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1. Powering Up
Press the Lock/Power button on the top right side of the display tablet to switch the unit on. The system boots up, and shows the lock screen. Press and drag the inner ring to the edge of the circle to unlock the screen; the Autel MaxiSYS MS906 Job Menu is shown.
1. Application Buttons
2. Locator and Navigation Buttons
3. Status Icons
NOTE: The screen is locked by default when you first turn on the display tablet. It is recommended to lock the screen to protect information in the system and reduce battery usage.
Almost all operations on the display tablet are controlled through the touch screen. The touch screen navigation is menu driven, which allows you to quickly locate the test procedure, or data that you need, through a s eries of choices and questions. Detailed descriptions of the menu structures are found in the chapters for the various applications.
1.1 Application Buttons
The Application buttons configure the Maxisys for the type of operation or activity to be performed. The table below gives brief descriptions of the available applications.
Use your finger tip to select an application from the Job Menu.
1.2 Locator and Navigation Buttons
To use the camera:
1. Tap the Camera button. The camera screen opens.
2. Focus the image to be captured in the view finder.
3. Tap the inner blue circle. The view finder now shows the captured picture and auto-saves the taken photo.
4. Tap the thumbnail image on the top right corner of the screen to view the stored image.
5. Tap the Back or Home button to exit the camera application.
1.3 System Status Icons
These are the standard status icons of the Android operating system. Your display tablet is a fully functional Android Pad. Refer to Android documentation for additional information.
By tapping on this area (bottom right corner), a S hortcuts Panel will be displayed, on which you are allowed to set various system settings of the tablet. Operations of each button on the panel are described in the table below:
2. Powering Down
All vehicle communications must be terminated before shutting down the display tablet. A warning message displays if you attempt to shut down while the display tablet is communicating with the vehicle. Forcing a shut down while communicating may lead to ECM problems on some vehicles. Exit the Diagnostics application before powering down.
To power down the display tablet:
1. Press and hold the Lock/Power Button.
2. Tap Power off option.
3. Tap OK; the tablet will turn off in a few seconds.
2.1 Reboot System
In case of system crash, press and hold the Lock/Power button for 8 seconds to reboot the system.
3 Installing Computer Software
The MaxiSys Diagnostic Platform allows you to realize some of its functions on a c omputer to enhance capabilities and i mprove user experience. To realize these functions on a computer, you need to install certain software.
There are two Setup.exe program packages contained in the CD provided with the MaxiSys tool kit. The packages include the following applications:
To install the Setup.exe program
1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM of the computer. The driver installation wizard will load momentarily.
2. Click on Next on the welcome page.
3. Click the Change button, and select a destination folder to install the program, and click Next to continue. Or directly click Next to continue without changing the default installation folder.
4. Click Install and the Setup.exe program will be installed onto the computer.
3.1 Printing Operation
This section describes how to receive file from the display tablet and perform printing through the computer:
To perform printing through the computer
1. Install the PC Link (Printing Services program) to the computer.
2. Make sure the obd2tool.com MS906 tablet is connected to the computer network, either via Wi-Fi or LAN, before printing.
3. Run the Printing Services program on the computer.
4. Tap the Print button on the toolbar displayed in various applications of the MaxiSys system. A temporary file will be created and sent to
5. Click the Printer Server tab on the top of the program interface on the computer, and wait for the printing file to load.
6. Click the Print button to start printing.


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Mrs Khanna and I (Main Aur Mrs Khanna)
Samir and Raina have a fairy tale marriage, Samir gets his dream job and they both have a great life, all they could ever want! Until one wrong decision leads to them parting ways, maybe forever!
2hrs 15mins long
Sohail Khan
Salman Khan
Prem R Soni
Kareena Kapoor

subset: commoncrawl


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Based at the St.Paul's Way Community Centre in Mile End, east London, PlayPen gives working parents the opportunity for a few uninterrupted hours working in the Bow Brew Café while the children are busy playing in the crèche next door.
We currently run one weekly session during term times: on Thursday mornings (930am - 12 noon).
PlayPen is ideally situated for parents living in Tower Hamlets or Hackney, with both the creche and cafe just a 10 minute walk from Mile End and Limehouse stations.
The creche takes children from 6 months to 5 years of age and is staffed by experienced childcare professionals. Bow Brew cafe is very laptop friendly, offers free wifi and a meeting area and importantly serves delicious coffee, cake and hot food.


