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In 2004 a guy name Jay Abraham became somewhat famous in our industry.
Jay is a brilliant marketing guy and he really did educate many school owners.
One of things he's known quite well for is his "Parthenon Marketing" principle.
The Parthenon thing states that just like a several pillars hold up the "Parthenon" several pillars and marketing strategies/activities must hold up your marketing.
Now, I'd bet if I mentioned the "Parthenon Principle" in a crowded room of even half-way informed school owners who weren't "wet behind the ears" at the business of martial arts most would be able to claim… "I've heard that before."
And that's all fine and dandy. The question really is: "How's your Parthenon?"
As matter of fact I'd be willing to bet the biggest steak in Texas that a high percentage of the savvy school owners who read my stuff are still missing a few of these things.
Here's a Parthenon Party of Martial Arts Marketing…
How many of these are holding up your martial arts marketing?
Notice how each "Pillar" has several pillars of its own…
Networking: Paid and Free groups in your area. Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Special Events: Internal/External, Fun/Informational
Referral Drives:
Direct Mail: Working the list you've built. Farming your area via "cold lists." Target follow up campaigns.
Internet Marketing: SEO, Pay Per Click, Email Marketing, Blog, etc
Social Media: Facebook Biz Page, LinkedIn, Twitter
Mobile Marketing: Mobile PPC, Text Marketing, Mobile Website, QR Codes & Mobile Landing Pages
Neighborhood Marketing: Working with groups in your area as a guest.
Speaking: Self-Defense programs, Anti-Bully, Self-Improvement, Fitness
And that was just the warm up.
The truth is these don't have to be that complicated or over-whelming. Really just a matter of seeing things clearly and taking action.
I hope you take some action.


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Brush Creek is a dispersed camping or day use site open year round. There are vault toilets available and seasonal trash bins. This is where the Brush Creek meets the Upper Kern River and is a good spot for fishing. Campfire permits are required for campfires, barbeques, and camp stoves. Permits are available at your local Ranger Station or online at preventwildfireca.org
This is our favorite campground in the Sequoia National Forest, of the four we've stayed in. As long as you are 25 feet away from the river you can camp anywhere you want, so definitely not restricted to the parking lot area. There are some beautiful spots high up on a bank overlooking the stream. A quick walk down to the stream allows for quick refreshing dips whenever you want. The sound of the stream makes for wonderful white noise at night.
Facilities. There are vault toilets. During the summer season there are also trash bins provided. Unfortunately this campground does not have separate recycling bins nor running water. But hey, it's free! Just make sure to apply for your fire permit online ahead of time to be allowed to set up campfires or use camp stoves.
Dogs allowed throughout the forest as long as they are on leash.
Activities in the area:
- This campground is the closest to the trailhead for 7 teacups hiking or canyoneering
- Swimming
- Fishing
- White water tubing/rafting/kayaking
lots of car campers & RVs in a dirt parking lot with access to the river but camping not allowed off thre parking lot. many families and a busy area.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bennett Named to All-Sportsmanship Team
LANCASTER, Pa. — Washington College freshman shortstop Megan Robbins (Denton, Md./North Caroline) has been named an All-Centennial Conference honorable mention in a vote conducted by the conference's nine head softball coaches. In addition, senior pitcher Maddie Bennett (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron) represents the Shorewomen on the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team.
Robbins led the Shorewomen in doubles (10) and walks (12), was second on the team in slugging (.410) and RBI (16) and finished third on the team in on-base percentage (.367) during her rookie season. She hit .286 with 14 runs scored and was one of only two Shorewomen to start all 39 games this season. Her numbers at the plate were even better across the Shorewomen's 16 conference games as she led the team in hitting (.340), on-base percentage (.404), and slugging (.420) in league play.
Bennett, a team captain, was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team for the first time in her career. Each Centennial Conference member institution was permitted to nominate one student-athlete who exemplifies the best in sportsmanship for the All-Sportsmanship Team.


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As ozone increases, so do doctor visits for residents in Wyo. county
Written byScott Streater, Greenwire
A new health study has found that spikes in ground-level ozone concentrations in a heavily drilled county in west-central Wyoming result in more people visiting doctor's offices with respiratory complaints.
The 32-page study, conducted primarily by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Wyoming Department of Health, measured daily ozone concentrations in Sublette County, Wyo., between 2008 and 2011 and found that increases in ozone concentrations had adverse health impacts for residents.
The goal of the study was to evaluate associations between short-term changes in ground-level ozone and adverse acute respiratory effects, and the researchers found that even modest increases in the maximum daily ozone level measured over an eight-hour period led to increases in local health clinic visits in Sublette County.
High concentrations of ground-level ozone can trigger asthma attacks and inflame the conditions of those suffering from bronchitis and emphysema. Ozone pollution is particularly dangerous to children and the elderly.
Sublette County and portions of neighboring Lincoln and Sweetwater counties in the Upper Green River Basin are currently in violation of the federal health-based standard for ozone concentrations, which is 75 parts per billion.
The study suggests that for every 10 ppb increase in ozone, there was a 3 percent increase in local health clinic visits between 2008 and 2011 in Sublette County.
"The results of this study suggest an association of ground-level ozone with clinic visits for adverse respiratory-related effects the day following elevations of ground-level ozone in Sublette County," according to the study. "Improved awareness and education of the public and providers of the adverse respiratory-related health effects from ground-level ozone in Sublette County should continue."
While ozone levels "vary day to day and from place to place depending on the weather and pollution amounts and types," the study underscores the health impacts of ozone, mainly that it makes it difficult for some people to breathe deeply and vigorously, leading to coughing and sore or scratchy throats, said Kerry Pride, a CDC epidemiologist assigned to the Wyoming Department of Health and the lead author of the study.
The study results were not a surprise to Pride and the state health officials who worked on the study, given the known health impacts of ozone. "Our findings for Sublette County were very similar to what other studies across the country and internationally have found," Pride said.
But the results underscore the urgency to address Sublette County's wintertime ozone problem, which is marked by stagnant air that allows pollution emitted mostly by drilling operations to collect in the lower atmosphere and then be converted into ozone by sunlight and heat reflecting off snowpack on the ground.
Indeed, the high ozone and related health impacts were measured primarily in the winter and early spring months, between February and April, according to the study.
State officials say that in addition to the weather conditions, emissions of nitrogen oxides from compressor engines and generators at oil and natural gas drilling sites are likely the primary man-made contributor to the problem.
Sublette County is home to the massive Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Infill oil and gas fields in the Upper Green River Basin.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality has been working on solutions for years. The DEQ last month released a multipronged plan to address ozone in the Upper Green River Basin that includes a mixture of short-term measures designed to be implemented and completed by August and longer-term strategies that include adopting new rules that would require industry in the basin to better report emissions of all pollutants that contribute to the formation of ozone (E&ENews PM, March 14).
And the DEQ's air quality division this week announced it would continue for a third year conducting on-site inspections of oil and natural gas operations statewide in an effort to ensure that emissions from compressors and generators meet permitted limits (EnergyWire, April 12).
"The weight has always been on us to help reduce these ozone levels," said Keith Guille, a Wyoming DEQ spokesman.
The problem is that ozone is almost always a summertime problem, when pollution from automobile tailpipes and industry smokestacks mix in the sunlight and heat to form ozone. The region's almost unique wintertime ozone problem makes it tough to develop effective strategies to reduce ozone, Guille said.
"In urban areas with summer ozone, they already have [computer] modeling that can tell you if you reduce, say, NOx emissions from automobiles by a certain amount, you can reduce ozone levels by x amount," he said. "We just don't have that."
But the new study comes at a time when federal and state regulators are evaluating several large oil and gas drilling projects in or near the region.
The Bureau of Land Management, for example, is evaluating the Continental Divide-Creston Natural Gas Development Project near the Upper Green River Basin. The project would be among the nation's largest natural gas fields, where developers say as many as 9,000 natural gas wells covering 1.1 million acres of mostly federal land in south-central Wyoming could be developed over the next 15 years (Greenwire, Dec. 7, 2012).
Some environmental groups, including the Wyoming Outdoor Council, have expressed concern that emissions from this project could drift into the Upper Green River Basin.
If a large-scale expansion of oil and gas drilling in the region is approved, federal and state regulators need to ensure they include protections against exacerbating the area's ozone problem, said Bruce Pendery, program director and staff attorney for the Wyoming Outdoor Council.
"Hopefully, this [study] will lead to a little more effort to reduce the emissions of so-called ozone precursors," Pendery said. "I think everyone wants to move in that direction. But the question is, how fast are they going to do it and how much urgency will they feel? We hope this study will contribute to a sense of urgency that this is a priority."


text: We start by analyzing your current requirements as well as any future requirements through an in depth discussion with your key staff to determine your business needs. Starbeam Systems then works with you to design the best solution(s) that will contribute to the overall strategy – and the success – of your organization. We then perform an in-depth inventory of your current systems. A complete inventory will document your current hardware configurations, backup and recovery systems to act as a road map to identify what upgrades or patches are required.


