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The Asia-Pacific Region has greatly benefited from globalization. By taking advantage of the opportunities that globalization offered it has gone through a process of successful integration into the world economy that brought unprecedented economic growth with a marked increase in the standard of living and a substantial reduction of poverty. The introductory section of this article provides some data on these developments that are well known and hardly in dispute. The second part deals with the more speculative topic of the perspectives of the region and argues that globalization in the economic sphere has no tendency to dissolve the wide variety of regional capitalisms and that it will not lead to a convergence of standards of living. The article proceeds by postulating a typology of capitalisms with different prospects of economic growth. The examples of Indonesia, South Korea and China show that the development of these forms of capitalism and their trajectory is influenced by causes other than globalization: mainly endogenous structural and cultural factors.
In more general terms, the article illustrates that the increasing worldwide interconnectedness of product and financial markets on the one side, and economic institutions on the other, leads to a high degree of economic globality (viewed as widespread economic connectivity) but neither to greater global nor regional homogeneity.
How do we judge the benefits of globalization? One simple approach is to look at economic development in its broad sense where it becomes identified with social welfare, which has been associated with an increase in average income, a decrease in poverty, improved levels of health and education, as well as particular items of consumption such as access to clean water and electricity. Tables 1 to 3 give some indications of this successful development process of the region. The welfare progress ranges from the relatively rapidly increasing standard of living as measured by the Human Development Index that steadily converges with that of the high income countries (Table 1) to particular indices such as life expectancy where East Asian countries have taken the lead worldwide (Table 2) to a comparatively rapid decrease in poverty (Table 3). [1]
These developments have been made possible by improved production methods and increased labor productivity. Those advances had become feasible through the integration of the region into the world economy where advanced technology originated and where sufficiently large markets were found that enabled the leveraging of economies of scale and scope. Without a high degree of globality in the form of worldwide integrated product and financial markets, the economic success of the region could not have been achieved. Globalization provided the opportunity for the East Asian Miracle, an opportunity which no other region was able to exploit to even remotely the same degree. Tables 4 and 5 illustrate the relatively rapid growth within the area and Table 6 the extremely high degree of integration in the world economy as measured by merchandise trade. Thus there is little doubt that Pacific Asia has been the main beneficiary of globalization.
Table 5 illustrates strikingly the large differences in income and rates of growth within the region. Furthermore, the rates of growth are not systematically related to the levels of income. For example, the low-income country Indonesia has grown slower than South Korea whose standard of living is now equal to those of Southern European countries such as Greece and Portugal. Thus there is little evidence of convergence within the region. In fact, if China continues to grow at this rate for another few years, the picture will be one of divergence. Neither in the Asia-Pacific region nor in other parts of the globe has globalization empirically been associated with increasing political, cultural, or economic homogeneity.
In fact, most development economists would agree that this failure of convergence is likely to be related to institutional differences. A glance at one selected governance indicator — the picture does not change much if others are included too — suggests that structural differences among the economies of the regions are very pronounced (Figure 1). Such institutional differences can be systematized by constructing varieties of capitalism that "bundle" institutional differences and relate them to economic performance.
Figure 1: Governance Indicators for Selected Countries. Source: World Bank. Governance matters V: governance indicators for 1996–2005.
The distinction between such "varieties" on which this argument is based relies on the amount and particular nature of rent-seeking. At the extreme points of an imaginary triangular space three economic systems are to be found: a first one in which all types of rent are absent (pure capitalism), a second one where all national income is distributed in the form of rent (whose size and distribution is determined by a formal political decision making process and an allocation through bureaucratic channels), and a third one where all income is rent derived through the actions of personal networks. [2]
In the ideal world of pure liberal capitalism with secure property rights and its competitive pressures, rents in product, factor and financial markets are rapidly diminished and income corresponds in the main to opportunity costs determined in well-regulated markets. Entrepreneurial rents provide the dynamism of the economy but these types of rent are rapidly eroded by competition. The political class is satisfied with incomes that are equal to those in comparable positions in the market place; and it abstains from granting itself privileges that are not open to other citizens. This is the world classical liberals such as Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill envisioned as the ideal environment for economic growth.
Any economic structure is unstable without cultural legitimization, generally revolving around two issues: its perceived effectiveness as a means to material betterment, and its conformity to a set of values thought to embody the "good life." Central among the beliefs sustaining liberal capitalism is the perception that competitive markets generate welfare improvements superior to other modes of allocation both for society as a whole and the individual citizen. Moreover, this capitalist mode is supported when distributive justice is equated to equality of opportunity combined with the belief that markets, in a rough and ready way, do indeed reward individual performance, at least when compared with alternative modes of allocating income. Thus the elite and the mass of the population believe that competitive markets are a socially superior allocation mechanism than political processes.
Perceptions cannot be sustained unless they reflect reality to some degree. Since a society based on well-regulated market processes does not protect those individuals from indigence who are unable to take part in these processes and provides little by way of equality of opportunity for the children of the destitute, a pure form of liberal capitalism lacks legitimacy and is likely to be unstable. It is therefore not surprising that classical liberalism contained some redistributive mechanisms: governments had to provide "baseline equality," protection against outright indigence through means-tested benefits and a reasonable degree of equality of opportunity guaranteed by an education system supported by the state. Liberal capitalism is perfectly compatible with social security provisions beyond "baseline" equality if these do not aim at redistribution of income but at risk-pooling, avoiding of inconsistent decisions, moral hazard or adverse selection and thus improve market outcomes. Examples of such social security programs not involving welfare rents are funded pension schemes or health programs where people are charged according to average health cost of their risk group or the population at large.
In the modern form of collectivist capitalism, the ideal second system, rent-seeking is ubiquitous and national income accrues largely in form of rent to members of politically influential interest groups. Government and private monopolies dominate the economy – private monopolies either have been formed spontaneously or have been established through state intervention. Farm lobbies in many industrialized countries have thus managed to receive much higher incomes than those that would prevail in a competitive market environment, and other privileged groups such as members of well organized trade unions have negotiated higher than market wages. The welfare system has become redistributive beyond poverty alleviation and social programs aim heavily at redistribution.
The stability of collectivist capitalism hinges on structural and ideological elements. The justifications of replacing market allocation of income through government processes are the reverse of the ideology of liberal capitalism: equality of outcome plays a relatively large role among the notions of distributive justice, market allocation of income is considered unjust, and competitive market processes are thought to be socially detrimental. In addition, collectivism receives structural support from the beneficiaries of the redistribution process, namely the political entrepreneurs that derive their income from organizing redistributive coalitions, the administrators of the redistribution process, and the people that derive direct benefits from redistribution in some form or another.
The nature of rent-seeking is the distinguishing mark of the third variety of capitalism. The process of rent-seeking becomes highly personal and does not proceed through regular political channels, nor does its distribution use regular administrative procedures. Benefits become increasingly particularistic and personal, not benefiting the membership of large groups as a whole but its leading members only and those who are connected to these leaders through personal networks. Typical benefits include jobs, licenses, credit, foreign exchange, state contracts, extra-bureaucratic access to state services like health care or exemptions from onerous regulations and taxes. The allocation of government resources according to personal criteria requires a "weak" or de-institutionalised state. Rules and regulations become irrelevant in the allocation process, the impartiality rule that public office holders are supposed to follow is violated, and corruption becomes one of the marks of this form of capitalism. Economic relationships follow this cronyist pattern since the ubiquitous government interference into market processes provides benefits for well-connected individuals and firms. Private sector profits are mainly a matter of state privileges in this system and not of competitive market processes. Political clientelism thrives in this form of capitalism.
Personalism encourages the joining of networks to seek rents. However, little can be said to justify a differential treatment of humans simply because they hail from different groups or networks; abandoning the principle of impartial action to which any public office should be bound is generally thought to be morally unacceptable. [3] The cultural grounding of personalism may take the form of either a simply, unreflected Alltagskultur (culture of everyday life) or an explicit belief system postulating the incompatibility or superiority of primordial attachments ("African" or "Asian" values for example) over the conventions embodied in the modern bureaucratic state. Such an Alltagskultur may be the expression of a traditional morality, where rights and obligations are limited to a narrow social circle (family, clan, tribe, village) and outsiders are only a tenuous part of the moral universe. [4] Structural factors such as the support of politically influential networks that benefit from the distribution process have to be added to such stabilizing cultural elements.
Three more points need to be made. First, a stable liberal capitalist mode with its optimal organisation of production will be the economically most successful system in the long run — an argument that will be pursued in the context of China. Second, all varieties of capitalism are compatible with authoritarianism and democracy — a point that implies the absence of a correlation between democracy and autocracy and economic development. Third, the legitimacy of a system, and therefore its stability, will be enhanced by its economic success.
The following section deals with three countries, their position in the triangle of capitalist economic systems, and their perspectives for transformations and growth: Indonesia, a stable system at the personalist end of the spectrum, Korea, a system on the liberal capitalist side which may be shifting towards collectivism, and China somewhere in-between with an outcome that is entirely open.
Indonesia illustrates the main point that has been made: modes of capitalism are often immune to pressures from economic globalization and tend to remain very stable. Indonesia, an economic system geared towards the personalist end of the spectrum, survived economic crises, democratization and intense pressure by the international financial institutions to introduce reforms.
In the 1990s the Indonesian economy became increasingly dominated by what has been called a "politico-business" oligarchy that had emerged in the 1970s. It hijacked the liberal reforms of the 1980s by transforming state monopolies into new private cartels and oligopolies in such areas as domestic banking, public utilities, telecommunications and transportation. [5] Industry policy did not serve as an instrument for conquering global markets but "was used to enrich state and private oligarchies" through the formation of protected cartels, the granting of entry and exit controls, and exclusive licensing. [6] State banks, state pension funds and funds not contained in the regular budget often financed such projects. [7] By the 1990s, Indonesia had descended far into cronyism and the fusion of public authority and private interest as epitomized by the rapacious Soeharto family. The system of patronage had penetrated all layers of society. [8]
Democratization did not lead to a transformation of the system but replaced authoritarian with democratic clientelism where "parties appear to be evolving as machines for assembling coalitions concerned with the capture and allocation of resources and power rather than imposing distinctive policy agendas and regulatory frameworks." [9] Indeed, it has been argued, that the old hegemonic forces re-emerged again after forging new alliances with political entrepreneurs drawn from the fringes of power within the old regime: "the former officials and regional notables, the party apparatchiks, operators, fixers and enforcers … now surged into the newly opened arenas of parliament and elections to seek their fortunes." [10]
Why did no powerful and politically cohesive coalition assemble behind the neo-liberal agenda? There was simply no constituency for a liberal market economy neither among the population at large nor among the bourgeoisie. Protests against the regime traditionally had an anti-liberal bent: "Increasing frustration amongst the urban middle classes was at the heart of student unrest and disturbances in 1971, and again in 1973 and 1974 when these concerns with corruption and arbitrary rule merged with more populist and xenophobic resentments on the part of declining pribumi [indigenous] business interests." [11] The indigenous business interests were not alone in refusing to follow the Marxian script of pushing a liberal agenda but sought a more influential place in the prevailing system of authoritarian corporatism. [12] Indonesia's bourgeoisie proved to be a profoundly anti-liberal force, more interested in particularistic benefits than in competition and "good governance." [13] That behavior is not unexpected since a bourgeoisie that has grown up in a clientelist environment has much to loose and often little to gain from competition. Thus the vested interests that have grown up in the crony capitalist environment helped to stabilize the economic system.