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Glee's Grilled Cheesus: A Milestone in Atheist Visibility
[This post was linked to in a Feb. 9, 2011 USA Today article about atheist high school clubs—check it out!]
In stark opposition to the substanceless Britney episode last week, this week's Glee offered us some incredibly serious discussion about religion, and more importantly, atheism. There was plenty to like and plenty to be frustrated about. In this post, I'm going to dissect the episode in quite a lot of detail, moreso than many will even think necessary. If you haven't seen the episode, don't read this post!
Much thanks to AfterElton for screencaps!
Many will disagree with me about the nuances of this episode, and that's fine. I'm only speaking on my own behalf in this post. And yes, I can't expect the episode to be perfect or only favor atheism, so to those of you who think that accusing me of being too picky or whiny is a good reason to disregard my thoughts, well, get over yourself and hear me out. 🙂
Regardless of any of the details I describe below, "Grilled Cheesus" accomplishes a few very important things for network TV: Multiple characters come out as atheists and the story does not end with their conversion. Aside from South Park, serious discussions about atheism and critiques of religion are seldom heard on television, and so while I have numerous critiques (including the fact that the a-word was never actually said), I am quite proud of the show for this important step and the discussion it offers.
Let's take a look at some of the things that came up related to faith in this episode.
Pareidolia and Finn
We're introduced to this episode with Finn discovering Grilled Cheesus, which he continues to pray to throughout the episode. This, obviously, is a classic example of pareidolia, making meaning of things we see when such meaning isn't really there. You see two circles and a line, you see a face, and suddenly you attribute a significance that wasn't there before.
Religious pareidolia is all too common and gets way more attention than it deserves, as Finn's story shows us. Finn is a little dimwitted, and out of fairness to believers, I think it was a little unfair how quickly he went from worshiping Cheesus to "losing his religion." If anything, I think this lesson of the episode is an important one for believers. Emma's lines challenge those who do have faith to be more thoughtful about how they interpret it:
God works in all kinds of mysterious ways, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't spend a lot of time trying to speak to us through sandwiches.
What Finn's story does show is how it only takes poking one hole in faith for the whole balloon to deflate. Faith is a pedestal we imagine for ourselves to stand on, and when we realize it isn't there like we thought it was, we fall pretty quickly from our perch, not unlike Wile E. Coyote. Finn may be dimwitted, but his words actually speak to the challenges of arriving at nonbelief and reconciling the messages society sends us about the importance of faith:
It was sort of a cool feeling like I had this direct line to God. Now I just feel like everybody else, you know, like we're all just floating around in space. I don't like that.
We are just floating in space, but that's a good thing. We have each other and that's all we need and that's all we've ever needed. It's alarming to realize that after society has convinced you for your entire life that there is something greater and that it's the something greater that is really what makes life worth living. No, life makes life worth living, and once Finn realizes that, he'll probably be quite happily nonreligious.
Things Sacred
Burt, Kurt's dad, introduces us to the concept of things "sacred," like the tradition of Friday night dinners Kurt's mom started. Sacred is obviously a word with interpretations both religious and secular. Burt's strikes me as incredibly secular:
The whole point of having something sacred is that it takes precedence over anything else you got going on. … If you start giving up things like Friday night dinners, then you got nothing to hold onto.
This is a sentiment I think we can all relate to. It speaks to tradition, relationships, and social comforts—making sure we have support we need in our lives. Some will argue that god plays the same role, but he doesn't have to.
While I have plenty of misgivings about how Mercedes treats Kurt in this episode, I do think it's interesting the parallels drawn between her comments to him in church and what Burt said.
But you've got to believe in something. Something more than you can touch, taste, or see. 'Cause life is too hard to go through it alone, without something to hold onto and without something that's sacred.
Now, this is very pushy about religious belief, and I expect most religious believers feel vindicated by it. She told him! He has to believe SOMETHING. The truth is, I think this vindicates Kurt's atheism more than anything. Kurt doesn't necessarily have beliefs, but he does relate. What he holds sacred isn't beyond this world, but his relationships and traditions are no less sacred. He remembers the first Friday night dinner after his mom passed away, and how important his family is.
I don't believe in God, Dad. But I believe in you. I believe in us. You and me—that's what's sacred to me. And I am… I'm so sorry that I never got to tell you that.
I found this notion to be incredibly redeeming of nonbelievers.
Coming Out Atheist
For as absurdist as Glee can be, I thought Kurt's coming out as atheist was an extremely real portrayal of how challenging it can be. (We discuss this on this week's Queer and Queerer as well.) Think back to the beginning of the series when Kurt first came out as gay. It really wasn't a big deal to New Directions; they loved him just the same. In this case, Kurt is already faced with trauma in his life, and yet the response is anything but welcoming.
In fact, the defenses go up almost immediately. Here's the whole dialogue of that scene:
Kurt: Thank you, Mercedes. Your voice is stunning, but… I don't believe in God.
Tina: Wait, what?
Kurt: You've all professed your beliefs. I'm just stating mine. I think God is kind of like Santa Clause for adults. Otherwise, God's kind of a jerk, isn't he? I mean, he makes me gay and then has his followers going around telling me it's something that I chose. As if someone would choose to be mocked every single day of their life. And right now I don't want a heavenly father. I want my real one back.
Let me interrupt the scene here for a second. Kurt delivers this incredibly calmly. He's not aggressive, but he's in tremendous pain about his father and he's in tremendous pain for how he's been treated for being gay and he is simply explaining himself. The kid is clearly in pain, but where do things go from here?
Mercedes: But Kurt, how do you know for sure? I mean, you can't prove that there's no God.
Suddenly it's all about Mercedes' beliefs being challenged. Forget that Kurt's dad might soon die or all the hurt he's experienced from religiously-provoked anti-gay sentiment… isn't it important he still consider god? Talk about provoking somebody when they're down!
Kurt: You can't prove that there isn't a magic teapot floating around on the dark side of the moon with a dwarf inside of it that reads romance novels and shoots lightning out of its boobs, but it seems pretty unlikely, doesn't it?
Brittany: Is God an evil dwarf?
Quinn: We shouldn't be talking like this. It's not right.
Notice Quinn says "we" when she really means "you." Rather than hear poor Kurt out, she's telling him what he can and can't say. This is not acceptance and it's not open-mindedness, and it is all too often the response people get to disclosing their nonbelief.
Kurt: I'm sorry, Quinn, but you all can believe whatever you want to. But I can't believe something I don't. I appreciate your thoughts… but I don't want your prayers.
Kurt makes a smart decision, I think. He leaves the room. He removes himself from a situation in which he does not feel comfortable. He doesn't raise his voice; he doesn't get angry. He even shows gratitude for their thoughts. Do any of them show any concern or appreciation for his point of view? No.
Atheists are still one of the most stigmatized groups in the country, and this episode resonated that fact clearly and profoundly. Simply by revealing himself, Kurt made others feel attacked. Did he attack them? No. And yet the idea that someone might not share their beliefs became more important than that person's grief. It's pretty sad that the fragility of faith so often inspires people to think selfishly rather than see past their own insecurities to care for a fellow human being.
Religion in Schools
This matter was not really addressed in detail, and thus it is hard to comment on. It's unclear what exactly "the lesson" was that Mr. Schue was "teaching" in glee that week. Students are, of course, allowed to express their own spirituality in schools. Also, sacred texts may be studied. (Obviously, many—if not most—of the masterworks of choral music use sacred texts and they simply can't all be ignored.)
Schue suggests doing "songs about spirituality." That's all the context we have, and it does strike me as a fine line. If Kurt is an atheist (which could very well mean "not spiritual" to him) and is being forced to do something that is spiritual, that could very well be an imposition of religion against his 1st amendment rights. For the sake of the show, we have to entertain the benefit of the doubt that Schue's lesson crossed the line.
I would take this line with a grain of salt, though:
Guys, you can still sing whatever songs you like that sum up your feelings about God, about spirit. You just can't do it on school time.
They probably could. It probably just can't be an assignment in a class.
Sue's Motives and Atheism
Believe it or not, I actually thought Sue was perfectly in the right in this episode. Some (including my mother, oy) feel that she was using Kurt to get at Schue like she always does. This time, though, I thought her motives were sincere, not manipulative, and spoke to principle, not sabotage.
Here's the scene where she talks to Kurt:
Sue: How's your father?
Kurt: They say his condition is critical but stable. Good news, I guess.
Sue: I'm sorry for what you're going through, Lady. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. And I guess I don't have to—I think Mary Lou Retton's, like, an orphan or something. I don't like what Schuester's doing in that classroom even more than usual. But I can't go to the school board without an official complaint from a student.
Kurt: So you want me to be your scapegoat?
Sue: No. You don't understand. I know at times I mess around with you guys for fun. I admit it—it aids digestion. But I'm not joking here. I want to be your champion.
In case the audience feels that Kurt simply caved (why wouldn't he? he was so bullied in class he had to remove himself), Emma becomes our next stand-in to assess Sue's motives.
Emma: There is a boy in that Glee Club that might lose his father. How could you get in the way when the only thing anybody is trying to do is give that poor child just a little bit of comfort? What happened to you, Sue? Please tell me what horrible, horrible thing happened to you that made you such a miserable tyrant.
Sue: Have a seat. Since I was a little girl, I've had exactly one hero: my big sister. You know how much I worshiped her? She was the sun and the moon to me. And while I was still very young, I noticed that other people didn't feel the way I did. People were rude to her. They were cruel. They laughed at her. And so I began to pray. I prayed every night for her to get better. And nothing changed. So I prayed harder. And after a while I realized it wasn't that I wasn't praying hard enough… it's that no one was listening. Asking someone to believe in a fantasy, however comforting, isn't a moral thing to do. It's cruel.
Emma: Don't you think that's just a little bit arrogant?
Sue: It's as arrogant as telling someone how to believe in God, and if they don't accept it, no matter how open-hearted or honest their dissent, they're going to hell. That doesn't sound very Christian, does it?
Emma: Well, if that's what you believe, that's fine. But please keep it to yourself.
Sue: So long as you do the same. That kid could lose his father at any moment. You should start preparing him for that.
Here again we see an atheist coming out quite calmly, and yet provoking a defensive reaction. While Sue may normally be the villain, her words here speak truth to a lot of people's experiences. No one should have to be forced to "play along" with the religious belief of others, not out of guilt and not out of peer pressure.
If Sue really is just out to destroy glee this week, she has a funny way of showing it. Personally, I think she should be commended for being the one person who validates Kurt's feelings and experiences. Seriously, no one else does.
Pushy Prayer
The members of New Directions seem nonplussed—if not indignant—about Kurt's nonbelief. It's as if there is nothing they can offer the poor guy if he doesn't want prayer. There doesn't seem to be any attempt to just be there as a friend to him. They're too consumed with their own intent to pray to actually see where he's coming from. The episode suggests he is pushing them away, but honestly, are they giving him anything to hold onto?
The scene where Rachel, Quinn, and Mercedes are all praying for Burt really irritated me. It didn't bother me that they were there at the hospital; it bothered me they were only there to pray, even though Kurt had already specifically said he didn't want their prayers. And they're pretty arrogant about it:
Mercedes: Rachel, Quinn, and I are taking turns. We're from different denominations and religions, so we figured one of us is bound to be right.
Unfortunately, many people feel this way. Again, Kurt really isn't all that confrontational (certainly not "aggressive"), saying simply, "I didn't ask you to do this." Finn's Mom, Carole (who took way too long to appear in this episode), again speaks to defensiveness.
Carole: Honey, I know you're upset about what's happening. I get it, but friends help out, even when you don't ask.
Kurt asks them politely to leave, and as they leave, Rachel insists, "We just wanted to do something."
Well, they picked the one thing Kurt already asked them not to do. And apparently if he won't accept that, they have nothing else to offer. Faith comes first, then friendship?
Later, Mercedes persists in forcing faith upon Kurt.
Mercedes: Kurt, can I talk to you for a second? I know you're going through a really scary time right now, but I feel like I don't know how to be around you anymore, and I know you're not really spiritual or whatever, but I feel like you're closing yourself to a world of experiences that might surprise you.
Okay, so, it's Kurt's fault that Mercedes doesn't know how to deal with his unbelief, it's Kurt's fault that the believers don't know how to be around him, and it's Kurt's fault that he's struggling to cope because he wouldn't have the same problems if he opened himself to "surprises."
Mercedes could have said the exact same thing when Kurt came out to her as gay. If she had, it would have been really hurtful and they probably wouldn't have become best friends like they did. Why is it any less hurtful for this identity?
Hint: It's not. But you know what people do sometimes when they can't resist the bullying anymore? They just take it. They acquiesce. People only have so much fight in them. Kurt realizes that, apparently, the only way he can maintain his friendship with Mercedes is if he caves to her pushiness, so he does.
Kurt: You're right. I'm sorry. I should be pushing my friends away, especially friends as fabulous as you.
What is he sorry for? I don't know. They were the ones who belittled him and ostracized him. Is his apology enough for Mercedes? Of course not. The proselytism must continue:
Mercedes: Do me a favor—one thing. Come to church with his Sunday…
She just won't be satisfied until she wins him over. This is the epitome of insecurity in faith. Until Kurt signs on to her faith, she just doesn't know how to be around him. How sad.
Now let's revisit that church scene. It's pretty sweet for Mercedes to go out of her way to get her church to dedicate their service to Kurt's dad, but take a look at the situation she brings him into.
He's almost the only white person in the church. He's certainly the only man wearing a hat, which some would consider very disrespectful. And who knows how that congregation feels about gay people? Then, he's left in the pew by himself. And if that weren't enough, Mercedes then calls him out and calls out his nonbelief in a church full of strangers. Let's see that full quote:
Mercedes: Hi church! I have a favor to ask you guys. My friend Kurt Hummel's dad is in the hospital. And it's pretty bad. And I know we have all of our own worries and troubles, but if we could just put them aside and focus all of our prayers and give them to Burt Hummel, and to my friend Kurt. I know you don't believe in God, and you don't believe in the power of prayer, and that's okay, to each his own. But you've got to believe in something. Something more than you can touch, taste, or see. 'Cause life is too hard to go through it alone, without something to hold onto and without something that's sacred.
Oh, that's okay. We're going to pray for you anyway. Just take it. Just endure this most uncomfortable situation, because we believe it's good for you.
Nothing silences atheism quite like boisterous gospel music (though atheists are quite capable of appreciating it). The song was beautiful, and was a wonderful tribute to a friend, but if you watch Kurt, he doesn't ever really feel comfortable. Why would he? All of that is being imposed upon him against his wishes and without respect for his own point of view. Even the most heartfelt bullying is still bullying.
At no point does anyone suggest to the other students they ought to better appreciate Kurt's point of view. Their pushy prayer and proselytism go unchallenged. While I found this incredibly frustrating, I have to give the show credit for how realistic it was. As I wrote about before, the act of prayer can be an incredibly selfish one, and this episode certainly showed an example of what that can look like. When we help people, I think it's so much more important to consider what they need from us than what we want for them.
Resolving Sue and Kurt's Stories
This is the part where I was most frustrated. While I was glad to see that neither Sue nor Kurt converted, I was disappointed to see them both acquiesce. It was as if the moral of the episode was that the way to get along is to contribute to Christianism and religious privilege. Sue tolerates songs about God and welcomes prayers from her sister. Kurt apologizes for not accepting people's prayers.
Given the conversations we've been having lately about bullying, I'm just so disappointed that the message is giving in. The conflict of pushing beliefs on others goes unaddressed. Perhaps the episode Glee has committed to doing about gay teens will have a better message about bullying.
Still, we all go on… as friends and as family. While neither Kurt nor Finn seemed enthused about singing "What If God Was One of Us," they were still very much members of the glee club family, and that kind of harmony is a message no one can disagree with. And while we may not be sure what direction Glee is taking us this season, we cannot deny that it still has the power to speak powerful truth to the challenges of the world we live in (and that even in the most serious episodes, Brittany can still be hilarious!).