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Game description
Vote: Did you like this game? 21
This girl is about to throw a hilarious sleepover party for all of her friends, but she doesn't have any games set up, or any outfits laid out! Help her pick out the perfect pajama pants and tops for this cute girl's night out with friends!
Game controls:
Use your mouse to click on and through the floating hair, clothing, and accessory options for this pajama fan!
Dress UpFashionGirlStyleDressDress UpSleepPajamaTime


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The 2015 A-League Grand Final betting preview with value bets
When and where: 4:00pm AEST on Sunday, May 17, 2015 at AAMI Park, Melbourne
TV coverage: Fox Sports
Weather: Mostly sunny
Melbourne Victory – $2.25 at WilliamHill.com.au
Last five results: W W W W L
League record (W-D-L): 15-8-4
Sydney FC – $3.20 at www.Sportsbet.com.au
Last five results: W W W W L
League record (W-D-L): 14-8-5
Sunday's Hyundai A-League Grand Final promises to be an absolute belter as the top two teams of 2014/15, Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, go toe to toe in the biggest of Big Blue grudge matches.
Pundits and punters alike are calling it the most evenly balanced title fight in the competition's 10-year history, but the bookies disagree.
Melbourne are fairly sharp favourites at take out their third A-League Championship, and their first in six years, at best odds of $2.25 at online bookmaker William Hill.
And how could you argue against a team that topped the league standings and comes into the decider with four wins on the bounce?
The Victory hardly broke a sweat last Friday night as they booked their spot in the big dance with a 3-0 win over a Melbourne City side which lost David Williams, Aaron Mooy and Harry Novillo to injury inside an hour.
The damage was done well before any of those three left the pitch, however, as a complete absence of marking inside the penalty area allowed Besart Berisha and Kosta Barbarouses to all but bury City with only 30 minutes played.
Things didn't get any better for John van 't Schip's men after the break, either, and Archie Thompson sealed the deal late in the day as he pounced on a rebound to send Victory through to their fourth A-League Grand Final appearance.
That semi-final drew a sellout crowd to Etihad Stadium, and yet a fixture clash with the AFL – which has refused to shift the Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle Dockers match – means the main event will have to be played in the much cosier confines of AAMI Park.
Perhaps that is why the leading Australian bookmakers are favouring Melbourne so heavily – an extra home ground advantage, possibly with a more partisan crowd than might have been expected at the Docklands.
That theory doesn't really hold water, however, when you factor in that Sydney FC – paying outsider odds of $3.20 at www.Crownbet.com – have not lost a single game away from home in the 2014/15 domestic season.
Add in the fact Graham Arnold's men are also on a four-game winning streak and have outperformed Melbourne since the turn of the year, and you can see why this is shaping up as one of the biggest club matches in Australian football history.
Sydney, who finished second in the league table, booked their second consecutive appearance in the A-League Grand Final with a 4-1 smashing of Adelaide United in front of a jubilant Cove at the Allianz Stadium last weekend.
Skipper Alex Brosque starred with a brace, finding the net either side of half time after Bernie Ibini opened the scoring 19 minutes in. United pulled one back through Craig Goodwin in the second half, but it counted for nought as Chris Naumoff completed the rout with a fourth Sydney goal on 90 minutes.
What makes Sunday's title clash especially interesting is that it features the two most dangerous counterattacking sides in the country. Despite both having the better of the possession, neither Adelaide nor Melbourne City could cope with their opponents' speed and enterprise on the break.
Another big plus is the relative lack of injuries or suspensions in either squad, meaning both Melbourne and Sydney will have more or less their best possible XI on the park.
The X-factor, though, is the visitors' superb scoring form in 2015 – something the head coach was all too happy to point out when he fronted the press after the semi-final win.
"I've been saying for the last month that from January 3 to today, we're the best team in the league," Arnold said.
"Since the Asian Cup that's 41 goals in 14 games. We're getting better and better.
"That's the belief I have and the stats will show you since Christmas we've got four or five points more than Melbourne Victory.
"We have to go down confident and our away form is outstanding, so we'll be extremely confident."
Meanwhile, Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat will be looking to exorcise some personal demons on Sunday evening, having missed from the penalty spot when these two sides met in the 2010 decider – Sydney FC's only A-League Championship win to date.
Yet the former Socceroo was determined not to hog the limelight when he spoke to the Melbourne media this week, taking a cheeky swipe at his opposite number in the process.
"Especially this week, I'd rather leave it to the players," Muscat said on SEN Radio.
"They're the ones who ultimately have gone out there and worked the hardest in terms of blood, sweat and tears.
"I'm not going to make comments that detract away from what the players have done this season.
"I'm not going to make it about me, like Graham Arnold."
If the two coaches' head-to-head record in 2014/15 is anything to go by, the 25,000 or so fans that squeeze into AAMI Park are in for a real treat – and probably extra time.
All three of Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC's home and away meetings ended in draws, including a pair of 3-3 thrillers which ranked among the games of the season.
Team news
Victory have pretty much a full-strength list to choose from, but Muscat hasn't made a single change to his matchday squad in the last three weeks. Don't expect him to alter that winning formula here.
Sydney, meanwhile, must decide whether or not to start Shane Smeltz, who scored four times against Melbourne during the regular season. But with Marc Janko back in action, the New Zealand striker might have to settle for a bench seat once more.
Possible Melbourne Victory lineup: Thomas, Broxham, Ansell, Delpierre, Georgievski, Milligan, Valeri, Finkler, Barbarouses, Berisha, Ben Khalfallah. (Subs – Thompson, Mahazi, Pain, Geria, Turnbull.)
Possible Sydney FC lineup: Janjetovic, Ryall, Faty, Jurman, Petkovic, Dimitrijevic, Tavares, Naumoff, Ibini, Brosque, Janko. (Subs – Calver, Smeltz, Stambolziev, Necevski, Grant.)
A-League Grand Final betting predictions
Result: Draw (90 mins + AET) – $3.55 at Sportsbet Australia
With what we've seen from these two this season, you have to expect this final to go the distance. Both sides are in great form and while Melbourne are terrific on their own patch, Sydney's phenomenal away record all but nullifies any home advantage. Barring any big late changes to either lineup, back this one to go to penalties.
Correct score: 1-1 – $7.00 at CrownBet.com
While this should be a fascinating contest between Australia's two standout teams, don't hold out for another goalfest. With the A-League crown on the line, we should see a somewhat more cagey affair than those six-goal specials we witnessed earlier in the season. Having said that, each of the last four GFs have produced at least two goals, so take that into account here.
First goalscorer: Marc Janko – $6.50 at William Hill
Sydney's Austrian import has been lethal in front of the sticks, netting 16 times in 22 games on his way to the golden boot in his inaugural (possibly only) A-League season. He lasted an hour on his return to the side last week, so he should be sharp enough for the trip to AAMI Park.
Last goalscorer: Guilherme Finkler – $11.00 at www.Bet365.com
The Brazilian maestro has a happy knack of producing something special when the Victory need it most. He has form against the Sky Blues, too, having struck a vital free-kick equaliser to scrape a point during the league season. If you're a romantic, though, you'll no doubt back Archie Thompson ($8.00 at Sportsbet) to come off the bench with a bang.
To lift the cup: Sydney FCMelbourne Victory – $1.67 at CrownBet
If you are backing a penalty shootout, it all comes down to who will have the calmer heads after over 120 gruelling minutes. We fancy the likes of Berisha, Thompson, Milligan and Gui Finkler to get the job done, but Sydney's $2.30 odds online at Sportsbet make them an excellent A-League Grand Final value bet.
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To arrive healthy and ready to plant in your garden. If they do not, please contact us within 10 days of receiving your order and we will get replacements shipped out as soon as possible.
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The perfect gift for your green thumb inclined friend or family. Our gift certificates come in several denominations.
'Planting Vegetable Plants at the right time for your area is crucial. Make sure you check for the last frost date and watch the weather carefully before planting."
This smaller 48oz sprayer is perfect for spraying a liquid fertilizer or pesticide in your garden. It has a strong, quick-pressurizing pump and a fully adjustable spray pattern.
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Lab Talk: heavy metal and bionic plants
Researchers explain two exciting new papers.
Birds, heavy metal and architecture
Flocks of starlings form marvellous chorus lines moving in perfect synchrony without any master choreographer. Modelling these formations with computers shows us how the pattern occurs: each bird merely shadows its neighbour. Fans of heavy metal may not have much in common with starlings, but current research shows that they move in a similar way when packed together at concerts. YouTube videos allowed the Cornell University researchers to produce flocking models of metal-heads.
There were mosh pits where the most active fans crowd together and throw themselves at each other, and circle pits where tight groups rotate as if in a whirlpool. As with flocks of birds, the simplicity of this model gives us insight into the emergent behaviours of crowds.
Predicting these behaviours is essential for architectural design and safety planning.
Paper: Collective Motion of Humans in Mosh and Circle Pits at Heavy Metal Concerts. Physical Review Letters, 2013, vol 110, p 228701
Bionic plants get a photosynthetic boost
The idea of a bionic man as portrayed in the 1970s TV show The Six Million Dollar Man, still seems far-fetched. Now a team of engineers in nanotechnology and biologists at the MIT has unveiled the first bionic plant.
They found that treating plants with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) – which are known for their light-harvesting ability – can potentially augment a leaf's light absorption. In isolated chloroplasts – the plant organelle where natural photosynthesis takes place – the scientists showed the SWNTs were spontaneously sucked inside the chloroplast, where they boosted photosynthetic activity to levels three times higher than that of controls.
It is still unclear if the observed boost to light harvesting will translate into more carbon dioxide converted into sugars, but the findings could open up exciting opportunities to improve plant productivity.
Paper: Plant nanobionics approach to augment photosynthesis and biochemical sensing, Nature Materials, 2014, 3, 400–408
This article appeared in Cosmos 59 - Oct-Nov 2014 under the headline "Birds, heavy-metal and architecture/Bionic plants get a photosynthetic boost"


text: We live in a world that is hungry and thirsty for so many things. We see people that are famished and parched for fame, position, power and riches. But God is always looking for people who are hungry for Him. Jesus said "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35). This is our invitation to come to Him. Jesus said that the one who comes to Him would He by no means cast away. In fact, Jesus also said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matt 5:6). Kind of like how your natural appetite works, you have to eat when you get hungry to satisfy that hunger and eventually you will get hungry again; you have to have a regular and sustained portion of God to be satisfied. But unlike your natural appetite where you have to stop taking it in because you get full – You never get to a point in God where you will be so full that you will not need Him anymore. And while God is always satisfying us, He is also continually increasing our hunger and thirst for still even more of Him. The more you hunger and thirst for Him, the more will He reveal Himself to you and the more you will yearn for Him. With your food you get full and you get tired of it and it becomes boring and you sometimes get to a point of not even wanting to have that particular food anymore. But we will never ever be frustrated when we hunger and thirst for The Lord Jesus. As we hunger for Him more, He will fill us more. He will reveal Himself to us more and more as we thirst for Him. There is simply nothing more satisfying as the knowledge of who God is. Do you have hunger and thirst for the Lord? As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Ps 42:1-2). O Taste and see that the Lord is Good! – (Ps 34:8)


