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Bamix Professional Immersion Blender
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- Summary
Bamix worked with professional chefs to design the ultimate immersion blender for the advanced home cook, delivering unsurpassed power, performance and versatility. Its impressive 200-watt motor offers maximum torque, making every blending task faster and more efficient than ever.
- Count on this kitchen workhorse for customized functionality – use it for everything from pureeing big batches of soups and sauces to mincing meats.
- Featuring a 25% longer driveshaft than the standard immersion blender.
- 200-watt motor guarantees the power you need for blending large quantities.
- Maximized torque increases blade rotations for smooth, steady blending when you're working with thick mixtures or big batches.
- Sealed control buttons guarantee maximum safety and easy cleaning.
- Includes beater, whisk, meat mincer and multi-utility attachments.
- Turn this blender into a multifunctional mini food processor with the Bamix SlicSy Attachment (sold separately).
- Dimensions & More Info
Blender includes:
- Beater attachment.
- Whisk attachment.
- Multi-utility attachment.
- Meat mincer attachment.
- Instruction/recipe book.
- Wall mount.
Additional information
- Plastic housing.
- 2 1/2" diam., 15 1/2" high.
- 2 lb. 4 oz.
- Model #G200.
- This product is intended for use in the United States and Canada, and is built to U.S. electrical standards.
- Made in Switzerland.
- Use & Care
- Designed for 5-minute intermittent operation.
- Before operating motor, ensure driveshaft is immersed.
- Do not operate without guard.
- Lubricate blades with vegetable oil every few months.
- Clean immediately following each use to prevent clogging drive shaft.
- Hand-wash drive shaft and attachments; do not expose handle to water.
- For a more thorough washing of the blade assembly, place a small amount of dish soap in a container and run the blades for 30 seconds.
- Wipe handle clean with a damp cloth; do not place under running water.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
- Price Match Guarantee
Williams Sonoma Price Match Guarantee
At Williams Sonoma, we're committed to bringing you the best quality at the best prices.
If you find a lower price on any of our products, we'll match it—guaranteed. Click here for details.
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Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Rated 1 out of 5 by Dinothedinosaur from Not What I Thought At All!!! I used it just once for chopping meat for my spaghetti sauce which is the way my daughter loves it. I was preparing dinner for her family plus my husband and myself. The immersion blender did the job but had to use needle point pliers to get the blade off of it. Ditto folks...it was returned. I tried to get it off the normal way (your fingers) but it wouldn't work. I told my hubby that I would prefer to return and get a different version...headed back to Kitchenaide where I seem to have better luck.Date published: 2016-01-01Rated 5 out of 5 by witchdoctorbsa from Blend like a pro Like the versatility of having multiple blades. My previous one gave me 11+ years of very hard work.Date published: 2015-02-03Rated 5 out of 5 by griffeyn from BEST ON THE MARKE!! I first saw this product being demonstrated in Zurich Switz. in the early 80's. I wanted it so badly, but in Switz. it was a 220-240v and in the US we are 110v, so I had to forget about it. Then about thirteen years ago I saw it in a kitchen store and bought it right away. I was so happy! I use it a lot, I also have the dry ingredient attachment so that I can grind things like coffee beans and for me it was grinding down my bird's pellets. When I make soup I don't have put batches in the blender, I just puree it right in the pot. Before I had this brand I had tried others but was really never satisfied with them They were poorly constructed, didn't have the power etc. I think that this is the best one made and I think that it is the grand-daddy of all of these immersion blenders.Date published: 2014-10-19Rated 5 out of 5 by heytrudi from Replaces; blender hand-blender, Food Processor. I sat at the counter of a Breakfast house whose short-order cook whipped up the fluffiest omelets in a Milk Shake blender.. about 50 times one morning. So I knew that 'whipping' eggs is the key to a great omelet . As soon I was done whipping up some skim milk for my coffee, I made the HUB the best omelet ever with my new Bamix Immersion blender. The HUB told me I would never see the inside of any Breakfast Houses' because my eggs were superior to any he's eaten before. I've made homemade omelets, scrambled eggs, sauces, soups, dressings, and smoothies with my Bamix. I have another 2 FEET of counter space as my Bamix fits inside the kitchen drawer as well, with a little cardboard box for accessories for fast & very easy to change blades. The easiest thing to clean in the Kitchen is the Bamix. Add up the time saved by using just one Bamix compared to all of the other dust collecting small appliances is a real plus for any busy household.Date published: 2014-05-06Rated 5 out of 5 by formercalifgirl from Works like a charm I bought this to replace a lower end model that I have pretty much wiped out after 2 years of use. I love all the different attachments that it comes with, making it much more useful than other immersion blenders. The long stick is really a plus.Date published: 2013-11-11Rated 5 out of 5 by Katales from Every day! I think I have used my Bamix every day since it arrived. I love everything about it. I was reluctant to spend so much for this item, but I'm not sorry now that I did. The longer shaft, its power and the variety of blades makes it abundantly useful for diverse uses; head and shoulders better than my old cheap one and I don't have to get the big blender out for smaller tasks. I haven't made a big pot of soup yet, but I am confident that it will handle the blending part perfectly based on what I've seen so far.Date published: 2013-06-06Rated 3 out of 5 by JustD from In one word: Meh This item did very well mashing potatoes, making fresh whipped cream. When creating mayonnaise (aioli) it did not do as well as a blender or processor would do. It failed at chopping nuts and making smoothie with frozen fruits. The container that comes with the item does not have a skid-free bottom so it slides all over the place unless you are holding it in place with your free hand. The item is easy to clean and store. I was not impressed with this average item, especially it's performance to cost ratio. Save your money; a cheaper band would work just as well.Date published: 2013-05-30Rated 5 out of 5 by ChelseaGirl7 from Much Easier to Clean than a Regular Blender! I really like this product, and I am glad I purchased it. Cleanup is so simple! I've used it several times - most recently when making the sauce for lasagna. I used to use the (regular) blender to sieve cans of whole tomatoes. What a mess! The Bamix really simplified the whole process, and I had very little cleanup. The only thing that would make this product better would be some sort of button to eject the tip you are using. It would have to be well hidden so that you don't accidentally press it while blending.Date published: 2013-02-06
Bamix offers a number of models under the "Professional" line. Can you tell me the full Bamix model name for this unit?Hi Howard01, The model # is G200.Date published: 2019-01-29
What is the blade made of? Thank you.Hi Anonymous, The blade is stainless steel.Date published: 2019-01-10


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TO BEGIN, IT MIGHT BE ADVISABLE TO MAKE A RESUME of what
accountancy has been in Belgium and what it is now becoming
since we consider accountancy to be the very basis of auditing. Professional
accountancy is carried on either by private persons called
"Expert Comptables" or by corporations called "Fiduciaires." Partnerships
are unusual in our country perhaps because we feel that such
associations have risks.
In our country, accountancy has always been considered a non-profitable
service; i.e., a service of minor interest. This way of thinking
on the part of manufacturers and small and average merchants has
been encouraged by the provisions of our laws.
Our Trade Code which dates back to 1872, provides as the sole
duty for the merchant to keep: (1) a ledger, (2) the letters he receives,
and (3) a copy of the letters and telegrams he sends out. This pro-

subset: commoncrawl


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Calderone Commits To University of Michigan
SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Stampede are proud to announce that forward Tony Calderone has committed to the University of Michigan for the 2014-15 season. He becomes the 14th Stampede player on the roster to commit to a Division I program.
A native of Trenton, Mich., Calderone is in his second season with the Stampede and has recorded 24 points (11g, 13a) and is a plus-7 in 36 games this season. Last year, Calderone tallied 44 points (29g, 15a) and was a plus-8 while appearing in all 64 games for the regular season Western Conference champion Stampede. He went on to record five points (3g, 2a) in 10 playoff games.
Calderone was the first overall pick in the 2012 USHL Draft after finishing as the top scorer in all of Tier I Midget Major with Victory Honda with 65 points in 40 games during the 2011-12 season.
The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Mich. and has an enrollment of 36,000 students. The Wolverines are members of the newly created Big Ten Conference and coached by the legendary Red Berenson. Former Stampede forward Justin Selman is a sophomore with the Wolverines.
The Stampede return to action this Friday and Saturday with a weekend series in Kearney, Neb. against Tri-City.
Courtesy: Sioux Falls Stampede