Globalization did not lead to a transformation of the Indonesian economy towards a more viable economic system; neither did the process of democratization. Indeed, the governance indicators measuring institutional strength and market orientation have all deteriorated after the advent of democratization (Figure 2). Personalism remained stable partly because of the structural support of the members of influential networks who had an interest in perpetuating the system, and partly because of the absence of a desire for change among the population that might have manifested itself in the election process.
Figure 2: Governance Indicators for Indonesia. Source: World Bank. Governance matters V: governance indicators for 1996–2005.
It is widely believed that globalization is incompatible with a developed welfare state. Its high tax rates are supposedly unsustainable because they undermine international competitiveness and, so the story goes, governments are forced to participate in a "race to the bottom" that erodes the financial foundations of welfarism.
South Korea belongs to the group of economies at the liberal-capitalist end of the spectrum [14] with relatively strong institutions (Figure 3). [15] After the advent of democratization in 1987, particularly during the tenure of Kim Dae Jung (1998-2003), the country has expanded its welfare system with the extension of a whole range of social security programs. This blatantly contradicts the thesis of the "race to the bottom."
Figure 3: Governance Indicators for South Korea. Source: World Bank. Governance matters V: governance indicators for 1996–2005.
In fact, in its general form the thesis is simply wrong. As long as taxes and social security contributions are falling on the immobile factors of production — such as most types of labor — no competitive disadvantages result from welfarism. If workers are willing to bear the burden of the welfare state, accept a lower take-home pay, and receive a return from the deductions in form of welfare benefits, the costs of production are unaffected by the extension of welfare provisions, and the conflict between welfarism and globalization disappears.
One possible route South Korea might take is towards the German system with its inefficient rent-generating low-growth variety of capitalism of which the extended and unsustainable welfare system is one major element. Some historical parallels are striking.
The change of the meaning of the term Soziale Marktwirtschaft (Social Market Economy) indicates the trajectory of the German system towards collectivism. To one of its founders, Ludwig Erhard, it followed the liberal capitalist script. The ability to provide welfare via full employment and income growth made it a socially beneficial system. [16] Erhard's views have long been superseded by a perception of the Sozialstaat as a caring social state, that is, a system of redistributive welfarism. This terminological change reflects the reality of a continuous expansion of social programs until they have become manifestly unsustainable after a number of recent shocks to the German economy. These shocks included the German unification, which was largely financed through the welfare system, disruptions through increased international competition particularly from Eastern Europe and Asia, and, most importantly, the cost of maintaining a high standard of living for a rapidly aging population.
The transformation of the German economic system towards collectivism was heavily influenced by the absence of an ideological foundation that could have sustained liberal capitalism. Whereas the attitudes in support of economic liberalism are widespread in the United States, the most stable variety of capitalism close to the liberal capitalist end of the spectrum, they are weak in Germany where Erhard pushed through the market reforms of the late 1940s against heavy opposition in parliament from both the right and the left. [17] The economic success of these reforms did not diminish the attraction of redistributive capitalism among the population at large. Elections in Germany tend to be won by promises of more not less redistribution. To take the latest election as an example: the announcement of painful reforms cost Angela Merkel's electoral coalition their election victory and led to the formation a "grand coalition" with the Social Democratic Party. The lack of a widespread perception that well-regulated markets are better at delivering welfare improvements than state interventions has been a major reason for the trajectory of the German economy towards collectivism.
Some of these developments have striking parallels in South Korea. The first is the change in policy outlook. During the years of military rule, a developmentalist ideology dominated that has been described as a "hegemonic paradigm which envisaged social policy as subordinate to economic policy." [18] With the democratization process this view became increasingly devalued when popular demands "for redistribution, welfare, quality of life, and environmental integrity constituted new political and ideological mandates." [19] Inevitably, the Korean state became increasingly porous as the shield insulating public policymaking from political and societal pressures was gradually eroded. These pressures, it has been argued, derive from an "ideational convergence around the idea of social welfare" that "has emerged in democratizing Taiwan and South Korea." [20] Since the late 1980s, political actors in Taiwan and South Korea have continued to adopt socioeconomic issues as central platforms in their political campaigns. They have focused on various social policy areas, including pensions, health care reform, and policies relating to social justice more generally. [21] In this environment, political entrepreneurs "outdo one another in social policy reform." [22] South Korea is certainly not immune to a transformation toward increasing rent-generation in terms of welfare benefits and handouts to particularly well-organized interest groups.
Accordingly, the development path of South Korea is not determined by globalization but by the nature of the prevailing ideology and the path dependence that arises from the emergence of redistributive coalitions with their vested interest in particular redistributive policies.
With a communist government with socialist pretensions that promotes capitalist practice and at the same time encourages Confucianist thought, China is a country of paradoxes. Again, as in the case of Indonesia and South Korea, globalization has made the Chinese growth spurt possible. However, whether the People's Republic will move towards a liberal capitalist economic system, collectivism, or personalism is entirely unpredictable.
If the framework that has been sketched out is correct, long term success would require that China moves away from the current cronyism that is strongly entrenched in the Chinese way of doing business (guanxi). Yet social networking that governs business life and the interaction with government is by no means an inefficient way of organizing business relations in an environment where personal networks are the only available mechanism of ensuring compliance with contracts in the absence of formal institutions that take on this role. The "relations-based governance," as it has been called, is an optimal way of organizing economic relations in the early phases of economic growth. [23]
However, there are at least two reasons why this state of affairs has to be transcended in the process of development. First, as the size of markets and the number of transactions increase, relations-based governance becomes increasingly cumbersome compared to transactions backed by formal institutions. [24] Second, network-based organizations tend to go together with cronyism and corruption or weak institutionalization. Sophisticated markets cannot develop in the absence of public information on firms. Moreover, firms' dealings with government in a relations-based economy are by its very nature personal and not rule-governed. It is therefore not surprising that the Nobelist Douglass North argued that transactions based on personal contacts to important persons do not suit a large economy like that of China. It would have to develop institutions that guarantee universal equal rights. Otherwise the development process would go into reverse when the system begins to choke from the activities of profiteers who try to secure their positions of power. [25]
The international economy has the power to derail the Chinese development process, but globalization will do little to alter the trajectory of China's economic system. The influence of accidental political processes, systematic interest group pressure, and shifts of ideology will be much more important. The protests in the early years of the twenty-first century against the admission of businesspeople to the party and constitutional provisions to protect private property rights suggest that the cultural foundations of liberal capitalism are weak and have little legitimacy in China. [26] It may well be that China's sociocultural traditions will become the major stumbling block for its long term development, particularly if democratic pressure begins to build up.
Globalization has brought enormous opportunities to the Asia-Pacific region, and the region has managed to take advantage of it to an unrivalled degree. However, it has done so unevenly: some countries have built a viable economic system; others have remained in the throes of a personalism that has hampered their development. Thus globalization has done little for convergence, it only proved compatibility with different varieties of capitalism. The future of the region, apart from shocks from the world economy, will therefore primarily depend on the form of capitalism the various countries drift into, a process that will probably depend mainly on structural and ideological factors.
Table 1: Human Development Index: Regions (OECD-Countries = 100). source: UNDP, Human Development Report 2005.
|OECD ("old")
|East Asia
|S.E. Asia
|Latin America
|Non Oil Arab States
|Sub-Saharan Africa
Table 1: Human Development Index: Regions (OECD-Countries = 100). Source: UNDP, Human Development Report 2005.
|Hong Kong
|Korea, Rep.
|High Income
Table 2:Life Expectancy at Birth. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2006.
|People living on less than $1 a day (millions)
|East Asia & Pacific
|Europe & Central Asia
|Latin America & Caribbean
|Middle East & North Africa
|South Asia
|Sub-Saharan Africa
Table 3: Regional Poverty Estimates Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2006.
|East Asia & Pacific
|South Asia
|Middle East & North Africa
|Europe & Central Asia
|Latin America & Caribbean
|Sub Saharan Africa
Table 4: Growth of Gross Domestic Product* (average annual percent growth). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2006.
* Low and middle income countries.
|Average annual % growth
|Per capita income
|Hong Kong
|Korea, Rep.
Table 5: Gross Domestic Product Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators 2006.
|Korea, Rep.
|Hong Kong
|East Asia & Pacific
|Middle income
|Latin America & Caribbean
Table 6: Merchandise Trade (% of GDP). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators: 2006.
An earlier version of this article was presented at the Third Global Futures of World Regions Conference "The New Asias and the Vision of East Asian Sociology," Seoul, September 28, 2006.
[1] The Human Development Index is a compound index that includes indicators of education, health and income. One of its peculiarities is to measure income on a logarithmic scale. This implies that changes in income at higher levels hardly influence the index at all; an increase in income from $40,000 to $41,000 counts for very little compared to an increase from 2,000 to 3,000. Thus "convergence" can be reached despite relatively high income differentials. The relative improvement of some regions has been due to such factors as an increased life expectancy and reported participation in education without much convergence in income levels (see UNDP, Human Development Report, 2006, http://hdr.undp.org/ (accessed April 11, 2007).
[2] Rent is defined as the income of an individual or a firm beyond what would have been received in a competitive market. It can either result from market failures (e.g. "natural" monopoly power, collusion) or it can come about through redistributive policies of the government subsidizing some or granting market power to other individuals or groups.
[3] Kurer, Oskar, "Corruption. Definition and Measurement," Political Studies 2005(53):222-239.
[4] Banfield, Edward, The Moral Basis of a Backward Society (Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1958).
[5] Robison, Richard and Vedi R. Hadiz, Reorganizing Power in Indonesia. The Politics of Oligarchy in an Age of Market (London: Routledge Curzon, 2004), 66, 73.
[6] Ibid, 41, 74.
[7] Ibid, 82.
[8] Ibid, 43.
[9] Ibid, 8.
[10] Ibid, 12.
[11] Ibid, 64.
[12] Ibid, 134.
[13] Ibid, 32.
[14] The typology that has been presented is based on the prevalence of rent and not the degree of state intervention. It is indifferent, moreover, to state ownership of the means of production since both government and private monopolies are liable to produce inefficiency and rent.
[15] A further element pointing to functioning markets is the low unemployment rate: 1990-92: 2.5 %; 2000-04 3.5% (World Bank, World Development Indicators 2006, http://www.worldbank.org/data (accessed April 11, 2007)
[16] Mierzejewski, Alfred C., Ludwig Erhard. Der Wegbereiter der sozialen Marktwirtschaft. Biografie (München: Siedler, 2004).
[17] For a comparison between Europe and the United States, see Alesina, Alberto and Edward L. Glaeser, Fighting Poverty in the US and Europe. A World of Difference (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
[18] Hwang, Gyu-Jin, Pathways to State Welfare in Korea (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006), 32. Park Chung-Hee wrote: "Economic equality in this context means not so much the communal ownership of property or its equal distribution, but the guarantee of the minimum right to survival and subsistence. It means, in other words, that employment opportunities should be equally provided, lowest individual income should be increased uniformly to the minimum level, and the people's minimum living standard should be guaranteed" (quoted from Wong, Joseph, Healthy Democracies. Welfare Politics in Taiwan and South Korea (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006), 56.
[19] Moon, Chung-in, "Democratization and Globalization as Ideological and Political Foundations of Economic Policy," in Jangryn Mo and Chung-in Moon, Democracy and the Korean Economy (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 1999), 10.
[20] Wong, Healthy Democracies, 137.
[21] Ibid, 141.
[22] Ibid, 163.
[23] Li, John Shuhe, "Relation-based versus Rule-based Governance: an Explanation of the East Asian Miracle and Asian Crisis." Review of International Economics 2003(11):652.
[24] Ibid, 651-73.
[25] Douglass North, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. 20.8.2006. "Geoge Bush und Genossen sind blöd." Nr. 33. S. 41.
[26] Holbig, Heike. "Ideological Reform and Political Legitimacy in China: Challenges in the Post-Jian Era." GIGA Working Papers No. 18. 2006. www.giga-hamburg.de (accessed April 11, 2007), 239.


