text:
Clayton Bloom sired two sons. The Bloom boys and their father did everything together. When the boys were old enough, Clayton took them into the forest growing around their small home, in order to teach his sons about the trees and plants, the animals who lived there, its beauty, and how they might care for it all.
The boys were enthralled and amazed by each new thing their father showed them. In a very short time, the boys confidence grew, and it emboldened them. Even though Clayton warned them against venturing off alone, the two brothers decided they had learned enough to go exploring without their father. When Clayton left them unattended, the boys seized the chance to go hiking on their own. Happily and with great pride, the boys bounded into the wood.
As you might expect, it didn't take long for the boys to become disoriented. The more they walked, the darker it became. Even though the sun shown brightly in the sky when they had embarked on their journey, now, no matter where they turned, the trees grew closer together and higher, shutting out the light. The lads started to panic and quickly forgot all Clayton had taught them. Soon their panic turned to rage, and they tore through the beautiful landscape, mashing colorful wildflowers, uprooting bushes, and tearing off limbs of trees.
They then turned on each other, each blaming the other for their predicament. Words became violent, and the bigger brother strangled the smaller until the latter ceased struggling. The young man wailed at the sight of his motionless brother and screamed at the gloom, cursing his father for ever bringing them to this place. Now senseless with guilt, the boy ran deeper into the forest, leaving a wake of horrific destruction. He ran on carelessly in this way until he fell down an embankment. Unable to move because his leg was broken, he lay there in the twilight quietly weeping.
When Clayton discovered what his sons had done, although late, he dropped everything and rushed into the darkness to find them. Eventually, he found one of his sons lying unconscious on the ground. Clayton knelt beside his son and resuscitated the boy, and then gave him water to drink and food to eat.
As the boy regained his strength, he noticed blood streaming down his father's face. "Father, you are injured." His father smiled and stroked his son's head. "I would suffer a thousand wounds and even die if that's what it would take to find my boys." His son's chin dropped to his chest in shame. "Father, I'm sorry I disobeyed you." Clayton embraced his son and kissed the boy's face with pink tears of joy and relief.
"Come, now," the father said, standing. "We must find your brother before something worse happens to him." Clayton and his son went on together in search of the missing boy.
The boy was the first to find his brother lying on a small protrusion on a steep slope. "He's here, Father. I found him, I found him. He's over here. Come quickly, Father, he's hurt!"
When the lad saw his brother he thought he had murdered show such concern for him, he whimpered, "Why would you care after what I did to you?" His brother answered, "Didn't I run away with you? Didn't I try to kill you? Yet, even though we are bad sons, Father came after us; and even though he injured himself, he never stopped searching until he found us. How could I not care for you?"
Their Father arrived. Carrying his injured son over his shoulders, Clayton led his two sons back home. The brothers became closer than they had been before their ordeal. They remained with their father, and he taught them and provided for them, so that they built their home into a magnificent estate. Together, Clayton and his two sons nurtured the forests and lands around them into resplendent gardens spreading out in all directions as far as the eye could see and beyond.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
The Second Clayton Bloom Parable
Clayton Bloom sired two sons. The Bloom boys and their father did everything together. When the boys were old enough, Clayton took them into the forest growing around their small home, in order to teach his sons about the trees and plants, the animals who lived there, its beauty, and how they might care for it all.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 1:03 PM 0 comments
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Our exchange students left us this week to return to their homes in Europe and to carry on their lives. From my vantage point it was a tearful departure for all the exchange students and their host families. The poignancy of the moment was accentuated by rain and the predawn darkness.
It amazed me how quickly familial bonds form between people who only a couple of weeks before were utter strangers. It just goes to show how relational we humans are. But why shouldn't we be? After all, our Creator is relational.
As relational as we all are, it also amazes me how much human society struggles to establish meaningful, healthy, and functional relationships. Like Darth Vader trying to set his sight on Luke Skywalker's X-wing, we just can't seem to home in on loving relationships. If we were created to have such relationships, then why do they continue to elude us?
Even though it isn't a very popular subject, that question can be answered with one word: Sin. People don't like to talk about Sin because, basically, they don't want anyone telling them how to run their lives. And all too often the things we want to do seem to be on someone's list of sins: things such as, sexual preference, abortion, killing, stealing, adultery, dancing, gambling, drinking, drugs, pornography, warfare, music, and on and on. But none of these things or any others one might add to the list constitute what I mean by Sin; they are really only symptoms of Sin.
A careful examination of the above list--and there are many, many more items one might add to it--shows a common relational theme. The items are either a means to create and maintain relationships, or a means to compensate for the absence of relationships, or a means to cope with destructive relationships. One way or another, any item on the list can be traced back to a relationship.
And because the behaviors on the list function in some way pertaining to relationships, it does no good to tell the practitioners they are wrong because they, as all of us, are desperate for a relationship--all of us want to be loved; so they really believe they have discovered the means in the life style or behaviors they have adopted, or they have given up hope, altogether, and have defaulted to simply medicating the pain. It's as if I were starving to death and caught a poisonous frog, and when I was about to eat it you told me I was wrong to eat it. I would think you either didn't care about my plight, or wanted me to die of starvation, or you just wanted to control me. In the end, I would eat the frog, and I would die.
Surely some things on the above list of "sins" are definitely comparable to the poison frog, but not all the listed items are. Yet any one of them are just as fatal if we are attempting to find through them those elusive relationships we have all been created for. This is what I meant by Sin, earlier. Sin is the belief we can find, maintain, and build right relationships on our own; putting it simply, Sin is thinking we can be our own god.
Speaking about the community of right relationships we were created to have, the Apostle John tells us,
"Not those out of bloodlines (genealogies), nor out of the desires of the flesh, nor out of the desires of humankind, but those who are born of God." [John 1:13]
The right relationships we all long for will forever elude us until we are again in the right relationship with our Creator--when God is our God and not ourselves. Until we do that, we shall remain in darkness--both in wherewithal and understanding.
Well, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is we cannot extricate ourselves from this darkness. The good news is God can and indeed has made the way out for us. Let's return to John for the rest of the story....
"In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and God was the Word. He was in the beginning with God, All things were created by Him and apart from Him was not one thing created that was created. In Him was life, and the life was the light of humankind; and the light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.... He was real light that illuminates humankind coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own kind, and His own kind did not accept Him. But as many as receive Him, He gives to them authority to become children of God, to those who are believing in His name, not those out of bloodlines (genealogies), nor out of the desires of the flesh, nor out of the desires of humankind, but those who are born of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us, and we saw His glory as the only unique begotten one from the Father, full of grace and Truth." [John 1:1-5, 8-14]
In an inexpressible act of re-creation, God entered into human history by taking on flesh as His only begotten unique son, Jesus the Christ, to deal once and for all with the consequences of Sin and the Death that came from it, in order to re-establish the intimate relationship He intended from the beginning to have with all of us, so we would be an eternal community with Him and with each other. And this eternal community--the kingdom of God--the salvation of Humankind--the glory of God--is for all who stand in Christ and Christ alone by believing in Him, which is faith that is inseparably belief, trust, and the action of obedience. It is in Christ alone we will find those elusive relationships we all long for because only in Christ is the Truth of what they are and the power to live them.
In his must-read book Jesus of Nazareth, From Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration. Image (2007): p. 169, Joseph Ratzinger puts it this way,
"...Jesus is closely connected with the "we" of the new family that He gathers by his proclamation and his action. It has become evident that this "we" is in principle intended to be universal: It no longer rests on birth, but on communion with Jesus, who is himself God's living Torah."
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 5:16 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Trouble in River City
One of my favorite musicals is The Music Man; and one of my favorite numbers in The Music Man is You Got Trouble. I was thinking about this today because trouble has come into my life. I knew it was coming; I tried to circumvent it; but it remained out of my hands, and now is knocking at my door like the angel of death. Okay, this is over dramatic and hyperbole; things could be much, much worse, and is for so many people I know. In some respects, though, trouble in America is much like the trouble Harold Hill spoke of in River City. The town was well fixed and peaceful, compared to other places in the world at the time, so what they saw as trouble was really only a minor annoyance. Many things we see as trouble in America are really only what my daughter refers to as first world problems.
What disturbs me more than the pending storm is my inability to deal with it in my spirit. I mean, how often have I encouraged us to trust Christ, and not fear because He is alive? Now, with what is really only a minor disturbance--comparatively speaking--I am completely unsettled. It is easy to pontificate about faith from an easy chair, in front of a warm fire, while sipping a glass of Malbec. Only when the fire goes out and you start to feel cold, do you begin to understand how much of what you believe is only theory. It reminds me of what the disciples of Jesus felt when a storm suddenly rose up over the lake as they were boating their way across....
And there was a sudden great squall of wind and the waves crashed into the boat so that the boat was already filled. And Jesus was sleeping in the stern on a pillow, and the disciples woke Jesus up and said to Him, "Teacher, doesn't it matter to you that we are perishing?" And after having been aroused, Jesus rebuked the wind and said, "Be silent, Be quiet!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And Jesus said to them, "Why are you cowardly? Do you not yet have faith?" And they were filled with great fear and spoke to each other, "Who, then, is this, that both the wind and the sea obey Him?" [Mark 4:37-41]
It all goes to show that ideas and doctrines do not hold us up, only the real presence of Jesus in our life does. And we only come to really understand faith when we are forced to walk in it. This reminds me of a story my physics professor once related to us. He told how he had invited his girlfriend to go sailing with him. She asked him if he had ever sailed before, and he told her he knew everything there is to know about the theory of sailing--and he did. Well, after several hours of floundering on the water, and finally walking the boat along the shoreline, his girlfriend told him in no uncertain terms they were through. I think she called him an idiot, but it was a long time ago, so I might be wrong about that.
Thank the Lord he isn't fickle like my professor's girlfriend. The Lord didn't give up on His disciples because of their tentative faith; He hasn't given up on me because of my cowardice; and I assure you He won't give up on you, either. He will continue to give us grace upon grace: grace to forgive us when we stumble, grace to pick us up again, and grace to strengthen our faith for the next challenge. Such is the beauty of the Gospel of Christ; such is the wonder and peace of standing in His kingdom.
Thanks a lot, folks, for letting me unload on you like this. I am feeling much better. I guess this is why Jesus calls us to be a community; we cover for each other in our moments of weakness. Thanks again for listening.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 4:21 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Yesterday was a beautiful day. The temperature was cool without being cold. The sun played hide and seek with the clouds; and best of all, it all happened on a holiday. It was a perfect day to commune with the outdoors by attending to our yard and garden.
As I have said many times before, everything in life is a metaphor. Well, perhaps not everything; but living in a house full of women, you learn to speak in hyperbole. Of course, that is also a hyperbole because not all women are prone to exaggerate. The few women I've come to know well over the years have tended in that direction, though. It's not a criticism; actually, I think it's kind of cute. In fact, I've come to use the classic "always" statement as a means of making a point; I use bad grammar to the same end. So I will say it again. Everything in life is a metaphor.
Our small garden comprises a variety of perennials that bloom at different times over the course of the summer in order to treat the viewer with a ever changing palette of color. You gardeners reading this are likely thinking, Ah, yeah, that's the way it's supposed to work. You must understand; our garden in particular, and all botanical matters at our house in general are the brain-children of my wife; I'm strictly a brown thumb. My job is to mow the lawn, trim, and weed the garden. The challenge for me is differentiating the weeds from the flowers. My wife has been perplexed her daisies haven't come up this year. I'm thinking I may had mistook them for weeds. Some of this mistaken identity is due to my ignorance; but I attribute some of it to the cleverness of the weeds.
As I was surveying the garden yesterday, all seemed nice and tidy. There were a few small weeds spotting the clear areas, but overall the garden appeared healthy. Yet on closer inspection, I found some weeds dressed to the nines, standing straight and proud among the flowering plants past bloom, feigning to be part of the gang. From a distance they were pretty convincing, too; close up, though, their weediness was quite obvious. Huh, I thought, there's got to be a metaphor in this, somewhere....
And answering, Jesus again spoke in parables to them by saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a ruler of people who prepared a wedding feast for his son. And the ruler sent away his slaves to call those who have been invited to the wedding, but they didn't want to come. Again, the ruler sent away other slaves by saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, see, I have prepared my feast, my bulls and the fattened animals have been slaughtered, I prepared everything. Come into the wedding feast.' But those ignoring the invitation went away: one to his family farm, and another to his market; but those remaining seized the slaves and assaulted and killed them. The ruler was furious; and dispatching his soldiers, he killed those murderers and set fire to their city. Then the ruler said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who have been invited were not worthy. Therefore, go upon the roads leading out of the city, and invite however many you might find to the wedding feast. And those slaves took to the roads, and invited everyone they encountered, both the bad and the good. And the wedding was filled with those reclining at the banquet table. When the ruler entered the gathering to look at those who were reclining at the table, he saw a person there not dressed in wedding attire. And the ruler said to the person, 'Comrade, how did you get in here without having wedding clothes?' The person was dumbstruck. Then the ruler told the servants, 'After you bind the person's feet and hands, throw the person out into the outer most darkness.' There, there will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." [Matt. 22:1-14]
No doubt some will cite this passage as a proof text for unconditional election. I spent a good part of this summer rebutting such an idea, so I won't belabor the point here. I will say this. Our hope and security don't rest in God having decided before all eternity how everything in His creation will play out, down to the last motions of each subatomic particle. No, our hope and security lie solely in the perfect, finished work of Jesus the Christ.
God calls each of us to join Him in His eternal kingdom. But we must respond, and respond totally on His terms, not our own. This means we mustn't think we will get in because we're wearing a "I love Jesus" T-shirt; or toting citizenship papers to some nation, ethnic group, or church affiliation; or clutching our advanced degrees from prestigious universities, proving we have mastered the correct theology; or packing our get-out-of-jail-free card. No, to come to God on His terms is to come clothed in Christ--ensconced in Him as in our skin--by surrendering ourselves completely to His strength and will with an indefatigable trust. Jesus explains what I mean with graphic imagery:
"Truly, yes truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves. The one who is gnawing my flesh and drinking my blood has eternal life, and I will resurrect that person on the last day." [John 6:53-54]
Unless we put on Christ in this most intimate and utterly dependent way, we will remain like those weeds in my garden, believing ourselves to be flowers in God's garden, when we are not. And our fate will be the same as the fate of those weeds: yesterday, I entered our flower bed, pulled those weeds out by their roots, and cast them behind the fence to dry and whither in the hot sun.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 8:06 PM 0 comments


