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Rie fu
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Rie fu
|Birth name
|Rie Funakoshi (舩越 里恵)
|Also known as
|January 11, 1985
Tokyo, Japan
|Pop, folk, rock
|Singer-songwriter, musician
|Vocals, piano
|Years active
|Sony Japan
* Palm Beach (2004-2008)
* Gr8! Records (2008-)
Rie Funakoshi (Japanese: 舩越 里恵 Hepburn: Funakoshi Rie, born January 11, 1985 in Tokyo),[1][2] better known by her stage name Rie fu (リエ フゥ Rie Fū), is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician.[3] She resides in Tokyo but frequently travels to the United Kingdom, where she is known as Rié, to record and promote her work.
Rie fu's songs are often bilingual, since she is fluent in both English and Japanese. Although most of her songs are primarily sung in Japanese, many feature entire verses written in English. Of her songs written entirely in Japanese, several have later been released as English-language versions.
Personal life[edit]
From 1992 to 1995,[2] Rie fu lived in Maryland with her family, including a younger brother who plays a woodwind instrument.[4] It was during this time that she started playing the piano and gained a lot of musical inspiration, from artists such as Sheryl Crow and 1970s pop musicians such as The Carpenters. She cites Carole King, Joni Mitchell, The Carpenters, and Yumi Matsutoya as influences.[5]
After returning to Japan, Rie finished her primary and secondary education in Tokyo at Aoyama Gakuin from 1995 to 2003.[citation needed] In 2007, she graduated from the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design of the University of the Arts London[6] in fine art (having shifted in interest from fashion design and graphic design).[5] Upon graduation, she returned to Tokyo, Japan, and has since resided there full-time. Rie often designs much of her own album and single booklets and features her own paintings in them as well.
She is active in both music and art. Her artwork is published under the Roman transliteration "Rie Funakoshi" and her music under "Rie fu," the abbreviation of her full name.[7]
On 29 November 2013, she announced on her Facebook page that she had married a 'funky British gentleman' (the identity of the man in question has not been revealed), presumably sometime recently during the month.[8]
Music career[edit]
In 2002, while in high school, Rie fu learned guitar, and almost immediately began coming up with songs and recording them with a small tape recorder. She sent the demo tape off to a record company (Sony) and they signed her to their Palm Beach label.[5]
Her first single, "Rie who!?", featuring the song "decay," was released in March 2004, while she was attending university in London. Later that year, her song "Life Is Like a Boat" was chosen as the first ending theme for the anime series Bleach, garnering her widespread recognition. In 2005 she released her first full-length album, self-titled, and her song "I Wanna Go To A Place..." was used as the Gundam SEED Destiny third ending theme and released as a single. She participated in a track on m-flo's Beat Space Nine album, and embarked on her first nationwide tour in September of that year.[citation needed]
In 2006 she released her second full-length album, Rose Album, and her song "Until I Say" was used as the theme song for the Japanese release of the 2005 British film Heidi. In 2007 her song "Tsukiakari" was featured as the ending theme to Darker than Black. In July upon graduation from university she returned to Japan to live full-time, and released her third full-length album Tobira Album.[citation needed]
In 2008, her song "Home," used as the theme to the Japanese film Koneko no Namida, was released as a single. In March, she released an album in the UK on a British label called Tired & Lonesome, titled "Who is Rie fu?", a compilation of earlier songs with a previously unreleased cover of Joni Mitchell's song "Both Sides, Now". A Japanese release with additional new tracks was planned, as was a continental European release.[9] Neither materialized and the original UK album went out of print, having failed to establish an overseas presence for Rie fu.[10][11] The following month she switched from Sony's Palm Beach label to its gr8! records label.[citation needed]
In 2009 she released her fourth full-length album, Urban Romantic. Having contributed vocals to all of the songs on Orange Range head Naoto's solo project delofamilia's second album, eddy, she went on tour with the band. She also joined Yōsui Inoue's commemorative 40th anniversary tour, contributing chorus vocals.[citation needed]
Her album, at Rie sessions, was released on 31 March 2010, and is her first self-produced album. Many of the tracks on the album feature duets with other notable singers, and were recorded at Rie fu's home. As of 2011 she is more heavily involved with delofamilia, with it being described as "A band based around Naoto Hiroyama and Rie fu" on the band's Facebook page.
Her song "Anata ga Koko ni Iru Riyuu" was in the anime D.Gray-man for their fifth closing song.
Her first compilation album, I Can Do Better, was released on November 23, 2011.[12]
To celebrate the anniversary of ten years since her debut, Rie undertook a project to produce two consecutive albums titled 'I' and 'O' respectively. The project concept being that the first album 'I' stood for the word 'Inside' and was written from musical inspirations from her years of experiences 'inside' Japan and the Japanese music market. The second album titled 'O' stood for 'Outside' and was written and developed inspired by her developing Asian experiences.[13] Placing the two albums side by side also created the image of the number 10 in order to mark the occasion and to acknowledge and thank her fans for ten successful years in the industry.
In May 2016 Rie relocated to the UK launching a new artist name, Rié.[14] Cognizant of differing musical styles in Japan and the UK, Rie chose to continue to release new music in Japan under the artist names of Rie Fu and Rié for the UK respectively. Her reasons for feeling the need to adapt the artist name to suit a different market is explained here.[15]
Rié launched her first three track EP in June 2017, entitled 'Business Trips' [16] it consisted of three new songs sung entirely in English, St Martin, Calling and Business Trips.[17]
Studio Albums[edit]
|Release date
|Rie fu
|19 January 2005
|Rose Album
|24 March 2006
|Tobira Album
|21 November 2007
|Urban Romantic
|8 April 2009
|at Rie Sessions
|31 March 2010
|Bigger Picture
|21 November 2012
|12 November 2014
|6 April 2016
|6 September 2017[18]
Special Project Album[edit]
|Release date
|Fu Diary
(released in six monthly installments)
|15 June 2012 (You Do)
15 July 2012 (Easy)
15 August 2012 (Fujirock)
15 September 2012 (Fun Play (たのしいあそび Tanoshi Asobi))
15 October 2012 (Jet Lag)
15 November 2012 (Winter Love Song)
|Fu Diary 2
Around The World
(released through Ototoy)
|1 April (Singapore)
1 April 2015 (Bali)
1 April 2015 (China)
1 April 2015 (New York)
1 April 2015 (Bangladesh)
1 April 2015 (Borneo)
1 April 2015 (Rome)
Cover Albums[edit]
|Release date
|Rie fu Sings The Carpenters[19]
|4 September 2013
Best-of Albums[edit]
|Release date
|I Can Do Better
|23 November 2011
|Release date
|Rie who!?
|24 March 2004
|Life Is Like a Boat
|23 September 2004
|I Wanna Go To A Place...[2]
|27 April 2005
|Negaigoto (ねがいごと)
|31 August 2005
|Tiny Tiny Melody
|8 March 2006
|Until I Say
|19 July 2006
|Tsukiakari (ツキアカリ)[3]
|23 May 2007
|5000 Miles
|5 September 2007
|Anata ga Koko ni Iru Riyuu (あなたがここにいる理由)
|24 October 2007
|23 January 2008
|12 November 2008
|25 February 2009
|For You
|16 February 2011
|Let It Curl
|5 May 2014
European and UK releases[edit]
|Release date
|Who Is Rie fu?
|3 March 2008
Business Trips EP as Rié 20 June 2017 St Martin Calling Business Trips
- ^ "(ふなこし・りえ)/Rie fu" (in Japanese). Tokyo Art Navigation. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c Kanoh, Arata et al. "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny". (January 2007) Newtype USA pp. 26-35.
- ^ a b Kawasaki, Naoko; Yoshida, Moichi. "Tsukiakari". Newtype USA. 6 (8) p. 127. August 2007. ISSN 1541-4817.
- ^ "今日は弟fuとおともだちにレコーディングしてもらいました。吹奏楽部なり。". (in Japanese) twitter. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ a b c "Rie fu Official Web Site". Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ "エキサイトミュージック連載ブログ:Rie fuブログ「りえふぅきのこ」 : インジャパン". (in Japanese) Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ Rie fu updates her artwork website with new pictures
- ^ Rie fu's Facebook page - Timeline photo published 29 Nov 2013
- ^ "Who Is Rie Fu (CD)". Tower.com. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Tracklist for "I Can Do Better"
- ^ Rie fu (2014-07-27), Rie fu NEW ALBUM 2014 .7 English message, retrieved 2016-08-15
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/rieriemusic/
- ^ http://io.riefu.com/blog/2017/05/02/whats-in-a-name/
- ^ https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/artists/rie
- ^ https://www.musicmusingsandsuch.com/musicmusingsandsuch/2017/7/30/track-review-ri-business-trips
- ^ "Rie fuのニューアルバム『PORTRAITS』が、9月6日に配信リリースされる。" [Rie fu's new album "PORTRAITS" will be released on September 6] (in Japanese). Excite Japan. August 24, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ http://www.jpopasia.com/news/rie-fu-sings-the-carpenters::14594.html
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Rie fu's blog (in Japanese)
- Rie fu's official painting website
- Rie fu at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Rie fu lyrics
- Sony Music Online Japan: Rie Fu
- Sony Music Entertainment Japan artists
- Gr8! Records artists
- Japanese female rock singers
- Japanese female pop singers
- Japanese female singer-songwriters
- 1985 births
- Living people
- Japanese female musicians
- Alumni of Central Saint Martins
- Musicians from Tokyo
- 21st-century Japanese singers
- 21st-century women singers