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Local Knowledge, Use and Management of Ethnovarieties of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) Ktze. in the Plateau of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Publication Details
Adan, N., Atchison, J., Reis, M. S. & Peroni, N. (2016). Local Knowledge, Use and Management of Ethnovarieties of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) Ktze. in the Plateau of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Economic Botany: devoted to applied botany and plant utilization, 70 (4), 353-364.
Additional Publication Information
An erratum to this paper has been published. It is available here 10.1007/s12231-016-9361-z
This study examines the human use and management of Araucaria angustifolia ethnovarieties from Santa Catarina, Brazil, and contributes to what is known about the ethnobotany of Araucaria species. The available literature on varietal differences of A. angustifolia is somewhat divergent, and there are currently no ethnobotanical studies on the intraspecific variation and management of this species. The study examined local knowledge and sociocultural and economic values of A. angustifolia varieties to understand how the varieties are managed and how management practices are influencing the conservation of the species. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 informants (identified using the snowball method) in the Painel and Urubici municipalities. Participants identified 12 local varieties, four of which were cited by more than one informant. Characteristic differences include size, color and flavor of the nut-like seeds (pinhão), and most importantly, season of maturation of the cone. The "Caiová" variety was preferred for its bigger, firmer, and sweeter seeds that are considered easier to peel and last longer in storage. Even though there is some interest in developing management practices that favor some varieties in order to guarantee year-round production, seedlings are commonly removed. This management practice is most likely a response to current regulations that prohibit cutting down adult trees. The results of this study have important implications for the relationship between the knowledge of A. angustifolia practices and the current legal framework that protects this species. A more detailed understanding of the relevant ethnobotanical knowledge is required in order to establish the best practices for sustainable use of A. angustifolia and its varietal diversity and to support the communities that depend on this species as a resource.


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THE Anthony Schiavino Interview
Dan Malmon: Congratulations on the release of your novel SHOTGLASS MEMORIES! Currently available in print and digital download, SHOTGLASS MEMORIES is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of post-war New Jersey. Tell us more!
Anthony Schiavino: Thanks, Dan, and thank you for having me.
If Fincher directed Bogie and Bacall in a Hitchcock romance you'd have SHOTGLASS MEMORIES boiled down. It's 1956 and America has gone through two wars and an economic downturn. Sound familiar at all? Joe Sinclair is a WWII vet with PTSD just trying to get by. He's also showing symptoms of bipolar and schizophrenia while leaning on his vices. He smokes. He drinks. It's just how men dealt with it and not just a trope. He's up at all hours trying to keep the wolves at bay. Then a body washes up and he's on the short-list of suspects.
The story is lined with tobacco, shore towns, spinning tires, and swaying hips. It's set the early days of the Cold War and there's a heightened sense of paranoia. Joe doesn't even trust himself. But he's not the only one suffering from the War.
1956 was the birth of rock but most didn't listen to it endlessly. Joe rides a bike but he's not a greaser. He's not a teenager talkin' slang with angst. I wanted to give a plausible take on the period. Not the romanticized one. Joe is a left over from the 40s, out of place in the world.
It's a mystery but it's also a spy romance and I'm open with calling it that. Go back to those old Bogie and Bacall films and they're essentially love stories. There's sex, violence, and a hope for redemption. But it doesn't mean they get it.
While doing my own bit of research for this interview, I came across your creator-owned comic book work with SERGEANT ZERO, which I was unaware of and, by the way, looks amazing. SERGEANT ZERO appears to be the literary predecessor to SHOTGLASS since both deal with similar times in history and PTSD. What is it about the themes of war, and the effects that it has on the soldier, that appeals to you as a writer?
I've always been a fan of the patriotic war hero. It could be my sense of justice, or my love for the time period. I've got "Old Soul" tattooed on my arm. SERGEANT ZERO came out of some of that.
I'm glad you liked it. Others seemed to and I got a few nice blurbs because of it. Simone [Guglielmini] did a bang up job. He's drawing crime comics now but Sarge was his first U.S. work. The issue is on my site for free, as well as the script for educational purposes. I had a good number of them in the can and the book got picked up by an agent but ultimately never went anywhere. But that's not a bad thing because from the ashes came a novel that only grew in scope. Sarge shows up in Shotglass but not in the way you'd think. Maybe one day we'll do a tie-in comic for the hell of it. People love comics. They just don't know it.
When I started to dig past face value, what we all think we know about the era and what happened to our soldiers, I hit a vein. Since before WWII up through modern times we've been on this endless cycle of war and sporadic recovery far past political leanings. According to the history books we really haven't learned a damn thing. A soldier's war, doesn't matter which one they fought in, is never over and it's never over for their families. PTSD goes far past the front lines and the headlines of the 24-hour news cycle.
At a local level, the more I started to dig the more I found a cycle of history as well. New Jersey dealt with Hurricane Sandy a few years ago and it decimated our coastline. We're still recovering. The same thing happened in 1944.
A significant part of the appeal as a writer was how we endure, or not, in the face of all of it. How much we lose because of conditions outside our control or how much we screw up out of choice. Call it the human condition. But I wanted to take the middle ground. It's not pro-war or anti-war and up to the reader to decide how they feel about what happens in the story.
You've been immersed in books and comics for a large chunk of your professional life. In fact, my fanboy heart burns with jealousy over your internship. Please, PLEASE tell us tales of the hallowed halls of Marvel Comics.
(Sorry about the unprofessional fanboy-ness of the last question.)
I lived it and it still seems like a fanboy fever dream. So I get it, Dan!
So one day I'm on AOL (For the kids out there, that's America Online and we used 14.4K modems to connect, when we could connect.) and started talking to somebody about Marvel Comics and internships. Might have been an editor at the time. They gave me contact info and I went in for an interview in Midtown (New York City). I ended up with an editorial internship in the X-Men office. Unpaid. Lasted one summer. It was right around the time they killed off Cyclops and in the Harris era. I made photocopies, erased pencils off of inked pages, sent out comps to the creative teams, read scripts, and things like that. Took the train in from New Jersey into Penn Station, and walked up to old offices on 5th Avenue.
Stan Lee was close enough to touch but he never said, "Hey, True Believer!" Chris Claremont walked the halls regularly. Creative locals would come and go, dropping off scripts or art. The Bullpen was constantly on the move. The Heroes returned. Quesada was on Daredevil with Kevin Smith. Black Widow was in her reboot prime. Fonzie Skull (that's what they called it) with a turtleneck turned up on a cover of Cap. Back then they still gave out comp copies and when the editors were done, the interns traded the scraps.
I can't talk about anything juicy that happened within those Hallowed Halls. (There isn't much if at all.) Even the after-parties were tame. But outside, on that commute in, there are things to this day I can't unsee. Gotta love New York. It's probably why I eventually went back, working in the Flatiron, designing book covers for Tor.
The most important thing I learned was that you start outside the office and earn your way in. You have to earn that trust.
It's clear to anyone who's read your work, or follows you on the various social media sites, that you wear your New Jersey roots on your sleeve. For those of us born and bred in the wilds of Minnesota, Jersey means the Devils, that turnpike, and Kevin Smith movies. Tell me something I don't know about the Garden State.
Taxes are high, but that's because New Jersey is in the middle of everywhere. We're in the tri-state between Philly and New York with side orders of New Brunswick, Princeton, Red Bank and Asbury Park spinning off the Turnpike. We've got all four seasons. The ocean and the shore town life are less than an hour away. We've got skee ball and mini-golf. We're known for our diners, farmland, and Bruce Springsteen. If you play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon you'll find out that the vast majority of celebrities may in fact be from New Jersey. Tom Cruise? New Jersey. Danny DeVito? The same. Jack Nicholson is from the same town as well. Every so often a new one will pop up that I didn't know about.
New Jersey has concrete and the pine barrens along with the grit of sand and the streets of Trenton. Where, I might add, was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. Had Washington not crossed the Delaware and walked his troops, in some cases barefoot, in the middle of winter down Route 29 into Trenton we might not be here.
New Jersey is ripe for storytelling or just tweeting about what you saw on the ride into work. And yes, Dan, I've visited the Quick Stop. Devils as in hockey or the Jersey Devil itself?
(Devils hockey, of course. I said this was from a Minnesotan's perspective!)
It's glorious is what it is, with roots in New Jersey. Pork roll is a tangy, mostly breakfast based meat whose origin story goes back over a century. It comes as an actual roll you can cut or in pre-cut slices. You can eat it by itself, on a sandwich with egg and cheese, or with a hamburger. Depending on what part of the state you're from it's sometimes called Taylor ham (Taylor is a company that produces it) but most of us call it pork roll.
What is the one comic book, storyline, title, or hero you'll always come back to?
That's like asking to choose which is the best Indiana Jones (Raiders) or Star Wars movie (Empire). I always come back to the Brian Michael Bendis run of Daredevil but I'd push it into Brubaker's run as well. I could sell off the entire collection but the whole run is a mainstay. It's quintessential comics. It had everything.
An alien falls to Earth in your backyard. You explain to him that you are a mystery writer. Being from another world, he doesn't know what that means. What book do you make him read (because aliens can read English) and what movie do you make him watch (because aliens can understand English)?
I'd give them THE THIN MAN and make them watch THE BIG SLEEP. Humanity has a dark underbelly but it endures. It's probably why they haven't contacted us yet.
Parting thoughts?
Just to say thanks again for having me here and thank you to the Crimespree family for the opportunity. I hope readers will consider giving SHOTGLASS MEMORIES a chance. I've been around but this is my first novel and I want to earn your trust. Then I'll eviscerate your soul.
Can you take the cuffs off now? I said what you wanted. Did you call my wife? She'll be worried.
That depends. You better make with the pork rolls, Schiavino.