text:
If you are looking for well designed, well maintained landscape, you came to the right place!
Lawn Services
We provide services to make your lawn the best looking lawn on the block. Having a great lawn starts with a company who cares about the image of your property. We want your property to look its best. Routine mowing services are an important part of maintaining a beautiful and healthy landscape. We provide lawn services to maintain your existing lawn by maintaining it properly. Our lawn maintenance crew will maintain your property with attention to detail and will leave your property neat and tidy. In the Fall we provide Aeration and Seeding services to help rejuvenate you lawn, keeping it full and lush. Let us help you take your weekend back.
Learn more about our Lawn Services »
Landscaping Services
We provide landscape design, installation and maintenance services to the Anne Arundel, Howard County and Prince Georges county area. Crew Cut will work with you to develop a custom landscape design plan for your property or project and then will work with you to turn your dream into a reality. We also do smaller jobs too, If your just looking for a few trees and shrubs, or a patio, just let us know. We would be happy to help you.
Landscape Maintenance Services
Here at Crew Cut, we want you to enjoy your weekends without doing yard work. We offer regularly scheduled services to help keep your property looking its best at all times. We provide a long list of maintenance services including, Hand weeding, Shrub and Tree pruning, Flowerbed Edging, Pre-Emergent Weed Control, Leaf Removal & Mulch Installation
Learn more about our Lanscaping Services »
In our moist climate all properties suffer from green and black mold. We can clean all kinds of surfaces, and we know the best way to do so. Whether it is on a house with our proprietary cleaning solution and low pressure or on a concrete patio with high pressure, we can get it clean and looking like new.
Roof Cleaning Services
Have you looked up at your roof lately? Long Black streaks on your shingles or big dark areas on the roof are caused by a black mold growing on the shingle. Get the bright color of your roof back again by cleaning it with no pressure. Don't replace your roof, Wash It
Learn more about our Powerwashing Services »
See What People Are Saying About Us!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
System z Technical Conference, San Antonio TX
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (9393)
Last week I was at the System z Tech Conference (again getting my zeds mixed up with my zees). :-) I presented 4 times, one of which was a repeat. What's especially nice is that I got 87 attendees for the "Memory Matters in 2008" presentation - spread across 2 sessions. This was despite the second time being the very last session of the conference... and 22 people still showed up to that! So... [More]
2 More DB2 Access Path APARS
MartinPacker 11000094DH Visits (8128)
Here are a couple more SQL processing APARs. APAR PK22814 for Version 8 ESTIMATED SUBQUERY COST IS TOO HIGH WITH SORT MERGE JOIN. The APAR text says Correlated subquery cost is over-estimated for sort merge join. A well-performing sort merge join plan might not be chosen by DB2. Correlated subquery cost can be overestimated for sort merge join. This may cause a sort merge join plan that performs... [More]


text: The Hunt for Red Hot Hydrothermal Vents Hot, mineral-rich fluids gush from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. To search for vents and the animals that live around them, scientists floating atop the ice-choked Arctic Ocean first look for plumes of fluids that trail out from the vents and drift in the depths. (Illustration by E. Paul Oberlander, WHOI)STEP 1: ?TOW-YO-ING' FOR PLUMES?For oceanographers, the thermometer and smoke detector hanging down is called a CTD, which measures conductivity (salinity) and temperature at various depths. This tried-and-true instrument is scientists? first tool to look for hydrothermal plumes. The CTD is lowered all the way to the bottom and pulled up again while it is also towed by the ship, which researchers call a ?tow-yo.? CTD sensors detect slightly warmer temperatures, mineral particles, and certain chemicals?all telltale signs that the CTD has passed through a plume. ?It?s hit or miss,? said University of Texas marine geochemist Hedy Edmonds, who headed CTD operations on the expedition. Still, with a little luck and a lot of experience, over many CTD casts, scientists constructed a map of water over the seafloor, showing areas (yellow and red) with suspected plume fluids.WHOI physical oceanographer Peter Winsor peers over the massive bow of the icebreaker Oden as an instrument called a ?CTD? is dangled into the ice-covered Arctic Ocean depths. Arching behind his head is a fogbow, a common Arctic meteorological phenomenon caused by sunlight refracting water droplets in a fog bank.STEP 2: UNLEASH THE ROBOTIC 'CATS'?WHOI engineers built three new vehicles to search for hydrothermal vents beneath the Arctic Ocean. The first two are sleek, torpedo-shaped, free-swimming robots called Puma and Jaguar. Once the CTD provides a rough idea of where a plume is, Puma is deployed through a hole in the ice and programmed to conduct missions on its own, said WHOI engineer Hanu Singh (left, with MIT/WHOI graduate student Clay Kunz, right). Equipped with sonar and sensors to ?sniff out? telltale temperature, chemical, or particle signals of hydrothermal plumes, it is designed to help scientists track the plume to its vent source. Jaguar is deployed next, using sonar to create seafloor maps (above) and to home in on vents, hovering above them while its camera and lighting systems collect images of the vents and any animals living around them.STEP 3: A DEEP-SEA CAMPER?The third new under-ice vehicle, designed and built by WHOI engineers led by John Bailey, is called Camper (short for ?camera/sampler?). Above, WHOI engineer John Kemp guides Camper into an ice-free pool created by the icebreaker Oden. The 6,200-pound steel-frame box?5 feet wide, 7 feet long, and 5.5 feet tall?is towed behind the icebreaker, which drifts with the ice pack. Camper is lowered to the seafloor via a winch and a fiber-optic cable. Camper is equipped with camera and light systems to send real-time images, such as this deep-sea octopus, back to scientists aboard ship. Researchers can send commands to the vehicle?s thrusters to maneuver and hover Camper briefly over vent sites and to operate its samplers: a ?grabber? to snatch hard samples such as clams or rocks (above) and a ?slurp gun? to vacuum in samples of fluids or microbes.