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Creativity Unleashed
Just a few weeks ago there was a good bit of anxiety about stepping my photography up to another level with a large investment in a housing that would allow me to take my Nikon D800 underwater. The first baptism in Hunter Spring erased any doubt. Today, after having the dome port kissed by a juvenile manatee and capturing some of the best images I've taken–at Ginnie Springs–I realize this step is opening an entirely new dimension to my work.
As I was playing in Ginnie Springs with color, light and geometries it was clear I had settled into a higher level of creativity. I say playing because I believe letting go, losing myself in creativity is really play. It's work to me but in name only. When we can allow ourselves to let go of everything else and focus on the elements that are present, something amazing can be birthed.
What I noticed was the intense beauty of the water, plant life, rocks, caverns…it seemed to embrace me on a deeper level as I surrendered to the process of translating what I saw through the camera. Now I have the right equipment that allows this process to occur.
Even though manatees were scarce this week there was little to feel sad about as my heart and mind opened to the magnificent beauty of Florida's freshwater springs and allowed my creativity to expand.
Surrender is a word that carries over from last weekend's workshop in Atlanta. When we surrender ourselves to the process, something greater can be created. Had I gotten upset about a lack of manatees, I would have missed exquisite beauty surrounding me. Had I allowed fear keep me from leaping forward with the new gear purchase, this new step forward in my life wouldn't have happened. Surrender….allowing. Letting go…opening our hearts and minds….this is a key to success.
It's time to embrace life with both arms and an open heart. This will unleash creativity. This will help us take the next step forward.
If you are looking for a great housing I highly recommend Aquatica. The quality is great and the controls are super-easy. It's balanced well and a true friend to my D800 and me.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kid Konnection: This Is What Happy Looks Like
When movie star and teen heartthrob Graham Larkin emails his pet sitter, he gets the email address wrong and sends it to seventeen year old Ellie O'Neill instead. She doesn't realize who the email is from but she's concerned about his pet so she responds, letting him know he sent it to her by mistake. They strike up a friendly email correspondence so when Graham has the chance to suggest the location for a movie shoot he suggests the small town where Ellie lives.
Things don't turn out the way Graham planned, though. It seems that others want to keep him and Ellie apart and Ellie is very disturbed by the media attention that follows Graham everywhere he goes. Their worlds just might be too different for them to have any kind of future.
I thought This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith was absolutely delightful! The story is somewhat predictable, but it's told with such heart and emotion that it just didn't matter. The point of view alternates between Ellie and Graham so readers get both sides of the story and can empathize with both characters.
This book is sweet and romantic enough for older YA readers but clean and innocent enough for younger ones. I appreciated the fact that it showed being famous isn't always as wonderful as people imagine it to be. I do think this book will appeal to female readers more than males but wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to either.
I listened to the audio version of This Is What Happy Looks Like. It's narrated by Andrew Sweeney and Marcie Millard and they both do an outstanding job – they were Graham and Ellie to me. The book lasts approximately eight and half hours but I wanted it to last longer.
For more children's books reviews, go to Booking Mama's feature, Kid Konnection. If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, leave a comment as well as a link on her site.
Review copy provided by Hachette Books. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.
June 29, 2013 6:29 am
This does sound like a sweet story Kathy.
June 29, 2013 7:48 am
Sounds wonderful! I think my daughter would enjoy it. It's hard to find clean YA these days.
July 2, 2013 1:20 am
This looks so sweet. Since I am in a sweet kind of mood I may have to put this on my wish list.


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Dr. Mike Maroon
Michael "Dr. Mike" Maroon, DMD, FACE, FAGD has been changing people's lives for over 25 years. He is an expert Cosmetic Dentist in Connecticut with a complete understanding of Functional Esthetic Dentistry and restoring smiles with the latest technology and finest materials that dentistry has to offer in a comfortable, caring, fun environment. He is truly an artist and patients come from all over the world for an original "Maroon" smile!
Originally from Methuen, Massachusetts, Dr. Mike received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982 from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 1986 from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.
Since then, he has dedicated his life to staying on the leading edge of dentistry and has received numerous awards for this commitment to excellence. He has earned Fellowships in the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International Academy of Dental/Facial Esthetics, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and a Master in the International Academy of Implant Prosthodontics.


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Your average cheap portable Bluetooth speaker is rubbish: the crap to quality ratio in the category is absurd. But I've spent the last few months combing through loads of speakers and found four that are actually good.
I'm a music nerd who loves playing with vintage stereo gear and beat-up live sound equipment. From the start, Bluetooth felt like betrayal. I remember rudely dismissing the original Jambox -- sight unseen -- because pushing music through the air didn't make sense to me. Bluetooth headsets have terrible sound quality, so why would a wireless speaker be any better?
That's not technically fair: the bandwidth of a Bluetooth connection is more than sufficient to push high-quality audio from place to place. But there are scores of speakers out there, and most of them aren't the best.
I went looking for the features that made me embrace Bluetooth speakers over my lovely stereo in the first place. The ideal speaker should sound great, look good, be portable, and work without any glitches. It should also have a high sound-quality-to-size ratio. Some speakers are insanely tiny while others are beefier, and while you can't expect tiny speaker drivers to move a lot of air they still need to justify their existence.
I also shouldn't have to spend much more than £100 on a portable speaker, and I'll take a cheaper one if it's good value for the money. And since the nicest thing about Bluetooth speakers is that they can travel with you, any good speaker should have solid battery life and build quality that's tough enough for a ride in my rucksack. If it charges my handset or doubles as a speakerphone, that's just gravy.
So, plenty of reasons to disqualify the crap and let the cream rise to the top. Let's do this.
The Best Overall: UE Boom
The £99 Ultimate Ears Boom has had a lot of press since it launched a year ago, and that's because it's simply fantastic. It really raises the bar for what a Bluetooth speaker should offer. The cylindrical design has drivers that face in opposite directions, providing nearly flawless 360-degree coverage. It's got a great, full-bodied, clear sound, and if you're feeling spendy, it pairs easily with a second UE Boom for a stereo setup or a single-channel, multi-room arrangement.
The Boom's tightly fitted cloth skin isn't just attractive, it's also stain-resistant and contributes to the rugged, splash-resistant build. There are other speakers that are completely waterproof, but they don't deliver the best sound; the Boom is a good rugged option if that's what you're in the market for. The Boom is completely satisfying, well worth the money, and so much better than the competitors that you might as well stop reading now.
The Best for Cyclists: Boombotix Rex
The £60 Boombotix Rex is a one-trick pony, but it performs that one trick so well that I can't help but recommend it. It's basically a speaker for cycling, so you can clip it to your messenger bag and blast tunes while zooming down the street. It might also double for situations when you don't want to place the speaker on the ground. Like the fence on an outdoor tennis or basketball court.
This tiny speaker packs a lot of power, but it doesn't sound as good as the UE Boom or the Sol Republic Punk.
The Best for Your Back Pocket: Sol Republic Punk
If you're not carrying a bag, portable means it fits in your pocket. The £64 Sol Republic Punk actually sounds very good for something that has the footprint of a coaster. Its not going to sound as good as something with multiple drivers and a larger enclosure, but it delivers convincing bass for such a tiny package. Additionally, the design is water-resistant, and rugged enough so you won't destroy it when you accidentally sit on it.
The Best Sound for the Best Value: JBL Flip 2
If you want a speaker that sounds excellent but don't want to shell out for the UE Boom, the £76 JBL Flip 2 sounds pretty fantastic. It's not quite as rugged or good-looking as the UE Boom, but makes up for some of that with versatility: it's designed to work lying down, not just standing on end. It's also got a built-in microphone so that you can use the speaker to take conference calls, if that's your thing.
Amazon Basics
Amazon Basics makes a good paper shredder and a great Lightning cable, but the retailer's dirt-cheap speakers aren't worth it. I tried the mid-sized one and the sound was thin and flat.
Beats Pill
When the Beats Pill arrived a few years ago it was a better than average option, but even back then I felt the speaker didn't sound amazing. It's far outstripped by some competitors today, and at £120 it costs more than double what it's worth.
Braven 705
Sounds terrific, and it's handsome and rugged too. Can top off my phone via USB. My quibble is that the ports are underneath a removable plastic door that protects them from the elements. Knowing my disorganised self, I'm probably going to lose it.
Braven BRV-X
Waterproof and rugged! Doubles as an external battery to charge phones! But so ugly. The screw cap design that keeps the guts dry would be a sad thing to lose, too.
Braven BRV-1
A smaller version of the beast above. Slightly more desirable for a camping trip because of its small size. But ultimately the design still feels too unrefined to wholeheartedly recommend.
Bose SoundLink Mini
A good-looking little metal-encased speaker, but too expensive at £170 RRP. It has the good old-fashioned flat sound Bose is known for, but lacks impressive bass. It's also heavy and only charges using a proprietary cable.
Bose SoundLink Colour
This speaker's design is unusual and sort of fun, especially if you get it in one of a plethora of available colours. The sound, however, isn't good enough for such a chunky beast.
Cambridge G2
A small speaker from a well-regarded British audio company. Doesn't really matter how good it sounds because it uses a proprietary charger when others this size don't. Dealbreaker.
Exogear Ecostone
I love waterproof gadgets, but that's all this clunky hideous beast has going for it. It weighs a bulky one kilo and doesn't sound very good underneath all of that protective plastic.
Harman Kardon Esquire Mini
This thing looks like an old-school hard-shell clutch purse. The design didn't do much for me. Beyond the aesthetics, the kickstand on the back is a pain.
Jabra Solemate
Kitchy design and generally disappointing audio performance weren't the worst part. The worst part is the annoying lounge beat that plays when the speaker is in pairing mode.
Jawbone Mini Jambox
The more affordable, portable version of the speaker that started it all. The slim design is nice and practical and there are plenty of colours to choose from to make sure it fits your tastes, but the sound lacks clarity.
JBL Pulse
The JBL Pulse has fun lights that illuminate with the music on the exterior. (You can turn them off if you're trying to sleep.) I quite like the lights. Unfortunately, the sound is a distorted mess. I expected much better from such a large speaker.
Koss BTS1
Super portable and so so tiny! But it has a stupid kickstand that's annoying.
Monster Superstar
This tiny speaker from the designer behind the original Beats headphone has an interesting floating driver design. But it lost my interest as soon as I tried to play some music because the sound totally lacks any clarity. Very disappointing.
Samsung Box
A speaker rectangle with a classier, more refined design. It's way too expensive for what it is, and I doubt the shiny design will look too good after rattling around in a rucksack for a while.
Sol Republic Deck
The Sol Republic Deck lies on its back and projects great sound in 360 degrees. It's got rugged design. I actually quite like this speaker but it may not be long for this world, with its discontinuation looming.
Sol Republic Deck Ultra
A louder, slightly larger version of the Deck, it has an impressive 22 hours of battery life but only charges using a proprietary cable. £140 is a little much for this powerful beast methinks.
Sony SRS-X3/SRS-X5
I'm generally fond of Sony audio products, but these bricks miss the mark. I tested the smaller X3, and at just under kilo it was far heavier than speakers that sound far better. The X5 is even bigger.
Soundfreaq Pocket Kick
This is a good-looking little speaker, which to its credit doesn't have annoying pairing noises. Unfortunately, it doesn't deliver the impressive audio you get from larger Soundfreaq speakers.
Soundfreaq Sound Spot
A nice sounding, smaller version of the Soundkick, which won our hearts a few years ago. The design is regrettable and it uses a proprietary charger.
UE Boom Mini
Decent sounding little speaker from the same folks who make the best one. But I don't like the uni-directional sound design, which has a narrow field compared to most others.
Cambridge Go
A hefty brick from the aforementioned British audio company. Too heavy to really be portable.
Braven 570
A cheaper version of the 705, which I almost recommend above.
Jawbone Jambox
The speaker that started it all never sounded very good for my taste, and by today's standards a £100 speaker should be downright amazing.
Monoprice is the perpetual purveyor of unbelievably cheap alternatives to name-brand products. Sometimes they're perfectly fine, but Monoprice's speakers are so poorly reviewed I didn't bother with them.
Soundfreaq Soundkick
When I rounded up speakers a few years ago, this was my favourite. It still sounds great, but the design looks even worse today than it did two years ago.
TDK Trek A33/A34
These speakers sport impressive specs and the distinction of being waterproof, but at 1.7 and 1.2 kilos respectively, they're more than twice as heavy as the UE Boom.
Photos by Nick Stango