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For P4 you need to write about the way IT affects individuals' work.As technology changes and versions of software get updated all the time they need to learn how to use the latest equipment and software. Sometimes it is easier and more user-friendly than older versions but sometimes it can be very new and takes time to figure out, or special training may be needed.
Some jobs may become redundant and so there is a need for retraining, for example where new software allows 1 person to do something that might have taken 2 or 3 people before. Think of some examples and summarise them - eg how it is easy to find information on databases now whereas before it may have taken a long time to search through records. Another example may be in using equipment to check for mistakes whereas before someone may have been employed to check products individually.
For P5 you write about the advantages and disadvantages for an organisation.
Advantages might include:
- more efficient working
- cleaner and/or quieter working environment
- possibly more flexibility in working hours, home working in some cases so less travel time
- displaying a modern and progressive environment - looking better than competitors
- being able to produce more items in-house instead of using specialist agencies (eg web sites, marketing materials)
- lots of open source or free applications
- increased ease of communications globally might enable use of cheaper services abroad (outsourcing)
- video links can save meeting travel time and expense
- offices may not need to be situated in towns or near traditional communication routes so savings on rent, rates etc
Disadvantages might include:
- security risks of electronic data (eg loss of laptops, USB drives containing information)
- legal restrictions relating to new technology or data storage can be complex to understand and comply with
- staff may waste time using equipment for personal use more or access undesirable material more easily
- it is almost impossible to 'switch off' when some work can be done anywhere - increased stress
- more staff may risk developing injury (eg repetitive strain) and liability for this arising later
- costs of new equipment and software, or maintenance, can be high


text: The bamboo creates a lush natural green screen a perfect privacy solution. Gracilis bamboo is a clumping variety rather than a running bamboo. This means unlike other bamboo varieties it can be contained in a 1 metre wide garden bed and grow to a height of 8-10 metres. When the wind blows the bamboo creates a beautiful rustling sound creating a very calming and relaxing ambience.


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A young man with a medical condition has been found safe and well in Brisbane after going missing from Surfers Paradise this morning.
The 25-year-old was reported missing from the Gold Coast about 8.45am (AEST), and was found in Brisbane about 5.15pm (AEST).
Officers were particularly concerned about his disappearance because he has a medical condition.


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The Greatest Showman The Musical Venue To Be Announced. SORRY, THIS SHOW IS NOT CURRENTLY OPEN FOR BOOKINGS.
ABOUT The Greatest Showman! The Musical
The Greatest Showman is brought to life in a dazzling new stage production coming to London's West End.
Inspired by the enigmatic ambition and imagination of P.T Barnum, The Greatest Showman is a new musical celebrating the birth of show business.
Experience the moments you love from the hit film starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson and get to know these inspiring characters in a whole new way.
Featuring original music from Academy, Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, DEAR EVAN HANSEN), The Greatest Showman includes the hit songs 'The Greatest Show', 'Never Enough', 'This Is Me', 'Rewrite the Stars' and 'From Now On'.
The Greatest Showman is rumoured to open in London's West End in 2020.
The Greatest Showman is a captivating new musical that tells the story of how P.T Barnum created a mesmerising spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Struggling to feed his family, P.T Barnum risks everything to launch a sensational new circus made up of 'freak show' performers. As his wealth and ambition grows can he hold onto the values and people that inspired him to dream.
To be announced
Score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land).
Further creative to be announced.
Coming Soon
Find tickets to DEAR EVAN HANSEN London


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Spatial is launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for a new kind of mixed reality device that uses holographic projection to overlay animations on top of tabletop gaming.
The Spatial mobile device accessory is meant to create face-to-face entertainment between two people who compete by looking through the holographic screen to see what lies on the tabletop. You can throw an object on the table and it can spur an animation that you can see on the holographic screen.
It is the brainchild of Kerry Shih and the Redondo Beach, California-based team at Spatial that began working on the project in 2016. While video games are often about anonymous online competition, Spatial is aimed at bringing back a more interpersonal experience, by getting people to gather around the table to play games.
"Spatial started as a way to do gaming on mobile devices in a face-to-face setting," Shih said in an interview with GamesBeat. "I remember the joy of tabletop gaming, laughing at my brother's face when I beat him in a game."
The idea was to get rid of a formal screen in a gaming device, and to do augmented reality imagery in real time. Shih funded the project on his own, as he had money from "the modest success of previous companies."
Spatial has been working with independent game studios to create curated mixed reality tabletop games. The company has five games in the works, and it has signed up 10 game studios to contribute games to its curated marketplace.
"I wanted this to be physical, a digital tabletop, with a display that you can see through," Shih said. "We call it projected AR. You are not staring at a screen. You can see things projected on the table."
For Kickstarter supporters, the cost will be $60. They can download an app and play some of the games now.
"We don't need an Xbox or something very expensive for this kind of experience," Shih said. "It's going to be very accessible, as a mobile accessory."
Source: VentureBeat


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Tiny 1MHz Lowpass Filter Uses No Inductors
Posted on Sep 15, 2012 11069
Under: Audio Tone Balance Circuits
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New Circuits
Posted on Sep 15, 2012 11069
The elliptic transfer function of the LTC1560-1 was chosen as a compromise between selectivity and transient response. Figure 3a shows the 2-level eye diagram of the fi lter. The size of the "eye" opening shows that the fi lter is suitable for data communications applications. Additional phase equalization can be performed with the help of an external dual op amp and a few passive components. This is shown in Figure 4, where a 2nd order allpass equalizer is cascaded with the IC. The allpass function is achieved through traditional techniques, namely, passing a signal through a low Q inverting bandpass fi lter and then performing summation with the appropriate gain factors. Figure 3b shows the eye diagram of the equalized fi lter. The input amplifi er stores the DC offset of the IC across its feedback capacitor. The total output DC offset is the input DC offset of the 1/2 LT1364 plus its offset current times the 10k resistor (less than 1.85mV). Upon powerup, the initial settling time of the circuit is dominated by the RC time constant of the DC correcting feedback path; once the DC offset of the LTC1560-1 is stored, the transient behavior of the circuit is dictated by the elliptic fi lter.
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TEDx Columbus – Michael Wilkos – Surprise, It's Columbus 2.0!
This was my favorite TED talk this year… Wilkos is a lover of math and statistics and cities.
This decade…. only place in Ohio where more people moved in than out… was Columbus.
Domestic arrivals
1. Cleveland
2. Dayton
3. Youngstown
4. Detroit
5. Akron
Domestic departure, people from Columbus relocate to
1. Phoenix
2. Dallas
3. Houston
4. Charlotte
5. Atlanta
That was based on 2008.
International arrivals…
The real growth is international arrivals to Columbus from Africa, Asia, Mexico.
I love the story about what Chinese visitors remember about Columbus.
blue skies


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General News of Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Source: Myjoyonline.com
The People's National Convention (PNC) has urged the Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei to institute legal action against the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency over the claim that she exchanged sex for the position.
National Chairman of PNC, Bernard Mornah, said the comment of the controversial New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP does not only amount to a demonisation of the Commission but also cast a slur on the reputation of the Chairperson.
"If there are legal issues, I will advise Madam Charlotte Osei to go to court so that Kennedy Agyapong will be able to prove the case she possibly exchanged sex for her position and who she exchanged that with," he said.
Kennedy Agyapong is widely quoted as making a disparaging comment about the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei.
According to the claim, the NPP MP, who is known for his not-budging stance on issues, told supporters of the party at Asokwa, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region that the EC boss offered sex in exchange for the EC job.
This outburst of Mr Agyapong has triggered wide criticisms from right movements and some opposition political parties who have expressed their disappointment in the MP.
PNC condemned the attack on the EC chair describing it as needless especially from a member of Ghana's legislator.
Bernard Mornah said the PNC believes in the "efficacy of women" in the country to be deserving of whatever position they occupy.
"We are a party that believes that women have what it takes to lead their respective portfolios and we do not think women will necessarily have to offer themselves in exchange for positions," he said.
He averred on her own merit, the EC boss is qualified to be the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
Substantiating his position, the PNC National Chairperson said: "For those of us who have attended IPAC I am not sure that we have had difficulties with the way she has chaired operations at IPAC."
Chairman of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Dr Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, has called on Ghanaians not to treat the issue as trivial.
"We should not be disregarding statements like that coming from Member of our legislature," he said, noting, "Parliament ought to ensure that its representatives whether in Parliament or outside comport themselves in the manner that will befit Ghana's legislature."
"I don't believe that this particular comment has inured to the goodwill of the people of Ghana and for that matter, Parliament should look and discipline its own," he added.