text:
October 28, 2011
Recent presentations, publications by geography faculty
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Faculty and graduate students from the department of geography have published and made several presentations.
They include:
Ryan Bergstrom, doctoral student in geography, and Lisa M.B. Harrington, professor of geography, published "Perceptions of sustainable development in Red Lodge, Montana" in Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences, vol. 34, pages 19-28. A presentation on the work was made by Harrington at the 34th annual Applied Geography Conference, Oct. 21, in Redlands, Calif. Harrington also chaired an additional session at the conference.
Kevin Blake, professor, published "Review of 'In the Footsteps of Lewis and Clark: Early Commemorations and the Origins of the National Historic Trail' by Wallace G. Lewis," in Material Culture, vol. 34-2, pages 105-107.
John A. Harrington Jr., professor, and Lisa K. Tabor and Iris E. Wilson, both 2011 master's graduates in geography published "Stakeholder adaptation to climate change in Kansas: What have we learned?" in Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences, vol. 34, pages 1-9.


text:
Weather of Wyndham, WA
Not the 'Wyndham' you were after? Try: Wyndham (the homestead) near Wentworth in New South Wales; Wyndham (the locality) near Candelo in New South Wales; Wyndham (the regional area) in New South Wales; or Wyndham (the regional area) in Western Australia.
Create a custom map: Click here to create a custom map including 'Wyndham'
Link to this page: Click here to see how
©2019 Digital Atlas Pty Limited | Usage Terms | Data Sources
If you do not agree with the Usage Terms then do not access this website.


text:
Terms of Service
By accessing this website, you are agreeing to be bound by these Terms of Service, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this website are protected by applicable copyright and trade mark law.
Use License
Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on CareGuide Inc.'s website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:
- modify or copy the materials;
- use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial);
- attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on CareGuide Inc.'s website;
- remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; or
- transfer the materials to another person or "mirror" the materials on any other server.
- This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by CareGuide Inc. at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.
- Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on CareGuide Inc.'s website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:
The materials on CareGuide Inc.'s website are provided "as is". CareGuide Inc. makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, CareGuide Inc. does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its website or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site.
All transactions or communications that take place between you and a third party that you have identified through the use of this site, including any purchase of services, take place solely between you and that third party. CareGuide Inc. is not involved in any such transactions or communications whatsoever. Any dispute or damages arising from any such transactions or communications between you and that third party are solely matters to be resolved between such parties and in connection therewith. You hereby agree to release, indemnify and hold CareGuide Inc. harmless from and against any and all claims, demands and damages of any kind arising from such circumstances.
Under no circumstances shall CareGuide Inc. or its suppliers be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive, exemplary, aggravated, economic or consequential damages, including, without limitation, loss of use, data, profit, opportunity or savings, arising out of or in any way related to the use, or the inability to access the site or any information or other materials available on or through the site, whether based in contract, tort, negligence or otherwise, even if CareGuide Inc. or an authorized representative of CareGuide Inc. has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Under no circumstances shall the cumulative total liability of CareGuide Inc. to you arising under this agreement for any cause whatsoever be greater than $10.
The materials appearing on CareGuide Inc.'s website could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. CareGuide Inc. does not warrant that any of the materials on its website are accurate, complete, or current. CareGuide Inc. may make changes to the materials contained on its website at any time without notice. CareGuide Inc. does not, however, make any commitment to update the materials.
CareGuide Inc. has not reviewed all of the sites linked to its website and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by CareGuide Inc. of the site. Use of any such linked website is at the user's own risk.
CareGuide Inc. may revise these terms of use for its website at any time without notice. By using this website you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these Terms and Conditions of Use.
Any claim relating to CareGuide Inc.'s website shall be governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You hereby consent and submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Ontario in any action or proceeding instituted under or related to this Agreement.


text:
Obviously, the Brits love B.o.B too. Read more reviews here.
Obviously the UK loves B.o.B.
The top entertainment news in the UK is that B.o.B knocked X factor (American Idol version in USA) group off the no.1 spot. :D. hooray.
the nr.1 radio channel in sweden, NRJ:s most played http://www.nrj.se/musik/most-played ofc Airplanes tops the list :D


text:
Today was the day I finally sat down and started doing more than just poking around at the Fusebox 4 core files and demo applications– I actually decided to use it.
devnulled is a blog which caters to software development related issues with a pro-unix and open standards slant. Over the years devnulled has been featured on Slashdot, Digg, the Indeed Blog, O'Reilly Hacks, and del.icio.us/popular.
Brandon Harper, the author behind devnulled, is a Software Engineer primarily working with JVM languages and some occasional Javascript. He's been programming since age eight, professionally for over 14 years, and has been been published in various industry publications and popular websites. Brandon also enjoys music, photography, command prompts, and things with wheels and turbos a wee bit much.


text:
MA Lighting Asia Pacific Holds W-DMX™ Seminar in Singapore
Wireless Solution seminars aim to educate the industry on the technology and benefits of wireless DMX in general and the monumental strengths of the W-DMX Generation 4 product line.
"W-DMX seminars are a very valuable tool," says Niclas Arvidsson, CEO of Wireless Solution, "People can learn what to do and what not to do when it comes to wireless DMX technology, plus get hands-on experience. MA Lighting is extremely competent when it comes to W-DMX and they have a very strong presence in Asia Pacific."
"Training is very important and having a partner like W-DMX who pioneers not only wireless but also RDM at the same time, we hope to bring these two topics to a wider audience as it will impact the industry very soon," confirms Jens Poehlker of MA Lighting.
Keep up with the entire Wireless Solution W-DMX seminar schedule by joining the company's facebook group – search "wireless DMX".
For more information or to hold a seat, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
MA Lighting
MA Lighting International, based in Paderborn, Germany, is the dedicated sales, support and service entity for the renowned grandMA control systems, digital dimming systems, networking tools and media servers of MA Lighting Technology, based near Wuerzburg, Germany. The product range offers cutting-edge solutions for control and dimming, including the award-winning grandMA/grandMA2 consoles, the popular Lightcommander and reliable digital dimmer racks and packs. With its innovative MA Video Processing Unit (VPU) MA bridges the lighting and video worlds.Today, MA Lighting is respected for its technical knowledge and has achieved a unique international reputation for its operational philosophy. The company offers 25 years experience and strictly follows a professional user-centric approach, getting as close as possible to the market via its own international offices and support centres in the UK, North America, Latin America, the Middle East/India, Asia Pacific and Scandinavia/Eastern Europe/Russia – supported by a world-wide distribution and service network.
Wireless Solution
Wireless Solution Sweden is the world's leading manufacturer of Wireless lighting control equipment, with over 60,000 units sold worldwide and over 35 OEM partners. Hailed for its reliability and ease of use, Wireless Solution's W-DMX range of products is the consistent choice for top professionals in the lighting industry and specified with perfect results in high-profile events and installations around the world. W-DMX is also hailed as the best wireless OEM solution. W-DMX has been used for lighting major events including the Youth Olympics in Singapore; Season of Light in Helsinki; 2010 Olympics in Vancouver; Times Square in New York City; the Nobel Prize Banquet; the Berlin Wall 20-year Anniversary; Eurovision Song Contest 2010; and many more.


text:
By Balazs Solti
Choose Product Type:
- Print Only
- Framed Art
- Canvas
- Framed Canvas
We currently don't ship these products internationally, but we're working on it! In the meantime, you can still choose an art print only which we will have sent to you in just a few days.
- Delivery in 5 to 7 working days
- Secure payment
Product details
High quality art prints on 350gsm white matte canvas, using the latest generation of archival inks. Printed sides, hand-stretched over a solid wooden frame and arrive ready to hang.
Paper Material
350 gsm white-matte canvas (100% cotton)
Print Technique
12-colour digital printing
All our products are made with love and care in our UAE workshop once your order is placed.


