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Or call us toll free to place your order 1-866-412-3444
Thank You
Returns & Exchange Policy
In order to return an item, a Return Authorization Number must be obtained by calling or emailing DiscountSkatewear.com
All items returned will be subject to a Re-Stocking fee of 15% of the purchase price. Expidite fees, drop ship and shipping fees are not refundable. The cost of free shipping will be charged in the event of a return
Any item returned without authorization will either be refused or a store credit will be issued less 15% for Re-Stocking.
Any product or item returned 30 Days after being shipped or that has been damaged, soiled, worn or not in original packaging will be discarded and will not be returned to you, regardless of any Return Authorization Number. To enable you to return any item it must be in the exact same condition as we shipped it to you, return instructions MUST be followed.
Custom orders are final sales. We will not accept returns for any reason. In situations of defects or flaws Discountskatewear.com will fix or replace the custom item. All incurred charges will be appropriated on a situational basis.
*Custom constitutes orders made especially for you; including but not limited to non stock colors/fabrics, custom decoration, any pattern changes (adding sleeves, changing skirt, etc), and anything made with custom sizing. Also boots which have had blades mounted that did not come as a boot/blade set from the manufacturer
Crystal Decoration is done by hand and may vary slightly from what is pictured on the website. This is not an allowable claim for flaw or defect.
Custom Dresses made from measurements taken by the customer that do not fit is not allowable claim for flaw or defect.
are made based on the size specifications published by the appropriate
manufacturer. Ladies X-Large dresses are special order and fall under a
custom order as a final sale. Returns and Exchanges of Ladies X-Large may
be granted on a situational basis.
Skating tights are sanitary items and are not returnable or exchangeable
Discount Skatewear will not be responsible for any shipping charges incurred by the purchaser when returning items for any reason. An item is NOT returned until it is signed in by a Staff member of Discountskatewear.com or scanned as "delivered" with address verification of delivery.
NOTE: Returns will be processed within 7 business days of their return receipt. Once a Credit card refund is issued, it takes 3-5 business days for the credit card companies to post the refund to your account.
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Oracle opts for fixed patch alerts to cut costs and simplify planning
Oracle will begin issuing quarterly security patch updates from January 2005 in a bid to simplify patch management.
Mary Ann Davidson, chief security officer at the software company, said, "The quarterly schedule strikes a balance between issuing patches often enough to protect customers from serious vulnerabilities while making it easier for customers to manage the maintenance process."
The company hopes this strategy will help users plan configuration management rather than reacting to unscheduled patch alerts. It said the fixed schedule would also avoid common black-out dates when users would not want to update their systems, such as during quarterly financial reporting.
Davidson said the patch updates should help users to lower the cost of applying patches by delivering a single, well-integrated and well-tested patch that fixes multiple, high-priority vulnerabilities.
Ronan Miles, chairman of the UK Oracle User group, welcomed the change in patch policy as scheduled patch updates from Oracle would allow users to plan their database maintenance. However he wanted to see a sound plan in place from Oracle to combat security threats that occur outside the normal patch cycle.
He said, "My concern would be that an 'emergency issue' mechanism should also be available for use as and when required so that there is no chance that any very visible and known threat remains open for what could be up to 12 weeks."
Sherif Hammad, director at NGSoftware, a security company which has been credited with identifying several new holes in Oracle software, was also concerned with the 12-week patching cycle.
"When there is a critical update users need to patch ad hoc. They need to plan quicker if there is an exploit in the wild," Hammad said.
In his experience security holes were being identified more often than every three months, making a 12-week cycle "a bit long", he said.
Earlier this month analyst company Gartner criticised Oracle for refusing to provide more information about the consequences for users if they do not apply a critical patch known as security patch 68.
Gartner warned that Oracle had not said whether the vulnerabilities affect older, non-supported versions. "At worst, records in every Oracle database you own could be vulnerable," it said.
Anti-virus protection is easy >>

subset: commoncrawl


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It has been a busy week, and in the kitchen I bought (at a church fair on Saturday) a lovely plaque for the kitchen wall. It is called Family Rules, and we have enjoying seeing it in the kitchen (although I still need to put it up yet ). One of the rules is about sharing, and my grandson and I talked about how to share .. 'was it just about sweets?' he said . I told him it was about sharing the gifts that God has given us as well … of being generous, accepting and loving. Sometimes we have to enable others share their gifts with us , that is not just about giving , but about receiving as well .
I found this story to share with you all this day .
Mother Teresa of Calcutta in India heard of a Hindu family having no food, and so she took some rice to them. She tells of looking at the children and seeing hunger in their eyes. The mother of the children was grateful for the rice, and immediately divided it into two and went outside. When the lady returned, Mother Teresa asked her where she had been. "My neighbours, a Muslim family – they are hungry, too," she said. And Mother Teresa told someone later: " I didn't take any more rice that evening – I wanted them to enjoy the joy of sharing."
Lord Jesus, you said that
"there is more joy in giving than in receiving".
Inspire us to live generously,
sincerely thinking of others
before ourselves.
May others treat us
as we treat them.


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VEGETARIAN, contains nuts and cheese. Prepared with our own basil. Pesto is great on pasta, as an addition to a pasta salad, sandwiches, or topping a pizza.
Ingredients: organic basil, garlic, olive oil, walnuts and Parmesan cheese.
We promise to never spam you, and just use your email address to identify you as a valid customer.
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- Follow tiaras and trianon on WordPress.com
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the royal archives
Tag Archives: Belgian Royal Family
tiara time! the nine provinces tiara (or belgian empire tiara)
Back to Belgium we go for today's edition of Tiara Time. This wedding tiara goes by two names; the geographically-informative Nine Provinces tiara or mildly-anachronistic Belgian Empire tiara. We like the Belgian Empire tiara, personally. It has a more poetic … Continue reading
Posted in belgium, diamond, tiara time! Tagged Belgian Royal Family, belgium, diamond tiara, fashion, History, jewelry, nine provinces tiara 4 Comments
Tiara Time! the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara
To say the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara is one bad-ass diadem is truly an understatement. This conveniently convertible coronet was a gift from the dictator. A dictator with whom I lamentably share the same surname. Even worse: it's my maiden … Continue reading
Posted in aquamarine, belgium, emerald, ruby, spain, tiara time!, weddings Tagged Belgian Royal Family, belgian tiaras, Blog Hostess, Coronet, History, humor, jewelry, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola, royalty, Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara, tiara, tiara time, tiaras and trianon 21 Comments


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MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Huntingdon men's basketball team took the lead in the first three minutes on Saturday and controlled the remainder of the game in a 61-54 win over Maryville.
With the win, Huntingdon earned its first regular-season sweep against Maryville during the NCAA era. The Hawks beat Maryville 66-56 in the first meeting this season.
Huntingdon built a 12-point lead in the first half and led 29-22 at halftime. Maryville cut the lead to one, 32-31, less than four minutes into the second half before the Hawks answered. Huntingdon maintained its lead for the remainder of the game, but did not lead by more than eight points.
Leading 55-50 in the final minute, Huntingdon used a layup by freshman Mykel Woods and four free throws by freshman B.J. Barker to seal the win.
Barker finished with 15 points and five rebounds and Damien Madison had 10 points and six rebounds. Kyante Pines finished with nine points and Woods had seven rebounds.
Records: Huntingdon (11-11, 8-7 USA South); Maryville (15-7, 11-4 USA South)
Coming Up: Huntingdon plays at Berea on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Central)