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5 Fitness tips that give you the opportunity to wear your new sports wear.
Trying to get your level of fitness up can be frustrating, especially when life gets in the way. Finding time to go to the gym or exercise class can sometimes seem like an impossibility when you are trying to nail the daily must do stuff like working and bringing up children. However there are some sneaky shortcuts that can help you get fitter quicker, and you might not even have considered them.
Dogs are an excellent way to get out and to walk. If you have the kids with you, so what! They can all join in the activity. If you are on your own, you can combine your walking with a gentle jog if your dog is also fit an healthy. There are lots of groups now that allow you to borrow a dog if you do not have one, and by walking them, you are helping out another time pressured or housebound dog owner. Dogs are also great company and good for the mental state so your mood should improve too. Bending down to pick up his droppings is also a good if rather negative side of walking a dog!
Put Yourself Out
What can you do to inconvenience yourself? Sounds like a mad idea, but taking the stairs over the lift, or getting off the bus a stop early and walking are all good ways to increase your fitness without actively going to a gym. If you have to collect something from upstairs – run up don't mooch as we are all prone to do. Stop sending the children to fetch you a cup of tea, and instead go yourself and have a little dance while waiting for the kettle to boil. Small changes soon add up.
Home Gym
Turn your house into a gym! Leave a set of hand weights out in the kitchen so you can lift weights while waiting for things to cook. Have your yoga mat in the bedroom so you can get in some stretching before bed or when you wake up. The only limits are your imagination. If you are ever waiting for something – the kettle, the bath to fill, etc. – move! Jump, skip, dance or hop around to pass the time and boost that fitness with ease.
Keep Exercise Short
Various studies have shown that shorter spurts of exercise are better than running for hours. Interval training is a prime example of this within a gym environment, but you can do your own at home. When you go for a walk challenge yourself to add a quick burst of running, once ever two mins for 30 seconds or so. Run to the end of the road and back a few times, you might get a few strange looks but don't worry about that!
Count Your Steps
Fitness trackers are huge at the moment. There is a good reason for that; they do work. Not only do you get an idea of how much you are moving, but you can get competitive with yourself and start setting targets. A base target for the average healthy adult it 10k steps a day, but if you cannot manage that, wear your tracker for a few days and see what your average is, then add 1000 and challenge yourself to get that figure every day for a month.
For more fitness tips we recommend checking out the following sites for great health and fitness articles http://www.menshealth.co.uk http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk www.nhs.uk/livewell/fitness