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Electric hot water heater problems
If your electric hot water heater is slow to heat, runs out of hot water faster than it used to, or doesn't deliver any hot water at all, there's a 90 percent chance that simply replacing one or both of the heating elements will solve the problem. Water heater repairs are straightforward, and replacement elements are inexpensive ($8 to $20) and readily available at home centers, hardware stores and appliance parts dealers.
We'll show you how to test the heating elements, remove one if it's bad, and install a new one. Just keep in mind that water heaters have a typical life span of 10 to 15 years. If your heater is approaching old age, replacement may be smarter than repair.
Learn how to regulate your water heater here.
Other causes of water not getting hot
Of course, there are other potential causes of a lack of hot water. Before you test the elements, check to make sure the circuit breaker is on and not tripped. Also press the reset button on the high-temperature cutoff located just above the upper thermostat. Resetting either the circuit breaker or the high-temperature cutoff may resolve the problem, but the fact that they were tripped in the first place may indicate an electrical problem. If they trip again, test the heating elements.
If the heating elements are good, the problem could be with the thermostats or cutoff switch. Testing is complicated, but since they're inexpensive—about $20 for both thermostats and the cutoff switch—you could simply try replacing them.
Test the water heating elements
Photo 1: Remove the cover plates
Turn off the power at the circuit breaker and remove the metal covers to expose the thermostats and elements. Make sure the power is off by touching the electrical connections with a noncontact voltage detector.
When is comes to water heater repairs, you don't need electrical experience to check and replace the heating elements. But you do need to make very sure the power is off before you perform any tests or repairs of your hot water heater.
Find the circuit breaker
First, find the circuit breaker in the main electrical panel that's labeled for the water heater and switch it off. Then go back to the water heater and test for power with the non-contact voltage detector. Make sure the tester is working by putting the tip into an outlet you know has power. The tester should indicate power by lighting up or beeping.
Test the wires
Now test the wires leading into the water heater. If they're covered by metal conduit, the tester won't read voltage. Instead you'll have to remove the metal thermostat cover on the side of the water heater, pull out the insulation and hold the tester near the wires leading into the top of the high-temperature cutoff switch (see Figure A).
Test both hot wires. Then hold the tester against the metal water heater shell. If the tester doesn't light up, it's safe to test the elements.
Check out our comprehensive guide for how to install a water heater.
Figure A: What's Inside a Water Heater and How It Works
Most residential electric water heaters have two heating elements: one near the top of the tank and one near the bottom. Power enters the top and runs to the high-temperature cutoff switch, and then to the thermostats and elements. The top and bottom elements are controlled by separate thermostats. When the water on the top of the tank is hot, the top element turns off and the lower one heats. The upper and lower heating elements never come on at the same time.
Water Heater Repair: Test for a burned-out element
Photo 2: Test continuity for a burned-out element
Clip the alligator clamp onto one of the element screws and touch the other screw with the tester probe. If the tester doesn't light, replace the element.
For this you'll need a continuity tester ($5 to $10). It's basically a light bulb and battery with two wires attached. Touching the end of each wire to a continuous circuit will cause the bulb to light. You'll find both of these tools near the electrical testers in any hardware store or home center. You may also find a continuity tester called a "water heater tester" near the replacement elements.
If you own and understand a volt-ohm meter, you can test with it instead. To expose the elements for testing, remove the two metal covers, the insulation and the plastic covers on the side of the water heater.
First perform a continuity test to see if an element is burned out. Electricity won't flow through a burned-out element. Disconnect the wires from the terminal screws. Then connect the alligator clip to one terminal and touch the probe to the other one (photo 2). The tester should light up, indicating a complete circuit. If there's no light, the element is bad.
Test for a shorted element
Photo 3: Test for a short circuit
Clip the alligator clip to one of the element screws and touch the tester probe to the element mounting bracket. Repeat on the other screw. If the tester light comes on either time, there's a short. Replace the element.
Next, test to see if the element is shorted out. If the element has a short, power will flow through the metal tank of the water heater. With the wires still disconnected, touch one probe (or connect the alligator clip) to one screw terminal and touch the other tester probe to the element mounting bracket (Photo 3). Repeat the test on the second terminal. If the tester lights on either test, the element has a short; replace it. Test both terminals on both elements.
The Secret of the Red Button
Rarely, both elements will test OK, but you're still not getting hot water. Try pushing the button on the "high-temperature cutoff," located just above the upper thermostat. It may solve the problem, but if the problem recurs, check your heating elements.
Replace an element
Photo 4: Remove the bad element
Drain the water from the tank and unscrew the old element using a heating element wrench. You'll need a long, sturdy Phillips screwdriver to turn the socket. If it won't unscrew, use a cold chisel and hammer to loosen the threads.
Photo 5: Install the new element
Thread the new element into the water heater and tighten it with the heating element wrench. Reconnect the wires, making sure the connections are tight. Replace the insulation and metal covers.
To replace an element, start by draining the tank. With the power still turned off, close the cold-water inlet valve (Figure A). Open the hot water faucet in the kitchen. Then connect a garden hose to the drain valve and open it to drain the tank. For thread-in–type elements like we show here, you'll need a water heater element wrench ($5 at home centers and hardware stores).
Try unscrewing the bad element by turning it counterclockwise (Photo 4). If it's stuck, you can try breaking it free with a cold chisel and ball peen hammer or a small maul. Set the chisel at an angle against the nut so that pounding on it will turn the nut in a counterclockwise direction. Then install the new element, using the wrench to tighten it, and reconnect the wires (Photo 5). Close the drain valve and fill the tank before switching on the circuit breaker.
If testing reveals the elements are good, the thermostat may be faulty. The thermostat testing procedure is complex, so we recommend simply replacing the thermostat(s). You don't have to drain the tank to replace a thermostat. Simply remove the old thermostat—they're usually held by a metal clip—transfer the wires to the corresponding terminals of the new thermostat, and attach the new thermostat.
Is the pilot light the problem? This is how to fix a water heater pilot light.
Buying Heating Elements
Replace your heating element with one of the same wattage. If your old element isn't labeled with the wattage, refer to the nameplate on the water heater or your instruction manual, or search online using the model number from the nameplate.
Heating elements are held to the water heater either with a large thread and nut as shown here or by four bolts and nuts. Most home centers stock the version we show, but you can buy an adapter kit if you're replacing the four-bolt version.
Simple U-shape elements are the cheapest. More expensive low-density elements are usually folded back like the one shown in Photo 5. These provide the same amount of heat but spread out over a larger surface area, which lowers the surface temperature, making them less prone to mineral buildup.
If your old element was caked with minerals, replace it with a low-density element for more efficient operation and longer life.
Video: How to Test Your Water Heater Element
We've all been there, get in the shower only to realize that you have no hot water. Jeff Gorton, an editor at The Family Handyman, will show you the most common reason you have no hot water and how to correct the issue yourself.
Required Tools for this water heater problems Project
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you'll save time and frustration.
- 4-in-1 screwdriver
- Needle-nose pliers
- Non-contact voltage tester
Required Materials for this water heater problems Project
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.
- Heating elements


