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All About the View
A bay front home on Lido Isle is filled with subdued, sophisticated colors
Barbecues at Joanne and Dennis Schwary's California home are likely to start aboard their canopied electric boat, cruising Newport Bay while guests enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres. After all, if you're lucky enough to live on the water, you live on the water, says Joanne, who even insisted her kitchen sink face the bay. "The light here is beautiful, and we have amazing sunsets," she adds. Whenever guests come to visit, they invariably make a beeline for the patio and dock to take in the view. "It happens every time," Joanne says.
When designing the Schwarys' house, California architect Don Stine took full advantage of its southern exposure on Lido Isle, a small man-made island near Newport Beach. Like most homes on this densely built harbor island, the main entry is on the side of the house, with the garage fronting the street and the true "front yard" facing the water.
The four main-level living areas--great room, dining room, kitchen, and breakfast area--share a common space and face spacious windows and three sets of French doors to the patio. "Most of the time we leave those doors open," Joanne says. Never more so than when the Schwarys' five grandchildren come to visit, zipping in and out to play in the water that washes up to the Schwarys' small patch of beach.
Frequent visits by the Schwarys' two daughters and their families, who live nearby, were one of the compelling reasons for building the 4,800-square-foot house, Joanne says. "Once the children were grown, married, and starting their own families, we found we needed a larger house to have room for everyone to be here," she says. Three girls and two boys--ages 18 months to 10 years--enjoy sleepovers at their grandparents' ?home, so Joanne appointed two cozy bedrooms upstairs just for them.
However, most of the family action is on the flagstone patio, with its retractable awning that turns the space into an extension of the great room. "My husband loves to sit on the patio and read the paper with his coffee in the morning," Joanne says.
Above the main living area is the master suite with an adjoining sitting room and an upper deck that offers a private spot to enjoy the sun and scenery.
While the house's floor plan is California-casual, the detailing is more New York Hamptons, with built-in corner cabinets, wainscoting, beadboard ceilings, and trim painted a high-gloss, marine-finish white. "I've always admired the homes Robert A.M. Stern designed in the Hamptons," Joanne says. "I love the clean lines and that level of sophistication."
Joanne tapped Julie Hovnanian, a Newport Beach interior designer, to help her infuse the entire house with that sophisticated Hamptons style. "Julie and I went out every week¬--sometimes more--to flea markets and antiques stores, picking fabrics and furniture and deciding every single detail, including doorknobs and hinges," Joanne says.
Reciting a less-is-more mantra, Hovnanian and Joanne judiciously chose clean-lined furnishings and a subdued palette that take a backseat to the view. "All the focus is outward. We kept the rooms open and light so when you walk in, your eye goes directly outside," Hovnanian says.
Hand-distressed, random-width walnut floors throughout the house are stained a coffee color to contrast with the crisp white trim and create a warm backdrop for the furnishings.
A sand-toned seagrass rug anchors the seating area in the great room, where fabric pattern is minimal to keep the mood serene. The sofa wears a white linen slipcover in summer (Joanne switches to gray in cooler months), and the armchairs are covered in a tailored gray-and-white stripe. A bench upholstered with an antique throw in burgundy and an assortment of throw pillows, which Joanne changes to suit the season, add splashes of color, texture, and warmth.
"Joanne likes primary colors, and she used red, white, and blue in her previous home," Hovnanian says. "That evolved in this house to muted red and gray. The colors are subdued and sophisticated but still ones that Joanne prefers." The ability to home in on Joanne's tastes reflects Hovnanian's design philosophy and explains why she and Joanne bonded so well. "It's important to me that the homes I do reflect the personalities of the homeowners and don't look 'decorated,'" she explains. "It's their home, not mine."
Megadoses of personality come from Joanne's collections of vintage mercury-glass vases, Victorian shell boxes, flow-blue china plates, and white ironstone pottery--most of which the two women scored at flea markets and antiques stores. Hovnanian and Joanne were careful to navigate the fine line between collections and clutter, however, arranging objects in artful displays. Flow-blue plates hang on a wall above a trio of ironstone pitchers in the breakfast area, and mercury-glass vases of varying heights are grouped on a parlor table.
Hovnanian found the breakfast-area dining chairs at an antiques store and had them covered in a fresh raspberry-striped fabric. She combined them with a farmhouse-style table that looks antique but is actually newly crafted. Ditto the decoratively painted bar stools. Because the Schwarys' grandchildren often sit at the counter and breakfast table, Joanne wanted furnishings that had vintage style but kid-tough construction.
The symmetrical dining room leans to the formal, with twin built-in corner china cabinets and a delicate antique chandelier centered on a handcrafted walnut table. For a bit of bling, the backs of the china cabinets were lined with antiqued mirrors. But Hovnanian downplayed the dressiness of the room, adding upholstered dining chairs sporting kicky, short pleated skirts.
The dining room is within talking distance of the more casual breakfast area, so the Schwarys often set both tables when entertaining large groups. "The house is laid out so well, whether we're entertaining the grandkids or adults," Joanne says. "I never want to live anywhere else."
Architect: Don Stine.
Interior design: Julie Hovnanian, Hovie Interiors, 2307 Laurel Place, Newport Beach, CA 92663; 949/300-3271.
Contractor: Matt White, Matt White Custom Homes Inc., 3090 Pullman St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626; 714/329-2222, mwcustom.com.
Landscape architect: Bradley Allen, Fleur Jardin, P.O. Box 1813, Newport Beach, CA 92659; 949/650-6344.
Photography: Joe Schmelzer
Produced by Andrea Caughey
Clean lines and simple Rogers & Goffigon fabrics in the great room keep the focus on the view. Crown molding above the west-facing windows and French doors conceals a Lutron motorized solar shade.
Sofa; chairs; coffee table: owner's collection.
Sofa fabric ("18-oz Linen"/Stone #91024-04); chair fabric ("Montana"/Ash #910017-01): Rogers & Goffigon, 203/532-8068.
Floral pillow fabric ("Saraya" #7166/04, discontinued); pillow fabric ("Merril" #7167/04, discontinued): Romo Fabrics, 800/338-2783, romo.com.
Motorized shades: Lutron Electronics Co. Inc., 888/588-7661, lutron.com.
Area rug: Hemphills Rugs & Carpet, 949/722-7224, hemphillsrugsandcarpets.com.
White vases: D. Kruse, 949/673-1302.
French doors: custom.
Green and blue pots on mantel: Ann Dennis Designs, 714/708-2555.
Flowers: French Buckets, 800/652-9551, frenchbuckets.com.
Cabinet design: Marilyn Gilbert, 949/495-6470.
Cabinet fabrication: Mike Miller, Woodsmans Cabinetry, 949/830-6525.
Floor lamp (antique): Kim Fiscus Home, 415/474-2313, kimfiscus.com.
Wall paint ("Manchester Tan" #HC-81): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Striped chair: owner's collection.
Chair fabric ("Montana"/Ash #910017-01): Rogers & Goffigon, 203/532-8068.
Awning fabric: Perennials Fabrics, 888/322-4773, perennialsfabrics.com.
Bench to right of sofa: antique, upholstered in paisley shawl.
Mantel: designed by Marilyn Gilbert, 949/495-6470.
Fabrication: Mark Lorenzo & Co., 949/661-2781.
In the foyer, white wainscoting and stair trim announce the home's classic architectural detailing.
Settee; pillows on settee (vintage): Kim Fiscus Home, 415/474-2313, kimfiscus.com.
Seat fabric: antique linen.
Umbrella stand: owner's collection.
Flooring (walnut in custom color): Richard Marshall Fine Flooring, 800/689-5981, oldeboards.com.
Paint ("Manchester Tan" #HC-81): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Dining chairs covered in a Rogers & Goffigon fabric circle a custom table crafted by artisan Niall "Kipper" Bourke. Draperies from The Silk Trading Company frame a garden view.
Table: Niall Bourke, Kipper Designs, 310/313-4000, kipper.biz.
Chairs (antique); large glass vase: Kim Fiscus Home, 415/474-2313, kimfiscus.com. Slipcover fabric ("Summerplace"/Crème Fraiche #910016-11): Rogers & Goffigon, 203/532-8068.
Cabinet design: Marilyn Gilbert, 949/495-6470.
Cabinet fabrication: Mike Miller, Woodsmans Cabinetry, 949/830-6525.
Drapery: The Silk Trading Co., 323/954-9280, silktrading.com.
Drapery fabrication: Frank & Mary's Drapery, 714/241-0446.
Buffet: owner's collection.
Flooring: Richard Marshall Fine Flooring, 800/689-5981, oldeboards.com.
Tureen and bowls (antique); chandelier (antique); blue china ("Flow Blue," antique): owner's collection.
Drapery hardware: Installations One, 949/472-2264.
Simple white cabinets, pendants from Restoration Hardware, subway-style tiles from Waterworks, and Carrara marble countertops blend with the classic style of the house.
Pendant lights: Restoration Hardware, 800/910-9836, restorationhardware.com.
Cabinet design: Marilyn Gilbert, 949/495-6470.
Cabinet fabrication: Mike Miller, The Woodsman's Cabinetry, 949/830-6525.
Cabinet hardware: Moultrup Finish Hardware, 949/548-3454.
Range; ovens: Viking, 888/845-4641, vikingrange.com.
Backsplash tile (Carrara marble, honed); countertops (Carrara marble, honed): Concept Studio, 949/759-0606, conceptstudioinc.com.
Milk glass (antique): owner's collection.
Candy dispenser: Pottery Barn, 800/922-5507, potterybarn.com.
Dishes (red-and-white transferware): owner's collection.
The Waterworks sink faces the windows, which offer unimpeded bay views.
Sinks and faucets: Waterworks, 800/899-6757, waterworks.com.
Bar stools: owner's collection.
Runner (antique): Aga John Oriental Rugs, 310/657-0890, agajohncarpets.com.
Pendant lights: Restoration Hardware, 800/910-9836, restorationhardware.com.
Cabinet design: Marilyn Gilbert, 949/495-6470.
Cabinet fabrication: Mike Miller, The Woodsman's Cabinetry, 949/830-6525.
Cabinet hardware: Moultrup Finish Hardware, 949/548-3454.
A harvest-style table by Baker near the kitchen is a favorite gathering spot. Antique chairs are covered with a Cowtan & Tout stripe and walls are painted Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan.
Table: Baker, Knapp & Tubbs, 800/592-2537, kohlerinteriors.com.
Chairs (antique): Kim Fiscus Home, 415/474-2313, kimfiscus.com.
Chair fabric ("Red Sail Broad Stripe"/Green #J129F-07, by Jane Churchill): Cowtan & Tout, 212/647-6900, cowtan.com.
Chest; pitchers: owner's collection.
Wall paint ("Manchester Tan" #HC-81): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Designer Julie Hovnanian took color cues from the richly patterned antique rug to create a warm setting in the master bedroom. At the foot of the custom bed is a Pearce Upholstery bench covered in Cowtan & Tout velvet. Barclay Butera bedside lamps pick up the colors of Joanne's antique flow-blue plates.
Bed (custom); nightstands; area rugs (antique); linens (antique): owner's collection.
Pillows and ottoman fabric ("Ming'' velvet): discontinued.
Lamps: Barclay Butera, 310/223-1500, barclaybuterahome.com.
Ottoman (custom): Pearce Upholstery, 949/548-1065, pearceupholstery.com.
Brown throw: Bloomingdales, 949/729-6600, bloomingdales.com.
Black boxes (antique): owner's collection.
Roman shade fabric (white linen): Rogers & Goffigon, 203/532-8068.
Wall and ceiling paint ("Gray Owl" #2137-60): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Mercury-glass vases are arranged on a marble-topped antique table in the master bath. The bath features a marble-walled shower with a glass door and his-and-her vanities in wood-trimmed niches.
Cabinet fabrication: Mike Miller, Woodsmans Cabinetry, 949/830-6525.
Countertops (marble): Concept Studio, 949/759-0606, conceptstudioinc.com.
Flooring: Richard Marshall Fine Flooring, 800/689-5981, oldeboards.com.
Towels: Bloomingdales, 949/729-6600.
Monogramming on towels: The Monogram Store, 949/642-2119.
Mercury glass vases (antique); round table (antique): owner's collection.
Paint ("Gray Owl" #2137-60); green paint ("October Mist" #1495): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
A chandelier with red crystals hangs above the Waterworks tub. The textured-glass window provides light and privacy.
Tub: Waterworks, 800/899-6757, waterworks.com.
Round marble-topped table (antique); chandelier (antique): owner's collection.
Flooring: Richard Marshall Fine Flooring, 800/689-5981, oldeboards.com.
Area rug: Aga John Oriental Rugs, 310/657-0890, agajohncarpets.com.
This lively kids' bedroom has dual twin beds, a storage armoire (not shown) and a jack-and-jill bath connecting to a nursery.
Beds (custom): Julie Hovnanian, Hovie Interiors, 949/300-3271.
Drapery, duvets and pillows: Schumacher, 800/523-1200, fschumacher.com.
Drapery fabrication: Frank and Mary's Drapery, 714/241-0446.
Bed-skirt and duvet lining: Ralph Lauren Home, 888/475-7674, ralphlaurenhome.com.
Quilts; table and chairs; night stand: Pottery Barn, 800/922-5507, potterybarn.com. Table lamp (antique): owner's collection.
Ship chandelier: Lyman Drake Antiques, 714/979-2811, lymandrakeantiques.com.
Wallpaper: discontinued.
Woven shades ("Shirlanka"/Dusk): Installations One, 949/472-2264.
Flooring: Karastan, 800/234-1120. karastan.com.
French doors: custom.
Photo framing: Art and Frame Express, 949/642-7570.
Glass bottles grouped on a guest room mantel are topped with stoppers handcrafted by welding together stones and shells.
This fun shell bath serves as a secondary bath, and is located conveniently off the foyer and near a side entrance and laundry area. It's the perfect place to wash up after hanging out at the boat or beach.
Sink; faucets; lighting: Waterworks, 800/899-6757, waterworks.com.
Shell mirror: owner's collection.
Tile (custom); flooring (custom): Concept Studio, 949/759-0606. conceptstudioinc.com.
Towels: Bloomingdales, 949/729-6600.
Monogramming on towels: The Monogram Store, 949/642-2119.
Woven shades ("Shirlanka"/Dusk): Installations One, 949/472-2264.
Green paint ("Beach Glass" #1564): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
A Perennials fabric awning shades the house and patio.
Outdoor fabric: Perennials Fabrics, 888/322-4773, perennialsfabrics.com.
Joanne and granddaughter Charlotte, 3, enjoy the sun on a Lloyd Flanders chaise covered in Perennials fabric.
Deck furniture: Lloyd Flanders, 800/526-9894, lloydflanders.com.
Outdoor fabric: Perennials Fabrics, 888/322-4773, perennialsfabrics.com.
Deck umbrellas and containers: Bradley Allen, Fleur Jardin, 949/650-6344.


