute and the president’s vision.”
Lew: We need to make sure we don’t end up where Fannie/Freddie fail like what happened after the financial crisis. We have to make sure there is private financing in this country and access to credit for borrowers that are credit worthy.
Up next is the Global Stage panel with Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO of JPM Asset Management; David McCormick, Co-President of Bridgewater Associates; Jane Mendillo, President and CEO of Harvard Management Group; and Richard Perry, CEO of Perry Capital.
Perry: You are seeing Europe come back. We hold a lot of positions in Greece, we believe in the new government, Greece has taken a lot of proactive steps and I think the Germans and the rest of the Euro appreciate that.
JPM’s Mary Callaham Erdoes says you can make money in Europe: You can make money on Greek bonds, you can make money in equity, you can make money shorting bonds, as long as you don’t get scared off by the headlines and GDP numbers.
Perry: I think there is a way to do business, believe in the new govt in China. Really think they have progressed that has shown a different way of capitalism. If China continues to do well, it will be an advantage for everyone. It will be meaningful to have relationships in China.
Perry: It’s a country of incredible people, food, art, but they have really messed up their economy for a long time, and as a result of that, the big businesses that have historically dominated in the last few decades are seeing increased competition.
Bharara: It’s not a joking matter, it’s not a laughing matter. You should be serious about what you are managing money. History is that those who come forward and volunteer information end up better off.
Bharara: We are thinking about holding people accountable, not just institutions.
I think people need to understand that there are appropriate situations where institutions are responsible as well, where they looked the other way. All I am saying is that if you are an institution you have committed a crime and had a fine, and another fine, you have to look at that.
There has to be an extraction there, and going forward I think it could be criminal.
Bharara: There is a lot of compliance that is just on paper. In particular circumstances where people are blame worthy where they used code-words to get insider information.It’s not the case that we get everyone, we cannot see every form communication.
There are insitutions that we are looking at that you haven’t heard about and that you don’t know about. There is a lot of power to go after these firms, that we haven’t used much.
PwC Chairman and Senior Partner Robert Moritz makes some comments on how they think about the millienials and corporate responsibility before ‘The Great Rotation’ panel. Specifically financial literacy.
Flemming: If you are a financial advisor you are looking at an increasingly complicated picture. If you are a long-term financial advisor you really need to stick to asset allocation as much as you can.
Leon Cooperman at Omega Advisors gives his take on what is happening in the market: I don’t see any reason then and now to buy an instrument that the govt is buying artificially. I would take my chances on bonds.
The real issue is what happens to Euro. All the bank debt could be sucked down into some massive hole that we don’t know about. Some of the country debt has not be looked at.
Let’s look at France, if they or some other country decides to leave the Euro, it’s not a big probabilty but it’s not zero, which means there will be some excitment there. Low probabilty. Still ways to make money there.
Flemming: Volatitliy will still be higher, what the central bank is trying to do here is historic. We have not done this before where rates are zero for this period of time, which has not been done before, there will be volatility.
Spokes: Opportunities in Europe in the credit space, to replace what healthier banks would have been doing, particularly in areas where European banks are wary for capital. Namely in shipping, Not talking about a garage sale of banks in Europe.
Hintze: Look for dispertation in the market. What really worries me is what we are all doing is what Bernanke is saying and the day we look at the govt for what is happening in the economy/markets is really worrying.
Flemmng: If govt gets out of the way, there is a more than reasonable risk on the postive that the economy in 2014 that we are dealing will be a stronger economy and higher interest rates that will create a lot of volatility.
Kingdon: most importantly the Japanese are talking in free trade talks with the US, would mean the acgriculture markets will be open and that will equate to lower food prices. Part of the TPP negotiations.
They are manufacturing ‘orphan’ drug Juxtapid for treating ultra-high cholesterol. The reimbursement rates is $300k per patient annually. Companies didn’t want to make the drug, not enough patients to justify high cost.
Chanos: Caterpillar has seen margins that are typically in the red are seeing 14% annually. The one aspect of capital that seems to be suspending in this profit cycle is corporate capital reverting to the mean.
Kingdon: HFTs are already topping out, ETFs rewarding stock pickers is not a great place to be, whole situation with bond market with massive positions.
Cooperman: 70% of NYSE trading has nothing to do with fundamental investment, I have been highly critically on SEC, they are highly focused on trading spreads and are driving a lot of people out of the business.
M. Barry Bausano, President of Deutsche Bank Securities and Co-head Markets Prime Finance at the firm, introduces John Paulson: Paulson started a fund many years ago with $2 million and now has a fund of $1 billion with a B.
Are Japanese corporate bonds the new subprime in the wake of Japan’s aggressive monetary and fiscal efforts to reflate its moribund economy? That’s the argument Richard Perry of Perry Capital made earlier at the Delivering Alpha conference. He contends that Japanese investors aren’t doing their homework when it comes to bonds and that he’s happy to short them.
Is Leon Cooperman the Oprah Winfrey of stock pickers? Like Oprah and her book selections, a mention by the Omega Advisers founder seems capable of providing a lift. Here’s a rundown of the 10 stocks Cooperman highlighted in this year’s Best Ideas panel at the Delivering Alpha conference.
Panelists: Walgreen’s has a fairly defensive business right now, to the extent there will be more healthcare, some of the healthcare will have to be done locally and there will be an increase of consumerization.
Safe as houses? Here’s more on hedge-fund billionaire John Paulson’s bullish housing call, which stands in contrast to the bets against subprime during the housing bubble that made him famous–and even more wealthy.
Sacks: Absolutely that structure has helped us exist reduce risk, we have done that over time with commodities markets. We put a fair amount of capital into those markets, structured relationships with managers that where when we saw crystal returns.
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Dienhart: Week 5 bowl projections
By Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer -
3 years ago
Four weeks are in the books, but the bowl picture remains a work-in-progress—as usual To review: The Big Ten has tie-ins with eight bowls—but it has only 10 bowl-eligible schools, as Penn State and Ohio State are on NCAA and banned from the postseason in 2012.
Once again, the Big Ten did little to improve its stock on Saturday, notching no impressive wins while seeing Michigan lose to Notre Dame in the biggest game of the weekend. Also, Iowa was stunned at home by Central Michigan and Illinois got hammered at home by Louisiana Tech.
Despite all of that, I think the Big Ten still will be able to fill all of its bowl spots—but that could change. And, it still could get two teams in the BCS. History says it’s likely to happen, as the Big Ten has had two teams in the BCS 11 times in the 14-year history of the system.
BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men’s basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.
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17 Comments
Based on performance so far this season, it is absolutely ridiculous to think that Michigan State and Wisconsin, let alone two Big Ten teams, will be playing in BCS bowl games.
Cliff on 9/24/2012 @ 2:29pm EDT Said:
I have to agree, the big ten will be lucky to send 1 team to a BCS bowl game this year. It’s time to take Illinois and Iowa out of you bowl picture.
huskerred on 9/24/2012 @ 2:37pm EDT Said:
Good luck on these predictions. My take is PSU and tOSU are benched due to NCAA; otherwise it’s a wide open race so far this season. However for the larger bowls it depends on the teams brand; bowl selection committees are looking for $$ not who deserves to be there, fair or unfair, isn’t really a consideration when looking at their profit lines. My take at this point, assuming the conference does well enough to get all these bids, looks like this:
Have we been watching the same Wisconsin team this year? If they keep playing like they have been, they are likely to get punked by several teams in the big ten this year. Whether those teams are good or not.
a big ten fan on 9/24/2012 @ 8:17pm EDT Said:
B1G will not have 2 BCS bowl teams this year…unless Nebraska gets beat in the championship game, Michigan will get a decent bowl because of their following
vaudvillain on 9/25/2012 @ 8:02am EDT Said:
Two BCS bids? Don’t you have to ranked in the top 14 to even qualify for an at-large BCS game? The only B1G team ranked that high in either poll right now is OSU, who is ineligible for the postseason. I think our conference champion will eventually climb back up the rankings, but I just don’t see two teams cracking the top 14 right now. It’s a long season, and crazy things happen, but still.
Kelly Rumpel on 9/25/2012 @ 10:40am EDT Said:
It’s musical chairs with the BCS fiesta bowl, 3 wks ago it was Nebraska, last wks Michigan, now it’s Wisconsin’s turn. Going to be interesting to see how everything plays out. It’s a guessing game at this point, as conference play begins.
BTN.com staff on 9/25/2012 @ 10:51am EDT Said:
That’s what makes it fun to follow, right Kelly?
K. John on 9/25/2012 @ 12:11pm EDT Said:
The tide is turning. The NCAA and Big Ten’s misconduct and very likely illegal sanctions against Penn State, despite the over-whelming evidence strongly suggesting the school handled the Sandusky issue in a responsible manner, is becoming more and more obvious every day. Don’t be shocked if and when Penn State plays in the Outback or Capital One Bowl on New Year’s day. If not this, next. It is not a matter of if the sanctions will be repealed but when.
Matt L on 9/25/2012 @ 3:12pm EDT Said:
I needed a good laugh today. If Mich st and Wisconsin make it to BCS bowl games they will get smashed and make the BIG look horrible (apparently you have not watched either team play, they are horrible and will have multiple losses on the season most likely both having 2 losses after this weekend). Nebraska and Ohio st are the best programs in the league right now. So since Ohio St is not going bowling, I would have to believe, like most people do, that Nebraska goes all the way.
Brandon on 9/25/2012 @ 3:37pm EDT Said:
Apart from the craziness of having two Big Ten teams in BCS bowls, you have Wisconsin ranked number 8 in your power rankings, but still have them in a BCS bowl? I do not follow this at all.
Jack on 9/25/2012 @ 3:44pm EDT Said:
Um sir Wisconsin is goin to 6-6 how would they ever get in to a Bcs…have u not been watching there games
josh on 9/25/2012 @ 5:15pm EDT Said:
i can guarantee you by the end of the season Wisconsin will be the most improved team in the country they just have to get their feet under them and running i think they will go 10-4 with another loss coming at Nebraska then in the BIG championship game and then probably their bowl game.
Doug on 9/25/2012 @ 10:08pm EDT Said:
Hey Matt, lay off the caffeine. MSU is horrible? They have the best defense in the league, one of the top running backs, if not the best, and if their receivers ever decide to hold on to the football they will be just fine.
Jake on 9/26/2012 @ 12:40am EDT Said:
Can’t see Illinois making a bowl game and can’t see the B1G sending two teams to BCS games. Nebraska would have to finish 10-2 and I don’t see that right now. For that matter, I don’t see MSU winning the B1G either. For what it’s worth, I hope Purdue or Northwestern win the B1G. I would love to see the reaction of Delaney after the Championship game.
Alex on 9/27/2012 @ 5:48pm EDT Said:
Wisconsin going to a BCS bowl at this point is as likely as Indiana going to a bowl game. And this is coming from an IU fan. It’s not going to happen.
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But after only one Toyota finished in the top 14 on Sunday, there were many glum faces among the manufacturer's teams. Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth told USA TODAY Sports they were disappointed in the performance.
"Even though this is the latest and greatest (engine package), it's not as good as what we had at the beginning of the year, in my opinion," Hamlin said after finishing 20th. "I definitely think the Toyotas are not what they were."
"We all, as a group, ran really, really slow today," said Kenseth, who finished 15th. "We've got to get our cars better, they've got to get the motors better and hopefully, we'll be stronger the next few weeks."
Wilson, speaking by phone on Monday afternoon, said there was no cause for panic despite disappointment in the overall results.
"We're not lost," he said. "We're hanging in there. We have some clear direction."
That direction includes a plan geared more toward the Chase for the Sprint Cup races — the final 10 events of the season — than the races leading up to it.
"As much as we would have loved to have won (at Michigan), it's more important we dial our cars and our package for those 10 races," Wilson said, noting three Toyota drivers are solidly in the Chase and another is on the bubble. "The good news is we've got these next three weeks to focus on the Chase, and that's what this is really about."
Wilson acknowledged the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers were unhappy but said he received positive feedback from Michael Waltrip about the engines' performance. Michael Waltrip Racing's Clint Bowyer finished fifth and Mark Martin almost won before running out of gas.
Dave Rogers, crew chief for Kyle Busch, said he missed the setup on JGR's No. 18 car so badly that it would be "irresponsible for me to comment on the motor at this point."
TRD had a handful of high-profile engine failures in the first half of the season, which led to a period of dialing back horsepower while working to make the engines last longer. But the mix of reliability and performance was supposed to be better by Michigan, and the results weren't there.
"Our car's setup was a little bit off, but in general I think we're behind," Hamlin said. "We had some reliability issues we've got to work through, so we're just trying to Band-Aid it at this point and get through."
Said Kenseth: "You've got to have reliability, but you've got to have performance, too, to be able to have a shot at it."
In the meantime, Kenseth said he'd rather see results than talk about it.
"They seem to put a lot of press releases out about motors and power and adjustments and stuff, but I don't really like to talk about that stuff," he said. "I like to talk about it at meetings and give my feedback.
"Hopefully we're working on the stuff instead of talking about it. I know they're always working hard on it."
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Meal Plan Monday #28
Welcome to an awesome edition of Meal Plan Monday! Prepare to get inspired.
Some of your favorite food bloggers from around the web contribute their best recipes to help you plan out meals for your family – while keeping it lively and delicious!Ready to see which two recipes we’re featuring two recipes today?Here are two recipes that were very popular on our last edition of Meal Plan Monday!