subset: commoncrawl


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Explore Menzoberranzan with The Sellswords! Download now!
Converted from the Icewind Dale and BG2 Tweak packs, BG1 Tweaks is a WeiDU compilation of fixes, cosmetic changes, and tweaks. Some of these were fan requests, others are needed fixes, and others simply make dealing with the more irritating aspects of the game engine easier. Version 5 features a new Sensible Entrance Point component and fixes a bug with ankheg armor in the breakable armor component. Each component can be installed separately so the player can pick and choose only those components they wish to install.


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First of all, I want to say congrats to Abby, at Back at Square Zero for winning my Spartan Race giveaway! She's running a marathon this weekend, go wish her well!!
Ok, let's start with the most important thing.
New shoes, baby! I found these Skechers GoRun 2's on sale for over half off, and couldn't resist! They're minimalist, just like my Brooks Pure Flo 2's, so I knew I'd love them. I still haven't had a chance to run in them, but I did wear them to spin class, and they're super comfy! I'll be running 16 miles in them tomorrow.
Sushi twice in one week?? Yes, please. Last night the family took my stepson out to his fave restaurant for his 16th birthday, which is today.
My darling cousin came down from Indiana and stayed with me for a few days. We had so much fun together! One night we went out for margarita's and to see Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. It was a great movie.
Today is the last day to donate to the American Lung Association, for my Fight for Air stair climb race tomorrow! To participate, it's mandatory to raise $100, and I'm almost halfway there. If you can donate $5-$10, it would be greatly appreciated! Do so here.
Have a great weekend, friends!!
Tell me anything, anything at all!


text: Admin Posted on August 21, 2017 8:30 pm by admin Comment If you need help then this is the place to post. Many of the members should be able to help you with a problem. If all else fails then your welcome to email me or message me on facebook. Thanks Crazy Bob Need Help?


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Food + Drink
Morning Flavors! The Farmer's Breakfast Casserole
Looking to add some flavor to your life? Well, today we get a look at something unique and tasty that will provide quite a brilliant breakfast treat. Today we get a look at a recipe for something known as The Farmer's Breakfast Casserole.
This recipe comes from the creative cooks over at Chew Out Loud, providing something quite infectious and hearty for your morning eating needs. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this one will certainly serve its purpose. Check out the recipe for the Farmer's Breakfast Casserole right here, right now and speak your mind on it after the jump. Stay tuned for many more outstanding treats and recipes coming very soon!


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Recently, I posted the following question on SO: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7197337/using-asp-net-membership-provider-with-an-existing-user-database
As you may notice, I ended up answering my own question stating that it looked like writting/implementing a "Custom Membership Provider" was the way to go.
Literally, a few minutes later, I stumble across this question: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7222306/simple-login-attempt-counter-using-mvc-3-and-ajax/7222407#7222407
I try to answer and get a comment back that .Net Membership provider is "terrible on many levels". I'll admit, this is the first time I'm using Membership provider but it sure looked slick to me.
I haven't seen anything that backs up the "terrible" claim so before I implement something "terrible", I was hoping to get some feedback from the community.


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3x12: Half Measures
Jesse it's on a rebellious mood and disobey all Walter's pieces of advice. The thirds season finale is getting closer!
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Vancouver's New Law Will Boost Marijuana's Fate
Marijuana sale is legalized in some areas of Canada and anybody visiting these areas can buy and use marijuana, while abiding by the rules of that province. Recently Vancouver has witnessed an explosion in the number of marijuana dispensaries. Although this might appear to be a cash grab for drug dealers at the front, some of the dispensaries selling marijuana in Vancouver are actually much more responsible and they do their job in a proper and regulated manner. There are some stores that will not sell marijuana to certain customers even if they have a prescription from doctor.
The new marijuana medical dispensary by Karuna Health Foundation was recently in news because the staff had refused to sell marijuana to a buyer despite the loud protests. When asked about it, the president, Sacha Canow, said that the buyer was of the right age and he had all the paper work, however when the employee asked for more information, the young man said that he was prone to getting seizures. Canow said that this was the main reason why he staff refused to sell marijuana to the patient because the sativas have higher concentration of cannabinol which is known to cause anxiety in some.
According to Canow, the health care professionals and caregivers should be given more training on marijuana and its medical applications. Some of the Vancouver medical marijuana dispensaries have staff that are well-trained and they always ask for the medical history of the buyers before selling them, so that they can be assured that the person walking out with a bag of the drug will not have any adverse side effects due to his existing health conditions.
The city council in Vancouver has recently enacted a regulatory framework that lays down guidelines for dispensaries and how they should be operating. All the registered clinics need to comply with the existing and changing laws of the state to ensure that buying and selling of marijuana is done responsibly.
According to the recent regulation, the government authorities will set some standards to make sure that the existing dispensaries are abiding them. There are some tests that will be carried out to ensure that the operating dispensaries are complying by the set rules. About ninety percent of the dispensaries in the province have expressed their desire to go through the assessment procedure.
Another owner of a Vancouver medical marijuana dispensary said that although they do sell the plants and products to patients, their main goal is to help patients get rid of health problems and not get depend on marijuana to stay healthy. They believe that if a person has a healthy lifestyle and takes a balanced diet then that person should not need anything else.
Experts are hopeful that the new Vancouver model will improve the fate of marijuana and become a stepping stone to better trading of the drug. And, if the model works fine then other cities within the country may also adopt this model to keep the operations more regulated and transparent.


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Contact U.P.
We look forward to seeing you at U.P.
Situated in the centre of South Yarra, amid the thriving Domain Road precinct, United Places Botanic Gardens is part of a vibrant community of hospitality, craftsmanship and inspiration. Please get in touch with any enquiries.
United Places Botanic Gardens
A Home Hotel
157 Domain Road
South Yarra 3141 Victoria Australia
Email: email@example.com
Tel: +61 (03) 9866 6467


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MyLegal.com have written up the Georgetown conference. Here's their take on my panel on Capitalizing Law Firms:
John Flood put things into a sociological perspective by dividing law firms into 4 centuries: 19th century "patriarchal" with 3 partners and 40 managing clerks (a 1:20 ratio); 20th century "professional" with 20 partners and 40-100 assistants; late 20th/21st century "beaucratic" with 100 partners but with shrinking equity, salaried partners, permanent associates, staff attorneys, and professional support staff; and then the 21st century which is … well … Google. If nothing else, his choice of photos was pretty amusing (click here).Their report on the session continues here. And you can get a better set of slides here.
I am writing up my presentation for the American Lawyer.


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The Dallas Cowboys have waived quarterback Kellen Moore.
Moore, 26, was added to the active roster back in September when Tony Romo went down but he never got to play. He's yet to attempt a regular season pass.
Even with Matt Cassel and Brandon Weeden both failing to produce points, Moore was never an option. Now that Romo is expected back in Week 11 the team can go ahead and let Moore go. There is a good chance the Cowboys add him to the practice squad should he clear waivers.


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Your glasses are a part of you. They do more than help you see–they are a reflection of your personality. That's why you can't settle for something boring. You need to find the perfect frames for your face and your individuality! That's why we carry several lines of exclusive brands that you can't find anywhere else in the area. We have the brands that carry the hottest styles so you can get the right eye glasses in Fort Collins. We personally researched top lines to make sure we were carrying the best in our office. We want the look, the quality, and the fit to be better than you ever expected. Some of our main frame lines include:
- Oliver Peoples
- Barton Perreira
- Anne et Valentin
- Fysh
- Paul Frank
- and many, many more lines to choose from
Don't forget that you can use your flex dollars on new frames! Don't let those dollars go to waste–if you don't use them, you'll lose them. So make it into our office before the end of the year and get your eye exam and optical fitting. You'll get the personal attention and top-notch customer service you've come to expect from Advanced Eyecare. Get your eye glasses in Fort Collins and get them from the best! Advanced Eyecare is ready to help you today.


text: Booking Enquiry Your Travel Arrangements Arrival Departure Will you require airport transfer on arrival? Yes No Your Personal Details Family Name Given Names Date of Birth Gender Male Female Place of Birth Contact Details Street Address Suburb Postcode Country Phone Mobile Email About Your Stay With Us Number of Adults 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number of Children 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Number of Rooms 1 2 3 4 Room Type Single Double Family Are there any special dietry needs? Are there any other specific requirements? How did you hear about us? Additional Information Verification Enter the black characters. Submit Powered By ChronoForms - ChronoEngine.com


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- 4 Beds
- 3 Full
Property TypeResidential – Single Family
SubdivisionVALLEY OF THE BLUE SUB
Listing Date06/14/18
Year Built1987
AreaBreckenridge-Blue River
Lot Size0.99 Acres
Parking2 Car Garage
Property Description
The classic log home in the mountains - heavily forested, and with a winding path back to a large trout pond! Loft, lots of windows, vaulted ceilings, large lot and nice furniture. The oversized heated two car garage has a lock-off apartment above it with its own entrance plus full bedroom & bathroom. Nice storage shed. Trails nearby. Two wood stoves, mountain views, wide plank oak floors, large deck. Survey and OWS Septic Use Permit in hand (sewer line available). Ask to see the aerial video!
Presented By
- See Remarks
- Mountains
- Woods
- Private Fishing Rights
- Cable Available
- Deck
- Jetted Bathtub
- Multi-Level
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Wood Stove
- See Remarks
- Cable Tv
- District Sewer
- Electricity
- Gas
- Septic In Place
- Well In Place
- Baseboard
- Natural Gas
- Radiant
- Wood Stove
- Dryer
- Washer
Financial Information
About Breckenridge-Blue River
Blue River is a monument to all the outdoor beauties afforded Colorado. With amazing cross-country and mountain biking trails, beautiful hiking, and fishing right out your backdoor in the Blue River, there's never a lack of scenery to explore. This town is an outdoor lover's paradise, with Quandary Mountain on one side and Breckenridge Ski Resort to the other. Located about a 10 minute drive from Breckenridge and an easy drive into South Park and Fairplay, it's no wonder why this area is such a popular choice for Colorado enthusiasts.
Area Market Data
3 Beds 2 Baths
2 Beds 2 Baths
3 Beds 2 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2019 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Re/Max Properties/ 69