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Miele Complete C3 Kona Vacuum
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- Summary
The Miele Kona canister vacuum features an extra-wide brush head powered by its own motor for impressive cleaning performance, making it an ideal choice for larger spaces and medium- to deep-pile carpets. A five-level height adjustment handles the full range of floor types throughout your home. Use the separate parquet floor brush to clean tile and wood with extra care.
- Recommended for smooth surfaces, medium- to deep-pile carpets and area rugs.
- Low-noise, 1200-watt Miele-made Vortex Motor for powerful performance and superior dust intake.
- Easy suction control via six power settings, with plus/minus step-down pedals for fine-tuning suction.
- Power-driven 14"-wide electronic brush head for thorough cleaning, with swivel neck and five-level height adjustment.
- Parquet floor brush for smooth surfaces has a low profile and 90-degree rotation for reaching tight spaces and under furniture.
- Deluxe ergonomic handle with brush head controls.
- 36-foot cleaning radius.
- Lightweight skeleton construction (2 lb. lighter than previous models).
- HEPA filtration keeps ambient air clean.
- Additional dust bags and replacement filters are sold separately.
- Use with the Miele Active HEPA AirClean Filter, SFHA50.
- Electro Plus brush head (SEB 228).
- Parquet Twister floor tool.
- Integrated upholstery nozzle, crevice tool and dusting brush.
- 1 Miele AirClean Type-G/N dust bag.
- Miele Active HEPA filter Ah50–S4/S5.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 23' cord with retractor.
- Telescoping wand.
- 4 3/4-qt.-cap. dust bag.
- This product is intended for use in the United States and Canada and is built to United States electrical standards.
- Made in Germany.
- Model number S 8390.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
This item will be shipped directly from the manufacturer and is not eligible for rush shipping. Please allow one to two weeks for delivery.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
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.
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.
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Miele Active HEPA AirClean SFHA50
HEPA Filter
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Miele AirClean 3D Efficiency Dustbags, Type GN
Filter Bags
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Rated 5 out of 5 by Bethdh from The floors are finally clean! I have some carpet so I needed to get the model that had the carpet brush. And is that tool a workhorse! I can hear the tiniest particles of dirt going up the hose when I vacuum, almost like sand! I don't even need it on the highest suction to get the floor clean. I'm so happy with my new vacuum! Wood floors and tile floors are a breeze with the hard floors brush. It swivels so easy and I love that the brush is wide and I get the floors done very quickly. I also love that all the attachments come along with you as you vacuum. I vacuum my couches and curtains now that I can adjust the suction to very light so I don't suck up the whole curtain panel! I can't think of anything I don't like about it. Even the bag lasts a while and I'm vacuuming a house for a family of 6! I use it just about every day!Date published: 2016-12-02Rated 5 out of 5 by Crisaul1972 from Worth Every Dollar! After years and countless vacuums of lesser quality I decided to go ahead and buy a Miele product. This is hopefully the last one I'll ever need. The quality of the product is noticed immediately, every piece of this machine is made in Germany, it's easy to use, quiet and most of all...POWERFUL! Maybe too powerful, what I have noticed is that even on the mid range of settings, my smaller area rugs get caught by the large brush head and stops the machine, it's easy to reset, but all other rugs should be fine. All accessories are handy and have a purpose. I'll be investing in the "pet turbo brush" as I have two dogs.Date published: 2016-01-14Rated 5 out of 5 by JR212 from Great Vacuum! I have owned the Miele Kona model for several years and it's always worked perfectly and been very reliable. It does an amazing job of cleaning all floor types and the motor is very powerful. This top of the line S8 canister series comes in several different versions, they are various colors depending on the model name. However, they are all using the same motor and have the exact same adjustable power settings. This allows for much lower suction on delicate surfaces and higher settings are available for carpets or hardwood floors. These are very well made and run much quieter than any other high end vacuum I have used. They are also easy to maintain, because when it's time to change the bag it has a built-in seal cover to keep all the dust contained - not sending it back into the air. In fact, there's no trace of dirt inside or outside of this vacuum! Highly recommend getting a Miele!Date published: 2014-11-30