One-Pot Asian Chicken and Rice by The Fed Up FoodieandBrown Sugar Pumpkin Pie Bars
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Developing cleaner power sources for transportation is perhaps the trickiest piece of the energy puzzle. The difficulty stems from two discouraging facts. First, the number of vehicles worldwide, now 750 million, is expected to triple by 2050, thanks largely to the expanding buying power of customers in China, India and other rapidly developing countries. And second, 97 percent of transportation fuel currently comes from crude oil.
In the near term, improving fuel economy is the best way to slow the rise in oil use and greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. But even if automakers triple the efficiency of their fleets and governments support mass transit and smart-growth strategies that lessen the public's reliance on cars, the explosive growth in the number of vehicles around the world will severely limit any reductions in oil consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. To make deeper cuts, the transportation sector needs to switch to low-carbon, nonpetroleum fuels. Liquid fuels derived from woody plants or synthesized from tar sands or coal may play important roles. Over the long term, however, the most feasible ways to power vehicles with high efficiency and zero emissions are through connections to the electric grid or the use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel.
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Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Bloomington Wants More Time To Study Welcoming Ordinance
City leaders in Bloomington say they want more time to study a proposed welcoming ordinance. Dozens of people turned out last night to both support and oppose the plan to declare the city welcoming to people who aren't in this country legally. One issue is that the city's police chief says he has no problem with welcoming people, but he doesn't want an ordinance that stops his officers from working with federal law enforcement officials.
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Welcome to HVAC-Talk.com, a non-DIY site and the ultimate Source for HVAC Information & Knowledge Sharing for the industry professional! Here you can join over 150,000 HVAC Professionals & enthusiasts from around the world discussing all things related to HVAC/R. You are currently viewing as a NON-REGISTERED guest which gives you limited access to view discussions
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Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts.
kyarnall
What are the Federal Laws regarding being the last person to look at a piece of equipment while holding an EPA Universal license when the equipment was faulty and am I obligated to have the piece of equipment repaired or replaced?
The unit has to be over 50 tons and leak at least half the refrigerant out in a year for you to have to find and fix the leak. I think that's what the law states. In residential it's up to the owner to decide if they want to gas it up or find and fix the leak.
kyarnall legal question
I found a 240V steam table that was wired wth 10AWG and spliced into 12AWG into a 20A breaker. The breaker was drawing 17.9 Amps and the box at the steamtable was crispy critters. I know that since I was the last person to look at the equipment, I am legally responsible so I called in a licensed electrician to effect repairs. What is the federal statute and where can I find it?
I found a 240V steam table that was wired wth 10AWG and spliced into 12AWG into a 20A breaker. The breaker was drawing 17.9 Amps and the box at the steamtable was crispy critters. I know that since I was the last person to look at the equipment, I am legally responsible so I called in a licensed electrician to effect repairs. What is the federal statute and where can I find it?
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07/19/2012
outdoor play link up and an honor
So for personal reasons that will be revealed soon enough I have had to step away from the online world (really the computer in general!) for a while. Which means that this week if you want to find the Outdoor Play Link Up you should head on over to
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Comments
outdoor play link up and an honor
So for personal reasons that will be revealed soon enough I have had to step away from the online world (really the computer in general!) for a while. Which means that this week if you want to find the Outdoor Play Link Up you should head on over to
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Donald Trump, Climate Warrior?
The climatistas just can’t help themselves. Amidst the wailing and gnashing of teeth on the left since Trump’s triumph, the environmentalists have wailed the loudest. We’re doomed! One climatista, University of Arizona emeritus professor Guy McPherson, is predicting that humans will go extinct in just ten more years:
The University of Arizona emeritus professor says in 10 years, humans will cease to exist. Abrupt rises in temperature have us on course for the sixth mass extinction – similar to one that happened about 252 million years ago that culminated in the “great dying”.
That event was the worst of the mass extinction events in our planet’s history and saw all complex life cease, leaving microbes and fungi to rule the planet. “I think we are heading for something like that this time around, too,” McPherson said. “I just don’t see how very complex, very complicated organisms that depend upon so many other species, such as humans, I just don’t see how we get through that.”
It’s almost an outcome to be wished for it only to make people like McPherson stop spouting this climatic Gore.
But if you really want to send a climatista into a fit of rage, just try out the entirely plausible suggestion that greenhouse gas emissions are likely to fall faster under President Trump that they would have under Madam President Hillary. Berkeley physicist Richard Muller makes the case:
Carbon-dioxide emissons will be lower under Trump than they would have been under Clinton. Trump appears to favor nuclear power and shale gas, and both reduce carbon emissions substantially, at least when compared to coal. If you are optimistic about solar and wind, then you can say that shale will not reduce emissions as much as solar and wind would have. I saw no similar support for these energy technologies from Clinton, who seemed to agree with the Obama approach: don’t oppose, but don’t reduce the impediments.
The key issue is the developing world. If the US surges ahead with nuclear, then it might induce the developing world to be less fearful of it. If they build nuclear plants instead of coal plants, we might actually slow and stop global warming. . .
As much as the Obama administration was eager to sign treaties and accords, those agreements were not designed to reduce emissions from the developing world. Alas, most of the future emissions are projected to come from the developing world; unless we help them control them, any action that is aimed at the US or Europe will not do the job.
So I am optimistic. The push for nuclear and shale gas that I expect from Trump could result in substantially lower CO2 emissions world-wide.
You can just hear the climatistas sputtering: “But, but. but . . . the Paris Accord! All of our fancy international meetings? The validation of our self-worth it at stake! It can’t be allowed.”
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Jerry Moore: Rev. Wright owes allegiance to Gospel, not nation
Some of our most beloved historic figures have said and done some horrific things. Yet few seem compelled to disown them because they disgree with these national icons on such matters.
Jerry Moore
When he took control of the Continental Army in 1775, George Washington prohibited black soldiers from being recruited. Thomas Jefferson wrote that white woman who bore the children of black men should be forced to leave Virginia within a year. Abraham Lincoln declared that he was never “in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races.” Theodore Roosevelt said the main cause of black people being lynched was “the hideous crime of rape.”
What reasonable person today would subscribe to one of these odious thoughts? Shouldn’t we feel compelled to immediately disown the men who advanced such ideas?
Most Americans, however, embrace these men as heroes — they all grace Mount Rushmore. While rejecting the repugnant thoughts they espoused, we honor the great things these men achieved.
But some have called on U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to disown his longtime pastor for comments he made with which they disagree. Obama, who is seeking the presidency, distanced himself from some of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial statements while reaffirming his admiration for him.
Wright appeared on “Bill Moyers’ Journal” last week. It was his first interview since furor erupted over some of his sermons at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Wright came across as a highly intelligent and thoughtful person, not at all the anti-American black separatist he’s portrayed as being by some in the media. It’s easy to see how he helped build the South Side congregation from less than 90 members in the early 1970s to several thousand today.
It’s also easy to see why Obama chose to become a member of Trinity and remain there for the past 20 years. I listened to Wright’s hourlong interview with Moyers and was captivated by what he said.
Wright impressed me as someone who takes his role as pastor very seriously. I’d love to spend time picking his brain on a range of issues.
To criticize U.S. domestic and foreign policy, even as forcefully as Wright did, is not to be un-American. In fact, self-criticism is what makes Western-style democracy so dynamic.
Wright told Moyers that the “my country, right or wrong” mentality goes against Christianity, particularly the prophetic tradition so prevalent in black churches. Wright’s words still trouble me — some because I disagree with them, but others because they force me to confront the truth. If this isn’t a sign of a Christian minister who’s doing his job, what is?
Jerry Moore is a news editor with Suburban Life Publications. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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I've been a financial journalist for more than 20 years: I've written for most of the national newspapers in the UK (plus a host of magazines and web sites) on topics related to business, economics, finance, property, investment, personal finance and entrepreneurship.
I've held staff jobs at newspapers including The Observer, the Daily and Sunday Express and, most recently, The Independent, where I spent several years as Business Editor managing the newspaper’s business coverage.
Two years ago, I went freelance in order to launch my own editorial consultancy, which provides content in three specialist areas: small business/entrepreneurship, investment/personal finance, and thought leadership.
I continue to write for a number of newspapers, including The Independent, where I have a weekly column on topics relating to small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as magazines, web sites and a growing number of corporate clients.
Iwoca And Ezbob Battle It Out For Britain's Online Traders
Napoleon once described Britain as a “nation of shopkeepers”. More than 200 years later, that description is as apt as ever – but these days, more of those shops are to be found online than on the high street, where vacancy rates remain stubbornly high despite an accelerating economic recovery.
Who will finance these online merchants’ growth? Well, in one increasingly important corner of Britain’s e-commerce marketplace, two young businesses are going head to head. In one corner stands Iwoca, which this week announced it has raised £5 million of second-round funding from investors including Global Founders Capital and Redline Capital Management. In the other sits Ezbob, which has so far picked up around £3 million of funding from business angels.
Research from IMRG and Capgemini suggests that e-commerce sales in Britain reached £87 billion last year, 12 per cent more than in 2012. But what’s often not appreciated is just how much of that total is accounted for by small independent traders selling products through the online marketplaces that the likes of Amazon and eBay have become in recent times – as much as a seventh on some estimates.
Those independent traders include hundreds of thousands of micro businesses trading small amounts of stock, often from their owners’ homes. And although this cottage industry is booming, it’s unlikely ever to get much support from mainstream banks – Britain’s high street lenders don’t like retail at the best of times, let alone young businesses of such small scale.
Enter Iwoca and Ezbob. The two companies were founded in 2011 and 2012 respectively in order to offer short-term loans to traders on Amazon, eBay and other online marketplaces. Borrowers take out loans ranging from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand and typically repay the money over the course of several months. Loan applications are made online and decisions are almost instantaneous.
In other words, the funding is designed to provide relatively small amounts of short-term working capital (in fact, Iwoca’s name is a contraction of instant working capital), typically for businesses investing in inventory. Without such finance, many of these businesses’ cashflows would be too constrained to enable them to ever reach escape velocity – instead, they’d remain tiny, hobbyist ventures.
These companies are technology businesses as much as they’re credit providers. Like Britain’s Wonga, whose booming consumer credit operation is propelling it ever more rapidly towards a highly valuable IPO, the business model of both Iwoca and Ezbob is based on technology that automates lending decisions on the basis of algorithms designed to use credit scoring and other financial data to ensure that advances are only made to businesses that will repay them.
In that sense, these companies are pure-play internet ventures. Their sales pitch is to businesses that would not exist without the technologies that make e-commerce possible. And their own business model wouldn’t work without automated online processes and advanced data analytics.
In Britain, however, Iwoca and Ezbob are taking advantage of another phenomenon of our time – the withdrawal of conventional lenders from large parts of the small business arena. They are effectively operating in a captive market where borrowers know they’re the only game in town.
That gives the two businesses a solid foundation on which to build an international operation, which is likely be their next move (overseas expansion is one ambition behind Iwoca’s latest funding).
This is an appealing prospect, for while the growth of ecommerce – and independent traders’ role within in it – is a feature of almost all Western markets, no single business has yet been able to seize the initiative internationally in the space in which Iwoca and Ezbob operate. US business Kabbage is an obvious competitor, but its overseas expansion is in its infancy too. There is, in other words, all to play for.
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Des Moines Police Identify Victim in Wednesday Evening Crash
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Police say 43-year-old Antonio Parker was likely driving at a high rate of speed when he was killed in a single vehicle crash on Wednesday evening on the South side of Des Moines. Police say Parker was southbound on SW 9th Street just before 9:00pm Wednesday when he lost control and crashed into block column near at the intersection with Bundy Avenue. Police say Parker was traveling at a high rate of speed at […]...
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Alexandra Grant is a text-based artist who uses language and networks of words as the basis for her work in painting, drawing and sculpture. She has been the subject of shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles), the Contemporary Museum (Baltimore), and galleries in the US and abroad. Grant has explored ideas of translation, identity, and dis/location not only in drawings, painting and sculpt...[more]
Alexandra Grant’s new work involves a mixture of the senses, the development of one sense (the visuality of painting) to stand in for taste, smell, touch, and hearing. Grant adds the mind to the mix, the central switching station or unification of the senses. Grant presents each sense as a different “portal,” and each portal is an interpretation of texts by hypertext author and Grant collaborator Michael Joyce. In addition to the portals, Grant expands her logic of language and image into video. The following interview discusses Grant’s innovative approach to language, collaboration, and to the connection between language and image.
Alexandra Grant lives and works in Los Angeles. In 2007, Grant’s work was shown in a MOCA Focus show curated by Alma Ruiz.
Ed Schad: The first thing I noticed in your work is its clever use of language, written backwards and forward, up and down. Could you describe your path into a love of language? You mentioned that you were trilingual.
Alexandra Grant:Moving between cultures and languages as a child, I was aware of how meaning is gained and lost, how ideas are translated or misunderstood from one context to another. I have always been a literary minded, bookish person, and curious about how “language” works in writing as well as in art. I went into to art as a PhD candidate goes into research, asking myself what areas are still open for investigation, what work could still be done. As a student I was interested in artists that worked language into painting, and came upon the idea of introducing interlinked words into the picture plane. I wanted to create a practice, a space really, where there was enough room for my diverse interests. I also knew I wanted to make art where the hand was heavily involved in thinking about the present moment.
Courtesy Honor Fraser
ES: You mentioned specifically 2-D work and painting. Could you talk a little more about painting? Why painting?