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ARCTIC OIL / Oil is the lifeblood of Alaska, with residents ready to drill / Inhabitants of the Last Frontier see economic opportunity -- and with Bush and the Republicans in power, timing is right
2005-08-29 04:00:00 PDT Fairbanks, Alaska -- When Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski took office in 2003 facing a $1 billion budget deficit, he made clear how he would pull this resource-rich state out of its fiscal crisis.
"What is our plan for increasing revenue?" Murkowski said in his first address to the state Legislature. "In a single word -- oil."
The newly elected Republican governor said Alaska needed to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and elsewhere to make up for declining revenues from Prudhoe Bay, with oil flowing at only half-capacity through the trans-Alaska pipeline.
This fall, Murkowski and other Alaskan officials are expected to get their wish: Congress appears likely to approve a budget bill that would allow drilling on the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the refuge.
While environmentalists have pledged to fight it, budget bills can't be filibustered and an enlarged Republican majority in the U.S. Senate has given proponents confidence it will pass this year.
In Congress, the issue has been cast by supporters as an effort to lessen the United States' reliance on foreign oil. The debate pits the nation's energy needs against protection of one of America's last truly wild places.
But in Alaska, what's driving the campaign to drill in the refuge is the state's dependence on oil for its economic survival, and its fears of what will happen as the state's largest oil field at Prudhoe Bay taps out.
"Oil is the thing that keeps us going in Alaska," explained Jeffrey John, 49, a Gwich'in tribal member from Fort Yukon, who has spent years working pipeline repair jobs on the North Slope.
"We need oil to keep everything running -- to keep the planes running, to keep businesses running in the state of Alaska," he said. "If we don't do that, our economy will go down, and we'll have a hard time getting jobs."
Since the first major discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay in 1968, the extent of the state's reliance on oil has become evident:
-- Taxes and royalties from oil production now account for 87 percent of revenues to the state's general fund, paying for everything from schools to roads.
-- Oil production brings in more revenue for Alaska than all of its other major industries -- fishing, mining, timber, tourism and air cargo -- combined.
-- Oil revenues allow Alaskans to pay no state income tax, and every man, woman and child who lives there collects an annual Permanent Fund dividend check based on oil royalties, which last year totaled $919.84.
-- Oil companies are the state's largest corporate donors to charities, funding everything from college scholarships, Boys and Girls Clubs, United Way programs, and performances of the Nutcracker ballet in Anchorage.
Around the nation, a slight majority of Americans opposes drilling, according to opinion polls. A Gallup survey in March, for example, found that 53 percent of people surveyed opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while 42 percent supported it.
But in Alaska, where residents have reaped the economic benefits of drilling, polls over the last two decades have shown more than 70 percent favor drilling in the coastal plain of the 19 million-acre refuge, which covers the northeast corner of the state.
"There is this overwhelming perception that if the oil runs out and if we don't find other sources of oil up here that basically the Alaskan economy is toast," said Ivan Moore, a veteran Anchorage-based pollster.
"The whole economy is based on oil, and if the oil stopped ... there would be a massive decline in jobs, and people would be fighting their way to get on airplanes to get out."
The only thing Alaska relies more on than oil is federal spending. The state gets back $2 for every dollar it sends to Washington. Heavy spending on military, land management and services for Alaska natives means that one out of every three jobs is dependent on federal largesse.
For more than a decade, Alaskan officials have faced a worrisome trend. Oil production from Prudhoe Bay peaked in 1988 -- at just more than 2 million barrels a day -- and has since declined by almost 50 percent.
The state's Department of Revenue predicts that revenues from oil production will fall from $2.3 billion in 2004 to $1.3 billion in 2015, but state expenditures will continue to rise. Without new oil supplies, Alaska officials have warned they will have to raise taxes or slash government spending in the future.
"The state is not broke, but sooner or later we are going to have a real cash flow problem," said Matt Berman, an economics professor at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
"Alaskans eventually are going to have to start paying taxes," he said. "We would already be facing a fiscal problem if it hadn't been for high oil prices. It's put off the inevitable day of reckoning."
State officials also are nervous that the aging 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline -- which sparked the state's oil boom when it was built in the late 1970s -- will become too costly to operate if Alaska can't find new sources of oil.
"The pipeline is running about half as much oil through now as it did when it first opened," said Steve Thompson, the mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska's northernmost city and a pipeline construction hub. By drilling in the refuge, "I see the life of the oil line being extended for a lot more years."
If Congress decides to open the refuge this fall, the Interior Department could put oil leases out to bid as soon as next year. Alaska would get half of the revenue of the leases -- an estimated $2.5 billion for the state over five years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Drilling would begin within a decade.
Alaskan officials -- led by the state's powerful and senior congressional delegation -- have been lobbying to open the refuge since before 1980, when President Jimmy Carter doubled its size and set most of its desolate landscape aside as wilderness.
At the time, oil firms exploring further west along Alaska's North Slope were convinced there were major oil deposits in the refuge. Lawmakers were persuaded to allow the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain -- the refuge's most vibrant area and part of that North Slope to the Arctic Ocean -- to be studied for its oil potential and its wilderness values.
Alaska lawmakers nearly succeeded in opening the refuge in the 1980s until the oil tanker, Exxon Valdez, struck Bligh Reef in 1989, fouling Prince William Sound. The images of oil-slicked birds and sea otters raised concerns about the environmental toll of the state's oil industry.
Congress last passed a bill approving drilling in the refuge in 1995, but, under pressure from environmental groups, President Bill Clinton vetoed the measure.
Native Inupiat leaders have played a key role in pushing to open the refuge. The native-owned Arctic Slope Regional Corp. has 92,000 acres of the land in the coastal plain.
The corporation has already drilled an exploratory test well on its land -- in partnership with ChevronTexaco and BP -- and could reap a windfall if the refuge is opened. Oil revenues from Prudhoe Bay have helped the Inupiat build homes, schools and health clinics.
"Our lives have changed," Oliver Leavitt, vice president of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, said during a lobbying trip to Washington in March before a key Senate vote on the refuge. "We lived in Third World conditions until Prudhoe Bay was discovered, and now we live a lot better."
While oil firms have been lobbying to access the refuge for years, the two largest oil producers in Alaska, ConocoPhillips and BP, recently dropped out of Arctic Power, the group that has led the campaign to open the refuge. Both companies were under pressure from shareholders and environmental groups and feared being seen as spearheading efforts to drill in the refuge.
"Our position is that it's a decision for the people of the United States, " said Darren Beaudo, BP's director of public affairs in Alaska. "And until and if it's opened, we're just focusing on business opportunities that are available to us -- and that is not available to us."
However, state and federal officials insist the oil companies have expressed interest in bidding on oil and gas leases in the refuge. Shell recently bid $44 million for nearby offshore leases in the Beaufort Sea and many expect the offshore oil could eventually be shipped through pipelines built along the refuge's coastal plain.
Support for drilling in the refuge is so strong among Alaskans that politicians of both parties generally back it. In the hard-fought 2004 U.S. Senate race, former Gov. Tony Knowles, a Democrat, jockeyed with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski -- the governor's daughter -- over who was more pro- drilling.
"It's the kiss of death up here to be a major political figure and to be anti-(drilling)," said the pollster Moore. "It's not possible to win."
As oil prices rise around the world and fears of Mideast terrorism increase, Alaska's boosters have found the political climate in Washington has finally tilted their way. A Republican president -- who came from the Texas oil industry -- championing new domestic oil production and a bigger margin for Republicans in Congress have provided their best shot at opening the refuge.
Proponents of drilling also enlisted the political muscle of labor unions. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was the first major union to break from the mostly Democratic labor movement and lobby vigorously for drilling, saying its members would benefit from the jobs created by oil development.
An analysis by the Anchorage-based McDowell Group, sponsored by business groups supporting drilling, estimated that developing the refuge could create 10,000 jobs in Alaska in the first five years of construction, and 17,000 to 38,000 jobs at peak production. The report also found the state could reap at least $540 million a year in royalties from oil production.
At the Laborers International hall in Fairbanks on a Monday this past June, about 40 union workers in paint-speckled jeans and sweatshirts paced the floor during the 9:30 a.m. work call, hoping to land a coveted seasonal job out on the North Slope. In this blue-collar crowd, it was tough to find anyone who didn't strongly support drilling in the refuge.
"For me, personally it'd be an opportunity to get my hours and retire," said Raudel Limon, 50, a Santa Barbara native, who said workers on the North Slope can make $5,000 to $10,000 a month.
"Most of these jobs on these pipelines you're working 12 hours a day, seven days a week," he said. "That adds up."
Kevin Meenaghan, a 26-year-old Fairbanks native who pours concrete at construction jobs, said he believes opening the refuge could spark a new oil boom for the state. His father left New York in 1978 to work on the oil pipeline, and recently retired from his job as a pump station operator.
"It would be big for Fairbanks," Meenaghan said. "People would be moving in and out. All the stores would be busy. It would trickle down through the economy."
Not all Fairbanks residents, however, agree that drilling in the wildlife refuge -- home to caribou, polar bears, musk ox, golden eagles and other species -- is a wise idea for Alaska's future. Environmentalists note that 95 percent of the North Slope now is available for current or future development.
"It's a beautiful spot -- it would be a shame to destroy it," said Steve Zaber, a cabinetmaker in Fairbanks, who visited the refuge on a recent fishing and hiking trip. "It's ridiculous to try to get the last drop of oil out of the ground."
After years of debate, Congress is poised next month to approve oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. To get beyond the political rhetoric, The Chronicle sent staff writer Zachary Coile to America's most contentious piece of pristine land. See SFGate.com for Sunday's story.
SUNDAY: On the ground with the caribou.
TODAY: Alaska's dependence on oil.
TUESDAY: How much oil will the refuge produce?


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The New Face Of Heroin Use In The US
Heroin is illegal drug that is typically associated with desperate junkies on the street. But according to a story on PluggedIn.com, the death of 31-year-old Glee star Cory Monteith from an accidental overdose of heroin and alcohol is shining a new spotlight on the type of person who actually uses the drug.
Dr. Richard Clark, the director of toxicology at the University of California San Diego Medical Center says this: "I deal with drug users every day. The stereotypical user on the street? That's the past as far as heroin use in the U.S. is concerned. Lots of people are using it these days—kids, teenagers, white-collar workers."
In 2012, the government reported an 80% increase in first-time usage of herion use among teens. Heroin is now cheaper and more plentiful than it's ever been.
And as the government has begun to crack down on prescription drug abuse more forcefully, heroin has become an alternative.
On a more positive note, teens who are connected with their parents on social networks feel closer to them in real life. That's according to a new study out of Brigham Young University.
Researchers found that half of teens have "friended" their parents online, with 20% saying they interact with them online every day. BYU professor Sarah Coyne says "It's bidirectional…as we have experiences in new media, it strengthens bonds that are already there.
Dr. Coyne cautions, "You don't want these results to get overblown to say, 'If you friend your kid on Facebook, you're suddenly going to have a great relationship.' It's just one tool in an arsenal that parents have to connect with their teens."
For more great tips on connecting with your teens, go to focusonthefamily.com and click on "Parenting"
I'm Bill Maier for Shine.FM.
Listen to today's audio here.