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Adobe Primetime has powered viewer experiences for NBC Sports Digital across screens since the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Super Bowl was a major sports milestone for live online streaming and whether you were rooting for the New England Patriots or Seattle Seahawks, one thing is for certain: People tuned into the big game in big numbers, across devices, in real-time to bring the Super Bowl beyond the living room.
NBC Sports Live Extra used Adobe Primetime's playback and ad insertion capabilities to bring the Super Bowl to 1.3 million concurrent viewers across devices at its peak – the most for any Super Bowl (up 18% from last year). Thanks to NBC Universal, a special promotion (Super Stream Sunday) enabled viewers to watch the Super Bowl, a special episode of The Blacklist, and preceding programming without requiring the usual credentials and login information from broadcasters and pay-TV service providers.
Some other online viewership stats that made this Super Bowl stand out based on NBC Sports Live Extra data:
- New streaming record with 800,000 average viewers per minute (up 52% from last year's Super Bowl)
- 213 million total minutes viewed (up 99% from last year's Super Bowl)
- 5 million unique total online views (not just concurrent), up 9% from last year's Super Bowl
- Quality of NBC Sports Live Extra stream was high with engagement at 84.2 minutes per viewer
Sports content is a huge driver for online viewing and getting users to set up online accounts to enable TV Everywhere. 2014 was a landmark year for TV Everywhere and the biggest year yet with special events like the Sochi Winter Olympics and Soccer World Cup. In fact, the Adobe Digital Index Q2 2014 U.S. Digital Video Benchmark report found that sports networks saw frequency of viewing rise 31% year-over-year (YoY). We are excited to see what 2015 holds for the future of TV and continuing our partnership with NBC Sports Digital. Stay tuned for more to come!


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Hi there,
I've been programming Java for several years now and I've come to a point where I'd like to do some new things with Java.
I want to start a project where I try to stress test several components of the pc (i.e. CPU, memory, disk). The thing is I do know how to develop applications with Java but this kind of thing is new to me.
I did find some information about Loadrunner and The Grinder which could help me but maybe there is another solution because I'd like to develop this application without the need of other software.
Can somebody point me to the right direction how to get started.
Thanx in advance,


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Third SineQuaNet workshop to be held in Darmstadt, Germany
On 8 February ESA's SME Unit will hold a Sinequanet workshop in Darmstadt, Germany, to enable representatives of industry and other space actors to discuss critical issues relative to support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the space sector.
The workshop is the third of four workshops designed to reinforce mutual understanding of the means and methods by which SineQuaNet (Space Intelligence, Engineering and Quality Network) can effectively build and deliver support of highest relevance to SMEs. At the first two workshops, in Noordwijk in the Netherlands in May 2006 and in London in December 2006, more than 100 professionals from European enterprises, research institutes and space industry support organisations attended each.
Sinequanet was launched in November 2005 by ESA, with support from the European Commission, to act as a genuine structuring mechanism focused on technical and engineering support. It is targeted at European and Canadian SMEs already operating in, or wanting to enter, the space sector.
The network aims to organise, structure and improve SME's access to technical facilities, expert support and training services. Although these are already available within the space sector from large organisations, systems integrators, and research institutes, a wide range of SMEs remain impeded from access to resources of this kind.
A dedicated expert database of available resources will be setup through which all entities - whether SMEs, large groups, universities or laboratories - can offer the services of their own experts, or the use of technical facilities and laboratories, on a fair compensation basis. In this way, the service providers will benefit from a more profitable use of their experts as well as a better return on investment in their facilities.
Sinequanet is now in its first phase of defining and setting up its activities. These are:
- establishing the needs of SMEs for hands-on expertise, training and access to facilities for testing and calibration of new technologies and systems
- testing the Sinequanet concept by providing actual support to two SMEs
- creating a database containing sources of expertise and suppliers of facilities and services
- holding a series of workshop meetings, of which the Darmstadt meeting 8 February is one, at various locations throughout Europe, where SMEs and other industrial partners can meet to exchange views and refine the objectives of SineQuaNet
- creating a dedicated website as a communication and information tool for SMEs within the space sector. This new website was set-up last year and launched 7 December 2006, at http://www.esa.int/sme.
The workshop on 8 February will take place at ESA's Space Operations Centre, ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany.
Registration by companies wishing to participate must be done at the dedicated SineQuaNet Workshop Programme website, where also more information is provided. Early registration is advised as the number of attendees is limited.
The SineQuaNet (Space INtelligence, Engineering & QUAlity NETwork) project is run by ESA's SME Unit, with support from the European Commission's 6th Framework Programme, Economic & Technology Intelligence.


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Contest Winners
Texas Instruments DesignStellaris 2010 Design Contest Winners
Nothing drives technological advancement in the embedded industry like healthy competition among brilliant engineers. The Texas Instruments DesignStellaris 2010 Design Contest is an excellent example of just how innovative today's top engineers can be when they're given amazing parts, a deadline, and some enticing incentives—such as international recognition and a chance to win a share of $10,000 in cash prizes.
Back in January 2010, engineers were challenged to use the Stellaris LM3S9B96 microcontroller from Texas Instruments with Keil's RealView Microcontroller Development Kit (RVMDK) and SafeRTOS from Wittenstein to create exciting new applications. Texas Instruments launched the contest with a simple question: "Just how far will your design take you?" In response, designers from all over the world stepped up to the challenge and delivered truly inventive designs.
After reviewing all the entries and scoring the projects on their technical merit,
originality, usefulness, cost-effectiveness, and design optimization, the judges' results are now final. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this exciting contest!
First Prize
Richard Wotiz
Bicycle ABS Brake System
Second Prize
Osamu Tamura
Camera-Based Eye-Tracking System
Third Prize
Sylvain Davaine
GPIB Screensaver
Honorable Mentions
Toby Baumgartner
TROBOT 3.0: An "ABB Robot Studio" Interface for a Miniature Articulated Robot
Aleksander Borysiuk
James Brady
Rajesh Kademada Chittiappa
Greg Cloutier
5 Channel Programmable RC Pistol Grip Transmitter
Justin Curran, Catherine Woodward, and Tristan Nixon
Electric Motorbike
Fabian de la Fuente
Kevin Gorga
Wolfgang Guettler
Shinji Kasaki
Imrich Konkol
MuDLi: Multipurpose Data Logger with Internet Connectivity
Stephan Lubbers
Marty McLeod
Stellaris BCU/Battery Module
Matt Pennell
Specialized Signal Processing Engine
John Peterson
Color Sensor
Nghia Tran, Victor Tran, Tammy Tran, Andy Tran, and Trucmai Nguyen
Ethernet Teleoperated Balancing Robot
Distinctive Excellence
Manuel Iglesias
Green Enable Stand-Alone 24/7 Supervisor
Bernhard Schloss
Lyudmil Selin and Rosen Koler
Tiny FAT32 on SD Card
Antonios Chorevas
Shinji Kasaki
SIP Conference Server


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Seniors Michael Christmas (Invercargill, New Zealand/James Hargest College) and Sara Parkinson (Chorley, England/Loughborough University) have been named to the 2011 America East Indoor Track and Field All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year, the conference announced Tuesday.
Christmas took home bronze in the 800-meter dash in a UMBC record time of 1:52.92, qualifying for the IC4A Championships where he broke the school record again in 1:52.78. He was also a part of the men's distance medley relay that broke the UMBC record and finished second in a time of 9:49.52. The senior is majoring in biochemistry and has a cumulative GPA of 3.78. In addition, he was named to both the 2009 Cross Country and 2010 Outdoor All-Academic Teams.
Parkinson, a 2010 member of the CoSida Academic All-District II Team, crossed the line fifth in the women's 3,000-meter run in a UMBC record and ECAC-qualifying time of 9:40.12. She was honored on the America East Cross Country All-Academic Team a year ago. The senior is majoring in geography and sport science and has a cumulative GPA of 3.79.