text:
The AAFP is urging Congress and the White House to protect and preserve the nation's primary care infrastructure during the current budget negotiating process by acting on five core principles that are vital to the current and future viability of primary care and family medicine.
Congress and the administration are engaged in intense negotiations about the Budget Control Act's (BCA's) sequestration provision, which calls for across-the-board-payment cuts starting in January, including a 2 percent Medicare physician payment cut. At the same time, physicians are facing a 26.5 percent reduction in the Medicare physician payment rate on Jan. 1 as a result of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. In addition, a series of tax cuts is set to expire at the end of the year.
In a Dec. 11 letter(3 page PDF) to congressional leaders and the White House, AAFP Board Chair Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., of Spokane, Wash., urged Congress to take action on five core principles:
- The AAFP is urging Congress and the White House to protect and preserve the nation's primary care infrastructure by taking action on five key issues.
- In a Dec. 11 letter to congressional leaders and President Obama, the AAFP explains how the issues affect primary care and family medicine and the role these specialties play in assuring patient access to care.
- As a first step, the AAFP is calling on Congress to block a pending 26.5 percent reduction in the Medicare physician payment rate.
- prevent the implementation of scheduled cuts in Medicare physician payments,
- do not repeal the Medicare payment increase for primary care services to pay for a year's extension of the SGR,
- maintain current funding for graduate medical education,
- stop the damaging across-the-board reductions produced by the BCA's sequestration requirements, and
- keep intact the health insurance subsidies for individuals and small businesses that purchase health plans through state or federal health insurance exchanges.
"The most important issue at this time, as it has been for more than 10 years, is the flawed formula used to determine the Medicare physician payment rates," said Stream in the letter. "Every year since 2001, the SGR has meant that physicians face unacceptable cuts in the Medicare physician fee schedule, and every year, usually at the last minute, Congress has had to override the formula's pending reductions in payment rates."
Stream stressed that the formula doesn't work and must be replaced. The SGR formula "is built on a fee-for-service system that pays only for the volume of services offered rather than the value of health care delivered," said Stream. "It promotes fragmentation and duplication of services rather than coordination and efficiency."
Moreover, the SGR undermines physicians' adoption and implementation of health care system priorities such as electronic health records and quality improvement and pay-for-performance programs, as well as compliance with policies governing these initiatives, Stream said.
He pointed out that the AAFP and other primary care physician organizations favor a blended payment system that incorporates fee-for-service and other payment modalities to better coordinate and align services and support innovative care models, such as the patient-centered medical home.
"However, if Congress does not have sufficient time to legislate an appropriate replacement payment system before the end of the year, the AAFP strongly recommends that you take the appropriate steps to prevent the cuts from being implemented," said Stream. "Ideally, you would accomplish this through a period of mandated stable payments, with primary care physicians providing primary care services eligible for a payment rate at least 2 percent higher than that for nonprimary care physicians."
This is the approach taken by the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act, a bill introduced by co-sponsors Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., and Rep. Joseph Heck, D.O., R-Nev., and supported by the AAFP, Stream noted.
The Republican-controlled House, meanwhile, has proposed paying for a yearlong extension of the Medicare physician payment rate by eliminating a provision in the health care reform law to bring Medicaid payment rates for primary care services at least up to the level of Medicare rates for the next two years. In the letter, Stream reiterated the AAFP's strong opposition to the GOP proposal, which would reduce patient access to Medicaid services.
"Patients will face obstacles in connecting with a patient-centered medical home and will be forced to rely on expensive episodic, acute-care services provided in other settings, such as hospital emergency rooms," said Stream.
Related ANN Coverage
AAFP Leads Fight to Shield Primary Care Programs From Budget Cuts, Preserve Medicaid/Medicare Parity Provision
Leader Voices Blog: Tell Congress to Preserve Medicaid Parity Payments
Organizations Fight to Repeal SGR, Call for New Payment Models
AAFP Joins With AARP, Four Others to Continue Working Toward SGR Resolution
This page will be removed from your Favorites Links. Are you sure?


text:
You do not have to be an expert on homeowners insurance just to make an informed purchase. As a wise consumer, it is important to read home insurance policies in detail and ask the important questions before you build a comprehensive insurance policy that will provide you with protection.
While premium is important, knowing how your policy will afford you coverage is more important. Insurance agents are licensed and trained experts on the subject. Here are 5 questions you should not forget to ask your agent to ensure that you are purchasing the right policy from the right insurer.
Questions To Ask Your Home Insurance Agent:
1. How much would it cost to rebuild my home in its current condition and location if it were a total loss?
One of the primary purposes of buying home insurance is to insure your home against total loss. You have the option to choose your dwelling limit, which will be the total amount the insurance company will pay for materials and labor to rebuild your home. If you are not familiar with home building costs in your neighborhood, ask your agent to help you calculate the cost to rebuild per square foot.
2. How much will you need to replace your personal belongings if they were destroyed?
Personal property coverage pays to repair or replace all of your personal belongings that are not attached to the dwelling. While the average home insurance policy provides you with 75% of your dwelling coverage to replace your belongings, this limit may need to be raised if you have a lot of valuables. Ask your agent for a home inventory checklist so that you can determine if you have enough coverage.
3. How much liability coverage do I need if something happens on or away from my property?
Liability coverage will protect you against lawsuits for property damage and injury. Liability pays for judgments and the cost to defend you in court. If you are not sure how much coverage you need, ask your agent. The standard home policy will provide $100,000 in coverage.
4. Do I need to add flood and earthquake coverage?
Homeowners insurance excludes losses that are caused by earthquake or flood. To protect yourself against these losses, you need to purchase a specialty flood and earthquake insurance policy. Specialized coverage is often recommended by the most seasoned property insurance agents.
5. Do we qualify for any discounts?
There are a number of ways you can reduce your home insurance premiums with discounts. Fire sprinklers, smoke detectors, alarm systems, monitoring services, a new roof, and gated entry can all qualify you for discounts. Ask about the discounts available through the insurer and make sure you take advantage of all of the discounts that you qualify for.
Make sure you ask the right questions when you are selecting an insurance contract. By getting informed, you can avoid building a policy that does not provide you adequate protection and peace of mind.


text:
Harry Grove Stadium Tickets
21 Stadium Dr , Frederick , MD
For Tickets Call 1-800-840-9227
Representatives available Mon-Fri 7am-12pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am-11pm
100% Buyer Guarantee. Tickets will arrive before event and refunds are given for any canceled event.
Harry Grove Stadium
21 Stadium Dr
Frederick, MD 21703
21 Stadium Dr
Frederick, MD 21703


text:
Tag Team Power Play: THQ, WWE Expand, Enhance Marketing Partnership
November 1, 2010: THQ and World Wrestling Entertainment have signed a "new, comprehensive marketing agreement" that greatly expands the alliance between the two companies. The expanded deal includes product placement, social media and experiential marketing at WWE events.
Financial terms of the pact were not disclosed. The new alliance builds on THQ's exclusive eight-year deal signed this past December to make and market WWE-based videogames. THQ first signed a licensing deal with WWE in 1999, but was involved in legal disputes with other gaming companies until the latest deal took effect in January 2010. Industry analysts said that from 2000 through 2009 the THQ-WWE alliance has generated more than $1.4 billion in sales.
According to the videogamer and wrestling-based entertainment company, THQ-developed, WWE-branded videogames will be integrated into domestic and international events, pay-per-view and TV sponsorships, magazines, WWE.com, WWE DVDs as well as other elements. In addition, for the first time, THQ will host interactive gaming kiosks at 40 WWE live events.
This significantly expands THQ's previous marketing efforts that were concentrated around the launch of individual WWE video games.
Among the highlights of the new deal, THQ will have "significantly increased online presence, including year-round participation on WWE.com"; THQ will have high profile sponsorship of WWE pay-per-views and TV programming, with greater in-program integration of THQ video games; and THQ videogame kiosks featuring WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 and WWE All Stars hosted at 40 WWE live events between Oct. 26, 2010 and April 16, 2011.
There also will be integration of videogame launches with WWE international events and cross-promotion in 15-20 WWE DVDs.
"This strategic marketing agreement reflects the benefits of working more closely with WWE to maximize the interactive entertainment experience for fans of this leading sports entertainment brand," THQ president and CEO Brian Farrell said in a statement. "We expect to increase awareness of our games through this new integrated program. Beyond that, we are expanding our WWE video game offerings with social applications and brand extensions to help WWE fans enjoy different interactive experiences throughout the year."
"This strategic marketing agreement reflects the benefits of working more closely with WWE to maximize the interactive entertainment experience for fans."
In addition to working more closely with WWE from a marketing perspective, THQ said it would develop an array of products built around the WWE brand, such as social media, iPhone and iPad applications, console brand extensions and a "powerful community site . . . to enable WWE videogame fans to stay connected all year long.
According to WWE COO Donna Goldsmith, "We are pleased to move our partnership forward in a broader, more comprehensive way. Working together, we plan to give our fans more access to all of the great interactive entertainment being created by THQ, as well as develop robust promotions to increase awareness of all WWE platforms."
THQ Resolves Lawsuit With WWE, Jakks Over Billion-Dollar Category