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<asp:Button ID="btnSubmit" PostBackUrl="mypage"
runat="server" Text="Submit" OnClick="btnSubmit_Click" />
Friday, 1 February 2008
Posting back to a page without aspx extension
A project I am working on has the requirement for URLs not to have .aspx extensions. Requests are handled by IIS using ISAPI_Rewrite, which effectively adds on the extension behind the scenes. Generating the URLs is a fairly simple affair in XSLT using substring-before($url, '.aspx'). However, when using a ASP.NET form, the submit button by default adds an extension. I tried specifying the action attribute explicitly of the form, but this had no effect. The solution is to add a PostBackUrl attribute to the button control. Give it the name of the current page, without the extension. Example:
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The 2016 U.S.-Global Leadership Report
What people worldwide think of U.S. leadership, according to the largest global public opinion study on the topic
"Do you approve or disapprove of the job performance of the leadership of the United States?"
Gallup has been asking adults worldwide this question for a decade. While simple in structure, when asked in more than 130 countries, it gauges how the rest of the world views U.S. leadership.
The current and historical analytics in this report, the seventh in an annual series, give leaders in government and other sectors unparalleled knowledge about U.S. leadership's global reputation.
Median approval of U.S. leadership across 132 countries in 2015:45%
u.s. leadership approval in egypt fell to10%,
the lowest measured in the country during the obama administration.
of russians approve of u.s. leadership, the lowest approval in the world in 2015 and the lowest approval gallup has ever recorded.
The bright spots for U.S. leadership are Europe and the Americas, where ratings continue to improve.
The 2016 U.S.-Global Leadership Report presents detailed U.S. leadership approval data from 132 countries and areas that Gallup surveyed in 2015. The report includes approval differences from 2014 to 2015 and regional medians not available in Gallup Analytics or anywhere else.
Download this report to learn:
- What are the current perceptions of U.S. leadership worldwide?
- How do current approval rates compare with nearly a decade of trended data?
- In what countries and regions does U.S. leadership approval have the greatest opportunities to improve?
- In what countries and regions is U.S. leadership approval strongest?
Download the Full Report
To receive an email with a link to download this report, please complete the form. Someone from Gallup may also contact you via email about your interest in this topic.


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To get the current article, - See Below (at the bottom of the page) -.
For top news titles, see below.
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If you find that this page is useful (quality of web sites, images and videos, ...), you can add it to your favorites.
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Congratulations on completing this round of Whole30! Maybe it was your very first round, or maybe it was your tenth! Either way, it's Day 31 and you're ready to dive head first into a pizza and wash it down with an ice cold beer. I'm here to tell you that while you CAN choose to indulge in that way, you likely will regret it. I'm sharing this easy to follow, easy to implement Whole30 Reintroduction Guide to save you from that regret, and tummy ache!
First, I loosely follow the 10-day reintroduction plan, with a few extra days for alcohol. *Note that each of these do not HAVE to be reintroduced. If you simply want to live a grain free life, absolutely, go for it! The 10-day reintroduction is for those who want to evaluate any intolerance one might have to certain food groups, while not overstimulating the body.*
Just like introducing new foods to your baby, we're going to reintroduce our bodies to one food group at a time WHILE KEEPING THE REST OF OUR DIET COMPLIANT. That means that even if you introduce legumes on day 3, do not keep eating them when you introduce non-gluten grains. This is to ensure, that in the event of a reaction, you can identify exactly caused the reaction with certainty.
Day 1: Alcohol
Awww, YEA! If these 30 days have felt especially trying regarding alcohol, I'm about to make your day. Go ahead and pop one open, unscrew that cork, and enjoy. Beware, though: your tolerance can absolutely plummet in 30 short days. I start with one glass of red wine and then evaluate how I'm feeling. Hangovers are also killer, so take it easy.
Days 2-3: Monitor Effects
Do you feel ABSOLUTELY terrible? If so, you might consider whether you simply overindulged or if you are having a true reaction to alcohol. Return to a compliant way of life for the next 2 days. See you how feel after those two days. If you believe you might have overindulged, try one glass of wine or one beer on the night of Day 3, and see how you feel on Day 4.
Day 4: Legumes
If you want to reintroduce legumes into your life, try them out today. You don't need to have legumes at every meal, but add them in as you see fit throughout the day. enjoy peanut with a banana in the morning, and consider adding beans at lunch and/or dinner.
Days 5-6: Monitor Effects
Return to a compliant diet for Days 5&6 and see how you feel. After seeing the effects of legumes on you, you will know how often to reincorporate them into your life – if you add them back at all.
Day 7: Dairy
Now is the time to bring in my favorite – cheese! Add in cheese wherever you desire today.
Days 8-9: Monitor Effects
Return to a compliant diet for Days 8&9 and see how you feel. After seeing the effects of dairy on you, you will know how often to reincorporate it into your life – if you add them back at all.
Day 10: Non-gluten grains
Add in non-gluten grains over the course of your day. Some of my favorite non-gluten grains include corn tortilla chips and wild rice!
Days 11 & 12: Monitor Effects
Return to a compliant diet for Days 11&12 and see how you feel. After seeing the effects of non-gluten grains on you, you will know how often to reincorporate it into your life – if you add them back at all.
Day 13: Gluten-containing grains
If you choose to do so, go ahead and add back in gluten-containing grains today. You can choose
Days 14 & 15: Monitor Effects
The great thing about a reintroduction from Whole30, is that unlike the program itself, you have a lot of room for flexibility. You can take it as slow as you want – even choosing to never reincorporate certain foods groups into your diet. Got questions?! You can find me on Facebook The Hungry Mommy, Instagram @that_paleo_mom, and Pinterest The Hungry Mommy! I've also started a Facebook Accountability group for anyone on a round called Whole30 Journey Guidance and Support See you there!


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The US dollar hit a fresh one-month high against the Japanese yen after a better than expected US Building Permits helped boost confidence in the US economic recovery. That being said, the dollar did take losses against some of its higher yielding currency rivals during afternoon trading, after the positive news led to risk taking among investors. As markets get ready to close for the weekend, traders will want to pay attention to US Prelim UoM Consumer Sentiment figure, set to be released at 13:55 GMT. If the news signals additional improvements in the US economy, the dollar could see further upward movement against the yen.
Forex Market Trends
|Daily Trend
|Weekly Trend
Economic News
USD – Consumer Sentiment News Set to Impact Dollar
Risk taking in the marketplace following better than expected US news led to a mixed trading session for the US dollar yesterday. On the one hand, the greenback advanced to a new one-month high against the Japanese yen at 79.39 during mid-day trading. The dollar eventually staged a minor downward correction before stabilizing at the 79.25 level. On the other hand, higher yielding currencies, including the Swiss franc, were able to capitalize on the positive US news. The USD/CHF fell more than 80 pips to trade as low as 0.9709 by the end of the European session.
Turning to today, the US Prelim UoM Consumer Sentiment figure is forecasted to generate dollar volatility during afternoon trading. Analysts are currently predicting today's news to come in at 72.5, which if true, would represent a slight improvement over last month's figure and may signal to investors that the US economic recovery is gaining momentum. In such a case, the dollar could see bullish movement against the yen before markets close for the weekend.
EUR – Euro Recovers amid Increase in Risk Taking
After tumbling against the British pound and US dollar in morning trading yesterday, the euro was able to stage a recovery later in the day after positive US news led to risk taking among investors. The EUR/GBP fell more than 30 pips following a better than expected UK retail sales report. After trading as low as 0.7811, the common currency was able to bounce back, eventually reaching as high as 0.7842 during the afternoon session. Against the greenback, the euro was able to advance more than 75 pips over the course of the European session to reach as high as 1.2339.
Today, in addition to US consumer sentiment data which could have a significant impact on risk appetite, euro traders will also want to pay attention to any announcements from euro-zone officials regarding the region's debt crisis and any plans to lower borrowing costs in Spain and Italy. Positive developments with plans to revive the euro-zone economic recovery could lead to broad gains for riskier currencies, including the euro, before markets close for the weekend.
Gold – Gold Gains Following US News
The price of gold advanced more than $11 an ounce during European trading yesterday, amid an increase in risk taking brought on by better than expected US news which boosted investor confidence in the global economic recovery. By the beginning of the evening session, the precious metal was trading just above the $1612 level.
Turning to today, whether or not gold can extend its recent gains further will largely be dependent on US consumer sentiment data, set to be released at 13:55 GMT. If the data comes in above expectations, investors may seek out higher yielding assets, which could help boost the price of gold before markets close for the weekend.
Crude Oil – Middle East Tensions Send Oil Higher
Supply side fears due to an increase in tensions between Iran and Western powers sent oil prices to a three-month high during European trading yesterday. In addition, an increase in oil consumption in the US, the world's leading consuming country, drove prices higher. Overall, crude advanced more than $1 a barrel to trade above the $95 level.
Today, news out of the Middle East is likely to continue influencing the direction oil takes. Any escalation in the dispute with Iran may result in additional fears that global supplies could be disrupted and drive the price of oil higher.
Technical News
The weekly chart's Bollinger Bands have begun to narrow, signaling that a price shift could occur in the near future. In addition, the MACD/OsMA on the same chart has formed a bullish cross, indicating that the price shift could be upward. Traders may want to open long positions ahead of a possible bullish correction.
While the Williams Percent Range on the daily chart has crossed over into overbought territory, signaling a possible future downward correction, most other technical indicators place this pair in neutral territory. Traders may want to take a wait and see approach, as a clearer picture is likely to present itself in the near future.
In a sign of an impending shift in price, the Bollinger Bands on the weekly chart are narrowing. Furthermore, the Williams Percent Range on the daily chart has crossed into overbought territory, indicating that the price shift could be downward. Traders may want to open short positions ahead of a possible bearish correction.
The Relative Strength Index on the weekly chart is approaching the overbought zone, signaling a downward correction could occur in the coming days. Additionally, the MACD/OsMA on the same chart has formed a bearish cross. Going short may be the wise choice for this pair.
The Wild Card
A bullish cross on the daily chart's Slow Stochastic points to a possible upward correction in the near future. Furthermore, the Williams Percent Range on the same chart has crossed below the -80 level into oversold territory. Forex traders may want to open long positions for this pair ahead of a possible upward correction.
Written by Forexyard.com