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Apple gives its iPhone a 'facial' (not of the salon kind); will Samsung be far behind? Jest apart, what Apple has does to iPhone X goes far beyond a facial. It's a technology makeover, introducing some fancy biometrics. IPhone X's facial recognition technology is avowedly among the best. But Samsung has sought to upend Apple with smartphones that it claims go much further in providing biometric security. Of course facial recognition has been available since 2012 with Android version 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and debuted by Samsung Nexus.
IPhone X: Is your face your password?
As we know Apple launched its iPhone X with much fanfare claiming that it has a face-recognition technology that is near-fool proof. Samsung claims its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ use a combination of biometric features to make the security more efficient.
Yes, there is much merit in Apple's claim that it's making your face your password. Apple's facial recognition technology scans the whole face and determines you are really you when you try to use the phone. Isn't it wonderful?
How does Apple do it? It has rigged up some special hardware in the device and, of course, matching software. The technology it uses is called the depth image acquisition using modulated pattern projection. If one cuts out the jargon, it simply means detailed face mapping using infrared light and comparing it with data stored in the device.
When we hear about facial recognition, the first doubt would be what would happen if the device owner suddenly decides to sport a beard or has an allergic reaction and his or her face is all puffed up? Will the device lock him or her out out thinking that person is not really the owner? Facial recognition technology has long back passed that stage of cognitive inadequacy. This is because Apple's Face ID (that's the name Apple has given to iPhone's facial recognition technology) woks not by merely comparing data gathered from appearance alone. It gets pretty much more sophisticated than that. It works by comparing the geometry of major facial features in 3D. The device uses a strong infrared beam to scan your face and create a map connecting a matrix of light points. As you know the infrared light is not visible of human eye and therefore the scanning beam will not be visible and will not cause any discomfort to the user or other nearby people. More importantly, the device will work even in darkness because of the infrared rays. Along with the infrared beam, an infrared matrix is cast on the user's face which minutely maps the facial features including its motions and compares with the stored image. The 3D projection allows collection of data that shows shape, detects edges, and depth while an object is in motion under any type of lighting conditions. That's why Apple calls the process 'depth image acquisition using modulated pattern projection'. And Apple has a separate subsystem to process only the facial recognition data called A11 Bionic Neural Engine. Whatever the nitty-gritty, we are only interested in all the new-fangled technologies work every time it's needed. Especially when the device comes with a heavy price-tag.
Now what if you face suddenly becomes so unrecognizable that your phone is not letting you in? There is a personal identification number (PIN) unlock system for use in case of such eventualities, no worries.
Samsung: Open with a look?
Samsung claims its Galaxy S8 and S8+ phones are the "securest phones yet".
The user can choose a combination of security features or all. Samsung has a facial recognition feature which, however, is not as sophisticated as iPhone's and it has been shown that a high resolution photograph can unlock the phone.
Iris scan is the other feature. Patterns in the iris are unique for each individual making it extremely reliable as a security feature. That's why Samsung claims its phone opens with a look from the owner. There is a fingerprint scanner for the phone which sits on a corner and unlocks the phone with a touch. Samsung has also provided the facility for opening the phone with a PIN. The fact that the data for comparison resides in the device itself and does not travel on the network reduces the chance of data reaching wrong hands.
So Apple or Samsung?
Technology wise iPhone X easily steals a march over Galaxy S. In the case of facial recognition Apple's 'depth image acquisition using modulated pattern projection' is a clear winner, ensuring facial recognition in low light and with different intensities of background lighting. Samsung uses Android's facial recognition which has been shown to be fooled using high definition images. The same is true for iris scan also.
But if you are not particularly worried about all that fancy high-security frills, the real choice will be based on the price. Obviously, iPone X is indeed far more expensive than Samsung and that could be ultimately be the clincher.


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Your photo will look sophisticated, attractive, and eye-catching. By removing the dull or lifeless background and adding some new and exciting ones, your image will send a whole new message and will be seen with a fresh point of view!
But why would you need to remove the background from an image? Why would you want to change the background on a photo? Let's explore possible scenarios. When we take pictures, we are not always in control of the setting. Sometimes, after we look at the photo, we wish that it was somehow different or wish there was some way to edit the picture and make it look like we want. PowerPoint presentations are one example for why someone would want to edit a photo background or change the background of a photo.
PowerPoint presentations should look sharp and professional as should the photos used in them. With clear and clean graphics, an audience can focus on the content instead of ugly, irrelevant, or distracting backdrops. Another reason someone may choose to remove an image background or edit the background of a photo is because of sales. When attempting to sell a product online or through a third party's website, it is essential that the product look beautiful, clean, and free of distraction, as that will increase the seller's selling possibilities.
There are several steps on how to change the background of a photo or cut the background out of a picture. First, you have to determine what method you're going to use for removing the background. Are you going to seek out a professional team? Use a website? Or use software?
Let's say you're going to use software and you're going to use Photoshop. In order to edit the picture background, you should follow these seven steps.
Open the image that you want the background to be removed from.
Select the "Background Eraser Tool" from the toolbox.
On the tool options bar, choose an appropriate round, hard brush based on your image.
On the tool options bar, set the Sampling to Continuous, the limits to Fine Edges and the Tolerance to a low number of about 25 20%.
Bring the pointer near to the edge of the person or object that you want to remove the background from.
Click and drag to star erasing.
Once you've erased the whole way around the object, change your settings to a very large brush size to finish off the rest of the background.
There are many websites that cut out backgrounds from pictures. According to Technastic, Clipping Magic, Background Burner, and Online Image Editor are the top three websites to turn to. But take note that if you want professionally cutout images, you should hire the specialists who have the proper tools and considerable knowledge in removing background from photos.
But you can always change the background of a photo yourself with your own computer software.
The three leading software programs for removing a background from images are Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom. But once again, when you want to ensure getting quality results especially for business and professional purposes, you should hire a professional photo editing team.
Well, to start, what if you just don't have the time to do it yourself? In this day and age, people are going to where they need to go, talking to who they need to talk to, and working on what they need to finish; there is just no time.
That's where professional image background removal services come in! A professional team can handle your project and remove your images while you're taking care of other things.
Secondly, what if after you use a website or computer software, the image is just not looking the way you want it to? A professional image background removal service can meet your personal and/or professional needs with professionalism, speed, and proficiency. Services such as these can help businesses abide by marketplace rules and regulations, in addition to giving images a much more professional look.


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natural portrait photography
˜ see(k)ing the light ˜
'an automate prints your face on a card. the photographer creates an individual exposure.
not only your face, not only of your personality - he takes a picture which reflects your face, your personality and also the experience plus the lesson learned from the photographer himself.'
life is like photography
we develop from the negatives
New York City: 2nd to 4th August
Miami: 13th to 17th August


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Best observation platforms of NYC
Like to take marvelous photos? Fan of breathtaking views? This article is for those who would like to feel themselves "on the Top of the world" during their visit to New York . This is top 3 most famous NY skyscrapers.
1. Empire State Building
Being in Manhattan and doesn't visit the Empire State Building is like coming to Paris forgetting to take a look at the Eiffel Tower. This gorgeous office building has been the symbol of New York state and Anthony Malkin for more than 80 years. To get to this landmark is very easy, it is located on the 34 street, in the center of Midtown, and thanks to New York straight streets you are able to see "Empire" almost from all parts of the city. Elevator will take goes to the 102 floor from which people are able to see all 5 boroughs. Every night thousands of lights cover the top of the skyscraper. By the way once Emma Watson was lightening this famous landmark on the International Women's Day. Everyone can buy tickets online ( in that way it is possible not only avoid a long line, but also save $2) or there are a lot of people in the green uniform who are selling tickets all over the city.
2.Top of The Rock
Not a lot of people have heard about this roof but definitely everyone have seen pictures both with the famous view on Central Park and all Midtown. It is situated in the main building of Rockefeller center between 6th & 5th avenue. While visitor is waiting in the line he'll be shown a video about construction of Rockefeller empire, so time will fly fast. Video contains materials from Christmas tree lightening celebration and performances of such stars as Madonna, Tailor Swift, Lady Gaga and others. Observation platform consists of 3 levels. A lot of people are acting like typical tourists : beginning to make 100 photos of Empire State building just they have stepped out of the elevator. Instead of that it is much more better to go straight to the 3rd floor. That is the only one observation roof without glass or grille in New York so persons posts on Instagram will be of the high quality.
3.World Trade Center
This giant skyscraper was build not long ago near "September 11th Memorial". After the tragedy, Americans decided to show of the world their power and raised a building even bigger than the Twin Towers. Lines are huge but the view is worth it. Floor of the observation platform is made of glass and so it seems like people are flying high in the sky. The World Trade Center is so huge, that it is impossible to see the top of it in the foggy weather and people who are working on the 100 floor are on the same level with the clouds.