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My previous birthday posts are always in the form of wishlists, things I must absolutely do in this life time, celebrations (mainly food trips haha), and the different lessons life has taught me, with me usually looking back at the challenging parts of my existence. For this year (and since I like making lists so much), I'm going to switch it up a bit and enumerate the moments that I've experienced in my life (good and bad) that I am truly grateful for which helped me grow and be where I am right now.
I survived a break up. Here's the thing why it was a big deal to me: I've only had one relationship and it lasted for 8 years. In all honesty, I thought he was the one. But things took an unexpected turn and we had to let it go. The break up made me realize that I wasn't happy, he wasn't happy, that I needed to work on myself, look at the grand scale of things, and get out of my comfort zone.
I failed... a lot. My family had high expectations of me academe-wise since I've always had good grades as far as I can remember. I was always in the honors list and my parents didn't doubt that I'd still continue that when I went to college. Boy, I was so wrong. College was harder in so many ways I couldn't even imagine. I endured a lot of failures in those 6 years I was in Mapua. Pride kept me going but eventually I fell out of love of Chemical Engineering. I hopped jobs until I landed where I'm working right now. And finally, I am happy.
I had a bad girl phase in college. I'm not really proud of this one and my mom would perhaps kill me if she found out about this. But there was a moment in time when I would skip class, spend afternoons of most days of the week drinking and sleep at different
people's friends' houses. I had tons of fun, I'm not gonna lie about that, and I met my college best friends during this phase in my life. I guess it's good that I got that out of my system. Haha.
I moved to the city and lived independently. Okay, I know independent is a pretty big word to describe my living conditions right now but I still think I'm qualified to be called that. I've lived in Makati for 2 years, in Taguig for 1, and residing in Quezon City right now (all with friends). I still come home to my folks in Cavite most weekends and spend holidays there.
I've lived with people that are not my family. But they're all no strangers, of course. Living with my college and high school friends and now, colleagues from work taught me a thing or two about dealing with different types of people.
I've stretched myself thin for other people. I've learned through the years that I am a people pleaser to a selected few -- friends, family (sometimes) and relationships. I don't easily make friends but when I do, I go to great lengths to be a friend. So yes, sometimes, I wouldn't mind being on the short end of the stick just to give in to favors. I have this habit of not saying no. Still working on it.
I chose my people. Yes, you do have a say which types of people you want to surround yourself with. I had an episode in my life when I was too afraid to let other people in. I have this notion that I cannot be too open because whatever they learn about me, they can use against me and that all friendships will eventually come to an end. But some people do actually make room for you in their life and prove all your worries wrong and you will meet a special few that you'll spend your entire life with and never get tired of.
I survived a friend break-up. Meeting the right people still doesn't change the fact that not all are meant to stay. There are these rare times that no matter how you thought the pieces fit, you outgrow and you let go.
I got myself inked. I currently have three tattoos: First one I got was the phrase, "the other half of the sky" at my back; second one were asterisk symbols on each shoulder; and third one is the word sehnsucht on my right rib cage. Because why not?
I got myself inked. I currently have three tattoos: First one I got was the phrase, "the other half of the sky" at my back; second one were asterisk symbols on each shoulder; and third one is the word sehnsucht on my right rib cage. Because why not?
I fell in love and settled. I tried so hard to be everything that this person needed but all efforts were futile because in one way or another, I was not enough. I was madly in love for a long time and though I had the knowledge that I deserved so much more, I stayed because I was afraid of being alone. At times, I thought that that was it for me, that was as good as it's gonna get.
I fell in love and took risks. Because sometimes there's no other way but to jump. Cautiously wading into the water is out of the picture and you're left with nothing but to dive in headfirst. No more putting theories into practice or any form of hesitation, and the only way to get things done was just to go ahead and do it.
I fell in love and held back. There was once this person I met that I believe just... gets me. Each and every time. It was easy at the same time, hard. No matter how compatible you think you both are and no matter how much you enjoy each other's company and you have this voice in your head that continuously rejoices because you found someone as weird as you, as if the universe conspired and all the stars aligned, you have to suck it up and hold it all in (though 9 times out of 10, you're bursting at the seams with happiness) because it would mess everything that's in order and you have to do it for the greater good. Timing's a bitch!
I participated. I was an introverted homebody that spends all of her free time at home and didn't see anything wrong with it. Then I met the right people that eventually got me out of my shell. I explored until I was exhausted, devoting my weekends going to gigs and musical festivals, museums, hanging out with strangers, meeting new people, movie marathons and cook-offs with friends, tried out Tinder and got to know interesting people, I volunteered and attended all workshops offered at work to continuously educate myself. I had and am still having the best time. The world is my oyster!
I enjoyed being alone again. I was a loner back in college (loner doesn't equate to lonely or loser, k?) I was used to doing everything by myself until one day, I realized that I cannot. After my relationship, I have to admit that I was afraid going to places alone -- eating out by myself, seeing a movie or going to events alone. I was used to having a companion. But then giving myself time and attention made me learn more about who I really am, that it's not the end of the world. I even watched Wanderland by myself!
I traveled a lot. I never thought that I would get to travel to a lot of places for the past 3 years. Never would my 20-year-old self imagine she'd be going to exotic destinations in the Philippines like Palaui Island or Camiguin, snorkeling at El Nido, attend music festivals on mountains, make going up to Baguio an annual thing, much more spelunking in Puerto Princesa and Sagada!
I committed to blogging. I had so many opportunities given to me because of this blog (and got to know some awesome people too!) and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Sure, I have off days when I can't write anything with sense even after staring at my blog for a considerable amount of time but I always get over it. Always. I always find my way back. And here I am after all this years, still going.
I never stopped believing in kindness. No matter how shitty life gets, I know there's something good that will come out of things. I never really get the point of pranks and all that crap that other people pull and how they find some sort of sick satisfaction with that, but I've always made sure to be kind: to myself, to the people that matter to me, and even to those who don't deserve it. It's the easiest thing to do for yourself and for other people. A little kindness always goes a long way.
I invested in quality stuff. I was the ultimate cheapskate back then! I never saw the point of buying shoes that were more than PhP 1,000. I settled with those 'buy one, take one' footwear that, let's face it, I needed to replace after a few months. I found it ridiculous to spend money on clothes and bags in the mall when I can go to thrift stores (nothing against people who still do it but I've already gave up on that). But now I've learned to be more generous with myself (because I damn deserve it!) and buy stuff that actually last long.
I got myself some insurance because future. I made it to 30 years and time just flies so freaking fast these days, before I know it, I'm retiring and retreating to some remote location with my husband and our dog/s (children optional), and of course, I need moolah so I can live a comfortable life until I see the pearly white gates.
I learned to accept and love myself. I've ceased putting my happiness and worth in the hands of other people, and being emotionally dependent. I've appreciated my bad parts as much as the good. I came to terms that this is me and no one else would value me and respect me more than myself. I made mistakes and life doesn't always turn out the way we plan and that's okay, there's still a long way to go. 30? Can't wait for more adventures ahead!
This post is inspired by this article by Nylon. Digital collage by me. Collage kit from Rookie.


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The Editor
Institute of African Studies PO Box 73 Legon Accra GHANA
Phone: 211-24-4764006
Fax: 233-21-500512
Email: email@example.com
The current subscription price for the Research Review is US$35.00 (surface postage included).
Enquiries about subscriptions and purchase of back issues, and also of other Institute publications, should beaddressed to:
The Publications Unit,Institute of African Studies,P.O. Box LG73,Legon, Ghana.
Payment from outside Ghana should be made in US dollars by bank transfer to the Institute of African Studies at:
Ecobank Ghana Ltd., Legon Branch, PMB, G.P.O., Accra Swift Code: ECOCGHAC Account Number: 0161134402028201 Published and printed at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 73, Accra,Ghana.
© Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, 2011ISSN 085-4412


