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An obsolete thing is one that has been rendered useless by technological development.
Sid Meier's CivilizationEdit
- When a unit becomes obsolete, it can no longer be produced, and it cannot be upgraded like it can in later games.
- Barracks become obsolete at two different points during the game, and they simply vanish from your cities.
- When a Wonder is obsoleted, its bonus stops, but the wonder itself remains. Obsoleted wonders can still be built if they have not yet been constructed.
Civilization IIEdit
This section requires expansion.
Civilization IIIEdit
This section requires expansion.
Civilization IVEdit
In Civilization IV, when specific techs are gained by a civilization it will lose the ability to build, and/or the use of, some things.
Effects of Obsolescence Edit
In all cases, when a thing becomes obsolete to a civilization, the civ can no longer build it. Beyond that, effects vary with the type of thing that has obsoleted.
Military Units Edit
When a military unit obsoletes, any existing units are unaffected. Any units of the type in build queues will automatically convert into units of a more advanced type (which will be on their upgrade path), without losing any invested hammers.
Many military units obsolete.
- (should list here)
Resources Edit
When a resource obsoletes, only the ability of a tile with that resource to create the corresponding trade resource for its owning civ is affected. The tile production is not affected, and the civilization can still obtain the trade resource from another, less-advanced civ. If the civilization has any ongoing resource trades where it supplies the resource to another civ, such trades are automatically canceled.
Only a few trade resources obsolete:
- Fur (Plastics)
- Ivory (Industrialism)
- Whale (Combustion)
Buildings Edit
When a building type obsoletes, you can no longer build any buildings of that type. If there is one in any build queue, it is simply removed from the queue; all hammers invested into it are lost. Already completed buildings of that type still exist, and can still serve as the prerequisite to build other units or buildings. Their culture output (), if any, is unchanged. All other effects are lost: obsolete buildings do not generate or multiply science, gold, hammers, etc., they do not add promotions or experience to units, etc.
Buildings which obsolete include:
- Castle, Citadel (Economics)
- Monastery (Scientific Method)
- Monument, Obelisk, Stele, Totem Pole (Astronomy in Beyond the Sword, or Calendar in vanilla)
- Stable, Ger (Advanced Flight)
- Walls, Dun (Rifling)
Wonders Edit
Wonders obsolete like buildings.
- Angkor Wat (Computers)
- Apostolic Palace (Mass Media)
- Chichen Itza (Rifling)
- Colossus (Astronomy)
- Great Library (Scientific Method)
- Great Lighthouse (Corporation)
- Hagia Sophia (Steam Power)
- Kremlin (Fiber Optics)
- Parthenon (Chemistry)
- Spiral Minaret (Computers)
- Stonehenge (Astronomy in Beyond the Sword, or Calendar in vanilla)
- Temple of Artemis (Scientific Method)
- University of Sankore (Computers)
Civilization VEdit
When a military unit obsoletes, any existing units are unaffected. Any units of the type in build queues will automatically convert into units of a more advanced type (which will be on their upgrade path), without losing any invested production.
Buildings and wonders do not become obsolete, with the exception of the Great Wall (which ceases to function once Dynamite has been researched).


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What I'm loving these days – Spring (+8 months pregnant) Edition
Liz Nehdi
Life is made so much better by the little pleasures that we allow ourselves. Even things as simple as giving yourself 5 extra minutes in the shower can make a big difference. I thought it would be fun to share a couple of my recent favourite things and I'd love to know if any of you share my love of any of these bits and bobs? And to my fellow pregnant ladies - is there anything essential I should be reaching for these last few weeks?
Rothy's slip on sneakers
Any of you ladies who have been pregnant know just how cumbersome your bump gets towards the end of pregnancy. Things you normally take for granted like shaving your legs or bending over to tie your shoes become much harder (and more awkward) than you would have ever imagined. So stylish slip-ons are a godsend to us preggos. I have these Rothy's slip on sneakers in black and a lighter neutral pattern and am essentially wearing nothing but these two pairs right now. Not only are they supremely comfortable (no break in period necessary), they are machine washable and – coolest of all – made from plastic bottles! Truly a pair of shoes you can feel good about purchasing. And no, this isn't sponsored; I just love them that much :)
Does anyone have any of their other styles? I'll probably be purchasing a pair of their points and/or loafers post-pregnancy so would love any feedback you have before I take the plunge.
Salt strap with Celine bucket bag
I'm loving this combo of my new Salt strap paired with my Celine bucket bag for spring. I've had a thing for Colombian mochila bags ever since I discovered them a few years ago, but they aren't always the most practical choice for the city. But my Salt strap adds the perfect touch of artisanal craftsmanship and pattern to the structured handbags I use in everyday life.
Lapis Voyeur scarf
And of course my favourite way to accessorise my bump is with one of my scarves :) The cashmere blend ones, such as Lapis Voyeur, are a perfect weight for spring's transitional temperatures and add a bit of visual interest when I sport solid dresses or jeans and a T or button up.
Fitted & stretchy maternity dresses
As the temperatures warm a bit I'm thankful for stretchy dresses like these during my final weeks of pregnancy. I'd love to rock billowy, bohemian maternity styles, but since I'm so petite, I've found that figure skimming options like those above are a better option for me.
Ranunculus & Peonies
My 2 year old son Hugo's latest obsession coincides nicely with one of mine. He's completely in love with flowers of all kinds at the moment, which means I've had an extra excuse to have freshly cut flowers in the house this spring. Our current favourite bouquet is a mix of yellow and white ranunculus with pink peonies, sometimes with a splash of tulips for good measure.
Zara kids bedding
We recently moved Hugo to a toddler bed and I searched far too long to find some fun, modern kid-friendly bedding that wasn't super cheesy. In addition to flowers, he loves shapes and the solar system so I searched for those themes. Boy are there some ugly options out there so I was especially pleased to find these pieces from Zara kids.
Barre classes
Those of you who know me already know that I have been a devoted fan of barre classes ever since my delightful friend Kelsey turned me on to them several years ago. But I've developed an even greater appreciation of barre while pregnant. Since it's such a low impact form of exercise and they provide pregnancy-safe modifications, I can continue taking classes until I give birth. As someone who suffers from hip pain during pregnancy and therefore can't depend on long walks as exercise, I'm truly grateful for my barre classes, which also provide valuable stress relief and me-time.
Mini Magnum ice cream bars
Did I mention that I'm 8 months pregnant? These are my current favourite sweet treats when an apple or pear just won't cut it.
Feeling baby kicks inside me
Last but certainly not least is my very favourite thing about being (very) pregnant – feeling my baby kicking inside of me. It's a feeling that just doesn't get old and is just as thrilling to me each time it happens. Nehdi baby boy #2 is even more active than Hugo was in utero, so I'm bracing myself for an active little guy coming my way very soon!
What are some of your favourite things right now? I'd love to hear from you.
Please click here to subscribe to the Liz Nehdi Studio inspiration journal. You'll get occasional updates, behind-the-scenes shots from inside the studio, styling and trend advice, as well as exclusive promotions (including 20% off your first order!)

subset: commoncrawl


text: Violet, eggplant, amethyst, purple, lavender. Call it by any name but it is still a shade of purple. Although Pantone chooses "the" color of the year, designers have gotten wiser and offer a beautiful array of choices each season. After all, not everyone can wear tangerine tango or emerald green,...Read more


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Sadly, I don't have any more information on this project besides what you can see in the video. Which is a grave shame, 'cos it's brilliant. Greensheller, who is somewhere in China, has made his girlfriend an interactive, multilingual, face-recognising R2D2 for her birthday, using a Pi and some other off-the-shelf electronics. I am in no small way VERY JEALOUS.
R2D2 Robot Powered by Raspberry Pi
This is a birthday gift I built from scratch for my girlfriend :) The hardware is made of a broken Interactive R2D2 toy and a bunch of cheap parts purchased online. Inside, the little guy is powered by a Raspberry Pi running Rasbian.
If anybody reading can find out more about this project, please let us know; we're all ears!


text: https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Klaff-s-opens-upscale-design-center-49756.php Klaff's opens upscale design center News-Times, The (Danbury, CT) Published 8:00 pm EDT, Friday, April 9, 2004 Klaff's was founded in 1921 by Joe and Mary Klaff as a wholesale plumbing supply shop offering pipes, fittings, cast-iron sinks and tubs. Today, the store offers hand-crafted cabinetry by British Artist Mark Wilkinson , tubs selling for $12,000 and showers for $14,000. Ceramic tiles on the walls and floors are chosen to inspire customers and to complement cabinets and floors. Some are handpainted French and Spanish designs. Klaff's offers Neff kitchens made in stainless steel and chrome with cabinets in 4,000 painted, stained and metallic finishes. "It's a great tool for inspiring my clients," said Danbury architect Leigh Overland , who has visited Klaff's in Norwalk, and routinely sends clients there to finish a room. "Visiting Klaff's Norwalk store is a way a lot of our clients get ideas. They can find their own personality." The store offers kitchen, tile and stone, decorative hardware, bath and indoor and outdoor lighting options.--photo1L-- Overland said his job is to create an interesting and warm space. His clients then shop around for the cabinets, the floors, the towel racks and all the luxurious details sold in a store like Klaff's. "This is an affluent market, equal to Norwalk," said Joseph Klaff Passero , chairman and chief operating officer of Klaff's Home Design Center , a job he's held since 1990. He is the grandson of the founders, and has worked in the Norwalk headquarters since high school. "These are our customers." Klaff's name first appeared on the Newtown Road site in 1999 when the company changed the name of Nutmeg Plumbing to Klaff's. The plumbing supply store had been in the family since 1925. The newly renovated showroom bears no resemblance to the former store. The huge space is broken up into more than 45 individual settings, called vignettes, to display the products. "Klaff's is very sophisticated," said Danbury Builder Jeanne Williamson Iapaluccio , of Amber Homes , who is in the process of building a 24-unit development of million-dollar homes on Danbury's west side. "The customer wants something that looks antique, but functions like modern equipment, so we'll go to Klaff's. They want a nickel or French gold finish, Klaff's has beautiful work." The mosaic tile entrance floor to the new showroom directs customers toward the kitchens or the lighting or the bathroom area. A concierge stands behind a counter in the main lobby. In one, a person can visit Klaff's rendition of a 1900s Newport mansion with marble walls, a marble wainscoting and a white ceramic tile floor to offset the $12,000 tub. Contact Mark Langlois at firstname.lastname@example.com or at (203) 731-3337. Most Popular 1 Stamford driver in fatal Canal Street crash charged with manslaughter 2 Stamford mall's future to be discussed by city officials 3 Arrest reportedly expected in Stamford homicide 4 Springdale Shell station robbed again in Stamford 5 Greenwich man gets eight years for molesting girlfriend's daughter 6 Police: Passenger in deadly crash asked driver to slow down 7 Police call disappearance of bar owner 'suspicious' View Comments © 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc.