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Modern Waste:
- Electronic Waste Recycling
- Hard Drive Destruction
- Data Wiping
- Document Shredding
- Battery & Paper Recycling
- Light Bulb/Lamp Recycling
Testimonials Reviews:
What Our Customers Say About Our Services!
Our customers love us! We've been providing quality work and care to our clients and their recycling needs. Whether they're calling on us for our Data Destruction & Shredding, E-Waste Recycling, Battery Recycling, and other services, we make sure they're happy.
September 18, 2013
"Trevor Anderson was a big help in taking old files and shredding as we prepare for relocation."
Feburary 7, 2013
"Just finished working with James and Art on ePLANNING's 800+ box destruction jo. Both James and Art did a fantastic job. Great MWS representatives. Look forward to working with MWS in the future."
January 4, 2018
"Professionalism, Courtesy, Cheerful and positive attitudes from the drivers. Keep up the great work."
November 21, 2012
"James & Arturo are always so helpful and considerate. They are always willing to work with us to make sure that everything gets taken and that we are satisfied with their service."
January 5, 2018
"Always friendly & professional."
Feburary 6, 2013
"The guys are always so nice. James & Arturo are awesome! Always happy to be with you guys!"
January 5, 2018
"Professionalism and meets our demands consistently. Pleasure to work with. We appreciate your service and feedback to build a better working relationship."
Service: E-Waste Pickup & Disposal
January 4, 2018
What MWS products serve your needs?
"We utilize MWS for monthly shred pickup and an annual shred pickup of at lease 175 transfer boxes of material to shred. Your drivers are always professional and courteous. My service rep always communicates if there is a change in our delivery dates – she is courteous and helpful. There is not an area that I see needs improvement. We appreciate the job you all do thank you.
September 18, 2013
"Both Trevor Anderson and Chris Brown displayed the utmost integrity and professionalism when they retrieved my Leatherman multi tool that I had left on a cable spool while recycling cable and got distracted. They placed of the tool in a lost and found typing been that they keep on their truck for just such occasions and when I get called to see if they had it, they were happy and telling me that they did! I have had this multi tool for over 10 years and while I had remembered where I left it, I was not sure that I would ever see it again. Thank you both for your honesty and integrity in running an outstanding organization!"
January 4, 2018
"Your delivery people were knowledgeable, very helpful, and courteous. They explained everything, packed up what we had on site, and set up the containers for us. They knew what we needed better than we did. Containers are easy to use. Everything's great so far. Thank you."
Feburary 6, 2013
"The service your company provides is always positive. Your employees are always willing to go the extra step to make sure we have everything we need. They always ask me before they leave if there's anything else we need, etc. We are a very small office so we only have a few of the beams that hold the paper to be recycled and we have a lock container with important papers to be shredded. All these products help us to continue to recycle paper, etc., for better tomorrow!! Just wanted to let you know that our office relocated to another building within the same office complex today when James and Arturo stop by, there was nobody at the office.
They went by the old office to see if maybe we were there, but weren't. They called the office and left a message letting me know they had stop by and you give them a call Dash they would come back by. Also, Erica from the main office called and also left me a message. Very nice! James and I are Turow came back by the office and took all our recycling, etc. I asked if we could get another tall recycle bin for the office and they said no problem. James went to the truck and brought me two, one broke and so he went back down to the truck and brought up yet another one for me. Now that's what I call great customer service! Thanks very much James and her two row-CalComp appreciates you very much!!"
January 4, 2018
What MWS products serve your needs? Scrap (Metal)
"All services are being handled great. Just need the weight reports uploaded to the customer site each month. Hope to be able to change to full service, Great Job."
October 19th, 2017
What MWS products serve your needs? Battery, Aerosol, E-Waste & Paper Shredding
"Daniel and his co-worker (didn't catch his name) have been providing excellent service to our branch since I started working here seven months ago. Both are polite, fast and efficient. If I have questions about services provided and ways to make our branch more efficient, Daniel always has an answer. These guys are great at what they do and represent Modern Waste Well."
January 4, 2018
What MWS products serve your needs? Scrap
"All services we utilize through Modern Waste meet the needs of our customer. We have an onsite recycle tech for cardboard and other material breakdown and removal, as well as recycled paper removal. The drivers and office staff as well as our onsite person handle all our requests and assist in keeping materials moving offsite as needed. Everything is done timely and communication is done in an effective manner. None of the services we use need improvement. Keep up what you are doing."
September 21, 2017
What MWS products serve your needs? N/A
"I wanted to let you know that this was the first-time meeting Jerry, your driver, and he did a wonderful job. If there were more people like him in this world, the world would be a better place."
September 21, 2017
What MWS products serve your needs? N/A
"I wanted to let you know that this was the first-time meeting Jerry, your driver, and he did a wonderful job. If there were more people like him in this world, the world would be a better place."
November 15, 2012
"James & Arturo come bi-weekly to do our paper recycling, toner recycling, and pick-up of our crv. They're always friendly and do a thorough job. I appreciate such a friendly staff. Thanks"
November 28, 2012
"I want to compliment you of your employees, James and Arturo for their positive, professional, friendly attitude. James always make sure before you leaves to ask if we need anything. We are very happy with the customer service they provide and wish more services had employees like yours. I have been at this location for two years and all of your employees that come in are very professional and friendly which makes it nice to have them in our place of business. Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience with modern waste solutions."
August 1, 2011
"We have enjoyed great service from modern waste… Customer service, follow up in responding to any special needs for our company. Because we have experienced significant staff reductions over the last few years our needs are currently being made by our own services. However, we always appreciate being informed of the services that are being offered by modern waste. Your staff checks in with us frequently to make sure our service needs are being met."


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Solar Powered Toothbrush to do away with ToothpasteAug 20th, 2010 | By admin | Category: Technology
To quote the article above:
Dr. Kunio Komiyama, a dentistry professor emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan, designed the first model of the unconventional toothbrush 15 years ago. Today, Komiyama and his colleague Dr. Gerry Uswak are seeking recruits to test their newest model, the Soladey-J3X. The toothbrush, which is manufactured by the Shiken company of Japan, will soon be tested by 120 teenagers to see how it compares to a normal toothbrush.
The Soladey-J3X has a solar panel at its base that transmits electrons to the top of the toothbrush through a lead wire. The electrons react with acid in the mouth, creating a chemical reaction that breaks down plaque and kills bacteria. The toothbrush requires no toothpaste, and can operate with about the same amount of light as needed by a solar-powered calculator.


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He's so bitter, in fact, that he let what would normally have been about four or five opportunities to slam the Republicans just… drift on by. A taste:
"We have a powerful message to send,"[Rep. Steny] Hoyer said, then asked himself: "And what is that message?"
That you named a lot of post offices?
I won't pretend to feel sorry for Milbank, but I do remember feeling similarly frustrated in 2006. With the major difference, of course, that I didn't deserve it; while Milbank and the rest of the Democratic party does. They pretty much got what they ordered; it's not my fault that they don't like the taste.