subset: commoncrawl


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Courtesy Jason Erickson/WAC
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference has awarded Mesa, Ariz. the WAC Baseball Tournament for the 2014 season, WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd announced on Friday. The event will be played at the Chicago Cubs new Spring Training complex in Mesa which is scheduled to be completed in December, 2013. Visit Mesa, the destination marketing organization for the city, worked to secure the event which will feature the WAC's top six baseball teams in May.
"We are thrilled to have WAC baseball back in the City of Mesa," said WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd. "Our student-athletes will be able to showcase their talents at Major League Baseball's newest spring training stadium. The City of Mesa and the new spring training home of the Chicago Cubs will create a great tournament environment for our fans and student-athletes."
In May of 2014, the City of Mesa will host the double-elimination tournament with the winner earning the WAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The top six teams from the WAC's regular season standings will advance to the tournament. The WAC's baseball league is comprised of 10 teams, including Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, North Dakota, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Seattle U, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley.
The WAC Baseball Tournament is no stranger to the state of Arizona and the City of Mesa. The league's championship has been played in Arizona 12 times (1963, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 76, 78, 2010, 11, 12) and the event was held in Mesa in 1971, 1973, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
"Youth and amateur sports is a vital visitor market for Mesa, given our world-class facilities and the ability of our seasoned hospitality community to service this unique market segment," said Visit Mesa President & CEO Marc Garcia. "WAC Baseball is one of our signature events that has helped solidify Mesa's position as a premier sports event destination."
Mesa, located in Maricopa County, is one of the nation's fastest-growing cities. Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona and the nation's 38th-largest city. The City provides the advantages of a thriving metropolis while maintaining the feel of a suburban environment. Just 15 miles east of Phoenix, Mesa covers 132 square miles. With dynamic recreational, educational and business environments, Mesa enjoys the best in a variety of amenities including parks within easy walking distance from home, a variety of sports facilities that cater to athletes young and old, highly rated golf courses for every skill level, and a diversity of special events and community festivals.
"The City of Mesa and the WAC Baseball Tournament have a long history dating back to the 1970s and it is exciting that the connection will be back in 2014," Mayor Scott Smith said. "As Mesa begins a new chapter in its baseball history with the opening of the new stadium, we look forward to showcasing our city and the new facility with a premier championship event."
The $99 million new winter home of the Chicago Cubs is major league baseball's newest stat-of-the-art spring training venue. The stadium will feature a 15,000 seat ballpark reminiscent of historic Wrigley Field; a state-of-the-art team clubhouse facility; a cluster of top-notch baseball practice fields; pristine youth soccer fields and a sparkling public lake that will boast an exciting new design. The grass berm, a signature feature of Arizona's spring training ballparks, starts high in right field and slopes down slightly as it makes its way to the left field corner. The dugouts are outlined and so are the bullpens. The wall behind home plate will feature a brick inlay reminding fans of the team's historic Wrigley Field in the Windy City.
"We're happy WAC Baseball will be competing at our new world-class, state of the art facility," said Justin Piper, general manager, Mesa Spring Training Operations. "When we complete our new ballpark and training facility we look forward to hosting many more sporting and recreational events from across the region."
WAC baseball has a strong tradition of national success as the league owns seven national championships. The WAC has been represented at the College World Series 22 times.


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As a young guitarist, I learned how to play by listening to my favorite songs and figuring out the riffs. As a young graphic designer, I figured out techniques by recreating ads and absorbing the principles of layout. I sought out the occasional tutorial and picked up things along the way, but a large part of what came to be my creative expression has it roots in studying and emulating the work of others.
That's the approach I took recently with my growing photomontage fascination. Over the past few years I've been making photomontages with my iPhone and image editing apps like Photoforge2 and Dynamic Light. It's been particularly rewarding when developing pieces along the lines of my favorite artists, one of which is the great Jerry Uelsmann.
So I was looking through one of my printed Uelsmann books for inspiration and came across this image:
I then decided to make it a weekend project to emulate the image in an attempt to gain experience and get closer to the techniques involved. Of course, apps and and iPhone are no darkroom and enlargers, but some fundamental composition principles carry over, as I discovered in creating my own version:
This consists of a view of the sky from downtown Winston-Salem, about 14 stories up; a house from Old Salem, (historical area of my city); my own hands, and my flannel-shirt-wearing self at sunset.I had some help on the portrait and hands shots with the CameraSharp app's timer, along with a tripod.
I can say that it was at once freeing and challenging to work toward a specific vision, bringing these elements together. I make no claim to total originality here, since the idea is obviously Uelsmann's, but I'm satisfied with how it turned out. I may yet use the elements in future compositions, and I will probably revisit the challenge again one day of emulating and learning from the masters.
What do you think? Have you ever created art after something or someone that's inspired you? Do any other examples of this come to mind? Let us hear from you in the comments.
Related articles
- Jerry Uelsmann: The legend, the man, the artist. (35mmphotographylover.wordpress.com)
- jerry uelsmann (emiliachiappetta.wordpress.com)
- Ansel Adams and Photography Before Photoshop (whitherthebook.wordpress.com)
- Memories: Acknowledging the Source of your Inspirations (ambperspectivesblog.wordpress.com)


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Alcatel-Lucent's Optical Margins Don't Impress
Craig Matsumoto, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading
One side effect of Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) getting that $2.1 billion credit facility Friday is that the world got to study the financials of AlcaLu's separate segments.
The company doesn't typically report the individual margins for each segment. But the numbers are available in presentations AlcaLu prepared for its new creditors, Goldman Sachs & Co. and Credit Suisse . (See Alcatel-Lucent Secures €1.6B Lifeline.)
You can find the PDF presentations on AlcaLu's website. And they contain a couple of interesting details.
Specifically: "We didn't realize that Alcatel-Lucent's [optical] margins were this bad," writes analyst George Notter of Jefferies & Company Inc. , in a note issued Monday morning.
It's no shock that the optical business's margins are lower than those of, say, the IP business.
But AlcaLu's gross margins of 17 percent for terrestrial optics and 29 percent for submarine optics are what caught Notter's eye. Infinera Corp. (Nasdaq: INFN) and Ciena Corp. (NYSE: CIEN) made gross margins of 39 percent and 42.7 percent, respectively, in their most recent earnings reports, and neither one was profitable. "We're therefore assuming that Alcatel-Lucent's Optical division is operating at deeply negative profit margins," Notter writes.
Here's how the margins tally up:
Table 1:
|Gross Margins
|IP (i.e., routers)
|Optical (Terrestrial)
|Optical (Submarine)
|Wireline (i.e., PON/DSL)
|Network Applications
|Source: Alcatel-Lucent
— Craig Matsumoto, Managing Editor, Light Reading


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Anaheim California Hotels and Vacations
Book a vacation package to Anaheim for quality fun and imaginative entertainment.
Book a vacation package to Anaheim for quality fun and imaginative entertainment.
Packed with theme parks, historic sites and amazing attractions, Anaheim is Southern California's answer to family fun and adventure. Home of the iconic House of Blues and The Grove, the city's live concert venue, the city comes alive with countless things to do, from visiting the world-famous Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks to watching the Anaheim Ducks take the ice.
Framed by palm trees and packed with added amenities, it's easy to find vacation packages and hotel deals to fit your needs. Within walking distance of many area attractions and landmarks, Anaheim vacations are packed with a great mix of adventure and leisure.
With four convenient airports to choose from, planning a fantastic Anaheim vacation package is easily within reach. Flights arrive at Los Angeles International Airport, Long Beach Airport, LA/Ontario International Airport, and nearby John Wayne Airport. Hot and dry in the summer, the weather stays mostly comfortable the rest of the year.


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Lumocolor Correction Pen
by Staedtler
The Lumocolor Correction Pen makes the correction of OHP films and transparencies a breeze. With its 1/8 in. angled and chiseled head, the pen allows the correction of both broad lines and fine markings.
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Average User Rating: Based on (1 Review)
Wendy O. from Tampa , FL says:
This pen is incredible!! Removes permanent ink- even sharpie from films and tracing paper with out a trace of ghosting! Use with a standard plastic eraser for best results.
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"They are our pets. We domesticate them. We bring them into our lives and make them dependent on us for
food, shelter, medical care, and love. In return, they enrich our lives in so many ways. Yet somehow, when disaster stiikes
they often seem to fall between the cracks. This is not to say that human life is not more important, yet it seems as though
a system ought to exist for them in times of disaster as it does for us. Often left behind in the urgency of the moment,
like very small children they are at a loss to understand just why this is happening to them. Every underpinning in their
life is suddenly gone. The people around which their lives revolved have vanished. Their homes as they have known them have
disappeared. They are lost, alone, afraid, and often hungry, thirsty, and in pain. Somehow a system must exist for them as it
does for us."
- Cat Fanciers' Almanac, December 1994
The CFA Disaster Relief Committee has undertaken the task to create such a system. In August 1992 when
Hurricane Andrew slammed into heavily populated areas of southern Florida, in July 1994 when horrendous flooding took over
the southeastern United States, and in January 1995 when the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake caused massive destruction in Japan -
CFA offered support teams for rescue workers, and disaster relief aid for animals left homeless and injured in these natural
The lesson to be learned is to plan ahead. With Hurricane Fran (August/96) heading on a collision course
with the southeastern United States, and with Tropical Storm Gustav coming across the Atlantic right on the heels of
Hurricanes Eduoard and Fran, necessary planning for evacuation for yourself and your pets must be a priority. With the
up-to-the minute course tracking of such occurences able to give us a high probability of where such a storm may reach
land, we are fortunate that we have time to plan a rescue mission should one be needed, and have it ready for execution if
one is required. CFA's disaster rescue network is quite extensive. In an impending disaster such as a hurricane, plan are
made for shelters to be set up to receive animals whose owners must evacuate - animals are not allowed in "people shelters".
If help is indeed needed, we will set up auxiliary shelters for animals to handle these evacuees, and those pets we are able
to successfully rescue afterwards.
Pet owners must do their part to help in disasters by being prepared to be able to evacuate their homes,
with their pets, at a moment's notice should it ever become necessary. Plan your course of action and evacuation strategy NOW!
Be prepared to take your animals with you when you evacuate. Statistics show that over 90% of animals left behind to fend for
themselves do not survive. Cat owners should have on hand enough pet carriers to evacuate your pets. In the event that you
don't have a sufficient number of carriers, pillowcases with rope through the end to tie them make great emergency evacuation
carriers for cats. Have a supply available to use at a moment's notice. The cat bag evacsack is the perfect carrier to have on
hand and use in an emergency situation. If you live on the coast and a hurricane threatens, call friends inland and make plans
for them to take in you and your pets should you have to evacuate. Better still, have a permanent understanding with your
friends that you will arrive on their doorstep should you ever have to evacuate. Most of all, be prepared at all times!
Get Meow Power and Subscribe to Cat Talk, the CFA's bi-monthly, print magazine that captures the many voices of the Cat Fanciers' Association.
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UPDATED: 12:15 p.m. EDT
The accused Aurora gunman reportedly spat at jail officers so often that he was forced to wear a spit guard at one point.
Holmes' bizarre habit is just one of several that he has displayed since his arrest for the shooting rampage during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in a Colorado movie theater that killed 12 and wounded 58 last Friday.
(PHOTOS: Batman Movie Theater Shooting in Aurora, Colorado)
In the hours after his arrest Friday for the massacre at the Aurora, Colo., movie theater, Holmes stared at the wall in the Arapahoe Police Headquarters with his eyebrows twitching.
Then, Holmes allegedly told police he was Batman's villain the Joker. When cops put evidence bags over his hands to preserve traces of gunpowder residue, he pretended the bags were puppets, law enforcement sources told ABC News affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver.
The public got its first glimpse into his behavior during his court appearance Monday, where he looked alternately dazed and bug-eyed while occasionally nodding with his eyes appearing to close. Holmes is unmissable, currently sporting a head of bright-orange dyed hair — which he reportedly told authorities he dyed to look like the Joker villain in Batman films, even though the Joker's hair is typically green.
And now, Arapahoe County Jail officers told ABC News that Holmes spits at them so much that they have to use a spit guard on Holmes while moving him. These antics are just the latest in findings that contradict the initial profile of him as an unassuming former graduate student.
Marissa Randazzo, former chief research psychologist for the U.S. Secret Service and an expert in mass shootings, told Good Morning America today that there are several possible explanations for Holmes' recent behaviors. "One is that he is in the middle of a psychotic episode which is quite possible. We see him distracted at multiple points, an almost sort of 'coming to' and trying to figure out where he is and process what's going on," she said.
"The other thing that we're seeing — and we've seen some of this behavior in the past couple months — might suggest mania. Meaning hyperactivity, hyper energy, been possibly up and not sleeping for days. What we might be seeing here is the post effects." Randazzo said a third possibility is that Holmes, a former neuroscience student, is faking mental symptoms he likely learned during his studies.
UPDATE: Looks like Holmes' actions are just as mysterious as the man himself. ABC's Denver affiliate now disputes the spitting reports and states that Holmes has maintained his low-key demeanor since incarceration.
"[C]ontrary to what some media organizations have reported, our sources say in the past 48-hours Holmes has been calm and docile in jail, just like he was in court," CALL7 Investigator John Ferrugia says. "There have been no outbursts at all as he is in isolation."
MORE: Alleged Colorado Movie-Theater Shooter Makes First Court Appearance