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What happens when online learning ceases to be like a medium, and becomes more like a platform? What happens when online learning software ceases to be a type of content-consumption tool, where learning is "delivered," and becomes more like a content-authoring tool, where learning is created? The model of e-learning as being a type of content, produced by publishers, organized and structured into courses, and consumed by students, is turned on its head. Insofar as there is content, it is used rather than read— and is, in any case, more likely to be produced by students than courseware authors. And insofar as there is structure, it is more likely to resemble a language or a conversation rather than a book or a manual.Read the complete article here.
The e-learning application, therefore, begins to look very much like a blogging tool. It represents one node in a web of content, connected to other nodes and content creation services used by other students. It becomes, not an institutional or corporate application, but a personal learning center, where content is reused and remixed according to the student's own needs and interests.
This approach to learning means that learning content is created and distributed in a very different manner. Rather than being composed, organized and packaged, e-learning content is syndicated, much like a blog post or podcast. It is aggregated by students, using their own personal RSS reader or some similar application. From there, it is remixed and repurposed with the student's own individual application in mind, the finished product being fed forward to become fodder for some other student's reading and use.
[. . .]
As this trend progresses, we find ourselves in a world characterized by the phrase "ubiquitous computing." "Where virtual reality puts people inside a computer-generated world, ubiquitous computing forces the computer to live out here in the world with people" [26]. The "Father of ubiquitous computing," Mark Weiser, compares computing of the future to writing. "Today this technology is ubiquitous in industrialized countries. Not only do books, magazines and newspapers convey written information, but so do street signs, billboards, shop signs and even graffiti" [27].
In the world of learning, what this means is having learning available no matter what you are doing.
technorati tag(s): elearning, Education, Web 2.0.


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"Instagram" for Medicine with Figure 1's Josh Landy | Best of the ITB Podcast
This is a "best of" episode of the ITB podcast, a rebroadcast of the combined parts of our interview with Josh Landy from Figure 1. Also, check out the DDx podcast, produced by Figure 1. It's a podcast about how doctors think and well worth the listen.
In this show, Figure 1 co-founder, Josh Landy discusses medical education in Canada and offers a preview of why he founded the social photo sharing platform for medicine, Figure 1. Figure 1 offers a visually-engaging and privacy-compliant educational experience. And it's all free. Plus, Elizabeth covers a high-yield question from the Figure 1 platform.
Mentioned in this episode:
1. The Figure 1 example case can be found by going to this episode's webpage at https://www.insidetheboards.com/episode021/
2. Top Figure 1 users to follow: https://www.insidetheboards.com/figure1/
3. Instagram for Medical Students: https://www.insidetheboards.com/instagram-for-medical-school/
InsideTheBoards Study Smarter Series for the USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1
Check out the ITB Study Smarter Series Podcast channel. Go to bit.ly/ITBpodcasts or just click here to check it out on iTunes.
Support the ITB Podcast
Please consider helping us continue our work on the ITB podcast. Check out insidetheboards.com/support to learn more about how you can contribute to the growth and development of InsideTheBoards (and get an ad-free version of the 2017 Study Smarter Series as our thank you).
Audio Qbank
Purchase a Subscription to the ITB All-Audio Qbank featuring content from OnlineMeded, Osmosis, and Lecturio. It's the only audio-only question bank that helps you study on-the-go and the perfect supplement to UWorld, First Aid, Pathoma, and Sketchy for your dedicated Step 1 prep. Sign up now at this link bit.ly/audioqbank. Order before June 15th and get an ad-free version of the 2017 Study Smarter Series for the USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 as our thank you gift for free.
Legal Stuff
InsideTheBoards is not affiliated with the NBME, USMLE, COMLEX, NBOME or any professional licensing body. InsideTheBoards fully adheres to the policies on irregular conduct outlined by the aforementioned credentialing bodies.
Music courtesy of Tom Dutton, Forgive Durden, "Life is Looking Up."


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Japanese Subcultural Event
Last weekend was AFA once again! And boy it's already the fifth year this year!
So glad so see soo many, more and more people liking anime and Japan subculture in Singapore!
Since it was Anime Festival, I decided to go back to the more anime-like, cute style of makeup that day!
So how's my skills? Still not bad huh?
Makeup of the day:
Upper Lash - Decorative LashPlay Sexy #1
Lower Lash - Melliesh #5 (Cut into half)
Wore my kuma knit hat out that day, too!
No! It's not neko-mimi (cat ears)! It's kuma-mimi (bear ears)!
Met Y-san to get my crew pass!
*Not gonna blog his name full, so he shall be Y-san*
Woohoo!!! Feel so special!!! LOL
At Horipro booth, just in time for voice actor Daisuke Kishio's interview!
Look! That's Misa-san interviewing Daisuke Kishio!
If you're a fan of animes like FairyTale, Vampie Knight, Kamisama Kiss, you should not be a stranger to Daisuke Kishio's voice!
There's more. I'm just naming a few only.
Bumped into Noelle who was working as one of the girls for Canon over the weekend
Rurouni Kenshin segment
Oh boy I just can't wait to catch this movie!
Sadly I couldn't make it to AFA on Saturday if not I would be able to watch the Special Showcase of the movie! Urgh~
The costumes
Life-sized Sato Takeru!!!
*Fan girl scream!!!*
Gosh do I like him lots!!!
Ok. Was not able to take a fan-girl photo with the life-sized board cos I was all alone at that point of time.
Concert during the day.
Stay for a just a little while before Y-san brought me and Angel around.
After a karaoke session at the Anime KARAOKE MA' booth, Angel and I headed back to Horipro's Booth for Sea*A's appearance!
The only decent photo taken cos the rest just had many other people's hands in them.
Next, we headed for Marble Collection's Fashion Show!
Ok. No photography was allowed so I shall only post ONE photo.
Posting this photo mainly because Hikaru, a model from PopTeen!
I apologise for the blurred photo taken with my lousy camera.
See! I need to get another new camera!
*LOL. Excuses*
Bumped into Kiyomi Lim and Pei Ting during the fashion show, too!
Sorry for another blurr photo with Pei Ting as there wasn't much lighting and I was not walking the same direction with Pei Ting so no choice but to take photo in the event hall itself.
Back to the main even hall, I saw PIKACHU!!!
Why you walk so fast?! Me wanna take photo!!!
Last stop before heading to Anisong concert, Moe Moe Kyun Maid Cafe!!!
Ordered only 2 cakes to share. LOL
And yes! They taste SUPER yummy!
I love Green Pumpkin Bakery!!!
And yea! That's us at the MMK Cafe!
Me, Lue Song, Angel and Michelle!
❤ Thank you Jim for the treat!!! ❤
My xiao di Lue Song!
Thanks for coming AFA to supposingly accompany me!
Oh ya! Once again! I wanna make this clear.
NO! Lue Song is NOT my boyfriend!
People can't help but to think that we are GF and BF.
Well, NO! He's not!
With my Indonesian friend, Angel!
Noelle and Angel
With Noelle, the ever-funny girl!
It sure was great getting to know her!
Just us being silly
With Michelle
Us girls who got to know each other from an audition
And last the end the day off, Anisong concert with Angel and Michelle!
Super awesome day at AFA12!
Huge huge huge thanks to Y-san for the pass!
Super duper awesome!!!
Ending off with a group photo with all my friends this AFA12!
XOXO Tsuriki