AG: Painting is both the simplest art form (in that it consists of a surface, paint, and a brush) and the most difficult (in the painter’s motivation, ambition and intellect). On one hand, it is a record of the artist’s emotional state. A painting is a membrane that reflects back what the artist is feeling while painting. Language, on the other hand, is rational: in order to write, you have to think in words. So between the physical act of painting and the controlling aspects of writing down thoughts there is already a tension of representation. A drama between the emotion of painting versus the rationality of writing. For that reason, painting is one of the most difficult spaces in which to insert words. In my work it is as though the words, the ideas themselves are the protagonists, and the medium of paint itself, the very materials antagonize them. Every one of my 2-D works starts out as writing, handwriting which in fact is a kind of drawing. As layers build and are erased, my work becomes more painterly: about addition and subtraction of information. The painting is finished when there is a balance between the emotional and rational aspects of the work.
ES: You mention this drama, a protagonist and an antagonist. A lot of your work is in collaboration. How does the collaborative effort contribute to the drama?
AG: The reason I collaborate with a writer – for many years now that has been the hypertext pioneer Michael Joyce -- is that I became concerned that my work would be too personal, too solipsistic, if I used my own texts. That the personal would spiral in and affect the formal qualities of the work – my own texts weren’t very good protagonists, to continue the metaphor. I searched for a living writer with whom to work, but the problem I encountered was that writers always wanted to protect their work rather than be open to the transformations of collaboration. I had worked with dead poets, but I wanted a conversation. Michael has a background in internet culture and is comfortable with openness. His generosity was ideal for collaboration. The formal aspects of the work are interconnected to his idea of the hypertext, how his fictions work as openings and links to various different ideas. As a reader of his text, I am forced to research to track down his references. When he mentions a line by Phillip Larkin or a specific species of crab, I turn to find the references and the references lead to other discoveries. Michael’s texts open the conversation.
ES: Joyce’s work is performative, words linking to other words where meaning chains spiral and burst in different ways. Why you think that way of looking at language is important? What is the important lineage for you in that?
AG: I think about artists alive and working, many here in Los Angeles -- Ed Ruscha, Barbara Kruger, John Baldessari, Lawrence Weiner. There is no way to summarize all their different practices, but formally there are commonalities: a tension between machine-based, or Swiss, fonts in cahoots with an image. John Baldessari’s early paintings, for example. Kruger’s manipulations of advertising. I wanted to make images that weren’t about dialectical ‘reading’ between image and text. I was curious about what would happen when the text became the image, a conflation of sign and signifier. There are key differences in my choice of words, too: I didn’t want to work with aphorisms. I wanted to work with literary language – texts written with a poetic sensibility.
ES: You often mention having a sort of un-font. Tell me about the un-font?
AG: I wanted to create an un-font – a handwriting that was clear to read and did not suggest much about me, the artist, in terms of gender, or age, or culture. In the 60s and 70s, radical image/text work was being done in graphic design and advertising with new fonts from Switzerland, like Helvetica and Geneva. Volkswagon Beetle ads were famous for introducing this new vocabulary: a picture of the Beetle above the word “Lemon” and a new kind of dialectical reading of the whole. As I mentioned before, there are many talented artists who have used this kind of relationship between image and text. I wanted to create a font with no style, that wasn’t loaded with cultural ideas, however subtle. My un-font is recognizable as writing that could be made by anyone – open, in that sense. But it is also mirror writing, or backwards. That distancing forces the viewer to look at the work as an image as well as struggle to read it.
ES: I think of Jenny Holzer here, but she eventually felt the need to move past her anonymity and into a more loaded meanings. Do you have to resist that impulse?
AG: Not yet. One of the things that Michael and I talk about is the goal of working to keep language alive. When I met him, he was leaving electronic media because web-based work was becoming more focused on the image rather than the qualities of language. Michael’s language is anything but anonymous, rather polyvocal and polyrhythmic. I am interested in a syntax that can reflect the complexity of the ideas involved. I love works that are symphonic in the way there were imagined. When I made babel for MoCA, it was in many ways a simple panorama but it was also symphonic in that it was based on Michael’s work “was.” So much art is a punch-line. And I believe the art audience is open to more complex work. I think of a moment at the MoCA show: I entered the gallery when a school group was standing in front of babel. Nobody knew I was the artist. The teacher asked why the words were backwards in the paintings. A young student raised his hand and said “The artist is trying to teach us the difference between seeing and perceiving.” ES: Describe your entrance in video? Why did you feel it was a necessary jump?
AG: I wrote my undergraduate thesis on Sergei Eisenstein. My background was academic and grounded in looking at modernist film, especially montage. The period that I studied was when Eisenstein was working in L.A. on a script with Upon Sinclair. He went to Mexico to do a film and fell in love with the people, the landscape. He never was able to finish his work, “Que Viva Mexico” -- Stalin sent henchmen to bring Eisenstein back to the Soviet Union to make films in the academy. So I had an interest in film editing and ideology before I dreamt of making my own work in video. I came to video art first as a viewer in art galleries and museums, which allowed me to ask what held my interest and what did not. At CCA I studied film and video with Lynn Marie Kirby. Although I never made a film during graduate school, Lynn introduced me to Michael Snow’s work and the idea of duration, and the sensibility of working with the material of film itself.
ES: Could you talk about your first video?
AG: The first video, “Motion,” was an X-Tra Magazine project. The idea was to produce a project that bridged four printed pages in the hardcopy magazine with an online project. I asked myself “How do I use that space in a compelling way?” The project became about my process and translation: taking a seed text, then drawing it, sculpting it, turning it into a kinetic form. Video became a way of presenting each additional dimension, including the dimension of time.
ES: How did the video work add to your practice?
AG: I have a “sourdough” methodology, which means that I take something from an old piece and use it as the starter for the next. It excited me to be able to use the video camera to document painting and sculpture in time. A detail of a painting, using a high definition camera, can become a projected image the size of the original painting. The new suite of videos I created for my show at Honor Fraser gallery take other works as subjects and change them through montage and duration. With video the other thing gained is sound. My first experiment with sound was at MoCA. I wanted to integrate Michael’s original texts into the installation, without printing them. I worked with the Pig Iron Theater Company to create sound-scapes of the seed texts for each piece – beyond simple readings. Visitors could listen to these on their cell phones in the gallery. So, for the recent suite of videos I could harvest both the video images I had taken as well as the sound pieces.
Of course the videos had to be artworks on their own right, independent of their sources. My goal was to experiment with how language is perceived differently when it is heard and seen. In this respect, the videos seem like a real continuation of my 2 and 3-D experiments with image/text.
ES: Take me through some of the reasons why montage and slowing people down is a virtue. It seems like the arts have that as a plot point, that we have to make people look. Society at large is more about fitting as much in as possible, speeding things up. Why is it important to praise the small, praise the slow, praise close looking?
AG: Speed can be a virtue. I just saw Marlene Dumas’ works on paper at her MoCA show -- bodies made in a single pour, one gesture, full of confidence. I am not convinced that things done quickly don’t have value. When looking at art in any medium, I am interested in seeing that the artist is engaged, that they are really involved in both making and seeing their work, that they are committed. How I make that commitment in my work is through getting involved physically and intellectually. It can be seen as obsession -- layering, erasing, sometimes taking a long time to create, sometimes just knowing when to stop. I don’t see duration as a negative or positive value. There was a moment when the idea of duration was radical – a sort of “How far can I push your tedium.” Artists have to be aware of a historical lineage. Now duration is just a choice amongst many. I found in my video work that I was very aware of rhythm – long and short durations. My goal was to keep my own interest. If I am not interested, how can I expect anyone else to be?
ES: Talk about that moment of engagement and commitment. I’m interested about “authenticity” and want to hear your point of view.
AG: What comes to mind is an experience I had as a TA in graduate school. The students seemed more concerned with looking like artists, or the artist “lifestyle,” than with actually thinking through what it meant to be an artist, to be radical. I held up a picture of the Italian Futurists in class. “Who are these men?” In the photograph were Marinetti, Boccioni, et al in suits, dapperly dressed. The students said that they were business people, bourgeois, conservatives. They were surprised to learn the group were the Futurists. The point was to get them to stop thinking about the outside package of “artist.” Radical artists look like the Futurists of today, they look like normal people. We live in a world of conformity, in a world where exterior difference doesn’t necessarily signify interior difference. How can schools that foster ideas of conformity create real artists?
ES: So it seems that you are talking about a kind of expansive humanism that allows detachment and study but is also open to personal, associative pursuits?
AG: By working text into the spaces of visual art, I’ve created a way of working that has allowed me the freedom to do almost anything I can think of within the limits of my own resources and talents. My goal was to create a practice, to pitch the biggest tent with the twin tent poles being image and language, so that within the “tent” I could work with ideas from many disciplines and methodologies. Most importantly there is room for me to continue to learn, to take risks, and to fail.
ES: I wanted to ask you about synesthesia. Considering that your Honor Fraser show involves “portals” expressing of the five senses in visual terms. I started to think about the various ways you could think about synesthesia in contemporary times. Perhaps the least likely way to think about synesthesia seems to be the Kandinsky version, the idea that since music is not bound in physical form, that painting should aspire to music and that aspiring to music is a way for painting to transcend the physical world and enter the spiritual world.
Another way to think about synesthesia is in purely scientific terms, clinical tests determining how certain senses change and mix together under certain conditions. Still another way is what I would call the Steve Roden method, basically handmade synesthesia -- placing different vehicles for different senses together into clumsy systems, on one hand following the system but at the same time leaving oneself open to intuitive interpretation. I would ask how you see your project in a history of mixing the senses, what the particular projects and your approach to it.
AG: I would have to give a little personal history. My father was a geologist but also an Anthroposophist, a follower of Rudolf Steiner. Steiner theorized about color, and in part Kandinky’s exercises in synesthesia were in response to these writings. I don’t work in response to Steiner or in the way Kandinsky did, but I understand the motivation, the exploration of the esoteric. The science of synethesia is very exact – there are conditions that are diagnosable and specific. For example, there is a recognizable alphabet of color that many synesthetics share. And I appreciate Steve Roden with his clever/clumsy systems. So I have given thought to each one of the types of synethesia you suggest, but I don’t feel like they encompass what I am trying to do. What comes to mind in my work is exploring the nature of metaphor. In this case, the nature of language itself seems synesthetic: we are always describing our sense experiences in terms of other senses.
AG: In the large scale work “The Third Portal (ear)” I was faced with the challenge: how do I show sound? My first idea was to line the paper and lay Michael’s words out as musical notes, as a form of musical notation, but that only got me so far. The surface did not look like “sound.” Next, I used black paint to play a rhythm on the surface of the work, turning the painting into an instrument or drum. Though I may have created sound with my fingers, the resulting image suggested simple finger painting. Another idea was to think about sound in terms of structure and rhythm. I blacked out every other line. I thought of a favorite building in Barcelona where the rhythmic structure of its lines is broken up by flowers and plants growing in its windows, and so “overgrew” the lines of the work with words using a vibrant green. In a recent show at LACMA of Latin American colonial painting, there was a work that showed the word of God, literally painted diagonally across the sky as it emerged from a cloud. This painting was trying to show the word of god, the spoken word. So I chose to emulate – at least in concept – this diagonal composition. The last approach I took was one of scale: I wanted to make the largest scale word I’d ever painted to suggest volume, and chose the most spoken word I could think of: hi or “hola.” The piece becomes an accretion of all these different strategies (many of them failed) to represent sound.
ArtSlant would like to thank Alexandra Grant for her assistance in making this interview possible.
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Airbus to Develop Technology for Ultra-High-Res Satellites
Airbus has won a design study from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to develop the technologies for a cluster of ultra-high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The satellites will also have the ability to collect radio frequency (RF) signals.
Called “Oberon” the project will see Airbus develop the technologies that could lead to an in-orbit demonstration in 2022 and potentially an operational capability as early as 2025. The innovative techniques and technologies developed within the project will allow the ground to be seen in outstanding detail regardless of darkness, or of cloudy weather conditions.
Colin Paynter, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK said, “Project Oberon builds on Airbus’ expertise in space radar technology developed over 40 years. I look forward to seeing this study leading to a new world-class surveillance capability for the UK MOD, helping to protect our armed forces across the world.”
Gary Aitkenhead, Chief Executive of Dstl, said, “This addition to our capability is a valuable part of the future of Defence Space. Partnership between Dstl and Airbus on this project secures UK jobs as well as continuing to exploit advances in the UK space sector.”
Oberon follows the success of the SAR satellite, NovaSAR, designed and developed by Airbus and SSTL, which was launched in September 2018. Since NovaSAR was conceived, Dstl and Airbus have made significant leaps in technology, allowing the Oberon system to achieve high performance from a small and compact satellite system.
With more than 25 years of experience in defence publishing, Global Business Press and its industry leading titles Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News are the leading defence publications in the region, present at more international shows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
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DoIT Staff Present Reporting Project at Blackboard World Conference
John Fritz, asst. vp for instructional technology, and Jeffrey Berman, a former graduate assistant who is now a senior web applications developer at Drexel University, shared the latest development in UMBC's effort to better understand how and why students and faculty use Blackboard.
Specifically, they showed the new Check My Activity (CMA) tool that allows UMBC students to compare their own Blackboard activity against an anonymous summary of their course peers. Combined with a new tool that allows instructors to generate (and optionally publish) a Grade Distribution Report (GDR) for any assignment in the Bb gradebook, it is now possible for everyone in the UMBC community to see how good students are using Blackboard.