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Request to see a Portal Solution in Action. Use the Demo Request Form below.
Toll Free: 1-877-728-5457
The Portal Connector for Dynamics CRM is developed and supported by pavliks.com © 2018 All Rights Reserved.


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Saturday, May 28, 2011
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is actually a day of remembrance for all the men and women who have died in military service. Originally called Decoration Day, it was enacted to honor soldiers of the Civil War. After World War I, this day of remembrance was extended to honor those who died in all wars.
As we enjoy our weekend, let us remember with gratitude.
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West Brom beats Spurs 1-0 to give Irvine 1st win
LONDON (AP) — Under-fire Alan Irvine secured his first Premier League win in charge of West Bromwich Albion after deservedly overcoming sloppy Tottenham 1-0 Sunday through James Morrison's second-half header.
It was West Brom's first win at White Hart Lane since 1984 and one which looked likely from the outset, with Joleon Lescott denied a goal on an impressive debut after an unfortunate block by teammate Craig Dawson.
West Brom should have had a first-half penalty when Emmanuel Adebayor handled Dawson's header but the visitors continued to press after the break in a display that belied their lowly standing.
Morrison was left unmarked at a corner by Erik Lamela and his header in the 74th minute proved the difference, condemning Spurs to straight home league defeats for the first time since November 2012.


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Every Mom is a "Power Mom!"
You are cordially invited to:
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms
Book Launch Party
Friday, May 8
Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble, 1972 Broadway, New York City
Just in time for Mother's Day, this book launch will honor stay-at-home moms, multi-tasking moms, Blackberry moms, mompreneurs, rock star moms, and every mom in between!
A very special "Power Moms" panel will be hosted by some of our story contributors…
* Liz Lange, Founder of Liz Lange Maternity
* Jane Green, bestselling author
* Victoria Colligan, Founder of Ladies Who Launch
* Amy Newmark, Publisher of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC
* Wendy Walker, Editor of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms
The panel will be followed by Q&A; and a book signing.
We hope you can join us for this event!
To RSVP, please contact Tolly Moseley:
512/478-2028 ext. 213
*Please RSVP by Wednesday, May 6*
Presented by:
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicity


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Gold Coast Hotels
Check in?
Check out?
* When your travel dates are flexible, we only show an estimate of the lowest nightly rate per room.
Guests per room
Hotel name
Gold Coast: see hotels close to stations & airports
- Oasis Sofitel Station
- Coomera Station
- Helensvale Station
- Nerang Station
- Robina Station
- Varsity Lakes Station
- Main Station
- Mid Station
- Sea World Resort & Water Park Station
- Jupiters Station
- Oasis Beachside Station
Gold Coast: see hotels close to major attractions
- Paradise Jet Boating
- Coolangatta Beach
- Burleigh Heads
- Robina Town Centre
- Kirra Beach
- Tamborine Mountain
- Surfers Paradise Beach
- Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- Harbour Town (Outlet Shopping Centre)
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Whitewater World
- Tropical Fruit World
- Byron Bay
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- Marina Mirage
- Royal Pines Resort Golf Course
- Aquaduck
- Dreamworld
- Dracula's Queensland
- Q1 SkyPoint Observation Deck
Australia: see hotels in other cities


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a quick valentines arrangement // florals
we can't always count on someone else to bring us a pretty arrangement on valentines day. ryan usually does pretty good with a bouquet of roses, but i like to have something around for the days leading up. so i'm sharing a quick video that shows how i usually create my arrangements at home. like super quick. i'm obsessed with the time-lapse feature on my iPhone!
pick up a few bouquets from your grocery store in various shades. i used pink roses and tulips, hydrangea, tuberose and some kumquat stems from our yard.
i even whipped up a mini for my office!
i'm not a videographer and i have absolutely no idea what i'm doing in my movie editor. i'm going to learn more, but for now, this is what i can give you, ha! if you guys have any tips for video editing please do share!
what do you think? easy enough right? will you guys be creating your own now or waiting for that delivery on vday?


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He Thought He'd Never See His Dog Again Until He Saw Him On The News!
A month ago four England fans walked to the World Cup to raise money for drought stricken Bahia. They were joined by what they thought was a stray dog for almost 500 miles. Turns out, his owner Nacho had been looking for him and spotted him on the local news. Nacho hitchhiked 500 miles to be reunited with his best friend.
If your dog has ever gone missing, then you know what this man was going through. He breaks down at 1:21.
I'm so glad this ended happily. If watching this got you teary-eyed, share this with your friends.
Source: Adam Burns


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Could tomorrow's surgeons create customized replacement tissue for patients just by hitting print? Two teams of Harvard bioengineers made big strides toward that goal in 2014, reporting two new 3-D-printing methods that help construct rudimentary blood vessels.
In February, Jennifer Lewis' team reported printing tissue pieces infused with the beginnings of blood vessels. They used a custom-built 3-D printer and special inks containing extracellular matrix — the naturally derived material that the body uses to knit cells into tissues. The printer builds tissue, layer by layer. As the print heads move, they squeeze out inks like toothpaste from a tube. Those inks solidify into worm-shaped gels, some of which contain living cells. To print blood vessels, the researchers made the worm-shaped gels from a special ink that, strangely, melts as it cools. This allowed them to suction out the resulting liquid, leaving tunnels that they lined with other cells to form rudimentary blood vessels.
In May, a second team, led by Ali Khademhosseini, reported building tiny blood vessels that branch or merge in three dimensions, as blood vessels do in human organs. First, they 3-D-printed wormlike strands of a gel called agarose, each serving as a cast of a tiny blood vessel. Around those casts, they poured a cell-rich liquid that solidifies into a biocompatible gel. Then they carefully tugged or suctioned away the agarose casts, leaving channels that they lined with cells to create simple blood vessels.
Discover Magazine


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Segregation and Slavery were Democrat Policies
from Gary Arneson "Issues", Vice Chairman
Third District Republican Party Wisconsin
On March 3, 1854, the "Popular Sovereignty" bill was passed in the U.S. Senate. Senator Steven Douglas of Illinois introduced the Kansas-Nebraska bill based on "Popular Sovereignty" in January 1854. It allowed settlers to choose whether slavery would exist in their territories.
A Ripon, Wisconsin attorney, Alvan Bovay called a meeting to protest the extension of slavery into the Kansas and Nebraska territories. He went door to door to homes in Ripon. On the night of March 20, 1854 a group of men and women met at the schoolhouse and formed the Republican Party. They dedicated themselves to fight the spread of slavery. In 1860 they elected Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery. Democrats supported slavery. They called Republicans radical then as they falsely call them extremists and racist today.
A higher percentage of Republicans voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Al Gore Sr. and President Clinton's mentor Senator J. Wm. Fulbright, an unapologetic segregationist who was presented the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Clinton voted against the Civil Rights Act. Clinton himself was sued by the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund for not enforcing the Voting Rights Act in Arkansas.
Clinton himself was sued by the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund for not enforcing the Voting Rights Act in Arkansas.
In 1923 a star was added to the Arkansas State flag in memory of its membership in the confederacy. It stayed there throughout Bill Clinton's five terms as governor.
In Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas, Democrat governors called out the National Guard to prevent the integration of schools. One of those was Democrat George Wallace of Alabama who ran for president in 1968.
Robert Byrd for his days as a Ku Klux Klan Grand Kleagle never resigned. During World War II he said he would never fight "with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds." Two years ago he said "there are white n-----s. I've seen a lot of white n-----s in my time."


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After witnessing a fierce battle between Modern Warfare 2 and Just Dance with a little Mass Effect 2 in the mix, 2K Marin's BioShock 2 has drilled its way all the way to the top in the latest UK Charts.
Last week saw Mass Effect 2 taking top spot, but this week, 2K Marin's sequel has gone all the way in its first week. Just Dance is still dancing on its second spot, while FIFA 10 makes a return to third. Bayonetta has also entered the top 10 again, which is probably due to its price cut to £17.99. Last week's UK charts can be viewed here.
Week ending 13 February, 2010:


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Sanctions Against Libya to Stop Crackdowns
This petition had 2,342 supporters
In response to peaceful protests against the Gadhafi regime, the Libyan government has responded with a brutally violent crackdown on the demonstrators. Military, police, and mercenaries have been deployed in an outrageous assault on peaceful citizens petitioning for an orderly end to the corrupt regime.
In 2008, the United States ended its sanctions against the Gadhafi regime.
Since then, US investment has flowed into the country, propping up a failed state which is sustained by a campaign of terror. The people of Libya deal with grinding poverty and oppression, facing a 30% unemployment rate.
US investment must end. The US government must send a clear message to the Gadhafi regime and the Libyan people that violent suppression of basic human rights cannot and will not be tolerated. Threatening to cut off the flow of US capital places pressure on the police, military, and mercenaries: if they believe that supporting the regime is a lost cause, they will abandon the campaign of violence. The survival or toppling of the Gadhafi regime is, in many ways, a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Demand that the US government immediately impose sanctions against the Gadhafi regime, and exert pressure on the United Nations and other international organizations to do the same.
Trending petitions
Today: Alyssa is counting on you
Alyssa Kwan needs your help with "Sanctions Against Libya to Stop Crackdowns". Join Alyssa and 2,341 supporters today.
Today: Alyssa is counting on you
Alyssa Kwan needs your help with "Sanctions Against Libya to Stop Crackdowns". Join Alyssa and 2,341 supporters today.