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About Oblong PicturesThe Oblong Pictures film library has been specially created to offer a wide range of viewing experiences to delight and amaze all age groups. As long as you like LEGO. A fairly low delight/amazement threshold will probably help as well. Oblong Pictures is actually just me, Chris Salt. I make stop motion LEGO animation. Occasionally, I make something different. Mostly it's just LEGO though.
Other information
Oblong Pictures elsewhere
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Still haven't found what you're looking for?
pirate Archive
The Dane Cook Karma ExplosionI don't hate Dane Cook but I wouldn't necessarily be sad if an elephant fell on his head.


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Wendy's Shabbat
Season 31 Episode 20 | 9m 12s
Friends usher in the Sabbath—called by its Hebrew name Shabbat—by candlelight, with challah bread and grape juice to complement their chicken nuggets and fries. Shabbat is typically observed at home with family, but here these seniors share in the celebration at a fast-food Wendy's. Wendy's Shabbat is a story of rediscovering the joys of community in older age, however unorthodox it may appear.
Aired: 03/06/19
Expires: 03/17/23Video has closed captioning.
Problems Playing Video?
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Bertha Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts, with special support from The Fledgling Fund.


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What are you looking for?
Cure your craving in Five Points, where you will find cozy sandwich shops, fine dining restaurants and everything in-between. Whether you are dressed up or dressed down, Five Points has a spot that fits you and your wallet. When the sun goes down, you'll find an array of nightlife, lounges and live music not found anywhere else in the city.
Blue Cactus Café
2002 Greene Street
(803) 929-0782
Korean and Southwestern fare. World famous and arrogantly slow.


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Ищете хостел, недорогую гостиницу, квартиру, комнату, ночлег и завтрак, пансион или гостевой дом - Москва? Нет необходимости искать дальше, все лучшие предложения - Москва на ru.Dorms.com. Как и тысячи людей каждый месяц, зарезервируйте ваше проживание в хостеле заранее, безопасно и по самой выгодной цене во всех районах Москва: в центре города, модных и студенческих районах, недалеко от автобусной станции, метро, железнодорожной станции, аэропорта или недалеко от всех достопримечательностей - Москва.
The hostel has really great surrounding: - large botanic garden (331 Ha); - fishing docks; - horse ridings; - a lot of exhibitions of VDNKh; - amusement park; - a lot of cafes and restaraunts; - bicycle and roller blades stations; - the largest in Russia openair rink (but only from december till april).
The hostel is located in the center of Moscow. Within walking distance from the metro 3 minutes. Located in a historic building. Red square is 10 minutes away by metro. International House of Music and Moscow river's embankment are a 10-minute walk from the hotel. International Airport by Aeroexpress in 35 minutes Yevropeysky Shopping Centre with various shops, cafes and restaurants is located a 2-minute walk from the property. Moscow City business area is a 10-minute metro ride away.
Hostel located in the center of Moscow with many cafes, bars, pubs and supermarkets in the walking distance. The Clean Ponds (Russian: Chistye Prudy) area nearby provides quiet, beautiful corners of the nature where you can have a nice walk in the summer or have fun at the skating ring in the winter. Red Square is 2 km away, while Lenin Mausoleum is 2 km. Basmanny is a great choice for travellers interested in trail walking, street musicians and street food.
When you go through the arch in our courtyard, you can see a breathtaking view of Moscow. Atrium a famous shopping mall and entertainment centre with multiple cinemas, restaurants, supermarkets and international shops, is located right in front of the hostel. We have comfortable colourful rooms that are suitable for short-term as well as long-term stay. Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports are a 35-40 mins Aeroexpress ride away from Belorusskaya, Paveletskaya and Kievskaya railway St.
Our great location in Moscow city centre allows guests to enjoy the best sightseeing spots of Moscow within walking distance! Moscow Zoo, Barrikadnaya Metro Station, Belorusskaya Metro Station, Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station & Belorussky Train Station are all under 1 km away. The busy and popular Arbat Street area is only 2 km away Red Square, The Kremlin, Bolshoi Theatre, The Olympic Stadium & The State Historical Museum are 3 km away. Supermarket, shops, cafes & eating places all close by
BRO Hostel offers accommodation in Moscow, a 7-minute walk of Sretensky Bulvar, Turgenevskaya and Chistye Prudy Metro Stations. Krasnye Vorota Metro Station is also a 3-minute walk from the hostel. Kazansky, Leningradsky and Yaroslavsky Train Stations are a 15-minute walk away. The nearest airport is Sheremetyevo International Airport, 31 km from BRO Hostel.
There are a lot of cafes, minimarkets, shopping centers, offices of banks around the hostel.
Near metro station Prospect Mira «Monica» hostel is located in Meshchansky district of Moscow, only 500 m away from the Olympic stadium, 2.9 km from the Bolshoi Theatre, 3.4 km from the State Historical Museum and 3.5 km from GUM (department store). Near metro station Prospect Mira Kremlin and Red Square are about 3.5 km from the hostel Meshchansky is a great choice for travelers interested in culture, history and museums.


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Phillies and infielder Yuniesky Betancourt have agreed to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major league spring training.
The 30-year-old Betancourt hit .228 with 14 doubles, seven home runs and 36 RBIs in 57 games with Kansas City last season. He played 46 games at second base, eight at third base and one at shortstop.
Betancourt has a .266 average with 203 doubles, 28 triples, 67 homers and 411s RBI in eight seasons with Seattle, Kansas City and Milwaukee.


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Have a Baby Shower Party to plan, maybe it's your own or your sister or best friend, whoever the baby shower party is for you want it to be a fun and Unique occasion that will be remembered with fondness for many years to come. There is no more of an exciting time in one's life than the impending arrival of a baby so you want to make sure you get the Baby Shower Party Right, and that is where One Stop Kids party Shop comes to the rescue!
If you know the impending baby to be is going to be a little girl then one of the gorgeous themes you may choose to go with is our pink umbrella Elephants party range. This is One Stop's Top Selling Baby Shower Party Range to date.
The baby pink umbrella elephants baby shower theme includes beautiful Invitations that come in packs of 8 with co ordinating envelopes, hanging decorations, table decorations, tablecover, napkins of various sizes, plates of various sizes and matching balloons that are helium quality. We also suggest you check out our solid colour party supplies in pink as you can mix and match solid pink party supplies with the Umbrella Elephants Party Range.
And of course at One Stop Kids Party Shop we have your baby shower party games covered. We have the popular "Don't say Baby" Baby shower party game which always gets your guest warmed up and interacting with one another. We also have Stick the pacifier on the baby which is a baby shower take on pin the tail on the donkey, baby shower bingo, baby shower find a word, "My waters just Broke", Guessing games such as our huge baby shower bottle banks (that can be filled with jelly beans and you can get the guest's to guess how many jelly beans are in the bottle, whoever wins takes home the bottle!) and Guess the size of mum's to be tummy. They are One Stop Kids Party Shop main baby shower party games however we have other baby shower games on offer through out the year.
At One Stop Kids Party Shop we also have your baby shower party favours covered and your baby shower favour/goody bags which are a must for a modern day baby shower party. We have little newborn babies that can be used to decorate the baby shower party tables, we have little picks that say "It's a boy" or "It's a girl that can spice up your presentation of the baby shower party food. We have little or large fillable bottles that can be used as take home favours or baby shower party game prizes. We also have little fillable booties in blue, pink or clear, along with fillable baby shower carriages which all make fantastic decorations or take home baby shower favours. We also have the cute baby shower blocks that say girl or boy and throughout the year we add a lot of new baby shower decorations and favours as they come in. We are also able to order in products for our customers as we have a wide range of Australian party Suppliers on hand.
So if you are organising a baby shower party you must simply try out One Stop Kids Party Shop. We are a family run business, run by two sisters who are both mums. We provide friendly fast and helpful service so please visit us at www.onestopkidspartyshop.com.au