Reminder: DoIT does not believe or encourage that using Blackboard produces good students. Instead, the CMA is merely designed to give students another self-assessment tool they may use and act on as they see fit.
For the BbWorld08 presentation (attended by more than 60 people), Fritz and Berman were joined by Deborah Everhart, principal architect of Blackboard's product development team, which has shown interest in the UMBC reporting project.
Next steps will be to study if and how students use the Blackboard Check My Activity tool this fall.
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How to be good at the bench
Hello all,
I've heard several time about people being "good at the bench" or "having good hands". Being a relatively new graduate student, and encountering problems with my experimentation skills, I ask all the guru's of mol biology to clarify those terms. What does a 'good laboratory worker' do that an 'ordinary' worker might have missed? How does he execute his experiments that he's always successful? Is it because of good planning? good execution? or experience? Please guide me.
Thanks!
Ranga
Hello all, I've heard several time about people being "good at the bench" or "having good hands". Being a relatively new graduate student, and encountering problems with my experimentation skills, I ask all the guru's of mol biology to clarify those terms. What does a 'good laboratory worker' do that an 'ordinary' worker might have missed? How does he execute his experiments that he's always successful? Is it because of good planning? good execution? or experience? Please guide me.Thanks!Ranga
Planning: yes. Silly saying: "The more I prepare, the luckier I get". Think about your controls and what they'll show you if the main expt doesn't give you your expected results.
Execution: yes.You need to be organised. Something I wish I was better at.
Experience: sometimes.Sometimes all the planning in the world, and organisation of your workspace and your day can be thwarted by other events (and I don't just mean accidents). Members of our lab learned the hard way that LB is the best medium for growing bugs for plasmids preps, even though other media give higher cell density (so theoretically more plasmid). Those other media may give you more cells/DNA to purify for every 100 ml culture, but if enzymes don't cut the DNA as well, you need to do a lot more work. That wasted far too much time...
"Success" is a bit of a slippery term. It can come from the above discussion, but it can also come from having a project that works, as opposed to an interesting idea that can't be solved. Maybe that's where experience really helps...
Heart disease kills more women than breast cancer, but heart attack symptoms differ from men's symptoms. Get to know your heart... it could save your life.
The biggest part of experience is coming to know what is important and what isn't. I see many people obsessing over things that have relatively little impact on success or failure. Also, do not be a "kit scientist". Using kits is fine (I use them all the time), but not understanding the purpose of each step and reagent of the protocol leads to silly mistakes (like vortexing a plasmid prep during the lysis step, for example).
...do not be a "kit scientist". Using kits is fine (I use them all the time), but not understanding the purpose of each step and reagent of the protocol leads to silly mistakes (like vortexing a plasmid prep during the lysis step, for example).
HomeBrew is right. Read your MSDS before using the reagent; you'll save yourself a few headaches if you know how to clean it up before you spill it.
Eventually, you will be able to churn out tons of extremely high quality science (then you graduate:). In the beginning, be methodical and perfectly organized. Learn organization tricks to make things easier on yourself. So you can do, and not have to think about it as much (minimizes confusing errors). To be productive, learn to recognize when you need to be fastidious and where you can be more relaxed without sacrificing the quality and rigor of your experiments. For instance, to get a time point in a cell culture experiment, sometimes I pour PBS on the cultures, to rinse, rather than pipetting it....this doesnt effect my results and allows me to get the time point. Which isn't to say this is a good idea:) but sometimes things dont work even though you did everything perfectly.
Know your protocol frontwards and backwards before you start. Write out a step by step list...eventually youll know it by heart.
Know the theory (chemical reactions, equations, kinetics and expected results) involved so you can recognize a good result from a bad one.
When you get a bad result, figure out WHY things didnt work and redesign your protocol accordingly and last, avoid this as much as possible by learning from people (lab mates, and department wide...Ive even learned stuff from people outside my department) that know what they are doing. Take that and make it your own (modify) if need be.
Hello all, I've heard several time about people being "good at the bench" or "having good hands". Being a relatively new graduate student, and encountering problems with my experimentation skills, I ask all the guru's of mol biology to clarify those terms. What does a 'good laboratory worker' do that an 'ordinary' worker might have missed? How does he execute his experiments that he's always successful? Is it because of good planning? good execution? or experience? Please guide me.Thanks!Ranga
Dear Rangajarn,
The most important thing is LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then you can start learning
It does help to have people around you who are worth listening to. Be flexible in what you can do practically. There is a process that occurs when doing experiments in science:-Read about the area you are going to be experimenting in
Try and meet people who are doing/have done similar work....this reduces the time that can sometimes be lost optimising conditions.....its called the "tricks of the trade" which are not to be found in the "Materials and Methods" sections of published papers.
Prepare thoroughly...have I got all the chemicals, consumables, equipment, SOP's that I require.
Do I have the correct supervision by senior staff when I first start. Do I know how to use all the equipment I need to do the experiment. IS THE EQUIPMENT CALIBRATED SO I CAN DO ACCURATE AND PRECISE AND REPRODUCIBLE EXPERIMENTS.
CONCENTRATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS ON 1 THING....... do not be persuaded to "multitask" i.e. give time and effort to get reproducible and accurate experiments that can be repeated, not only by you but by others!!!!! Once experience THEN multitask....but beware even experienced researchers make errors if put under too much pressure from the PI/Professors.
I personally found the process daunting when I first worked in a research lab in 1983. However over time you will go through the process many times, and like anything in life the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
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I am going to eat ("yo iré a comer")
you are going to eat ("tú irás a comer")
he is going to eat ("él irá a comer")
we are going to eat ("nosotros iremos a comer")
you are going to eat ("vosotros iréis a comer")
they are going to eat ("ellos irán a comer")
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Format: Corona Gorda
Weight: 11,41 grams
Length: 143 mm
Ring: 46
Manufactured: Hand Made cigars
Cigar Review
This Corona Gorda from the Cohiba Siglos is the most accomplished Habano of its series. It is the one cigar that has lost the least potency with respect to the traditional Cohiba cigars and the one which best represents the new line of cigars that is getting the best compliments among enthusiasts of thick gauges in all the markets.
COHIBA CIGARS
Year of Foundation: 1927
Tobacco Country: Cuba
Tobacco Procedence: Vuelta Abajo (Pinar del Rio)
Cigar Factory: Partagas
The Cohiba cigar brand was introduced only in 1968. Cohiba quickly became the flagship cigar brand of the Cuban cigar industry. Cohiba was developed in the beginning as a medium bodied protocol cigar for presentation only by officials of the Cuban government, but Cohiba cigars were marketed widely beginning in 1982. The initial Cohiba cigar sizes were the Lancero, the Corona Especial and the Panetela, with the Cohiba Esplendido, Cohiba Robusto and Cohiba Exquisito added in 1989. In 1992, for the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the Caribbean, the Cohiba Siglo series were introduced. The Cohiba cigars were initially made in the El Laguito factory in Havana, Cuba, but production is now also done in the Fernando Perez German factory. Click here for more Cohiba cigar history!
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Air Jordan 11 Low – “Infrared 23” | Release Reminder
This is a friendly reminder that the Air Jordan 11 Low “Infrared 23” will be available starting tomorrow, June 14th, through select Jordan Brand dealers worldwide. The last Air Jordan 11 Low variation for 2014, the “Infrared 23” may also be the versatile since its black patent leather and black ballistic mesh upper fits in either a causal or formal setting. Accentuated by its midsole in contrast white, translucent outsole and hits of Infrared 23 elements throughout, the Air Jordan 11 Low “Infrared 23” will be available in full family size run with prices starting at $150 USD for adult, $115 USD for Grade School (3.5 Yrs ~ 7 Yrs), $70 USD for Pre-School (10.5C ~ 3 Yrs) and $50 USD for Toddler (5C ~ 10C).
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No one understands customer retention quite like Eric Porres. Before coming to Sailthru, Porres was the Chief Marketing Officer of publicly-traded programmatic marketing company Rocket Fuel, and, before that, of marketing technology company Lotame Solutions. He’s also been an entrepreneur, founding digital marketing consultancies and learning what it takes to retain his own customers while helping them, in turn, do the same.
At Sailthru, Porres is helping online media companies, digital publishers and retailers discover the benefits of understanding their customers in a deep and holistic way. With the availability of data and analytics capabilities to generate customer insights and experiences in a way that was just not possible before, Porres is eager to show the way forward.
How do media companies look at retaining their readers? Historically, they seem to have been more interested in volume than in customer retention.
ERIC PORRES: My own belief about media is that publishers have been renting out audiences for far too long to content aggregators. If you go to any publisher today — even some of the largest, most respected ones — you get links at the end of an article that go to aggregator sites, coupled with the dreaded bottom-feeder teeth-whitening-you-won’t-believe-what-happens-next link bait. That’s not treating the reader well.
Why has ad-blocking grown? There’s a general sense of apprehension on the part of the consumer as to how they’re being treated as an individual. Publishers have abused their audiences and lost healthy relationships.
What hurdles do brands face in trying to create the great customer experiences that lead to retention?
ERIC PORRES: First, there’s short-term thinking. Top-line growth can be affected in the short term by acquisition strategies and short-term discounting. It’s easy to get sucked into that.
Second, marketing departments in general are being asked to do more with less. Yet in the marketing technology landscape there are a whole host of companies that are features, not products. Too often, you see marketers that have assembled a Frankenstein of a martech stack solution that keeps them, the mad scientist, secure in their job. It’s insecurity that says I have to strive to work with point solutions when holistic solutions exist (side note: Media agencies tend to suffer from the same insecurity – if they only recommend a handful of ad buying opportunities to a marketer, they fear that they will lose their relevance, even though a handful may be the optimal solution). An assemblage of point solutions may look great on a resume, but long-term it’s not in best interests of the company.
Last is that organizationally, there are inherent challenges to truly fulfilling on a customer retention destiny. To really see customer retention efforts come to fruition, you’ve got to be in your seat for a year or two years or more. Often, the people who are executing on the day-to-day are not. The ones who start the strategy aren’t necessarily the ones to finish it. Customer retention is a long-term play.
Which companies are doing customer retention well?
ERIC PORRES: Look at The Economist. When they started using their email newsletter to create personalized experiences for readers (driven by Sailthru’s technology), web page views per person went up 160 percent.
The New York Times is also doing a respectable job. On a subscription basis, they have a million price-insensitive readers. They don’t generally advocate skimming traffic off the top of their site to send those people elsewhere.
And of course, Amazon is another great example. When Amazon Prime came out, everyone was like Prime is nuts, no way! Now everything Amazon does is about increasing their share of wallet among existing customers. They are the best example of a brand that has played the long game, and they’ve won. You see the fruition of that strategy.
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Monday, June 16, 2008
Shopping Trolley Marketing.
Fresh&Easy (Tesco's chain of low-price US supermarkets) provides another reminder that marketing is everything you do in the customer's gaze, and that it's the customer not the company who rationalises it.
Amongst a number of tweaks they have made during a three month hiatus in new store openings, they decided to replace their original small trolleys with regular size ones. The thinking had presumably been to supply trolleys that matched the expected average purchase (Fresh & Easy being bigger than convenience stores but smaller than regular supermarkets).
However, as the chief executive explained, this was interpreted in an entirely different way.
"If you have dinky little carts they think you are a dinky little business. Full carts are a sign of a full shop." (source ft.com).
I'm not sure he's exactly right. It's the absence of full-sized trolleys, not the presence of small ones that makes people think that way.
1 Comments:
Sounds very much like a Chinese mentality - but I think the real reason Fresh&Easy went with the bigger carts is because it lets the Yanks put their big, fat guts in it which makes shopping there a more pleasurable experience.
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About This Gigapan
The Bondgenotenlaan is the longest shopping street in Leuven, stretching almost a mile from the city hall in the center to the station at the edge of the city. Belgium has few shopping malls, consequently, entire city streets are devoted to retail stores.
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(verse 1)Cuz every kiss, every touchBoy you got me blushingYou blew mind roll in lika a russianIm on a double baby inna rushBoy you put your spell on meCuz every minute, every dayBoy you got me senselessI put my gaurd down playin' my defensesIm inna loop boy lost in you loveBoy you know me need it so much
(verse 2)A now fling it up, back it upI make it tear it upDe way you put it on meI gotta give it upYou know what im in luckI wanna love you upI wanna let you knowI never let you goDaddy you have the ticket and you get the priceBad to di bone ah you know me no likeAdamana check it but a dem get it kleinThat's why me love you long time
(verse 3)Cuz every kiss, every touchBoy you got me blushingYou blew mind roll in lika a russianIm on a double baby inna rushBoy you put your spell on meCuz every minute, every dayBoy you got me senslessI put my gaurd down playin' my defensesIm inna loop boy lost in you loveBoy you know me need it so much
(verse 4)A now fling it up, back it upI make it tear it upDe way you put it on meI gotta give it upYou know what im in luckI wanna love you upI wanna let you knowI never let you goDaddy you have the ticket and you get the priceBad to di bone ah you know me no likeAdamana check it but a dem get it kleinThat's why me love you long time
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The Commission approved a settlement resolving admitted violations of the ISO-NE tariff, 18 C.F.R. Part 35 regulations related to Market Based Rate authority, and Celerity’s market based rate tariff for submission of inaccurate data to the ISO, receipt of overpayments for demand response services, and untimely filings with the Commission.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under the Reliability Standards for inappropriate load shedding based on failure to perform operational planning to replace generation requirements and failure to adequately train the operators on the circumstances that permit load shedding.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under the Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 18 C.F.R. Part 385, and Alliance’s transmission tariff for using its parent company to share non-public transmission information with an affiliate and for failure to make that information timely available to other customers.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under 18 C.F.R. § 37.6(e)(1) and PacifiCorp’s OATT for failure to properly administer and enforce the customer mechanisms for reserving and paying for transmission.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving admitted violations under the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. § 1c.2, and under 18 C.F.R. § 35.41(b) that Gila River falsely labeled transactions submitted to the CAISO in order to artificially relieve congestion at interties and thereby improve profits on certain imports.