text:
Discover Our Scarf Personalisation Service
Recent searches
Popular Searches
Search Suggestions
A collection of seven individual fragrances which can truly be personalised to you. Inspired by artistry, the elements and the great British outdoors, each scent is available in either one, two or three varying concentrations, ensuring it feels completely unique to the wearer. Burberry Bespoke can only be purchased in store.
The collection encapsulates a British spirit – inspired by artistry, the elements and memorable landscapes. Each fragrance is unique and individual; evoking emotions and memories.
The Bespoke bottle can then be personalised with up to three monogrammed initials printed on to the front labelling, and it will be finished with your choice of leather ribbon – selected from 16 complementary Burberry shades.
Burberry Bespoke has been created by renowned perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, under the creative direction of Christopher Bailey. An award-winning master of fragrance creation for over 20 years, Francis is one of the most highly regarded noses in the industry having developed some of the world's best-loved and acclaimed scents, including the My Burberry collection.
'The idea of the collection came up at the very beginning of my collaboration with Christopher, and it went through many different creative stages and ideas. We knew it had to be a narrative, created with a free spirit and no limit or boundaries.'Francis Kurkdjian


text:
Department of Revenue News Release
February 19, 2010Interested Bidders Will Have Until March 25 to Submit Proposals to Manage Greenfield License Office
JEFFERSON CITY - Interested groups or individuals will have until March 25 to bid to operate the Greenfield License Office.
The Office of Administration issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to run the office earlier this week. The ability for people or groups to bid to run local license offices is part of Gov. Jay Nixon's new competitive process that requires the Missouri Department of Revenue to choose office agents that present the best proposals for customer service and financial efficiency.
This is the fourth time an RFP has been issued for the Greenfield office. The first RFP issued for the office resulted in no responses. The second and third proposals each attracted a bidder, but in each case the proposed location for the office was deemed inadequate.
Alana M. Barragán-Scott, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, noted that bids are closely scrutinized by the department so that area citizens can be confident that a local license office is well managed.
"The department is adamant that any winning bid will include a sound plan for customer service and an accessible, secure office location," she said. "I'm hopeful that a successful bidder will emerge in this round of bidding."
During Fiscal Year 2009 (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009), the Greenfield office conducted an estimated 12,598 transactions and generated an estimated $42,450 in processing fees. The current Greenfield License Office agent is Darrell Preston, and the office is located at 100 S. Main St. Potential bidders can propose to keep the office at the current address or submit another adequate location in Greenfield.
Common transactions that take place at local license offices include renewing or applying for a driver license, renewing or applying for registration on motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors, and applying for titles and paying sales taxes on these units.
A copy of the RFP that bidders will use to develop their bids can be viewed at https://www.moolb.mo.gov/. To review an RFP, select "Guest" on the home page, click on "Open Bids By Agency," then scroll through the list of bids until the appropriate bid is located. (The bid number for the Greenfield office is B3Z10189). Additional information regarding the bidding process can be obtained at http://oa.mo.gov/purch/vendorinfo/DORoffices.pdf or by calling OA at (573) 751-2387.


text:
Anime is BACK! I've got a special on Anime Hair, which was very fun for me to do. We will start with drawing the Preview picture of the Anime Boy and Girl. Hey! This is the very FIRST picture I've done COMPLETELY in DIGITAL! Let me know if it meets your expectations! The rest of the tutorial will include tips on sketching the hair. I hope you find this tutorial enjoyable. Let me know what you think of this tut by commenting, faving or clicking on "Love It"! Peace n love to ya!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


text:
Chanel Caviar Leather Handbag Authentic Pre Owned
This item is no longer available
Authenticity code: Chanel 2447410
This Chanel Caviar handbag is stunning! It features black caviar leather, gold tone hardware, and a spacious interior. The double shoulder handles make this bag a pleasure to tote around. A classic Chanel style that will remain timeless. This is the ideal bag for everyday because it combines class with practicality.
Authentic: Pre-Owned
Exterior: Gently used
Interior: Gently used
Measurements: 11 L x 8.75 W x 8.75 H. Handle drop: 15 (Approx.)
Product Code: 100574
All photos are of actual item being sold. © 2007-2019 LuxeDH.
This Chanel® item is guaranteed to be authentic. Chanel is a registered trademark of Chanel. LuxeDH is not affiliated with or represents Chanel in any way or form.


text:
*We really do give you a free night. You pay taxes and fees only.
Collect 10 nights, get 1 free*
- 500,000 properties around the world
Collect nights wherever you go
- You choose how you collect 10 nights. Whether it's a single stay or multiple trips, 10 nights add up fast
- Collect nights in over 500,000 properties around the world
- The value of your free night is the average price of the 10 nights you collect
Redeem your free nights anytime
- There are no blackout dates or restrictions
- Redeem your free nights at over 500,000 properties anytime, anywhere.
- From Nov. 27, 2019, a fee of $6.00 CAD will be applied to each reward night you redeem. There's no fee if you redeem on our app.
- From major hotel chains and beach resorts to boutiques, villas, and apartments, all types of properties are included
Unlock Secret Prices
- Look out for Secret Prices on select properties
- Save even more with Secret Prices
- Collect nights with your stay
US Member
Got a question?
How do I unlock Secret Prices?
For answers to questions like these and more, check out our articles. They have all the information you need.
Terms and Conditions
Hotels.com™ Rewards is for guests aged 18+ who registered with a valid email address. When you book and stay for 10 nights at eligible properties, you get 1 free night to redeem at another. From Nov. 27, 2019, a redemption fee applies to each free night, unless redeemed on the app. We work out the average value of all 10 nights you've collected and give it back to you as a free night. You just pay taxes and fees. And if you choose a room, apartment, or other equivalent that costs more, you pay the difference. You can't collect or redeem nights when you pay using a discount coupon or if you're making a reservation for a package vacation. Read the full terms and conditions.
Secret Prices are available to Hotels.com app users, Hotels.com™ Rewards members, and individuals subscribed to Hotels.com by email. Secret prices will be shown where the "Your Secret Price" banner is displayed on your search results. Available on select hotels and select dates only. Subject to full terms and conditions.


text:
Starting MSRP from * $36,620
- Charging rate varies based on output of the charge unit, vehicle settings and outside temperature.
- Vehicle user interface is a product of Apple and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires compatible iPhone and data plan rates apply. Apple CarPlay, Siri, iPhone and iTunes are trademarks for Apple Inc, registered in the U.S. and other countries.
- Vehicle user interface is a product of Google and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires the Android Auto app on Google Play and an Android compatible smartphone running Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher. Data plan rates apply. Android, Android Auto, Google, Google Play and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC.
- Receive 1 month or 3 GB of 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot data (whichever comes first). Service varies with conditions and location. Requires active connected service. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
- Requires compatible Apple or Android device and data connection. Remote Services require paid plan.
- EPA-estimated 238-mile EV range. Your actual range may vary based on several factors including temperature, terrain, and driving conditions.
New 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV at Van Chevrolet Cadillac in Kansas City
Discover the new Chevrolet, available to buy or lease today at Van Chevrolet Cadillac. On this page, you will find the 2019 Bolt EV vehicles that are currently available to buy or lease at our Kansas City dealership, be able to see the exterior color options, view photos, and more. If you have a question about this new Bolt EV or any other new and used vehicle at Van Chevrolet Cadillac, please give us a call at 877-389-1427, and our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.


text:
Preston finance board chairman resigns in protest
Preston — Angered that four members of the Board of Finance campaigned against the proposed $8 million loan package that ultimately failed in a referendum Tuesday, Board of Finance Chairman Robert Maurice abruptly resigned Tuesday.
Maurice, a Republican, who has served about 20 years on the finance board, said he was "frustrated" that four members of the board wrote opinion pieces in two local newspapers and distributed fliers days before the vote in opposition to the $8 million loan package that would have continued the cleanup of the former Norwich Hospital property.
One flier suggested several other ways the town could spend $8 million — a new senior center, firetrucks, new school buses and a community center — and at the bottom said "Vote NOvember 27."
"Four members of the Board of Finance are saying we shouldn't be going ahead with the loan," Maurice said Tuesday. "Four members make up a quorum, and stuff was done and influencing things the wrong way. It's wrong. It's just not fair. It's not right."
Board of Finance members Jerry Grabarek, Norman Gauthier, Ken Zachem and Andrew Bilodeau contributed to an opinion article that was published on the editorial page in Sunday's edition of The Day. Grabarek also distributed fliers at the town transfer station on Saturday.
"We have a right to do that," Grabarek said Tuesday. "We have the right to do what we want to do. The four of us got together, and we wrote a letter."
Gauthier, who said he was shocked at Maurice's resignation, said none of the fliers or the opinion articles specifically said "vote no." He said the "Vote NOvember 27" flier was an earlier version he didn't think was distributed.
Gauthier said the four finance board members did not have a meeting — which would have constituted a quorum of the six-member agency — and were expressing their opinions as individuals.
"I believe that the Board of Finance had an obligation to inform the people of the town what this referendum is all about," Gauthier said.
But at least one resident, Preston Redevelopment Agency member William Legler, said he plans to file a complaint with the state Freedom of Information Commission. Legler said he also is considering a complaint to the state Elections Enforcement Commission.
Paula Pearlman, staff attorney for the FOI Commission, said when the commission considers an allegation of an illegal meeting, it depends heavily on the facts of what the group discussed, whether it included official town business or allowed issues such as scheduling a meeting or setting the agenda.
It doesn't matter whether the members met in person, over the phone or via email, she said.
"It's not to say that board members can't communicate by email, but you have to be cautious of what is discussed," she said. "'Are you available to meet on this date,' versus 'what is your position on this issue?'"
In the weeks prior to the referendum, Gauthier had objected to informational meetings by the Preston Redevelopment Agency to explain the loan package to voters, citing state laws that prohibit the use of town funds to promote one side in a referendum question.
The finance board will have the authority to appoint Maurice's replacement, according to state statutes, until the November 2013 regular election. Maurice's six-year term was to expire next fall.
"I don't blame him," Congdon, a supporter of the loan package, said of Maurice's resignation. "It's a big loss to the town, but when you have four members of your board going off on their own with no regard to the board, it's frustrating."
Stories that may interest you
Lee's Kitchen: Taking the mystery out of meatloaf
Did you ever wonder why anyone would choose meatloaf at a restaurant? Truth be told, most people love meatloaf, but they don't like their parents' or spouse's meatloaf.
Kindness in Real Life: Scrapbooking for a cause
Not everyone has the freedom of movement to do scrapbooking; sometimes family and friends with multiple sclerosis cannot participate in the activities.
Stonington selectmen approve boathouse park compromise
The Board of Selectmen on Wednesday formally endorsed an agreement with the State Historic Preservation Office to preserve a house on the Mystic River Boathouse Park property that is considered to be a contributing factor to the Rossie Velvet Mill Historic District.
Dog's day at the beach in Groton
Courtney Wilson of Mystic plays with her dog Ezra on Wednesday at Esker Point Beach.
Hillary Clinton says 'many, many, many people' urging her to run for president in 2020
Testimony from officials undercuts piece of Trump's impeachment defense