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Last week, SunEdison filed for bankruptcy protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Its subsidiary SunEdison India has built nearly 700 MW of operational power plants and has a pipeline of 1.7 GW to build.
"The bankruptcy SunEdison has filed is in the US, not in India. So Indian entity is an independent entity incorporated in India...I do not see any problem to our solar plan because of this," Goyal told PTI during his recent visit here.
The minister, who also holds the charge of coal and new and renewable energy, further said it will be not for the first time that a company has gone burst, nor will be the last.
Companies fail for many reasons and "it's an international problem they have had, not in India", he added.
"(India's solar energy) plan is very robust. The bidders are many. It's not as if they (SunEdison) bid any exceptionally low prices, which is why a section of media is trying to make it out to be that because the prices were low they have gone burst," he said.
Several reputed companies are bidding for solar projects in India.
Solar power tariff had touched an all time low of Rs 4.63 per unit in November last year when SunEdison quoted the price of electricity in an e-auction by NTPC for 500 MW project in solar power park in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
After that, the solar power tariff fell further.
India has set an ambitious target of having 100 GW of solar power generation capacity by 2022 including 60 GW from grid connected solar projects and 40 GW from rooftop solar.
India's installed solar power generation capacity has already crossed the 5 GW mark earlier this year.


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Jetpack Dogs
This project, well it all started with the Bulldog and I had just intended it to be a single illustration. I went to the New York Comic-Con and, not really having much to sell, I made a few Jetpack Bulldog prints to bring along. I sold out of them on the first day and people started asking me if I had other types of dogs. I started keeping a list of the types of dogs that were requested most. By the end of the first day I was doing a few quick ones as commissions. I took some larger orders home for delivery later.
The process is a fun one. People will send me a couple pictures of their dog and I'll choose a few that give me enough reference. I basically do a pencil portrait of the dog first, scan it in, and print it out small and light on several sheets of paper. I sketch a few jetpacks on them to find the right one that reflects the dog's personality. Once I have the dog and the jetpack all penciled out, I'll lightbox them onto a large piece of Bristol to produce a very cleanly inked final. The finals are usually around 25 x 25 inches.


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Reshaping Downtown Durham
Great article about the ONE CITY CENTER and Downtown Durham's renaissance from The News & Observer:
"For all the attention the ongoing revitalization of downtown Raleigh has drawn in recent years, it's hard not to think that it will soon be overshadowed by the activity sweeping downtown Durham."
"As for the 27-story tower, which is to be built on the former Woolworth's site, that will include 25,000 square feet of retail, 130,000 square feet of office, 31 condos and 109 apartments. Duke University has already agreed to lease 55,000 square feet of office space in the tower."
Read more:
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article10253540.html


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Need some ideas for activities on your next field trip to the U.S. Capitol? Take a look at the student self-guide and the student activity guide below. Keep your students more involved in the tour of the U.S. Capitol! Both guides are available for download or pick up a copy on the upper level of the Capitol Visitor Center at the North Coat Check.
My Capitol - Student Self-Guide
Designed for young people ages 11 and older, the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center's student self-guide of Exhibition Hall includes historical background about the Capitol and Congress, directed-looking activities, and questions to encourage discussion during the tour or after at school or home. Parents and teachers may get copies of My Capitol at the Visitor Center's North Coat Check on the upper level or download a copy here. If you're using a mobile device, download the app here.
Discover the U.S. Capitol – Student Activity Guide
With engaging activities related to locations in the Capitol as well as American history in general, Discover the U.S. Capitol is intended for upper-level elementary-school-aged students who can use it before or after they visit the Capitol. Copies are available at the North Coat Check on the upper level of the Capitol Visitor Center, or you may download a copy here.
For further information about educational programs for students and teachers, please contact the Capitol Visitor Center's Exhibits and Education Division at firstname.lastname@example.com
A Capitol Adventure – Student Activity Guide
Children in grades K-2 can enjoy this fun-filled activity book about the Capitol and its history while visiting the Capitol and at home. Download a copy here.


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If you can't make it to Cooperstown this weekend for Mike Piazza's Hall of Fame induction, don't worry — you'll get a chance to see his bronze likeness in person next weekend in Flushing.
Piazza's plaque will be temporarily removed from the Baseball Hall of Fame for a road trip to Citi Field, less than a week after he and Ken Griffey Jr.'s induction ceremony.
Piazza's plaque will make the trek from Cooperstown to Citi Field on July 29. It'll be on display all weekend before being reinstalled at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Aug. 1.
The plaque's visit coincides with Mike Piazza Weekend, the Mets' three-day tribute to their former All-Star catcher. The Mets will retire Piazza's number 31 on Saturday and will have Piazza-themed giveaways on Friday and Sunday.
Piazza, who played for the Mets from 1998 to 2005, is widely regarded as baseball's best hitting catcher. He had a .308 batting average, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBIs in 16 career seasons and was elected into the Hall in his fourth year of eligibility. He'll be the first player to go into the Hall with a Mets cap on his plaque since Tom Seaver in 1992.
Likewise, Griffey's plaque will be removed from the Hall of Fame on Aug. 3 and displayed at Seattle's Safeco Field on Aug. 5-6 before being returned to Cooperstown on Aug. 8.
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Spacious and durable travel bag designed for comfortable carrying and easy handling on long journeys all over the world. Made from durable G-1000 HeavyDuty Eco in recycled polyester and organic cotton, with a base in waterproof PU-coated polyamide fabric with padding for extra protection when you place the bag down on the ground. The bag can be carried either by hand or as a backpack. The handles have a grip in natural-coloured leather and the padded shoulder straps have ventilating airmesh for extra comfort. To avoid having the contents of the bag pressing into the back, the top panels are padded. The smart design of the side pockets and top section allows handles and shoulder straps to be stowed away, making airport check-ins easier and reducing the risk of the bag getting caught during transport. Double handles on the ends provide easily accessed stable grips that make hauling the bag easy. The main compartment has an extra-large zippered opening and a mesh pocket inside to keep small items in place. There is also a security pocket with a zipper. On the outside there is a pair of open side pockets, one with a zippered pocket for essential items needed close at hand. There is also a little pocket for a business card/address card under one of the panels on top. The zipper for the main compartment can be locked with a padlock (not included). Volume: 70 litres.
In the 1950's, 14 year-old Ake Nordin from Ornskoldsvik in Northern Sweden spent more time outdoors than indoors. After many long treks in the mountains, Ake decided the backpacks at the time were unsatisfactory and took matters into his own hands by building a wooden frame. This evenly distributed weight across his back so the pack did not end up uneven, pear-shaped, and uncomfortable. It also meant he could carry more weight with ease. Ake's innovation quickly caught on and in 1960 Fjallraven became the first to commercially make and distribute framed backpacks.
Fjallraven means Arctic Fox in Swedish, honoring the small and highly adaptable predator that lives in the Swedish mountains under the harshest conditions. From the small town of Ornskoldsvik, Fjallraven has now expanded to every corner in the world. The fundamental ideas remain the same; provide functional, durable, and timeless equipment to make the outdoors more enjoyable for all. We continue to find smart, innovative solutions to make every adventure an unforgettable one.
Ake built his first framed backpack in his basement with his mother's sewing machine. Using strong cotton fabric for the pack, he attached the wooden frame using leather straps and used calfskin for the support straps. Not only was the pack more comfortable and distributed weight evenly, it also increased ventilation between his back and the pack. Soon after, during a trip up North, Ake's invention caught the attention of the indigenous Sami people who spent weeks at a time high up in the mountains. They asked Ake to build them a backpack and after that a tent. Fjallraven had found its beginning.
Rule 1: Functionality We work hard to develop functional equipment by carefully considering everything from new smart solutions to improved material. Our goal is to offer outdoor equipment that allows you to spend more – and more enjoyable – time in nature.
Rule 2: Durability A Fjallraven product is a guarantee that you will not need to buy a new product for a long, long time. Our users know that our products live up to strict requirements and last for a long time. Many products last for generations. This long lifecycle depends on many factors - for example production experience, superior choice of material, product assembly and strict quality controls during the production process.
Rule 3: Dependability When we design our products, we choose material and solutions that combined give you a safe, dependable product you will be able to use outdoors. We are aware that our equipment might be used in situations where there is not a lot of room for error, which is why all of our products are tested by experienced test groups before being sent to our retailers.
Fjallraven is growing and constantly moving into new markets. This makes it all the more important for us to take responsibility for every decision we make, whether we are in our home in Ornskoldsvik in northern Sweden or another corner of the world. One of the most important aspects of this is our responsibility toward everyone that works in the development and production of our equipment.