The Commission issued an Order to Show Cause asking Barclays and the named individuals to explain to the Commission why they should not be found to have violated the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. § 1c.2, for trading electricity in the western United States to affect the index price at which related financial instruments settled.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving admitted violations under 18 C.F.R. Part 284 for releases of short-term, discounted gas pipeline capacity without posting and bidding and for failure to post the terms and conditions of certain releases; and under the Commission’s capacity release program requirement that shipper must have title and the prohibition against buy/sell arrangements.
The Commission issued an Order to Show Cause asking Silkman to show why the Commission should not issue an order finding a violation of the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. 1c.2, for fraudulently inflating baseline energy consumption in the New England ISO market in order to later claim greater energy curtailments, and payments, in the Day-Ahead Load Response Program (demand response).
The Commission issued an Order to Show Cause asking Competitive Energy Services, LLC to show why the Commission should not issue an order finding a violation of the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. 1c.2, for fraudulently inflating baseline energy consumption in the New England ISO market in order to later claim greater energy curtailments, and payments, in the Day-Ahead Load Response Program (demand response).
The Commission issued an Order to Show Cause asking Lincoln Paper and Tissue, LLC to show why the Commission should not issue an order finding a violation of the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. 1c.2, for fraudulently inflating baseline energy consumption in the New England ISO market in order to later claim greater energy curtailments, and payments, in the Day-Ahead Load Response Program (demand response).
The Commission issued an Order to Show Cause asking Rumford Paper Company to show why the Commission should not issue an order finding a violation of the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. 1c.2, for fraudulently inflating baseline energy consumption in the New England ISO market in order to later claim greater energy curtailments, and payments, in the Day-Ahead Load Response Program (demand response).
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under 18 C.F.R. § 35.41(b) and Vista’s market based rate tariff for misrepresentations and violation of Commission terms and conditions related to the extent of individual investor’s involvement in company activities.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. § 1c.2, and under 18 C.F.R. § 35.41(b) for trading energy in ISO-NE and NYISO to affect market prices for the benefit of financial instruments based on those prices, and for misrepresenting the purpose of the trades when questioned by the NYISO market monitor.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under the Anti-Manipulation Rule, 18 C.F.R. § 1c.2, for registering resources in PJM’s demand response program that he knew were unavailable to respond to events and receiving payments for load reduction those resources did not provide.
The Commission approved a settlement resolving findings under 18 C.F.R. Part 284 for releases of short-term, discounted gas pipeline capacity without posting and bidding; and under the Commission’s Open Access Transportation requirement that shipper must have title and the prohibition against buy/sell arrangements.
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(CNN) - What started out as a standoff over land rights may be turning into a controversy over race.
Racist comments from Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy - who earlier this month appeared to win a highly publicized standoff against federal authorities over his two-decade long illegal grazing of cattle on public land - are giving Democrats a new weapon to attack some top Republicans who earlier came to Bundy's defense.
And the controversial comments also call into question moves by Fox News and some other conservative media that highlighted the story and painted Bundy as a hero in his battle against federal authorities.
Bundy, 67, won his standoff against federal rangers after armed militiamen came to his side. Even with the incident over, Bundy continued to talk to a dwindling crowd of media from his ranch, about 100 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
The comments that sparked the latest controversy came this weekend when Bundy recalled to supporters about a time he drove by a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, according to a report from The New York Times.
"I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro," Bundy said, "and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids - and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch - they didn't have nothing to do. They didn't have nothing for their kids to do. They didn't have nothing for their young girls to do.
"And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?" Bundy continued. "They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I've often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn't get no more freedom. They got less freedom."
In a press conference Thursday, Bundy defended and repeated his comments but emphasized he was merely "wondering" whether African-Americans were better off as slaves.
"And that's a question I put before the world: Are they better, or were they better then? I'm not saying I thought they should be slaves, or I wasn't even saying they was (sic) better off; I'm wondering if they're better off," he said.
Bundy said he questions whether those living under government subsidies are living as slaves to the state, but denied he held racist views.
"I might not have a very big word base or vocabulary, I guess, but let me tell you something: When I say slavery, I mean slavery...Slavery is about when you take away choices from people, and where you have forced labor," he said. "You think that's what I'm about, America? If it is, you're sure wrong, because I don't believe in any type of that stuff."
And Bundy didn't back down in an interview Thursday night with CNN's Bill Weir. He questioned whether blacks are better off now when "they don't have nothing to do with their children, their family unit is ruined (and) I don't think they have the life that they should have."
Asked whether he was any more or less a "welfare queen" as those who get entitlement checks - since his cattle have been feeding off the government, literally, by eating grass on public land - Bundy said, "I might be a welfare queen, but I'll tell you I'm producing something for America and using a resource that nobody else would use or could use."
Thursday morning, hours after The New York Times story went viral, the Nevada Democratic Party put out a statement saying "These comments are reprehensible, and every Republican politician in the state of Nevada who tried to latch on to Cliven Bundy's newfound celebrity with TEA Partiers and the militia movement should be ashamed of their actions."
"Every Republican elected official who risked inciting violence to gain political capital out of Cliven Bundy now owes the people of Nevada an apology for their irresponsible behavior of putting their own political future ahead of the safety of Nevadans," added the Nevada Democrats.
"His remarks on race are offensive and I wholeheartedly disagree with him," said the Kentucky Republican, who's seriously considering a 2016 presidential run.
GOP Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, who earlier called his supporters "patriots", also "completely disagrees with Mr. Bundy's appalling and racist statements, and condemns them in the most strenuous way," according to his spokesperson, Chandler Smith.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who had not previously weighed in on the land dispute, said in a statement that "Bundy's comments are completely beyond the pale. Both highly offensive and 100% wrong on race."
Democrats had already been on the attack against Bundy before his racial comments. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – Nevada's senior senator - last week blasted Bundy's supporters as "domestic terrorists," saying they were arming themselves with automatic weapons and positioning "snipers in strategic locations."
One man, former Arizona sheriff Richard Mack told a reporter the militia were considering putting "all the women" on the front lines.
"If they're going to start shooting, it's going to be women that are going to be televised all across the world getting shot by these rogue federal officers," he said.
Some conservative-leaning pundits painted Bundy as an anti-goverment hero. Fox News' Sean Hannity was criticized by liberal media outlets for frequently hosting Bundy on his television program and appearing to defend the rancher.
Hannity said Thursday on his radio show that Bundy's "comments are beyond repugnant to me."
"They are beyond despicable to me. They are beyond ignorant to me," he said, adding that his interest in Bundy's case was entirely about government overreach.
He also chided what he called the liberal media, arguing that they ignore racist comments by Democrats and only focus on Republicans.
"Every conservative I know does not support racism, period," he said.
Another Fox News host, Greta Van Susteren, wrote on her blog Thursday morning that she condemns Bundy's comments.
Others had previously warned fellow conservatives not to get too fired up about the Nevada dispute. Conservative host Glenn Beck said on his show that "10 or 15 percent" of the people who were defending Bundy online were saying things "that are truly frightening."
"They don't care what the facts are," he said. "They just want a fight."
Tucker Carlson, founder of the conservative news outlet the Daily Caller, said on Fox that he sympathizes with the Bundys, but "it's important to point out that this land does not belong to them and that's not a minor distinction, it's the essence of private property."
For his part, Sen. Paul had also cautioned both sides, including Reid, to calm their rhetoric.
"Let's try to have a peaceful resolution to this," he said last week on Fox News.
While Republicans are now trying to distance themselves from Bundy, that's not stopping Democrats from going after them for supporting Bundy in the first place. And the Democratic National Committee says the incident is "more evidence of the shallowness of the GOP's outreach efforts."
"Remember Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson? His racist comments last December were in the same vein as Bundy's. Yet GOP leaders from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, Sarah Palin, Lindsey Graham, and others rushed to defend (Robertson's) comments against a liberal assault. Republicans even invited the Duck Dynasty stars as their guests to the State of the Union!," wrote DNC Communications Director Mo Elleithee.
"And therein lies the GOP's problem. If you ever want to be taken seriously for your outreach efforts, you might want to start by not defending racists," Elleithee added.
Battle over land rights
The Bundy standoff is emblematic of the larger anti-government sentiment around the country that has been amplified with the creation of the tea party movement in 2009. But the latest move in a two-decade-long tug of war between Bundy and the federal government is bringing to light the delicate balance that has lasted between citizens in the West and the federal government over the use of federally owned land for generations.
One protester from neighboring Utah, Stephen L. Dean, 45, called the Bureau of Land Management's actions "tyranny in government." And a banner at the protest site blared: "Has the West been won? Or has the fight just begun!"
In the western states, public lands are a big deal. Almost everyone uses them or depends on them. They are key to people's recreational hiking, fishing, hunting and skiing. And they are critical to people's livelihood, as they are used to cut timber, drill oil, mine coal and ranch cattle.
Vast swaths of the land in the West are predominately public. In Nevada, for example, 87% of the state is owned by the federal government, and the Bureau of Land Management oversees 245 million acres of public lands mostly west of the Mississippi River, not including the lands overseen by the National Forest Service and half a dozen other federal agencies.
In Nevada, ranchers depend on the federal lands for their livelihood. The government began allowing the use of the land in 1877 to promote the economic development of dry, difficult-to-cultivate desert areas. So it offered land for dirt cheap. Bundy says his family has owned the ranch since about the time the Desert Land Act passed.
A version of the law still exists today, allowing ranchers to graze their cattle on public lands for a nominal rate. The fee is cheaper than what the rancher would pay the state or a private land owner, but the tradeoff is that the rancher has to share the land with the public.
After the desert tortoise became a protected species in 1993, the Bureau of Land Management rebuked or phased out the permits of ranchers in the designated area in southern Nevada.
Bundy is the last remaining rancher, refusing to leave and refusing to pay more than $1 million worth of fines. Bundy lost all efforts at appeal and litigation. In an effort to enforce the law, the BLM attempted to round up Bundy's cattle and was met with a clan of armed defenders, leading to the current stalemate between the government and Bundy.
The Nevada Democrat had already been on the attack against Bundy before his racial comments. Last week the state's senior senator blasted Bundy's supporters as "domestic terrorists," saying they were arming themselves with automatic weapons and positioning "snipers in strategic locations."
Another Fox News host, Greta Van Susteren, wrote on her blog Thursday morning that she condemns Bundy's comments.
Tucker Carlson, founder of the conservative news outlet the Daily Caller, said on Fox that he sympathizes with the Bundys, but "it's important to point out that this land does not belong to them and that's not a minor distinction, it's the essence of private property."
soundoff(1,537 Responses)
Meanwhile... FOX and the CONS' want to make this guy thier poster boy for "freedom"! Wonder what they would be spouting if he was Black and fighting for sharecropers?
April 24, 2014 02:38 pm at 2:38 pm |
Bluesky001
I still think what Reid said about being domestic terrorist was worse! And of course all the other things Reid said that are lies as well.
April 24, 2014 02:39 pm at 2:39 pm |
qsmurf
As I once again find myself shaking my head in disgust at what conservatism does to peoples' minds, I have to also face the fact that this should no longer be surprising to any of us...as sad as that may be.
Conservatives are, at best, sociopaths who see the entire world through a prism of selfishness and fear of other people. If you actually believe that there are "moderate" conservatives, I have a bridge to sell you.
April 24, 2014 02:39 pm at 2:39 pm |
1alien1
i am still trying to figure out why these republican politicians lined up behind this guy. everyone who grazes cattle on public lands must pay. by letting him off the hook, what about those that followed the rules and are paying? what makes him different? with his racial views he is the perfect republican candidate though. maybe he should run for congress where he would be with like minded law makers. i like how these politicians that lined up behind this law breaking fool are jumping to get away from him now.
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
Ben
His racial comments are noxious. But that doesn't mean his other stances are automatically wrong or should be discounted.
You know who said far worse about black people? Ghandi. Are y'all saying we should discount everything Ghandi ever said or did simply because he was racist?
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
Anonymous
My sister and her son lived in a housing project for many years, and my sister used to sit outside her app, not because she have the time but because she was resting from long hours at work. Now my nephew is an engineer with a masters degree. As you can see you can not judge others without knowing the facts of why!
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
Silas
These guys man. Listen to what else this bigoted idiot had to say:
"When it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can't be bothered. They're sitting on couches for hours, playing video games, watching TV. Instead of dreaming of being a teacher or a lawyer or a business leader, they're fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper."
"We've got this tailspin of culture, in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and just generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work."
Oh wait! That was Michelle Obama.
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
AlbaMN
Mr. Bundy is entitled to his opinion and has the right to state it. The problem for the GOP, who made him a hero, is that it gets their "private" thoughts and ideas out there and then they have to pretend they don't agree with him. Reid is also correct in pointing out the hypocrisy of a welfare cheat complaining about people on welfare.