text:
Asked by Gary, Lake Placid, Florida
What is your knowledge of Schamberg's disease, and are you aware of any cures for it?
Conditions Expert
Dr. Otis Brawley
Chief Medical Officer,
American Cancer Society
Dear Gary, Schamberg's disease is also known as Schamberg's purpura and as progressive pigmented purpuric dermatitis. It is a condition associated with smooth, flat orangish-brown or rust-colored patches staining the skin. It especially affects the legs and ankles but can occur anywhere. No one knows why, but this disease is more common in males than females. It can occur at any age from childhood onward. There are a few other diseases with which this can be confused. A dermatologist often must make the diagnosis through a punch biopsy of the skin and examination of that biopsy under a microscope.
It is caused by leaky blood vessels (especially the small capillaries) leaving blood products under the skin and the subsequent breakdown of those blood cells. The iron from broken-down red cells accounts for the orangish brown tint of the skin rash.
This ailment is not life-threatening. It is more a cosmetic problem, although there can be itching. An eruption can last for years. Eruptions can change with slow extension, and there can even be some clearing of the original lesions.
While there is no specific treatment to cure Schamberg's disease permanently, there are things that sometimes help. The itching can usually be controlled with topical steroid creams such as cortisone. The red cell leakage is often a reaction to a medication, and it will go away by stopping that medicine. It can also be an allergic reaction to food, food additives, clothes or other artificial coloring agents.
I once saw this in a patient, and we believe it was due to a change in the formulation of a popular laundry detergent. The patient had used this detergent without problem for years and initially did not know that the formula had changed, but only that the rash had appeared. After a lot of medical detective work, changing to a new detergent was the solution.
There are anecdotal reports of response to treatment with large doses of vitamin C. I cannot find an organized study using vitamin C. I strongly suggest you see a dermatologist and review all possibilities.
Previous question:
Can the shingles vaccine prevent a recurrence?« Back to Conditions
Next question:
Does my orientation boost my risk for rectal cancer?
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. All comments should be relevant to the topic and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
The information contained on this page does not and is not intended to convey medical advice. CNN is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented here. Please consult a physician or medical professional for personal medical advice or treatment.


text:
The White House is enlisting "Sex and The City" star Sarah Jessica Parker, Forest Whitaker and others from Hollywood and beyond to help push President Barack Obama's arts initiatives.
On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden will install 25 new members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Parker and Whitaker are among the most famous names, along with actors Edward Norton and Alfre Woodard and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The list also includes "Vogue" magazine editor Anna Wintour and philanthropist Teresa Heinz, wife of U.S. Sen. John Kerry.
The committee will be led by George Stevens Jr., executive producer of the Kennedy Center Honors and founder of the American Film Institute, and Broadway producer Margo Lion.


text:
There were 1,671 homes listed for sale in the Regina area at the end of January, up 21% over 1,379 in 2014. There were 1,016 homes listed in the city - an increase of 22% from 833 last year and up 82% from 558 in 2013. The number of listings is continuing at 20-year plus highs and is having a significant impact on the market, according to the Association of Regina REALTORS® Inc.
Pricing your home correctly is critical for a successful sale in today's market. Please feel free to contact one of our sales professionals - they have the information and expertise to determine the fair market value for your home.
There were 540 new listings placed on the MLS® System during the month in all geographical areas, virtually on par with 2014 when 538 were posted. In the city 391 were reported, down 8% from 427 in 2014.
For January, the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) - a much more accurate indicator of housing price trends than the average reported a composite residential price of $281,500, down 4.1% from last year's levels of $293,500, indicating that residential property values have actually declined in Regina over the past year.
In Regina and area. there were 163 sales reported in the month including bedroom communities, down 2% from 2014 when 167 sales were reported. There were 135 sales in the city, a decrease of 5% from 2014s 142 sales.
Sales activity and supply levels in January are both indicators of 2014 market conditions carrying over into 2015. We are optimistic about the year provided that the economy performs well, creates jobs and attracts newcomers into the area.
If you're thinking about moving, perhaps it's time to talk to one of the highly trained sales professionals at CENTURY 21 Dome Realty Inc.. Whether buying or selling, they can provide you with the assistance you need. Check out our listings.


text:
- Related links
Outdoor adventures made easier for you at Go Wild!
Service center locations
Please check with the DNR's Call Center at 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463) to confirm hours for your local center.
DNR Service Centers are located throughout the state of Wisconsin. For your convenience, we have categorized the list of our locations by county, city, and Wisconsin DNR region.
- Service Center Listing by City
- Service Center Listing by County
- Service Center Listing by DNR Region
Central office
The Wisconsin DNR Central Office is located downtown, near the State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin.
101 S Webster Street
PO Box 7921
Madison WI
608-266-2621 or 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463)
608-261-4380 (Fax)
TTY Access via relay - 711
Monday thru Friday
Counter Hours
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Office Hours
7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Please refer to the Downtown City-Operated Parking map [exit DNR] as a guide for driving and parking near the building.


text:
Ryan: NASCAR's drastic moves aim to avert dreaded lull
It's a four-letter word that should strike fear in NASCAR executives who last witnessed it just before a white-hot growth spurt disintegrated into audience erosion and financial contraction.
It's a lull.
And its specter looms large on the eve of a Sprint Cup season that — before last week's announcement of a major championship rejiggering that was engineered to breed incessant plot twists — inherently seemed a placeholder currently separating NASCAR milestones.
NASCAR:Makes radical changes to Chase
Last year featured the debut of the ballyhooed Gen 6 car, which alternatively was hyped as an aesthetic marvel and a miracle salve for stock car racing's on-track woes.
Next year will begin the richest TV windfall in NASCAR history — a 10-year, $8.2 billion deal with NBC and Fox that will install a rock-solid financial foundation through 2024.
Which left us with 2014 potentially being classified as The Year of In Between.
MOST POPULAR:Dale Earnhardt Jr. reaches crossroads
It's disturbingly familiar territory for NASCAR.
In 2005, the sport reached its most recent zenith with record crowds and TV ratings following the second edition of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which was captured by charismatic Tony Stewart.
The next season, which was the last under a landmark six-year network deal with Fox and NBC, brought sagging crowds and ratings dips for nearly 90% of the 36-race schedule as Jimmie Johnson won his first championship amid myriad harbingers of an economic downturn that would decimate the balance sheets of teams and tracks for the next few years.
"We're in a little bit of a lull," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said late in the season. "We have a lot of different things that are very significant going on, but they're all coming next year."
Those story lines for 2007 — the return of ESPN, the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow, the arrival of Juan Pablo Montoya — were worthy of mass anticipation and heavy promotion, but their reception felt muted.
There were grumblings within the industry that was partly because NBC shifted priorities away from showcasing NASCAR in '06 — a common strategy for a lame-duck season.
In 2000, the last year before NASCAR's first national TV deal with Fox and NBC, a 7% decline in ratings was attributed to the lack of promotion by its departing broadcast partners on cable TV.
Could there be a recurrence with reversed roles in ESPN's final year before handing the baton back to NBC?
There seemed no discernible change in ESPN's commitment in closing the 2013 season with its 17-race block, which began just days after NASCAR announced NBC as its impending replacement. ESPN President John Skipper has said NASCAR still will be covered on Sports Center and other news programming.
That has to be reassuring for those who recall the contentious era in which ESPN reporters weren't credentialed for races and were left to interview drivers on helipads outside racetracks.
But without race programming in 2015, there will be a natural decline in NASCAR's presence on a multimedia behemoth that sets the tone for national conversations and debates among fans.
And even with ironclad support from the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader In Sports," there are signs NASCAR needed to reassert its relevance — which might have been partially why it spent much of January teasing and unveiling seismic changes to its qualifying and championship structure that helped gin up interest in the offseason.
RYAN:NASCAR loses uniqueness to chase excitement
GLUCK:Deciding champion in once race is a mistake
The introduction of a new Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff field — expanded to 16 drivers and burnished with three elimination rounds before a winner-take-all season finale among four title contenders at Homestead-Miami Speedway — guarantees the brand of drama that was deficient last year. Consider what transpired in 2013:
--There was a plethora of disconcerting developments that kept the focus from the track, starting with two dozen fans injured by debris from an airborne car in a Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway and continuing non-stop through the team-orders scandal at Richmond International Raceway that overshadowed the Chase.
--Because of injuries and misfortune, three of the sport's most magnetic stars — Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski — were absent from championship contention and mostly uncompetitive, which limited their impacts on shaping the weekly soap operas that propel racing's popularity.
--Johnson, the most dominant driver of his generation but not the most compelling, won a sixth championship with his typically methodical excellence. Though his battle with Matt Kenseth was among the closest in the Chase's 10 seasons, there was a dearth of indelible moments.
NASCAR ended the season without much momentum.
It's taken significantly drastic measures to stave off another lull.
Otherwise, that wouldn't be the only four-letter word being uttered along the corridors of power in Charlotte and Daytona Beach, Fla.
Follow Ryan on Twitter @nateryan