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A 60 Second ⏱ Fashion Review of the MSGM SS20 show
Jessica Michault,
No time to read a MSGM show review?
I make it easy for you to get up to speed on the latest Milan Spring-Summer 2020 shows with my 60 Second Reviews.
This way you know exactly what to say the next time you are asked what you thought about a collection.
You're Welcome!
To see the entire MSGM collection login to GPSRadar.
Jessica Michault
Jessica Michault is the Senior Vice President of industry relations at GPS Radar by Launchmetrics. She is also the editor-at-large for ODDA magazine and contributes to publications like the New York Times, the Business of Fashion, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Mixte magazine.
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text:
Snowflakes tatter the paper
in a pitter-patter,
drifting down
between twisted green junipers
where I hold
a small leather journal
and try to write
with a naked hand.
Flakes sink into the page,
each with the faintest sound,
disappearing where they melt
like little ships beneath the waves.
Fingers turn numb
while my heart beats with feeling.
The falling ice crystals blotch my ink,
and stamp
the texture
of this silent,
soft afternoon
better than any word.
Though I would not remember
these krinkles
without the words—
each an epitaph
to a moment of awareness
when I felt the touch of life on my cheeks
like white confetti
raining down from castle walls
as a Knight returned home


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The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has today published a new guide for small and medium sized businesses, showing a series of clear, practical steps they can take to help make their IT systems safe and secure.
The guide, which covers topics such as physical security, anti-virus defences and employee awareness, can help small businesses keep personal data secure, and avoid a serious data breach that could see the ICO impose a monetary penalty of up to £500,000.
Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, said:
"Since November 2010 the Information Commissioner's Office has had to serve civil monetary penalties totalling over £1.5 million on organisations that failed to take the necessary measures to keep peoples' information secure.
"While we recognise that the biggest companies and organisations will have many of these strategies already in place and have spent a great deal of money on securing their IT systems, smaller enterprises often tell us that they would benefit from simple and clear advice specifically designed for them.
"This guide aims to support these companies by providing a starting point and recommendations that cost little to adopt, but can significantly reduce the risks of a serious data loss and the reputational and financial damage that can result."
The guide includes a checklist, as well as more detailed advice on:
- securing data on the move;
- keeping you and your systems up to date;
- keeping an eye out for problems;
- knowing what you should be doing; and
- minimising the data you keep.
Mr Graham continued:
"Following this guidance is not just about minimising risk. Businesses that prioritise the safety of their customers' personal data will have a real competitive advantage."
Mike Cherry, Policy Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said:
"It's important that the ICO have published this guidance specifically for small businesses. Good IT and data security should be part and parcel of good business practice and businesses should think about the simple steps that they can put in place to achieve this. The guidance should help businesses do this."
ICO IT Security Guide


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It's been a year to the day since we took off for Vietnam and the inaugural 2 Sides Project trip. What an adventure it was, and what an adventure it's been since we returned!
Patty Young Loew came back from Vietnam determined to find someone who had served with her father, Jack Young. She found a Facebook page for war medics and posted a message. Days later, she got a response from "Doc." Not only did he know Jack, he'd served under him, and was able to tell Patty new details about who her father was and how he died. Patty and Doc plan to meet in person soon.
Mike Burkett brought a picture of his dad's 1967 Camaro with him to Vietnam to lay at the site where his father died. That car was Curtis Earl Burkett's pride and joy. Thanks to a gift from his grandparents, it's now Mike's. He recently drove the Camaro to his house and started a restoration to make it look like it did in his dad's time. It'll be back on the road again by early 2017.
Susan Mitchell Mattera was one of a select few Gold Star family members invited to the White House to meet President Obama and attend a Memorial Day brunch. If that wasn't enough of a standout moment, there was another one in store. In September, Susan, a nurse, was assigned to do a patient survey, and randomly chose one patient from a list of 300 to visit. As they talked, Susan realized that the woman was originally from her home town. When she asked if she knew her father, the woman said they'd been in the same class, and pulled out the 1963 Banning High School Yearbook to show Susan something she'd never seen before—her dad's senior picture.
Margaret Von Lienen works long hours for the IRS, but in 2016 she took another break to travel to Italy with her daughter. She also went to Austin, Texas to get an update on her father's site. Margaret's father, Robert Saavedra, is still listed as MIA. He was shot down over the province of Ha Tinh on April 28, 1968. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recently excavated the site she visited and ran various reports to see if they could find any evidence. This year the DPAA told her they found nothing conclusive. Margaret may have found new strength from the Vietnam trip: she got through the whole DPAA meeting without crying, a first.
Ron Reyes has met a lot of new people this year. He attended a Gold Star Family event in his home state of California, and didn't know that several members of his father's side of the family whom he'd never met would be there, too. And at an LA Rams game, Ron met a son whose father was killed in Iraq when he was four weeks old. Ron told the boy he was the same age when his father was killed in Vietnam. The two talked, and gave each other a big hug. It was a moment they'll both remember for a long time.
I spent the year learning more about how people make and market films. But the most important lesson I learned is that going to the place you fear the most makes you the strongest. Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of my father's death. I used to look on the day with dread. This year I'll mark it with a different attitude. I have walked into the crater where my father's plane may have gone down, and walked out with a new purpose and direction. Loss has been transformed to good. I know my father is proud. I know all of our fathers are.
What about those on the Vietnamese side? We've featured their stories throughout the year on this blog, including those of Nguyen Liem, Nguyen Thi Hong Diem, Pham Thi Thuy, Dang Thi Le Phi and Vu Ngoc Xiem. Meeting the other side changed them, too. The pain is still there, but the anger is not. The divide is closed. We have all started anew, together.
And what about the documentary? Director Anthony Istrico and Cameraman Jared Groneman returned with 150 hours of footage covering all sides of the experience. Somehow, Editor Nora Kubach sifted through all that film and, supported by boxes of Kleenex, created a beautiful documentary about the 2 Sides Project. These wonderful and talented people are now in the process of applying to film festivals and finding a potential broadcast outlet to share the film with a bigger audience, so that its message about bridging differences and spreading healing reaches as many people as possible. Stay tuned for more about the film and a 2017 trip to Vietnam, the 2nd 2 Sides Project trip!
Margot Carlson Delogne
Founder, 2 Sides Project


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Are you ready for an 80s style Hamburger Party?
Burger Beast Feasts presents the Hamburger House Party brought to you by Budweiser – Bud & Burgers (the Official Beer of Hamburger House Party), Downstairs Markets, Miami Lakes Auto Mall & Magic City Casino. happening on Friday May 6th (Yes, during National Hamburger Month) at Magic City Casino from 7-10PM
20 of South Florida's Best Burger Restaurants will be competing for your vote to be crowned the Best in the SFL. This event replaces last year's sold out Burger Beast Burger Brawl.
This year we will also have a Celebrity Panel (South Beach Wine & Food Festival Founder Lee Schrager, Miami New Times' Laine Doss, Blue Collar's Chef Danny Serfer, Que Riko con Kiko's Kiko Suarez and Rebel House's Chef Mike Saperstein) choosing a Judge's Best Burger. The winner will compete in the 2017 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash.
We'll have Live Music from Retro Sky performing all 80s songs and DJ Volksmusik will be spinning your favorite 80s tunes, plus we encourage you to dress up in your best 80's clothes. Who knows….best 80s outfit might win something!
Here are the 20 Competitors:
1) 109 Burger Joint – Sweetwater
2) Burbowl – Juicy Smashed Burgers – Downtown Miami
3) Chefs on the Run – Homestead
4) Crackers Casual Dining – Miami Springs
5) Doce Provisions – Little Havana
6) Fat Moe's – Flagami
7) Gilbert's 17th Street Grill – Ft. Lauderdale
8) Hate Mondays Tavern – West Kendall
9) Jr's Gourmet Burgers – Miami Springs
10) Jersey Dawg – Food Truck
11) Latin House Grill – Kendall
12) The Local – Coral Gables
13) MEAT Eatery & Taproom – Islamorada & Boca Raton
14) Norman Brothers Produce – Kendall
15) The Orange Bear Restaurant – Bonita Springs
16) Pincho Factory – Westchester, Hialeah & Coral Gables
17) Shake Shack – Coral Gables, South Beach & Boca Raton
18) Tucker Duke's Lunchbox – Deerfield Beach & Boca Raton
19) Wholesome Rollers – Food Truck
20) Woody's Burgers – Food Truck
General Admission Tickets which will be $45 at the door are now $35 for a limited time only and include Unlimited samples from all 20 of the Hamburger House Party Competitors plus Desserts, Cocktail Samples from Jim Beam & Tito's Vodka, Soft Drinks & Water from Mist TWST & Aquafina.
All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.