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Menhaden General Assembly Positions
We are asking everyone to contact their representative in both the House and Senate and ask if they support menhaden conservation in the Chesapeake Bay. Please go to this website to find out who your representatives are: https://www.virginia.gov/services/whos-my-legislator/
Then ask at a minimum the following questions and report back a summary of your conversation in the appropriate section below.
- Are you aware that a single foreign owned company in Reedville, VA is taking large numbers of menhaden from the Chesapeake Bay?
- Are you aware this company is over the bay quota set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)?
- Would you support a bill to move management from the GA to VMRC who manages every other saltwater fish in Virginia?
- Would you be willing to contact other Senators / Delegates to gather support for this bill?
- Do you consent to this conversation being summarized on the open web for voters to see?
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Robert S. Bloxom Jr.By John Bello0 Answers · 61 ViewsLast post: 3 months ago · John Bello
Philip Hernandez (Known supporter for menhaden reform)By Wm Dunn0 Answers · 47 ViewsLast post: 3 months ago · Wm Dunn
Robert Bloxom (Known supporter of Omega Protein)By Wm Dunn0 Answers · 44 ViewsLast post: 3 months ago · Wm Dunn


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Why is Tiger Woods' golf clothing so important? Who would have ever thought that golf clothing could be fashion forward? A few years ago, golf clothing consisted of plaid pants and mismatched shirts. With Tiger Woods and the young guns entering the sport, all this has changed.
Aside from the red, Tiger Woods has become a fashion statement in the world of golf and fans are intrigued by everything Woods; his golf equipment, clothing style, shoes and accessories make Tiger Woods a walking GQ model for golf and for the fashion industry.
To be sure, Tiger Woods' win number seventy-five at Torrey Pines is significant; he is second in overall wins to only the great Sam Snead and this win this could very well be the return of a 'raring-to-go' Tiger 2.0, ready to break records again and renew the faith of his fans.
With the 2013 Masters Tournament comes much speculation as to who will win at Augusta (yes, it's starting now!) and, even though we don't have odds (Tiger as favorite?), at least we will have the inside scoop as to what Tiger Woods will be wearing each day of the event.
Owner of OnlyGolfApparel.com, Doug Janchik, gave Golf for Beginners the 'heads-up' on Tiger Woods' Masters Collection and yes, you too can look GQ like Woods!
Thanks to Guest Golf Blogger, Doug Janchik:
Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook.


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What's new?
You may subscribe to the news notification by email here.
14 February 2019
We are pleased to announce the release of version v2.1 of eChemPortal has been deployed on 4th of February 2019.
This new version includes improvements of the navigation, the download of the property results fixed and download of all the classification and labelling results.
New video tutorial: how to find GHS information in eChemPortal
18 December 2018
This video tutorial explains how to find GHS information in eChemPortal through the substance search and how to search by GHS classification. Currently 11 databases provide GHS information, independent of whether the classifications have undergone a review by a regulatory body or intergovernmental organisation or are based on self-classifications by the producers or importers. In addition, two data sources have submitted structured GHS information that can directly be searched upon.
The eChemPortal v2.0 aligned to the OECD Harmonised Templates and GHS
31 October 2018
The OECD is pleased to announce the eChemPortal v2.0 has been released! This new version includes changes to align to the OECD Harmonised Templates version Nov. 2017 and the GHS Rev.5 (2015) & GHS Rev.7 (2017).
What will this change for you?
You will be able to perform your property searches using the same fields as in the most recent OECD Harmonised Templates, equivalent to IUCLID 6.2. Likewise, the classification and labelling search increases alignment with the latest GHS classification revisions.
Some information is temporarily unavailable in the Property results download
15 May 2018
Due to performance issues, endpoint results values have been temporarily removed from the EXCEL and CVS exports of the search by Property results. Direct links to the result values in the local database are still available.
The NICNAS Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritisation (IMAP) database is now linked to eChemPortal
20 November 2017
NICNAS established the Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritisation (IMAP) framework to accelerate the assessment of chemicals on the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS).
IMAP is a scientific and risk-based model for assessing chemicals with three tiers of assessment. The assessment effort increases with each tier. A decision is made at the end of each assessment tier if the next tier of assessment is required to determine risk.
Search performance improved
28 September 2017
New search engines have been implemented to increase the speed of retrieval of results.
OECD SIDS IUCLID temporarily down.
11 September 2017
Links to the websites of the following participants are temporarily down:
- Substances in Preparations In the Nordic countries (SPIN) (now fixed)
- OECD Existing Chemicals Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS) Database (OECD SIDS IUCLID)
Every effort is undertaken to make them accessible again soon.
The Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring database is now linked to eChemPortal
24 July 2017
IPCheM is a single access point for locating and accessing chemical monitoring data across all media in the European Union. Operated by the European Commission in collaboration with some European Union Agencies, it is developed to address the lack of information on the chemical exposure and burden on the humans and the environment, recognised as the major gap in the knowledge base for chemical policies in several policy documents in the past 15 years.
ECHA CHEM and ACToR temporarily down (now fixed)
04 January 2017
ECHA CHEM and ACToR are temporarily down but will be made accessible as soon as possible.
The German database Informationsystem für gefärliche Stoffe IGS is now linked to eChemPortal
27 May 2016
IGS provides public access to a variety of information on chemical and microbiological substances mostly in German. The focus is on regulatory information reflecting German and European, as well as Swiss, US and selected other legislation and assessments. Besides this, information on substance data and emergency procedures is available.
The Chemical Hazards Database of the European Food Safety Authority is now linked to eChemPortal
20 April 2016
The Chemical Hazards Database of the European Food Safety Authority is now linked to eChemPortal.org. This database links to all EFSA's publications dealing with risk assessments of chemicals in food and feed since its creation in 2002. These include all Scientific Opinions, statements and EFSA's conclusion on pesticides performed by its Scientific Panels, the Scientific Committee and units.
Launch of the new search by GHS classification in eChemPortal
12 June 2015
Users can now search by GHS classification in eChemPortal, for an individual chemical, and view GHS classifications which have undergone a review by a regulatory body or intergovernmental organisation. The C&L inventory of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the GHS Classification Results by the Japanese Government are the first searchable data sources in eChemPortal.
ESIS and OECD SIDS temporarily down
17 November 2014
ESIS has been closed down due to the fact that the databases used via ESIS have been taken over by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
OECD SIDS is temporarily down but will be made accessible as soon as possible.
The Joint Substance Data Pool of the German Federal Government and the German Federal State's (GSBL) is now linked to eChemPortal
18 August 2014
The Joint Substance Data Pool of the German Federal Government and Federal States (GSBL) is now linked to eChemPortal. It provides reliable, topical chemicals information in support of all activities to prevent and avert danger and to protect humans and the environment. GSBL represents a wide range of features of chemical substances. Records contain information on physical and chemical properties, on ecotoxicological and toxicological parameters and on environmental fate. They provide descriptions of environmental hazards, health dangers, fire and other technical hazards and give information on relevant chemicals-related legislation.
20 June 2014
You can now filter searches by substance to results for data sources which contain specific types of information: property information, exposure and use information, or national GHS classifications.
View the new video tutorials on property search and GHS information
05 June 2014
The eChemPortal property search tutorial explains how to perform a property search on a specific chemical in eChemPortal.The eChemPortal GHS classification information search tutorial explains how to find GHS classification information on a specific chemical in eChemPortal.
The INERIS Portail Substances Chimiques is now linked to eChemPortal
18 April 2014
The INERIS Portail Substances Chimiques is a French portal now linked to eChemPortal. It provides data on chemicals in the following areas: identification, regulations, physico-chemical properties, behavior (fate in environment, degradation, accumulation...), ecotoxicity (acute and chronic), toxicity (accidental and chronic) and technico-economic data.
Help us to help you. A new survey is on-line to collect eChemPortal user feedback
21 February 2014
All eChemPortal users are encouraged to respond to the on-line survey. Your answers will help us improve eChemPortal in meeting your needs.
eChemPortal has a new refreshed logo
21 February 2014
The Gefahrstoffdatenbank der Länder is now linked to eChemPortal
12 September 2013
Germany's Gefahrstoffdatenbank der Länder database is now linked to eChemPortal. 102,545 substance records can be searched through the substance search. This includes German hazardous substances legislation as well as other sources reflecting the state of technology and occupational health and safety relating to activities involving hazardous substances. In addition, it contains links to various other German data bases.
The Canadian Categorization Results (CCR) health data can be searched by substance identity
2 September 2013
The Categorization Results from Canada Database containing the categorization results for substances on the Canadian Domestic substance list now contains supporting data on Human health regarding : potential for exposure, previous assessments, simple hazard assessment and complex hazard assessment. Users are now able to find these additional specific endpoint properties through the eChemPortal search by substance identity.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) database of completed chemical reviews now searchable in eChemPortal
21 August 2013
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) database of completed chemical reviews includes (in some cases) detailed risk assessment reports addressing human health and the environment. A review, initiated on new concerns, may lead to the reconsideration of the registration of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in the marketplace if potential risks to safety and performance have been identified.
EPA Human Health Benchmarks for Pesticides (EPA HHBP) now searchable on eChemPortal
15 January 2013
EPA derived the Human health benchmarks for pesticides by applying the health effects data from pesticide registrations to the typical methods used for developing drinking water health advisories. It was developed to enable states, water systems and the public to better determine whether the detection of a pesticide in drinking water or source waters for drinking water may indicate a potential health risk.
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs' Aquatic Life Benchmarks now available on eChemPortal
06 December 2012
The aquatic life benchmarks (for freshwater species) are based on toxicity values reviewed by EPA and used in the Agency's most recent risk assessments developed as part of the decision-making process for pesticide registration. Each Aquatic Life Benchmark is based on the most sensitive, scientifically acceptable toxicity endpoint available for a given taxon of all scientifically acceptable toxicity data available to EPA.
SPIN - Substances in Preparations In the Nordic countries Database is now linked to eChemPortal
09 May 2012
The SPIN database contains information on chemical substances from the Nordic product registers (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). The types of information are :exposure assessments, use patterns, industrial chemicals and volumes. The Nordic SPIN database includes an Exposure Toolbox. The Use Index enables to search for general indicative exposure of human beings and the environment from different chemicals and uses. With the SPIN database, over 25000 records have been added in eChemPortal.
Two additional databases : Combined Exposure and Australian NICNAS Other available on eChemPortal
20 December 2011
The Collection of Case Studies on Risk Assessments of Combined Exposures to Multiple Chemicals (Combined Exposures) can now be searched on eChemPortal. To date, it gathers 5 case studies from the WHO OECD ILSI/HESI International Workshop on Risk Assessment of Combined Exposures to Multiple Chemicals.
The Australian NICNAS Other database contains Hazard assessment reports on existing chemicals other than Priority Existing Chemical assessments.
Schedule of Chemicals Assessments available on eChemPortal
12 December 2011
A new webpage "Schedule of Assessments" has been created on eChemPortal to lead to existing scheduling information of national/regional and international assessments notified to the OECD by OECD member countries and stakeholders. The links are provided with the aim to assist in avoiding duplication across national/regional programmes in the area of chemical assessment.
3,593 J-CHECK endpoints have been added to eChemPortal
10 November 2011
Users of are now able to search on 3,593 specific endpoint properties for chemical substances contained in the Japan CHEmicals Collaborative Knowledge database. J-CHECK is a database developed to provide information regarding the "Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. " (CSCL) by the Japanese authorities.
Today, 657,802 chemicals and 560,920 property endpoints can me searched in eChemPortal.org.
"How-to link to eChemPortal's substance search" new webpage
26 October 2011
A new webpage explaining how-to create links to search directly on eChemPortal has been created to encourage linking back to eChemPortal from other's webpages.
Canadian Categorization Results (CCR) can be searched by chemical property
8 September 2011
Users of eChemPortal are now able to search specific endpoint properties for substances contained in The Ecological Categorization Results from Canada Database. This Database contains the ecological categorization results for substances on the Canadian Domestic substance list and the supporting data on: Inherent toxicity, Persistency and Bioaccumulation.
eChemPortal allows search by Korean names
23 May 2011
Approximately 1600 Korean chemical names have been added to the eChemPortal index of chemical names allowing a search by chemical name in Korean.
1000 additional Chinese names searchable in eChemPortal
23 May 2011
Approximately 1000 Chinese chemical names have been added to the eChemPortal index of chemical names allowing a search by chemical name in Chinese.
Canadian Categorization Results (CCR)
4 April 2011
Direct links to the ecological categorization results for substances on the Canadian Domestic substance list and the supporting data on inherent toxicity, persistency, and bioaccumulation are now available in eChemPortal.
AGRITOX - Base de données sur les substances actives phytopharmaceutiques
9 March 2011
Direct links to AGRITOX containing information on properties of pesticide active substances, including Physical chemical properties, Toxicity, Environmental fate and behavior, Ecotoxicity, References values (ADI, ARfD, AOEL, PNEC), and Classification according to GHS are now available in eChemPortal.
eChemPortal Phase 2 is now live
6 December 2010
Improvements include a search by chemical property in addition to a search by substance name and identification number. Users can select specific search criteria for chemical endpoint properties.
U.S. EPA Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR)
11 August 2010
Direct links to the ACToR system are now available through eChemPortal. ACToR makes links available to more than 400 sources of publicly available data on environmental chemicals. Data includes chemical structure, physico-chemical values, in vitro assay data and in vivo toxicology data. The database contains both tabular, quantitative data as well as links to text reports at other sites.
eChemPortal allows search by Chinese chemical names
7 April 2010
Approximately 1000 Chinese chemical names have been added to the eChemPortal index of chemical names allowing a search by chemical name in Chinese.
Newly participating report collection: The United Kingdom Coordinated Chemicals Risk Management Programme Publications (UK CCRMP Outputs)
29 March 2010
Direct links to Risk Evaluation Reports containing full risk assessment for the environment, including human health hazard assessment, based on all available valid data.
Newly participating report collection: The Result of the GHS Classification by the Japanese Government (GHS-J)
17 March 2010
Direct links to results of the FY2005-2006 GHS classification of approximately 1,500 chemicals by the Japanese government.
Newly participating report collection: United States Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Information System (US EPA IRIS)
12 August 2009
Direct links to reports on specific substances found in the environment and their potential to cause human health effects are now available through eChemPortal.
Newly participating database: Hazardous Substance Data Bank (HSDB) managed by the National Library of Medicine in the United States
12 May 2009
Direct links to information on the toxicology and environmental fate of potentially hazardous chemicals. It contains over 5,000 records with data on human health effects, animal toxicity studies, standards and regulations, chemical/physical properties, pharmacology, emergency medical treatment, safety and handling, environmental exposure, and more.
Newly participating database: The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Substance Registry Services (SRS)
10 April 2009
Direct links to information about regulated and monitored substances are now available through eChemPortal. The system provides a common basis for identification of chemicals in EPA regulations, data systems and from other sources, including basic core metadata, statutory or list information, and links to other sites for additional information.
Newly participating report collection: Canada's Existing Substances Assessment Repository (CESAR)
5 February 2009
Direct links to risk and other regulatory assessment reports on existing chemicals that are produced or imported in Canada or released into the Canadian environment are now available through eChemPortal.
Newly participating database: Japan Existing Chemical Data Base (JECDB)
26 September 2008
Direct links to toxicity test reports from Japan's existing chemicals safety programme are now available through eChemPortal.
Newly participating database: New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Chemical Classification Information Database (HSNO CCID)
8 July 2008
Direct links to chemicals classified by New Zealand's Environmental Risk Management Authority are now available through eChemPortal.
Newly participating database: Finland's Data Bank of Environmental Properties of Chemicals (EnviChem)
23 June 2008
Direct links to data related to the effects, fate and behaviour of chemicals in the environment in a database maintained by Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) are now available through eChemPortal.
Newly participating report collection: Australia's NICNAS
1 October 2007
Direct links to reports on chemicals assessed as Priority Existing Chemicals under Australia's National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) are now available through eChemPortal.
Launch of eChemPortal
13 June 2007
eChemPortal - The Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances is publicly launched on 13 June.
eChemPortal is an internet gateway that provides direct free access to information on the properties of chemicals (physical-chemical properties, environmental fate and behaviour, ecotoxicity, toxicity) as well as to hazard and risk assessments. It allows users to simultaneously search multiple databases, most of which are prepared for government chemical review programmes.
eChemPortal Web Survey
13 June 2007
To ensure the portal is enhanced to meet your needs, we ask that you take a few minutes to complete a web survey to provide your feedback on how best to improve the site.
XML schema for the OECD harmonised templates
May 2007
Now downloadable from the OECD Internet site: XML schema for the OECD harmonised templates for reporting a summary of the results of a test on a chemical to determine its properties or effects on human health and the environment.
The templates are aimed at developers of database systems as they prescribe the formats by which such information can be entered into and maintained in databases. By using these templates, governments and industry will easily be able to electronically exchange test study summary information.