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This handy small connector allows you to still run your Alde boiler if your control panel fails. A perfect piece of kit to keep in the draw in case of emergencies. This is functionally identical to Alde Part number 3010-218. If you want to use this with a 3020 boiler then you will also need the Adaptor Cable - Part Number 3020-035.
The procedure to use this connector is as follows:-
1. Disconnect the 12V cable and the cable to the control panel on the boiler.
2. Connect the Emergency Start connector to where the control panel was connected on the boiler main board.
3. Reconnect 12V to the boiler
Now the boiler starts with gas and 1kW. Adjustment of the room temperature is not possible. Constant pump operation is set.
Override emergency Start connector for Alde 3010 and 3020
- Brand: Alde
- Product Code: AE-P-MS-00002
- Availability: 8
- Ex Tax: £5.00
Tags: Alde, 3010, 3020, 3010-218, emergency, start, connector,


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To speak to a member of the team or book tickets (selection option 1) call
You can also find us on social media
South Marine Drive, Bridlington, YO15 3JH
01262 678258
Langdale Wharf Car Park, South Cliff Road
Nelson Street Car Park, Nelson Street
Palace Car Park, Springfield Avenue
South Marine Drive
Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm
Sunday, 10am-4pm
We can only give an estimated time that a gig will finish as the actual time will depends on:
Please consider this when planning your journey home.
If you are attending a standing concert you can register on our priority queue. This means you'll have the best opportunity to find a seat in the balcony of the Royal Hall in advance of the main queue entering the venue. Balcony seating for standing gigs is subject to availability on a first come, first served basis. Please contact us on 01262 678258 to register.
When you book tickets via the Bridlington Spa box office or through our online booking system you are given the option to collect your tickets from the box office or have them posted to you. If you have chosen to have them posted, please allow between three and five working days to receive them. Gig tickets are usually posted close to the event date to prevent ticket touting.
If you have booked your tickets through another provider, check their website regarding postal times and contact them directly regarding any issues.
Our brochures are published twice a year in March and September and sometimes we confirm additional gigs after the brochure has been printed. For the most up to date information on all our shows, gigs and events please check the events section of this website.
We have four seating plans, three for The Royal Hall and one for the Theatre. Normally gigs in the Royal Hall are standing, however if you are attending a seated gig refer to the seated plan on our website to locate your seat.
If you have booked tickets through another provider, check their website for a seating plan. Sometimes alternative providers print seat numbers on their tickets when allocating them, however this does not allocate you a reserved seat for a standing show.
Every gig is different and the timing of the main act is dependent on their support acts so we are unable to give this information out in advance. We are usually given this information by the tour manager when the gig is about to start so if you ask on the door, a staff member should be able to advise you.
We rarely know this information until the day of the gig so we can not advise you in advance.
For customer safety you can not bring your own food or drink into a gig. Bag searches take place on the doors and food, drink or confectionery is confiscated.
If you believe that you need to bring prohibited items into the venue you should contact us at least 24 hours prior to the event on 01262 678258.
We have a number of bars at the venue and we pride ourselves on keeping our prices in line with local pubs. Tap water and sugar are available for free at any bar and security personnel and stewards are on hand throughout the gig if you have difficulty.
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no money
as we work through the list of things that Jesus tells his disciples NOT to take on mission – in Luke 9. We have looked at how Jesus wants us to have a stance that means we are honest and vulnerable, that we learn to give and receive generosity, listening to those we meet, and learning to watch out for what God is already doing around us.
Today we think about why Jesus tells the disciples not to carry a purse, or money. If we stop and think at all we soon realise that money is worthless. We can't do anything with it other than exchange it for things that are more useful or beautiful. By forbidding us to take money Jesus is pointing us away from one of the most common mistakes that we fall into.
I need to be careful in how I say this because we live in a world where exchange is part of how we think and act, we take it so much for granted that it is difficult to see how we can live differently. But the Kingdom of God that was announced – the good news that we are entrusted with is about gift and not exchange. But our tendency is to treat people as commodities, to count the number of people who turn up to our meetings, who have made a decision to follow Jesus, to count the numbers rather than listen to the stories of individual people.
Or we see church as a commodity, demanding that it entertains us so we can justify giving our time and money to support it.
In listing money as something we must not carry Jesus points us towards real relationships marked by an economy of outrageous gift, rather than the exchange mindset that the world around us squeezes us into.
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The INSIDER Summary:
- Pilot Robert Ryan dropped his phone out of a small aircraft he was flying.
- It recorded the whole fall before landing in the bushes of a family's yard.
- They returned it, and Ryan posted the video to YouTube.
A Samsung Galaxy S5 phone somehow survived falling 1,000 feet from a plane — and recorded its entire journey.
Robert Ryan posted a video on YouTube of the whirling footage, which he said was captured after his uncle, pilot Blake Henderson, allegedly dropped the phone by accident while experiencing turbulence onboard the small aircraft he was flying.
"My uncle Blake Henderson encountered severe turbulence while chasing a JN-4 Jenny biplane (seen at the beginning of the video)," Ryan wrote on the YouTube post. "His phone was sucked out of the craft on accident and dropped around 1,000 feet into a very nice [family's] yard."
Henderson was recording another aircraft from his window when his phone was sucked out of the plane by the outside air pressure. As the phone makes its descent on video, images of the Earth start to swirl, giving you a first-hand look at what it's like to fall from 1,000 feet up in the air.
The family who found the phone on soil in their yard returned it to the cellular company, according to the Daily Mail. It took just around 17 seconds for the phone to hit the ground, according to the video, though some users are skeptical that the footage is real.
"I dunno, this seems like a viral video made to sell Samsung phones," user Jonathan Chan wrote in the YouTube comments.
Ryan responded saying the type of phone wasn't what was relevant to him.
"If I weren't the one who posted I would completely agree," he wrote. "Only reason I mentioned the type of phone was because I was asked, so I hope that means something bud."


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ClickView Local Cache
The ClickView Local Cache will intelligently download and store videos from ClickView. This means playback on campus of all ClickView videos will be streamed locally ensuring reliable playback and conserving your bandwidth.
- Secure – Local Cache now supports HTTPS out of the box, so you can access ClickView content more securely and all your data is protected.
- Intelligent –Local Cache will intelligently download and store the content you are watching, efficiently using disk space and using less bandwidth.
- Cache everything – Reliably deliver all ClickView content to your classroom and save bandwidth in the process. No more waiting for your video to load!
What is the Proxy tab?
The proxy tab can be used to point the ClickView Local Cache towards your institutions local proxy server so that traffic can correctly traverse your network.
How to setup Local Cache to use a proxy server
1. Enter address of your proxy in address bar, by default entries will pre-fix HTTP to the URL, if you need to make use of HTTPS please manually enter this before the proxy address.
If proxy authentication details are required please tick the checkbox and enter these details in the username and password field provided.
How to test if the proxy is working with Local Cache?
Proxy settings will be tested upon hitting the save button, a status message will be returned to the right of the Save button.
What does the 'online' icon mean?
The icon indicates that the Local Cache is running and has successfully connected to the network. You can see if your Local Cache has any trouble accessing the network when the icon is red and says 'offline'.