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From influencing driving behavior to 3D printed building materials – here's a roundup of our favorite news stories relevant to the transportation industry .
To Cut Car Pollution, Ask Drivers to 'Think of Yourself', CityLab, John Metcalfe
This study shows that drivers are more likely to follow the rules when when they are directed to self-evaluate. Threats of the consequences of not following the rules causes anxiety, and its hard to get people to change their behavior when they're in panic-mode.
"These findings reinforce the importance of directing attention towards the individual when trying to encourage behavior change, and beyond that, suggest it may sometimes be more effective to encourage self-surveillance rather than using cues suggesting public surveillance."
Mimicking nature's cellular architectures via 3D printing, Wyss Institute, Leah Burrows
Researchers at Harvard and MIT have developed a new method of 3D printed materials that could be used to produce lightweight structural materials. Inspired by cellular architectures; they use 3D printing and ceramic foam ink to mimic nature's design.
"You get the microstructural control with foam processing and global architectural control with printing. Because we're printing something that already contains a specific microstructure, we don't have to pattern each individual piece. That allows us to make structures with specific hierarchy in a more controllable way than we could do before."
This video shows the 3D printing process in action.
Senators plot bipartisan bill on self-driving cars, The Hill, Melania Zanona
Federal safety regulations regarding car manufacturing standards were created with a human operator in mind. However, artificially intelligent drivers don't exactly have the same needs as we do to safely operate a car. Our lawmakers are hoping to relax regulations to allow for innovation within the autonomous vehicle industry without changing laws that impact conventional vehicles.
"We both recognize that public policy must adapt to this new, rapidly-changing technology to ensure the federal government maintains safety while leaving room for innovators to reach their full potential."
Should The Construction Industry Partner With Cloud Companies, Construction Equipment Guide, Lavanya Ratham
With the early adoption to CAD and 3D design softwares, the construction industry is no stranger to utilizing the latest technologies. Here are nine ways the industry benefits from cloud computing.
Why cloud, and why not the hundreds of other technologies available today? The simple answer is that the cloud is the future.


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We are ready to assist you in organising a number of activities on Snæfellsnes peninsula. You will be spoilt for choice; organised trips, helicopter tours, horse riding, various types of hikes, fishing, adventure sea tours and snow mobile tours. There are as well some interesting museums to explore such as the Shark Museum and the Volcano Museum. The possibilities are endless and we can tailor to your ideas and expectations. Let us assist you; we strive to use our experience and expertise to make your stay as interesting and unforgettable as possible.
The Snaefellsnes peninsula it is the first community in Europe to get the EarthCheck environmental certification confirming that the region is an environmentally conscious community. The region was elected among Top 100 Sustainable Destiantions in 2014 and in 2008 the communities of Snaefellsnes Peninsula were the first in Europe to receive certification from Green Globe, an international benchmarking system for sustainable travel and tourism.
Located in Snæfellsnes peninsula, elected among Top 100 Sustainable Destinations 2014, we value nature and environment. We will therefore recommend our partners GO WEST who offer eco-friendly outdoor experiences and travel opportunities. That means you travel with them without compromising nature, local culture, environment or safety. Their mission is to minimize impact on the environment and to maximize the guest's experience of Icelandic nature and culture. GO WEST offers a variety of day tours and tailor made tours just for you.
Explore the Breiðafjörður Bay by boat, take in the breath-taking nature, visit the quiet island Flatey, and much more. SEATOURS are based in Stykkisholmur and have organized sightseeing trips all year round. Take time as well to explore Stykkisholmur, a town which is well known for it´s well preserved old houses in the oldest part and therefore has the feeling of a living museum.
Hiking tours, glacier hike, snowshoe hike, snowcat tours, skiing tours and fatbike tours are among the various activities organized by our partners Summit guides within the Snæfellsjökull National Park. They also organize trips to the Vatnshellir Cave, an 8000 year old lava tube which is easily accessable. You can find more information about their tours on their websites, SummitGuides or ask our staff to help you book your tours.
The Lýsa catchment area is a renowned fishing area that includes the rivers Lýsa, Hóp, and Vatnsholtsá, and the lakes Torfavatn, Reyðarvatn, and Lýsuvatn. There are permits for ten rods at a time in the area, which are valid for the entire area. There are two fishing seasons: 1. April - 30. June (arctic char and brown trout) and 1. July - 20. September (arctic char, brown trout and salmon). There used to be an abundance of sea trout and salmon in the area but there has been a decline in the population in recent years. The largest trout caught in the area was 19 lb / 8.5 kg, and the salmon is usually around 1-8 lb / 0.5-3.5 kg.
You can go whale watching with Láki Tours located in Grundafjordur. Nowhere else in Iceland is there a better chance to see two of the ocean's top predators, sperm whales and orcas, than along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula coastline.
Explore the peninsula on horseback and get to know the Icelandic horse at the same time. The Icelandic horse is a breed of smallish horses that came to Iceland from Norway with the first settlers 1100 years ago. There are several horse rentals on Snæfellsnes and we at Hotel Búðir can help you organise a trip that suits your needs. Stóri Kambur Horse Rental and Lýsuhóll offer various types of rides in the vicinity of the Snaefellsjökull glacier and around the peninsula. The views are magnificent and the trails taken are among the most beautiful in the country.
There are a number of interesting museums on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and most of them are located in Stykkisholmur but this small town boast three museums; the Libray of Water, the Volcano Museum and the Norwegian House. The Library of Water centers around an installation by the renowned American Artist Roni Horn while the Volcano Museum includes works of art, old and new, showing volcanic eruptions as well as objects, artifacts and volcanic rocks from the unique collection of professor Haraldur Sigurðsson. The Norwegian house is the regional heritage museum housed in a first wood-frame residence with two full-sized storeys in Iceland.
Close to Stykkisholmur is the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, a museum where you can learn about the Greenland shark, its habits, biology and of course taste the shark which is produced on the farm.


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When one thinks about Death Valley there are two things that usually come to mind: the scorching heat and the lowest point in North America. There is no dispute on either claims. The average summer temperature is about 120° Fahrenheit, with the hottest day on record hitting an unbelievable 134° Fahrenheit. The lowest point in North America is pictured in this photo, Badwater Basin at 283 feet below sea level. This view, known as Dante's View, is from the north side of Coffin Peak (the location names in Death Valley are cool, but I am sure that there are many sad stories of how they got them). Dante's View is actually at 5,476 feet above sea level, giving you an idea of how far we were above the basin.
A few of us visited this overlook on a pre-photo tour scouting trip. It wasn't a particularly cold morning and we had some great clouds. I hiked from the parking lot far enough to get a full shot of the salt flat down below. The clouds had a great pattern to them and I was lucky to get a shot of the sunrise hitting the tops of the Amargosa Mountain Range at the end of the basin to the right. Just another great day in Death Valley.