text:
SEATTLE – The Sounders FC went into their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal matchup against Santos Laguna needing a positive result to head into the second leg with an opportunity to win the series.
Unlike their quarterfinal series against Tigres UANL, though, the 1-0 defeat in the first leg at CenturyLink Field was much less desirable in the first leg than the loss by the same score line in Monterrey, Mexico.
"You don't want to lose your home game, but I thought we didn't play that poorly. We did alright," Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. "I thought for the most part we held them at bay, which was good. Now we have to go down there and play pretty much a perfect game, but that's not impossible. It's difficult, but it's not impossible."
The Sounders were left without starting forwards Eddie Johnson and Obafemi Martins because of injury and goalkeeper Michael Gspurning because of suspension. Even David Estrada was out with an injury, leaving head coach Sigi Schmid with some lineup shuffling.
Schmid's lineup did the work to keep Santos within striking distance by holding the volatile side scoreless in the first half, but Santos Laguna would get a second-half goal against the run of play by US National Team forward Herculez Gomez and will go into the second leg on April 9 at Estadio Corona toting a 1-0 lead.
Seattle dominated possession in the early stages of the match and held a distinct advantage when it came to winning duels, but Santos made some adjustments and by the end of the first half, those aspects of the game evened out. Even still, the Sounders were still able to limit Santos to just two shots on goal, both of which were saved without much exertion from goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
On the other end, Evans had two shots in quick succession in the 19th and 20th minutes and Martinez provided flare for Seattle, though he managed just one shot and set up another from Ochoa late in the half.
In the 53rd minute, the Sounders had three consecutive corners and Osvaldo Alonso ultimately had his cracking shot from the top of the box saved by Oswaldo Sanchez.
Santos took possession and turned it the other way with Carlos Quintero shooting a contested shot from the top of the box. Hahnemann blocked the shot from Quintero, but Gomez crashed on the rebound and banged it inside the far post for his ninth Champions League goal and a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute.
"The goal was difficult. It was a misplay from us in the back and we didn't mark up on that side and Herculez buried his opportunity," Schmid said.
In the final 20 minutes, Schmid would bring on two attacking threats in Mauro Rosales and Steve Zakuani, but Santos put the defensive clamps down and Seattle was only able to generate one more scoring chance in the 86th minute when Zach Scott cracked a header off a ball from Rosales on the right side.
After the game Schmid indicated that he was happy with the team's performance under the circumstances and hopes to have Johnson and Martins available for the second leg in Mexico.
"The effort of that group was pretty good," Schmid said. "I think some guys who had opportunities tonight stepped up and played."
The Sounders will have the weekend off from MLS action before heading to Torreon, Mexico for the second leg next week. Any victory that sees the Sounders score more than one goal would put them through to the finals, while a 1-0 win would force overtime. Any other result would put Santos Laguna through to the final.
Sounders FC – None.
Santos Laguna – Herculez Gomez 54.
Sounders FC – None.
Santos Laguna – Juan Pablo Rodriguez (caution) 18.
Sounders FC – Marcus Hahnemann, DeAndre Yedlin, Djimi Traore, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez, Mario Martinez, Brad Evans (Mauro Rosales 72), Osvaldo Alonso, Shalrie Joseph (Andy Rose 72), Alex Caskey (Steve Zakuani 78), Sammy Ochoa.
Santos Laguna – Oswaldo Sanchez, Jorge Estrada, Felipe Baloy, Rafael Figueroa, Osmar Mares, Rodolfo Salinas, Marc Crosas, Juan Pablo Rodriguez, Herculez Gomez, Carlos Quintero (Mario Cardenas 88) and Oribe Peralta
|Sounders FC
|Shots on goal
|Corner Kicks