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Michael Klare, The Oil Rush to Hell
Posted by Big Gav
TomDispatch has a new article from Michael Klare, looking at the problems associated with chasing ever-harder-to-extract oil - The Oil Rush to Hell.
Yes, the oil spewing up from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico in staggering quantities could prove one of the great ecological disasters of human history. Think of it, though, as just the prelude to the Age of Tough Oil, a time of ever increasing reliance on problematic, hard-to-reach energy sources. Make no mistake: we're entering the danger zone. And brace yourself, the fate of the planet could be at stake.
It may never be possible to pin down the precise cause of the massive explosion that destroyed the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20th, killing 11 of its 126 workers. Possible culprits include a faulty cement plug in the undersea oil bore and a disabled cutoff device known as a blow-out preventer. Inadequate governmental oversight of safety procedures undoubtedly also contributed to the disaster, which may have been set off by a combination of defective equipment and human error. But whether or not the immediate trigger of the explosion is ever fully determined, there can be no mistaking the underlying cause: a government-backed corporate drive to exploit oil and natural gas reserves in extreme environments under increasingly hazardous operating conditions.
The New Oil Rush and Its Dangers
The United States entered the hydrocarbon era with one of the world's largest pools of oil and natural gas. The exploitation of these valuable and versatile commodities has long contributed to the nation's wealth and power, as well as to the profitability of giant energy firms like BP and Exxon. In the process, however, most of our easily accessible onshore oil and gas reservoirs have been depleted, leaving only less accessible reserves in offshore areas, Alaska, and the melting Arctic. To ensure a continued supply of hydrocarbons -- and the continued prosperity of the giant energy companies -- successive administrations have promoted the exploitation of these extreme energy options with a striking disregard for the resulting dangers. By their very nature, such efforts involve an ever increasing risk of human and environmental catastrophe -- something that has been far too little acknowledged.
The hunt for oil and gas has always entailed a certain amount of risk. After all, most energy reserves are trapped deep below the Earth's surface by overlying rock formations. When punctured by oil drills, these are likely to erupt in an explosive release of hydrocarbons, the well-known "gusher" effect. In the swashbuckling early days of the oil industry, this phenomenon -- familiar to us from movies like There Will Be Blood -- often caused human and environmental injury. Over the years, however, the oil companies became far more adept at anticipating such events and preventing harm to workers or the surrounding countryside.
Now, in the rush to develop hard-to-reach reserves in Alaska, the Arctic, and deep-offshore waters, we're returning to a particularly dangerous version of those swashbuckling days. As energy companies encounter fresh and unexpected hazards, their existing technologies -- largely developed in more benign environments -- often prove incapable of responding adequately to the new challenges. And when disasters occur, as is increasingly likely, the resulting environmental damage is sure to prove exponentially more devastating than anything experienced in the industrial annals of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The Deepwater Horizon operation was characteristic of this trend. BP, the company which leased the rig and was overseeing the drilling effort, has for some years been in a rush to extract oil from ever greater depths in the Gulf of Mexico. The well in question, known as Mississippi Canyon 252, was located in 5,000 feet of water, some 50 miles south of the Louisiana coastline; the well bore itself extended another 13,000 feet into the earth. At depths this great, all work on the ocean floor has to be performed by remotely-controlled robotic devices overseen by technicians on the rig. There was little margin for error to begin with, and no tolerance for the corner-cutting, penny-pinching, and lax oversight that appears to have characterized the Deepwater Horizon operation. Once predictable problems did arise, it was, of course, impossible to send human troubleshooters one mile beneath the ocean's surface to assess the situation and devise a solution.
Drilling in Alaska and the Arctic poses, if anything, even more perilous challenges, given the extreme environmental and climatic conditions to be dealt with. Any drilling rigs deployed offshore in, say, Alaska's Beaufort or Chukchi Seas must be hardened to withstand collisions with floating sea ice, a perennial danger, and capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and powerful storms. In addition, in such hard-to-reach locations, BP-style oil spills, whether at sea or on land, will be even more difficult to deal with than in the Gulf. In any such situation, an uncontrolled oil flow is likely to prove lethal to many species, endangered or otherwise, which have little tolerance for environmental hazards.


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Comino is the third largest island in the Maltese archipelago and a particularly special one to paddle around. Leaving from Hondoq, on Gozo, it is not a particularly long trip, just under 6 nautical miles, but it never fails to entertain. For today's paddle we were fortunate enough to be able to use kayaks from Kayak Gozo and were really pleased that Chris, from the company was able to join us. It has been just over 2 years since I last paddled with him, on a particularly memorable visit to Herm.
Thousands of tourists visit the Blue Lagoon every day during the height of the tourist season and even on a Friday in November it was pretty busy. During the summer months it isn't possible to paddle through the Blue Lagoon as it is roped off for swimmers, but the ropes were taken away a few days previously and so for the first time in over 5 years I passed through the Blue Lagoon.
There was some reasonably choppy water as we made our way around the south west corner of the island, past the small lighthouse. It wasn't long though before we were surfing parallel to the south coast.
After stopping for a quick stretch of the legs we carried on until we reached the east coast. The kayaking is truly memorable with some challenging rock hopping at times plus some superb caves just waiting to be explored.
The weather wasn't quite as good as on some previous visits but the circumnavigation of Comino is always something special. It didn't disappoint today.


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Hope you enjoy watching and it's not too boring. I had so much to say but was worried about taking up too much of your time :)
Sarah x
I found that video incredibly interesting Sarah! As a chocoholic I can't imagine not being able to have a 'normal' chocolate bar with dairy in. I couldn't live without my Galaxy Caramel fix!
Gem x
It's been tough over the years but now there is more awareness to allergies I have some good dairy free alternatives but I do get jealous of Galaxy :)Delete
This was a really interesting video, dairy products give me stomach ache if I have too much so I try and avoid them too, I have almond milk instead of milk. I got into natural for similar reasons, I have psoriasis on my scalp and it took me a few years to realise sls and artificial fragrance made it much worse, now I just enjoy being different like you said. xReplyDelete
Thank you, glad you found it interesting. It's surprising how much of a problem SLS can cause. I always say "if you won't go natural at least cut out SLS" makes all the difference as far as I'm concerned. I'm a soya milk girl because that's all I've known for 20+ years but now there are other options on the market I've started to experiment :)Delete
Another great video Sarah. I know I have said it before, but you really are a natural. xReplyDelete
Thank you Alice :)Delete
Loved all the videos so far :) It's really interesting to hear why you went for natural products, looking forward to the next one :) x
Thank you x next video is recorded just need to add the finishing touches & I shall be sharing some recent beauty purchases :)Delete


