text:
Youth Colorado Mountain Strapback Hat
Regular price
Colorado's mountains are hard to beat! One size fits most kids age 2-12.
Our policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately, we can't offer you a refund or exchange. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. Gift Cards are non-refundable. To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase. Please reach out to email@example.com to process your return.


text:
orlitech_developers needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 100 designs submitted by 33 freelance designers.
Australian based online IT store, InstantIT, needs a new logo for its new web site.
InstantIT is an Australian based online IT store dedicated to providing competitively priced IT hardware with fast delivery. A new logo is needed for the impending launch of a new site redesigned from the ground up to provide a faster and more user friendly experience for customer.
current website
new website
- logo should consist of phrase "InstantIT" with a graphic
- letter casing for "InstantIT" can be changed
- "InstantIT" should be more prominent than in the previous logo (see current site)
- no set colours, but limit to 3 or 4 and prefer egg shell blue, orange and compatible shades
- should reflect speed and user-friendly nature of site
- logo should be flexible enough to rearrange into different forms for use in different site layouts, stationery, business cards, etc. e.g., graphic can be placed at the top or side
- (bonus) graphic can be used as favicon for site.
- (bonus) logo can be reduced to 1 or 2 colour version for printing on clothing
- file in vector graphic file format (.svg, .eps, etc) or Adobe Illustrator file (.ai)
- colours shouldn't be fluorescent, dark and gloomy, or brown/rust-like tones
- logo shouldn't have a horrible crescent protruding from the bottom that makes it difficult to fit into a new website design
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
valentine's day video games
Valentine s Day Games and Activities Coloring pages, Crafts, Puzzles, Party Games, Interactive Games, Poetry, Printables, and Stories for Kids Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine s Day pornhub is the ultimate xxx porn and sex site. Valentine s Day Recipes musical happy valentine s day cards, 2017 valentine s day greeting cards & wishes ecards with music. Celebrate the most romantic of holidays with simple recipes for two, plus more easy-yet-elegant Valentine s Day ideas mobile happy valentine s day video cards, romantic happy. Toggle message bar the latest tips and news on valentine s day are on popsugar love & sex. Apps; Shop; Parents; TV Times; Settings; Happy Valentine s Day PBS KIDS on popsugar sex & culture you will find everything you need on love, culture and valentine s day. Watch Valentine s Day episodes starting February 10th on PBS KIDS! With Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Stephen Guarino, Amir Arison january 7, 2017 'fifty shades darker' tickets already on sale for valentine's day weekend [video] discover everything tesco has to offer in our valentine s day hub. A florist, who abides by a strict five-date-limit with any man, finds herself wanting more with the new from flowers and gofts to days out, romantic recipes and delicious meals for two. Fill this Valentine s Day with love and fun these valentine s day recipes from f&w feature decadent chocolate desserts, our sexiest dishes for two, and more romantic ideas for the love-struck holiday. Find valentine cards and gifts for kids and romantic loves alike with stuffed animals, chocolates and more! Bruce Springsteen - Valentine s Day (Solo acoustic 31-7-05) Only MP3 with a pic of Bruce on the highway let's celebrate valentine's day! kids will love watching videos and playing games while discovering hidden surprises with their favorite nick jr. Watch Rachel Aziani s Valentine s Day Amateur MILF Blow friends. Pornhub is the ultimate xxx porn and sex site on valentine s day, spongebob is giving out valentine s day hearts to everyone. Bet You Didn t Know: Valentine s Day he even gives one to plankton, which is delivered with the help of tweezers. How did St askmen s video channel has a huge and highly entertaining collection of educational, funny, sexy, and viral videos. Valentine become associated with love and romance? Get the full story behind the holiday find out more about the history of history of valentine's day, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more. Valentine s Day summary of box office results, charts and release information and related links get all the facts on. Watch JOI Valentine s Day from MOM:mouth,stockings,pussy & cum deep in it! Pornhub is the ultimate xxx porn and sex site


text:
Welcome to
Ovolo Hotels
We are a dynamic lifestyle hospitality company that provides guests with the BEST in effortless living because we know it's all about YOU! We design and service our hotels from a traveler's point of view with smartly spaced interiors full of the latest tech, luxury hotel amenities and fresh fun-loving features.
Best of all, they are all free! That's right, when you book right here at ovolohotels.com, everything from the breakfast, mini-bar, Wi-Fi and even social hour is all covered! … And The Best Rates are also all here on our website. Why? Because we love you, man!