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The Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel is a Hidden Gem Located in Los Angeles, California
Who would guess that within seconds after exiting the noisy and infamous 405 San Diego Freeway in Los Angeles, you could escape into a quiet and secluded resort surrounded by a rich profusion of lovely gardens and stands of established trees? Well you can, and this is how.
Driving to LA
We had reservations to fly on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul, and our flight was to depart from LAX. We love the California coast so we decided to drive instead of fly to Los Angeles from our home near San Francisco.
Our plan was to leisurely motor down Highway 1, stop at a halfway point around Pismo Beach, and then again at a convenient location in Los Angeles the night before our flight.
We chose the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles because it was close to the freeway, and not far from the Los Angeles International Airport. We made a good choice.
What a surprise
By taking exit 57 off the busy 405, it took less than 2 minutes to reach the hotel's driveway.
Entering the secluded grounds of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard is something like arriving on Fantasy Island after a bumpy flight. One minute you are driving with rattled nerves in LA traffic, the next you are navigating a driveway surrounded by overhanging trees and manicured Mediterranean gardens.
The hotel's registration parking area has a cheerful fountain and the staff is always ready to welcome arriving guests. There is no self-parking at the Luxe Sunset, but the valet service is quick and reliable.
The modern reception lobby is spacious, but maintains a cozy aura. There is ample and comfortable seating in the area for those awaiting the arrival of friends or wanting to settle in with a paper to catch up on the news of the day.
The layout
The Luxe Lounge is just to the right of the main lobby, and the popular 'On Sunset' restaurant is to the left. Everything is very handy.
The initial feel of the surroundings is to some extent intimate, but there is much to discover at this lodging that is not immediately obvious. We were surprised to find that the hotel and banquet accommodations were quite extensive.
The hotel has 160 rooms and suites, and almost 10,000 square feet of conference and meeting space including a ballroom for 300, and a 1,500-foot outdoor terrace and foyer – for meeting southern California style – and several smaller rooms for private meetings and gatherings.
We were pleasantly surprised by the size of our room. It was very spacious by Los Angeles standards. The fashionable décor was a fusion of energy and elegance with a touch of continental class. Of course, it had all the necessaries like flat screen TV, free HS/Wi-Fi, luxurious bedding, cushy cotton bathrobes, and premium bath amenities.
Vintage property
The Luxe Sunset Boulevard is not a new hotel – and that is a positive. The original hotel was built in the 1950s. Of course, the property has changed hands and been renovated many times over the years.
Luxe has done a superb job of keeping the ambiance of a time-honored resort while providing guests with all the services of a modern boutique luxury hotel.
General Manager Reginald Archambault, opined that his hotel is the only one with a tennis court in all of Los Angeles.
For mind and body
To unwind and rebalance, be sure to check out the 'Luxe Sanctuary Spa' with its array of mind and body therapeutic treatments.
So much to enjoy
Spectacular views are available from many parts of the property, and we particularly favored the outlook where the city of Los Angeles defines the entire horizon.
There is also a unique view of the famous Getty Museum from the hotel's year-round outdoor pool where the temperature is maintained at an inviting 84 degrees. The pool area is very lovely and would be a perfect setting for that special wedding.
Magnificent trees and gardens are yet another aspect of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard. The landscaping is meticulous and blends in beautifully with the structures on the grounds. Everywhere you look, there is evidence that over the years, the caretakers have had a reverence for the land.
Walking around this metropolitan oasis, it is difficult to keep in mind that this lovely setting is so near the freeway and many of Los Angeles' most popular attractions like the Getty Museum, the UCLA demesne, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, and the Santa Monica Beach and Pier. The hotel is very well situated for vacationers and business travelers alike.
The 'On Sunset' restaurant
For many hotel guests, their choice of lodging is often determined by the quality of the main restaurant. Guests of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard are never disappointed.
Executive Chef Olivier Rousselle has a brilliant appreciation for distinctive gourmet cuisine featuring fresh seasonal ingredients with a dash of French inspired flavors.
We started with a fresh Baby Arugula Salad with Feta Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.
For our main, we enjoyed an exceptionally delicious Black Angus Nebraska Beef Fillet that was perfectly paired with an appropriate wine from the hotel's store.
Desert was an off-the-planet Valhrona Chocolate Fudge Cake with Cocoa Sauce and a slice of Almond Financier Cake. Spectacular!
This was a truly memorable dining experience without error or exception.
After relishing our meal, it was easy to understand why Chef Rousselle is so respected in his field.
The staff of the 'On Sunset' serves their guests in the restaurant's comfortable dining room as well as an adjoining courtyard. Each has its own allures, but try the courtyard for smart al fresco dining.
Putting it all together
The popularity of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard continues to grow and it is easy to see why. Everything about this hotel is an antidote to the urban stress of Los Angeles.
It is worth noting that just recently, the hotel achieved Top 20 status among almost 300 hotels in Los Angeles on Trip Advisor.
If you stay at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard just one time, you may very well decide to make this hotel your Los Angles headquarters. It would be a good choice.
For more information about the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel call toll free (US) 800-468-3541 or look to their website at www.luxesunset.com
See our complete photo gallery of the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel and On Sunset Restaurant here.
© Travels with Wayne and Judy Bayliff
Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff
You can see the world with Google Maps. http://maps.google.com/


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TMC.Net reports that the FCC's "Enforcement Bureau and Office of General Counsel offer initial guidance regarding specific methods of disclosure that will be considered to comply with the transparency rule adopted in the Commission's Open Internet Order"
See "FCC Enforcement Bureau and Office of General Counsel Issue Advisory Guidance for Compliance With Open Internet Transparency Rule" - here. Unfortunately I can't access the the FCC site - or the document itself - this happens very frequently.
"This Public Notice offers guidance in five specific areas: 1. Point-of-Sale Disclosures .. 2. Service Description (fixed and mobile) .. 3. Extent of Required Disclosures .. 4. Content, Applications, Service, and Device Providers ..[and] 5. Security Measures"


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Man Moves To New Orleans, Builds 30 Community Gardens For The Needy And Saves The Bees
March 29, 2017
"If we all did our part, if we all did what we could for our community, to help one another, to help the environment as much as we could, could you imagine how peaceful – how wonderful life would be?"
These are the words of David Young, an urban farmer in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.
Young, who came to New Orleans in 2010 from Indiana, founded a volunteer-run organization, Capstone Community Gardens, to support low income city residents, as well as honeybees that are in need of a safe, environmentally-friendly home.
The gardens, erected in more than 30 abandoned lots leftover from Hurricane Katrina, are all accessible to the community – for free!
In addition to being an important food supply to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, the gardens also play host to rescued honeybees.
Many homes in the area often become infested with bees and homeowners need a solution. Instead of calling an exterminator, they can now call Young.
Using a vacuum, the urban farmer sucks up the bees and transports them and their hives to his gardens. There, they can live happily and give back to their rescuer by pollinating his flowers and vegetables.
Young invites you to volunteer with him and support his work. Visit www.capstone118.org to learn more and get involved.
Watch the video here:


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Chapter 2: Your business may rot from the inside
Chapter 2: Your business may rot from the inside
The fact that we are living in an ever faster economic pace shows the fact that companies have gone from yearly reports to quarterly. A "continuous" financial reporting that should not vary that much from one quarter to another.
Despite this, it's happening too often that a company suddenly turns around and large negative structural problems come up to the surface.
Economists failure to replace their industrial glasses for those of post-industrialists has opened up for a hidden economy that allows a company to rot from the inside without any seeable notice on the facade (Balance Sheet and Income Statement). As soon as the rot breaks down, it turns out that the company has profound problems that were unknown to the market – and the bubble bursts.
A very hot topic is how businesses can do tax plans by letting profits appear in countries with favorable tax terms.
The Swedish
newspaper Ny Teknik 2018-03-21. Quote: "A controversial proposal for a 3%
new tax on large digital companies' sales in the EU is on its way. Scores
include American online giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter. "
The EU's proposal as above is just scratching on the surface of the hidden economy. The EU should instead focus on guidelines that force economists to wear the post-industrial glasses. Guidelines that, in the context of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) in combination with a relevant post-industrial product cost compass, allow the authorities in the different countries to check where the value-added values arise. This means that soft refinements and investments must be managed based on the same premises as the hard refinements and investments.
The precautionary principle has become the
principle of smokescreen
Quote from Wikipedia: "The precautionary principle is an accounting principle within the economy, which means that all values in the accounts must be done with reasonable care. Assets and liabilities values are dependent on future events. "
One of the purposes of the precautionary principle is that external players, such as shareholders, investors and even employees, should be able to trust that the values reported in the Balance Sheet are not inflated. That the values have a market economy financial coverage, and demonstrate credible muscles in the company to be able to be used forward.
However, a precautionary principle that results in soft values (such as IT, quality and process investments) not being balanced as assets in the Balance Sheet means that the precautionary principle turns into a principle of smokescreen. The hidden soft assets of the firm (financial muscles) can decrease and increase without being reported in the Balance Sheet and the hard assets values in the Balance Sheet are increasingly dependent on the hidden soft values and refinements.
Notable in the quote from Wikipedia: "Values of assets and liabilities are dependent on future events." That is, the precautionary principle means that soft values should be balanced if they affect future product development, competitiveness and profitability.
The Hidden Treasure Chest
A summary from the book The Hidden Treasure Chest (1993, Bergstrand et al):
If the increasing
soft refinement was handled on the basis of the same premises as the hard
processing, the smokescreen would be dispelled and result in three things:
• A functional post-industrial product cost compass, the company's compass to increase competitiveness and profitability.
• That the economic drivers would get the businesses, just as they do with their hard assets, proactively work with maintenance processes (planned maintenance) to extend their lifetime to their soft investments, such as the skills of the company.
• Over time increasing assets in the balance sheet (soft balances) and thus corresponding earnings improvement. Viewed from a societal perspective, this would result in increased resources for the common community.
The industrial orchestra of economic instruments must be replaced by an orchestra with instruments designed for post-industrial society
Managing a
company is about creating products that cost less to produce than the customers
are prepared to pay for the products (ie profit). The product cost must be the
compass needle, which helps companies to secure a profit-generating business
both in the short and long term.
The difference in product costing between the cost of manufacturing the products and the sum of what the products generate in terms of revenue from customers constitute the company's earnings, ie equal to the foundation of the Income Statement.
To get a working product cost compass requires three things:
• The consumption
of resources and investments made can be linked to the products that use the
resources and/or the investments. That is, the minimization of the refinement
smokescreen. This in turn means that the work that is done behind the office
desks in companies can no longer be protected by an overhead charge but must be
directly related to the value increase of the products.
• Investments, ie resources consumed over a number of years, respectively stock of components, semi-finished goods and wholly manufactured products are balanced over the year-end. Unless a Russian Roulette accounting arises where products suffer from costs that should hit products next year or even later. That is, for a working product cost compass, soft investments and stocks of soft components, semi-finished products and wholesalers must be balanced in the Balance Sheet.
• An accounting plan that is in full harmony with the product cost compass focusing on refinement where costs are charged to revenue based on a product and customer perspective. The Swedish organization Mechanical Association's Normal Accounts Plan had a focused refinement perspective. This account plan was replaced in Sweden by the BAS account plan that opened up a smokescreen covering rapidly growing overhead costs. The question mark must be resized to the current BAS account plan's suitability in business.
The New Digital Economy
In The New Digital Economy, we will show how the Post-Industrial orchestra and its instruments are a key to accessing the issues posed in this chapter. A key that drives a focus throughout the company on customer interaction.
The financial instruments in the public sector are harmful to society
In the private sector, the customer's money as the compass needle is more or less efficiently controlling the business. In the public sector, it is unfortunately the taxpayer's money that, to a large extent, sets the compass needle and where the customer is somewhat diffuse and foggy.
The public orchestra of economic instruments is in a significantly worse condition than the industrial orchestra of economic instruments to handle the challenges of post-industrial society. It requires a more thorough reengineering and the outcome becomes a significantly more efficient public sector with more satisfied customers, better paid employees and dramatically decreased of tax consumption bureaucracy.
Later in this book we will address the public sector more specifically.
Bert-Olov Bergstrand & Stefan Johansson


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Online ordering powered by Seamless
77 Battery Street (Btw Bush & Pine St.)(415) 362-2222
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Delivery estimate is 25-40 min (more info)
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Delivery estimate is 15 - 30 min (more info)
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Comes with 2 sushi pieces per order.
Served with salad.
Served with salad and rice.
Served with salad and rice.
Noodle soup. Served with salad.
Over rice. Served with salad and soup.
Food and delivery was wonderful. Will order again!!
Posted 5 years ago by Linh C.
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Core-206 Series Line Array System
Edge Acoustic CORE SERIES Line Array System
The CORE SERIES are versatile line array systems designed
for use in many kinds of applications; from Auditorium & Houses of Worship, to Dance Clubs,
Ball Rooms and even Stadiums. CORE 210 is a mid-sized system with high output power.
As with all line arrays, it's modular design enables uesers to select the exact number of
modules that their applications requires. The 210 system is rugged enough to take on tour,
yet aesthetically suitable for permanent install. It can be bi-amped or driven in full range
mode thanks to the built-in passive crossover.
PA-15 Series Active Portable System
TR-18 Touring Series Active System
BS-18 Series Active System
DAS Audio Product
Technology in Design
After 40 years of business in the demanding sound industry, D.A.S. Audio continues to advance in the use of cutting-edge technology in the design and manufacture of its products. D.A.S. Audio's Engineering Department designs the company's sound systems, amplifier electronics, all related parts and loudspeaker components such as, loudspeakers, compression drivers, and horns, amplifiers, etc.
Consequently, there are several combined disciplines, each of which uses state-of-the-art technological tools through the different stages of the manufacturing process.
Electronics: Circuit simulation software helps to design amplifiers, measure and analyze the electric response, and use digital signal processors.
Mechanics: Virtual 3D modelling software determines the strain and stress values of the components, and accelerometers are used to measure vibration and noise levels. Fast prototyping technologies are also used to see today, the products of tomorrow.
Magnetics: Finite element magnetic simulation software is used to determine the dimensions of the loudspeakers' magnetic circuits.
Acoustics: Boundary element method and finite element method software simulates the loudspeakers' acoustic response. Computer applications are also used to tune the system and predict other loudspeaker performance parameters. Anechoic chamber measurements and analysis are particularly useful in determining system frequency response, dispersion curves, harmonic distortion, etc.
Project Design: Also important is the use of EASE Focus software for the design of sound installation projects. This two-dimensional sound simulation and prediction program helps configure sound systems from the Aero y Variant series. Based on geometric data regarding the sound areas and the type of enclosure used, the software automatically provides a solution with appropriate splay angles and aiming parameters.


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Integrity Compliance Solutions
ICS is a global provider of comprehensive technical support, training and integrity solutions specialising in food safety, food fraud, and threat management. Our consulting and training solutions are recognised globally and tailored to ensure your business and staff are operating in a compliant manner within current regulatory and customer requirement. Our technical and regulatory specialists have extensive global experience in food safety, auditing, certification and standards development.
ICS is the exclusive distributor in Australia and NZ of HorizonScan the most comprehensive global raw ingredient traceability and transparency management platform and ECERT – ERP solution for Audits, Certifications and Standards. HorizonScan can help you meet all consumer and regulatory demands for transparency and accountability across the ingredient supply chain and ECERT can make audit and certification processes simple and efficient.
ICS specialise in providing flexible training solutions and technical support for your business needs. You can study online anywhere, anytime with the ICS convenient online training modules or you can join our trainer facilitated virtual courses essential for product safety, fraud and threat/food defense management.
- Fraud Assessment (Vulnerability Assessment Critical Control Point) – VACCP
- Threat Assessment (Threat Assessment Critical Control Point) – TACCP
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point – HACCP
ICS offer a full range of training options for food safety, food fraud and security via our virtual global training platform. Courses are held in real-time facilitated by our global experts – all training materials are shared online. This option provides opportunity for discussion with the other delegates and direct discussion with the trainer. Live training from the comfort of your location!
Virtual Food Safety Training Courses
Our global technical experts are well positioned to provide technical support through review and development of food safety programs, food fraud risk assessments, desk-top audits against all Global Standards and ad-hoc technical support for other risks including allergens, processing, labelling and product and facility design. ICS have a depth of experience in the development of industry standards and tailored training programs for corporate business. No job is too big or too small when you need technical support.
For customised service – system development, internal auditing, verification activities, site risk assessments, consulting assistance, customised in-house training for your specific business needs call us for an obligation free quote.
Because food safety, quality, legality and authenticity matter – ICS offers you the solutions to source and provide safe food globally with #integrity, #trust and #transparency.
For a List of Services and Solutions click here
Flexible Modules, Successful Training
Putting the relevant staff through these accelerated Quality Management training modules run by ICS has made this possible. ICS have been very flexible to offer modules at times/dates to suit our operational requirements and the whole process has been a success.
The newly trained operational QA staff have already been tested in real world situations and demonstrated that they can hold their own based on the skills and knowledge that they have gained.
Educational and Beneficial
Impressive Calibre and Content
Knowledgeable and prepared
Great Examples and Real Life Experiences
Scary Food Fraud Stories
Alive and Interesting
Inspired By Your Knowledge
I learnt so much
Useful HACCP Training
Thanks for everything you had taught us, as I have now had to use all of it 🙂
A positive audit experience
I was going into BRC issue 7 with let's say less than positive attitude and feeling daunted until I attended your BRC training last year. You were able to provide me with skills to complete BRC audits and reports in a far more productive manner giving myself and my clients a positive audit experience. Thank you - I now really enjoy BRC audits and the feedback I receive from clients is they feel that they are having a valued audit (regardless of outcome). I look forward to completing further training with you in the future"
Helpful Role Play Assessment
VERY Interesting and Informative
VERY Interesting and informative as always. Oh what a girl.
Great to see you at the WINSC conference the other day, your presentation was so interesting that I haven't stop talking to people about food fraud!"


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Here is a trick with the Captaris Install for 5.2.
It seems when the Captaris SQL Installation is run the database is created ad DBO but the Stored Procedures are created under the user of the person who ran the install. So it might be worth changing this afterwards.
Thanks to Nyssa on this. Yet another good Volante worker.