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The Commission also examined spending on corporate services by agencies within the Australian Public Service (APS) as part of the survey of government agencies operating under the Public Service Act 1999. Agencies provided information on departmental expenditure, including the estimated proportion spent on corporate functions. Details are included at Attachment 2.2.
Chart 2.5 shows the proportion of departmental expenses spent by agencies on corporate functions, ranging from below 10 per cent to around 40 per cent. On average, agencies spend around 21 per cent of their running costs on these functions.
Chart 2.5: Corporate expenses as a proportion of departmental expenses
Source: National Commission of Audit Survey, 2014.
The Commission collected information on eight corporate functions: human resources; finance; legal; communications; general management; compliance; procurement; and information and communication technology (ICT).
Chart 2.6 shows the average distribution of corporate spending by agencies that responded to the Commission's survey. The chart shows that the largest proportions are spent on ICT, general administration, human resources and financial management.
Chart 2.6: The average proportion of each agency's departmental expenses spent on corporate functions
Source: National Commission of Audit survey, 2014.
A number of submissions to the Commission identified corporate services as an area for efficiency gains.
Real efficiencies could be gained across corporate services through the adoption of whole-of-government approaches to the provision of ICT, reducing policy compliance costs, provision of e-learning packages and greater standardisation of business processes.
Department of Education, 2013.
In order to make comparisons across agencies, corporate spending per full‑time equivalent (FTE) staff member was examined.
For each corporate function, spending per employee varies significantly across agencies. For example, the top quartile of spending per FTE on finance functions is more than double that of the bottom quartile.
The size of an organisation does not seem to have a strong bearing on overall corporate spending per person. However, there are scale effects for some specific functions. As shown in Charts 2.7 and 2.8, finance and procurement costs per employee tend to be higher in smaller agencies and lower in larger agencies.
Chart 2.7 Finance spending per FTE by organisation size
Source: National Commission of Audit Survey, 2014
Chart 2.8 Procurement spending per FTE by organisation size
Source: National Commission of Audit Survey, 2014
In addition to comparing across agencies, the survey data on corporate spending was compared to a peer group sample of 79 organisations from public administration, services, finance, real estate and insurance industries drawn from The Boston Consulting Group's Excellence in Support Functions (ESF) benchmarking database.
The Commission notes that caution must be taken when comparing corporate services expenditure between public and private organisations. However, given both public and private sectors undertake a range of similar transactional administrative tasks, such a comparison can inform public sector considerations.
Spending per staff member was used as a common comparator and data was collected from APS agencies in categories that align to those used by The Boston Consulting Group when analysing corporate services data in private sector organisations.
The distribution of spending on corporate functions by APS agencies compared to the benchmark agencies is shown in Chart 2.9.
The benchmarking exercise indicates that in some areas such as finance and legal services, public sector agencies tend to spend less per person than similar private sector organisations. Conversely, APS agencies tend to spend significantly more per person than the private sector on human resources and communications functions.
Chart 2.9: Distribution of corporate spending per staff member by agencies
Source: National Commission of Audit Survey, 2014.
Human resources stands out as an area where the surveyed APS agencies seem to spend significantly more per staff member than the benchmark agencies. As shown in Chart 2.10, median spending on human resources across the surveyed agencies was $4,670 per person compared with $2,160 in similar private sector organisations.
Chart 2.10: Human resources spending per FTE in surveyed agencies
Source: National Commission of Audit survey, 2013.
Shared services
The Commission examined a number of corporate services initiatives both internationally and at state level, where differing levels of success had been reported.
The IBM submission to the Commission referred to a number of shared services initiatives in the United States and the United Kingdom that suggested between 20 and 30 per cent savings are achievable by moving to a shared services platform.
At a local level, and as reported in the Commission's Phase One Report, the Australian Capital Territory Government has a shared services arrangement for a range of corporate services for all agencies. This process has been seen as successful, with support and leadership from the top, a change leader and a high level of commitment with clear boundaries.
Data collected from agencies indicates that around a third of public service agencies with over 20 staff already have some form of shared services in place, although on average this represents only around 9 per cent of their corporate services. Most agencies surveyed also outsource a small proportion of their corporate services (on average around 12 per cent).
The Department of Education and the Department of Employment have advised the Commission of a new corporate services partnership arrangement in 2013 with the proposed establishment of a Shared Services Centre. This partnership builds on the previous shared services model provided to a number of government agencies by the former Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for IT and corporate enabling services.
Australian Government 2010, Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the Reform of Australian Government Administration, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Canberra.
Australian Government 2013, Shared Services, Australian Public Service Commission, APS Human Capital Matters, Issue 6, Canberra.
Australian Institute of Management 2012, Shared Services In The Public Sector, White Paper, Sydney.
Australian Public Service Commission 2013a, APS At A Glance, viewed online February 2014, <http://www.apsc.gov.au/about-the-apsc/parliamentary/aps-statistical-bull....
Australian Public Service Commission 2013b, State of the Service Report 2012-13, Canberra.
Bandiera, O, Prat, A, Sadun, R and Wulf, J 2014, Span of Control and Span of Attention, Working Paper, Harvard Business School, Massachusetts.
Buchanan, I, Chang, J, Couto, V, Neilson, G, Pigorini, P, Saddi, J, Schädler, J, Tan, E, and Uchida, A 2003, Management Spans and Layers: Streamlining the Out-Of-Shape Organisation, Booze Allen Hamilton, Chicago.
Deloitte 2010, In The Hot Seat, Reducing Costs In Public-Sector Organisations In An Age Of Austerity, research paper, Deloitte LPP, London.
Department of Education 2013, Department of Education Submission to the National Commission of Audit, Canberra.
New South Wales (NSW) Government 2013, Public Sector Reform: Reforming the Public Sector to Deliver Improved Services to the NSW Government, NSW Public Service Commission, Sydney.
PricewaterhouseCoopers 2013, Understanding Productivity: Federal Government Benchmarking on Corporate Services, Canberra.
Verspaandonk, R, Holland I, and Horne, N 2010, Chronology Of Changes in the Australian Public Service 1975 – 2010, Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, Canberra.
Yost, E 2013, What Kinds of Factors Should Determine How Many Direct Reports A Manager Supervises? HR Magazine, July 2013.


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What do you do when you have nothing else to do? Talk to someone or Speak to Self; and keep fiddling with something. And the inability to sit silently doing nothing is so strong that humans can go to any lengths to be able to do that.
A new study by Researchers at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville found that many people would rather subject themselves to an unpleasant electrical shock than sit silently doing nothing.
The study, published in the journal Science, in a way tells that humans just can't sit idle. If not absorbed in some physical or mental act, humans will speak to others or self.
How The Study is conducted :
Participants were told to entertain themselves only with their own thoughts for 15 minutes. During that time, they were allowed to either sit doing nothing, or they could sit for the same length of time and give themselves a shock.
What made the study interesting was that each participant was given the electric shock before the study, so that they can know the severity or the unpleasantness of the shock. The electric shock was so unpleasant that most of the participants said that they would pay money to avoid feeling it again.
Still, when forced to either sit alone with their thoughts or experience the shock to take their minds off of it, 25 percent of women and 67 percent of men opted for the shock. About half of the participants said later that they did not enjoy the experience and 90 percent said they couldn't keep their mind from wandering.
Researchers see this as the necessity of our minds to have constant stimulation. This explains as to why meditation or the act of quit of introspection is so difficult for most humans. The researchers blame our culture for this inability. Does this mean we need some training in order to do quiet introspection? It seems so.