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Summer of Code/2013/Application
From Sugar Labs
< Summer of Code | 2013
- Describe your organization.
- Sugar Labs is a 100% volunteer-driven project, a member project of the nonprofit Software Freedom Conservancy. Sugar Labs coordinates volunteers—international community of teachers, software developers, artists and writers, parents and children—who are passionate about providing educational opportunities to children through the Sugar Learning Platform. Globally, there are teachers that discuss how they use Sugar in their classrooms; students who blog about their Sugar learning experiences; and everyone, not just software engineers, contribute to the code base. (Children as young as 12-years old have written Sugar activities and we regularly receive patches from 15-year-olds.) At Sugar Labs, we promote investing locally in learning that works for every child.
- While there are many great ICT-oriented learning projects, what distinguishes Sugar is its platform features. Like a sponge, Sugar pulls in projects such as Gcompris, Etoys, Scratch, and Open Office for Children, as well as hundreds of learning activities specifically written for Sugar, making those great tools available to more children. But the Sugar platform further enhances the learning experience through its mechanisms of collaboration and reflection. With Sugar, the computer represents more than an opportunity for interaction with isolated applications; it is the manifestation of a change in the culture of learning.
- Sugar will engage even the youngest learner in the use of computation as a powerful "thing to think with." They will quickly become proficient in using the computer as a tool to engage in authentic problem-solving. Sugar users develop skills that help them in all aspects of life.
- The Sugar software is a learning platform designed for children, originally designed for the XO laptop of the OLPC project, but completely independent of OLPC since Q1 2008. Sugar installs on most GNU/Linux distros, hence it can run on most netbooks and PCs and on virtual machines in Windows and iOS. Sugar is used by more than three-million students in Peru, Uruguay, Rwanda, Nepal, the United States, and more than 40 other countries. Sugar is Free Software (GPL3) and is available in more than 25 languages. (We have projects in more than 150 languages and full support in many indigenous languages, such as Quechua and Aymara in Peru. Sugar Labs provides i18n support for many of our upstream projects, including Abiword and Etoys.)
- Why is your organization applying to participate in Google Summer of Code 2013? What do you hope to gain by participating?
- Our primary motivation is to recruit more developers to our project. We've had great success in the past with both GSoC and Google Code In in identifying and retaining talent that has had significant impact on our project. A secondary goal is that we believe engaging in mentoring is a positive experience for our existing cadre of developers. It forces them to look through the eyes of someone new to the project and see things that they may otherwise have missed. And since our project is fundamentally about learning, anything that exposes our developers to learning and mentoring is of benefit.
- Has your organization participated in past Google Summer of Codes? (yes/no)
- Yes.
- If you answered "yes" to the question above, please summarize your involvement and the successes and challenges of your participation. Please also list your pass/fail rate for each year.
- We participated twice: in 2009 and 2010. We had great students and enthusiastic, engaged mentors. We met as a group weekly on IRC and had at least daily interactions between our mentors and our students. We paired two mentors to each student to ensure there was never an opportunity for a student to slip between the cracks. This year, we plan to appoint some of the participants from Google Code In—too young to apply to GSoC—as Sugar Labs "mentors in training", sharing their experiences and learning something about how to mentor at the same time.
- We had 100% of our students pass each year we participated.
- If your organization has not previously participated in Google Summer of Code, have you applied in the past? If so, for what year(s)?
- What Open Source Initiative approved license(s) does your project use?
- The Sugar core and toolkit are GNU General Public License (GPL) version 3. Sugar apps are any of the FOSS licenses found here: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#SoftwareLicenses
- What is the URL for your Ideas list?
- http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Summer_of_Code/2013
- What is the main development mailing list for your organization?
- email@example.com
- What is the main IRC channel for your organization?
- irc.freenode.net #sugar
- Who will be your backup organization administrator?
- Claudia Urrea and Gonzalo Odiard
- What criteria did you use to select the mentors? Please be as specific as possible.
- Our mentors tend to self-select, in that they make proposals for projects that they are interested in promoting. As the organization administrator, I do encourage some contributors, whom I have observed to have superior mentoring skills to sign up. All potential mentors are interviewed by community members who have been successful mentors in the past. Specific criteria include availability, patience, general people skills, communication skills, depth of knowledge about the project, and the quality of their contributions. Also, as mentioned above, we pair multiple mentors to projects. In the pairing process, we try to find a balance, such as pairing a software engineer with an educator to ensure a well-rounded approach to our projects.
- What is your plan for dealing with disappearing students? Please be as specific as possible.
- We've not had a problem with this in the past because we have regular meetings with mentors (at least 2-3 times per week) and weekly group meetings of all mentors and students. But in case a student does disappear, we plan to reach out to the student through a local colleague (we have Sugar volunteers on the ground pretty much anywhere a potential student might be coming from, so we have usually have the ability to meet face to face with a wayward student).
- What is your plan for dealing with disappearing mentors? Please be as specific as possible.
- We have had a problem with this in the past, but we have a back-up mentor plan so we were well-prepared to hand off the responsibility without a hitch. We always have many more mentors than students, so assigned multiple mentors has not been a problem.
- Are you a new organization who has a Googler or other organization to vouch for you? If so, please list their name(s) here.
- Are you an established or larger organization who would like to vouch for a new organization applying this year? If so, please list their name(s) here.
- What will you do to encourage that your accepted students stick with the project after Google Summer of Code concludes?
- We are already in discussion (on IRC and in email) with potential students. They are publishing their proposals in our wiki, where the community is able to comment on them. During the program, the students are "required" to be logged into IRC daily, as well as subscribed to our developer list. After the program, our experience has been that students transition into full-fledged community members, utilizing the usual tools. One big draw for continuity is that we have an active and vocal user community, so the chances are there will be a teacher or child somewhere in Peru or Rwanda who is in daily contact with the student about their work, encouraging them to continue their engagement.


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IN 1997, Niyam delivered his first talk on GnuLinux, at an Apple conference in Bangalore. Actively using GnuLinux since 2000, he delights in its ethics and vision, more than just its technology. For the moment, GnuLinux is his way of life.
Thousands and thousands of people have attended his seminars and workshops on GnuLinux. Hundreds of thousands have read his articles, a few even publish and distribute his copylefted articles further. His articles appear, often happily without his knowledge, in several countries across the world, even in Pakistan's press. Dozens of key clients, colleagues, and friends have migrated with his guidance.
The Government of India, UNDP, and other international organizations, often invite him to consultations. He regularly conducts several workshops on graphic design, digital sound, digital video, and more, based around GnuLinux tools. Interviews of him have been broadcast on several national TV channels, and leading newspapers and magazines often quote him. He is also actively involved in a few software projects in various capacities.
Niyam's focus on education is ushering in a quiet yet dramatic revolution in Indian academia with respect to GnuLinux.
Discover more, and explore how you can also contribute to this movement.
White Papers & Talks
Graphic Design & Digital Creativity
TV and Press Coverage
Seminars & Workshops
LinuxForYou: FreedomYug column
LinuxForYou: Articles
HindustanTimes: Troubleshoot column
News Articles.
White Papers & Talks
Seven Steps to Software Samadhi:
Migrating from Windows to GnuLinux. For the non-techie in a hurry.
Guerrilla Warfare in Gyaan:
How to Bring Free Software in Education. Despite Everything.
Heavenly Steps To Some Quick HowTos:
Using Niyam's templates for quick documentation.
Graphic Design & Digital Creativity
Logo Designs for
Freedom Matters
Computing Consortium
For graphic design samples, see tutorials in 'Documentation'
Film documentary music.
TV and Press Coverage
Reuters feed to national television channels. Pune
Times Of India. Mumbai.
Business Today. Delhi.
Pakistan's Spider magazine (part of Dawn group).
more . . .
Seminars & Workshops
LinuxAsia Expo: Talks at Asia's largest GnuLinux expo Delhi.
Gnunify: Keynotes and tech-talks at Symbiosis' national event Pune.
M.E.R.I: Talks, discussion forums, projects, at this technical instt. Delhi.
Bhaskarcharya Pratishthana:LaTeX and GnuLinux workshop at this advanced mathematics research institute, for Indian academia. Pune.
Thapar Institue of Engineering Technology: Unicode and Indic localization talks at India's prestigious college. Patiala, Punjab.
UNDP: GnuLinux orientation seminar. Delhi.
School of Convergence: Graphic design and digital creativity workshops at this new media school. Delhi.
Technical, Hands-on, Workshops.
Several school and inter-school events. Various places.
Fun talks with friends at Linux User Group meets. Various places.
Contact Niyam for your event. Help him achieve his target of talking with 10,000 students across India.
more . . .
Get Started With Sodipodi:
Graphics and illustration software tutorial for the newbie to both graphic design and GnuLinux. UNESCO project.
Get Started With Scribus:
DTP, typography, and page-design software tutorial for the newbie to DTP and GnuLinux. UNESCO project.
Get Started With Cinepaint:
Digital photo-editing software tutorial for the newbie to image-editing and GnuLinux. UNESCO project.
Get Started With Sketch:
Vector Illustration software tutorial for the newbie to both graphic design and GnuLinux. UNESCO project.
30 April 2004 ©
niyam bhushan


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Welcome to Fleet Partners company websites
Our company focuses on supporting Your business in Car Market in the Czech Republic and other European countries.
Our services are used by
- Producers, importers and dealers of cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks and special transport equipment
- Leasing companies
- Insurance companies
- Tyre suppliers
- Suppliers and distributors of spare parts and accessories
- Fuel card suppliers
- Telematic solution providers
- Owners and operators of fleets
07. 06. 2011
Fleet Management Conference 2011
Summary of Fleet Management Conference 2011