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Fully Licensed & Bonded
This 5 star hotel is located in the city centre of Bangkok and was established in 2010. It is close to the Siam Paragon Shopping Centre and the nearest station is BTS / Siam. The Hotel has a coffee shop, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre/gym. All 303 rooms are equipped with minibar, hairdryer, safe and air conditioning.


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Classification essay writing is considered to be one of the most significant aspects of essay writing. This is the reason, demand for these essays are very high. As these essays require skills to organize objects, ideas and people, in accordance with the common logical connections and characteristics, many students find themselves incapable of writing it on their own. That is where essay writing companies prove to be of a great help to these students.
What are classification essays?
A classification essay is popularly called as division essay. These types of essays are generally assigned to students of humanities and science every semester of the academic session. Classification essays are very interesting to write, as here the students can showcase their analytical skills and academic knowledge in an effective way.
The writer has to organize and sort varying aspects of a topic and categorize into defined groups. The way one has to present the information in the essay is a tricky part. It requires a lot of skills to come out with an impressive creation.
The structure of a classification essay
A general classification essay comprises of 5 paragraphs but it can extend depending on the resources and the topic. To develop this essay, one should precisely organize the shared set of characteristics in groups.
Whether the topic for classification essay has been assigned to you by the professor or you have yourself chosen this topic, one should explore different strategies prior to beginning writing the classification essay. If a student is unsure of his capabilities then there are several paper writing companies present online that would help them in the essay writing process.
There are several essay writing companies where you can order papers online. They are the best assistance to students in getting most exemplary and concise papers. This helps them to secure good grades in their exam.
Important points to consider when writing a classification essay
Keeping essence intact
Keep the essence of your essay intact by including all the relevant points in your writing. It makes your essay effective. This can be done by classifying all the significant elements in proper categories. Based on the objective of the essay, all the different categories of the essay can be sorted out in a logical way.
Make the classifications comprehensive
It is important to keep the classification as comprehensive as it can be. The thesis statement of the classification essay should also be based on the different essay categories. The terminologies used in the essay should match and every categorical word included in the essay should have the same grammar form.
Take help of a specialized essay writing company, which is expert in these practical obligations. They prepare best level classification essays post consulting various primary resources and references.
With several essay writing companies present on the market, choosing the right one is very important. Proper research on their reliability, experience, quality and other features of essay writing service would help you in accomplishing your objective.


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Cheriladyladyladylei (Papier Tue-Mouche in Lucky Love)
Whoever takes the polas at Trump is an accomplished genius. Whoever told her to dress in green shares the same quality as mentioned before (if she took the decision herself, then she, Katie Moore, is that very same genius, especially with the shoes she wears – would love to be them just to be in touch with her feet). We usually wait for editorials to come but she can turn a single snap into a piece of art and that leaves the wildest hopes of ours alive and hard beating (heart-crunched!). Whatever the alls and all the abouts, she is just as colorful as a dream dreams to be and each step she makes raises the joy here and we're fine ready to spread it around. Copper love gone gold.


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Hun Manet made the defense in a video clip posted on the prime minister's official Facebook page Wednesday, amid heightened political tensions over the border.
Human rights groups and land activists have accused the parliament of only offering blessings to dignitaries, and ignoring the voters who elect its 123 members.
Hun Sen also announced that he would not offer his signature for an amnesty petition for Sam Rainsy and other Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders.
Sam Rainsy said that the use of insults in politics should be brought to an end in favor of peaceful negotiations to serve the nation's interests.
At least 10 Rescue Party activists and supporters are currently in detention, on various charges, including Hong Sok Hour, an aging senator who has been jailed since August.
The boycott was a result of anti-opposition protests in November that led up to the severe beatings of two opposition lawmakers outside the Assembly.
Norodom Ranariddh said Friday he would be interested in a coalition, rather than being a party in the opposition role, if Funcipec regained voters.
Rights and development groups say a draft law on access to information will be more useful to the public if it has input from outside the government.
Thailand Saturday celebrated national day and the birthday of its king, Bhumipol Adulyadej, with tributes and ceremonies.
About 1,000 unions are active for workers rights, in a sector that employs up to 700,000 people.
The new summons is related to a complaint filed by National Assembly President Heng Samrin, a ranking member of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft law at a meeting in late November, and it is being reviewed by the Assembly's legislative committee.
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March 1, 2016 Cookeville, TN
Robotic Technologies of Tennessee Mobile Robotic Technologies Featured In EPRI Journal
Robotic Technologies of Tennessee's (RTT) technology was prominently featured in an Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) Journal article titled, "EPRI Research Supports Longer Service Lives for Spent Fuel Dry Casks." The article reports on the industries collective mindset shift from storing spent fuel for relatively short periods of time, to one of much longer periods.
Spent fuel can be reprocessed, placed in wet storage pools (that are limited in capacity), or moved into dry storage. The article discusses how the nuclear industry is trying to transition and manage Dry Cask Storage Systems (DCSS) that were meant for relatively short term storage for long term storage duty.
Robotic Technologies of Tennessee Supports Inspections In The Nuclear Industry
RTT mobile robotic inspection platforms and technologies are being modified for use in DCSSs and evaluated. These new technologies will help industry and regulators deal with issues involving the licensing and relicensing of both storage systems and storage sites.
About RTT:
RTT designs, builds and sells mobile inspecting and manufacturing platforms. When mounted with manufacturing or inspecting tools, these systems deliver the benefits of factory automation to non-factory environments. RTT systems operate in a variety of environments including shipyards, tank terminals and wind farms. Applications include welding, inspection, cutting and grinding. Field fabricators and inspectors can save up to 80% when compared to manual alternatives. RTT systems are operating throughout the United States and around the world meeting challenging weather, operator and fabrication conditions. RTT patented and patent pending technologies are novel solutions for bringing automated and robotic systems to the $10 billion plus welding and inspection industry.
About EPRI:
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent approximately 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to more than 30 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, NC; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.


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Species Concepts and Reproductive Isolating Barriers
Patterns of Evolution
In On the Origin of Species, Darwin wrote that all species, whether living or extinct, form a great "Tree of Life," now commonly referred to as a phylogenetic tree. A phylogenetic tree graphically represents the evolutionary history (phylogeny) of species, groups of related species, or other taxonomic groups. A branch point of the tree represents divergence of one or more new populations from a parent population. In some phylogenetic representations, the branch length is proportional to the predicted evolutionary time between branching events. These branches and nodes represent two different patterns of evolution: cladogenesis and anagenesis.
Cladogenesis, also known as branching evolution, is the evolutionary pattern by which a new group splits from a parent group. Because this results in an increase in the total number of existing taxa, cladogenesis is responsible for the diversity of organisms seen in nature. In contrast, anagenesis, also known as phyletic evolution, results in the linear transformation of a population. There is no branching of the phylogenetic tree and no increase in the total number of species. Instead, anagenesis causes two species that split from the same parent species diverge more and more from one another over time.
Keywords: biological species concept | cladogenesis | phylogeny | speciation | species | Biological evolution
- Campbell, N.E. & Reece, J.B. (2002). Biology (6th ed.). San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.
- Coyne, J.A. & Orr, H.A. (2004). Speciation. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
- Futuyma, D.J. (2005). Evolution. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
- Adapted from: Figure 1.3 of Futuyma, D.J. (2005). Evolution. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
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Homer H. Hickam, Jr. was born on February 19, 1943, the second son of Homer and Elsie Hickam, and was raised in Coalwood, West Virginia. He graduated from Big Creek High School in 1960 and from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) in 1964 with a BS degree in Industrial Engineering. A U.S. Army veteran, Mr. Hickam served as a First Lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1967-1968 where he won the Army Commendation and Bronze Star medals. He served six years on active duty, leaving the service with the rank of Captain.
Hickam has been a writer since 1969 after his return from Vietnam. At first, he mostly wrote about his scuba diving adventures for a variety of different magazines. Then, after diving on many of the wrecks involved, he branched off into writing about the battle against the U-boats along the American east coast during World War II. This resulted in his first book, Torpedo Junction (1989), a military history best-seller published in 1989 by the Naval Institute Press. In 1998, Delacorte Press published Hickam`s second book, Rocket Boys: A Memoir, the story of his life in the little town of Coalwood, West Virginia. It became an instant classic. Rocket Boys has since been translated into eight languages and also released as an abridged audio book and electronic book. Among it`s many honors, it was selected by the New York Times as one of its "Great Books of 1998" and was an alternate "Book-of-the-Month" selection for both the Literary Guild and Doubleday book clubs. Rocket Boys was also nominated by the National Book Critics Circle as Best Biography of 1998. In February, 1999, Universal Studios released its critically-acclaimed film October Sky, based on Rocket Boys (The title October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys). Delacorte subsequently released a mass market paperback of Rocket Boys, re-titled October Sky. October Sky reached the New York Times # 1 position on their best-seller list.
For more info. http://www.homerhickam.com/about/bio.shtml