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A little gift came our way this week from another original classic. Read em and weep. Thanks JW.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
An Original Classic
Posted by Down By The Hipster at 12/12/2007 08:17:00 AM
Labels: Johnnie Walker, Spirits, Whiskey
3 comments:
- Anonymous said...
smooth; very smooth...but there are better whiskey's out there. DBTH: what's your fav, and which venue has the best whiskey drink?
- December 12, 2007 at 8:48 PM
- Anonymous said...
DBTH likes whatever is free
- December 13, 2007 at 10:58 AM
- Anonymous said...
jack daniels
- December 14, 2007 at 11:45 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Thy Creature, 2015
This series of drawings responds to Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein. The creature at the heart of this story is an object of both fascination and revulsion. Like all monsters, he exists outside of normative standards and in doing so represents our most fearful selves.
One of the many themes within the novel is the creator's struggle to accept what (s)he has created. In her book Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters cultural theorist Judith Halberstram describes the story as "an allegory about a production that refuses to submit to its author." The creature's evasiveness is, in part, what engages my interest within this project.


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1. Laser Copper
Light Transmission 21%
The AR-Laser series implement additional Anti-Reflective back coatings for enhanced protection capacity and perceived comfort benefits. Engineered for variable weather.
2. Action Brown
Light Transmission 12%
High contrast lenses built around chromatic partitioning, they enhance color contrast and, cut glare from all angles maximizing visual clarity.
3. Racing Red
Light Transmission 28%
High Optical quality lenses in high definition Polycarbonate treated with multi layered coating to enhance visual depth and eliminate eye fatigue. The Racing Red lens was engineered for serious athletes and "techno files".
4. Yellow
Light Transmission 87%
Enhance contrast and depth. They are ideal for early morning light, sunset or rainy days.
5. Transparent
Light Transmission 92%
Designed for protection of the eyes from dust or other foreign bodies during sports activities. Excellent protection for the eyes in very cold climates.
Back to Main Page


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Seeing as we're picking up more games which need to have their miniatures painted, we're going to be using this space to showcase some of our fully painted toys! We may not be the best painters in the world, but what we lack in skill we certainly make up for in enthusiasm! So enjoy our gallery, which we will hopefully be able to keep updated regularly. We may also occasionally feature guest entries from some of Games & Tea's close hobbying friends!
|The Cybertron Sentinels! Our first DreadBall team, with the colour scheme based on the Decepticons from the G1 Transformers cartoon.
Guild Ball
Puppet Wars
|Our first fully painted Guild Ball team: The Masons Guild! Left to right: Flint, Honour, Brick, Marbles, Mallet and Harmony.
|Our alternate Masons Guild lineup! Left to right: Snakeskin, Harmony, Mist, Honour, Decimate, Marbles.
|Our second complete team, and our first custom goal token : The Fisherman's Guild! Left to right: Kraken, Shark, Angel, Salt, Greyscales, Siren.
Puppet Wars
|Seamus! The Resurrectionist master, and our first fully painted Puppet Wars miniature.
|Following swiftly on from Seamus, outcast master Pokey Vik!
|Finishing off the masters, Lady Justice of the Guild.
|And moving onto the sidekicks, with the lovely Misaki!
|Of course no round of Puppet Wars is complete without pawns! Don't let the leotards fool you, these Executioners pack a punch!
|The December Acolytes in all of their toasty warm glory!
|The Convict Gunslinger - a danger to themselves and everyone around them!
|The Death Marshalls, always ready to back up Lady J!
|Everyone loves a Rotten Belle! At least Seamus does, anyway...
Sedition Wars
|Ah! Here they are!


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Though getting a car speaker, speaker with some extra positive aspects is generally acceptable to a maximum quantity of shoppers. Here are some tips that will aid you to acquire the proper stereo systems and speakers for your car. It won't be tough for everyone to decide on a capacitor because there are a number of effectively-recognized companies that sell them including Monster Cable, Energy-Acoustik, Lanzar, Bazooka and additional. After you set up it, take care that there are sufficient space left to store your luggagesafter hand.
You can uncover a range of DVD audio players for your cars from reputed makers on our web site. When you upgrade your sound system with powerful amplifiers, they demand a lot of power to play music and bass. Properly adapted for routine or simple car audio customers, they also are really properly suited for heavy car audio systems. If you are a music lover, then a factory stereo program will not satisfy your music thirst.
Car capacitors resolve this difficulty by letting your amp get the power it wants to keep it operating efficiently. To genuinely appreciate all the functions of your method you require to actually read and digest the manual as there are pretty a few functions to realize. There are a lot of shops for car sound installation in Sydney area which delivers customization of the sound systems in your cars at economical there are several sorts of car speakers in Sydney shops.
In these swiftly changing times, Kenwood have kept pace with various methods in which we now access and retailer music files. These shops have come to be extremely common as the up gradation of the sound systems of the cars also has turn out to be incredibly frequent. When you obtain a capacitor for your car, make certain to pick the ideal capacitor size.
If you are searching for Car Audio Direct or DVD items from any major manufacturer like Alpine, Pioneer, JVC, LG, Kenwood, Beat, JL Audio, Kicker, Focal, MTX, Sony and Veba, then one particular have to opt for one particular from it. Some car audio systems are also being integrated with other mobile electronic devices, like GPS navigators and DVD entertainment systems.


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Richard Harvey is a figurative artist who explores the psychological and emotive potential of the human face in a contemporary expressionistic style. Driven by a fascination for experimenting with processes, he works across a broad range of styles and mediums, including digital printmaking and painting, mixed media collage, encaustic painting, and mixed media sculpture. His work often draws on both his graphic design background and his interest in primal expression found in ancient or indigenous cultural artifacts.
Richard graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1972 with a BFA in graphic design and a minor in fine art. In 1993, he returned to RIT for graduate study in computer fine art imaging. Over his decades long art career he has enjoyed numerous juried and non-juried events along with solo exhibitions.
The public is invited to visit him in his Rochester, NY studio, Anderson Arts Building, Studio 204, 250 N. Goodman St., 14607, by appointment and during open studio events.


text: Inpatient Rehabilitation NORTH OAKS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL 1900 S. Morrison Boulevard, Hammond, LA 70403 Phone: (985) 542-7777 Our Mission: Maximizing functional independence. Every patient. Every time. Overview: Patients with the following conditions often benefit from the high-quality care provided at North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital: Amputations Arthritis Brain injuries Complex joint replacements Major multiple traumas Neurological disorders Orthopedic injuries Spinal cord injuries Strokes Admission Criteria: Be able to participate in at least 3 hours of therapy daily Want and be able to benefit from rehabilitation Need at least two types of the following therapies: physical, occupational or speech therapy Need inpatient rehabilitation as a result of a medical condition Be approved by the Medical Director Therapy Highlights: Transitional Living Apartment This apartment provides you and your caregiver a place to practice daily skills together and ease the transition from the hospital setting to your home or community. The apartment offers a full kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom. 27 private rooms Spacious treatment area with specialized equipment and more than 8,000 square feet 4,847-square-foot therapeutic Aquatic Center Accreditations: North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital is accreditation by The Joint Commission and is a recipient of the highest possible accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and is the only CARF-accredited rehabilitation facility on the north shore. Health Care Professionals: For patient referrals, please call (985) 230-2678 - 24 hours a day. Looking for Continued Care? Upon discharge from North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital, we offer continued outpatient care through our Rehabilitation Services and LINK a Day Rehabilitation Program Related Content


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Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society
Technical Support Unit
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
Supported by USAID – FHI360
Technical support Unit (TSU) – Tamil Nadu & Puducherry has been functional from the year of 2007, with USAID Support and was under the Management of VHS APAC until 2012, with USIAD - PHFI PIPPSE Project form July, 2012 to June 2017 and through USAID – FHI360 from July 2017 onwards.
The Mandate of the TSU is to extend technical assistance in specified areas to the SACS in helping it achieve the NACP goals and objectives. The TSU is a coordinator and not an implementing agency unless specifically requested to. Since prevention is the mainstay of the national strategy to control HIV/AIDS, the TSU is required to focus and bring in technical and professional expertise in the areas of prevention and which include, evidence based strategic planning and resource planning, capacity building and activities related to strengthening Targeted Interventions (TIs).
TSU TN & PY has been dynamic in terms of rolling out various pilots in specific districts and some of them are; a model to reach out to LDT (Long distance Truckers) involving the Road Transport Office (RTO) in many districts; PPTCT services for FSWs and Index Case Network for Tracking and Testing (ICNTT) piloted by TSU TN & PY are other standing examples for scale up and replication. ICNTT facilitates early identification of PLHIV. TSU TN & PY is the pioneer in the country to manage the TI related data of the state in online for the last 7 years.
In the last 10 years, TSU TN &PY has provided evidence based technical support and strategic support to both SACS, which has resulted in overall strengthening of the TI program and service uptake by HRGS, in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.