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Last-Minute Travel Deals Still Exist — If You're PatientApril 12, 2010 at 9:54 am | Posted in air travel, car rental/hire, consumer travel, cruising, travel and technology, value in travel | Leave a comment
Tags: airfares, airlines, car hire, car rentals, cruising, last-minute travel, rental cars, Twitter
by José Balido
Vacationers and business travelers alike are booking travel later in the game than ever these days — often a week or less from departure — with the dicey economy accelerating a trend that's been building for years. This higher demand for last-minute travel, together with the yield management systems used by many of the big players, means rates that are more than ever in flux up until the 11th hour. It also means that "deals" are no longer a sure thing.
Oh, and did I mention that the currently downsized number of flights and rental cars is also tightening unsold inventory? Sadly, all the above ads up to not a lot of breaks for the last-minute travel shopper.
Best Travel Websites for Last-Minute Deals
The good news: All is not lost. Such breaks do still pop up, because the fact remains that vendors with unsold inventory — whether it's bundled air-hotel packages or individual components — will always need to unload it. What you'll need is a spot of patience and perseverance — and willingness to spend a fair bit of time online doing comparisons, because that's where most of the action is these days. And there are certainly myriad choices, including the likes of LastMinuteTravel.com and last-minute sections of familiar sites like TravelZoo, Travelocity, and Kayak. I've found particularly good ones are Lastminute.com, Hotwire.com, and of course Priceline.com where after checking the going rates on other sites you can try submitting (reasonably!) lower bids.
Apart from trolling these various sites, in the case of airfares especially I'd sign up for alerts, both from individual airlines (United tends to have the largest selection, coming out each Monday, but doesn't email them anymore, so you have to check United.com) and airfare info sites like AirfareWatchdog.com, which blasts out individual and grouped alerts according to airport or route. For car rentals, some companies list last-minute specials, but check out Breezenet.com as well, a comparison site which also features a "Deal of the Week." And this summer, excess cruise line capacity will pretty likely mean awesome late deals on certain itineraries — especially in the Caribbean.
Twitter Travel Alerts
Finally, as this blog pointed out last year, Twitter has not only been coming on like gangbusters in general but has increasingly caught with airlines, hotels, tour operators, and other vendors as a dandy way to unload late inventory and for consumers to monitor deals by following them. Just a handful of other airlines that tweet news and fare specials include Air France (@Air_France), American (@AAirwaves), British Airways (@BritishAirways), Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific), Continental (@Continental), JetBlue (@JetBlueCheeps), Singapore (@SingaporeAir), Southwest (@Southwest), Spirit (@SpiritAirlines), and United (@UnitedAirlines). You can also keep track of fares on sites like AirefareWatchdog.com (@airfarewatchdog), DealsOnAirfareToday.com (@dealsonairfare), and LowestAirfares.com (@LowestAirfares_).
Example: Type "#travel" into the Twitter search box and you'll come up with hundreds of same-day results. But say you want to go to Orlando. A recent search for "#Orlando #travel" yielded, among many other items:
- For $289, a three-night stay for four at Silver Lake Resort, plus two adult day tickets to Disney World, Universal Studios, or Sea World (@SLResortOrlando).
- News of an upcoming crafts and collectibles show in the quaint nearby town of Mount Dora (@roritravel).
- A list of top free attractions in the Orlando area (@GotSaga).
Crack your knuckles and get surfing!
photo: iStockPhoto
3 Tips For Better Car Rental Deals in a RecessionMarch 19, 2010 at 1:45 pm | Posted in car rental/hire, consumer travel | Leave a comment
Tags: auto rental, car hire, car rental, Enterprise, Hertz, rental cars, Toyota, Toyotas
by José Balido
The current economic crisis has, of course, been changing travel patterns for many of us. Reduced spending by both leisure and business travelers, as well as tighter business credit, has especially affected the car-rental industry (aka car hire, to our cousins in the Commonwealth). So whether you're a renter or in the rent-a-car business, you're taking a hit.
For starters, a drop in orders for new cars to refresh rental fleets (Enterprise, for example, cut its orders almost in half in 2009) means said fleets have grown both smaller and older. That of course, results in more wear and tear, and more reliability and maintenance problems. Midsize and compact availability has been further worsened by the recall of Toyotas because of those infamous braking, acceleration, and "it-is-not-a-computer-problem" problems; it's expected to affect at least eight million vehicles worldwide.
As a result, auto-rental agency locations may be less likely to have your first choice of size and/or model available. Some companies have also cut their locations' business hours or shuttered some locations entirely.
What with the decrease in rental vehicles and the increase in maintenance costs, the base cost of renting has gone up in many parts of the world. Moreover, additional fees are being tacked on and/or jacked up like mad, including refueling fees and surcharges for returning cars to a different location from the one you rented at. In more than 40 U.S. states, increasingly strapped local and state governments have piled on new taxes. And rates at quite a few airports have especially shot up.
Given all the above, it's hardly a shocker that renter satisfaction has plummeted along with demand; some 21 percent of those surveyed by J.D. Powers in 2009 were pretty darned ticked off. But is there anything that can be done about any of this? Not a heck of a lot, but while we all ride out these tough times, there are three ways you can keep car rental costs down:
1. When booking flights, package tours, and, above all, cruises, it often pays to put on your best poker face and wait for a fire sale before showing your plastic. That used to work with rental cars, too, but now companies are offering discounts for people who pay in advance. For example, some Hertz locations offer 20 percent off if you book in March for a May rental. Another tactic that used to work was to land somewhere without reservations, walk from booth to booth, and bargain 'em down. But thanks to today's decreased capacity, that could leave you stranded.
2. Don't just go to one rental company site to book. Shop around on aggregator and auction sites including Breezenet, Kayak, Priceline, and Hotwire. You'll find that car rental rates, much like airfares, are all over the map.
3. Because of the above-mentioned airport fees, renting at non-airport locations has long been the cheaper option–but today, it's the much cheaper option. These fees are so exorbitant that roundtrip taxi, train, or bus fares to a suburban or downtown rental office may cost dramatically less than the difference in car rental rates. For example, the base price of a Chevy Cobalt at Hertz's Oakland Airport office was US$75 at press time. Paying upfront brought that down to $60, but then Hertz added on the $20 "airport concession" fee and a $10 facility fee (huh?), so when all was said and done, the price was $238 three days. However, if you'd booked that same Chevy Cobalt from one of Hertz's downtown locations, the tab was $134.
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Jan. 16, 2006
Santa Clara, Calif. - The Santa Clara men's tennis team opened up the 2006 spring season in fine fashion today, capturing two home victories at the Degheri Tennis Center over local rivals UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis. The Broncos defeated the Banana Slugs by a score of 4-3, thanks to their superior depth in singles, and the Aggies went down 5-0 in the second part of the doubleheader. Freshmen Brian Brogan and Tommy Hicks competed in their first collegiate dual matches with much success, as each won two singles matches apiece, while only dropping 11 games between them.
In the morning match, Kevin McQuaid and Blane Shields struck first for Santa Clara, taking an 8-4 win over Max Ortiz and Ilya Gendelman at the No. 2 spot. Santa Cruz evened the score with victory at the No. 1 position, as Matt Seeberger and Shane Templemann took out Jan Macek and Bobby Rasmussen 8-4. The doubles point was clinched after Brian Brogan and A.J. Kerin triumphed over Julian Sunn and Alexander Villalobos 8-4.
In singles action, Santa Clara's depth at the lower end of the singles line-up was apparent, as Tommy Hicks and Brian Brogan, at the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively, quickly dispatched their opponents in straight sets to give their team the quick 3-0 lead. Shields gave the home team their fourth and final point after defeating Colin Mark-Griffin 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 4 position. Santa Cruz got their points after their players swept the top three slots in straight sets to account for the final margin.
"We got a good start with Santa Cruz. Our strength this season will be the middle to the end of the line-up and they more than held up their part of the bargain," declared head coach George Husack. "I thought overall we played a good match and solid throughout."
After about an hour later, Santa Clara returned to the courts again to face off with UC Davis. The Broncos got on the board first, taking the doubles point behind victories from their No. 1 and No. 3 spots. The home team continued to exert its dominance in singles, with Macek coming off the courts first on Court One, defeating Michael Chin 6-1, 6-0, while Bobby Rasmussen added to the Bronco total with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Henri Landes at the No. 3 spot. Hicks gave SCU the fourth and final point necessary to win the dual match with his 6-0, 6-2 rout of Bastian Bartels at the No. 5 position. Brogan won his second match of the day after his 6-4, 6-2 win over Kyle McMakin at the No. 6 spot. The two matches on Court 2 and Court 4 were not completed.
"Against Davis, our level of play went up a notch," explained Husack of the 5-0 drubbing. "The guys got a lot of the jitters out in the morning and responded really, really well in such a short time since we played back-to back matches. I was happy for the freshmen to get their dual matches out of the way."
The Broncos improves to 2-0 on the year after a successful debut this afternoon. Santa Clara returns to action on Saturday, January 21 when it travels to Los Angeles, Calif. to battle No. 20 Southern California for a 10 a.m. date.
Santa Clara 4, UC Santa Cruz 3
Doubles (Santa Clara clinches the doubles point)
1. Matt Seeberger/Shane Templemann (UCSC) def. Jan Macek/Bobby Rasmussen (SC), 8-4
2. Kevin McQuaid/Blane Shields (SC) def. Max Ortiz/Ilya Gendelman (UCSC), 8-4
3. Brian Brogan/A.J. Kerin (SC) def. Julian Sunn/Alexander Villalobos (UCSC), 8-4
1. Matt Seeberger (UCSC) def. Jan Macek (SC), 6-4, 7-5
2. Shane Templeman (UCSC) def. Kevin McQuaid (SC), 6-3, 6-2
3. Jared Kamel (UCSC) def. Bobby Rasmussen (SC), 7-6, 6-4
4. Blane Shields (SC) def. Colin Mark-Griffin (UCSC), 6-2, 6-1
5. Tommy Hicks (SC) def. Donny Divanian (UCSC), 6-0, 6-1
6. Brian Brogan (SC) def. Max Ortiz (UCSC), 6-1, 6-1
Santa Clara 5, UC Davis 0
Doubles (Santa Clara clinches the doubles point)
1. Jan Macek/Bobby Rasmussen (SC) def. Michael Chin/Justin Garcia (UCD), 8-6
2. Jordan Combs/Jayce Fitch (UCD) def. Kevin McQuaid/Blane Shields (SC), 8-4
3. Brian Brogan/A.J. Kerin (SC) def. Casey McMakin/Kyle McMakin (UCD), 8-4
1. Jan Macek (SC) def. Michael Chin (UCD), 6-1, 6-0
2. Kevin McQuaid (SC) vs. Jayce Fitch (UCD), 6-2, 4-6, 2-2, DNF
3. Bobby Rasmussen (SC) def. Henri Landes (UCD), 6-3, 6-1
4. Blane Shields (SC) vs. Daniel Elefant (UCD), 6-4, 2-2, DNF
5. Tommy Hicks (SC) def. Bastian Bartels (UCD), 6-0, 6-2
6. Brian Brogan (SC) def. Kyle McMakin (UCD), 6-4, 6-2


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Hilary Duff stepped out in West Hollywood wearing a chic, yet edgy outfit that I'm totally jealous of. She completed her all-black ensemble with a cool, embellished jacket by Alice + Olivia. Its paisley pattern with red and gold accents really finished off her whole look. Shop Hilary's jacket below!
Alice + Olivia Felisa Embellished Jacket ($998)
Don't miss Saks OFF 5th's biannual Clearance Blowout Sale and save an extra 50% off on Bloomingdale's sale items!
[Photo: Splash News]