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Posted on July 9, 2019 by Marc McNulty, CIC, CRM
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As I've mentioned before, it's hard to watch any sort of television program without seeing an insurance advertisement at some point. I also have already expressed my views on the commercials that attempt to be cute, so we won't go there.
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The latest US growth figures show America has recovered from its winter contraction. US GDP grew by annualized rate of 4.0% in Q2, while the Q1 reading was revised higher to show a smaller contraction by 2.1%. More details here…
This article titled "US economy beats forecasts with 4.0% growth – business live" was written by Graeme Wearden, for theguardian.com on Wednesday 30th July 2014 13.23 UTC
Ben Brettell, Hargreaves Lansdown Senior Economist, is encouraged that the US economy has bounced back faster than expected.
"The rebound was driven by lower energy prices, strength in the manufacturing sector and increased demand for exports. A healthier labour market is boosting consumer confidence, which is at a near-seven-year high.
However, the IMF and the Federal Reserve disagree on prospects for the year as a whole, with the IMF forecasting a disappointing 1.7% and the Fed a more optimistic 2.1%-2.3%.
Paul Ashworth, chief US economist at Capital Economics, reckons the Fed will raise US interest rates in eight months time.
This GDP report supports our view that an improving economy will persuade the Fed to begin raising rates in March next year.
US GDP reaction starts here
Nancy Curtin, CIO at Close Brothers Asset Management, says that growth in the US has stepped up a level in recent months.
"The US economy has a spring back in its step after the disastrous impact of arctic conditions in the first quarter. Since the weather abated, data has been broadly positive.
Strong figures for the service sector combined with resurgent consumer confidence and improving manufacturing all hinted at a revival in fortunes, and the second quarter reading has delivered in spades."
US dollar rises after GDP report
The US dollar has rallied on the back of the US GDP report, gaining 0.2% against both the pound and the euro.
Traders are calculating that the growth report means the Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates a little earlier than before.
Dovish Fed members, though, are likely to remain focused on the US labour market. As Janet Yellen pointed out to senators this month, wage growth remains weak.
A stronger dollar is also good news for the eurozone:
Reminder: Fed policymakers are meeting today, and are expected to trim their stimulus programme by $10bn per month, from $35bn to $25bn.
Neil King, the WSJ's global economics editor, isn't getting carried away with excitement either:
Don't forget, GDP estimates can go down as well as up.
As our US business and economics editor Heidi Moore tweets, a growth rate of 4.0% per year may prove too good to be true:
US GDP: some detail
So, what drove the US recovery in the second quarter?
Consumers played a big role. The Commerce Department says consumer spending grew by 2.5%, with Americans buying more long-lasting manufactured goods. Spending on services also rose.
But some economists are worried that the growth figures are flattered because companies expanded their inventories – stocking up on goods and materials for the future.
Inventory building provided around a third of the total growth recorded in Q2.
Business investment, government spending and investment in home building all picked up too.
And exports jumped by 9.5%, having slumped by 9.2% in the first quarter — as ice and snow hampered US companies.
The Commerce Department has also revised last year's GDP figures — showing that America grew more rapidly than previously estimated in 2013.
The revisions to Q1 GDP means that the US economy has grown by 0.9% so far this year.
More good news. The US economy did not shrink as badly as feared in January-March.
The Commerce Department has revised up its estimate of GDP in the quarter, to an annualised rate of -2.1%, from -2.9% before.
US economy grew by 4.0% annualised rate in Q2 – beating forecasts
Breaking: The US economy grew by 4% on an annualised basis in the second three months of 2014.
That's a much stronger bounceback than expected, and means US GDP rose by 1.0% on a quarter-on-quarter basis.
America has put its winter contraction firmly behind it — that's going to calm some nerves. Bloomberg are calling it a "really strong" report.
Encouragingly, business investment has risen strongly during the quarter — by 5.5%.
Lots more detail and reaction to follow!
US growth figures: a preamble
The waiting is nearly over…. We're about to find out whether the US economy has bounced back from its winter contraction.
The first estimate of America's GDP for April-June is due shortly, at 8.30am Washington time or 1.30pm BST.
Economists think GDP will rise by around 0.7% to 0.8% in the quarter, showing the economy is growing at an annualised rate of around 3%.
A strong reading would suggest America's economy is back on track. A weak reading, though, will raise fears over the strength of the global recovery….
Interesting….trading has been suspended on the Moscow stock market. No reason was given, according to Reuters….
Russian shares rise after sanctions, but trouble lies ahead
Russia's stock market has shrugged off the sanctions announced by the US authorities last night.
The RTS index of the largest Russian companies has jumped by 2.3% so far today, with almost every share gaining ground.
And the Russian currency has also strengthened, to 35.8 rubles to $1, from 35.8 last night.
Moscow investors may have been reassured by Russia's central bank, which has pledged to support the financial institutions hit by US sanctions.
In an online statement, the bank promised to "take adequate measures" to support targeted institutions.
The long term consequences of the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West could be severe, though.
David Savage, sanctions expert at law firm Eversheds, warns that Russia's economic growth will suffer:
"This latest wave of sanctions should come as no surprise. The impact of these far-reaching measures is as yet unknown, but with both the EU and the US imposing further restrictions on Russia's financial sector, as well its weapons and energy industries, it seems likely that the Russian economy will increasingly stagnate over the coming months.
The corollary of this, of course, is that EU and US companies with Russian interests are also likely to experience some financial discomfort going forward."
And there's a good piece in the FT about the end of a "25-year chapter with Russia"
Barclays chief executive, Antony Jenkins, apparently supports the proposed tough rules for the City 'in principle':
The British Bankers' Association is concerned that the new rules on bonus clawbacks and management accountability could make it hard for the City to hire and keep staff.
Really? These new rules (details) should only affect bankers who make an almighty botch of the job – Britain's had its fair share of them, thanks.
Associated Press is reporting that the central bank of Albania has been burgled, losing 713 million leke (or just over £4m), from its reserve storage building.
Two bank employees have been arrested, according to AP, which adds:
The Bank of Albania, which is in charge of the country's price stability and manages 16 private banks, said Wednesday that the cash was stolen over time. It did not provide further details, but insisted that the bank's operations had not been affected and it was supplying the country's banking system with the necessary liquidity.
Local media reported that one of the suspects acknowledged the theft over the last four years, saying he had spent much of the money on gambling. The bank, police and judicial authorities declined to comment on the report.
A Greek update
Over to Greece where the government has forged ahead with a series of steps aimed clearly at placating international creditors and the population at large.
Our correspondent Helena Smith reports on this week' developments:
After appointing a new team to head the country's privatization agency – the fifth such change since 2012 – finance ministry officials signaled that a major shift in doing business with foreign lenders keeping the country afloat was also underway.
Instead of holding talks in Athens, the next round of negotiations, currently scheduled for September, would take place in the neutral setting of Paris, they said, before mission chiefs and technical teams representing the EU, ECB and IMF wrap up the review with a quick visit to the Greek capital at the end of the month. "The spectre of the troika coming in for long, drawn out talks will, we hope, soon belong to the past," one insider confided. "We want to de-dramatise the process."
With the prospect of early elections a distinct possibility if political parties fail to muster enough votes to elect a new president in February, the ruling coalition is keen to avoid political tensions at a time when the stridently anti-austerity main opposition Syriza party, the victor of Euro elections in May, is gaining ground.
Prime minister Antonis Samaras has reportedly beseeched troika heads to change the location of the of talks for several months arguing that the presence of international monitors on such a regular basis in the Greek capital is not only fuel for the fire of anti-bailout but severely undermining for the government itself and the morale of Greeks at large.
Ministers – targeted by anti-bailout protestors from unionists to sacked cleaners – have frequently complained of the drama surrounding such visits including the lack of respect the international mission chiefs have often displayed for politicians in Athens.
The Greek finance minister Gikas Hardouvelis, an economics professor appointed to the post in June, will no doubt see the change of tact as particularly encouraging, Helena adds:
The no-nonsense Hardouvelis, who has promised to implement a number of reforms in what he says will be an "American August," has openly spoken of changing the timbre of relations with the troika, insisting that the enormous sacrifices made by Greeks have to be respected. The academic came to the job asking that lenders split their review of the economy in two parts between fiscal and structural goals and the finding gap the debt-stricken country s likely to face in 2015. Ministers hope the shift will help Athens negotiate a new memorandum that Greeks will feel they own – many currently feel that bailout terms have been thrust upon them.
The government hopes, meanwhile, to show creditors that it also means business, tabling a huge omnibus bill of reforms in parliament on Tuesday signed by 13 ministers. The far-reaching legislation – changes range from new tax laws to relaxation of commercial activities on Greek seashores – is due to be voted on by August 8 and is key to the country receiving its next 1 bn euro aid installment in September.
Similarly, Greek officials hope that the new team overseeing the sale of state assets will kick-start long delayed privatizations even if they also concede that the process will likely be linked to debt reduction talks that the government hopes to launch in the fall.
Back in the eurozone, and Ireland's unemployment rate has fallen to 11.5% in the latest sign that its economy is slowly healing.
The number of people on the 'Live Register' fell by 3,400 in July to 382,800, on a seasonally-adjusted basis.
So far this year, the Irish jobless total has dropped by 8.5%.
Some instant reaction to the new proposals to raise standards in British banking:
(that's the clock will start ticking when the bonus is awarded, rather than waiting until they are actually paid)
(this 'bright idea' was proposed by the ResPublica thinktank yesterday)
UK bankers face tougher bonus clawbacks and a new 'approval regime'
It's official: British bankers could see their bonuses clawed back seven years after they are granted, under new rules to clean up the City.
Bonuses will also be held back for longer, to give more time for incompetence or malpractice to come to light.
Britain's financial watchdogs have also proposed a "new approval regime" for senior executives who could cause "serious harm" to customers, or bring a bank crashing down.
That will force banks to explain exactly who is responsible for what, making it harder for top bankers to evade responsibility. And new conduct rules will spell out the behaviour expected from them.
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) say their joint proposals "will make it easier for firms and regulators to hold individuals to account".
Here are the key proposals to improve accountability:
- A new Senior Managers Regime which will clarify the lines of responsibility at the top of banks, enhance the regulators' ability to hold senior individuals in banks to account and require banks to regularly vet their senior managers for fitness and propriety;
- A Certification Regime requiring firms to assess fitness and propriety of staff in positions where the decisions they make who could pose significant harm to the bank or any of its customers; and
- A new set of Conduct Rules, which take the form of brief statements of high level principle, setting out the standards of behaviour for bank employees.
And on pay:
- Increasing the alignment between risk and reward over the longer term, by requiring firms to defer payment of variable remuneration (e.g. bonuses) for a minimum of five or seven years depending on seniority, with a phased approach to vesting;
- Further enhancing the ability of firms to recover variable remuneration, even if paid out or vested, from senior management if risk management or conduct failings come to light at a later date;
- Options to address the problem that employees can sometimes evade the application of malus – reductions in unvested awards – by changing firms; and
- Strengthening the existing presumption against discretionary payments where banks have been bailed out.
- The PRA has also today published final rules on clawback which introduce a seven-year minimum period for clawback from the date of award. These rules will come into force on 1 January 2015.
The curious case of Barclays' vanishing compensation ratio
Back to Barclays' results — and City experts are scratching their heads wondering why it has stopped telling us how much money is being set aside for its investment bankers.
City editor Jill Treanor explains:
One of the numbers analysts and journalists look for in Barclays' numbers is the compensation to income ratio – a measure how much of income is being kept aside to pay investment bankers.
In the first quarter of the year, the figure was 46%, as set out here on p16.
But it seems Barclays, which has been publishing this number on a quarterly basis, is no longer going to do so. The number is not there in the interim results published today and the finance director said today "we don't disclose this at the half year".
What price transparency? City veteran Christopher Wheeler isn't impressed:
Ireland's finance minister, Michael Noonan, has just welcomed Allied Irish Bank's first profit since the crisis:
Allied Irish Bank posts first profit since the crisis
One of Ireland's state-owned banks is back profit for the first time since the financial crash that brought the Republic to the brink of national bankruptcy.
From Dublin, Henry McDonald reports on this landmark moment in Ireland's recovery.
Allied Irish Bank, which was rescued by the taxpayer, reported today it has made a €437m profit in the first six months of 2014.
The AIB received more than 20 billion euros in state aid since 2009 and was one of the banks that over-lent to builders and property speculators during the Celtic Tiger boom.
In Northern Ireland and Britain AIB operates under the name First Trust Bank.
Return to profitability comes as the Irish banking sector prepares for a European wide financial stress test in the autumn carried out by the European Central Bank.
The head of AIB, which is still 99.8% owned by tax payers, said the recovery in the overall Irish economy had helped the bank back to profitability.
AIB's chief executive officer, David Duffy, said the bank had "achieved its stated aim of returning to sustainable profitability" with its half year results "reflecting strong improvements" in its performance in several areas.
"As the Irish economy and the bank recovers, we remain focused on growth and maximising value for the Irish State, as 99.8% shareholder, and all other stakeholders over time," he said.
But like all Irish banks, AIB still faces a major problem – tens of thousands of home owners are still in mortgage arrears, with many of them trapped in negative equity.
Britain's energy regulator, which has faced accusations of toothlessness in the past, has announced new price proposals that will cut bills, a little.
Ofgem's plan will see UK electricity bills fall by £1 per month on average, and will also lead to distribution companies spending £17bn upgrading the UK's energy network.
More here: UK electricity bills to fall by £12 a year, Ofgem says
A quick round-up of some other corporate news:
Two more UK firms, British American Tobacco and contract caterer Compass, have warned that the strong pound is eating into their profits.
The Brazil World Cup has helped ITV post a 40% surge in pre-tax profits. CEO Adam Crozier says.
"In the first six months of the year, we again delivered double-digit profit growth in every area of the business and increased revenues by 7%.
Rightmove is benefitting from the upturn in the UK property sector, with revenue up 20%.
While new low-calorie sandwiches and a better hot drinks range has lured more customers into Greggs – the UK bakery chain has posted a 3% rise in sales, and a 48% surge in profits.
Heads-up. British bankers are about to be told that they'll face some of the strictest bonus regulations in the world.
The proposal won't stop huge payments being handed out, but they will give authorities the ability to claw back bonuses within the next seven years.
This would mean that a banker could be forced to return the cash if unexpected losses come to light, or unexpected losses.
The banking watchdog, the Prudential Regulation Authority, will announce the plans at 10am.
Sky News reckons the PRA has abandoned the idea of making the bonus rules retrospective, though.
David Roman of the Wall Street Journal also flags up that Spain's economy is outpacing most European rivals.
Economists say this level of growth [+0.6% in Q2] is likely to make Spain the best or one of the best economic performers in the euro zone in the quarter, largely due to a series of effective economic reforms and because of a rebound effect after a long economic slump
Bloomberg's Maxime Sbaihi reckon's Spain's economy is growing faster than the experts predicted.
The Spanish economy does now appear to be outperforming the rest of the eurozone — which is most unlikely to match Spain's 0.6% growth in the last three months.
Both France and Germany are expected to report lacklustre growth.
Spanish growth hits six-year high, but prices fall
Spain has taken another major step away from the darkest days of the eurozone crisis, by posting its strongest growth since the financial crisis began.
Spanish GDP rose by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2014, its National Statistics Institute reported.
That's stronger than the 0.5% expected, and means growth accelerated from the 0.4% growth in January-March.
Over the last year, Spanish GDP has risen by 1.2%.
Another welcome signal that the Spanish economy is recovering – hopefully it will drag down its record unemployment levels (currently 24.5%).
However, Spain is also being hit by the deflationary pressures in the eurozone.
New inflation figures, also just released, show that the consumer prices index fell by 0.3% annually in July.
That means that nominal GDP (growth plus inflation) remains weak, at just +0.3.
No major drama on Barclays' early conference call.
Finance director Tushar Morzaria did confirm that US authorities have another year to assess whether its foreign exchange operations have broken the law (as Jill flagged up earlier).
Reuters sums it up:
Joshua Raymond of City Index is worried that Barclays investment bank suffered such a steep fall in profits, down almost 50% in the last six months.
He warns:
What will be troubling for some investors is not just the fact that investment banking continues to sap underlying numbers for the group as a whole, but the deterioration in the last quarter and the potential impact on the group's full-year performance unless market activity picks up.
Barclays shares rise
Barclays shares have jumped 3% at the start of trading, putting it at the top of the FTSE 100 leaderboard.
City traders clearly aren't worried that it has set aside another £900m to compensate PPI customers, or that profits at its investment bank halved.
There are some encouraging signs in today's results.
For example, Barclays' Personal and Corporate Banking division has cut its bad loans, thanks to "the improving UK economic environment"..
Buried in Barclays results statement is the news that the US Department of Justice has extended its "non-prosecution agreement" for another year.
That gives the DoJ another 12 months to decide whether Barclays foreign exchange operations have broken any US laws.
Several inquiries are underway into whether FX traders conspired to fix currency rates.
Barclays sets aside another £900m for PPI mis-selling
Britain's PPI mis-selling scandal has taken another twist this morning.
Barclays, Britain's third-biggest bank, has hiked its provision for compensating customers who were wrongly sold payment protection insurance protection by a futher £900m.
That pushes Barclays total PPI bill towards £5bn — a remarkable bill for selling insurance products which its customers simply didn't need.
Not quite the image that CEO "St" Antony Jenkins is striving for.
The news comes as Barclays reports a 7% drop in underlying profits. Earnings were driven down by a weaker performance at from investment banking, where revenues slumped by 18% and profits almost halved.
Jenkins, who is trying to reshape Barclays and shrink the investment bank, says:
Performance in the Investment Bank was impacted by the repositioning underway as well as difficult trading conditions in the quarter, but it is where we expected it to be at this point.
US GDP awaited
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the financial markets, the world economy, business and the eurozone.
Has America's economy bounced back from the shock of its winter slowdown? We'll find out today (1.30pm) UK time, when the first estimate of US GDP for April-June is released.
Economists predict strong growth, of at least 0.7% to 0.8%, or 3% on an annualised basis. That would reverse the unexpected slump in January-March, when annualised GDP shrank by 2.9% as grim winter weather gripped America.
If that doesn't happen, it will spark fresh concerns over the state of the global economy.
As Michael Hewson of CMC Markets explains:
For some time now we've heard all manner of speculation that the slowdown in the US economy seen in Q1 was an aberration, caused by the worst winter in living memory.
The slowdown in Q1, we were told, would be more than offset by a strong bounce back in Q2.
World financial markets will be watching Argentina nervously. It has until the end of today to reach an agreement with its holdout bondholders, or else default on the debt.
Talks have been taking place in New York in a final bid to cut a deal:
Last-ditch New York talks on Argentina debt
Investors will also be digesting the latest raft of sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and EU last night, targeting weapons, energy and finance.
Three large banks – VTB Bank OAO, Bank of Moscow and the Russian Agricultural Bank – have been cut off from the US economy.
Lots of corporate results today, led by Barclays, which is holding a conference call at 8am. A clutch of other companies, including ITV, Taylor Wimpey, Rightmove and Greggs, are also reporting.
And then tonight, the US Federal Reserve ends its monthly meeting — it's likely to trim its bond-buying stimulus programme by another $10bn/month.
We'll be tracking all the action through the day.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.