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Generally when clients come to me, they have an empty room and I have to poke and prod them to really discover their personal style. This client came to me with a full room and a typed list of adjectives! She wanted bright, colorful, groovy, and inviting. What I love most about this room is that I did not purchase any artwork or accessories for it. Every item has a story – a blue pinch jar that was her mother's, a glass orb she used to fight over with her siblings, a table she purchased during her travels…
In my opinion, those things are what really transform a house to a home. This is why I love interior design. We always spend more quality time with loved ones in the rooms that have been designed with personality. And personality it not something this room is lacking. Those pink chairs! They were originally brown with cow print, and in my client's family for two generations, before we gave them that marvelous facelift. We started with a light rug and painted the walls Dunn Edwards "Swiss Coffee" to let all of the bright colors and prints really shine.
*Photos by Jill Facer Photography
Rug | Sofa (style was discontinued – similar one here) | Coffee Table | | Lamp | Quilt
(search for similar)


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Northern California Co-Dependents Anonymous
What is Codependency?
Am I codependent?
Attend a CoDA
NorCal Coda Service
Share the message.
Be of service..
Steps to Recovery from Codependence
Quarterly Conferences
NorCal CoDA sponsors 4 one-day regional conferences throughout Northern California each year hosted by with local CoDA communities. The one day conferences provide in depth, all day workshops from presenters who have worked the 12 Steps, many of whom had years of CoDA recovery. More
Becoming a sponsor (or being sponsored) is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself in recovery. The relationship between sponsor and sponsee is a very structured one, one where you can work on your own relationship skills without the complications of romance, family ties or work. More
CoDA Literature
CoDA relies upon a unifying message and consistency for those working the Steps in part by providing access of approved books, workbooks, foundational documents , and literature. See our suggested introduction of literature to get you started or working the program. More
Working the Program
Working the Program of Co-Dependents Anonymous is based on the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions for those seeking a fulfillment of positive, healthy and loving relationships. CoDA encourages attending meetings, reading literature, and being of service. More


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Psalm 16 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Psalm 16
A miktam[a] of David.
1 Keep me safe, my God,
2 I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord;
5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more


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^Watch Movie~ God the Father ^Full Streaming~^Watch Movie~ God the Father ^Full Movie~ ^with duration~ 0 Min ^and~ ^broadcast on~ 2014-10-31 ^with~ ^MPAA rating is~ 0.
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^Durationof movie~ : 0 Min
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^Translation of movie~ : EN,
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^Watch Streaming~ God the Father Michael Franzese, the son of a Colombo crime family under boss, recounts his spiritual transformation.
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Scullder's guide to the Startup Weekend
Beware ... this blabber might take longer than usual.
Startup what?In case you don't even know what it is, the Startup Weekend is an event organized all around the world where people who are enthusiastic about a hopefully innovative idea get to pitch their idea to a group of other people who are enthusiastic about a different hopefully innovative idea. A couple of the ideas are voted by the crowd (up to around 10 depending on the number of participants), teams are formed around the chosen ones, and people start hammering away at their projects for the big pitch in front of a real jury. The jury gets the pitches, votes for the best ones and some prizes are awarded. It starts on Friday, ends on Sunday, and it's an intense experience of sleepless nights, highly accelerated team dynamics, broken ideas and quick decisions.
Pitching my IdeaNot everyone joining the event goes for a pitch, and that's OK, as long as it's not because of stage fright. The Startup Weekend is always home to possibly the friendliest bunch of people you will find. Just this weekend, a guy lost his train of thoughts and decided to stop the pitch ... only to be brought back by an army of cheers from the public ... only to loose his train of thoughts and stop the pitch again ... only to be brought back again by even more cheers. He did finish his pitch and went on to get selected to form a team around his idea.
Yes, if you were wondering, I did pitch my idea. Nobody understood anything and I wasn't selected ... and that's OK.
Team, not ProjectSmart people say that when you're joining a team in the Startup Weekend, it shouldn't be for the project... it should be for the team. I have followed this advice all the way to 2nd place victory the first time I was there, and decided to do nothing else this time. But to be honest, I started both times on the wrong foot. Found a project I liked, didn't love the team, found a team I really liked.
The first time around, I remember going into the room of the team I chose and feeling this instant chill, a low intensity tension covered by a general silence out of which one guy was trying to assign tasks to people. I thought about spending an entire weekend like that and said ... nope.
The second time around I spoke to a guy who I wanted to join, thought that he was OK. Then I saw a bunch of cool people wanting to join us and thought that this was it ... we're gonna have fun. However, the guy was not so happy about them joining the project as he was not very sure about what they would be doing. So they all basically left one by one to find another team and I decided to join the chase.
We all ended up together with a guy that I liked, but who's idea I found to be funny at best. We seemed to have a good team though, and we were ready to start.
Eureka?It starts with an idea. And even though people listen to the pitches and vote for it, it's still possible that it's not a good one. C. , who had the idea, wanted to be able to sleep throughout his commute. The train conductor was always waking him up and he hated it. It was an idea driven by passion, but did it make sense to turn it into a business? We were about to find out pretty fast...
You win some, you lose someI know by now it seems like our entire team was one small step away from singing Kumbaya while holding hands, but it wasn't really like that. One guy who joined our team, at some point decided he didn't really like the project and left home... and that's OK. You will win some and you will lose some. On another project, 2 guys left home on Saturday. The project ended up in the top 3. You will possibly lose people throughout the weekend, don't worry about it and press on. It will only make your team stronger.
Coaches and PivotsDuring the weekend, you are sometimes expected to do what is called a 'Pivot'. This is when you realize that your idea has a shocking blocking issue and you need a major change. Giving a new direction to your project is the Pivot, and you can expect to sometimes have to do 1 or 2 during the weekend.
On Saturday, a couple of experienced people come and help you out. These are people that can see the problems your idea can face in the real world and can try help you find solutions. These people are called Coaches, and they are most often the reason why your project will pivot.
So, remember my friend C. who wanted to sleep on the train. We pushed this idea further and decided that he will be able to board the train, scan a barcode on the seat, and sleep like a baby. Our system would check the barcode, turn it into a seat reservation, and notify the conductor, leaving C. without a care in the world. We enhanced the idea by saying that he will be able to do this basically wherever he goes, in a train, in a parking, on a taxi. Access to any means of transport would be a touch of the smartphone away and we were pretty pumped about it. You would only have a zzzingle ticket... get it?
Pivot1 - dating?
Not going into too many details, the first 2 coaches we had basically pummeled our idea into nothingness. Not only is it very non-profitable to work with train companies, public transport companies are basically in a Monopoly situation and are completely unwilling to make any effort to accommodate anyone else's idea into their systems. When the 2nd coach told us he's been waiting 3 years for 2 cities to come to an agreement on a similar matter we realized we're basically busted. We started joking around about what we can do and someone said dating during the commute would be fun. It quickly became the best idea we had and we jumped on it. You would enter your commute route, and you could meet new people interested in dating for a somewhat speed-dating-like experience.
Great, we said, and onward we went towards our next pivot!
Pivot2 - interests
The 3rd coach got to face a team that was not very convinced about this dating idea, though it sounded pretty cool. He then went on to state that people who want to date are more likely to use an actual dating site, and that our market was not big enough. He suggested more intellectual discussions might work better, and though none of us was 100% convinced of this, the 80-90% did the trick. We jumped on it and worked for the rest of the day to put together a platform where people could meet other people during their commute and discuss different interesting issues. A young entrepreneur could get to meet an experienced one for some advice. Two students who just finished this amazing book could share their thoughts on just what the heck the author was trying to say. And so on ...
Great, we said, and onward we went towards our next pivot!
Pivot3 - back ... sort of
Sunday morning actually started on Saturday evening. When we left for home (quite early) I could tell that we all felt like we lost something, something important, called enthusiasm. We slept on it and we pretty much had the same idea when we met for a coffee&croissant next morning. Go big or go home. Yes, regulations are a pain, public administrations want nothing to do with you and technically this thing would be a monster, but we were still excited about our original idea and that felt like it was more important than anything else. It didn't take us too long to decide. The zzzingle ticket was back on, and this time we went all in. We readjusted our market to be more turistic than before, we dropped the railways from our revenue stream, we started crunching the presentation with numbers, planning, and cool screens. We went full speed ahead and it felt great. I am really proud of how we did it, how well we worked as a team, without silly conflicts, without slacking around, just helping each other as best as we could. The pitch came together from basically nothing in around 5 hours, we did a good number of rehearsals until it had a good rithm and 5 minutes before we were planned to go on, we were ready.
The PitchOn Saturday, our third coach gave everyone a solid piece of advice just before leaving. Tomorrow, when you pitch, be passionate about it! Truth be told, if you are not 100% convinced and on board with your idea, nobody else will be either. And our pitch was just that. Fun, informative, passionate. We went in as the first pitch, which is always tough, but it went on without a hitch. Some advice ... Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Check your timing. Don't read the slides during the pitch, summarize or emphasize. Copy the structure of an existing good pitch. You should be able to do it faster than what time you have, something always comes up. The only pitches that went wrong, did so because of the timing, guys spending minutes on a single slide that wasn't really that important ... Otherwise, we had some very impressive competition, and very little hope of actually winning anything.
The Win
The Jury went and debated and debated, and came back with the top 3, a.k.a. the winners. And, we were not one of them ... But, wait, what? you will say ... you said The Win, you will say... Well, I did, because the real win is not to get a prize from the judges, though that also feels quite incredible. The real win is the pleasure you take in the weekend. I have spoken to some people from the winners, who were complaining about their teams, and didn't really seem like they had fun in the weekend. Even when not winning, we still felt great about ourselves as a team. We later found out we came in 4th, and we were quite happy about that as well. Apparently we went too touristic and not enough smart-city (which was the theme of the competition). Too late to argue that a smart city requires some kind of cooperation from the local authorities, and we were so happy that we were even actually considered for the top 3 that it just didn't matter any more.
And here we are ... celebrating our victory!
The End
So, time to wrap this blabber up ... I had a ton of fun both times I went to the Startup Weekend and it's an experience I really recommend to anyone. The key is to chose wisely the people you spend the time with, set realistic goals for yourself, avoid frustration, stay positive and most of all have fun!