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From Douglas Lockhart in his book, Jesus The Heretic:
Jesus is by definition a heretic. And this is not to do Jesus an injustice, for in the light of his non-conformist teachings and behaviour, he was without doubt a heretical figure in Jewish eyes. And if he returned today, he would, likewise, be a heretic in the eyes of the Christian Church.
…and I too am a heretic by classical definition. But I also claim to be a 'natural' heretic, and mean by this that I've always had a tendency to question things, whatever their origin or supposed status. I do not consider this tendency pathological. And neither do I consider my taking a stand against Christianity's claims for Jesus a spiritual impertinence. In fact, I feel the opposite. I feel, deeply, that Jesus the Nazarene has been done a great disservice by many of those claiming to hold him in high esteem. All I see is a sad-eyed prisoner of the Christian imagination locked inside a paradigm he did not, and would not now, condone. (Lockhart, p.9)
That Jesus gave the Pharisees and Sadducees a hard time cannot be denied, and that he probably gave the Essenes just as hard a time is only just beginning to be realized. This was a man of passionate belief, a man of action, a man who believed himself fully qualified and positioned to challenge the religious leaders of his time…. This was no half-baked revolutionary with a rabble behind him: it was an individual of clear mind and strong heart who wished to inaugurate a revolution on both the religious and social levels of his culture and time. This is what is so attractive about him – one sense the passion in him boiling away as he tries to make his often doltish disciples understand his insights and long-term plans. He is special, and he knows he is special. He can see only too clearly that his religious peers have become bogged down in narrow-minded, nit-picking practices, and as a Galilean with a deep sense of space and freedom he wants to reveal what he has personally found out about God – that He does not live in a box labeled Religion. (Lockhart, p.169)
On the road to God's redemption, 'organized religion' has set up toll booths. Is this legitimate?
Every creature can have a personal relationship with their Creator. Let that be a loving relationship. That is what your Creator longs for and is the key to your salvation IMHO.
Those who are self-important, i.e., those who believe they are more important than their fellow beings, are lost in their quest to know God IMHO. The Golden Rule means to value others as yourself. It's as simple as that and doesn't require a church, or a mosque, or a degree in theology to figure it out.
What's more, God's love for us is ineffable and can't be put into words or any sort of doctrine to be realized through books. Our Creator's meaning is expressed through life. In other words, God's love is not something you read, it is something you live, hence the Authoring of this universe in which we dwell. After all, words aren't alive, you are. So "spiritual authorities", which is a contradiction in terms IMHO, need to get off their high horses, stop worshiping words and start doing God's will FOR REAL....even if this undermines their business model. Otherwise, they are intruding in the relationship between God and man for self-aggrandizement.
The tragedy of the coming Tribulation is that Christ ultimately needs to be saved from "christianity".
From Carter Heyward's Saving Jesus From Those Who Are Right:
Lifting JESUS up above us, giving him an authority over us that he didn't ask for and cannot bear, we miss the point of his life, of our lives, and of the life of God.
Don't be surprised by the human form "Christ" takes. "I Am Who I Am" for the sake of bringing the world together as one in love. (Which is utterly humiliating....by definition since love is not self-important.)
Some clinging to their naive notions of "God" and "Christianity" may find this blog offensive. Well, if my message upsets your "faith", then I dare say your faith is misplaced. The truth is that I've not returned for any sort of exclusive, holier-than-thou group of "believers" like the "700 Club" or Catholics or Mormons or whomever; I'm here to save all of mankind from Evil to the extent possible. For creatures, God's meaning is AGAPE, universal unconditional love, in whatever form that takes at any given point in the Creation. What's more, my role is not subject to your personal approval or popular mandate, even if victory (the meaning of my name) is dependent on your participation in God's mission for us. I was born into this and I will do God's bidding regardless of what I'm supposed to believe or who I'm supposed to be according to others. "The Truth" is irreconcilable with those who want to believe self-important lies. Love is not self-important and neither am I, as contra-dictory as all this may seem.
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
[Luke 14:11]


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Ultimate Party Bus & Limo
1320 Route 23
Wayne, NJ 07470
Phone: (201) 820-3410Phone 2: (201) 820-3411Cell Phone: (973) 722-2111
By writer, Posted in Transportation
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Ultimate Guide to the Best New Jersey LimousineNew Jersey is a trendy place for limousine enthusiasts. It is probably because residents and visitors understand the value and quality that limousines represent. However, how did it all start?Whenever we hear the word - limousines, the first thing that comes to our mind is lavish, expensive vehicles affordable only by the well to do. Have you ever thought why in after all of these years, limousines still enjoy the attention and admiration that they were known f... read more.
Whether you are traveling for a business trip in or around Verona New Jersey, or for just a night out, your traveling experience makes much difference. Even if you are an experienced traveler, the hassle of traveling to and from a venue cannot be underrated. Things happen randomly, and they might be a cause of extra time, extra money, and worries. Especially if you are traveling around New Jersey, renting a car and traveling alone can be unfortunate. The ground transportation offered by limousine profession... read more.
NJ Limo Buses for Late Summer WeddingsA New Jersey limousine bus is a very large bus that is made with extremely comfortable features, although the overall shape is that of a conventional bus. It is designed to give the user top comfort. They are equipped with adjustable seating and soft, plush seats that are commonly leather to give a feeling of elegance and to make the passenger feel comfortable throughout the journey.Because NJ limos were formerly only associated with wealthy people, they were the only o... read more.
One of the fastest growing businesses across the US are limo services. This is especially true in the northeast with New Jersey limousine services becoming highly popular thanks to the wide variety of personal transportation services being offered.It was not long ago that limousines were thought of for two basic occasions, taking kids to the prom and for corporation picking up or dropping off clients at the airport. Limousines were considered expensive personal transportation vehicles that only the well-to-... read more.
By writer, Posted in Weddings
Ready for a New Jersey Limousine?New Jersey is a state that is perfect for limos. Wherever you go you find limos of every type and description. Well, if you are thinking how you can get a limo service provider who is ideal for your needs, think about Ultimate Party Bus and Limo.Think about wedding occasions. It is one of the most memorable days of anyone´s life. If you want to make your wedding truly memorable, you must do something special. Why not go for a limo in New Jersey? Our chauffeurs are pers... read more.
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Ultimate Party Bus & Limo, 1320 Route 23 Wayne, NJ 07470Phone: (201) 820-3410 Phone 2: (201) 820-3411 Cell Phone: (973) 722-2111
2019. Website Designed by Hudson Horizons


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|October 2, 2014
243 Washington St
Bath, Maine 04530
The City of Bath has funds available to improve the South End Park and seeks public input before making any decisions.
A public input meeting will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at the Maine Maritime Museum (243 Washington Street). The facilitated meeting is open to all residents, park users, and interested persons.
The purpose of the meeting is for the public to understand the general possibilities and constraints regarding what could be done with the Park, and for the public offer ideas, suggestions, and opinions about how the Park should optimally be used and/or improved.
After the meeting, City Staff will develop one or more options for the Park's future. Such options will be presented to the public in the Spring of 2015 for consideration and more input; then a final recommendation will be developed by City Staff for City Council consideration. No significant changes will be made without City Council consideration and final approval.
If you cannot make the Oct. 2 meeting, there is an online form available for residents, parks users and interested persons to contribute feedback regarding South End Park improvements. The form will be available until Oct. 17.
For more information, or if you have questions, please contact Andrew Deci, Director of Planning & Development (email@example.com or 443-8363) or Steve Balboni, Director of Parks & Recreation (firstname.lastname@example.com or 443-8360).