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As students head back to class across the United States, educators are weighing the benefits of a longer school year, which has been tried in several districts with mixed results.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan visits Paul Revere Elementary in San Francisco, California, on May 22.
Barcroft Elementary School in Arlington County, Virginia, has had a year-round schedule since 2003. Although students have not seen an increase in test scores, Principal Miriam Hughey-Guy believes it is the right program because it cuts summer learning loss.
When the students come back in August, there is less assessment time, according to Hughey-Guy.
"They just left us so we can pick up the ball and run with it," she said. See details on K-12 schools, teachers »
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is pushing for the idea.
"I think our school day is too short. I think our school week is too short. I think our school year is too short," Duncan said. "I want our children to be able to compete with the best in India and China. And simply put, in other countries they are spending more time in school than we do here. And I think that hurts our children."
Summer learning loss is one of Duncan's major arguments for reworking the standard school year.
Children, he said, "get to a certain point academically in June and over the summer, they lose that."
By September, he said, "it's literally taking a step backward."
Miami-Dade Public Schools in Florida used an extended-day, extended-year program from fall 2004 through spring 2008.
The $100 million School Improvement Zone program shifted 39 public elementary, middle and high schools to a year-round, extended-day schedule. The school board decided not to renew the program in 2008 because there was no difference between the targeted schools and the control group in test scores.
Miami School Board Vice-Chairman Marta Perez was unhappy with the program from the start.
Studies have shown that "the most important thing that determines whether or not a student will be successful in schools is the parents and the community, and how much involvement they have when they leave us, not when they're in schools," she said.
"The teachers were fatigued at the end of the day, the students were fatigued and unmotivated," she said.
"In most cases, these are students who are not motivated to be in school, so you're going to punish them by making them stay longer."
Extending time in schools that are already underperforming is a risk, said Elena Silva, a senior policy analyst with Education Sector.
"I think it goes without saying that no one wants to extend bad time," Silva said. Watch report on possible end to summer breaks »
Children who have quality learning experiences outside school during the summer may not need the extra time in the classroom, she said, adding that kids from low-income families, who don't have the same opportunities as others, may need it the most.
Those who follow education are monitoring Massachusetts' program, now in its third year.
The program, Expanded Learning Time, adds 25 percent more classroom time to 22 schools across the state. It started in 2006 with nine schools and has grown to include 13,500 students.
Preliminary results indicate the program may be working, but Massachusetts Department of Education officials warn it may be too early to tell. Parents surveyed said that they saw improvement in their children's performance as a result of the expanded learning time.
It is not all about the test scores, Hughey-Guy said.
Barcroft changed to the year-round plan so students would have increased exposure to learning opportunities, she said.
The school's schedule includes a shorter summer break with two weeks off in the fall and in the spring.
By having school in all seasons, Hughey-Guy said, teachers don't have to wait until summer school to help weak students.
All About Education Issues


text:
Event detail
Winter Weeks
Special Event | December 22, 2018 – January 6, 2019 every day | Lawrence Hall of Science
Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS)
The Halls annual Winter Weeks celebration is back!
Celebrate the holiday season and the start of the new year with two weeks of scientific exploration at UC Berkeley's public science center.
Enjoy all your favorite activities and exhibitssuch as the Animal Discovery Room, Ingenuity Challenges, and the Planetariumevery day during Winter Weeks. Plus, experience some of our newest additions, including the Well Played! exhibit, our Science Film Festival, and two special screenings of a magical holiday film, The Polar Express, in 3D!


text:
The images, text, documentation, image files, illustrations, audio and video clips, designs, icons, software and all other content on The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) website are protected by Canadian and international copyright laws. The WAG retains all rights, including copyright, in data, images, text, and any other information contained in and on the website. The content on the website may be covered by other restrictions as well, including copyright and other proprietary rights held by third parties other than, and in addition to, the WAG. The WAG has taken all reasonable efforts to ensure that materials reproduced on the WAG website are used with the full consent of these parties. The WAG expressly prohibits the copying of any protected content on the website, except for purposes of fair dealing, as defined by the Canadian Copyright Act , and as described below.
Permitted Uses: Fair Dealing
Fair dealing of copyrighted material includes non-commercial, educational, and personal use, such as teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, commentary, and news reporting.
By downloading, printing, or otherwise using text, images, or files from the website, users agree that they will limit their use of such files to fair dealing, and will not violate WAG's or any other party's proprietary rights. Content used in this way must retain any associated copyright or other proprietary notices, and shall acknowledge its source.
The source citation should include this website's URL: http://www.wag.ca/. Digital manipulation or other modification of any of the content on the WAG website is expressly prohibited. All other uses other than provided for in this notice are expressly prohibited without the express written consent of the WAG and, if applicable, any additional third party copyright holders.
Restricted Uses
Unauthorized commercial publication, exploitation, including but not limited to print or electronic distribution of WAG's website and the content on its website is expressly prohibited without written authorization from the WAG, and, where applicable, third party rights holders.
The WAG shall grant permission to use its content on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the WAG. In most cases a fee will be charged, depending on the type and nature of the proposed use. The WAG shall not be responsible for the procurement of any third party proprietary rights and the user shall be obligated to clear such rights prior to the use of the content.
For permission to use images from the WAG's collection, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com. For permission to use text and other content from the WAG's website, please contact email@example.com.


text:
Save and Track Your Favourite Properties
** All fields required
Please enter the following information:
And the Heart Whispers... "Home, Home at Last!"
For more Information click on the picture
This tastefully decorated 1500 square foot, semi-detached home is situated on a premium lot in Milton's Timberlea community and offers convenient access to schools, shopping, parks, walking trails, sports facilities, and major highways.
The focal point of the living room is a beautiful ...