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Today In Black History: Feb. 19 – Tuskegee Airmen February 19, 2009Posted by Wheneva Whateva in Black History, Xtra Xtra.
Tags: airmen, allen payne, andre braugher, Black History, laurence fishburne, tuskegee, world war ii
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1942 – The Army Air Corp's all African American 99th Pursuit Squadron (known as the Tuskegee Airmen), later designated a fighter squadron, was activated at Tuskegee Institute.
Xtra, Xtra:
- Visit the Tuskegee Airmen foundation.
- The Tuskegee Airmen ~ featuring Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, and Andre Baugher
Standing In the Shadows of Motown February 18, 2009Posted by Wheneva Whateva in I Heart Music, Pass the Popcorn.
Tags: andre braugher, ben harper, berry gordy, boosty collins, chaka khan, detroit, funk brothers, gerald levert, joan osborne, marvin gaye, meshell ndegeocello, motown, paul justman, stevie wonder, temptations
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"To be acknowledged at this time in our lives after all these years is unbelievable for me as an individual and also for the rest of the Funk Brothers…You'd have thought with all those great records back in the day, it would have happened for us but it didn't. But better late than never. This is the high point of our careers." –Bob Babbitt, Funk Brothers' bassist
Everyone can name Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Temptations, but few knew the band that played on those records. Motown's Berry Gordy gathered the best musicians in Detroit to serve as the house band for Motown Records, but was not credited on the albums until 1971. These unsung heroes became known as the Funk Brothers. As the opening narration states, "They played on more number one records than the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley combined." The film brings the musicians all together for the first time in 30 years for a show and to tell their story. The film plays like one big jam session with a mix of first-hand storytelling and contemporary artists accompanying the band on Motown's biggest hits.
This movie evolved from Allan Sluthsky's book Standing In the Shadows of Motown: The Life and Music of Legendary Bassist James Jamerson. Sluthsky is a musician himself and labored for years to find the funding for the film project. It's evident that the Brothers are truly happy to be together again and have their story made known to the world. One amazing scene takes us through the layering technique of The Temptations' "Ain't to Proud to Beg." The drum starts, then the bass, throw in the guitar, and finally the tambourine, and you have the classic Motown sound. As the Motown execs loosened the production grip the Funk Brothers moved into their psychedelic phase, especially on The Temptations' "Cloud Nine" album. Then abruptly Motown moved its operations to Los Angeles leaving the Funk Brothers without their main source of income. Some followed the company there, but the sound was never the same without the collective group.
Starring the Funk Brothers: Richard Allen, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbitt, Johnny Griffith, Joe Hunter, Uriel Jones, Joe Messina, Eddie Willis
With Gerald Levert, Chaka Khan, Joan Osborne, Meshell Ndegeocello, Boosty Collins, Ben Harper
Narrated by Andre Braugher
Directed by Paul Justman
See also: Motown 50 & Xtra Xtra: Motown


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Coral Gables
How a black quarterback in a white school led his team to glory and racial harmony
His name was Craig Curry, but most people in Miami knew him as the Negro quarterback.
In 1965, when the entire country was wrestling with desegregation, Curry made what turned out to be a momentous decision. His beloved all-black George Washington Carver High School, which was central to life in the all-black half of Coconut Grove, was going to be closed due to court-ordered integration.
Curry could either transfer to all-black Mays High in South Dade with football coach Traz Powell and his powerhouse team or venture to all-white Coral Gables High, set in the neighborhood of historic homes and tree-canopied streets where his mother worked as a live-in housekeeper.
The railroad tracks that ran parallel to Dixie Highway served as a line separating the races. Curry decided to cross it. And that made all the difference.
"We were caught between two worlds, not accepted by the white community when we entered their territory and regarded as traitors by the black community when we left our territory," said Curry, 66. "We had to prove ourselves on both sides of this divide, and the best place to do that was on the field. Football was the great equalizer."
As the Negro quarterback, Curry found acceptance, respect, acclaim. As the leader of a state and national championship team, Curry forged the integration of Gables High through the unifying force of football.
"It could have been ugly but athletic success calmed the tension," said Bertram Taylor, the first black running back at Gables. "Craig was our Jackie Robinson."
Coached by Nick Kotys, the team dominated its mostly all-white opposition during the 1967 season, going 13-0, scoring 410 points and allowing only 26. Seven consecutive shutouts preceded the state title game, in which Gables beat Jacksonville Wolfson 21-7 in the heart of Ku Klux Klan country. Curry ran for three touchdowns.
Along the way, Gables defeated arch-rival Miami High in the Orange Bowl before a crowd of 40,000. Fifty years later, the "Team of the Century," as declared by the Florida High School Activities Association, is planning a reunion. Before he died in 2005 at age 92, Kotys said it was the best team he ever coached.
"Football served a greater purpose," said Walter Lightburn, Curry's teammate. "Football bonded the students together. It's hard to fight when you're winning."
It didn't begin that way. When Kotys selected Curry to be starting quarterback, some parents were so offended they withdrew their boys from Gables.
"At first, the white players refused to block for Craig," said Lightburn, who converted from running back to offensive guard to be Curry's bodyguard on the field. "Once we got over the separatist mentality of color, we realized we could be really good if we worked together."
Lightburn recalled how black students were refused entry to the school sock-hop at the gym until coaches showed up and got them in.
"We had to understand there was mistrust and prejudice on both sides and then find the humanity in each other," he said.
Black athletes were the peacemakers.
"If there was a dispute in the hall, Walter or Craig broke it up," said Dan Blackmon, white trainer for the football team who went on to a 39-year career as a Gables High AP and IB history teacher. "Maybe I was naïve, but I did not witness much overt racism at our school. It was the black students who set an example of harmony and tolerance. They were pioneers. And Craig was my hero."
Kotys put his faith in Curry, who possessed a quiet but undeniable charisma.
"Coach Kotys faced pressure and criticism from people who wanted him to follow tradition, who couldn't grasp the idea of a black quarterback," said Harold Cole, who played for Gables' championship teams of the mid-1960s and was later coach and athletic director at the school. "But he was a very fair man and he knew Curry deserved it. He used the weight of his authority and reputation to usher in this new era of integrated sports."
Curry grew up at 3780 Florida Ave., the home of his grandparents, as the youngest of five kids. Curry's grandfather ran Bentley's Barbershop. His mother was a maid. His father was manager of Gil's Spot, a bar at Grand and Douglas.
"My dad never saw me play because he was always working," Curry said. "When we played Miami High my senior year, his boss gave him the night off.''
The black Grove was a segregated but self-contained neighborhood along the spine of Grand Avenue, bounded by McDonald Street and Dixie Highway. The white Grove was "up in the village" where a prime hangout was Lum's.
Curry remembers watching Otis Redding and James Brown perform. He rode his bike everywhere. Police once accused him of trespassing.
"I fit the description of a black youngster who was seen on a yacht at Dinner Key," he said. "I was just a little kid. I started crying and they let me go. But I learned at an early age how easy it is to be accused of something that never happened."
Most of the time, the two neighborhoods coexisted.
"We had everything we needed and wanted within those blocks and it was a very close-knit community," Taylor recalled. "We had our own stores, our own doctors, our own theater. Our teachers were our neighbors."
Curry dreamed of being a scientist.
"I wanted to be the next George Washington Carver," he said. "I got a chemistry set for Christmas. I read a lot about Louis Pasteur; I performed experiments in our backyard."
But once he got to Gables High, a counselor told him to forget about a career in science. He hadn't taken enough math classes.
"I then invested all my energy into football, to the point that it stunted my academic growth," he said. "It haunts me to this day."
So much so that Curry made a career out of advising athletes. He now runs a college prep consulting business and wrote the book "Raising the Bar."
Curry spent much of his spare time at Grand Avenue Park, playing football, basketball, baseball, table tennis and horseshoes or at the Virrick Park pool. His Troop 55 Boy Scout comrades included Winston Scott, a Gables High alum who grew up to be an astronaut.
Curry aimed to become quarterback because of his admiration for Carver's Ernest✔ Hart. The school won nine state championships.
"I constantly heard statements or read articles that said 'Negroes are not equipped to be quarterbacks,' not qualified to be the field general," he said. "I buried in my heart the determination that I would never, ever give up the position."
After he and his friends enrolled at Gables, they were challenged to a football game by Carver graduates. "We won and passed that test from our neighborhood."
Curry and his dozen Carver teammates walked every day to Gables High. Kotys, a taskmaster like Vince Lombardi or Bear Bryant, ran a meritocracy. Curry thrived.
"There's a certain justice on the field because the best man wins the job," he said. "At the same time I felt if I made a mistake, I would screw it up for the entire race. I was on stage for my people. So many believed the stereotypes. I heard that I couldn't think on my feet. Black players were targeted and jeered. I think it helped us focus."
Gables finished 7-3 in Curry's junior year but he said he almost quit after Kotys chewed him out for fumbling late in the Cavs' 7-6 win over Southwest.
"I had to sit next to him on the bus and he let me have it," Curry said. "But in the end he put his arm around me. He was a great motivator and teacher."
Kotys told the Herald in 1967: "Craig does all the thinking. I only nod OK.''
That summer, blacks and whites practiced together and watched game films at each others' homes. Then came the triumphs of 1967: Beating Columbus 39-0; beating Southwest in the Turkey Bowl, 40-0; beating MacArthur 39-0.
One of the highlights was beating Miami High 16-0 at the Orange Bowl on Nov. 9, 1967. Curry hit receiver Bill Colson for a touchdown. Curry scored on an 11-yard run when he called an audible on a Miami High blitz and got a key block from Al Williams. Miami High was held to about 100 yards.
"Craig was such a commanding presence in the huddle, so smart, so confident," Taylor said. "He made that team hum."
In the playoffs, Gables beat Tampa Robinson and John Reeves, touted as the best quarterback in Florida, 55-0.
"It was another taste of reality for the black man considered inferior to his white counterpart," Curry said. "I felt that silent rage to prove myself, which is not the way anyone should live."
After Gables beat Wolfson for the state title, the Wolfson coach was asked what it was like to lose to a Negro quarterback.
In the spring of 1968, as race riots exploded after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Curry wanted to play at the University of Miami. He had befriended Ray Bellamy, UM's first black scholarship player. But he and his family received threatening phone calls: "If Curry goes to UM, we will kill him."
"I knew it was ignorance, but I also knew I had to go where I'd get a fair shot," Curry said. He chose Minnesota, which offered him its Martin Luther King scholarship. He twice led the Big Ten in total offense and was a scholar athlete.
After graduating with a psychology degree, he was an eighth-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1972. He was cut at the end of preseason by Coach Don Shula, who chose to keep Bob Griese, Earl Morrall and Jim Del Gaizo as his three quarterbacks. The Dolphins went on to complete the NFL's only "Perfect Season."
At that time, there were no starting black quarterbacks in the NFL. James Harris of the Rams and Joe Gilliam of the Steelers became the first in 1973. Last year, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was named MVP.
"It was unhealthy to put all my dreams in one basket," Curry said. "When I got cut I thought my life was over. I stayed alone in a hotel room for a few days."
He then embarked on a career that included 16 years at IBM. He worked as an academic adviser for athletes at the University of Michigan and athletic director and director of the Center for the African-American Male at Albany (Ga.) State, among other schools. Today, he runs his own college prep consulting business.
He and wife Josephine have two sons, Craig II and Christopher, and daughter Andrea Monique, and seven grandchildren.
Curry reflected on his accomplishments as he stood recently in the Gables locker room.
"I'm proud when people say I made history," he said. "But the work is never done. I thought it was hard back then because we were breaking molds. Today, we're reverting to old ways. Hatred is on the rise.
"I hope what happened at Gables High can be an example of how unity can make us all color blind."