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
"guntotinredneckvet"
This country is going downhill fast. I never post comments on stories, but I am getting fed up with all the bickering I see between ALL sides (political, racial, religious, etc.). I grew up in the south (I must be a racist, and uneducated), volunteered to join the US army, served 10 years in Special Operations, served in three combat zones, obtained a degree in engineering, and pay 30% of my income to taxes. I am a believer of this country which is why I served my country, but this country has turned into a bunch of finger pointing cry babies. Sorry, but its how I feel. We have forgotten as a country what we are all about. Its called FREEDOM! We have basic inalienable rights that we are born with because of where we live (the USA). We have to stop crying because we get our feelings hurt. Who cares what someone says? Remember that old saying "sticks and stones can hurt me, but words never can"? I do not agree with his statements, and yes he is a raciest, but he does have his freedom of speech and I will defend that. Just like I will defend everyone's right on here to say what they want. Bash me, I welcome it as I fought to preserve that right for you as well. The point is, there are much larger issues in this country than what people are saying. As for people bashing the people that supported Bundy before his racist comments, well that had NOTHING to do with him being a racist. It had EVERYTHING to do with the government infringing on his rights. Stop reading stories by bias media (on both sides) and do your own research. News in no longer news, it is all opinion. That is why it is imperative to do your own research. I am embarrassed and saddened by how lost we have become as a nation. We have become a lazy, self entitled, hypocritical, name calling, finger pointing cry baby nation with no one taking ownership or responsibility of their own actions,and misfortunes. You don't have to respect a person or what they say, but you have to respect his or her right to say it.
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
4_sanity
Clive Bundy's family bought the ranch in 1948 and did not start grazing cattle on this land until 19454. Federal grazing rights were established in 1936 and the Bureau of Land Management formed in 1946. Bundy's family or his ancestors never had grazing/water rights in this part of Nevada until they bought this ranch at that time. And these facts were established in court in 1998. Sorry but he's just a liar.
And the Federal Government owns 87 % of the land in Nevada that it makes accessible for multiple PUBLIC uses. Bundy is just trying to mooch a free ride. he's the ultimate freeloader. The BLM has restricted grazing to meet another PUBLIC interest goal – protecting Desert Tortoise habitat. And your assertion that Harry Reid or his relatives want this land is another completely bogus fabrication. You might be referring to investment for a solar power plant 300 miles away. But then geography never was a strong suit of right-wing extremists.
Did anyone think for a moment that anything this man said wouldn't be taken out of context to demonize him in an attempt to turn his supporters against him? I saw this one coming from a mile away. Bundy, while not well spoken, was simply stating that the government has enslaved blacks. They have. That's not racist. Factually, it is love and concern for his common man. But when the term "racist" gets thrown out everyone sucks and runs for cover. It show the true colors of the democrats to manipulate a conversation to get their way. It shows the true colors of the Republicans who used Bundy to support their points until he "gasp" uneloquently made an observation. Shame on all of them and shame on anyone stupid enough to fall for this ploy.
April 24, 2014 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |
dvz
Tonight's presenter is Cliven Bundy on the topic 'The Negro: How past security trumps current uncertainty'
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
greengestalt
It'd be easy to reverse the social situation, skin color issue aside...
End tax breaks and subsidies for any companies that exports jobs. Slap on a law that if they want to sell their product in America they have to pay (in end take home pay) at least "US Minimum Wage"!
Get RID of illegals, simply by enforcing existing laws city and state governments are derelict on. Make it so hiring an illegal quickly gets the business shut down for weeks, the employer liable for both pay and any damages for lost contracts, and then gets to face a jury to see if they get more fines or time in jail also.
Do both we'll have a critical lack of labor in America. And there won't be these situations for there will be so many jobs to so few workers, plenty of now marginalized or ignored populations of otherwise legal citizens will find tons of work, good pay, and I think most by far will love it! Oh, we'll still have a few who'll do bad, but IMO they'd be nearly alone in huge prison blocks...
The Rich Elite would hate it, though. Having to scale back to 10 mansions and yachts they'd cry poverty...
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
Kip Oliver
talldave2 wrote: "Clearly Bundy's racist views that blacks are better off with jobs are grounds for him to drawn and quartered."
@talldave2 – ANYONE of ANY race is better off with a job – duh. Bundy said that he was thinking that the Negros were better off when they were slaves. Would you say that about the poor whites who ALSO live off of government subsidies? Would you say they would be better off if they were slaves because at least they'd have three squares a day and something to do with their time? Bundy isn't even old enough to remember a time prior to the civil war when the blacks were slaves.
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
Michael Martin
I thought about this from 2 points of view. If it where me who owed the government money, and kept breaking the law, i would be in jail. If it where a black guy who did this, and black guys showed up with guns, they would all be dead. DEAD
At first thought hey the government is taking this guys land, that is not cool. Then I find out, he hasn't paid in over 20 years, has lost court battles, and is still letting his cows do whatever he wants, on federal land. What about the other ranchers? They should stop paying also? I lost a court case over some small job, the homeowner lied outright about the agreed contract., instead i paid, it wasn't much anyway it was only about the principle for me. In the end I did the right thing,i told the truth, they had to lie to win a mere $98.00 But, I should have not paid and then i would be a hero too? Is that how it works now? Look, I get that he is old and set in his ways, and he wants to let his cows graze there, But my grandmother lost her home to imminent domain, so i do not feel bad for this guy. The rules are the rules. They put a free in where my grandparents home was.I guess they should of got their guns out and threatened the bulldozers.
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
Jerry Okamura
Is it impossible for a racist, to be right on any other issue, other than race?
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
greengestalt
It'd be easy to reverse the social situation, skin color issue aside...
End tax breaks and subsidies for any companies that exports jobs. Slap on a law that if they want to sell their product in America they have to pay (in end take home pay) at least "US Minimum Wage"!
Get RID of illegals, simply by enforcing existing laws city and state governments are derelict on. Make it so hiring an illegal quickly gets the business shut down for weeks, the employer liable for both pay and any damages for lost contracts, and then gets to face a jury to see if they get more fines or time in jail also.
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
Kenman
Yes, any racist thing said is good for the pandering liberals, who would fight to keep their major voting block in bondage to them, while screaming "racism" at everyone else, whether it's something that's even seen in action or not.
Do you not think that there are blacks all over the nation saying much more hateful, vulgar things about whites EVERY DAY? But, if anyone cared to report them, as they could daily, there would be an immediate responses on every major LIBERAL media by the liberal apologists for their indentured BASE!
Sorry to see that racism still exist, but it seems obvious that liberals will take a mustard seed of it and grow a mighty campaign, and use the very victims they say they "represent" as their ONLY way to hold onto power and control like that that has resulted in more blacks on welfare than whites, though blacks are only 13% of the population.
April 24, 2014 02:41 pm at 2:41 pm |
Uhmerikwa 2014 - It suks
So now you're not free to "wonder" about anything racial in the new Uhmerikwa? It's easy to see why Uhmerikwans had to go all the way to Kenya to find someone to lead them.
April 24, 2014 02:42 pm at 2:42 pm |
PushingBack
You know both sides are imperfect. But come on, if you're a republican with any sense and you don't stand up and walk out when you continuously see stuff like this, you are most certainly part of the problem.
April 24, 2014 02:42 pm at 2:42 pm |
Sniffit
"Gee, you think "God Bless America" is playing in the background?....
Nah, more like a recording of Rush Limbaugh reading The White Man's Burden.
April 24, 2014 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |
bczu
MMMM, this is delicious. Also, watching the people that defended this man try and justify his comments, also delicious. MMMM
April 24, 2014 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |
Anonymous
They would put their women on the front lines? I guess we know how they feel about women. What a bunch of cowards. I wonder how the women feel about this?
April 24, 2014 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |
Rudy NYC
Alonzo Hart
As a black man I've heard the welfare system vs slave system comparison by other AA's for decades. This man simply stated in his own way what African Americans who hate the welfare system have stated for years. The welfare system helped to destroy the black family by discouraging marriage by black women on welfare as well as discouraged them to be employed until recently. As a result the unemployment rate skyrocketed among a certain segment of the AA community. The marriage rate among BW fell and the percentage of Black children born to single mothers rose as well. As a black man I don't see anything to be alarmed about as it pertains to Bundy's take on the issue.
What he says has been stated in different ways by the Black Panthers, and other leaders in the black community for years.
-------------------------------
Sorry. I'm not aware of anyone saying black Americans would be better off living as slaves, except for overt racists.
April 24, 2014 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |
Joshua
Bundy is not a hero, but neither is the BLM, a legislative group which has usurped executive powers by establishing their own SWAT and tactical enforcement teams. As far as race goes, each person is entitled to their own opinions.
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Nightmare Cafe is a short-lived American telefantasy program which aired on NBC for an abridged first season from January to April 1992. While the overall tone of the program was that of a mystical fantasy, it frequently incorporated elements of dark humor, horror, and even outright comedy. A total of six episodes were produced before low ratings led to its cancellation. The series has subsequently been shown on the Sci Fi Channel as part of their Series Collection. The series began showing on NBC Universal's horror and suspense-themed cable channel, Chiller in March 2009. [1]
Contents
Nightmare Cafe broadly concerns the inhabitants of the titular otherworldly café: mysterious proprietor Blackie, sarcastic but good-hearted cook Frank, and insecure yet gutsy waitress Fay. During the show's limited run, the origins of the café were never revealed, but it has the power to materialize in any location, and seems to be sentient on some level (in one episode, it refuses to allow Frank to enter until he apologizes to it). The café is usually situated by a waterfront; when it changes its location, its inhabitants realize that they are about to be given a mission.
Nightmare Cafe is a show about second chances. Characters who enter the café - presumably drawn there by the café itself, as an embodiment of fate - are given the opportunity to correct something in their lives that went wrong if they are morally good; or if they are morally bad, to atone for something they have done or will do, sometimes against their will, and often incorporating poetic justice.
The café serves as both a central location for the action and as a plot catalyst, primarily by exerting its influence upon each episode's protagonist(s), or antagonist(s), to bring them into contact with the regulars. Aside from transporting itself from place to place in its entirety, once settled, it can also create portals between itself and various locations, which are traversed (often unexpectedly, on the whim of the café) by crossing the threshold of one of the café's many doorways. These portals are not restricted to the Earth; the café can also travel to outer space and, apparently, even heaven, which hints at a supernatural origin. The café also has the ability to make both idle and heartfelt wishes come true, which of course are not always what the recipient actually wants or needs, and the café seems to take a perverse delight in "misinterpreting" such wishes. Frank and Fay often take advantage of this ability by wishing themselves from place to place; when this occurs, or when the café otherwise deems it important, those remaining in the dining room can watch the exploits of their companions on the (sometimes interactive) television set mounted in the far wall.
Creator Wes Craven's original concept for the series involved standalone episodes akin to The Twilight Zone or Amazing Stories, but with regular characters bookending the tales ("like Twilight Zone meets Cheers", as Craven often said in interviews). NBC gave Craven the green light, but when he prepared to write the pilot, he realized that he wanted the regular characters to also be the main characters. Despite the show being retooled before the pilot was even written, contemporary critics still often referred to Nightmare Cafe as a "supernatural/horror anthology" series.
The series itself was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the city waterfront doubling for the waterfront that served as the café's "home base". Although the production team originally toyed with the idea of filming in a real diner, that idea was eventually scrapped, and a set was built in Vancouver's North Shore Studios. The set was built to be mobile, as certain scripts called for parts of the cafe interior to appear in completely different locations; it was also built with a ceiling, unusual for television at the time, and each booth was given an authentic 1940s-era table jukebox, rented from a private collector.
The pilot episode of Nightmare Cafe was first "officially" aired on 28 February 1992 at 10 pm EST. However, NBC decided to lead off its new season of shows with a special "sneak preview" night, in which one of its new programs would be unveiled early, in order to generate advance buzz and get a jump on the season. That "secret" episode was the pilot of Nightmare Cafe, although in actuality it wasn't much of a surprise, since many TV writers had already disclosed which program was to be shown.
Dying Well is the Best Revenge(6 March 1992)
When Frank gets involved with a married woman whose husband is very possessive, Fay worries for his safety.Guest starring:Beth Toussaint, Justin Deas
Fay & Ivy(13 March 1992)
Fay's younger sister Ivy comes to the city to visit her, but trouble comes along in the form of her scummy boyfriend Jesse.Guest starring:Molly Parker, Peter Outerbridge, Penny Fuller
In the fourth-season Seinfeld two-part episode "The Pitch" and "The Ticket" (both aired 16 September 1992), a Nightmare Cafe promotional poster - featuring the three leads in front of the café door - can be seen on one wall of the NBC lobby.
Following the pilot, the remaining five episodes began with an introduction narrated by Robert Englund as Blackie:
"Touch that remote and you die! Now that I've got your attention, here's the deal. See those two people? That's Frank, and that's Fay. Strangers when they met, turns out they've got a lot in common. Both died on the same night, both ended up in the same body of water, and both took refuge in the same all-night cafe. Me, I run the place. Name's Blackie. Been here from the beginning. Now, I know I said Frank and Fay were dead, but the cafe needed a new cook and waitress, so it gave them a second chance at life. They do their job, they get to stick around and help unsuspecting customers turn their lives around. 'Course, anything can happen to those who wander in - their worst nightmares, or their forbidden dreams. Yeah, it all happens here...in this little place we call the Nightmare Cafe."
Another version of this introduction appears on the soundtrack album, also performed by Englund:
"Lost somewhere between Life and Death, Time and Eternity, there are places which, if entered into, will leave you forever changed. This is one such place. Its every door can lead some to that second chance that will turn their lives around ... and to others to that reckoning that will end their sleep forever. Welcome to a little place called the Nightmare Cafe."