text:
Patch Tuesday: Microsoft Fixes Critical Remote Desktop Flaw
Microsoft closed a critical vulnerability in its Remote Desktop protocol as part of its March Patch Tuesday release.
The remote code execution vulnerability in the Remote Desktop Protocol can be exploited to run arbitrary code on the targeted Windows system, Microsoft said in its Patch Tuesday advisory, dated March 13. All in all, Microsoft released six security bulletins fixing seven vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, DNS server, Expression Design and Visual Studio.
The RDP patch was the only bulletin rated as "critical" and Microsoft urged administrators to apply the fix immediately. Even though RDP is disabled by default on most Windows systems, the pool of potential victims is still significant because it is used by many businesses to remotely log in and manage machines. Often, an administrator may forget to turn off RDP after using it once for maintenance or troubleshooting.
The exploit, once developed, would succeed even without valid network credentials. This vulnerability is present in all versions of Windows, according to Microsoft. An attacker would be able to install programs, view, change or delete data, and create new accounts with full user rights.
"An unauthenticated remote code execution is pretty much as bad as it gets," said Dave Marcus, director advanced research and threat intelligence at McAfee Labs.
Last fall, an Internet worm called Morto used RDP to attack Windows machines by brute-forcing passwords on Administrator accounts using a list of commonly used passwords. The worm highlighted that machines that can be accessed remotely are usually poorly secured, often with weak passwords or no VPN protection in place, said Kurt Baumgartner, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab.
Businesses that enabled network level authentication (NLA) with RDP are at significantly less risk, because of the additional authentication layer present. However, NLA is native only on Vista and later versions, including Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Administrators would need to install separate client software to make NLA work on XP systems.
Even though there are no exploits in the wild targeting the vulnerability, Microsoft anticipated one would be developed within the next 30 days.
Ben Greenbaum, a senior principal software engineer at Symantec's Security Intelligence Group recommended that administrators check and verify that RDP is disabled on systems that don't need remote access.
In other update news, Adobe released a security update for Cold Fusion 9.0.1 and earlier for Windows, Mac OS, and Unix, earlier in the day. The security vulnerability could be exploited to result in a denial of service attack. Instructions for applying the hotfix were included in a separate tech note.
The issue was flagged as "important," meaning that if successfully exploited, attackers could potentially access confidential data or somehow compromise the computer's processing resources. Even though Adobe has yet to see exploits in the wild targeting the flaw, the Product Security Incident Response Team ranked the patch as a "priority 2" fix. The update should be installed "soon," or within 30 days, according to Adobe.


text:
More Than Nutritious: Why Organics Are Still Healthier
We have seen many outrageous studies that reinforce the worldview of giant corporate agribusiness over the years, but two in the last three months really take the cake.
Before we tell you what they are, we ask you to take 10 seconds and answer this one-question survey:
My understanding is that those who buy organic do so because:
1) They want to avoid the pesticides used in non-organic produce.
2) They are looking for more nutritious food.
If you are like the American University students who took this survey, you correctly selected number one. No one who answered our survey chose number two on nutrition. Indeed, the main selling point for eating organic has long been that it is healthier because of the absence of chemicals in your food. Think, for example, of Rachel Carson, who exposed to the world the horrors of pesticide exposure 50 years ago in her classic Silent Spring.
Which brings us to two attention-grabbing studies: In early September, Stanford University researchers (publishing in the Annals of Internal Medicine) made headlines in mainstream media by claiming to have proven that organic food is no more nutritious than food grown with pesticides. On its heels, a second study—this one by the American Academy of Pediatrics—reached the same basic conclusion. Both studies were presented as harsh blows against organic farming, essentially telling parents that there was no nutrition-based reason to buy organics for their children.
But wait a minute. Let's repeat what those students we surveyed accurately understand in terms of the pro-organics facts: The arguments in favor of organic food are not that it is more nutritious in terms of vitamins or protein or fat content and so on. The "more nutritious" claim is what is correctly used for whole grains and fruits and vegetables in general (organic or not).
Instead of nutrition, the key arguments in favor of organics involve health on multiple levels: Organics are good for farmers, consumers, the land, and the planet. Organic farmers we interviewed in the Philippines, for example, consistently stressed how their health improved once they stopped using pesticides. Consumers eat organics for long-term health reasons that weren't taken into account by the "expert" studies. Then there's the health of the land and the atmosphere: production of inorganic pesticides contributes to greenhouse gases.
When we read the newspaper coverage and the two studies, we were bewildered and outraged by how the central arguments in favor of organics were twisted and/or ignored. And we were curious as to who was at fault: the researchers, their PR machines, or the journalists who wrote about the study. On closer examination, all three seem culpable.
To being with, the Stanford researchers structured their research questions to lead to what could be billed as a startling finding—that organic foods are not more nutritious than non-organic foods—when of course it wasn't at all startling or truly relevant. To the extent the study does ask about pesticide use, it bean-counts such tallies as pesticide residues instead of looking at the longer-term health impact of the various pesticides. In this regard, long-term organics expert Charles Benbrook explains that the Stanford study relies on an extremely disputable methodology. Indeed, Benbrook's careful research finds "a 94 percent reduction in health risk … from the selection of organic brands."
And there's a gnawing potential conflict of interest issue with the study: We're told that Stanford "authors received no external funding for this study," but shouldn't a study connected to Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies fess up in bold letters that the Institute gets funding from corporate agribusiness? Cargill, to be specific. Without such transparency, one can't help but wonder how the study came to be.
As for the PR machine, the press release from Stanford played up the "not-more-nutritious" line even more than the study itself, as if the Stanford spin-handlers knew this would more likely be picked up by the mainstream press. "Little Evidence of Health Benefits from Organic Food, Stanford Study Finds," the press release screams. But even as it acknowledges in passing that "…consumption of organic foods can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure," the press release (like the study itself) returns to a vitamin-protein-fat-etc definition of nutrition and health and therefore downplays the fact that ultimately this research reinforces the obvious: organic food is healthier because of the absence of chemicals.
And then, the mainstream media essentially fell for this hook, line, and sinker. By and large, the media coverage parroted the press release and the attention-grabbing headlines. Granted, most reporters are overworked these days. But we shouldn't let any of these folks off the hook.
Full Speed Ahead for Food Movement, Despite GMO-Labeling Loss
Although a ballot initiative to label foods containing genetically modified organisms failed in California, the organizers behind the measure say their movement is better organized and larger than ever before.
These may seem like two minor studies—but the intent seems to be to change not just how we think about organic food but also our purchasing. As the Stanford press release says in its opening paragraph, the next time you find yourself reaching for an organic plum in a store because you thought it "the healthier decision… new findings from Stanford University [might] cast some doubt on your thinking."
Please join us—and others, including Francis Moore Lappé and Mark Bittman—in our outrage. Not letting these ludicrous studies change our voice or our purchasing is the way to ensure that Rachel Carson lives on. Buying organic is good for the long-term health of the planet and its inhabitants. So, please do reach for that organic plum.
And please do join us in making it known that we consumers cannot be fooled this easily. If you eat organics, tell your friends why you do so. Write a letter to the editor telling your local newspaper why you choose organic.
Shame on you, Stanford University researchers. And you too, American Association of Pediatrics. At a minimum, you've been used by corporate power.
Robin is a Professor of International Development at in Washington, D.C. and has worked as an international economist in the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Congress. John is director of the , and is co-chair (with David Korten) of the . They are co-authors of three books and numerous articles on the global economy, and have been traveling the country and the world for their project Local Dreams: Finding Rootedness in the Age of Vulnerability.
Although a ballot initiative to label foods containing genetically modified organisms failed in California, the organizers behind the measure say their movement is better organized and larger than ever before.
A ten-day ad blitz courtesy of companies like Cargill, Monsanto, and Syngenta has swayed many voters against a ballot initiative to label foods containing genetically modified organisms. Yet supporters still expect the initiative to pass.
Whether you're worried about hunger, social crises, or climate change, the solution is the same: small-scale farming.