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The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander, General Stanley McChrystal, has issued a directive stating his requirements for all ISAF personnel to adhere to appropriate legal driving procedures and behavior in Afghanistan.
"The manner in which ISAF forces interact with and treat the Afghan people directly correlates to our ability to earn their trust and support. ISAF forces are highly conspicuous when travelling in vehicles and I expect ISAF members to drive in ways that respect the safety and well-being of the Afghan people,†said General McChrystal.
In his guidance, McChrystal emphasizes safe driving to be an essential ingredient in the successful prosecution of the ISAF mission. "Safe and considerate driving represents a visible and tangible sign of our commitment to the people of Afghanistan,†General McChrystal said.
The Theatre Driving Principles direct ISAF personnel to adhere to safe driving practices, such as respecting Afghan traffic rules and regulations, driving at an appropriate speed, and driving defensively. It is the responsibility of every member in the chain of command to encourage and reinforce a culture of safe driving with ISAF, the directive concludes.
**BOUHAMMER NOTE- If you have been to Afghanistan or even if you haven't, but you have a loved one there, I am curious as to what you think of this new directive. Is this the right approach, or putting our men and women at too much risk?
UPDATE-If you would like to read a little about how bad the Afghan people drive, check out http://gocomics.typepad.com/the_sandbox/2007/03/driving_in_afgh.html
If you would like to see how bad they drive, check out


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Our final day in Rome was very busy and in total contrast to Christmas Day where we just chilled and really enjoyed the quiet of the day.
We got moving early and we did some walking! From the Colossuem we walked about two miles across the Tiber River to the area of Rome know as Trastevere which is just south of the Vatican. It's a little rougher neighborhood and I probably wouldn't want to be walking here at night but it was filled with some great spots to dine and shop. We stumbled upon a wonderful little spot called Cajo & Gajo for a nice late morning bite and of course made some new friends.
We explored the area then found a cab to take us to the exact opposite, the Galleria on the Corso. Wow – talk about elegance! I love this as it reminds me of the Galleria in Milan.
From there we walked towards the Spanish Steps area and the girls were tuckered out. So they grabbed a cab back to the hotel and Isabel and I carried on our adventure.
Within seconds Isabel spotted the Babington Tea Room where the two of us had a romantic and quiet tea, salad, and I indulged with one of the best cheesecakes I have ever eaten. What a lovely spot to spend a little quiet time with my Isabel.
From our lovely Tea we made our way down toward the Piazza del Popolo – ok another great area and spot to explore for sure. On the way we stopped and enjoyed the Hotel De Russie and its beautiful courtyard and terraced gardens. This hotel is most definitely on our radar for our next trip especially given its location.
From the Piazza del Popolo we made our way down the Corso and for a Saturday afternoon and the day after Christmas it was packed. I love just people watching. Especially here in Italy - everyone is so stylish and there is just such an elegance and simultaneous roughness to it all. A beautiful balance of masculinity and femininity. Everyone was strolling and shopping and dining under the beautiful street decorations….. amazing electricity in the air and SO Italy.
Isabel and I did a bit more shopping and the girls were now texting saying they were ready for some action! So Isabel and I were near the Spanish Steps and the girls were at the hotel by the Colosseum. We could either cab to them then cab to the Campo di Fiori where I wanted to dine or we could have them cab over and Isabel and I could walk across Rome and meet them there….of course Isabel and I chose to walk. Trust me, you need to walk every chance you get to burn those Italian dinners off!
We met up with Sophia and Tiffany at the Campo di Fiori a bustling and lively piazza during the day with the farmer's market and then equally busy in the evening with its robust night life. Bella chose to relax at the hotel, and so it was then trying to find a restaurant that served fresh salmon as that was what Tiffany was craving! Wow what an adventure that became….but we were fortunate to find a restraunteur who could hold his own with my Tiffany! We had a lot of fun with the waiters and met a wonderful lady, Kathleen, a writer from Ireland who was visiting family and friends and literally befriended us – what a wonderful, kind soul she was.
Our time in Rome had come to an end with a nice walk across Rome back to our hotel under the full moon.


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Hotel Master WordPress Theme v1.11 – Hotel Booking
Hotel Master WordPress Theme is the best hotel, resort, room reservation theme. It comes with the best room booking system. The system allows users to browse available rooms easily. In the middle of booking process, user can also change the parameter or re-choose the room smoothly with ajax feature so no page refreshing!
Master Slider is also included in this theme. It allows you to manage slider's elements easily using its drag drop ability and you can also use its timeline ability to control transition period.
Free Download Hotel Master WordPress Theme v1.11 – Hotel Booking
Hotel Master WordPress Theme Overall Features
– Room reservation system
– Booking management (backend)
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– Page Builder
– Hotel Master WordPress Theme free download nulled
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– Awesome Shortcodes – We integrated a lot of useful shortcodes which will surely empower your website.
– Customizable skin for each parallax/color section – When using parallax section, you might need to change font color or link color in it. You are allowed to create custom skin via admin panel and assign to parallax section easily.
– Sidebar size customizable – You can set the width of sidebar easily via admin panel. We have 5 options for you. 16%, 25%, 33%, 41%, 50%. And 25%, 33% for both sidebar layout.
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– WooCommerce Supported – Please note that this doesn't meant that user can pay for rooms by using Woocommerce. The booking system and Woocommerce are independent. It only means that this theme can work with Woocommerce without any problem and we also have stylesheet to suit the theme for Woocommerce as well.
– Mega Menu – With our built-in mega menu, you don't need to buy plugin for it anymore.
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-3 Room list styles – Modern, Classic, Medium thumbnail.
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One can get into a very detailed conversation about Photoshop Channels, but I'm going to describe them as briefly as possible.
Photoshop Channels are composed of black and white information that determine how Photoshop will present a color image to a viewer through a color display.
The simplest channel image would be a black and white, or gray-scale image. It is composed of the brightest point of the image reading as pure white, the darkest point of the image reading as pure black, and everything in-between reading as some range of gray. If we think of a gray-scale image in terms of drawing, one would start with a pure white piece of paper, and add tone to an area till that area reaches the darkest point that one's particular media can achieve. In this particular case, white would represent the absence of tone, while black would represent maximum tone, i.e. charcoal, pencil, paint, etc. This particular example is only useful if we continue the explanation in terms of tone and pigment, but I will be save that for a later date.
Let us then transfer the concept of a gray-scale image to that of light, where black represents the absence of light, while white represents pure light at maximum brightness. We need to refer to this example in terms of light because we are looking at a photoshop image on a light based display; meaning, the display produces a white light behind a panel of pixels. The color display is composed of pixels and each pixel is composed of sub pixels that produce either Red, Green, or Blue color at 256 brightness levels. Since each color has the ability to display its self any where from 0 brightness to 255 brightness, that means an individual pixel can be any variation of just under 16.8 million colors (256x256x256 = 16.777 Million). The display attempts to produce an neutral tone by having each pixel produce equal levels of brightness of each Red Green and Blue sub pixel. This is the starting point for understanding what Channels are.
A color image which is displayed by Photoshop is composed of three channels, Red, Green and Blue; all displaying some level of their color from 0-255. Let us now examine the color Red. We would see a red pixel if that pixel were only to show red light, while simultaneously the Green sub pixel and Blue sub pixel produce no light.
Red = R 255, G 0, B 0
The color Cyan would then be the absences of Red and the presence of equal parts Green and Blue.
Cyan = R 0, G 255, B 255
The color Green would then be the presence of Green and the absences of Red and Blue
Green = R 0, G 255, B 0
so on and so forth, (please examine the attached images)
Now that being said, we understand that Red is the presences of maximum Red and the absence of Green and Blue.
This can then be presented to the photoshop user with the concept of the black/white brightness scale. Every pixel that reads as pure Red would appear is solid white. Any pixel that had absolutely no Red present, or appears as Cyan, would be presented as solid black. If a pixel is not pure red, it must be any tone other than white, which then gives us a visual translation that photoshop presents us that appears as a black and white version of our particular image. (Please examine the examples of the color dresses below.)
So, in short, a color image is composed of a Red, a Green and a Blue channel.
Each particular channel tells the viewer how intense that particular color of a particular pixel is by whether that pixel is white.
For a display to produce middle gray, the combination of RGB needs to be 128,128,128. Any equal parts brighter or darker, will produce a neutral gray that is brighter or darker.
An RGB image can also store an Alpha Channel which is a channel that distinguishes transparency. I will provide a future entry to explain Alpha Channels.
One can easily create an alpha channel by creating a selection then choosing Select>Save Selection. The saved selection will appear in the channel just below Blue. (See illustration below).
One can then activate the alpha channel or selection information by command clicking the new channel. Notice the marching ants reappear on your image.
TIP!!! You can also command click a color channel and select varying degrees of opacity and transparency. Lets say you command click the Red channel on image that has a woman wearing a bright red dress. You will then have a rough selection of the Red dress, and a partial selection of anything else that has degrees of red in it. Pure Cyan would absent from the selection.
PHOTOSHOP: Tutorial: Explaining Photoshop Channels
(all photos found online without attribution)