text:
Steps in a claim
The first step in a claim is to talk to a VSO or VA accredited lawyer and get an evaluation to see where you stand. A VSO is always free. Links to the right for veteran organizations have VSO search tools. A lawyer cannot charge you until you file an appeal (Notice of Disagreement) so it is not typical to hire one unless you get to the point of appeal. Either one is up to you, but I would be suspicious of someone who has a monetary motivation for your initial claim to be denied or lowballed.
If you go through a lawyer or VSO you will sign a power of attorney so they can act on your behalf. This includes filling out the form and submitting it to the VA. You can do it by yourself by going to this site and downloading the application and mailing it in or use E-Benefits. E-Benefits also gives you access to your disability and payment information and to various documents including the VA home loan certificate and proof of ratings.
When applying there are two basic routes: standard and fully developed claim (FDQ). A fully developed claim should contain everything needed for the VA to rate you. If you have private medical records, submit those. If you are applying for employability, make sure you have the TDIU application (VA Form 21-8940) filled out and if possible the forms from your last five years of employment. Note that does not mean employment in the past five years. These are forms that your employer(s) have to fill out. For some reason, my VSO didn't know that and I got kicked off the FDC process. If you are filing for unemployment without the separate required form, the VA will deny the claim on those grounds. If you can't get the forms from your employer, it shouldn't hurt your chances.
When you submit records don't overwhelm the rater. Don't submit 1000 pages without leaving breadcrumbs for them. They have a very limited time to review cases so do everything in your power to make their job as easy as possible. If pertinent information is buried, the odds of them missing it and causing a lengthy appeal increases. You are your best advocate. Building your case takes time and typically the effective date of any award is the application date. To get around this the VA has a program called Intent to File. You can file this on E-Benefits, by mail or phone and is good for up to a year so it can preserve your effective date which is important for various reasons including back pay.
You could also include disability benefits questionnaire's (DBQ). These are forms that your doctor can fill out. The only exception I am aware of is that if this is a new claim for PTSD, the VA will not accept it. Note that VA doctors typically will not fill these out, these are the same forms evaluators use and the VA hires doctors to do nothing but disability compensation. If this is a new claim make sure you give your service medical records to them for review. They need to review your medical records for their opinion on service connection to hold weight. Getting these forms filled out might make your claim go faster.
Often, but not always you will be sent for one or more Compensation and Pension Exams(C&P). These are exams to help determine service connection and level of disability. Even if you fill out DBQ's, you might get sent for more exams. These are either in the C&P department of your local VA hospital or through private companies that VA contracts with such as VES and QTC. These companies are often large military-industrial members such as Lockheed Martin (QTC). The doctors that do them for VA are hired to do only those exams. The ones from private companies are typically contractors. I have had them from both VA and QTC and they were equally good and useful to my claims.
The two most important things with C&P exams are to not miss it and be honest. Missing an exam can result in a denial. If you can't make it, reschedule. Being honest is critical. If you exaggerate your symptoms it can result in criminal fraud charges. It happens more than you might think. If you under-report your symptoms it can result in a lower rating. If they are testing your range of motion, you don't have to go past the point of where it hurts but don't say it hurts if it does not. That should be obvious of course. In a psych exam, which is totally subjective it is tougher and can be a little nerve-wracking. Write notes to make sure you cover everything and give them a really good idea about your bad, good and average days and the frequency of them. The notes helped me immensely because my memory is bad. They typically last an hour but my last psych C&P lasted about 3 hours which was definitely to my advantage. She could observe how I devolved over three hours of trying to maintain focus.
Once all the forms are filled out and exams completed, all there is left to do is wait for your letter in the mail. Once you get your letter, it is official. If E-Benefits tells you your new rating and you haven't gotten your letter don't believe it. That site is often incorrect. Once that happens, any back pay will be deposited in your account (make sure the VA has your direct deposit information when you apply) and your new monthly payments will start the following month. Typically, back pay goes back to the date of application or intent to file. To be more specific, back pay goes from the first of the month following your effective date. If your effective date is January 15, 2017, the back pay starts February 1, 2017. The rule for your effective date is: The date of application or the date entitlement arose, whichever is later. That could mean that the effective date could be later than your application date (such as the date of the C&P exam) but that is rare from what I understand.
You may also get a note in your letter about future exams. The VA can reevaluate you at a later date and unless there is evidence it is not likely to improve, you will likely get scheduled for another C&P 2-5 years down the road. If you are not scheduled for future exams your disability is called static. After my first claim, I was scheduled for another review 2 years later and got that along with an increase in my rating. That was 1999. I was scheduled for another review in 2002 and that never happened until I explicitly put in a claim in 2015. So there is no telling what will happen. For this reason, it is critical that you put in a change of address with VBA (and annoyingly VHA separately) whenever you move. If you don't do that and miss an appointment, you might lose your rating.
If you disagree with the decision there is information in your letter and a form to appeal. It is called a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). The appeal process has several paths and using one does not take away the other paths in most cases. The rarest is the clear and unmistakable error (CUE). It is rarely used and only covers very obvious errors of fact or law. Differences of opinion (50% vs. 70% for example) are not a CUE. The second is the reconsideration. These happen when you have new and material evidence that was not previously considered. You can't file for this on existing evidence. An important item to note is that you have one year to file your NOD. If you file for reconsideration, the clock does not stop and if you haven't filed a NOD, you lose the right to appeal and lose your effective date. If you have a month or two left to appeal and your reconsideration isn't done, file your NOD. If your reconsideration comes out well for you, you can always withdraw your appeal.
The NOD has two paths: DRO Review and Board of Veteran's Appeals (BVA). The former is much faster and if you still disagree you can still go to BVA. A Decision Review Officer (DRO) can handle your appeal "De Novo", which means they will look over your case as if it were a new case. You can also have a hearing officer look over your case but is not treated as a new case.
BVA is the much slower path and is in front of a judge. The VA's duty to assist still applies here. It is not required to get a lawyer but it is the first time in the process where it makes sense. BVA can re-adjudicate your case and if needed remand back to the VA for rating. Typically, the last stop is the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). They will not re-adjudicate your case. They are there to ensure you received due process and all rules and regulations were followed. Sometimes, the rulings have huge effects for the veteran, such as the relatively recent ruling that allowed TDIU recipients to receive additional payments when otherwise qualifying for it. Usually, they only apply to the vet in the case unless it is heard in front of a panel of judges. CAVC definitely requires a lawyer, do not think you can go it alone here. Unlike BVA, the VA will send lawyers to CAVC to argue their case and the duty to assist does not apply here. This is a "normal" court with an adversarial system. Do not think you can win your case against a seasoned VA attorney by yourself.
There is so much more to appeals than I know about. I have been fortunate and have always gotten what I applied for (and sometimes more) so I don't have any personal experience. Looking at my three claims, they all went well because I had lots of evidence in the form of medical records and in the case of my first two claims an excellent VSO. Not only is treatment important to help you with your disabilities, but it is also critical in making a solid case. 22 years of medical records says more than I could in 1000 C&P exams.
I have been to a lot of sites and the one with the most consistently useful information is Veterans Benefits Network. It is not perfect of course, but most misinformation is quickly corrected. Someone will be able to help, no matter where in the process you are at. The link is in the sidebar.
Effective date
I mentioned effective dates earlier in regard to back pay. It is also important in several other areas. If you were getting care at the VA for disabilities that are now service connected and had to pay for it you may be eligible for a refund of those costs.
Other important things to note about effective dates are the so-called 5, 10 and 20-year rules.
5-year rule - After holding a rating for 5 years the VA must show sustained improvement to lower a rating.
10-year rule - After holding a rating for 10 years they cannot remove the service connection designation. That means that it will always be rated, even if at 0%.
20-year rule - After holding a rating for 20 years it cannot be lowered.
These do not apply in cases where fraud was proven.
The 20-year rule can be a little tricky. Say you had a 50% rating for whatever on February 1, 1997. On September 1, 2010, it was raised to 90% but on June 1, 2015, it was lowered to 70%. February 1, 2017, the rating cannot be dropped below 50%. But since the 90% was reduced, that effective date no longer applies but the 70% is locked in June 1, 2035, assuming it is not further reduced.
Other benefits from your state, the VA and the federal government may also be important to your effective date.
Disability Benefits
An important benefit is that your compensation is tax-free.
There are many benefits, besides compensation, to having a disability rating. Some are from your state, such as free license plate and registration, reduced or no property taxes, fishing or hunting licenses, etc. Here is a link to each states benefits. There are also discounts at federal parks.
0%+ ratings qualify you for the VA home loan program with guarantee fee exemption. You may also qualify for vocational rehab; which is an exceptional program, and the 10-point federal civil service preference among others. Your state or local governments may also have a civil service veterans preference.
Once you have a 30% or higher combined rating, you get extra payments for dependents.
100% qualifies you for commissary, exchange and recreation benefits on military bases. 100% does not qualify for space-available flights, unfortunately.
If you are 100% or TDIU(See below) and have student loans you can get them forgiven.
Also at 100%, extra payment called Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) might come into play here. There are various levels of SMC and most require a single disability rated at 100%. The most common and lowest paying is SMC-S, which requires that the veteran is housebound or if any additional and unrelated to your 100% disabilities combine to 60%. It comes to an additional $350 or so. With the exception of SMC-K(loss of use of extremities, eyes, ears or muscle groups), you can only have one SMC payment as it includes the 100% rate but if you qualify for more than one, you get the highest payment.
The most important benefits are health benefits. All rated disabilities are treated for free and if you have a 50% or greater rating, you can get all care for free, except dental. VA health care is not insurance but having access to any non-dental care qualifies as meeting the minimum requirement in the ACA law. This benefit includes authorized care or emergency treatment outside the VA. At 100% you also qualify for dental care. Of course, if you have a dental rating, then you already qualify for dental.
There are also some benefits for survivors if a service-connected disability causes your death.
At 100% and your disabilities are considered static(called permanent(static) and total(100%) - P&T), your spouse and children under 26 qualify for educational assistance.
Here is a listing of benefits.
Sometimes a rating doesn't adequately describe how it is affecting you, especially when it prevents your employment. If you are unable to follow substantially gainful employment and have a single rating of 60% or more(but less than 100%) or less two or more ratings that combine to 70% - 90% and one is at least 40%, you can apply for Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
Note that this does not mean you can't hold any job. You could work 10 hours a week as a Wal-Mart greeter and that could be ruled to be marginal employment. The basic gist is that you can't do anything more than marginal employment. If you are currently unemployed but could work when you get hired, you will not qualify for this program. Marginal employment is not strictly defined so caution and a discussion with a good VSO is in order.
Once you get approved for this, they have yearly income audits. When you feel you are ready to go back to work and find a job tell VA and you get a trial period of a year before you get your eligibility for TDIU reevaluated.
Your rating stays at where it is while on TDIU (unless there is evidence that an increase is warranted when you apply) but you get paid at the 100% rate which is substantially more than even the 90% rate. You may also qualify for SMC-S.
If you become employable, your rating returns to where it was before TDIU was granted.
Asking for an Increase
If you feel that your issues are worse than what you are rated for you can apply for an increase. The method is the same as a new claim except you don't have to worry about service connection. You still need medical evidence and if you haven't had continuous treatment, your claim will be harder to prove.
An important thing to keep in mind is when you have the VA reopen your file, everything can be reviewed. The rater is responsible for everything in your file so they will likely look at all ratings even if you only asked for an increase for one of them. The possible results of a claim for an increase are that it does get increased or it stays the same or it can be decreased. That is a risk you need to be aware of when you file.
The last two entries were a very quick and dirty overview of the disability system. Hopefully, your head is not spinning. I will probably write more about these topics as there are a lot of details left to be covered.
Any incorrect or misleading information is unintentional. Please comment with corrections, any important omissions and good citation for it.