text:
J.E.H. MacDonald
Canadian (born in England), 1873–1932
Lake O'Hara, 1925
oil on hardboard
22.2 x 27.4 cm
Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift from the Estate of Arnold O. Brigden
Painting, Canadian Modern (1910-1979)
The eldest member of the Group of Seven, J.E.H. MacDonald did not project the woodsman temperament that some of the other members did. His art and personality bespoke a romantic sensibility, resting with poetic repose in nature. Even before the Group formally coalesced in 1920, MacDonald expressed a desire to twin the artistic exploration of Canadian wilderness with that of a new painting language. His perspective was something unique to the picturesque academic style that had previously dominated much landscape painting in Canada. He was adamant that, in depicting landscape, an artist must strive to show an inner feeling for nature, not just an outward form. In this WAG sketch the jagged mountains that surround British Columbia's Lake O'Hara are like a fortress that almost blocks out the sky entirely. While small in scale, with its arrangement of forms, MacDonald's sketch succeeds in conveying the dwarfing immensity and grandeur of the Canadian Rockies.
Gallery Hours
- Tuesday 11am-5pm
- Wednesday 11am-5pm
- Thursday 11am-5pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 11am-5pm
- Sunday 11am-5pm
- Closed Monday


text:
Dean, Kennedy School of Governmen
Joe Nye received his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1958. He did postgraduate work at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship and earned a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University. He joined the Harvard Faculty in 1964, and taught one of the largest core curriculum courses in the college. In December 1995, he became Dean of the Kennedy School.
He has also worked in three government agencies. From 1977 to 1979, Mr. Nye served as Deputy to the Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology and chaired the National Security Council Group on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In recognition of his service, he received the highest Department of State commendation, the Distinguished Honor Award. In 1993 and 1994, he was chairman of the National Intelligence Council, which coordinates intelligence estimates for the President. He was awarded the Intelligence Community's Distinguished Service Medal. In 1994 and 1995, he served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, where he also won the Distinguished Service Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Academy of Diplomacy, Mr. Nye has also been a Senior Fellow of the Aspen Institute, Director of the Aspen Strategy Group, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission. He has served as a director of the Institute for East-West Security Studies, a director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a member of the advisory committee of the Institute of International Economics, and the American representative on the United Nations Advisory Committee on Disarmament Affairs. He has been a trustee of Wells College and Radcliffe College.
A member of the editorial boards of Foreign Policyand International Security magazines, he is the author of numerous books and more than a hundred and fifty articles in professional journals. His most recent books are Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004), and an edited volume, For the People: Can We Fix Public Service? (2003). In addition, he has published policy articles in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times. He has appeared on programs such as ABC's Nightline and Good Morning America, CNN's Larry King Live, CBS's Evening News, and The PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer, as well as Australian, British, French, Swiss, Japanese, and Korean television.
In addition to teaching at Harvard, Mr. Nye also has taught for brief periods in Geneva, Ottawa, and London. He is an honorary fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has lived for extended periods in Europe, East Africa, Central America, and traveled to more than 90 countries.
His hobbies include fly fishing, hiking, squash, skiing, gardening, and working on his tree farm in New Hampshire. He is married to Molly Harding Nye, an art consultant and potter. They have three grown sons.