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One guy I had a crush on did it in front of me, I was staring at the direction he was at for no reason and I guess he did it because his penis was uncomfotable, I always wondered if he thought I was eager to look at him.
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Economic development leaders still talking growth
1of 6A section of the Grand Parkway just west of SH249 is shown on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Houston. The new sections of State Highway 99, connecting the Cypress, Tomball and The Woodlands areas, are scheduled to open February, 8. Tolls will start being collected beginning February 15. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff
2of 6A section of the Grand Parkway just west of SH249 is shown on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Houston. The new sections of State Highway 99, connecting the Cypress, Tomball and The Woodlands areas, are scheduled to open February, 8. Tolls will start being collected beginning February 15. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff
4of 6SkyHouse River Oaks maintenance supervisor Manuel Ochoa closes the balcony door to a one bedroom apartment in the new apartment building in the Galleria area Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, in Houston. Residential housing now surpasses retail in terms of how land is distributed in the neighborhood. (Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle)Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Staff
5of 6Construction crews work on the Astoria condominium building, left, in the Galleria area Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, in Houston. Residential housing now surpasses retail space in terms of how land is distributed in the neighborhood. (Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle)Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Staff
6of 6The Houston skyline as seen while canoeing down the Buffalo Bayou at Buffalo Bayou Park with Bayou City Adventures on a tour which originates at Lost Lake on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015, in Houston. ( Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff
Pearland, the former farming town on the southern edge of Houston, has grown rapidly over the last several decades with new retail, roads, houses and subdivisions.
With thousands more people arriving each year, civic boosters like Matt Buchanan hope to boost office and commercial development as well.
"Our main focus is the quality of growth and diversity of that growth, not just rooftops and retail," Buchanan, president of the Pearland Economic Development Corp., told a group of commercial real estate professionals Tuesday. "We want people to know there are places to work, too."
He said the connections to major roads have spurred Pearland's growth, and that will continue with the completion of the Grand Parkway.
Buchanan cited the convenience store giant Buc-ee's, which announced last year that it would build a partial headquarters in Pearland, as the type of business he'd like to see more of in coming years.
Other commercial projects announced last year for Pearland include Mitsubushi's first North American facility at the corner of Texas 288 and Beltway 8, a manufacturing facility for Lonza Houston and a headquarters relocation for Tool-Flo Manufacturing.
"We are trying to grow by 5,000 people a year in Pearland. That is a daunting task, but a great opportunity for us," he said. "We definitely want to be in a place growing and growing. That's what Houston is. It's a big challenge."
Tuesday's event, hosted by CoreNet and the Houston chapter of the International Facilities Management Association, also drew economic development leaders from downtown, Uptown and the Katy area. Despite oil prices tumbling, all the leaders acknowledged they're still working to prepare for Houston's growth.
Bob Eury, president of Central Houston and director of the Downtown Management District, said the historically office-oriented downtown market is now seeing residential growth. Thanks to the Downtown Living Initiative, which offered incentives to developers of residential projects, there are 3,600 units under construction or just coming to the market downtown. Hotel construction has also exploded, with a 50 percent increase in rooms coming to the market.
Eury said with the Super Bowl coming to Houston early next year and the NCAA Final Four this spring, outsiders will get a new perspective on the city.
"This gives us the opportunity to let our city shine," Eury said. "People who haven't been to Houston in a while will experience a different city."
Lance LaCour, president and CEO of the Katy Economic Development Council, said that area has been feeling the effects of the oil price slowdown. The office market vacancy rate is about 20 percent, he said. At the same time, developers brought several speculative office projects to the market that are seeking tenants.
"Our market has focused on office, and office is the softest market we have now," LaCour said. "In terms of trends, we want to continue to be an office market. We have a white-collar labor market, and we want to continue to push that."
LaCour said he felt optimistic because of the Grand Parkway and new housing developments. He said transportation continues to be his area's biggest challenge.
John Breeding, president of Uptown Houston, the tax increment reinvestment zone anchored by the Galleria, said more people are choosing to live in his neighborhood than before. It's a mix of office, retail and residential, but residential has surpassed office.
Breeding likened the economy in Houston today with the recession in 2008.
"The question then was how deep the trough will be and how wide," he said. "I think we find ourselves back there again today."
He noted that land is still being purchased for development, despite the low oil prices. He also predicted more density in building throughout the central city in coming years.
"You would think with oil prices in the $30 range, someone would have stopped," Breeding said. "Some development has, rightfully so, slowed down. But we have seen some of the most expensive land transactions when oil was at $50. That speaks to the confidence of the Houston developers who know the market."
The key going forward will be for Houston to invest in more projects like Memorial Park improvements and ongoing efforts to connect the bayous, he said.
"Investment in the quality of life will drive the center city for the next 50 years," Breeding said.
Erin Mulvaney covers real estate for the Houston Chronicle's business desk. She writes breaking news and trend stories about development, growth and neighborhoods. She also covers business travel and airports. She joined the Chronicle in 2012 as a breaking news reporter, covering shootings, explosions, trials and scandals. A Beaumont native, she has a degree in journalism from the University of Texas. She previously worked in Austin and wrote about politics and policy for several publications.
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IELTS Academic Writing Practice Test
Sample Answers
Compare your answers to the samples below.
Task 1 Sample Response
The bar graph shows the number of attendees at Grandville Stadium, focusing on theater, sports, and music events in the year 2017. The chart makes attendance projections for the years 2020 and 2030 after a major renovation project.
Overall, these data show a predicted rise in yearly attendance among all three types of events during the period of 2017 to 2030. The greatest increases will occur for theater and concerts, while sporting events will see a more moderate gains after the renovations. However, attendance has been and will remain much higher for sporting events than the other two categories.
In the baseline year of 2017, theater events accounted for only 10 thousand visitors. Yet, theater attendance should jump to roughly 50 thousand in 13 years. Similarly, concert attendees are predicted to reach nearly 125 thousand visitors in 2030, up from nearly 25 thousand in 2017.
By contrast, the stadium improvements will only increase sporting event attendance by about 10 thousand in 2030. However, athletic events were already bringing in 150 thousand people in 2017. The 2030 figure of about 160 thousand annual sporting event attendees is just shy of the 2030 combined numbers for both theater and concerts, which will bring in about 175 thousand people together.
Task 2 Sample Response
Some schools have begun supplying students with computers or tablets that they can use instead of texts and other printed resources. This shift towards technology offers several environmental and educational benefits, while the drawbacks relate to the sharp increase in “screen time” for students and the possibility that the devices will cause distractions in school.
One major benefit of providing computers and tablets to students is the opportunity to save paper resources. Even though paper is easily recycled, it still requires a lot of energy to produce. Adopting these technologies will make schools much more environmentally friendly. Computers and tablets also possess unique educational value. On a very basic level, students must learn how to use computers to thrive in the modern world. Just like learning math or reading, computer proficiency has become an essential and basic life skill.
Replacing paper-based learning resources with technology does have some disadvantages. One area of growing concern is the amount of time young people spend in front of screens. With cell phones, computers, and television, many children already spend hours outside of school staring at devices. Some medical professionals suggest that all of this screen time may have a negative effects on a child’s physical and psychological health. Therefore, adding screen time in school may exacerbate an already serious problem. A second drawback is that tablets and computers can cause distractions. There is a lot of unsuitable material for school on the web. Putting devices in students hands opens the possibility that students will use these devices in ways that are not educationally sound.
In conclusion, replacing traditional paper learning materials with devices like computers and tablets has some very clear environmental and educational advantages. However, schools must take care to monitor student screen time and ensure that students are using their devices for educational purposes.
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Pope Francis
We should be skeptical of conspiracy theories, mainly because they assume too much skill and intelligence from conspirators. Experience tells us ignorance and incompetence are much more common among those holding power and influence. Continue Reading...
Climate change is a prominent and contentious topic in our current political sphere. Pope Francis offers a perspective on the issue, but church leaders have expressed differing opinions. As Christians, how should we approach environmental concerns? Continue Reading...
After almost twenty years in Rome, I’ve learned not to insist too much on the Vatican reading the USA with any kind of accuracy, so I usually don’t feel the need to comment on every little misunderstanding coming from the Roman Curia. Continue Reading...
Earlier this month Fr. Robert Sirico delivered an address to the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley titled, ‘Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy’.
The talk begins with an account of a formative childhood experience which first kindled in him a passion for justice. Continue Reading...
Having visited Nicaragua just prior to and immediately following the elections which initially ousted the Sandinistas from power in 1990, I was struck by the news this week from Rome.
Evidently sometime in the last few weeks, when exactly remains unclear, Pope Francis lifted the canonical penalties imposed by Pope St. Continue Reading...
In The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity (Encounter Books, 2018), Daniel J. Mahoney confronts a central heresy of our age, the “remarkably truncated view of human beings” that fails to “acknowledge the hierarchy of goods and values that characterize the moral order and the life of the soul.”
He traces the genealogy of contemporary humanitarianism and its critics from Auguste Comte through Pope Benedict XVI. Continue Reading...
Pope Francis’ recent Christmas message, ‘Urbi et Orbi’, was a meditation on the roots of fraternity in the incarnation:
What does that Child, born for us of the Virgin Mary, have to tell us? Continue Reading...
This article is written by Moris Polanco, originally published by Instituto Fe y Libertad and republished with permission.
The elderly cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, said in his blog on February 5, 2018, “The brothers and sisters of mainland China are not afraid of being reduced to poverty, of being put into prison, of shedding their blood. Continue Reading...
Freedom of the press is a crucial component to a virtuous, flourishing society, as Pope Francis affirmed on June 20 when he called for greater liberty for the press. The pope’s comments come six months into the detention of two Reuters reporters by the Myanmar government. Continue Reading...
Review of Pope Francis and the Caring Society, edited by Robert M. Whaples; The Independent Institute, Oakland, CA; 2017, 234 pp.
Having toiled in the free-market research universe for nearly two decades, perhaps the most common misperception I’ve encountered is “whataboutism.” Readers know of which I write: “What about BP and Deepwater Horizon?” or “What about Enron?” and, perhaps most stridently, “What about the mortgage-lending industry’s complicity in causing the Great Recession?” When this rhetorical strafing fails, there’s always the “What about the poor?” and the “What about the environment?” macro-strategies. Continue Reading...
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Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding products
With only a few parts, the breast pump can be put together in no time.The correct placement is immediately visible through the transparent cup. For extra comfort, the particularly soft SKINSOFT™ silicone cup can be used.Quick and quiet pumping thanks to the ergonomic grip makes using the pump especially easy – regardless of whether you’re at home, at work or on the go.
Before using the MAM Manual Breast Pump for the first time, all parts that will come into contact with the breast and breast milk must be taken apart, cleaned and sterilised. Cleaning the breast pump following pumping is easy and uncomplicated thanks to the low number of parts. It is important to first disassemble the breast pump into all of its individual parts.It can be cleaned by hand with warm, soapy water or in the dishwasher (in the top rack or in the cutlery compartment). MAM recommends cleaning the valve body and the valve membrane by hand.Allow all parts to dry completely before using.
Each individual part of the breast pump must be sterilised before the first use as well as once a day. They can be placed in a pan of boiling water for at least five minutes, in an electric steriliser or in a microwave steam steriliser, as well as in sterilising fluid without heat. It is important to disassemble the breast pump into all of its individual parts before sterilising and to allow these to completely cool and dry before use.
The expressed milk can be stored for 24 hours in the MAM Anti-Colic – with teat and sealing cap or with the sealing discs – in the fridge (not in the door). This means that the milk is on hand immediately.
In order to store milk for up to three months, the MAM Storage Solution was developed: In the smart cups the milk can be stored hygienically and safely. It can then be frozen and simply defrosted when required.
The MAM Anti-Colic and MAM Storage Solution can be screwed directly onto the Manual Breast Pump – this ensures that every drop of the precious milk is safely captured.
Note the date of expression directly on the MAM Storage Solution – the MAM designers have provided an area for you to do this. This means that the oldest milk can always be used up first.
Frozen milk defrosts easily overnight in the fridge or at room temperature. To warm it up, the best option is to pour the breast milk into the bottle and simply warm it up in a waterbath or in a baby food warmer. Remove the sealing cap to do this!
Nipple Shields
If baby is not able to drink from the breast, or the breast is very sensitive, MAM Nipple Shields offer gentle protection for sore nipples. They can be used at short notice and in consultation with a breastfeeding consultant.
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sacramentals
Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.
The use of sacramentals is a part of every priest’s competence. Their power depends on the priest’s personal belief and the cooperation of the person accepting the sacramental through acts of faith, love and repentance. The power of sacramentals lies in the intercessory prayer of the Church, in the name of which the priest blesses or exorcises people and objects.
No one can perform exorcisms legitimately upon the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary. The local ordinary is to give this permission only to a presbyter who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life.
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What our retained clients have to say about JPI…
“Over the past ten years I have strategically aligned and worked successfully with Josh Rae and JPI Executive Search on a number of important positions within the various companies that I have led as a CEO.
During that time, JPI Executive Search has placed more than 50 candidates at varying levels within my organizations. These key executive placements have helped to dramatically increase both profitability and market share.
Josh’s specialty is unique in the sense that he thrives on filling “difficult to fill” positions and in sourcing candidate profiles and skill sets that are difficult to find.
When I have a need to find the best human capital available, Josh has proven himself over the years as one of the people I trust to get the job done right and in a timely manner.”