text:
Lonestar Round Up Number 10
Man, I love this show. I was going to say "I used to" but honestly I still do. All the elements that made it so much fun and so cool are still there, but it may just have become a victim of its own success, as it's grown amazingly in just 10 years, and with that is now attracting some cars that wouldn't have entertained the show, nor it them, a few years ago. Snobby? Maybe, but I'd hate to see the Round Up turn into a fairgrounds type of event.
Of course it's so much more than what happens at the Travis County Expo Center, what with cruising on South Congress Avenue, Saturday night at Austin Speed Shop, the Ski Shores Caf cruise on Sunday morning, and this year, the Sunday afternoon shindig at Mercury Charlie's. But Friday and Saturday at the Expo Center is the core of the event, and to this author, it isn't about billet, white tennis shoes, and lawn chairs. Whitewalls, bias-plies, vintage mags, mini-bike races, and oily jeans speak more to me, personally.
For me, the Round Up is the new "Paso"; cool cars, neat people, and a whole weekend of non-stop activities that makes you want to take a vacation to get over it! Of course Austin itself is a great town with too much to do in a few days, and you can bet I'll be thrashing on one of my cars to drive out there again next year, though I'm going to try not to do it non-stop next time.
There and Back
This job offers the opportunity to attend rod runs nationwide, but usually it's courtesy of an airplane and rental car. Not quite the same as attending in your own hot rod. So for the second time running, the '46 roadster pickup was pressed into service for the 3,000-mile roundtrip to the Round Up. Apart from a speeding ticket, two cautions for a missing taillight, and a brake light switch that bit the dust (thanks to Mark Gustaffson for the use of his shop and tools we got that taken care of before setting off for home), breakdowns were thankfully non-existent this time.
Freelance photographer Tim Sutton was my co-driver this year, and graciously took the wheel for the first seven or eight hours, while I succumbed to sleep deprivation caused by several nights working straight through attempting to get the truck painted before the trip. Switching drivers thereafter at every gas stop (every two-and-a-half hours or so) and driving straight through saw the trip completed just in time to join the Garage Crawl around Austin on the Friday morning. Coming home we made it back to the Pacific Ocean in just over 25 hours. Taking a couple of days might be wiser, but it sure beats catching a plane! (There's nothing wrong with taking a plane, Kev—at least I made the trip! -Ed.)


text: Fastest 0.8ns Memory with Incredible Gaming Enjoyment - 12% Faster than Generic Radeon HD 3850- World´s Fastest 0.8ns memory on board- Exclusive Glaciator Fansink Design Shop Modal header Fastest 0.8ns Memory with Incredible Gaming Enjoyment ASUS Exclusive Innovations ASUS Features 12% Faster than Generic Radeon HD 3850 World's Fastest 0.8ns memory on board Exclusive Glaciator Fansink Design ASUS Splendid: Watching movies on PC is as good as on Top-of-the-line consumer television ASUS Gamer OSD: Real-time overclocking, benchmarking and video capturing in any PC game! ASUS Video Security Online: Keep an eye on your home at all times no matter where you are ASUS Smart Doctor: Your intelligent hardware protection and overclocking tool Graphics GPU Features ATI® Radeon® HD 3850 PCI Express & PCI Express 2.0 support HDMI Output: Built-in multi-channel 5.1 surround audio over DVI-HDMI Adaptor ATI CrossFireX™: Plug-and-play ATI CrossFireX technology with up to quad-GPU support. Microsoft DirectX 10 and Shader Model 4.0 support OpenGL®2.0 support HDCP compliant I/O SpecificationsPCI-Express 2.0HDTV-outDVI * 2D-SubHDMIHDCP compliant


text:
FAMILY HISTORY COMES ALIVE WITH NEW ANCESTRY.COM APP FOR iPHONE, iPAD AND iPOD TOUCH LOADED WITH EXCITING FEATURES
New 'Ancestry.com Mobile' iOS App Gives Users the Ability to Access Billions of Historical Records to Build Their Family Tree
PROVO, UTAH (November 29, 2011) – Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, today announced the availability of a new, upgraded version of its Ancestry.com Mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with features designed to enable more rewarding discoveries as users build, update and share their family trees. The Ancestry.com mobile app, which to-date has been downloaded more than 1.7 million times, is now available for free from the Apple App Store.
This upgrade adds three new features to Ancestry.com's existing family history app:
· "In-app purchasing," which allows non-Ancestry.com subscribers to view, then buy fascinating historical records about their ancestors – such as World War I draft cards, Census records, birth/death certificates, and school yearbook photos, from among billions of historical documents in the Ancestry.com database
· A "Shaky Leaf" hinting feature that employs predictive analytics to suggest possible new connections between a user's family tree and undiscovered documents in the world's largest family history database
· A new merge feature, which automatically identifies and extracts information about family members from historical records so users can quickly and easily update their family tree
"Our goal with the new Ancestry.com mobile app is to enable more people to discover their family history through our billions of historic records, and allow them to share their findings easily with others," said Eric Shoup, Senior Vice President of Product at Ancestry.com. "Our 'Shaky Leaf' hinting feature has resulted in tens of millions of successful family history discoveries online and it's now accessible to our growing mobile user base."
For users new to Ancestry.com, the latest iOS app provides an easy way to get started by giving access to relevant historical documents on the site without a subscription. For existing Ancestry.com members, the new app gives them the ability to grow their tree using Ancestry.com records and share them with others while on-the-go.
The Ancestry.com mobile app offers many of the most popular features available in the online version of Ancestry.com's industry-leading family history website, including the ability to add and edit family information, view and share documents and photos, take and attach photos and create and navigate multi-generational family trees.
To get started, download the free Ancestry.com mobile app to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and either register for a new, or log in to an existing Ancestry.com account and choose a family tree. Ancestry.com subscribers can download family history records in the app free of charge. Non-subscribers pay a special introductory price starting at $0.99 for each record purchased through the Mobile app's "in-app purchase" feature.
About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with approximately 1.7 million paying subscribers. More than 7 billion records have been added to the site in the past 15 years. Ancestry users have created more than 28 million family trees containing over 2.8 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site, Ancestry.com offers localized Web sites designed for nine countries that empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include our continuing ability to provide desired content to users of the App and making the App convenient to use. Information concerning additional factors that could cause events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements is contained under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, and in discussions in other of our Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date and we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements.


text:
Sorry Jon, sometimes it's too late to apologize.
The father of eight showed up to his divorce arbitration on Saturday carrying a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses for his soon to be ex-wife Kate, according to People. But, after months of mud-slinging it seems that Kate would not accept the seemingly romantic gesture -- when she left the court house later that day she was noticeable empty handed.
Regardless of whether or not the couple is any closer to peace, Jon's attorney Mark Heller told the magazine that the session was so "successful and productive" that the second day of arbitration planned for Monday was no longer necessary.
U.S. & World
The arbitrator is set to rule in the next month and "it's possible" that Jon & Kate's divorce could be finalized by the year's end, Heller said.
Both Kate, and her attorney declined to comment.
The supposedly peaceful arbitration comes just days before the final episode of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is set to air on TLC.
In Monday's hour-long show, each parent will go on separate outings with their eight kids, with Dad taking the brood to a fire station near the family home in Wernersville, Pa., and Kate bringing them to a dairy farm.
With Jon's behavior becoming more erratic, the show's producers sought in September to recast the show as "Kate Plus Eight," concentrating on the kids and their mom. Jon Gosselin threatened to sue, and said he was against allowing his kids to be on the show.
"Kate Plus Eight' is not in production," TLC spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg told The Associated Press Thursday. "We are focusing on the launch of Kate's new series in early spring."
She said no details were available on what kind of show it might be, though there has been speculation she could host a talk show.
Monday's show airs at 9 p.m. EST.


text:
Моля, въведете вашето потребителско име за да продължите
All donations will go towards upgrading RukeCraft, at the moment my server needs more memory and a SSD to run more efficiently and to be able to handle a large amount of players. My server currently is running 8GB of RAM I intend on having 16GB of RAM and a SSD for faster responce and no lagg. Thankyou to anybody who contributes towards improving RukeCraft.
0% completed
0 / 300 players online.