text:
TRUCKEE, Calif. When Mimi Ash arrived at her mountain chalet here for a weekend ski trip, she discovered that someone had broken into the home and changed the locks.
When she finally got into the house, it was empty. All of her possessions were gone: furniture, her son's ski medals, winter clothes and family photos. Also missing was a wooden box, its top inscribed with the words "Together Forever," that contained the ashes of her late husband, Robert.
The culprit, Ms. Ash soon learned, was not a burglar but her bank. According to a federal lawsuit filed in October by Ms. Ash, Bank of America had wrongfully foreclosed on her house and thrown out her belongings, without alerting Ms. Ash beforehand.
In an era when millions of homes have received foreclosure notices nationwide, lawsuits detailing bank break-ins like the one at Ms. Ash's house keep surfacing. And in the wake of the scandal involving shoddy, sometimes illegal paperwork that has buffeted the nation's biggest banks in recent months, critics say these situations reinforce their claims that the foreclosure process is fundamentally flawed.
"Every day, smaller wrongs happen to people trying to save their homes: being charged the wrong amount of money, being wrongly denied a loan modification, being asked to hand over documents four or five times," said Ira Rheingold, executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Identifying the number of homeowners who were locked out illegally is difficult. But banks and their representatives insist that situations like Ms. Ash's represent just a tiny percentage of foreclosures.
Many of the incidents that have become public appear to have been caused by confusion over whether a house is abandoned, in which case a bank may have the right to break in and make sure the property is secure.
Some of the cases appear to be mistakes involving homeowners who were up to date on their mortgage or had paid off their home but who still became targets of a bank.
In Texas, for example, Bank of America had the locks changed and the electricity shut off last year at Alan Schroit's second home in Galveston, according to court papers. Mr. Schroit, who had paid off the house, had stored 75 pounds of salmon and halibut in his refrigerator and freezer, caught during a recent Alaskan fishing vacation.
"Lacking power, the freezer's contents melted, spoiled and reeking melt water spread through the property and leaked through the flooring into joists and lower areas," the lawsuit says. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount.
More common are cases like Ms. Ash's, in which a homeowner was behind on payments, perhaps trying to work out a modification, when bank crews changed the locks.
In Florida, contractors working for Chase Bank used a screwdriver to enter Debra Fischer's house in Punta Gorda and helped themselves to a laptop, an iPod, a cordless drill, six bottles of wine and a frosty beer, left half-empty on the counter, according to assertions in a lawsuit filed in August. Ms. Fisher was facing foreclosure, but Chase had not yet obtained a court order, her lawyer says.
The break-in was discovered when a Canadian couple renting the house returned from the beach.
Chase officials said such behavior by its contractors, if determined to be true, would be considered unacceptable and corrective action would be taken.
Banks and their contractors insist that the number of mistakes is minuscule given the hundreds of thousands of new foreclosure cases filed each month. Bank of America, for instance, says it works with third-party contractors to inspect and maintain more than one million properties each month and has enhanced its controls in the last year to prevent mistakes.
Alan Jaffa, chief executive of Safeguard Properties, which inspects and maintains foreclosed properties for mortgage servicers, acknowledged that a handful of mistakes had been made. In most instances, he said, his company provided a valuable service that protected properties and neighborhoods.
"There is a stigma that we go in, kick the door in and throw grandma out head first and board up the windows," Mr. Jaffa said. "We are doing a lot of good out there."
But Alan M. White, a consumer law expert at Valparaiso University in Indiana, says: "Volume is not an excuse for violating someone's rights."
A clause in most mortgages allows banks that service the loan to enter a home and secure it if it is in default, meaning if the mortgage payment is 45 to 60 days late, and if the house has been abandoned, authorities said.
Banks do so to protect the property from vandalism or damage for which the bank could be liable.
But determining when a house is abandoned is not always easy and is often left to inexperienced contractors, said Carlin Phillips, a Massachusetts lawyer who represents Ms. Ash, who is 45.
"It's sometimes as little as someone looking through the windows, or knocking on the door of a neighbor and saying, "Where are they?' " Mr. Phillips said.
In Washington, Celeste Butler went to check on her father's house after he spent months in the hospital and ultimately died.
"The house was ransacked," Ms. Butler said, adding that it had been neatly maintained beforehand. "They had destroyed furniture, broken into china cabinet. They had looted jewelry."
In her lawsuit, Ms. Butler is accusing Safeguard, a contractor for JP MorganChase, of breaking into her father's house. Ms. Butler asserts that Chase failed to properly credit payments made when she switched to an automatic system in June 2009, but that she and the bank worked quickly to rectify the problem.
Officials at Chase said its contractors, dispatched to inspect the house when payments were late, found it in disarray. When no one responded to a letter asking if the property had been abandoned, Chase said, its crews went back in the house to put antifreeze in the pipes.
The clearing out of Ms. Ash's Truckee home, on Ski Slope Way high above Lake Tahoe, came after several horrific years of personal and professional hardships.
During the California real estate boom, Ms. Ash and her husband, Robert, thrived. Mr. Ash bought the house in Truckee in 2003. Two years later, he was stabbed to death in a road-rage incident near Truckee. (The driver was convicted of second-degree murder and is in prison.)
From there, Ms. Ash's troubles with the Truckee house became tangled in her worsening financial situation and, she claims, the bungling of the bank, originally Countrywide Financial, which was bought by Bank of America in 2008.
She intended to assume the mortgage on the house, which landed in probate court after her husband's death. The bank required that she catch up on payments and taxes, so she sent a check for $15,000.
Hearing nothing from the bank for many months and not having ownership of the house, she made no more payments, she said. By the time Countrywide reached Ms. Ash, the real estate market was collapsing, so she sought a loan modification.
Months and years of frustration followed. The bank lost documents and rarely returned her e-mails and phone messages, she said.
When Countrywide issued a default notice in 2007, it went to the wrong address, her lawsuit says. Later, Ms. Ash said, the bank assured her it would not foreclose while she pursued the loan modification.
Even so, the bank conducted a foreclosure sale on the property in May 2008. Again, Ms. Ash said she had not been notified and learned of the sale during a summer visit. She said she had been told the sale would be rescinded.
Near Halloween 2008, work crews broke in and cleaned out the place, taking Persian rugs, china, furniture bought on a trip in Peru, skis, photos of her marriage and childhood in Iran. Her husband's ashes were taken from the couple's master bedroom.
A bank spokeswoman, Jumana Bauwens, said, "We take the allegations made by Ms. Ash very seriously and are thoroughly researching her claims. Bank of America will work with Ms. Ash and her counsel to determine the extent and cause of her claims and move toward an appropriate resolution of the case."
Although the original foreclosure was rescinded, as promised, Ms. Ash, who discovered the break-in in January 2009, says it is hard for her to visit the house anymore and she will probably let it lapse into foreclosure. At this point, she said, it is just a "sad reminder that 22 years of my history vanished."
"This is in essence a burglary," said Ms. Ash, walking through the vacant home, with its four levels and commanding mountain views. "But when a burglar goes in, they don't take your photos and your husband's ashes."
"This used to be my haven I'd run away to," she said. "Now I run away from it."