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arun shourie
Hi!, I'm a digital art director with diverse technical skills to supplement my ideas. In short Creativity is my cup of tea while technical knowledge is the sugar!
I simplify and improvise websites to create impact!. Mostly I do bold stuffs in the web and call it as my "WORK".
visit: www.arunshourie.co.in


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Here are a few snaps of the festivities:
the tree, Christmas morning, adorned and perfect,
and the stockings hanging at the chimney,
I made the stockings last year from a vintage wool blanket found at the thrift store, felted, sewn and trimmed with giant plastic and pom pom bobble fringe and needle felted monograms. I'm still not sure if I really like them, but the contrast of countrified felted wool and glam plastic makes me chuckle.
Our Christmas mornings start out very dignified, we file into the Living-room at a reasonable hour, about 8:30 in the morning, have a quick photo session of the kids under the tree (by the stockings this year) and then open our stockings. Then we break for breakfast (this year we had lox and bagels), then the gift opening begins.
Half an hour later it looks like this,
I always get a gift from a certain red fellow,
the number of gifts we give each other is completely overwhelming, so I'm going to spare you the excess. I'll just say that we all got books, Cd's and DVDs. The girls got craft supplies and tools and the boys got jammies, the kids each got gift cards and cash from the family. Nigel found some booze, and Ian got a telescope, which came with bonus binoculars with which he promptly used to spy upon the neighbours.
The dogs each received new collars with tags. Gus was very excited,
Here's Whimsy wearing two Starbucks mittens,
After all that the day spirals into debauchery. I spent the day chatting with family (we're scattered over Canada, this means criss-crossing a number of time zones) and nibbling on Christmas chocolate, missed lunch, and ended up with a pounding headache by mid-afternoon.
The day is saved, though, as my mother-in-law and sister-in-law make the Christmas dinner. Hurrah!!!
I hope Christmas found you surrounded with family (in person and/or over the phone) and only as much debauchery and excess as you could manage.
Happy Belated Christmas!


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Beaufort News
House panel clears Haley of ethics violations
COLUMBIA -- A House panel cleared Gov. Nikki Haley Wednesday of claims she illegally lobbied and broke other ethics laws while a state representative.
The six-member House Ethics Committee had been meeting behind closed doors for more than a month, looking into a complaint alleging Haley lobbied for the Lexington Medical Center, which was seeking state approval to build a heart center. The complaint also alleged Haley broke other ethics laws while consulting for Wilbur Smith Associates, a Midlands engineering firm that has received state contracts.
The committee agreed there was probable cause that a violation occurred, opening its hearing to the public under a new House rule adopted Tuesday. It then dismissed the allegations minutes later in a 5-1 vote, saying no additional investigation was warranted.
"We found no evidence that she lobbied or broke any laws," said state Rep. Roland Smith, R-Aiken, chairman of the committee.
Committee members said their inquiry determined state law is vague on what constitutes illegal lobbying vs. legal consulting, leaving room for interpretation on what is appropriate activity by lawmakers. They instructed staffers to begin working on bill to clarify.
Under current law, Haley's activities were the norm for legislators, Haley's attorney, Swati Patel, said in a response to the ethics complaint. "Indeed, Gov. Haley's business activities and conduct are commonplace in the Legislature and were always consistent with the law."
Patel warned taking action against Haley would open up other lawmakers and businesses to similar claims of unethical behavior. "To find otherwise would not only impugn the integrity of other members of the General Assembly, but also that of many of South Carolina's best corporate partners: BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Michelin, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, and several others," she wrote.
John Rainey, a GOP fundraiser and activist who filed the complaint against Haley, said the committee's decision "demonstrates that our public institutions are truly broken."
"After meeting in secret, the committee only held a 'public' session long enough to dismiss this complaint on a party-line vote," Rainey said in a statement. "It defies all reason or sense of justice that just moments before the committee dismissed the case it voted unanimously that probable cause existed to investigate. In light of such tortured logic, this can only be explained as a political decision to paper over the culture of corruption infecting our public institutions."
Avoiding a 'witch hunt'
Committee members reviewed allegations made by Rainey, and responses from Haley and her attorneys. Committee members said Haley's answers to Rainey's allegations were satisfactory, leaving no outstanding questions.
Had the committee wanted, hearings could have been held with witnesses, testifying under oath, and the collection of additional documents to help determine if there was wrongdoing.
But the committee's five Republicans said that was not necessary. "I don't think Gov. Haley violated any law," said state Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens, adding any additional inquiry would be the equivalent of a "political witch hunt."
State Rep. Laurie Funderburk, D-Kershaw, the panel's lone Democrat, said a hearing was needed to dig further. But she was overruled.
Funderburk, who worked for fellow Kershaw Democrat Vincent Sheheen during his 2010 governor's race against Haley, cast the sole vote against dismissing the complaint. "I was not comfortable dismissing without more facts," Funderburk said. "A hearing would have determined whether there was any wrongdoing."
Other Democrats called the inquiry a "slap in the face to voters."
"This is Republican good ol' boys protecting their good ol' gal," said Phil Bailey, director of the Senate Democratic Caucus. "Same ol' stuff we've been seeing for years."
Haley's office applauded the committee's vote, commending it for "doing its job seriously and professionally."
"Once again, we've seen another in a long line of made-up nonsense claims against Governor Haley found to be meritless," said Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey. "While mudslingers, trash-talkers and political opponents will undoubtedly continue to do what they do, Governor Haley will continue to do what she does best, which is stay focused on improving South Carolina's economy and reforming our government."
Lexington Medical Center
Rainey had accused Haley of illegally lobbying on behalf of Lexington Medical Center as it worked to gain state approval for an open-heart surgery center. He also alleged she exploited her House seat by soliciting donations from lobbyists and companies for the hospital's foundation.
Haley worked as a fundraiser for that foundation from 2008 to 2010, earning $110,000 a year.
Committee members said that because Haley never worked for the hospital directly, she cannot be accused of lobbying for its heart center.
(Disagreement remains on whether Haley's work benefitted only the nonprofit foundation or the hospital, too. Haley was paid by the hospital, not the foundation, according to her disclosure forms.)
Rainey's complaint pointed to an August 2008 email as possible evidence of Haley lobbying.
In the email, to Lexington Medical chief executive Mike Biediger, Haley wrote: "We have some work to do not only to switch votes (on the heart center) but to hold the ones we have. We are as close as we are going to get and can't afford to leave one stone unturned. ... Fingers crossed!"
Ethics Committee members decided Haley's activities were not lobbying. Instead, they said she was advocating for a hospital in her district - a practice common among lawmakers.
"We discussed whether it was above and beyond anything any of us would do in that situation to help out our district," said state Rep. Joan Brady, R-Richland. "We decided it was appropriate."
The complaint also claimed Haley should have disclosed her consulting work for Wilbur Smith on campaign filings for 2007 and 2008. Her attorney said Haley, who ran for governor on a platform of transparency, was not required by state law to report the work.
Soliciting donations
The complaint also alleged then-state Rep. Haley used her office to obtain economic benefit for her employer by soliciting money from lobbyists and the companies they represent, including companies with business before the General Assembly.
Rainey's complaint included several email excerpts in which Haley discussed her efforts to gather donations from BlueCross BlueShield, Michelin North America and others for the hospital foundation.
"But for Haley's status as a member of the House, (the foundation) is unlikely to have received the financial support of the ... (companies)," Rainey's complaint alleged. "A lobbyist making a contribution, personally or through (the company they represent), in response to Haley's solicitation could reasonably believe that they would receive favorable treatment from Haley in the future."
Haley's attorney argued it is not against the law to ask lobbyists and others to make charitable donations to a nonprofit foundation that employs a lawmaker. "These funds did not go to Governor Haley. They did not result in her receiving any kind of bonus," Patel wrote. "She never worked on any kind of commission. They only went to help support the foundation and its mission."
State Farmers Market
The complaint also accused Haley of failing to sit out votes that benefitted Wilbur Smith and not explaining why she did sit out one particular vote.
Haley abstained from a 2007 vote to override then-Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of $14.8 million for a proposed new farmers market in Richland County. In the House journal, Haley said she abstained because she might have a conflict of interest.
But she did cast a 2008 vote concerning the farmer's market.
Haley worked as a consultant for Wilbur Smith from 2007 to 2009, earning $42,500. The firm has received state contracts and was involved in planning for a Richland farmers market. (Those plans eventually were scrapped, and the market was built in Lexington County.)
Haley's attorney wrote that, while Haley was a consultant for the engineering firm, "she had absolutely nothing to do with its contracts with the State's executive agencies."
In an abundance of caution, Haley decided to sit out the 2007 vote, her attorney said. She voted on a farmers market-related matter in 2008 because Wilbur Smith's contract to work on the market had been cancelled by then.


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Run Springboot fatjar with Palantir Docker Gradle plugin
When creating Docker images for a Springboot project using the Palantir Docker plugin I found no easy way to pick up the fat jar from the bootRepackage task.
One way around this is to set each the jar and the bootRepackage tasks as dependencies. The jar tasks provides the output (which the Docker plugin will pick up) and the bootRepackage actually generates the proper file (with the same name).
docker { name "ofnir/app:${project.version}" dependsOn tasks.jar, tasks.bootRepackage }
Provide a fixed name for the jar, so it's easier to refer from the Dockerfile:
jar { baseName = 'ofnir-app' version = null manifest { attributes 'Main-Class': mainClassName } }
This will generate ofnir-app.jar.
Then a Dockerfile can be as simple as:
FROM java:8 EXPOSE 8080 COPY onfir-app.jar /usr/local/ WORKDIR /tmp CMD ["java", "-jar", "/usr/local/onfir-app.jar"]