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|Celegorm the Fair
|Biographical Information
|Lord of Himlad
|Sometime during YOTT, Tirion
|FA 505, Menegroth (aged 650+)
|Fëanor + Nerdanel
|Physical Description
|Hair color
|Disputed; either golden or dark
|Images of Celegorm the Fair
Celegorm the Fair was the third son of Fëanor and Nerdanel, and a constant companion of his younger brother, Curufin.
Celegorm was a great huntsman, and was a friend of the Vala Oromë. From Oromë he learned great skill of birds and beasts, and could understand a number of their languages. He had brought with him from Valinor the great hound Huan, a gift from Oromë.
As with the other Sons of Fëanor, Celegorm was bound by an oath to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth. His oath took him and his brothers to Middle-earth during the First Age where they established realms in exile, waged war against the armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish kind, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves.
He dwelt with his brother Curufin in Himlad, a pass that led into Kingdom of Doriath, which the two brothers fortified and held until the Dagor Bragollach. Following the battle, the two brothers were defeated and had to flee with their people to Nargothrond, where their cousin Finrod Felagund welcomed them.
While he and his brother Curufin lived in Nargothrond they almost took it over at the departure of Finrod Felagund. They both had great influence, for both were great orators. They captured Lúthien Tinúviel, daughter of King Thingol of Doriath. Celegorm wished to marry her, thus forcing a bond of kinship with Thingol. Huan, however, broke with his master and helped Lúthien escape. He was expelled from Nargothrond at the order of Orodreth.
Celegorm fell in the Second Kinslaying, when the Sons of Fëanor attacked Doriath to seize a Silmaril in the possession of the Elvish King Dior Eluchíl. Dior and Celegorm slew each other in the halls of Menegroth.
Celegorm's father-name was Turcafinwë ("Strong-bodied [of] Finwë"), as he was of the House of Finwë. His mother-name was Tyelcormo ("Hasty-riser") a reference to his quick temper. The name Celegorm is the Sindarin version of his mother-name.
Celegorm's HairThere has long been put forth the question as to the nature of Celegorm's hair. Most writings seem to indicate that he had "fair" hair, hence his title "Celegorm the Fair". But Tolkien has also remarked numerous times that the Noldor were accustomed to have dark hair, the only exceptions being when the person in question was descended at least in part from the Vanyar (for example, Idril Celebrindal and Finarfin). Therefor we have only a few options: (1) Celegorm did not have light-colored hair, (2) Celegorm did have light-colored hair. The only way for the latter to be true is either that Nerdanel had traces of Vanyarin blood in her, or that it was not Tolkien's final intent to have all Noldor with dark hair. It is also possible that Tolkien did not examine this point deeply.
Finwë = Míriel | | Fëanor = Nerdanel | _________________|________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Maedhros Maglor CELEGORM Caranthir Curufin Amrod Amras | | Celebrimbor


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At Top Security Conference, Eric Holder Deplores 'inadvisable and unsustainable' US MASS INCARCERATION
Attorney General Eric Holder
Attorney General Eric Holder offered the Obama administration's most forceful critique to date of U.S. mass incarceration policies, at a meeting of the hemisphere's security ministers in Medellín, Colombia.
He also emphasized the Obama administration's efforts to scale back mandatory minimum sentencing policies at the gathering, Thursday.
"The path we are currently on is far from sustainable," Holder said. "As we speak, roughly one out of every 100 American adults is behind bars. Although the United States comprises just five percent of the world's population, we incarcerate almost a quarter of the world's prisoners. While few would dispute the fact that incarceration has a role to play in any comprehensive public safety strategy, it's become evident that such widespread incarceration is both inadvisable and unsustainable. It requires that we routinely spend billions of dollars on prison construction – and tens of billions more, on an annual basis, to house those who are convicted of crimes. It carries both human and moral costs that are too much to bear. And it results in far too many Americans serving too much time in too many prisons – and beyond the point of serving any good law enforcement reason. Clearly, it is time – in fact, it's well past time – that federal leaders consider a fundamentally new approach."
Holder also suggested that other countries should have greater flexibility in drug control policies.
"We must cooperate if we are to protect our respective citizens from the criminal enterprises that threaten our national and international interests," said Holder. "And we must acknowledge that none among us can fight this battle on our own, or by implementing a 'one-size-fits all' approach."
"I have to admit it's a strange feeling, at once wonderful and wary, when the attorney general of the United States tells an audience of security ministers – at a conference in a foreign country – that there's something fundamentally wrong with incarcerating so many people in his own country," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.
"The Obama administration's rhetorical shift can be criticized as too little and too late but its historic significance cannot be denied. Let's just hope that this new rhetoric truly translates into new policies."
Holder delivered his address at the Fourth Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA IV), a biannual conference sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS), designed to promote policy coordination on the issue.
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New York City Council Proposes Free Lunch for All Public...
The New York City Council wants free lunch for all public school students added to the budget for fiscal year 2015.
The City Council proposed an additional $257 million in programs on Wednesday to the mayor's preliminary $73.7 billion budget proposal. The City Council has called for the hiring of 1,000 new NYPD officers and free lunch for all public school students.
According to the organization Community Food Advocates, about 120,000 more public school students would receive midday meals with universal free lunch. Liz Accles, Executive Director of Community Food Advocates, said some students who currently have access to free lunch are embarrassed about getting in line for a free meal.
"Kids know who's eating free lunch, kids get tormented for it, they can get bullied," Accles said. "The only way to do away with that distinction is to eliminate the category that these kids fall into and give free lunch to all students."
The Department of Education already offers universal free breakfast for public school students. According to City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's office, universal free lunch would cost the Department of Education $24 million.
The City Council and Mayor Bill de Blasio have until June 30 to approve the 2015 budget.


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Louis Locicero called out from inside a locked closet, where he had been placed hours earlier. Boulder county sheriff's deputies had arrested him earlier that morning but they hadn't told him why.
His placement in a dark closet seemed peculiar, but hours later he had a more practical matter to think about. He needed to pee – badly.
He heard footsteps.
Locicero was kneeling down with his face pressed against the linoleum floor, peering through the crack under the door. He could see boots as a person approached the closet he estimated was about 18 square feet in size.
Then Lucicero heard a voice, he said in a phone interview Saturday, 40 years later.
That's what the hole in the floor is for, a deputy of the Boulder County Sheriff's Office told the Army war veteran through the door.
He wasn't sure if he heard right. Pee into what hole? It was difficult to see because there was no light bulb in the closet. The only light that came into the closet was through the cracks around the door.
There was no toilet in the dark closet. He looked around, scanning the floor until he saw the hole the deputy was referring to.
Just pee into that hole, he asked again.
Yes, the answer came back: "Pee in the hole."
A chorus of laughter followed. So he peed in the hole in the floor.
Locicero, then 32, was in the beginning stages of a nightmare that has followed him for 40 years, he said.
In the fall of 1975, he had driven his pickup truck from California to Colorado. He arrived on a Saturday, bought a newspaper on Sunday, and began working for a construction company by Monday.
He had been working since he was 7, when he cleaned enormous pots in his father's bakery and was proud of his work ethic. His Boulder construction boss soon made him a foreman of a work crew.