text: New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio had been in office fewer than 48 hours when he was faced with his first big test - a major snowstorm. It brought up to 35 centimeters of snow, snarling traffic and slowing public transportation. VOA's Adam Phillips filed this report from the Manhattan streets.


text:
Real Wedding | Claire and Michael
Jennifer Laraia Designs. And lucky for us Watson-Studios was there to capture every special moment.
i want this so bad! registering now :)
You had me from those darling monogrammed robes–what a stunning wedding!
This is absolutely gorgeous!!
It's a perfect wedding !
Could we have the dress' designer?
Such a gorgeous wedding!
Her dress is so pretty and I love the tablescapes!
Every image is amazing and has some absolutely wonderful detail! From the robes, to the centerpieces and everything in between - this wedding is fantastic!
I pinned it. I love love the paper stars and would love to hang them outside this summer! The vintage pink glass would also look wonderful decorated around the house. email@example.com
Love her dress!
Beautiful wedding. The bride's dress is so pretty.
beautiful wedding,really beyond words. i like bridesmaid dresses, so stunning, make me wanna be ur besties!
Since they represent considerable authority in these credits, it is typically a simple, quick procedure to get the cash that you require. Obviously, there is typically an expense that is charged for the credit. quick cash advance chula vista
beautiful photos, really))


text:
Bradford Salamon Exhibit
January 23, 2018 @ 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, repeating until April 25, 2018
An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Sunday and Saturday, repeating until April 25, 2018
Born into a family of artists, Bradford Salamon worked as a professional illustrator, opening studios in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Fountain Valley before relocating to Los Angeles in 2013. Before his move, he exhibited at the Festival of Arts for eight years. His study of significant, historical painters has enabled him to develop a unique blend of classical and contemporary approaches to his method of painting.
This exhibit at foaSOUTH showcases his unique portraits of vintage objects alongside his painting "Red Billow Camera" which was acquired by the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection in 2012.
"Bradford's current series, on view at foaSOUTH, includes larger than life paintings of vintage images and objects expressing a dynamic complement of texture and atmosphere that patently illustrate his signature style," said exhibit curator Pat Sparkuhl.


text:
Configuration: Language
Posted by , Last modified by Robert Papalid on 30 October 2019 07:04 AM
The Language drop down box allows you to choose from several different languages for the webmaster administration interface. Once chosen, most buttons, drop-down boxes, and help tips will be immediately changed to the desired language. Press the button to save what you have entered.
Related Topics:
Configuration: Admin Email Address
Configuration: Date Format
Configuration: Default Home Page
Configuration: Default Template
Configuration: General Info
Configuration: Language
Configuration: Maximum Menu Item Length
Configuration: Navigation Clues
Configuration: SEO Friendly
Configuration: Sub-menu Options
Configuration: Time Format
Configuration: Website Footer
Configuration: Website Logo
Configuration: Website Name
Configuration: Website Slogan
Configuration: WYSIWYG Editor
*NOTE: This setting will not affect the content of your website. In order to change the language of your website, you will need to enter the text in that language. If the language contains characters not found in most Western European languages, then you will need to use the "Metachar" option to select the language character set for your language. You can find the "Metachar" setting under the "Meta Tags" tab of the Web Builder Configuration section.


text:
Apple is being forced by UK courts to post an apology to Samsung for accusing it of ripping off Apple's design.
The apology is up on Apple's website now. Hilariously, this is mostly just a bigger insult to Samsung than anything else. The notice specifically says Samsung is "not as cool" as Apple. And it talks about how Samsung has been found to steal Apple's design elsewhere in the world.
Check it out:


text:
(CNN) -- Slow-moving Tropical Storm Isaac continues to drench the central Gulf Coast region. Heading into Thursday, thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were under states of emergency.
Get the latest Isaac updates on CNN.com's live blog
A summary of the latest situations in each state:
-- New Orleans on Wednesday declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
-- Tulane University has canceled classes for the rest of the week and will resume on Tuesday after Labor Day, according to the university's website.
-- Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, will be closed through Thursday, the school said on its website.
-- Entergy officials said they are taking one of their nuclear power plants west of New Orleans offline.
-- State government offices were closed Wednesday and will remain closed Thursday.
-- New Orleans City Hall will reopen next Tuesday.
-- The U.S. Geological Survey said that the Mississippi River flowed backward for nearly 24 hours on Tuesday.
-- The new $165 million Seabrook Floodgate at the north end of the Industrial Canal was closed for the first time for a storm event.
-- Fifty-six parishes have issued emergency declarations.
-- Seven parishes announced mandatory evacuations in their jurisdictions.
-- Plaquemines Parish officials issued a curfew until sunrise Wednesday.
-- The Department of Corrections has moved prisoners from coastal parishes to state prison facilities.
Open Story: Isaac makes landfall
-- Bus and street car service in New Orleans, and Amtrak and Greyhound service to and from the city have been shut down.
-- President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency, and federal aid is on the way.
-- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in charge of recovery operations, and more than 5,000 National Guard troops have been activated.
-- The Louisiana National Guard has deployed 48 boat teams and 13 communications teams.
-- New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu did not issue an evacuation order but called for people outside the city's protective levees to leave.
-- The city's pump stations have backup generators ready in case of electrical outages.
-- Crews have been evacuated from oil production platforms and drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.
-- The Coast Guard has closed the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico and will not respond to water emergencies until after the storm passes.
-- Cargo terminals within the Port of New Orleans have ceased operations.
-- The Texas A&M-Louisiana Tech football game, originally scheduled for Thursday in Shreveport, has been postponed until October 13.
-- The New Orleans Saints football team moved its practices to Cincinnati.
-- Gov. Bobby Jindal is skipping the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida, because of the storm.
-- Coast Guard air crews were searching for a missing person who had been using a personal watercraft off the coast of Pensacola.
-- Isaac caused minor damage as it skirted South Florida.
-- Thirty members of the Florida National Guard were activated, the governor's office said.
-- Aircraft at six military bases were relocated, the Defense Department said.
-- All low-lying areas in Hancock County are flooding, according to local emergency management officials
-- There is "quite a bit of flooding" in Pass Christian, Harrison County emergency management said.
-- There are more than 49,000 customers without power, according to utility companies.
-- More than 2,100 people are in shelters in the state.
-- Truckloads of water, generators and food were staged and ready for distribution.
-- Two gas station owners were arrested for price gouging. The attorney general's office said it has received almost 160 calls related to gas price complaints.
-- The president declared a state of emergency for southern Mississippi and ordered federal aid.
-- Residents can call 211 for information on shelters, assistance and transportation.
-- Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in parts of Hancock and Jackson counties.
-- Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport has closed.
-- A hurricane warning is in effect for the entire coast.
-- About 1,500 National Guard troops have been deployed.
-- Gulfport authorities ordered the port cleared of cargo vessels.
-- More than 80,000 sandbags had been distributed.
-- The Department of Environmental Quality asked residents to report any sightings of oil or oily material to 1-800-424-8802.
-- Some 3,000 customers were without power, according to Alabama Power.
-- A tropical storm warning is in effect for the entire coast.
-- Authorities are warning of strong winds, high water and storm surges.
-- Gov. Robert Bentley ordered an evacuation of parts of Baldwin and Mobile counties.
-- Residents in low-lying or flood-prone areas are urged to leave voluntarily.
-- Mobile's airport reopened Wednesday afternoon.
Share your videos and images of Isaac