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Bodies of the House of Representatives (2016-2021)
The President of the House of Representatives is elected twice by secret ballot, at the beginning of the legislative mandate and in the April session of the third year of this legislature. He ensures the proper functioning of the House of Representatives and coordination between the various bodies of the House. He also presides over the Bureau, presidents' conference and plenary sessions, in addition to other functions set out in the constitution.View page of Président ▶
consists of the President, eight Vice-Presidents, two quaestors and three parliamentary secretaries. The Bureau members are elected at the beginning of the legislative mandate and in the April session of the third year of the legislature, on the basis of proportional representation for each group. It ensures the overall management of the House and draws up its agenda.access to page of Board ▶
Group and Parliamentary Groups:
parliamentary group consist of at least twenty deputies belonging to one or more political parties, chaired by one of its members.
Groups, for their part, consist of at least four parliamentary deputies not members in parliamentary groups. The Bureau of the House of Representatives provides parliamentary group and groups with different human and material resources to support deputies in the exercise of their functions. View list of Groups and Parliamentary Groups ▶
Presidents' Conference:
It is composed of the President of the House of Representatives, the presidents of parliamentary groups, the Chairmen of the Standing Committees and the Vice-Presidents of the House.
Parliamentary committees:
the chairs of parliamentary committees are elected at the beginning of the legislative mandate, and in the April session of the third year of the same legislature. There are eight parliamentary committees in the current legislative mandate. Access to space of Parliamentary standing committees ▶
Secretary General's office:
it is composed of various departments and administrative services under the supervision of the Secretary General. It provides support and administrative services relating to the different functions and competences of the House of Representatives. Approach to biography of the general secretary ▶


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We've only been back at school for a few weeks since Christmas and there is already so much to share with you, and it's all good.
I've already expressed my pride and delight in our write-up by the Good Schools Guide, confirming what we already know – that this is an amazing, happy and successful school at which to study. Now I can add that this is also a happy and successful school at which to work, and that's really important and means a lot to me.
We were recently invited to take part in the 'Best Companies' survey during which a series of questions were put to staff regarding how they feel about where they work, and the responses to this have been truly uplifting. As a result of this survey, I'm thrilled to be able to say that we are now officially extraordinary, in that we are a 3* school – one of only three GDST schools to have obtained this rating. This is significant for many reasons, not least because I believe that if my staff are happy then this reflects on the girls themselves, and a happy girl is a successful girl after all. We all know that teaching, and every other role in the school in fact, can be incredibly busy and sometimes stressful if we're honest; it's not easy maintaining such high standards and it takes a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication. So receiving such positive feedback to these questions is very rewarding as it means that my staff have faith and confidence in the school and its leadership, in their teams and working environment, and that they genuinely love what they do. I'm very grateful to everybody who completed the survey – we need to know how people feel in order to address any issues that might arise. The happiness and morale of the staff equates to the wellbeing and success of the girls – it's a win-win situation.
I've had a lovely couple of weeks since our entrance examinations took place, talking to lots of girls and their families. It's been a pleasure to meet so many bright and eager girls who have been a joy to interview and who are clearly very excited about joining us. Our numbers are looking very healthy indeed, which shows just how much there is still a place for girls only education in our society. I can't wait to welcome them all in September; I just know they're going to love being part of something this special.
I'd also like to say 'well done' to all of the girls who took part in 'Blue Stockings' – our first drama production to take place in our amazing new performing arts centre 'the space'. It must have been quite a daunting prospect to be the first to tread the boards of our new theatre, but our girls did incredibly well and performed exceptionally over the three nights of the show. Bearing in mind that some of these girls were also taking some of their mock GCSE examinations while all this was going on, I'm really impressed with how well they coped, full of confidence as always. The staff involved should also be very proud, the resulting production was slick and talented and everything went incredibly well given that we hadn't performed here to an audience before. I can't wait to see our music and drama productions go from strength to strength as we find our feet in this fantastic venue. You really should come along and watch anything if you can – it's quite spectacular.
Now for some incredibly exciting news about two of our Year 13 girls who have only gone and got themselves invited to the United Nations no less! This is HUGE news for them, and for us and the GDST who have made their trip to New York possible. Jenny Raw, our current Head Girl, and friend Rachel Wibberley, are both members of the National Council of Young Women Great Britain. The NCYWGB was founded here at school by alumna Barbara Maddison who is a member of its parent group, the National Council of Women, and Jenny and Rachel will be the only delegates of this group representing the UK at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 61) in New York in March. I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of these two girls and this amazing opportunity that has opened up for them. They are currently gathering the views of other girls and young women in order to help put together the Youth Statement which will be read out at the opening of proceedings in New York. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how topical all of this is, especially at the current time given the state of affairs since the American presidential elections and the outcome and aftermath. But I don't want to steal their thunder, so why not take a look at their online blog at this link which they have put together in order to collect the information they need, and keep us all updated. This will become especially exciting once they get to the USA in March, and as you will see, the girls are literally counting down the days.
How can so much good news and excitement come from just three weeks or so? I feel sure that 2017 is going to be an amazing year for us – there's an awful lot going on, and if these first few weeks are anything to go by then we're in for an incredible journey.


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Today's post is bought to you by the letter B.
B Facts
1. This letter B is also about 22cm tall, I think this may be the standard height for 'display letters'. 22cm is in typography terms 623.6220474 points*
2. It's made of wood and covered in material that is slightly padded, so though it is soft to the touch it still leaves a nasty bruise if it falls from a shelf onto you toe. Fact.
3. My lovely friend Lady Berridge bought it for me from the U S of A about six years ago. She got it from Anthropologie in New York and said the B stood for 'Queen Bee' which apparently I was. You can still get similar ones from Anthropologie here
4. It's in good old Helvetica Black (possibly Extended). Yum.
5. Good words that begin with B: Bonza, brouhaha and butler (preferably a monkey one).
*In typography points are the universally used measurement of size. A letter that is 1cm high is 28 pts.


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The long wait is over - for TFC fans in the US, at least. While back home, the play date of Land Down Under is moved to January, TFC fans in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California can have a taste of the movie via its official premier in the theaters. What's more , both Piolo and Angel will grace the event, making it as special as the premieres in the Philippines.
This is one of the firsts, wherein the Filipino community abroad were the first to take a peep of the movie, instead of local fans. Play dates will be on December 6 and 7 respectively. The Los Angeles premiere will be held at the Wadsworth Theater while the San Francisco screening will be at the Fox Theater.
Seems like Land Down Under was finished at the expected time frame. Why it was moved to a later playing date is a very big question. This is also what happened to Lobo, which was aired two months than the slated TV debut. Anything about Angel that makes her project in ABS-CBN always rescheduled?
Thanks for the visit! Please claim your Free Diet Pills HERE.


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You can't hide the tall! But talls are people, too. I write about my life and work and I worry about my posture.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
How do you see yourself?
So I've been thinking about self-image issues a lot lately. I had a group of girls over at my apartment last weekend and we were talking about body image in the media, and how on blogs and message boards fat girls are saying skinny girls look like emaciated skeletons and skinny girls are saying fat girls are disgusting and lazy. Likewise, when i was a teenager this boy I liked called me a tree trunk. Weird insult, but amazing how the embarrassment has stuck with me. Obviously there should be no ideal body type, and everyone's body should be celebrated. But how do we get young girls to understand this? Is it perfunctory to feel bad about yourself growing up because you're different, whether it's too tall, too short, too dark, too chubby or whatever it is? Is there a way to instill self esteem in girls, or do they have to get there, as I did, through a long, difficult, self-doubting process? I certainly don't have the answer, but a couple things that have been boosting my self-esteem lately: bright red lipstick, and these Jeffrey Campbell shoes, which I am hoping to buy eventually (Shoutout: barefoottess.com!). Hey, it's the little things that count.
Posted by Becky Thomas at 11:22 AM 14 comments:
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tall reading...
Has anyone read "The Tall Book" by Arianne Cohen? I was just checking out her Web site. The book claims to answer the age old questions, "Why do tall people succeed professionally, financially and intellectually? Why are tall men the most successful dating and mating group on earth, while tall women have low birth rates? And who the hell is behind those airplane seats?" I wonder if there's actual research on these things or if she used anecdotal evidence. Either way, I'd like to talk to whoever's responsible for the airplane seats.
Posted by Becky Thomas at 10:15 AM 6 comments:
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text: Insulated Thermal Lunchbox with Open Design – Classic Durable Lunch Box for Boys and Girls – Kids and Teens Lunch Box for School – Adults for Work or Office . 【Easy to clean】 with special design lining, our Bagmine insulated lunch bag can be easily wiped by damp cloth. No stains . Explore the Home Gift Guide . MIER Adult Lunch Box Insulated Lunch Bag Large Cooler Tote Bag for Men, Women,. 【Versatile Design】 This lunch bag can be used directly on rectangular shape, which offers a large capacity. . Explore the Home Gift Guide . Yodo Elegant Lunch Tote Bag Insulated Cooler for Adult Women – Ideal for Meal Prep, Picnics, Road . Best Insulated: ThinkFit Insulated Lunch Box at Amazon . striped pattern and handbag-like design make this lunch box an unbeatable accessory for women.". A nice lunch made at home will run around $5 to $10 – less than a "cheap" fast . Another more straightforward design, the Hango insulated lunch box cooler . 30 квіт. 2018 р. – BentoHeaven Leakproof Bento Box ($24): Pretty and well-designed, this Bento . MIER Insulated Lunch Bag ($17): If you're someone who likes to have . and non-toxic ice pack fits in an interior pocket to keep your food cool. 10 лист. 2018 р. – Fit & Fresh Women's Downtown Insulated Lunch Bag . The open design of this lunch box allows you to fit a decent sized container, but it also . InsigniaX Insulated Lunch Bag S1 Cool Food Lunchbox For Adult Men Women . Size H:25.4 x W:13 x L:23.3cm (Standard, Black): Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home. . DESIGNED WITH ATTENTION TO DETAILS: Designed with a deep and . 17 серп. 2018 р. – It also has fewer interior seams compared with the competition, . Adults will likely prefer the solid-color options, but some fun prints are also available. . This insulated lunch bag is designed to fit the Salad Kit or any other .