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|"Angband" by Felix Sotomayor
|General Information
|Ered Engrin, beneath Thangorodrim
|Dark underground fortress
|People and History
|Morgoth, Balrogs, Orcs and other creatures
|F.A. 587, War of Wrath
|Images of Angband
|By Ardamir. (Help; more articles)
Angband was a mighty fortified citadel originally constructed by Melkor in the earliest days of the world as an outlying fortress to his northern stronghold of Utumno deep inside (and underneath) the Iron Mountains. Utumno was destroyed by the Valar, and Melkor imprisoned in Valinor for three ages, but on his return to Middle-earth, he took Angband as the seat of his power, and raised the towers of Thangorodrim above its gates.
Angband was besieged by the Noldor during the early part of the First Age, but the Siege of Angband was broken at the Dagor Bragollach. It was finally destroyed by the forces of the Valar at the end of the First Age, in the War of Wrath.
[edit] History
Melkor built Angband during the Years of the Trees, originally as an outlying fortress and armoury to his great northern citadel at Utumno. It was commanded from its first construction by Sauron, the chief of Melkor's servants. Angband was built near the northwestern shores of the Great Sea in the range of the Iron Mountains, as a first defence against any attack on Melkor's realm from the Valar in Aman.
When the Valar captured Melkor and took him in chains back to Valinor, Angband was largely destroyed and lay in ruins for many thousands of years, although beneath the ruins lay many hidden chambers in which some of Melkor's servants escaped the Valar's assault. Sauron was one of these, and the Balrogs lay hid with him in Angband's deepest vaults.
Angband re-entered history when Melkor escaped Valinor with the stolen Silmarils: he chose the ruined fortress as his new capital, and rebuilt the Hells of Iron as a base for the dark reign he intended for the lands of Middle-earth.
Soon after the Return of the Noldor to Beleriand, Melkor took Maedhros Fëanor's son by deceit and trickery, and hung him by the wrist from the towers of Thangorodrim above Angband. He was rescued by Fingon and Thorondor, but lost his right hand.
The third of the great battles in the Wars of Beleriand, the Dagor Aglareb, had profound consequences for Angband. Until that time (about the year 75 of the First Age) Melkor sent out hosts of Orcs in the hope of taking the Noldor by surprise. The Noldor, though, chased these Orcs back to the very gates of Angband, and slew them to the last creature. From then until the Dagor Bragollach in F.A. 455, a period of almost 400 years, Angband was surrounded by the Noldor; this is the time known as the Siege of Angband.
[edit] Appearance and Construction
Angband was primarily an underground fortress, at least after its initial destruction by the Valar in the Years of the Trees. Like its prototype, Utumno, it had many hidden underground chambers and vaults far beneath the earth. Its main features above ground were the three peaks of the Thangorodrim, mighty towers of ash and slag raised above Angband's gates. The peaks of Thangorodrim were hollow, and from them channels and chimneys ran down to the deepest pits of Angband. So, Melkor could produce poisonous clouds and vapours, as indeed he sent against the Noldor in Mithrim during the first days after their Return.
[edit] Etymology
Angband is Sindarin, and means "Iron Prison" or "Hell of Iron", from ang + band.[1]
In Quenya, Angband was called Angamando.[2]
[edit] Portrayal in adaptations
1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Three: The Etymologies", pp. 348, 350 (entries for roots ANGĀ- and BAD-)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", band
- ↑ Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1994), Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2012)


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Imagine if an activist group blanketed a major city with 55 billboards urging that illegal aliens go back to their own country. Or that homosexuality is a crime against nature. Or that Muslims are responsible for most of the world's terrorist attacks.
The mainstream media would be all over the story. Organizations – like La Raza, like GLAAD, like CAIR – would organize protests. President Obama would publicly condemn the billboards (while defending illegals, homosexuals and Islam). And the sponsors of the billboards would be branded a "hate group."
Yet, there has been little outrage over the 55 billboards that started going up last week in Sacramento, California that mock Christians, that blaspheme God. They are sponsored by the so-called Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist organization based in Madison, Wisconsin that truly is a hate group.
"I don't believe in Odin, either," sneers one billboard. "Studying the bible made me an atheist," disparages another. "Without god I am full of love," declares still another.
Yet, Judy Saint, director of FFRF's newly formed Sacramento chapter, insists that the 55 billboards are not anti-Christian, not anti-God. They just thought it would be a good way to encourage atheists on the down low to "come out of the closet"
"There are thousands of us here," she said, "and we are reaching out to them because it's such a maligned minority. If the message at all is to believers, it would be that we are good moral people, too."
But, by her own words, Saint reveals the nefariousness of the atheist movement in this country.
She suggests that atheists are an unfairly maligned minority. But if the noisome atheist community – which constitutes less than 1 percent of the U.S. population – is maligned, it's because of their attacks on Christians by in-your-face atheist groups like FFRF.
Indeed, not only are the atheists putting up 55 billboards that bash the religious faith of more than three-quarters of Americans, they have deliberately chosen to do so during the Christmas season, defecating on a holy day on which Christians celebrate the birth of Christ the Lord.
Saint also claims that she and her fellow atheists are both "good" and "moral."
But there is no good in the atheists' (un)holy war against Christianity, using billboards as their weapon of attack. And there is no morality in the atheist community's endorsement of such practices as same-sex marriage.
Indeed, one of FFRF's 55 billboards features Saint, the atheist hate group's Sacramento front woman, and her wife with the message: "Reason. Equality. Doing Good – All without gods."
That's the arrogance of atheists that they inherited from their father, the devil. They think that "doing good" means they are good. But the Bible advises that their good works, whatever they might be, "are as filthy rags" before the Almighty.
The Word of God also tell us, everyone, "There is none righteous, no not one."
The difference between unrighteous Christians and unrighteous atheists is that Christians are born again; their sins covered by the blood of Christ. Atheists, on the other hand reject Christ, and shake their fist at God.
And for their unrepentant, unforgiven sin, the unGodly will spend their existence beyond this fallen world in everlasting torment.


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You've seen Steve dance before. Today, if you are using Windows, sending emails from your Hotmail account or even editing Excel spreadsheets, I insist you do a little monkeyboy dance in your seat. For Ballmer - the ever-entertaining CEO.
Turning 54 today - exactly 11 months to the day of the other Steve - Ballmer also shares his birthday with the ninth anniversary of the OS X launch. But we'll be popping the cork tonight for you, Steve Ballmer - our favourite monkey dancer who ensures there's never a dull moment in the tech industry.