text:
The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment
By Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Also available as an audiobook on CD
Buddha demonstrated how to follow a path of inner transformation that leads to the complete eradication of all traces of negativity and confusion from the mind and the attainment of sublime qualities such as universal compassion and wisdom realizing the true nature of all phenomena.
During his life he gave many teachings revealing the practices that lead to this realization of enlightenment. Later, the great Indian Pandit Atisha arranged all these teachings in the order in which they are to be practiced. This special arrangement became known as the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, or Lamrim.
In Joyful Path of Good Fortune, Geshe Kelsang provides a systematic, step-by-step commentary to these teachings rendering them completely accessible to the modern reader.
It is an invaluable compendium of essential Buddhist practices.
"This book is invaluable." — WORLD RELIGION
Buy this book from Tharpa Canada
Buy this book from Tharpa UK (Rest of World)
Making the Most of Our Human Life
When we meditate on the great value and rarity of this precious human life we are doing the analytical meditation that causes us to develop a strong determination not to waste a moment of our human life and to make full use of it by putting Dharma into practice.
When this determination arises clearly in our mind we hold it as our object of placement meditation so that we become more and more accustomed to it.
Although we now have a precious human life with all the freedoms and endowments, we may still find it difficult to practise Dharma purely because we may lack other freedoms such as the time to devote to study and meditation. It is rare to find anyone who has ideal conditions, but the most serious impediment to our spiritual development is our own failure to generate a strong wish to engage in practice.
Je Tsongkhapa said that to develop the wish to take full advantage of this life with all the freedoms and endowments we should meditate on four points:
I need to practise Dharma.
I can practise Dharma.
I must practise Dharma in this life.
I must practise Dharma now.
Before we can develop the wish to practise Dharma we must first recognize the need to practise Dharma. To do this we meditate:
I need to practise Dharma because I want to experience happiness and avoid suffering, and the only perfect method for accomplishing these aims is to practise Dharma. If I do so, I shall eliminate all my own problems and I shall become capable of helping others.
Even though we may understand the need to practise Dharma, we may still think that we are incapable of doing so. To overcome our hesitation and convince ourself that since we have all the necessary conditions we are definitely capable of practising Dharma, we meditate:
I now have a precious human life with all the freedoms and endowments, and I have all the necessary external conditions such as a fully qualified Spiritual Guide. There is no reason why I should be incapable of practising Dharma.
Even though we may understand the need to practise Dharma and may feel capable of doing so, we may still delay, thinking that we shall practise in some future life. To overcome this laziness of procrastination we need to remember that since it will be very difficult for us to gain another precious human life we must practise in this very lifetime.
Even though we may see that we must practise in this very lifetime, we may still feel that our practice can be postponed until our retirement. To overcome our complacency we need to remember that the time of death is most uncertain and so the only time to practise is right now.
In this way we arrive at four strong resolutions:
I will practise Dharma.
I can practise Dharma.
I will practise Dharma in this very lifetime.
I will practise Dharma right now.
These four resolutions are invaluable because they make us generate naturally a spontaneous and continuous wish to take full advantage of our precious human life. This wish is our best Spiritual Guide because it leads us along correct spiritual paths. Without it, no amount of advice or encouragement from others will lead us to practise Dharma.
On one occasion Aryadeva and Ashvaghosa were about to have a debate. Ashvaghosa was standing on the threshold of a room with one foot inside and one foot outside. To test Aryadeva's wisdom he said 'Am I going out or coming in?' Aryadeva replied 'That depends upon your intention. If you want to go out, you will go out. If you want to come in, you will come in.' Ashvaghosa could think of nothing to say to this because what Aryadeva had said was perfectly correct.
© Geshe Kelsang Gyatso & New Kadampa Tradition


text:
Postfix Configuration Howto
This Howto has been written for Debian GNU/Linus distribution
Check you have postfix, libsasl2, libsasl2-modules, openssl packages installed correctly
Most of the files mentioned should already be there and you should be able to edit them easily. If a file does not exist you can create it with the command touch filename for files and mkdir directoryname for directories.
In the following howto USER should be changed in the username of the user you login with on your computer, while firstname.lastname@example.com should be changed in your full A/I mailbox address. PASSWORD should be changed in your mailbox password.
The file you'll need to edit for successfully sending email through A/I servers using postfix are the following ones.
/etc/aliases file
Check it contains the following line
root: USER
If it does not, add it and then run the command:
# postalias /etc/aliases
/etc/postfix/sender_canonical file
Add the following lines:
root email@example.com
Then run:
# postmap /etc/postfix/sender_canonical
/etc/postfix/virtual file
All the mail addresses you download via fetchmail should be pointing at your login user on your computer.
firstname.lastname@example.com USER
... ecc. .... USER
Then run:
# postmap /etc/postfix/virtual
/etc/postfix/sasl_pwd file
Add the following line, but be aware that this means that your password will be stored in plain text in your filesystem. However this is the only way to use postfix to send email through postfix.
smtp.autistici.org [ tab ] email@example.com:PASSWORD
Then run:
# postmap /etc/postfix/sasl_pwd
Install the ca-certificates package
Postfix Keys
Create a file named random_file in the /etc/postfix/ssl directory.
In the file type in 2-3 lines of random digits (just hit your keyboard at random). Then run the following command:
# openssl genrsa -rand random_file -out chiave-privata.pem 1024
Rename the new chiave-privata.pem file and copy it in /etc/postfix/ssl/postfix-key
Create /etc/postfix/tls-sites file
Edit the file and add the following line:
smtp.autistici.org [ tab ] MUST
Main Postfix configuration
Now we are almost done.
Edit the /etc/postfix/main.cf file and add the following lines at the end of the file
relayhost = [smtp.autistici.org]:587
smtp_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtp_sasl_password_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/sasl_pwd
smtp_sasl_mechanism_filter = plain, login
smtp_sasl_security_option =
smtp_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
smtp_tls_key_file = /etc/postfix/ssl/postfix-key
smtp_use_tls = yes
smtp_tls_per_site = hash:/etc/postfix/tls-sites
smtp_tls_loglevel = 1
smtp_sasl_tls_security_options = noanonymous
Note: if you are already using postfix to send your email remember to comment out the relayhost line you were using until configuring your server for A/I.
After each change in the previous file it's mandatory to run the followin postalias or postmap command.
Once you are finished with the /etc/postfix/main.cf file, run the following command and you are done
# postfix reload
Postfix logfiles
If you want to check if postfix is sending email or what kind of errors it is encountering, once your mail has been sent you can check the logfile
# less /var/log/mail.log
Thanks to rainbow for this howtoJavaScript license information


text:
I know a new family-friendly show is doing its job if my kids beg me to play the pilot when their friends are over. So ABC Family, if the numbers for tonight's premiere of "Make It or Break It" are not sky high, well, half the kids in my neighborhood have seen it already. Sorry.
The good news is, they really liked it, and so did I.
"Make It or Break It" is a series about gymnasts, and what a relief that is. A combination of beauty and strength, gymnastics is one of the few sports that requires its athletes to compete as a team but also against one another, which makes it a perfect venue for all that teen angst.
More important, it is a blessedly silent break from all that singing -- Fox's satirical "Glee" had better end the run of music-based kids shows or I will go smack out of my mind.
Beyond that, "Make It or Break It" is, in some ways, maddeningly familiar: scruffy but cool new kid disrupts streamlined cliquish girl world. In this case, that world revolves around the Rock, where a trio of stars is about to be ranked for state finals. There's top-ranked Payson (Ayla Kell), who's driven but still nice; pretty and romantically distracted Kaylee (Josie Loren) and spoiled rich girl Lauren (Cassie Scerbo), whose father just happens to be the primary financial support of the Rock.
Enter Emily (Chelsea Hobbs), a gangly talent discovered, Lauren notes snootily, on "a playground." She's here on scholarship because, as her clothing makes instantly clear, she's, well, poor. At least in comparison to her McMansioned peers. Emily has a single mother who's a bit of a hottie, can't keep her calendar straight and serves dinner out of cans. There's also a brother in a wheelchair. So, clearly, Emily has been forced to Grow Up Too Soon. As Lauren realizes that Emily could easily take her place in the team's top three, betrayal of an alarmingly intense nature ensues (one wonders if Tonya Harding were a script consultant), setting up a newly beleaguered but still determined team in a fight against the corrupt forces of the moneyed establishment.
Though not known for his enjoyment of girl's gymnastics, Karl Marx would be very proud.
There are many familiar tropes in "Make It or Break It," the most obvious being Lauren, who is not only rich but also blond. (When, Lord, when will this stereotype die?) Scerbo dutifully flounces, spits out sarcastic comments and appeals to Daddy, but to her credit, also projects an insecurity and occasional naked fear that allows Lauren to be a real girl.
And that, along with the great shots of gymnastics, is what lifts "Make It or Break It," written by Holly Sorenson, from the many girl-power, collective-touting message shows that fill the various kid-friendly venues. Even within the confines of their assigned stereotypes, each of the girls seems naturally complicated. Hobbs' Emily is all angles and bangs and nail-bitten determination -- she wouldn't know TV sass if it tripped her in the middle of her floor exercise. But watching her hang on to one slim possibility -- that she could be a gymnast -- is to see that moment in every adolescent when the hope of an identity dawns.
Kell's Payson, meanwhile, still hangs her hope on an orderly universe. When, realizing that things are not going to work out as planned, she says in despair, "But I did everything right," her anguish will resonate with anyone who has thought that life's vagaries could be controlled through planning and preparation. (Peri Gilpin plays her mother, which also promises great things.)
No doubt there will be many lessons about the importance of pulling together and being true to oneself, etc., but "Make It or Break It" seems prepared to take on not only the obvious Life Lessons but also the crucial undercurrents that move so many lives well into adulthood. And that, as much as the graceful wonder of gymnastics, will make it worth watching.
'Make It or Break It'
Where: ABC Family
When: 9 tonight
Rating: Not rated


text:
Hello everyone! Thank you all for participating in yesterday's giveaway. It's interesting to hear how people use a serger vs. a sewing machine.
Yesterday's winner of 130 Mini Quilt Blocks book by Susan Briscoe is Kelli! Thanks Kelli, please email email@example.com with your mailing address to receive your prize!
Get ready for cool NEW projects on season 6, such as a pair of PANTS! That's right, Pattie Wilkinson teaches you how to make a pair of wrap around pants that are easy and super comfortable. Watch for Pattie on season 6 of Sew it All TV, which airs on PBS beginning in September!
For another great garment project, see episode 506: "Shift in Thought" by Brini Maxwell. Brini talks about shift dresses vs. sheath dresses and gives tips on creating a couture garment.
Today's prize is Nancy Zieman's Cape Cod Jacket pattern, designed especially for knit fabrics!
To enter to win this prize, answer the following question in the comments section below: What garments do you sew most often?
I love to sew skirts, because they're easy and don't require a pattern. Are you more ambitious?
Good luck everyone! Our winner will be announced tomorrow, along with the next prize!


text:
The Wines of Montalcino – with Alessandro Bindocci
Alessandro Bindocci is the 4th generation of Bindocci's to work in the wine business, and the 2nd generation to be following in the footsteps of Piero Talenti, mentor to Alessandro's father Fabrizio and one of the founding fathers of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation.
After completing his enology degree at the University of Pisa, Alessandro returned to Montalcino to work with his father, bringing with him 21st century technology to one of Brunello's oldest estates. Alessandro is winemaker for Tenuta Il Poggione, one of three original producers of Brunello di Montalcino, who began making wine in the late 19th century along with Biondi-Santi and Frescobaldi. Now owned by the Franceschi family, this estate has some of the oldest vines in the appellation.
Join us as we talk with Alessandro about Montalcino, the Tenuta Il Poggione wines, and a joint project between the Franceschi and Terlato families, named Mazzoni.
For more info:
The Montalcino Report: www.montalcinoreport.com
Live Like an Italian: livelikeanitalian.com
Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com
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