text:
- Browse bikes
- Top bikes
- Tools
- News & reviews
- Forums
- Free classifieds
Yamaha VMAX 2012
2012 Yamaha VMAX specifications, pictures, reviews and rating
2012 Yamaha VMAX. Picture credits - Yamaha. Submit more pictures.
|Yamaha's profilation of this bike
|The current incarnation puts a bigger engine in a more compact chassis to give awesome acceleration and precise handling. It comes with a 1,679cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke V4 engine that delivers huge torque and gives the rider previously unimaginable levels of power.
|General information
|Yamaha VMAX
|Naked bike
|73.8 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes
|Price as new (MSRP):
|US$ 19890. Prices depend on country, taxes, accessories, etc.
|Engine and transmission
|1679.00 ccm (102.45 cubic inches)
|Engine type:
|V4, four-stroke
|Engine details:
|Forged aluminum pistons and NGK® Iridium spark plugs with R1-type direct ignition coils
|200.00 HP (146.0 kW)) @ 9000 RPM
|166.80 Nm (17.0 kgf-m or 123.0 ft.lbs) @ 6500 RPM
|Bore x stroke:
|90.0 x 66.0 mm (3.5 x 2.6 inches)
|Valves per cylinder:
|Fuel system:
|Injection. Fuel Injection with YCC-T and YCC-I
|Fuel control:
|Double Overhead Cams/Twin Cam (DOHC)
|TCI: Transistor Controlled Ignition
|Lubrication system:
|Wet sump
|Cooling system:
|Transmission type,
final drive:
|Shaft drive (cardan)
|Wet, Multiple-disc diaphragm spring
|Constant Mesh
|Fuel consumption:
|8.71 litres/100 km (11.5 km/l or 27.01 mpg)
|Greenhouse gases:
|202.1 CO2 g/km. (CO2 - Carbon dioxide emission)
|Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels
|Frame type:
|Lightweight aluminum
|Rake (fork angle):
|147 mm (5.8 inches)
|Front suspension:
|52mm telescopic cartridge fork w/oxidized titanium coating. Fully adjustable preload, compression and rebound
|Front wheel travel:
|120 mm (4.7 inches)
|Rear suspension:
|Single shock w/remote reservoir and remote adjustable for preload, compression and rebound
|Rear wheel travel:
|110 mm (4.3 inches)
|Front tyre:
|Rear tyre:
|Front brakes:
|Double disc
|Front brakes diameter:
|320 mm (12.6 inches)
|Rear brakes:
|Single disc
|Rear brakes diameter:
|298 mm (11.7 inches)
|Physical measures and capacities
|Weight incl. oil, gas, etc:
|310.0 kg (683.4 pounds)
|Seat height:
|775 mm (30.5 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting.
|Overall height:
|1,189 mm (46.8 inches)
|Overall length:
|2,395 mm (94.3 inches)
|Overall width:
|820 mm (32.3 inches)
|Ground clearance:
|140 mm (5.5 inches)
|1,700 mm (66.9 inches)
|Fuel capacity:
|15.14 litres (4.00 gallons)
|Oil capacity:
|5.90 litres (0.39 quarts)
|Other specifications
|Color options:
|Granite Gray
|Factory warranty:
|1 Year (Limited Factory Warranty)
|Further information
|Insurance costs
|Compare US insurance quotes from the nation's top providers.
|Parts finder
|Chaparral provides online schematics & OEM parts for the US. 2Wheels offers first time 2Wheels buyers $10.00 off now. Same day shipment to the US. CMSNL ships low cost OEM motorcycle parts to Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, The United States and more. Also check out our overview of motorcycle webshops at Bikez.info.
|Ask questions
|Join the 12 Yamaha VMAX discussion group or the general Yamaha discussion group.
|Related bikes
|List related bikes for comparison of specs.
Free motorcycle classifiedsClick here to sell a used 2012 Yamaha VMAX or advertise any other MC for sale. You can list all available Yamaha VMAX bikes and also sign up for e-mail notification when such motorcycles are advertised in the future. Ads with or without pictures are easy to create. Our classifieds are completely free with sections for every country in the world. You can also check out our list of related motorbikes. Compare technical data. Look at photos. View your fellow riders' rating of the bike's reliability, design, engine performance, accident risk, repair cost, etc.
|Rating sample for this Yamaha bike
Reliability for the 2012 Yamaha VMAX:
(78.7 out of 100)
Click here for complete rating. You can also compare bikes.
Pictures, trademarks and logos of third parties are the exclusive property of the respective owners. Technical specifications are subject to change without notice. Bikez.com has been developed by low-cost software development company ObjectLabs.
Aprilia BMW Ducati Harley-Davidson Honda Kawasaki KTM Moto Guzzi Suzuki Triumph Ural Yamaha
Copyright © 1999-2019 by Bikez.com a.s. This web uses cookies.
About Bikez. Advertise products. Contact Bikez.com. Privacy policy. Motorcycle catalogue and Motorcycle classifieds
Copyright © 1999-2019 by Bikez.com a.s. This web uses cookies.
About Bikez. Advertise products. Contact Bikez.com. Privacy policy. Motorcycle catalogue and Motorcycle classifieds


text:
Electronics Projects: How to Make a Beeper
In this electronics project, you use two 555 timer chips to build an audible beeper, with both timers configured in astable mode. Each time controls a different audible tone on the beeper.
One timer generates an audible square-wave tone of approximately 500 Hz; the output of this 555 is sent to a speaker so the tone can be heard. The other has a much lower frequency of about 1.5 Hz. You connect its output to the reset of the 500 Hz timer to turn the tone on and off, which creates the beeping effect.
Before you start, have a look for a moment at the project's schematic diagram. For the first timer chip — designated 555 (1) in the schematic — the RC network uses resistors of 1 kΩ and 470 kΩ along with a 1 μF capacitor to produce the 1.5Hz output.
The second timer — 555 (2) — uses two 100 kΩ resistors and a 0.01 μF capacitor to create the 500 Hz output. The output of the first timer is sent to the reset of the second timer, and the output of the second timer is sent through a 22 μF capacitor to an 8 Ω speaker.
Note: You could easily build this circuit using a single 556 dual-timer chip. You'd have to adjust the pin designations on the schematic accordingly.
The speaker used in this circuit can be any 8 Ω speaker. If you have an old unamplified computer speaker, you can use it. Solder 2–3″ lengths of 20-gauge solid wire to the speaker terminals so you can easily connect the speaker to the breadboard.
Here are some extra-credit assignments for this project, in case you want to experiment with the circuit a bit:
Try building the circuit with a single 556 chip instead of two, 555 chips.
Replace the 100 kΩ R3 with a 1 kΩ resistor, and then add a 1 MΩ potentiometer in series with the resistor. As you turn the potentiometer, the tone changes.
Add a 1 MΩ potentiometer in series with R1. Then, as you turn the potentiometer, the beeping rate changes.


text:
Used and vintage linens bring a layer of texture, color and interest to any room. Want a dinner party table that will simply sing? Combine hotel silver with vintage napkins and mismatched china. Bring life to your kitchen with vintage table top decor and charming tea towels in an adorable vintage pattern. It doesn't take many pieces of used and vintage linens to add the perfect touch. Pair it with vintage trays for the perfect finishing touch!
The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Table Linens
Vintage table linens are an elegant way to spruce up any table setting—formal or casual. Although not new, used table linens can live on through second and third terms as family heirlooms so long as they're properly cared for, cleaned, and stowed away when not in use. To learn more about the types of vintage table linens available, along with tips on how to use them to set a formal dining table table, read on below.
When it comes to secondhand table linens, think of napkins as the appetizer, the perfect way to set an overall color scheme for a table. Available in a variety of colors, designs, and fabrics, napkins are a no-fuss way to add a subtle pop of color to any tablescape.
When on the hunt for vintage napkins, look for materials like polyester, cotton, acrylic, and spun polyester. These materials will be easy to clean, preventing those after-dinner party blues from feeling quite so epic.
Table Runners
Secondhand table linens are a go-to way to add an elegant touch to a dinner party or brunch. But what if you're looking for an option that can be left out after your guests call it a night? Enter the vintage table runner. Traditionally used to add an extra layer of protection to prized tablecloths, the table runner is now used as a purely decorative item. Available in rectangular, oval, and square shapes, we especially love using these pieces to anchor a parade of small floral arrangements marching down the length of a dining table.
Like the table runner, placemats can be used in both formal and casual settings. While many use placemats on a regular basis to protect their tables from scratches or spills, placemats can also be used to anchor extravagant, multiple-plate place settings during dinner parties or other lavish affairs.
For an everyday, look for placemats in easy-to-clean materials like bamboo, PVC, and vinyl, but for parties, spring for burlaps, colored cottons, and raffia materials (t.hey'll be harder to clean, but so worth it!)
Perhaps the best-known member of the vintage table linens family, tablecloths can be used on a regular basis or reserved for holidays and formal dinners. Like placemats, they protect tables from scratches and spills, but are generally easier to wash, dry, and de-wrinkle.
Important to note is that different shaped tablecloths are available for round, rectangular, and square tables. Also available are fitted or stretch tablecloths. Tablecloths come in an endless variations of colors, designs, and patterns too.
Tips for Setting a Formal Table
When setting a formal table, factoring in vintage table linens will allow you to infuse your table with color, elegance, and function. Here are some of our best tips for setting a formal table with vintage linens:
- First, decide on whether you want to use placemats or a tablecloth to cover your table. Tablecloths allow for more elbow room on the table, while placemats will take up a bit more space.
- Cover your table with the tablecloth or placemats of your choice. If you have a round table, choose a round tablecloth, and so on.
- Next, complete the table by setting your dinnerware—forks on the left of the plate and knife and spoon on the right side (the knife should be closest to your plate and the spoon should be on the outer edge).
- Fold each linen into a long strip and place it lengthwise on top of your plates. Top each plate and folded napkin with a teacup and saucer.
- Lastly, add your candles, glasses, centerpieces, and remaining table accessories to the table.
- Photograph your elegant look and wait for the compliments to come pouring in as your guests arrive!