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Day 4 – What Song Do You Play When You're Feeling Happy?
Today is the fourth day of the 30 day music challenge. Today's challenge is the song you play when you're feeling happy.
I would have to choose:
Bobby Brown Every Little Step
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0FKzPfsxA4?fs=1&w=425&h=344]
I LOVE Bobby Brown. Love his songs a lot. I listen to him all the time. And this song makes me feel nostalgia and just a feeling of summer and young and freedom. Always keeps the good mood strong when I hear it.
Funny tidbit - My sister-in-law posted some old school photos of them family from back in the day on her facebook page not too long ago and I saw all these photos I've never seen before and my husband back in high school had a Bobby Brown haircut and looked a lot like him too. It was totally priceless. So I now bug him and make fun of him calling him Bobby all the time now...lol. He hates me for it... :)
To see other days in the music challenge, click HERE
Labels: Music Challenge


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How to Find Your Lost / Forgotten Retirement Funds
Are you concerned about the state of your retirement savings? Are you looking at working longer and harder than you'd ever dreamed, because it's proving impossible to save enough? If so, you're in good company -- most of us are in the same boat. There's a new website out that just might be able to help with your savings by locating any retirement funds you might have forgotten about.
Think about it: When you changed companies all those years ago, you might have forgotten to rollover some of your retirement funds. They might not have amounted to much at the time, but by now they could really be worth something.
It couldn't hurt to take a quick look at The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits, a nation-wide public service company, that provides a database service designed to support fiduciaries and custodians holding retirement benefits that have been left in the plan, unclaimed by missing former participants, or have been set up as a Default IRA.
It's actually a free service to the fiduciary or the institution to register the former participant and for the participant that is trying to locate their unclaimed funds. In other words, it's a website designed to help both employers and former employees, and the company behind the site claims the process is secure.
All you have to do is enter your Social Security number, or the SS number of the person you're searching for -- a parent? a spouse? a deceased family member? an ex, perhaps? If there's a match, the site claims that you will be shown which company is holding retirement money on your behalf, and you will be instructed on how you can get in touch with each other.
Unfortunately, the Social Security numbers entered by an AOL reporter showed no results, so no claims can be made about the efficacy of the site. But it is, at least, an interesting prospect. These days, when it comes to retirement, we need all the help we can get.
Next:Companies Hiring This Week
Stories from AARP
- 8 Things You Can Learn From Your Intern
- Turnover at the Workplace Is on the Rise
- Great Summer Jobs for Retirees


text: A popular European radio station has ended its broadcasts for many years by sharing one wish from a child each night. Through simple text and vigorously lined, childlike drawings, 20 of these wishes are now gathered and presented for a larger audience. Some are funny ("I wish that I could fly to Mars and look for alien bones"), some are touching ("I wish that everybody in the world has a home"), some are perhaps unintentionally revealing ("I wish that during the night nobody has an accident") and some are poetic ("I wish that the moon doesn't lose me when I sleep"). Most poignant, however, is that all are universal, if not in exact action, then in emotion. Wolfermann's bright colors and roughly scribbled illustrations complement the innocence of these children's wishes as they float out over the airwaves or are made on a bright star. Certainly not an action-packed read-aloud, but it's an endearing exercise worth repeating while tucking in the covers at night. (Picture book. 4-8)


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Entre chien et loup is a multi-layered French expression, used to describe a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can't distinguish a dog from a wolf.
However, it's not all about levels of light. It expresses that limit between the familiar and the unknown, the domestic and wild. It's an uncertain threshold between hope and fear.
This is the hour of change.


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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Little Red
Look what I found!
This plant growing on the side of the road. I've no idea what it is but it looks very Christmas-y, don't you think?
14 comments:
Looks like Holly. And definitely Christmassy! :)ReplyDelete
It does indeed look Christmas-y!ReplyDelete
«Louis» thanks you for your visit to San Francisco Bay Daily Photo
Perfectly Christmassy Kaori, what a great find.ReplyDelete
It will do for a Christmas plant!ReplyDelete
Pointy leaves and red little furits look like holly. Christmas-y!! I associate the plant with New Year's decoration too.ReplyDelete
Best wishes,
You are right and it is really lovely!ReplyDelete
Sort of holly which now makes me hum 'the holly and the ivy...' ;-)ReplyDelete
Very pretty and fits right in with the season. It must know that it's December!ReplyDelete
♩♫ Deck the halls with boughs of holly! ♪♩.ReplyDelete
How do you do that? When the image popped up I involuntarily exclaimed, "Oh!" Maybe you can't help communicating your love of flowers and plants.
I think it looks like holly too, but I don't really know. But that's why it reminds me of Christmas!ReplyDelete
Whatever it is, it's related to Santa Claus! I like the contrast between the luscious red berries, the spiky leaves and the stone wall in the background.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 08, 2011 8:32 AM
Can't wait for Christmas to arrive.ReplyDelete
Please have a good Thursday.
daily athens photo
Awww it absolutely does! I see this often used in the Christmas wreath! :)ReplyDelete
Nice, and may I add, juicy (might be poisonous to eat).ReplyDelete


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- Warranty: 1year


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Atlantic Cruising Yachts presents the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 419. During the development of the Sun Odyssey 419 the goal was clear; take every element that embodies the Sun Odyssey range and makes it better. The result is a yacht that is undeniable a Jeanneau. The key innovations include the complete rethinking of the deck and sail plans to make this boat, not only fast but incredibly easy to handle.
Down below, the attention to detail can be felt throughout. A contemporary interior design has been realized using the finest materials available. In addition, more choices of high-end fabrics and different flooring make the space infinitely customizable to each owner's tastes. Light pours in through the numerous hull ports and overhead hatches.
Twin wheels and drop down swim platform make spending time aboard the Sun Odyssey 419 relaxing and comfortable. Flush hatches and clean decks give the boat a sophisticated look while ensuring safe movements on deck. Special curved hatches and windows give the boat a sleek look while enhancing visibility and ventilation below.


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Olivia Waring, MEMD PhD student, is among the 10 winning teams of this year's IDEAS Global Challenge competition. IDEAS is MIT's annual social innovation competition, run by the PKG Center. Olivia received a $10,000 grant to develop an app named DIL, Documenting Indigenous Languages.
She said: "Over half of the world's seven thousand languages will likely go extinct within the next century. There is a severe shortage of trained linguists with the expertise to document these endangered tongues before they vanish irrevocably. I have designed and prototyped a mobile app – dubbed "DIL" for "Documenting Indigenous Languages" – that guides users through the process of language documentation, yielding a structured database of linguistic information for later perusal. The app generates customized dictionaries, provides elicitation templates for elucidating key syntactic features, and offers a convenient way to record and store proverbs, songs, and stories. I will use the IDEAS Global Challenge grant to conduct pilot testing with the Bhasha Research Center in Gujurat, India, as well as the American Indian Language Development Institute in Arizona. My hope is that this light-weight software tool will widen the scope of language documentation efforts throughout the world while also empowering communities to preserve and revitalize their own linguistic legacies, thereby tapping into a collective global repository of irreplaceable cultural knowledge."
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Carzor is flat portable gadget that transforms into a shaving razor, mirror and blades and that can easily fit your wallet. The razor is detached from the card, while the other part serves as a small mirror.
Though, the handy razor does not have a shaving cream, it goes with a pack of scent strips with the scents of mint, sandal, lemon, ocean or orange.
The Carzor is a perfect tool for men on the go, who realize that they need to do something with the facial hair in the middle of the day. It is always available and you can take it along anywhere.
You can find it here