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The Five "Stans"
Since the fall of the Soviet Union just over two decades ago, the United States has been the world's one and only real superpower. But is the era of American primacy coming to an end? Alexander Cooley, Barnard's department of political science chair and the current Tow Professor of Political Science, is examining the possibilities with a new course he's developing for next year. The course considers shifting post-western political power in regions, such as Central Asia and the Middle East, around the world.
Cooley notes that the 2008 world financial crisis and the resulting recession have exposed some of the frailties of the U.S. economic system. Meanwhile, he adds, China's economic prominence has risen. "The financial crisis really marked China's emergence as a [world] economic power," says Cooley, who posits that it also signaled the emergence of a new era in global politics in which the United States, and the West in general, no longer reign supreme. In his view, the implications of that are enormous. The key question driving the course, which Cooley envisions as a limited-enrollment lecture course, is what will that new world look like—or, as he puts it, "What's the future of a post-American liberal order?"
To answer that question, the course will explore the impact that the rise of China and other emerging world powers might have on a variety of issues, ranging from economic aid and development assistance, to the spread of democracy and human rights. Moreover, he plans to look at how the shifting global order is playing out around the world. One major focus will be resource-rich Central Asia and the five so-called central Asian "Stans"—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
As Cooley, a leading authority on Central Asia, notes, the region has recently become a prime hot spot for American, Chinese, and Russian rivalries—and thus offers an ideal microcosm for studying a new political landscape. "It's really an arena for what the post-Western world will look like," says Cooley, who wrote about the international jockeying for regional influence in his newest book, Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia, published by Oxford University Press this past June.
Cooley's interest in Central Asia dates back to the mid-1990s and his days as a PhD student at Columbia University, where he wrote his dissertation on the impact of international aid on the Kyrgyz political system. As part of the process, he spent a year conducting field research and also taught at the American University in Kyrgyzstan (now the American University of Central Asia). Since joining Barnard in 2001, Cooley has taught classes on international organization and globalization and international politics, along with a graduate-level course at Columbia that examines the challenges to sovereignty faced by post-Communist states.
He has pursued a mix of research interests, including the politics of human rights and democracy promotion in a multi-polar world. His main focus, however, has continued to be Central Asia and the Caucasus. In the past decade, he has produced a steady stream of academic articles and op-eds covering everything from the limits of resurgent Russian power in Central Asia to U.S.-Georgia relations and the implications of U.S. military bases for democratization in the region. In addition, he has authored or co-authored several books, including Logics of Hierarchy: The Organization of Empires, States and Military Occupations; Base Politics: Democratic Change and the U.S. Military Overseas; and Contracting States: Sovereign Transfers in International Relations.
Cooley recalls that the inspiration for his latest book, Great Games, Local Rules, came while he was working on a research fellowship for the Open Society Foundations on the rise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded in 2001 to promote stability in Central Asia. In his studies, he discovered that Russia and China, the group's two most powerful members, were divided on a whole host of issues. "What started to interest me was their rivalry," recalls Cooley, noting that in recent years China has been bankrolling major infrastructure development projects not just in Central Asia, but also around the globe. At the same time, Russia, hard hit by the financial crisis, has seen its economic power wane, along with its ability to assert its interests in neighboring states. "Russia wants to be seen as a great power," he notes, "but while it may have the ambition, it currently lacks the means."
As for the U.S., which has its own strategic interests in Central Asia, the professor contends that its influence in the region has also waned: Not only has the U.S. run into resistance from local political leaders opposed to the presence of American military bases, but he notes that U.S. calls for further democratization and greater respect for human rights are increasingly being shrugged off. "It's a place where you see American soft power declining. There's a real fatigue with U.S. human rights and democracy rhetoric," says Cooley, especially now that the United States' treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib in Iraq has received worldwide attention.
Still, while it's clear to Cooley that the old global order is on the way out, he notes that there's still great uncertainty about what will replace it. He is hopeful that the course he's planning will give students some early insights into a new power structure. China is certain to be a dominant player. Cooley says that, among other things, the class will look at how China is already serving as a counterbalance to American power in Central Asia and around the world. As two prime examples, he points to Ecuador's 2008 decision to default on its debt and Angola's move to break off loan negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Both countries, he believes, were emboldened by the fact that they could turn to China for outside financing assistance, instead of just relying on the West. "China's emergence gives countries [who previously had far less power] a lot more political space," he says.


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Hi everyone! This is Ashley today, back with the second installment in my Trending:Gold series. (To read part one, click here.) One of my long-time favorite mixed media supplies is gold leaf, and today I have a step-by-step tutorial video to share to show you how you can create your own vintage wallpaper-inspired gilded paper.
The gold leaf and glue pad used in the tutorial are supplied by Stewart Superior, and are included in the great gold give-away this month! Don't forget to leave a comment on each Trending:Gold article for your chance to win!
Supplies | Patterned Paper: Dear Lizzy for American Crafts. Tags: Dear Lizzy for American Crafts, Avery. Alphabet Stickers: Glitz Design. Bows: Vintage Seam Binding, Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper. Gesso: Liquitex. Gold Leaf: Stewart Superior. Glue Pad: Stewart Superior. Ink: Stewart Superior (yellow). Photo Corners: Etsy (Ashley Calder & the Things That Shine).
For this layout, I used a vintage dictionary page covered with gesso, and then I created a gilded damask pattern using gold leaf. The gold leaf is adhered using a glue pad (Stewart Superior). Briefly, to use Stewart Superior gold leaf with the Palette glue pad:
- Seal surface for gilding. Porous surfaces like paper absorb the glue, and the leaf does not adhere well.
- Stamp image to be gilded using Stewart Superior Palette glue pad.
- Dry stamped glue image for 20-30 seconds using a heat gun. Glue must be completely dry; look for change from "shiny" when wet, to matte when dry.
- Apply gold leaf sheet over stamped image, covering stamped image completely.
- Burnish into place using soft brush.
- Brush away excess, un-adhered gold leaf.
See the step-by-step video below!
Stuck for color inspiration and don't know what to pair with your gilded paper? Check out my Trending:Gold Pinterest board for color inspiration! Here I kept the page colorway fairly muted, with mint green and peachy tones, so the rest of the page wouldn't compete with my gilded damask paper – or my photo.
And now, for the give-away! This month I have an AMAZING prize to give away, thanks to my very generous sponsors. You'll want to make sure to stop in every week and leave a comment for your chance to win this prize pack, that certainly must be worth its weight in gold (pun intended).
- Leave one comment per Trending:Gold post.
- Contest closes on April 15th.
- Winner will be contacted April 16th, and announced on my next Trending series article.
- Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.


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Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Former Lib Dem Lays Into Party as Tories Call Investigation a Stitch-Up.
A former supporter of the Portsmouth Liberal Democrats has today said that the problems as regards local MP Mike Hancock are far deeper than many think and that the party is now the problem rather than the person.
In a statement issued to tbg earlier today the anonymous former supporter says:
"I actually think the problem is far greater than Councillor Mike Hancock."
"It's more about Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson and the inner sanctum within Portsmouth City Council."
"I believe the Lib-Dems are seriously off the rails."
"They have been hijacked by a hard-core of sarcastic, cynical, sneering councillors who strut about the Council Chamber like the bullies they really are."
He accused his old colleagues of being "supercilious, unsympathetic, and semi-literate."
He concluded that - "The reconvening of the sub-committee beggars belief."
"Is delaying a decision already taken really Liberal Democrat democracy in action?"
A local Tory told tbg that the issue is "a clear stitch up" and says that "the majority Liberal Democrats on the investigation committee will already have agreed to defer the investigation."
"This scam would have been dreamed up by Mike's masonic buddies on the council who he personally brought in for specific instances like this to cover up for him, and immediately tripled their pay with our money, after they arrived."
"That the enormous fees of a QC will be wasted and have to be paid for by us taxpayers is irrelevant."
"This man is a disgrace and those helping and covering up for him are also a disgrace."
Edited & Posted by The Blue Guerilla at 20:08:00
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First Published: 01 Feb 2015
A report commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission Wales to Evaluate the EHRC employment tribunal skills and discrimination law course.
A two page framework based on human rights case law has been produced to assist organisations in meeting their obligations under the law.
First Published: 01 Jan 2015
This guide sets out what is expected of you as a decision-maker or leader of a public authority responsible for delivering key services at a national, regional and/or local level, in order to make such decisions as fair as possible.
This guidance reflects the requirements of the Equality Act and provides advice about the general equality duty and is designed to assist decision makers in Scottish public authorities.
This is a guide that outlines your rights to equality at work regarding pay and benefits.
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Please join us May 1st, 1:00 pm EST for the CCCOER Webinar "Finding and Selecting High Quality Open Educational Resources". Hear from a community college librarian, the director of a statewide open textbook project, and an open textbook publisher on best approaches for finding and selecting high-quality, accessible open textbooks and open educational resources to enhance teaching and learning in your classroom and expand access to education. Our featured speakers are:
- Kate Hess, Librarian, Kirkwood Community College, IA
- Dr. Robin Donaldson, Director Open Access Textbook Project, Florida Distance Learning Consortium
- David Harris, Editor-in-Chief, OpenStax College, Rice University, TX
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Katy Perry says bad-boy fiancé Russell Brand has "met his match."
The "California Gurls" singer tells Esquire that when Brand propositioned her during their first meeting on the set of "Get Him to the Greek" he likely did not anticipate her reaction.
"I was 25, 30 feet away from him. And I threw the bottle straight at him. Hit him smack dab on the head," Perry recalled. "Can you imagine the horrible feeling he had, when he was used to getting everything he wanted? I was like, 'You've met your match.'"
U.S. & World
Perry, 25, who poses seductively in Esquire's August issue, reveals in the accompanying interview that a week after meeting Brand the pair went on vacation in Thailand.
Perry said her strong personality makes her a good match for the British comic, a self proclaimed recovering sex and drug addict.
"He used to basically be a professional prostitute – now he's not," Perry tells Esquire. "He's an extremist, which can be both good and bad. I always needed someone stronger than me and I am, like, a [expletive] strong elephant of a woman. I say that hopefully in the humblest way I can."
Brand and Perry, who became engaged last New Years Eve, are expected to wed in India in October, according to Us Magazine.