text:
We were dubious when Sony announced that it was casting for The Tester, and we were increasingly uncomfortable about the show as details gradually made their way into the light. The fact that the show was being produced by 51 Minds—the same company that handled such gems as I Love Mondy and Megan Wants a Millionaire (which was yanked from the air when it turned out one of the contestants had murdered his wife)—did little to ease our worries. When the competition was finally aired on the PlayStation Network, initial reviews were generally pretty scathing.
The series' eight episode run came to an end last week, and Will Powers, AKA "Cyrus," managed to beat out ten other hopeful gamers to become the newest game tester at Sony's offices in San Diego. On top of a guaranteed job—which he will begin next Monday—Powers also received a $5,000 signing bonus for his troubles. Ars had the opportunity to talk to both Powers and SCEA release manager Brent Gocke (who also served as a panelist on The Tester) the day after the final episode was made available for download; both men were happy to talk about the show and their involvement, and their answers definitely painted the program in a different light.
Why make the show at all?
The origins of the show were based on the desire to create original programming on the PlayStation Network. According to Gocke, the concept was pitched to producers who leapt on it because, "people are always curious about what game testers do; they played around with this concept and got some positivie feedback so they took it in this direction."
While critics weren't exactly kind to the show, the reaction of general public was a different story. When asked about the overall reaction to The Tester, we were told that it was a hit, even at the casting stage. According to the PlayStation Network team, "since announcing the open casting call in September 2009, SCEA received thousands of videos from gamers across the country, all hoping to be the next PlayStation game tester and an integral part of the first-party development process at SCEA."
This meant that Sony had a wide pool of talent to pick from. According to Powers, every one of his fellow contestants was worthy of being in the competition. "The quality of people they brought on the show was really high," he said. "I can tell you that the auditioning process to get on the show was brutal and lasted about two months of interviews to get everything narrowed down. They all had really really big strengths."
Viewership numbers were also high. "Since its launch on February 18, 2010, The Tester has had nearly two million views (not including the finale)," the team revealed. "To help further track how the show was being received, a customer satisfaction survey was conducted and found that nearly 60 percent of respondents watched at least one episode of The Tester, and 82 percent of them were between ages 16 and 34."
Sequels have been planned on less-promising results, but Sony isn't announcing a second season of The Tester yet. When asked about this possibility, Ars received a fairly nebulous response: "PlayStation is committed to original programming and there are a lot of different ideas that we're looking at. You'll see some really exciting things coming from PlayStation in the future."
Defending the show
Some critics claimed that the show's challenges were pointless; after all, what does a team activity involving catching footballs and depositing them in a container have to do with being a video game tester? How does LARPing apply to that career field? Why memorizing "self defense combos" for mock combat scenarios? Other critics argued that the challenges weren't pointless, the entire show was. After all, game testing is not exactly the most glamorous of career fields, the long hours and usually low pay tends to ensure that the field has a high degree of turnover.
Powers and Gocke acknowledged that many of the challenges were there for entertainment value, saying that they were necessary to make the series as entertaining as possible. After all, a reality show wouldn't be terribly interesting if it just showed potential testers sitting in chairs for 12 hours and playing video games.
When asked about this, Gocke explained that there was a method to Sony's madness when it decided to do The Tester, as well as the idea to use physical challenges as part of the weeding process: "When we look to hire testers, we interview them. You're looking to develop an individual so these challenges are designed around finding these attributes. The critical eye, creativity, focus the Karate challenge was based around memory. If the challenges were based around playing video games, I don't think it would've been as exciting... it's a drawn out interview, but it's also for the entertainment of the audience."
Gocke, it should be noted, started out in the video game industry as a tester. After graduating college in 2006, he entered the industry at the ground level... though he's willing to admit that his educational background helped him advance: "My background is in business marketing. I always wanted to get into the gaming market so I went in through [QA], and I was very fortunate with my education background and previous experience, so I moved up pretty quickly to product management."
Meanwhile, Powers himself said that many of the initial reviews were hard on the show because it wasn't what people expected it to be and thus threw them for a loop. That said, Powers made a point of following critics' reactions, saying, "I read absolutely everything about this that's been written on the Internet I kind of have the broad perspective; the vast majority has been positive [the original reaction] was pretty confused. "
A (somewhat) ridiculous means to a legitimate end
For Powers, the show represented an opportunity that wouldn't have been available to him normally. He graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2008 with a degree in Asian Studies in Japanese; since then, he's worked as a waiter/bartender and dabbled as a freelance gaming journalist, but his dream has been to get involved with actual game production.
Powers says a big problem is that there aren't too many studios hiring for such positions. Companies like Epic, Insomniac, and Vicious Cycle are located in the area, but they weren't hiring enough for him to get on board. "I've always wanted to get into the industry, [but it's] more of a geographical industry. There are a couple [of major developers] in my general area, but they're not really the big studios that are hiring it's hard to get into the industry when no one's hiring."
Moving to an area where he could get picked up as a tester wasn't possible because of the money necessary to move across the country, support himself while he set down roots in alien territory, and (hopefully) find a job. "That's a big roadblock, moving cross country," Powers explained. "It's a dilemma when you're interviewing for jobs when you don't live out there, and it's expensive to move out there, so [winning the show] solves both problems." His $5,000 signing bonus will help defray moving expenses.
Even better than a career, though, is the fact that Powers already has a life waiting for him in Southern California when he arrives. Thanks to the show, he's made some lasting friendships with fellow contestants Amanda ("Amped") and Sam ("Doc"), both of whom will be living in the same area: "I talk to Amanda and Sam almost daily. So I'm moving to San Diego; Amanda lives in LA and Doc is in Washington State, but he's being transferred to SoCal."
Will Powers' career at Sony is just beginning, and whether it will lead to his dream job in video games remains to be seen. In spite of the fact that The Tester was unpopular with many in the press, he is universally grateful for the opportunity it's provided him. Gocke thinks the new job with SCEA can be a stepping stone to something else. With a background in QA, "there are a lot of different things you can do within the industry."


text:
Episode 19: Let Them Eat Cake
All the women attend an extravagant party at Heather's house to celebrate her new last name. Vicki flaunts an expensive gift from Brooks, while tension still runs high with her and Briana. Alexis faces Gretchen and the other women for the first time since Costa Rica. Tamra is having a good time until Jeana shows up, re-opening old wounds. And then drama hits an all-time high when Alexis' friend Sarah commits the ultimate party foul, spinning everything and everyone out of control.