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WWE 13 – Universe Mode 3.0 Details + Trailer
Universe mode is back and bigger than ever in WWE 13.
THQ have pulled back the curtain on the expanded Universe mode in WWE 13. You'll be able to create shows, Pay-Per-Views, and take part in over 200 storyline feuds with branching actions. You'll even have Paul Heyman as your guide. You can read all the details at WWE Games' site here. WWE 13 also features ring breaks, an overhauled Predator Engine animation and graphics system, and over 80 playable wrestlers. Everyone from Mike Tyson to Stone Cold Steve Austin to Triple H and CM Punk is here. It will be awesome to pit Attitude Era wrestlers like The Rock and Mankind against the modern day Superstars like Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. Check out the new trailer and screens below!
WWE 13 will be available on October 30th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.


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More PhotosHide Photos
Serve drinks or display decorative items with the stylish Mabre tray. A polished white marble base is contrasted by its rectangular antique brass handles, making it the ideal serve-ware solution for evening entertaining.
- Marble
- Antique Brass Handles
- Food safe
- Other sizes available
- 14 week lead time if not in stock
Size | select a size


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SmartPak's Ask the Vet – Bot eggs, joint supplements, bran mashes, and more!
[originally published in the December 2016 Issue of Show Horse Today]
Questions answered in this episode:
1. What is the fungus horses get on the front of their cannon bones on their back legs, and how can I get rid of it?
2. What's the best way to control/remove bot eggs from your horse?
3. What is your most recommended joint supplement? And would you recommend an all-in-one supplement for a horse that needs joint support?
4. Any advice on increasing your horse's fitness level?
5. Are bran mashes beneficial to horses? How often should I feed my horse a bran mash?
Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA SmartPak Staff Veterinarian and Medical Director Dr. Lydia Gray has earned a Bachelor of Science in agriculture, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), and a Master of Arts focusing on interpersonal and organizational communication. After "retiring" from private practice, she put her experience and education to work as the American Association of Equine Practitioner's first-ever Director of Owner Education. Dr. Gray continues to provide health and nutrition information to horse owners through her position at SmartPak, through publication in more than a dozen general and trade publications, and through presentations around the country. She is the very proud owner of a Trakehner named Newman that she actively competes with in dressage and combined driving. In addition to memberships in the USDF and USEF, Dr. Gray is also a member of the Illinois Dressage and Combined Training Association (IDCTA). She is a USDF "L" Program Graduate and is currently working on her Bronze Medal.


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U.S. Chemical & Plastics Expands Product Line
U.S. Chemical & Plastics (USC) has expanded its product line with the addition of several new primers, reducers and clearcoats. USC's new coatings are designed to meet the needs of refinishers looking for value and high-quality materials that compete in performance with major brands, yet cost significantly less.The 2820 2K Urethane Primer Surfacer builds fast, levels smoothly and sands easily, while the 2990 2K Urethane Sealer is made for "wet-on-wet" applications and has excellent leveling and color holdout characteristics.When the job calls for a spot, panel, overall, glamour or production clear, the new USC clearcoat offering has a low VOC and National Rule option, in standard and Euro technology, for every need. The lineup includes:
- 7400 Euro Clearcoat 4.4 VOC
- 7500 Euro Glamour Clearcoat 4.2 VOC
- 30 Clearcoat 2.1 VOC
- 60 Glamour Clearcoat 2.1 VOC
- 70 Hyper Clearcoat 2.1 VOC
- 7600 Euro Clearcoat 2.1 VOC
- 7700 Euro Glamour Clearcoat 2.1 VOC
USC's new lineup also contains thinners and reducers. The company states that these cost-effective additions feature premium, quality-grade solvents that provide options for any situation.
"U.S. Chemical & Plastics has over six decades of experience in the collision repair industry," said Bob Olszak, USC brand manager. "The USC brand delivers value and simplicity by providing customers a 'one-stop shop' solution for everything from body fillers and putties to abrasives, masking materials and now an expanded coatings line."
USC's new coatings lineup will be introduced during the SEMA show in Las Vegas Tuesday, Nov. 4 through Friday, Nov. 7. USC will be featured in the Collision & Repair section in Booth 11369.
More information:


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So my skin is unpredictable & troublesome at the best of times, I suffer from pigmentation, sensitivity, oiliness, eczema & acne rosacea. FUN TIMES!
But these 2 weeks, my skin has been even worse than usual, my eczema has gotten extra itchy & dry, my skin has gotten oilier & my skin has broken out in acne rosacea on my face, neck & body. God I am sexy.
So in an effort to help cure & heal my skin, I am putting it on report. It is getting a strict detoxing from new products that I have been using & we are going back to basics to find out what it is that is triggering all these problems. Now if this doesn't work, I will have to go back on Medication (either Minocin or Aldactone) but I'd prefer to do it without medication because that really isn't sustainable long term & I worry about the long term effects.
Facts about my skin:
- I had really bad acne as a teenager & was put on Roaccutane (best thing I ever did), luckily I didn't end up with any acne scars but it has left me with enlarged pores.
- My skin is really sensitive & will break out into acne rosacea if it is irritated or I am stressed. So if you think you have acne & you use acne products but it just gets worse, you might have rosacea like me.
- My skin was excellent when I was on the contraceptive pill, unfortunately I am prone to migraines & when I am on the pill, I get them weekly. Not fun.
So I am overhauling everything I am currently using & this even includes my laundry detergent & fabric softener as I have heard that these can contribute to skin problems.I will continue to use some of the things I am currently using if I have used them before with no problems & will slowly be introducing products back into my face & body skincare routine to find out what products are causing the problems.
Old Routine
Left fCetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, Pure Fiji Hydrating Multi Active Serum, DermaDoctors Poetry in Lotion, Bio-Oil, Pure Fiji Coconut Milk Shower Gel White Gingerlily, Seraki Coconut Oil Ocean Breeze, Reniu Coconut Body Lotion*
Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser: Pretty sure there is no issue with this as I have been using it for ages without any problems. Think I will continue using it.
Woolworths Microfibre Face Washer: I had used this a couple of years ago with no problems but my skin seemed to be ok then. I have a feeling the friction of it might be too much for my skin so will be cutting it out
Pure Fiji Hydrating Multi Active Serum: Another product I had used a couple of years ago with no issues with as there are no irritating ingredients in it. But I will err on the side of cause & cut it out for the time being but will introduce it back in later on.
DermaDoctors Poetry in Lotion: This helped clear up my rosacea but then it got really bad again, will stop using it until my skin clears up & then will add it back in as it shouldn't really affect my skin.
Bio-Oil: My skin seems to like this stuff & cause it keeps my skin hydrated, it seems to help the rosacea breakouts heal more quickly & not leave any marks behind. Will keep using this.
Pure Fiji Coconut Milk Shower Gel White Gingerlily: This shouldn't be aggravating my skin as it's so gentle but will cut it out to make sure.
Reniu Coconut Body Lotion: I've used & loved this for years, one of the best moisturisers for my skin, will continue to use this.
Seraki Coconut Oil Ocean Breeze: Normally my skin love coconut oil because of the anti-bacterial properties it contains, this one does contain fragrance though so will pause on this for a bit.
New Routine
Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, Ego Azclear Medicated Lotion, BioOil, 100% Organic Pure Virgin Coconut Oil, Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Wash, Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Moisturiser*
Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser: Will use morning & night as per usual
Ego Azclear Medicated Lotion: I went looking for a product called Finacea Gel which is a topical treatment for Rosacea that is only available on script in most countries (except for Australia for some strange reason) but then I saw it only had 15% azelaic acid & was $25 whereas the good old Azclear was $8 & contained 20% azelaic acid. I don't even know why I stopped using this in the first place, its a god send but you can only use it at night.
BioOil: Will continue to use during the day as it sits well under my mineral make-up (which I will be going back to instead of liquid foundation)
Pure Fiji Hydrating Multi Active Serum & DermaDoctors Poetry in Lotion: I'm going to follow Dr. Baumann's directions where she recommends you mix your retinal product in with a serum. I'm not going to do this till my skin has cleared up though.
Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Wash: I saw this new body wash & thought it looked good, it was developed for people with Eczema-prone skin & is supposed to help soothe itchy, dry skin, while restoring moisture as it gently cleanses. It's also soap-free & has skincontains skin-nourishing oils that nurture dry skin and help to replenish the skin's natural barrier.
Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Moisturiser: This is the matching body moisturiser & helps to relieve dry, itchy skin. It's a light, non-greasy moisturiser that provides intense hydration & nourishes skin.
100% Organic Pure Virgin Coconut Oil: Will be using this at night so I can grease myself up.


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Rewind a couple of days.
Here's where the fun starts. Through one reason or another, when I booked the three nights in Rome online, the dates ended up wrong. We paid quite a bit of money for three nights, that we weren't here to use, at the beginning of August. That's unfortunate. What's worse than several hundred dollars disappearing into thin air? After seeing the situation we are in, conveniently, they do have a room available, but at a much higher price: 300 euros a night. Seeing as we don't have the energy to run around town looking for more, we cave, and spend the money. Absolutely crushed at our situation, we try to fix the mood with a pizza and some beer. Though it helps for a moment, bed is too tempting at this point to focus on anything else, and we sleep hard… for a whole two hours.
The rest of our first day in Rome is spent running around our area looking to find a cheaper room for the following two nights. Most of the reactions we get aren't very encouraging, essentially we're told that we don't have a chance with such short notice. Fuel begins to run low, and we grab some more food. This time some cannelloni stuffed with ricotta, it was fantastic! Our moods elevated a bit from the food (or the wine..), we continue our mission. A few more hotel rejections, and we stumble across the Relais Fontana di Trevi. The man behind the desk is about our age, very friendly, and his english is bang on. We explain our situation, and he mentions the same thing happened to him on a recent trip to Spain. He is able to get us a room for the nights we need at 200 euro per night. I've never been so happy to spend so much money. Ever. We drank some wine, wandered around the empty streets for a few hours that night, eventually heading back to our overpriced room to stare at the TV for a while, hoping to fall asleep. Eventually crashing, and waking up again shortly after, we check out and move hotels.
Now, as part of this trip we hadn't really planned on seeing Rome, we would save that for a trip throughout Italy down the road. Although seeing as a layover here is inevitable to reach Sardinia, it would be silly not to take advantage of it and check out the town. Three days should be enough, we thought, and it was. With two thirds of our time now gone, we have one day left to check out the legendary Rome. The only sight we had seen until this point, was the absolutely stunning Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), as both hotels were only a minute away. We had also checked out the Colosseum the evening before, just as it was closing. So with one day left, we ate a nice breakfast, and headed out. Central Rome, where most of the sights are, is actually quite small, and most of the attractions are easily walkable. Within a few hours, we had popped by most of the ones I wanted to see, without actually going inside any, simply out of time restraints, and lack of patience for the tourist hordes.
Oh the tourists.
Enter the saving grace: 'Er Buchetto'. At some point during the first 48 hours of sleepless delirium, I spent some time looking up places to get good food. To be specific, Porchetta: pork belly stuffed with garlic and herbs, wrapped around a whole pork loin, and slow-roasted for hours. Any good chef or cook… no, fuck that… any human being who enjoys food, who hasn't at least made an attempt at finding this work of art while on its home turf, should be ashamed. 'Er Buchetto', well known for being the best in Rome, is nothing more than a small door, and two tiny tables. Near the door the owner and chef proudly stands beside the cutting board, displaying his masterpiece. We order one sandwich, make the quick exchange of cash for goods, and walk away. The rich fat of the pork belly, the meatiness of the loin, and the crispy little nuggets of roasted skin… each bite infused with garlic and herbs, smashed between two pieces of fresh bread. This city suddenly had meaning. We bought two more within three minutes.
Rome will be seen again, in a future trip, one spent experiencing the whole of Italy. Perhaps if another layover occurs on my journeys, I may spend more time trying to explore outside of the tourist hub. Otherwise, it's doubtful that I will return… and I'm ok with that. For at the moment, I'm drinking wine on the stone patio of our villa, overlooking the emerald-blue, crystal waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I am no longer in Italy proper, though officially an autonomous region of the mainland, most locals proudly consider their island an independent nation:


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Use this page to discuss design and content changes to the main page. For general wiki discussion, please visit the Community Portal or Forums.
I can't figure out why everyone seems compelled to add categories that seem fairly senseless to me. For instance, "Females?" I can't imagine a scenario where someone would feel the need to look up all female characters in the chronicle, and a blanket gender-based category seems...well, silly, to be frank.
- There's really no such thing as a senseless category. Any one category can be linked to several topics to create a topographical hierarchy, where breadcrumbs (categories) connect subjects, events, themes, etc. Jsderwin (talk) 02:21, July 5, 2013 (UTC)
- I agree. The categories are silly. Can you delete them? I seem to recall something with Gaylesking where he couldn't... Hmm. Anyways, I wholeheartedly agree. You are quite correct. BlaiddDrwg1 01:20, January 10, 2012 (UTC)
Style guide
Hey all; I added a link to a "style guide" page that I whipped up. If those of you who are regularly contributing would be so kind as to look it over and let me know what you think, or just tweak it, I'd appreciate it.Huffdogg 10:12, February 14, 2012 (UTC)
- Can you provide a link? Simon Grey 16:55, February 14, 2012 (UTC)
- Project:Manual of style. FWIW this link exists towards the bottom of the main page along with the other tidbits of advice for those new to the wiki.Huffdogg 10:22, February 15, 2012 (UTC)
Front Page Layout Question
Something tugs at the back of my head about the front page layout. I can't quite decide what it is, but I think it's just way too busy. Anyone else have that opinion? It may just be the font of the badge images that breaks my eyes.Huffdogg (talk) 13:51, May 17, 2014 (UTC)
Name of the Wiki
Patrick Rothfuss stated that he's going to continue writing in the Four Corners after finishing Book Three. Wouldn't it be nice if this Wiki focused on the World (thus being named Four Corners Wiki) instead of just the Chronicle we've received so far? I'm not trying to bitch about things I would do differently, it just occurred to me. Also excuse me if my language is a bit off sometimes, English is not my Mothertounge. NickOfTime (talk) 15:05, June 18, 2014 (UTC)
Since, as of right now, we don't even have the full Kingkiller Chronicle, and also because "Kingkiller" has a much better ring to it than "Four Corners," I'm going to stick with what we've got for now. If, at some point, Pat really does publish more stuff outside the Chronicle, I have a feeling a lot of people are going to keep calling it "The Kingkiller Setting," but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. Huffdogg (talk) 10:24, June 20, 2014 (UTC)
Name of the World
So in his latest blog Patrick Rothfuss stated that the name of his world is actually "Temerant". I already changed the articel concerning the world but I am unable to change the title as of right now. Any help? NickOfTime (talk) 22:21, July 17, 2014 (UTC)
Their are way to many categories. Stuff like pics, teplates etc. should all be deleted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sstern51 (talk • contribs) 06:42, March 27, 2015