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ACEN 2015 Pics Up
Back from ACEN, and noting I'm not 21 anymore...and can't party all night and shrug it off like I used to. Regardless, we have pics for you to fawn over. As is usual, if you're one of the cosplayers and see your pic in there, drop me a line if you wish, and I'll make them available.
Anime Conji Report Now Up
So, after a few weeks, here's my little report on Anime Conji 2015. Kinda felt like this one needed a pick me up, even with some of what went down. Still, not a bad use of a weekend by any stretch. Take a gander inside, and check out what I thought. Maybe you'd like to attend in the future, who knows?
Anime Conji 2015 Report
It should probably be noted at the beginning that if one is a photographer, it becomes an act of masochistic love to go to a convention of shiny cosplayers (yes, that was a deliberate Pokemon reference) with carpal tunnel syndrome. Thankfully, Anime Conji is a small convention and not the much larger Wondercon up in Anaheim. As it was, every single time I hefted the camera and took a photo, lancing pain through my hands and up my forarms was my reward.
This is the fifth year of Anime Conji, taking place at the Sheraton Hotel in the Marina across from the San Diego International Airport (no, really, you can walk across the highway to the airport just outside of the hotel) as it did the previous year. I admit to liking the Town and Country a lot better than the Sheraton due to the fact that it's a lot more accessible and the Fashion Valley Mall was in back of it, so one could bail out and get something to eat. Now, granted everything was spread all over the place at the Town and Country, but I'm thinking this could have mitigated somewhat by reserving more of the convention center proper with all of its little outlying rooms, but who knows how the hotel may have logistically fucked that one up to make that a nonstarter. But, whatever, it's at the Sheraton...nothing else to be done. Admittedly I wasn't planning on attending initially, but events did conspire to allow me the time and inclination to head over there. I'm not entirely certain what I went to, however. By that, I mean, a convention has a certain feel to it. This event was not lacking in it per se, but it was greatly lessened. Oddly, I even ran into an overbearing floor manager, and got kicked out of the Improv Masquerade, which is usually a threat at the larger conventions with such individuals; yet, even that didn't quite make me feel like I was at a convention. I think I get what it was, but I'll save that for later.
Anime Conji 2015 Movies Now Up For Streaming and Torrent
So, at this Anime Conji I managed to record far more video than last convention, which is good; though I did manage to get kicked out of the Improv Masquerade, but more on that in the convention report. I should note that the FAKKU panels did have material that most would consider explicit in nature. Viewer discretion is advised. And by that, I mean, if you're under 18, you don't watch this. Suffice it to say you can find the Improv Masquerade and FAKKU panels on Youtube and Vimeo respectively:
Don't think I've forgotten you who like your torrents. You can find all the Anime Conji 2015 Movies at Nyaa Torrents, as always. And as always, enjoy!
The Sac Anime Summer 2014 Movies Torrent Now Up
Well, as promised, here are the high def versions for the Sac Anime Summer 2014 movies as hosted by Nyaa Torrents, or you can click on the attachment below this news item (you have to hit 'read more' to see it). It's around 8GB worth of data, so be prepared for the load. Enjoy!
Sac Anime Summer 2014 Report Up And Vimeo
Okay, a bit of procrastination aside, we now have the Sac Anime Summer 2014 report up. I'm not the only one going to be doing one, or so I hope, so expect at least one more. I found this event to be pretty much stress free and generally fun; so why not check it out how I lived it?
Also you can check out the videos embedded in the report, including the Masquerade that is hosted at our new Vimeo channel (not sure if it'll last, but we'll see).
Sac Anime Summer 2014 Report
Ah, Sac Anime Summer 2014.
I think this is the fourth year I've gone to this convention, having been convinced to go by Mayhem due to it being a smaller convention, and thus not prone to the same, shall we say, 'mishaps' that tend to occur at the larger ones. They're happier just having fun and hanging out with others that enjoy all the same things we do. Yes, that's an apt description; the smaller conventions have less drama and are more laid back overall. Unfortunately as a convention does grow, attendance grows so problems and other concerns creep up. Logistics gets more problematic due to more people getting involved, the need for more space becomes a greater issue, you can now bring in higher caliber guests, but have to deal with the baggage they carry, and so forth and so on. I mention this as I've seen it happen to two conventions so far: Anime Expo and Fanime. They each followed the same pattern. Even ACEN has done this to an extent, though I came in during their transition from smaller to larger convention (and there's other concerns with the midwestern convetions that have become more prevalent as time has gone on, but that's another article). I note this because Sac Anime is about where Anime Expo was in 1999, when I first went to it. I've seen this convention as it was, small and fun at the hotel, but now it's about to start making the leap into being a larger convention, and now we're all going to see how they handle it given all the examples and lessons learned in the past that are available. Let us hope they are students of history.
Anime Expo 2014 Report Now Up
I've procrastinated long enough on this one. At great personal expense in the lack of sleep department, I have finally completed one of my longest reports, the one for Anime Expo 2014. In it I talk about the convention, its main events, and its triumphs and tragedies. I share news, photo, and video all done with my own personal brand of Gonzo Journalism which is not for the faint of heart, but is at least truthful...from my own perspective anyway. But why waste time? Why not head over there now and take a look? I'm sure you can find some useful tidbits in there and perhaps a bit of entertainment...or so I hope. Enjoy!
Anime Expo 2014 Report
Have I really been doing this for around 15 years? Well, aside from the year 2000, yes, yes I have. In all this time I've typically gone to this convention with the same group of people; even going so far as to increase our participation in the conventions we go to by going as press under the auspices of Dragon's Anime and TFA Cosplay. That didn't happen this year. No, this year I was on my own in regards to being press as the core group couldn't make it this year due to various factors. Still, I wasn't totally on my own, as there were others who we've known for all this time who graciously invited me to room with them this year. This worked out a lot better than I'd have thought, because even though the Vagabond Inn up the road from the convention center was more expensive than we'd wanted, they had bunk beds of all things, which were far more comfortable than the Coleman Cots we're usually used to using when we stuff ourselves into these rooms. I'll have to admit though, this year put it into perspective on just how much I've come to rely on Gensao, Pio, and Mayhem for all sorts of things little and big when it comes to covering this convention as press which caused me to miss out on a lot more than I'd have liked. This doesn't count all the other disasters outside of everyone's control that wound up occurring.
Anime Expo 2014 Movies Now Available
Truly I have been a terrible terrible procrastinator when it comes to these movies. I have no excuses, but I do now have said movies torrents available. So without further ado, here are the Anime Expo 2014's Masquerade, Danny Choo Press Panel, and Myth: Legends of Burlesque and Magic movies that I managed to record this year as hosted by Nyaa Torrents or you can click the attachment to this news item below. I thought it was a good year for all of the above, and I only wish I could have done more were it not for circumstances out of my control unfortunately. Still, what I did get I hope does not disappoint. And aside from certain countries, Youtube's content management did not unilaterally make the videos unwatchable this time, and so you can watch them there too.