Just Some of the Client Companies We’ve Provided Top-Level Human Capital
Candidate Experiences with JPI (in their own words)…
“I have worked with many recruiters over the course of my 12 year career, and became fed-up with them all together. Usually they have little to offer in terms of opportunities and don’t seem to know the client well enough to be of much value.
Josh Rae of JPI Executive Search completely changed that perception. He was specifically contracted by the Corporate Controller, whom he had worked with before, to find a Regional Controller position. He found me through a referral from an former colleague of mine. When he contacted me, it was obvious he had already done his homework about the position and my background.
During the interview process he prepared me on important qualities needed for the position and brainstormed with me to best demonstrate those with my past experience. After each interview we would debrief and talk about the next steps. During the entire process he reconfirmed his understanding of not only my career goals but also my desired work-life balance.
Lastly, he tactfully negotiated the terms of my employment to satisfy me and my current employer. I give Josh my highest recommendation.”
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Product Description
Earth As Art Satellite Photography Poster - Yellowknife Wetlands 26 X 24 is a part of Gurkha Knife products library. To see this Earth As Art Satellite Photography Poster - Yellowknife Wetlands 26 X 24 in stock for product, click the link above and come over and then you will get this item about Earth As Art Satellite Photography Poster - Yellowknife Wetlands 26 X 24 .
Extensive wetlands lie near the town of Yellowknife, near the Great Slave Lake in Northwest Territories, Canada. The shallow lakes seen in this image have formed in grooves in the landscape that were carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age.
Measures 26 inches x 24 inches.
Printed on high quality glossy paper and includes a 0.5 inch border on all sides to allow for matting and framing.
All our posters are reproductions. We do not sell originals.
Binding
Kitchen
Brand
VintPrint
Label
VintPrint
Manufacturer
VintPrint
MPN
EAA41L
PartNumber
EAA41L
ProductGroup
Home
ProductTypeName
HOME
Publisher
VintPrint
Size
26 inches x 24 inches.
Studio
VintPrint
At http://www.knivesshophq.ddns.info, finding the best Earth As Art Satellite Photography Poster - Yellowknife Wetlands 26 X 24 at a great price is easier than ever!
If you are not sure about the part number or want to know more about the Earth As Art Satellite Photography Poster - Yellowknife Wetlands 26 X 24, Our products are available online and you can get more information concerning the products by visiting our website.
Your search for the very best in product, top quality knives ends here! That's why we do all we can to save you money on knives.
http://www.knivesshophq.ddns.info is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
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With one of the highest ratios of organic ingredients in soap, Soap Folk aim to make the very kindest soap for your skin and for the environment.
Palm oil free - Certified organic - Handmade in Gloucestershire
With one of the highest ratios of organic ingredients in soap, Soap Folk aim to make the very kindest soap for your skin and for the environment.
Palm oil free - Certified organic - Handmade in Gloucestershire
Skandinavisk Escapes Perfume Oils Collection.
A collection of fragrances for the skin, made in Denmark with natural oils. A blend of perfume and jojoba and coconut oils inside an 8ml rollerball glass vial.
The SKOG Hand and Body Lotion from Skandinavisk is a moisturising and lightly scented hand and body lotion containing aloe vera, shea butter, almond, apricot and beeswax, with extract of birch bark, designed to nourish and protect.
With one of the highest ratios of organic ingredients in soap, Soap Folk aim to make the very kindest soap for your skin and for the environment.
Palm oil free - Certified organic - Handmade in Gloucestershire
Image Coming Soon.
With one of the highest ratios of organic ingredients in soap, Soap Folk aim to make the very kindest soap for your skin and for the environment.
Palm oil free - Certified organic - Handmade in Gloucestershire
These beautifully soft handmade organic cotton rounds are a great environmentally friendly alternative to single use cotton pads. They are made from organic cotton jersey and organic cotton towelling and are 100% reusable.
A contemporary design store in the Cotswolds town of Nailsworth. For him, for her & for your home, we curate products ranging from interiors, accessories to fashion. Run by Chris & Becca with shop dog Luna so come say hello!
Thank you for your answer and welcome to truceonline.
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies. These cookies help us understand how you got here, what you do when you are here and give us an idea on how we can help us make improvements.
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Boil a little coconut milk to soften the sheets of gelatin. Let cool to lukewarm.
Blend the gelatin into the coconut milk; whisk in the fromage blanc.
Whip the cream; gently fold into the coconut-cheese mixture. Add some slivers of roasted chestnut. Let set in the refrigerator. For a more attractive presentation, prepare the blanc manger in individual dishes.
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Scavolini Bathrooms
Design & Style
Changes in the bathroom
The bathroom, like the kitchen, is a room that has undergone numerous transformations over time.
A greater attention for corporial wellness has transformed this space from a room of service to a place to spend time in. Below is how we have interpreted these changes.
Ergonomic and innovative design
Carefully furnishing the bathroom has today become an ever-increasing common desire for anyone who is preparing to design their own house.
Favoured by the spread of wealth and a greater attention for the body, the bathroom has over time, increased its functions and undergone an aesthetic transformation.
Carefully furnishing the bathroom has today become an ever-increasing common desire for anyone who is preparing to design their own house.
Interpreting those trends, Scavolini Bathroom furniture has been designed to meet the requirements of this sector with a great proposal.
50 years of experience and attention to people’s needs have allowed for the creation of a product line with a functional, ergonomic and innovative design.
This is reflected in the choice of technologies and materials that allow all surfaces to be resistant for long-term contact with water.
Behind Scavolini bathrooms is consistent research for innovative and water repellent materials that can always guarantee the best performances.
It doesn’t stop here, as quality and care are reflected in a design called “made in Italy”, developed with Castiglia Associati, which is capable of enhancing every single detail and transforming it into a style element.
In addition, in each Scavolini model there is also care taken towards maximum comfort. The solutions proposed allow the storing of objects in a functional way for every need.
Even Scavolini’s figures speak for themselves and for the versatility of this proposal.
A range of 1800 elements including furniture, accessories, sanitary fittings, baths and shower cubicles.
40 exclusive washbasins available in a wide range of materials.
200 different finishes for doors and tops
30 lighting systems all focused on a sole purpose: your morning pleasure.
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In this article for The Manufacturer we explained why, when it comes to fuelling growth, manufacturers need to look at systems, processes and technologies, and understand the possibilities that each present.
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Application profile - Sign language and lip-reading real-time conversation using low bit rate video communication
This Supplement includes one CD-ROM containing the video clip "Irene" to be used as test material for video coding of sign language. Due to the data volume, this Supplement is not downloadable from ITU website and should be provided from Sales department (Email: [email protected]). Only the Supplement text is downloadable free of charge for information purpose
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Dow Finishes Week in the Black; Renren Slumps 5.9%
Stocks posted modest gains to finish the week, as Wall Street applauded Friday's nonfarm payrolls numbers from the Labor Department. February's nonfarm payroll job gains of 175,000 exceeded the 150,000 consensus estimate, though the unemployment rate edged slightly higher, to 6.7%. While it's great to see some jobs growth, the labor market still isn't what you'd call "robust," and many jobs are still part-time: the average American employee works 34.2 hours. Taking February's numbers with a grain of salt, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 30 points, or 0.2%, to end at 16,452.
Walt Disney stock finished as the biggest loser in the Dow today, down 1.4%. The decline didn't come on any major developments with the entertainment giant; in fact, the only developments with Disney recently have been largely positive. Yesterday, the company signed a deal with a Chinese media company, creating a new, collaborative way of melding Chinese themes into Disney movies. China has a 34-film maximum for the number of Hollywood movies it allows into the country each year, and Disney would like to improve the chances its films have of making the selective cut.
Shares of Chinese social networking company Renren , however, weren't the best testament to China's desirability today, shedding 5.8% in trading. Renren's stock is an opportunity long-term investors should approach with caution: it's not profitable, its operations are severely restricted by high regulation, and it's a social network. Social networks, as a whole, have yet to prove their long-term viability, and there's absolutely no track record for small-cap Chinese social networks like this one. Also, there's been some suspect trading in Renren this week -- the NYSE contacted the company about its seemingly unprovoked 22% surge on Wednesday, with Renren simply stating that the company didn't comment on strange trading activities.
Lastly, a company with very little to do with China: Best Buy . The stock added 1.4% today as it bounced back from a four-day losing streak. Best Buy may turn out to be a rare breed of retailer: one that can successfully decrease its store count and reliance on brick-and-mortar sales with the success of its online operations filling the void. The company proved that concept with its most recent quarter, in which online sales jumped 20% despite declining same-store sales. It would be nice to retain the best of both the online and physical worlds, but by gracefully accepting its new path, Best Buy is doing itself and shareholders a favor.
The Motley Fool's top stock for 2014There's a huge difference between a good stock and a stock that can make you rich. The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for 2014, and it's one of those stocks that could make you rich. You can find out which stock it is in the special free report "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2014." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
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Dvorak's madding melodies
Was listening to two of Dvorak's symphonies and ended up feeling an aching emptiness.
The emptiness consumes, demanding more and draining more. It was as though I was falling into an abyss with each dying strain of melody.
I tried to stop myself from falling, but it's difficult. It's almost inexorable, the impending doom. Dvorak had guided the listener into a pit of human conditions, leaving them there to languish in despair.
I guess, I'm not really comfortable with such intrusion, such disturbance to my psyche.
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Free Shipping on Performance Auto Parts Order by 11 PM EST for Same Day Shipping!
Dial-In Systems
JEGS has several dial-in boards and dial-in systems that easily mount in many kinds of drag cars. Choose from 3 or 4 digit boards. Dial-in systems are a great alternative to using wipe on materials to display your bracket racing time. Most systems are easy to change and easy to mount in your car.
Find out why JEGS is the customer service leader!
Over 50 years of experience delivering the best high performance auto parts brands. JEGS has an experienced technical support staff along with 100% satisfaction guarantee. Our warehouse is filled with millions of name brand parts ready for same day shipping.
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Advanced search
Advanced search is divided into two main parts, and one or more groups in each of the main parts. The main parts are the "Search for" (including) and the "Remove from search" (excluding) part. (The excluding part might not be visible until you hit "NOT" for the first time.) You can add new groups to both the including and the excluding part by using the buttons "OR" or "NOT" respectively, and you can add more search options to all groups through the drop down menu on the last row (in each group).
For a result to be included in the search result, is it required to fit all added including parameters (in at least one group) and not fit all parameters in one of the excluding groups. This system with the two main parts and their groups makes it possible to combine two (or more) distinct searches into one search result, while being flexible in removing results from the final list.
Limit the search further
Here you can limit your search further, your result list will only contain those who match all of the criteria that you fill out in this part (combined with the advanced search from above)
Abstract [en]
The effects of sound and music have always been of great interest to me, both as a Luthier, as a Cellist and Strings teacher. Research in this area is very limited and mainly confined to methods of therapy, in particular Music Therapy. Music Therapists, however, do not employ the use of different sound frequencies in their therapy and the effects of frequencies in other forms of alternative therapy have not yet been scientifically researched or validated.
The object of this study has been to research how external sounds and music affect people, and to examine the means by which this is used in therapeutic contexts, such as in Music Therapy and Tomatis training. This research was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methods, through surveys, interviews and personal communication with Music Therapists, Alternative Therapists, Stress Researchers and two Tomatis Consultants. The research suggests that sound and music can have a stimulating as well as a soothing influence on people, but that a thorough scientifically based investigation into how external sounds and music affect people is needed for professionals in this field of work. Continued research in this area would involve using chosen external sounds or excerpts of music that are not only short impulses but of a longer duration, access to relevant medical equipment to measure the effects of these sounds and an appropriately sized group of research subjects to correlate with the expected effects of a defined research variable. (2.7 Musikens påverkan på kropp och själ)
It is hoped that this study will provide a foundation for further research into the effects of frequencies, sound and music, also with a view to finding means to improve negative, disturbing sound environments.
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I just received a Case of North American Edition Blu-Ray Collectors 3 Disc Editions of Hitting the Apex. $29.95 in Canadian $ for them instead of US $ for all of your and $12 Flat Rate Shipping in Canadian $ to your doors, Canada Post Expedited,
All In Pricing; so Zero on Border Costs or any additional costs at all.
Website costs are in US $ so fast 40 cents on the dollar savings for WMRC members who Email me Directly, No PM Please.
Hitting the Apex is an Awesome Film and the 3 Disc Collectors Edition gives you the whole movie and much more.
HITTING THE APEX:
HITTING THE APEX is the story of six fighters, six of the fastest motorcycle racers the world has ever seen, and of the fates that awaited them at the peak of the sport, when the speeds had never been higher or the competition more intense
THREE DISC COLLECTOR’S EDITION
with exclusive, North America-only audio mix.
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TechCon2012 VIP Luncheon - THIS FRIDAY
Friday, November 11, 2011 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM (CST)
Ticket Information
This ticket is your confirmation that you will attend this informative luncheon also thanking those who supported and sponsored TechCon2011. If you are unable to make it, this ticket may be given to one of your Executive Staff personnel.
Ended
Free
If you have received this message, please call Greg @ 210.846.8900 to make sure we have enough open seats for this luncheon.
Event Details
We invite you to join the TechCon team as we prepare for TechCon2012!
This informative luncheon will be used to not only thank those of you who participated, supported and sponsored TechCon2011, but inform you of the focus for TechCon2012 and explore your opinions and thoughts as well as seek your suggestions for 2012!
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