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2012 is THE year for Great Britain.
A lot of people have said it. I mean, let's just think about this. The Diamond Jubilee. The Euros… wait.. ok scratch that. The first British man to win the Tour de France. THE OLYMPICS (I mean, come on, who's watching it? Is anyone as excited as I am that the athletics has started?!)
And, of course, perhaps the most exciting part of 2012…. Kirsty Eagar's mind-blowingly brilliant in every way ever, Raw Blue is finally being published in the UK by Catnip Publishing. Raw Blue was one of my favourite books that I read last year. Here's my review if you fancy it but seriously… there is so much love for this book BUT seeing as it was only published in Australia, it's so difficult to get hold of. Hopefully now, so many more people can get hold of it and Carly's story can reach the audience it deserves.
I love Kirsty Eagar, not only is she a gorgeous writer she's also one of the nicest ladies ever. So of course she is one of the authors that I just had to invite to spend some time on Wear the Old Coat.
Seeing as I'm feeling incredibly patriotic right now, I wanted to give this interview a quintessential British feel to it.
I've hung up some bunting, I've cut the crusts of some sandwiches and OF COURSE, I cracked open the Pimms because, baby, we're having a tea party.
First up, let's set the scene. I know you lived in London for two years, so where are we? Where is your favourite place in London?
Let's go to the Steele, this pub near where I lived in Belsize Park (actually I think the pub itself is in Chalk Farm).
I LOVED this pub. It had heaps of books and chandeliers and wine bottles oozing the crust of ten thousand dead candles … We can walk down to Camden later and go clubbing … Did I tell you I'm having a good time already?
What are we snaffling?
Cucumber sandwiches, cheddar crisps and, oddly enough, Carrot and Coriander soup (from the New Covent Garden Soup Company) – I lived on that stuff.
How do you take your tea? Or are we just skipping straight to the Pimms? ;)
Yeah, let's go straight to Pimms! And let's have some Pol Roger, too (someone else is paying for all this (added by Jo: I'll try and wrangle a YA book blogger discount. They exist, right?) – I know PR is French, but I first had it in London – and some Old Speckled Hen. Possibly not in that order, though.
Of course, as I am completely professional and I like to have the BEST for my guests on WtOC, I have booked three British bands for us to listen to… who are we listening to?
Not only professional, but SO thoughtful. The Beautiful South (never mind the fact that they've broken up), The Stone Roses (ditto) and Kasabian.
(added by Jo: OMG. I love this woman so much that I'm adding an official Kirsty and Jo soundtrack to this post.
A Song for Whoever by The Beautiful South. I love THIS band from the bottom of my pencil case.
She Bangs the Drums by The Stone Roses…. OK, actually.. I can't choose my favourite so you're getting two : I am the Resurrection.
Club Foot by Kasabian. An oldie but still one of my favourites. I just love this band though. YES.)
Also, I've invited five of your favourite British people. Who are they and why?
Rupert Brooke (he's dead, but hey, this is a tea party without limits) because he's one of my favourite poets, and was a wild boy.
Danny Boyle, because he's the man of the moment and we could ask him why The Spice Girls weren't included in the musical selection for the opening ceremony, and because his films have been so varied, which I find inspirational.
Banksy, because he's got a great sense of humour.
Sarah Waters, because she's such a sensational writer.
Cat Deeley because I am a SYTYCD tragic, and I've always wanted to ask her whether all the lip licking she used to do back when she was presenting for MTV was deliberate.
OK, now we're settled, fed and watered, let's talk about the real reason we're here. Raw Blue has now been let loose in the UK and obviously this is going to mean a lot more people are going to be reading it. Does it feel strange to think that a whole new audience is going to be reading Carly's story? Does it feel like the first time, all over again?
You know what? It doesn't feel real at all. In theory, I know it's being released over there, but it's not tangible to me in any way. When it first got published in Australia, which was also my first experience of being published, I had to do a lot of media and radio interviews, so it felt like A Big Thing was happening. But I've since learned that a book being born is actually a very quiet event. I think it will only become real when I get my first email from someone over there who's read this version.
How did it come about? A lot of people, though I may be talking about me here, probably don't know much about the process behind an already published book being published overseas!
As I understand it (and I'll admit my eyes glazed over the first time someone tried to explain all of this to me) the publishing world is divided into territories. So in my case, Raw Blue had been published in Australia, but wasn't available in the UK or any of the other territories. A UK publisher heard about the book and then approached my agent about obtaining the rights to publish it in the UK.
Sorry! That's probably not clear at all!
There aren't many good surfing beaches in the UK (though they may be alright in New Quay and Abersoch!), what do you think Carly and Ryan would get up to over here?
They'd be planning surf trips to Hossegor, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, which is what we did while we were there. Although, that said, we also got down to Cornwall regularly. I liked it, but I have to admit that I cried one day because I had a shitty wetsuit and I was SO cold. My boyfriend was disgusted.
I read a lot of Australian YA and I love it, obviously. One of my favourite things about Australian books is that the humour are extremely similar. Why do you think that it translates so well over here? Are you a fan of British humour/TV/film?
Oh God, yes. A huge fan. I agree with you about the similarity, but I think you guys leave us for dead in that department. British humour is sharp, sarcastic, intelligent, dark, and there's often that delicious sense of the ridiculous. Also, I love how the Brits laugh at themselves with such good grace.
And I guess leading on from that Raw Blue is a wonderfully 'Australian' book full of surfing and Australian dialogue and culture. But what are your favourite British sayings/cultures/quirks that you miss now you've swapped tea for surfers?
O'right? People at work used to ask me that every morning, and it took me ages to work out it was more of a greeting than a question, as in, Are you all right? Also, the wit of football crowds – I was a season ticket holder for Fulham while I was there. Cold Christmases – I stored my turkey on my window ledge before cooking it; which was probably terribly unhygienic but it wouldn't fit in my refrigerator. Those loooong summer days, especially the ones with a sky full of jet trails.
What I don't miss is the Northern Line and what it did to my nasal passages.
And finally, the question that EVERYONE has wanted to ask: When will your book about a HOT Australian surfer coming over to the UK for… some reason… and ends up falling in love with a kooky Mancunian YA blogger going to be released?
Apparently the kooky Mancunian YA blogger is coming to Australia, so I've had to change the setting for that one …
Seriously though, would you ever write a YA book set in Britain? And if so, what would it be? (Please say yes!)
Hmm … I got nothing. Let's just run with the kooky Mancunian YA blogger idea. That baby's got legs.
Thanks for having me Jo!!!
A huge, huge thank you for Kirsty for helping me out with this one and coming up with such brilliant answers. Are you as excited as I am that Raw Blue is being published in the UK?
Not read it? I can't recommend it enough! Get a copy yourself and don't forget to stalk her… she'll love it.


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Your website is one of the most critical digital marketing assets. One challenge many organizations face, however, is that the website is designed from the company's perspective and not the customer. As a business, your first inclination may be to focus on what you sell. From the customer's perspective, they care about if you can solve their problem. Here are three perspectives to keep in mind when redesigning your website or app.
Topics: technology, website planning, web development, user experience, website tips, website design
Americans Disability Act (ADA), Section 508 (an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973) and web accessibility are all terms used for making your business more accessible to the handicapped or physically challenged.
Topics: responsive design, web development, user experience, website tips, website design
You've made the decision to build a new website – congratulations! This can be a vital step to the success of your business. Before the first pixel is designed or line of code written, ensure that you have gathered all the right information. All too often we see companies determined to build a new website without understanding what's needed for the site. That's why we're here to help – do these four steps first to ensure long term success with your site.
Topics: responsive design, website planning, business development, web development, website tips
Once you've made the commitment to create a new website, there is a certain buzz of excitement – anticipation of a fresh new look, functional new features and interested new customers. Those feelings tend to ebb and flow throughout the project lifecycle. Unexpected challenges mixed with awesome output can leave one feeling a little exhausted along the way. It's no secret there are pain points to any project you're tackling – whether it's painting a room in your house or building a website. We want to shed some of the mystery surrounding web development and give you a better idea of what to expect in a development project.
Stage 1: Preparing for the project
Topics: website planning, web development, website tips, website design
Starting a new web development project for a public facing website can be daunting, especially if you're not sure what to expect or know what assets you need. We have created a five-point checklist for you to plan and prepare for your next web project.
1. Have access to web analytics. Ensure that you have access to your Google Analytics page. Be sure you are capturing statistics regarding web traffic, search engine traffic and other valuable analytics information.
At Spindustry, we've seen clients who are dead certain that they want to get rid of a page from their current site, only for us to discover it's the most accessed page. Having the data at hand is powerful. What you may believe to be not valuable could be essential to a site visitor. A simple reformatting of the page or updating the functionality might be all that is needed.
Topics: website planning, web development, website tips
Your website holds a lot of valuable information useful to planning a holiday marketing strategy – you just have to be willing to dig for it. For many, an online e-commerce store may be the only way customers interact with a brand. Monitoring website analytics tells a story about what customers want, how and when they want it. Evaluating that data can help your team formulate a solid holiday marketing strategy.
Topics: mobile marketing, social media, marketing tips, analytics, website tips
What is a dealer channel portal? Essentially, it's a system to communicate information to a dealer network. While a broad definition is needed to surround everything it can be, it just doesn't explain the benefits it can bring to your network – and the organization as a whole.
Topics: manufacturing, web development, website tips
While it's important and appropriate to make a compelling homepage for your website, remember that any page underneath could be the first page that a user visits. If you sell widgets and write an article about the benefit of your widgets, that article could rank highly in the search engines and be the first link a user follows to your site. What impression has this page given the user? What should the user do after looking at this page? There are several key ideas to keep in mind when designing all inside pages of your website.
Topics: content marketing, web development, website tips


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White Metal Number Wall Decor - 9
Showcase numbers in rustic style with White Metal Number Wall Decor - 9. This small tin sign boasts shiny white color and a number in contrasting black color. It is displayed in a rounded trapezoid shape with black and brown paint in areas around the edge for a distressed look.
The sign's edges are slightly curved and it is finished with two nail holes and a jute string for hanging. Display it with other letters or numbers horizontally or in a curved sequence. Use it to personalize your space, to decorate a large wall decoration, or to make a display at your next event.
- Length: 4" (excluding jute string)
- Width: 4 1/2"
- Thickness: 3/16"
Hanging Hardware:
- 2- Nail Holes (2 7/16" Apart from Center to Center)
- 1 - Jute String
Item not available in Hobby Lobby Stores.
Check your local store for availability.
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text: Let us help you live the American dream through home ownership! More people are taking advantage of today's low rates to buy their first home or refinance to a lower rate on their existing mortgage. We find you the best mortgage program and rate so you can simply concentrate on living your American dream.


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Teena Marie - Casanova Brown lyrics
Casanova Brown by Teena Marie
My baby's fine
He always keeps me guessing
But never keeps me guessing about his love
He's had more girls than Howard Hughes had money
and you may think it funny when I say he loves me only
and who are you to say what he did when I was not around
just because I fell in love with Casanova Brown
Act 2 scene 5 is my command peformance
my name is clairvoyance and it's all too clear
I was the one
who said tune in tomorrow
I think about tomorrow, even when I am asleep and
who are you to say
what I did when you were'nt around
just because I fell in love with you
Casanova Brown
standing room only, the concerts so loud
everyone's there for the party
the hush turns to a shout
everyone's got a piece
of the pie
of you and I
but nobody knows when the lights go down
that the tears fall harder than the whole dam crowd
throw it down my love
is just about all I can do
was'nt I the one who said
I'll have my cake and eat it to
just could'nt wait any longer
you pushed till I was through
I love you so
It hurt me but I had to let,
let you go
Did you hear me crying, baby
It sounded a little bit like this
You did'nt have to make me cry
tell me again and I'll tell you why, It's over.
It's over
It's over
Over before the love turns to hate
let's let it end and let's still be friends
oohhh ,oohhh, oohhh.
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Lyrics / song texts are property and copyright of their owners and provided for educational purposes.