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Earlier that week, the large transport company came in and packed everything they had in their old home in two days. They packed literally everything as he was not sure how much would fit into his new apartment. When he opened a box of food from their pantry, an opened bottle of Hersheys syrup had leaked everywhere. They asked where he wanted things, however, he really wasn't sure. When he told me the boxes were to the ceiling, I thought he was exaggerating.
Transport companies are excellent at getting your items from here to there quickly and efficiently. They're not built to sit with clients for several weeks planning, sorting, measuring, and deciding what will be transported to their new home, shipped to grown children, sold or donated. The most common statement we hear at least once a week is, "I wish I had know about you when we moved..."
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Blalock is the Bandage, not the Rays Answer
But what concerns me is not the haste of the fond farewell to the Burrell Era, but the Rays reasoning for accepting Blalocks "convoluted" threats and letting him get what he wanted in the long run instead of flushing him out of the Rays organization. This recent action goes a bit against the grain of the Rays usual mentality to purge those negative influences instead of enhance them through promotion in their farm system.
There was already a viable Ray solution currently on the Rays 25-man roster named Willy Aybar who was more than capable of taking over and having instant success at the DH position. Why did the Rays Front Office bring in their resident angry child Blalock who might end up doing more harm than good in the character of this cohesive Rays clubhouse. Why wasn't Aybar, who has seen his name erased from duty at First Base lately not given a chance to "own" the D H spot for himself before letting Blalock and his agent Scott Boras deafening verbal barrages force the Rays hands on give in to their temper tantrum problem child.
In essence, the Rays did not have to play any part in Blalocks tug and pull game, but there might be some sort of dark reasoning to all this madness that will expose itself in time. Sure there have been acknowledgments from the Rays camp that those verbal barrages did not play into the recent decision that could have ultimately exploded on them on May 15th if the Rays did not make a corresponding move to entice Blalocks happiness. My twisted point here is that this is second moment of Blalock misery that has descended upon the Rays Front Office ears in less than 60 days that Blalock has thrown his blatant opinions and close-ended options to the media instead of hashing them out in private with the Rays Front Office like a true professional.
I hate to say it like this, but I have more respect for the two snitches in the Mariner's locker room right now than a player who whines through the media to hasten his departure from the minor leagues. But sometimes things are done in a business like baseball to hastly dampen outward disruptions while a viable alternative solution or destination can be fully figured out from stem to stern.
If you consider baseball a normal business, then why did the Rays let an "employee" manipulate their cherished positive value system and give him a promotion to the Major Leagues instead of sending Blalock on the same sharp rail that disgruntled former Rays employees Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes took on their treks out of town and to their MLB squads. And we all know how well that move went for the Rays organization. Well, at least the Young trade netted us key Rays contributors Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett.
But this time for some odd reason, the Rays decided to let the playground bully get his way and stroll into the Rays locker room with his chest extended far and wide. I can tell you I will be one of those Rays fans sitting on their hands until good old # 9 gives me a legitimate and constant reason to raise them and pop them together. And the main reason for my defiance to Blalock comes from his numerous rants and raves that I felt was not needed if he truly did have the stats and the ability to help instead of hinder this squad. But there were other options at Durham who might have also fit the bill for the Rays. Cue the Dan Johnson promotional video.
Seriously, let's look at both Aybar and Johnson for a moment before I make a final statements on Mr. Blalock. Coming into Sunday's game, Aybar has been a great offensive addition to the Rays with the constant flux concerning Burrell before his final Designated For Assignment verdict on Saturday. Considering Aybar went a combined 5 for 21 with a HR and 6 RBI on the Rays recent 9-game road trip, Aybar has shown a knack for getting the right hit at the right moment to spark the Rays offense. And his exclamation point just Saturday afternoon of hitting a walk-off Home Run in the bottom of the ninth inning off former Rays reliever Jesus Colume shows he has the gumption and the ability to fill the D H position in-house without Blalock in the fold.
So let's turn our attention to my subtle reasoning for a Dan Johnson promotion, who like Blalock can play most of the Rays infield positions. Johnson has also been on a bit of a tear in the minor leagues with Durham to start the season. And if you stack them side-by-side, they might make the Rays decision a bit more…well "convoluted" to me. Johnson has appeared in 31 games and has hit .325 while Blalock was maintaining a .349 batting average. Close enough to maybe throw a tie into that mixture of facts.
If you look at their collective OPS so far in 2010 at Durham, Johnson has a 1.047 OPS as opposed to Blalocks .910 mark. During their Bulls tenure, Blalock has played mostly Third Base while Johnson has manned the First Base bag for the Bulls. But I really think that Johnson's 11 HR compared to Blalocks 4 HR gives Johnson a distinctive edge as an offensive weapon for the Rays. But maybe the Rays saw Johnson's 25 strikeouts compared to Blalocks 19 and considered that stat another tie or wash. But then two stats that should of made Johnson a "shoe-in for promotion might be his .651 Slugging Percentage and 15 walks. It shows shows Johnson is more selective at the plate compared to Blalocks 10 walks and .505 Slugging Percentage.
One of the explanations for Blalocks promotion was his overall versatility to play both corner positions, plus add a Designated Hitting option from the left-side of the plate. But Johnson also has that same level of distinction. I hope the Rays did some serious soul searching before they arrived at this final decision to bring Blalock to this Rays clubhouse. Considering the combined abundance of extensive Scouting and player development intelligence within the Top floor offices at Tropicana Field, you got to think there is a secret black ops plan or some sort of alternative universe thought process in rewarding Blalock for his convoluted comments and threats.
And I expect to get hammered by some people who will try and tell me to give Blalock a chance because he was so great for this team this Spring. That was true for the two weeks Blalock played until the last week of Spring Training when Blalock seemed to veer from his "Rays Way" of thinking. That moment provided our first look into the Darkness of the Blalock world. After the Rays announced that Blalock did not have a coveted slot on the Rays final 25-man roster, his first wave of frustration or disbelief hit his brain stem hard and without thinking of possible recourse, he rebounded with an instant call for the Rays to find a team that would "respect his services" or send him packing.
Some will say that the Rays worked with him and gave him assurances and possible scenarios for promotion at certain moments in the Rays season, but Blalock began to get antsy and wanted fruition to the primal Rays song and dance. And there might be a Rays crafty ulterior motive here to let Blalock showcase his talents until possibly the Trade Deadline in the end of July when the Rays could discuss his final visa papers to leave the Rays-land for another location in return for some added minor league talent.
Maybe even back in March the Rays had a plan to maybe hold onto Blalock when he would become a "premium" player and use the market to their advantage to get some needed resources heading in their quest for a 2010 Playoff berth. And if that is the intention of the Rays in the long run, then Rays Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman would have been wise to swallow his tongue and take the verbal abuses when it might net some key member(s) to a future Rays squad.
But in the end, this should have been Aybar time to shine for the Rays. Even if he is only hitting .239 in his limited appearances, he was riding a wave of increasing offensive firepower and could reward the Rays greatly in their ultimate faith in him. But then again, Aybar was batting .308 in his past 13 games prior to Saturday afternoon's contest after starting the season 1 for 12. If that is not the sign of a positive turnaround, then I am as dumb as a box of rocks So with Blalock here, it is a no-brainer that Aybar might get the multitude of appearances against left-handed hitters while Blalock might get his moments against a right-hander.
Mike Carlson / AP
It seems to me that the Rays made the choice of bringing up Blalock with a more than ultimate chance to showcase Blalock to other team's who might be in the market for either power hitting options in their corner infield spots or possibly DH. It might end up being the Rays real ruse to use Blalocks talents to win some key ballgames and propel them within sight of their goal, then jettison him before the fire in his belly begins to burn again…..possibly in late July.
So I will sit silent until Blalock makes me a believer that the verbal assault were just his ploy to show he has the talent and ability to be here. But until then, my hands are folded for him, but cheering wildly and loudly for Aybar to take the position firmly in his hands and keep Blalock on the Rays bench. Oh, and hopefully during his tour in the minor leagues, Blalock finally learned how to hit a breaking ball on the outside corner. If not, it is going to be a long Summer for Blalock.