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Last Wednesday was an intimate gathering with the usual suspects, leading the proceedings in vanguard was local guru Darren 'Doc' from Doctor's Orders Brewing, and The Local's own beertender Hugh to share his insights and to punish everyone with the trivia.
This session the theme was to blend two beers to form another known style of beer. For this to work we provided both beers in separate glasses, as well as another blending glass for each round. This meant that participants had a chance at tasting both beers before the blend, as well as deciding the blend ratio themselves.
Starting it off was an attempt at creating a Schwarzbier by blending the Meantime London Porter (6.5%, UK) with the Trumer Pils (4.9%, Austria). A Schwarzbier is a German dark lager characterised by its deep black colour, and its chocolatey-coffee flavours. While the blend didn't taste bad, it didn't quite strike the style. The colour was a murky brown instead of a deep oily black, and to everyone's surprise the hops in the Trumer really beamed through the mix. Typically Pilsners are not considered hoppy beers next to their ale counterparts, and on its own the Trumer Pils has a fairly subtle flavour profile with honey-grain maltiness and bright carbonation. However, blended with the Meantime London Porter its hop character was really amplified against the backdrop of the milk-chocolate, roasty malts. It was agreed that more Porter to Pilsner ratio produced a better blend.
Second up was a blend with two classic beers, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (5.6%, USA) and the Duvel Strong Ale (8.5%, BEL), to create a Belgian Pale Ale. The result was as expected, a very drinkable blend that incorporated characteristics from both beers in a pleasant balance. The interesting zesty aromatics from the Belgian style met the fresh bouquet of North-American hops from the New World pale ale. The seams in this blend were noticeable, however it achieved the range of taste anticipated for a Belgian Pale Ale, and beers such as the Duvel Triple Hop 2012 (Citra) were brought to the discussion.
For the third round we explored the idea of creating a Black Saison by blending the Meantime London Porter (6.5%, UK) with the Red Hill Saison (6.0%, VIC). A Black Saison sounds like contradicting terms, however think of it as a Belgian version of a Dunkelweizen. Its a hybrid style that has been brewed by New World breweries in recent years by brewing with dark malts, while capturing the refreshing vibrant qualities of a Saison. Our blend using both these beers produced the best one on the night. Although this style is not terribly familiar to some, the result was one that everyone was happy with. It maintained the qualities of the target style as the dark malts were lifted by the refreshing dry carbonation of the Saison, while tarty farmhouse esters complimented the chocolatey-vanilla taste, giving a pleasant mouth feel. Moreover, the result was seamless no matter which way one decide to ratio the blend.
Last for the night was a blend between the mammoth Nøgne Ø #100 IPA (10%, NOR), and the light and spicy Hoegaarden Witbier (4.9%, BEL) to produce a White IPA. As I feared the enormous canvas of flavour from Nøgne Ø swamped any chance of the Hoegaarden making its impression in the mix. Although I should report that everyone enjoyed the tsunami of the taste these Imperial IPAs are known for.
Not all blends were perfect, however experimenting was fun and fruitful, and surprising how this exercise spotlighted some specific characteristics of each beer through the resulting taste. Perhaps the real winning combination on the night was being present at The Local to syphon the last drops of Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta from the taps!
The Next Ale Stars we have a very special visit from 4 Pines Brewery, it's on the 20th Feb so don't miss out, book here.


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Ya'll. It got COLD in Florida this weekend! Whew! We woke up Sunday morning to 32 degrees (felt like 28!) and you don't realize how thin your skin has gotten til that happens! However, I was happy to break out 2 of my vests that have felt every so lonely this entire season! 🙌
Vest (almost identical) / Sweater / Jeans / Boots


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Our core sizes are 4|5 to 14, but we also offer select designs in adult, baby, and toddler sizes.
All measurements shown below are the actual dimensions of the garment itself. To ensure the right size, simply measure your girl's favorites at home and compare.
Be sure to keep in mind:
Our jerseys are slightly roomier than our regular t-shirts – as jerseys should be! But, true to the Girls Will Be style, they're still not too oversized or boxy. These styles are not pre-washed, so they will shrink a small amount in the first wash, especially the length of the baseball jerseys. If you are on the edge, you may want to size up.
Remember, the "waist" shown below is the actual measurement of the garment itself (not of your child's waist). Keep in mind that our shorts are designed to be not-too-tight, but not-too-baggy, with a length that hits just above the knee, so your girl might wear a smaller size than in other girls' brands.
Cargo Shorts:
An adjustable, internal waistband lets you make the waist smaller than (but not bigger than) the dimensions below. Because the fit is pretty straight through the hips, some girls may want to order a size up.
Perfect Play Shorts:
With an elastic waistband, these shorts can stretch! And a functional drawstring lets you tighten the waist if you need to make it smaller.
The relaxed waist of the colors with spandex in the fabric will be at the low end of the ranges shown below (since the fabric gives the waist even more stretch), while the relaxed waist of the colors without spandex will be in the middle of the range. All colors will then be able to stretch up to the larger number in the range, if needed.
Our hoodies have a more traditional unisex fit than our t-shirts (but still are not too boxy).
Exclusively for our running-themed design, we are using a special moisture-wicking, anti-microbial t-shirt – to keep your girl cool while she's active. Unlike our custom-made Girls Will Be t-shirts, these have a traditional unisex fit. And the sizing is different because it is made by a different company.
In order to bring you these smaller sizes, we screenprint a few of our designs onto Rabbit Skins brand onesies and toddler t-shirts. Unlike our custom-made Girls Will Be t-shirts, these have a traditional unisex fit.
Due to popular demand, we now offer select designs in adult sizes, in your choice of women's or unisex fit (click here). Since we can't afford to manufacture our own adult-sized shirts (yet!), we use blank shirts from another company. But that means they don't have the same "in-the-middle" fit as our girls shirts (which we do manufacture ourselves). So if you order a women's fit, please order up a size or two (because they run pretty small).
We really tried to find a women's shirt that did not run so small, but was still high quality, available in our colors, and made in the USA. But we could not find one that met all four criteria. So please use the size chart to make sure you order the right size. For reference, our own girls size 14 shirt has a width of 17-18" and a length of 24 1/2".


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NEW YORK — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily on Friday:
Costco Wholesale Corp., down $9.87 to $157.09
Analysts said they were concerned about the warehouse club operator's profit margins and rates of membership renewal.
Synchronoss Technologies Inc., UP $3.43 TO $14.15
The mobile services company renewed talks with Siris Capital, which says it is interested in buying Synchronoss' Intralinks business.
Hess Corp., down 92 cents to $44.59
Oil prices and energy companies tumbled as Tropical Storm Nate moved toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Omega Protein Corp., up $5.45 to $22.05
The nutrition product company said it will be bought by Cooke Aquaculture for $22 a share, or $494 million.
Haverty Furniture Cos., down $2.80 to $24.20
The furniture company reported weaker third-quarter sales than analysts had forecast.
Gigamon Inc., down $3 to $40.55
Reuters reported that Elliott Management's effort to buy the technology company has stalled.
Yum China Holdings Inc., up 85 cents to $40.82
The restaurant company reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly profit but strong sales.
Helen of Troy Ltd., down $9.30 to $87.80
The personal and household products company lowered its sales forecast for the year.


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The uses for surplus materials are endless. The Teacher EXCHANGE makes it easy to go green!
Teachers and students find many ways to use the items creatively in their classrooms. For example, by recycling surplus materials, teachers can use items such as ceramic tiles, wallpaper, yarn, fabric and craft supplies for a variety of projects that help students better understand math and science. In many classrooms, carpet samples and carpet squares are used for reading and activity centers that encourage literacy. Other materials are used to foster creativity in art projects, theater sets and plays.
Here is a list of items that many teachers have found very useful in their classroom. Please keep in mind that teachers can put a wide variety of materials and supplies to use. Any materials that inspire creativity are welcome.
- Loose Leaf and Copy Paper
- Card Stock, Construction Paper
- Index Cards
- Specialty Papers
- Office Furniture and Chairs
- Pens and Pencils
- Markers and Crayons
- Dry Erase Supplies
- Scissors and Staplers
- Rulers and Glue
- Folders, Binders, and Notebooks
- Colored Pencils
- Tissues, Paper Towels
- Erasers, Post-its, Tape
- Backpacks
- Pentium 4 or Higher Computer/Laptop
- Musical Instruments
- Printers, LCD Monitors, Scanners
- Sports Equipment
- Bookshelves, File Cabinets
- Printer/Copier Ink Cartridges
- Calculators
- Carpet Samples and Tiles
- Any materials that inspire creativity
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please contact the Teacher EXCHANGE at 702-263-6007.