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Lenox Hill Hospital, Residency in Urology
This water-based penis pump has won several awards in the category for top penis pumps 2019, so it is a very quality product to use.
No matter which one you choose, you will see some positive results. If you use it right before having sexual intercourse, you can get an instant hard erection; but if you use it for at least five days per week, you can permanently make your penis bigger by 1-4 inches. However, you should also take a rest and not use it for a day or two during the week. Penomet pumps are very safe and easy to use, so you will have no problems if you follow the instructions. Check out real customer results by visiting male enhancement forums.
Penomet pump works by creating a vacuum and forcing bigger blood circulation in your penis. You can do it very easily. Just select a gaiter, fill the Penomet with warm water, put the pump on your penis, press it towards your body, and pump the water out. You need to do the pumping for about fifteen minutes per day and you are done.
One of the main advantages of this pump is that the results are visible right away after using it for fifteen minutes. You can get stronger erections and permanent results by using it regularly.
Another advantage is that you can use it both with and without water. When it comes to drawbacks, probably the main drawback is that Penomet pumps are more expensive than others, but considering their quality, the investment is well worth it.
In conclusion, we can say that water-based Penomet penis pump is a quality solution for those men that struggle with erectile dysfunction and for those that want to enlarge their penis size. Although it is a bit more expensive product, it delivers great results, and you can use it for a very long time without problems. If you are considering using penis pumps to solve your erection problems, then Penomet pumps are an excellent product to use.
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Dot Soccer
by: Anydroid • 1
All Android applications categories
All Android games categories
by: Anydroid • 1
Need to kill some time while waiting for the next FIFA WorldCup game? This is a very interesting strategic soccer game also known as Dot Football or Pen or Paper Soccer. The game has a history of being played for over 20 years in schools using regular pen and paper.
Can you score 2, 3 or even 4 goals in a single game?
* NOTE: This version does not yet support high resolution screens, e.g. tablets over 320x480 *
The objective of this game is to beat your Android device and score more goals than the device.
Each line can only be traversed once by taping or swiping the ball towards the next surrounding dot when it is your turn.
A player who hits a dot with no more exist paths gains a penalty. A goal is scored when a line is drawn through the opponent's goal.
The game ends when a player gains a penalty but the penalty point is full, or when a players scores a goal and the center point is full. At this time the player with the higher score wins.
Hint: Tap on the ball while it's in the center of the field to let your Android device start.
Press menu or long-press the screen to restart or exit the game.
Future versions will have better support for hi-res screens (higher than 320x480), sound effects, embedded help, auto-play mode.
Positive feedback would be appreciated. This is only version 1, so please kindly email email@example.com with suggestions or issues instead of leaving negative comments.
Thank you for downloading.
Enjoy the game!
Tags: pen soccer , dotsoccer
from 1 reviews
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Tips to create a company logo
A company should always bare a logo to show its individuality and brand. A logo is a important part of the company that acts as an USP.
You must have seen a lot of companies with their own unique logos. Logo is used in emails, business cards, banners and much more. It is nothing but the face of the company. Hence, allotting a considerable time in making a logo will be fruitful. Just question yourself how the customers should be reminded of your company? This will help you make your own logo.
The concept of your company, So, if your company is focused on something modern, then the logo that you will be making should have that type of energy in it. It should not be dull and boring. For example, if you have a company that deals with security equipment then you should have a logo accordingly.
Make it simple- If you make your logo with too many texts and symbols, it actually wont look like a logo unfortunately! It has to be an absolute simple one that can be easily transferred to pens, T-shirts, or your business cards. Take inspiration from the internet to get a hang of what a logo can look like.
Consult- You applied all your thoughts and worked night and day to get that one logo for your company. But, consultation is necessary. Consult your true friends or your family members to get the correct feedback. If they do not like your logo, then the probably the customers too wont find it interesting! Thus, consultation can play a good role in improving the logo.
Logo can be created by anybody till the time you know the right trick and have a good planning. Go ahead to make your own unique logo!


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The Aventine® hot tub has been specially-designed for small spaces and fits exceptionally well in a corner. So tuck it away and enjoy a wonderful hydromassage experience in this portable 2 person hot tub.
Seating Capacity (adults): 2
Dimensions: 5'4" x 5'4" x 29" / 162cm x 162cm x 74cm
Water capacity: 150 gallons / 575 liters
Weight (Dry): 500 lbs. / 225 kg
Weight (Filled): 2,100 lbs.* / 960 kg
Jets: 14
Hydromassage Jets: 6 Euro, 6 AdaptaFlo®, 2 Euro-Pulse®
UltraMasseuse System: N/A
Jet Pumps: (1) 1.5 Hp Pumps; Dual-Speed
Control System: LCD Main CP
Circulation Pump: None
Heater Output: Hi-Flow Heater (1,000/4,000 Watts)
Electrical Requirements: 115V/230V / 30 or 50 amp
GFCI Sub-Panel: n/a
Filter Size: 35 sq. ft.
FROG Water Care System: Spa Frog Cartridge Ready
Monarch CD Ozone System: Available option
Water Feature: N/A
Caldera Entertainment Options: N/A
Mulit-color LED Lighting: Blue LED Underwater Light (Optional Mystique System)
Energy Efficiency: Fully-insulated with FiberCor® material, 2 lb. density; Certified to the California Energy Commission (CEC) in accordance with California law
Bottom Seal: Visquene Sheet
Insulating Cover: 3.5" to 2.5" tapered, 1.5 lb.-density foam core
Spa Shell Options: Desert, Sterling Marble
Cabinet Type: EcoTech® Cabinet
Cabinet Options: Espresso, Coastal Gray, Teak
Cover Lifter (Optional): ProLift®, ProLift II, ProLift III, or ProLift IV
Cover Colors: Chestnut, Ash, Caramel
Steps (Optional): EcoTech® or Polymer
Caldera Aventine
- Brand: Caldera Spas
- Product Code: Aventine
- Availability: In Stock
** Call For Price **


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Mining company Xstrata and hedge fund group Man have become the latest FTSE 100 companies to suffer shareholder protests against boardroom pay in further signs that investors are starting to exert their influence.
Some 40% of Xstrata shareholders failed to support the mining group's annual pay report – 36.5% voted against and the balance abstained. The protest was larger than the 31.5% shareholder rebellion against high pay at the annual meeting of Barclays on Friday.
Two directors at Xstrata's annual meeting in Zug, Switzerland, also faced revolts from investors. David Rough, a former chief investment officer at Legal & General who is now a non-executive at Xstrata, failed to win the support of almost 20% of shareholders. They are understood to have been protesting against his role as head of the remuneration committee and the fact that he has been on the board for 10 years. Under corporate governance guidelines directors who serve more than nine years are no longer regarded as independent. Rough has been chairman of the remuneration committee only since May.
A 16% protest vote against Ivan Glasenberg also caught the company by surprise. The Glencore boss has a seat on the board and is attempting to take over Xstrata in a bid that some major investors regard as undervaluing the mining company. Glencore owns 35% of Xstrata shares – which, if stripped out, would push the level of protest even higher.
Some 13.5% of shareholders voted against Glasenberg, who has held a series of meetings with Xstrata investors to try to convince them to support the bid, and the level of dissent rose when deliberate abstentions were included.
At Man Group, 15% of investors failed to support the remuneration report at an annual meeting which took place amid speculation that shareholders were putting pressure on chief executive Peter Clarke's under-performance. In the event a protest did not emerge in the votes for Clarke and he insisted that he had shareholder support as he tried to stifle talk of a takeover bid for the fund management group.
The Xstrata directors who suffered revolts this year had not faced protests last year, although the level of dissent against executive pay levels was similar to that in 2011.
ISS, an influential body which offers voting advice to pension funds, had told its clients that due to "long-standing issues of concern" it could not recommend support for the remuneration report. "We draw attention to the fact that successful completion of the deal with Glencore will lead to all outstanding long-term incentive plans awards vesting with non-requirement for performance conditions to be met," ISS said.
Xstrata chief executive Mick Davis could cash in shares and options worth £6m, although he has promised to waive a cash payment of a year's pay, bonus and benefits that he could be due if the Glencore bid succeeds.
ISS, however, did not advise voting against Rough or Glasenberg even though neither of them are regarded as independent.
A spokesman for Xstrata said executives had earned their rewards: "Our pay structure is linked to performance. We achieved excellent and, in many cases, record performance in 2011 despite challenging markets. Ebitda rose to $11.6bn and we increased the full-year dividend by 60%."
The level of the protest may be regarded as a sign of dissent towards the Glencore bid for Xstrata. Glencore is offering 2.8 new shares for each share it does not already own. Some analysts believe an offer closer to 3.3 shares would be more likely to entice reluctant Xstrata shareholders yet to be convinced of the merits of the deal. They include Standard Life and Schroders.


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Milwaukee Electric Service & Repair
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