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This book is a psychological thriller with an intriguing murder mystery with a twist. Said twist, while expected is still a surprise in the form it takes. It is also an introduction to an interesting protagonist. Issues of genetics, parental devotion along with parental failure, and tragic loss are explored throughout the course of the investigation.
Fiction readers who enjoy a good murder mystery will take interest in this novel. An enthusiasm for genetic disorders or psychology would make the book even more appealing. The book would benefit from discussion in a book club as well. People enticed by reading mystery series might want to start this one as it is just beginning and promises to be very entertaining. The language is accessible despite some use of psychological and scientific terminology; but these themes are approached only on a basic level.
The main character is magnetic and easy to relate to even though he faces more adversity than average in his daily life. The different types of parents seen in the story are basically just different versions and extremes of flawed parenting. As a parent, the story brings up some rather disturbing issues, though they aren't personally relevant. It provides in depth insight into mental and physical handicaps--most notably blindness. The mystery is intriguing with several twists that made the book hard to put down. There is a lot of background information on the main character as this is the debut book in the series. He has faced some horrible tragedy in his life for which he is partially culpable and other misfortunes which he had no control over. He manages not to be a pathetic or tragic character though; his sarcasm and irreverence help to keep the situation from seeming too dark. His past gives some perspective into why this client is so important to him. It is a unique situation because he is investigating the case and involved with court even though he is not a police officer or a lawyer. It makes for a thought-provoking perspective. I would certainly read other books in the series and think it would be a successful addition to a library.
© 2013 Natalie Kelley-Wilson
Natalie Kelley-Wilson graduated from Allegheny College with a BA in English Lit. and from Clarion University with a Masters in Library Science. Currently she works at her town's public library and the county historical society. Email: email@example.com
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Hello! Today I finished reading Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, which is the second book in the Caster Chronicles. If you haven't read the first book Beautiful Creatures then you shouldn't continue reading. Here is the review:
Plot: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that has been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has maked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together Ethan and Lena can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.
Review: I am amazed that Kami and Margaret can make a book this good without messing it up. I love both Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness, but Beautiful Darkness had nothing boring and nothing was dragging in the story which I enjoyed. Everything was fast paced and amazing. You could truly tell the difference the characters are in the second book and how they developed as the problems became more hard and how deaths door was coming closer towards them. Ethan and Lena's relationship takes a turn for the worst and I even questioned myself if things would ever be the same between them as the story continued. The ending was filled with action and surprising answers to their problems. I give this book a 5/5 and now I am even more excited for the next book.
Pub. Date: October 12, 2010Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover , 503pp
Age Range: Young Adult
Book Trailer:


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Opening Hours:Monday - Friday 10am to 5pm
Tel: 01524 736080
Hover to Zoom or Click to Enlarge
This is an In Person Signed Colour 12" x 8" Photo of the former Holland Footballer.
Ruud Gullit (born as Ruud Dil, September 1, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He was a versatile player, playing in numerous positions during his career.
Ken Mills, Writestuff Autographs, Rooms 9 and 10, Ironworks House,Warton Road, Carnforth, Lancs, LA5 9EX, England, UK
Tel:01524 736080


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It was in 2007 -- a year after Arizona voters approved Prop 204 (banning veal and gestation crates) and a year before Prop 2 in California (banning extreme confinement of calves, sows and laying hens) -- when my colleague Paul Shapiro had his first meeting with representatives from Cargill. Cargill is one of the world's biggest agribusiness firms and the country's largest private corporation, and Paul was there to urge it to end its reliance on gestation crates in its pig production facilities. Two years later, Cargill invited me to its Minneapolis headquarters and assembled its entire global animal agriculture team to discuss animal welfare. It was the sort of constructive discussion with agribusiness companies that had been lacking in years prior.
Yesterday, the long process of dialogue, which allowed our ideas to settle in and ultimately to seem eminently practical, produced a tremendous animal welfare outcome. Cargill announced, in a story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, that it would commit to converting its sow operations to group housing for its company-owned farms by 2015 and for its contract operations by 2017. This is the fourth major announcement from the biggest names in pig production in the United States, with Smithfield Foods, Hormel and Tyson Foods recently announcing that they would take more decisive steps away from gestation crates. Major Canadian producers like Olymel and Maple Leaf have made similar announcements too.
These producer announcements come after a cascade of similar announcements from more than 60 major global food retailers -- McDonald's, Burger King, Kraft Foods, Kroger, Costco, Cracker Barrel and others -- that they will eliminate their purchases of pork from producers who rely on these crates.
With nine U.S. states, and governments and industry groups in Australia, Canada, South Africa and India recently committing to move away from gestation crates -- and with the European Union already implementing the ban on continual confinement in gestation crates and working to assure compliance among all 28 nations -- we have a multinational rejection of this intensive, inhumane and extreme form of confinement of pigs. These advancements, and now Cargill's announcement, make it clearer than ever that gestation crates will be relegated to the dustbin of agricultural history -- where they belong.
The HSUS and our Humane Society International arm have led the fight against gestation crates in North America and throughout the world, and we are excited to be involved in yet another major announcement of progress on this front. We still have work to do, but the trajectory of this debate is clear, and it's obvious that the forces aligned against us have failed to succeed with their campaign to preserve the status quo.
We know there's still a long way to go, but we should take a moment to welcome Cargill's progress, and to celebrate another mile marker in our marathon run against gestation crates. The finish line is starting to come in focus.


text: My niece and her husband recently bought a new home in CA. When I saw her in April of this year, I told her I'd make her a quilt and this is what she picked out of Keepsake Quilting. I changed up the colors from the original pattern. She wanted blue and gray. I had it LAQ by a local lady. I'm not crazy about the pattern, but I was pleased with the final outcome, and my niece just loved it. That's all that matters.


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The order issued on Thursday encourages consumers to shift to metered connections, its chairperson S K Agarwal told ET over phone from Lucknow.
Uttar Pradesh has over 65 lakh un-metered connections. This is the first electricity tariff revision after the Yogi Adityanath government took over in the state early this year.
The average hike for domestic consumers is 12% across categories. The electricity tariff for urban domestic electricity consumers has been raised by 9% for the current financial year, Agarwal said.
"The hefty hike for rural consumers was imminent as the electricity tariffs in the past have been very low. We have for the first time brought this change. Under the Saubhagya scheme 2.15 lakh crore new households are likely to be added. Supplying electricity to them at such low tariffs is not viable," he said.
The fixed charge for un-metered rural connections has been raised from Rs 180/kw- Rs 200/kw every month to Rs 300/kw/month. The charges will rise to Rs 400/kw/month from March next year.The metered connection fixed charges have been raised to Rs 80 per month from Rs 50 per month. The regulator has introduced a slab as per power consumption for rural consumers which varies from Rs 3/unit to Rs 5.50 per unit.
Earlier the rural metered consumers were being charged a flat Rs 2.2 per unit price irrespective of their consumption. There has been an average Rs 0.50 per unit hike in tariffs for urban metered connections.
Agarwal said hike narrows the gap between the average cost of supply and revenue by Rs 0.60 per unit to Rs 0.74 per unit.


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KCRM is also a centre for advanced postgraduate studies in risk. It runs an MSc Risk Analysis and has an active doctoral programme which attract graduates from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds from across the world.
© 2019 King's College London | Strand | London WC2R 2LS | England | United Kingdom | Tel +44 (0)20 7836 5454


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Friday, January 11, 2002
index (text)
to the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech
charges carry maximum
penalties of two life terms in
prison for each defendant,
plus a possible additional 75
years for Rubin and an
additional 95 years for
grand jury indicts JDL members in bomb
By LINDA DEUTSCHAP Special
ANGELES (AP) - The
chairman and a member of the Jewish
Defense League were indicted by a federal
grand jury Thursday on charges of
conspiring to bomb the office of an
Arab-American congressman and a prominent
Los Angeles mosque.
The 24-page indictment alleges that JDL
chairman Irv Rubin, 56, and Earl
Krugel, 59, recruited another person
to actually plant the bombs and that
person went to the FBI.
Targets of the planned bombings were
King Fahd Mosque in Culver City, Calif.,
and the field office of Rep. Darrell
Issa, R-Calif. The charges carry
maximum penalties of two life terms in
prison for each defendant, plus a possible
additional 75 years for Rubin and an
additional 95 years for Krugel.
At first, Rubin planned to bomb the
offices of the Muslim Public Affairs
Council in Los Angeles, the indictment
said, but he later changed his mind.
Acting as a "confidential informant," the
unidentified recruit, reported to be a
longtime JDL member, met with Krugel a
dozen times from Oct. 17 to Dec. 11, 2001,
and went shopping with Krugel at a
hardware store for bomb components which
were stored in Krugel's garage, the
indictment said. Rubin, who attended some
of the meetings, was described as
approving the plans and giving directions
to the confidential informant.
Authorities have said that the
informant was equipped with tape recording
equipment and taped his meetings with the
"On or about
Oct. 19, 2001, defendants Irving David
Rubin and Earl Leslie Krugel met with
the confidential informant and
discussed plans to carry out bombings
of buildings associated with Arab
religious or political institutions,"
the indictment said.
The indictment said that by Dec. 11,
when the targets were specified, Rubin had
instructed the informant to purchase a
certain brand of gunpowder and it was
stored in Krugel's garage along with bomb
components including fuse material, pipes
and endcaps. Rubin and Krugel were
arrested the night of Dec. 11 and continue
to be held without bail.
"This is a classic case of a government
overcharging a crime," said attorney
Peter Morris, who represents Rubin.
He criticized the language in count two of
the indictment which says the defendants
conspired to "use a
weapon of mass
"This is a political case in which the
government is trying to raise this to the
level of the actions of Sept. 11 which is
outrageous," Morris said. "It is evident
(from the indictment) that Irv Rubin did
not develop, create or mastermind the
alleged bomb plot," the attorney
"The government has blown this
completely out of proportion and is acting
in a climate of hysteria," said attorney
Mark Werksman, who represents
Krugel. "This was all talk between Krugel
and Rubin and an instigator who was
working at the direction of the FBI."
Werksman said the informant's name has
not been disclosed to the attorneys. "We
think we know who he was. .... He was
reporting to and receiving direction from
the FBI every step of the way," Werksman
said. "Mr. Krugel denies that he ever
planed to blow anything up. This was all
talk initiated by and propelled by an
informant," Werksman said.
The nine-count indictment charged the
men with conspiracy, conspiracy to use a
destructive device, attempted arson,
attempted arson at a U.S. government
facility, possession of a destructive
device in furtherance of a crime of
violence, solicitation to commit a crime
of violence, possession of a machine gun
and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Arraignment was set for Jan. 22.
items on this website:


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