text:
The value of Iowa farmland barely increased the past six months, confirming what we've been telling subscribers to LandOwner Newsletter the past several months. According to a semiannual survey of farm real estate professionals conducted by the Iowa Chapter of REALTORS Land Institute, the value of an acre of Iowa farmland rose a scant 1.2% between March 1 and Sept. 1. Combining that increase with the 9.4% gain reported in March for the previous six months, the value of an acre of Iowa farmland rose 10.6% from Sept. 1, 2012 to Sept. 1, 2013.
The nine crop reporting districts showed a mixed response for the just-completed six-month period. The districts varied from a 5% increase in the East Central district to a 0.7% decrease in the Northeast district since Mar. 1. Changes reported by district were: Central, up 1.1%; East Central, up 5%; North Central, up 1.7%; Northeast, down 0.7%; Northwest, up 0.8%; South Central, up 2%; Southeast, up 2.8%; Southwest, down 0.5%; and West Central, down 0.5%.
The steep decline in commodity prices coupled with the "extremely tough growing season" are the two primary factors behind the limited gain in Iowa farmland values, states RLI President and survey coordinator Kyle Hansen, ALC, Hertz Real Estate Services, Nevada, Iowa. In addition, the bulk of the farmland recently available to the market has been medium- to lower-quality farm ground, categories of farmland that traditionally sport a weaker level of demand. "There is still strong demand for high-quality farmland," Hansen says, "but there is very little high-quality farmland available to the market."
Over the past six months, the value of an average acre of high-quality cropland rose 2%, the value of medium-quality cropland increased 1% and the value of low-quality cropland remained unchanged, according to the survey. In addition, the value of non-tillable pasture rose 1% and the value of timber land declined 1%.
If interested in seeing a copy of Landowner, just drop me an email at [email protected] or call 800-772-0023.


text:
This text is part of Parks' Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.
This parkland is named in honor of Raoul Gustav Wallenberg (1912-1947), a Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from likely extermination by the Nazis during World War II.
Wallenberg grew up in one of Sweden's wealthiest and most prominent families. As a student in Sweden and France, Wallenberg learned Swedish, English, German, French, and Russian language skills that later aided him in his humanitarian mission.


text:
By Mirwais Harooni
KABUL (Reuters) - Security forces in the Afghan capital have defused a truck bomb packed with nearly eight tonnes of explosives, the biggest of its kind discovered in the country, the spy agency said on Friday amid heightened security.
Intelligence forces discovered the explosives in eastern Kabul, wired and ready for detonation, security officials said. Five al-Qaeda linked Haqqani network insurgents were killed in a resulting firefight.
"This truck bomb could have destroyed an area around 1.5 km (in radius). Now can you imagine that what kind of catastrophe this would be?," Shafiqullah Tahiri, a spokesman for the National Directorate of Security, told a news conference.
It contained sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate, other chemicals and some diesel.
After more than 11 years of war, insurgents are still able to strike strategic military targets and launch high-profile attacks in Kabul and elsewhere.
The truck bomb was discovered on Wednesday two days after U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel left the capital. On the first full day of Hagel's visit, a suicide bomber struck about a kilometer away from his morning meetings at a NATO facility.
Two Haqqani operatives were arrested during the night raid, and Tahiri said the militants had been planning to target a military facility in the capital. There are several foreign and Afghan military bases in Kabul, housing thousands of soldiers.
The Haqqani network is widely regarded as the most dangerous U.S. foe in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is bracing for the start of the spring fighting season, and officials fear that militants will infiltrate the capital as the snow melts in the mountains to the east where they hide.
A number of insurgent groups, including the Taliban, the Haqqani network and Hizb-i-Islami, led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, are known to reside in restive Wardak province just 40 minutes drive from Kabul.
Afghan officials told Reuters this week they were worried that the Afghan capital would be in danger after President Hamid Karzai ordered U.S. special forces tasked with fighting the Taliban to leave Wardak.
U.S. special forces are expected to play a major role after most NATO combat troops withdraw by the end of 2014, and Karzai's decision could complicate negotiations between the United States and Afghanistan over the scope of U.S. operations after the pull-out.
International forces in Afghanistan have also been warned the that recent inflammatory remarks by Karzai have put them at risk, NATO commander General Joseph Dunford said in an email obtained by the New York Times this week.
Karzai accused the United States of colluding with the Taliban hours before the two met last Sunday. His remarks, which have been rejected by Washington, highlight an often tense relationship with the United States.
(Writing by Jeremy Laurence; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/afghanistans-biggest-ever-truck-bomb-defused-kabul-spy-083051269.html
charlton heston moses tulsa shooting doug fister rick warren the perfect storm hard boiled eggs


text:
JenniferGeek video. All videos (7)JenniferGeek webcam
JenniferGeek webcam
Jennifer Geek is a young Romanian girl, she speaks English, Spanish, Italian and French, she has fire red hair and blue eyes, her body is average, she is average height and her weight is between 115 to 130 lbs. She loves men who stimulate her mind and bo


text:
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) introduces the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA), which would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Nadler was flanked by openly gay Representatives Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jared Polis of Colorado, and representatives of national and state LGBT advocacy.
In addition to Nadler, Baldwin and Polis, the leading co-sponsors are John Conyers of Michigan, John Lewis of Georgia, Nydia Velazquez of New York and Barbara Lee of California (seen to the right of Nadler). There are 91 co-sponsors in total. Complete list here.
Nadler calls the RMA "the first step to overturning the Defense of Marriage Act and sending that ugly law into the history books where it belongs."
The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld covered the Capitol Hill news conference: "Nadler later read a statement from former President Bill Clinton thanking [the sponsors] for introducing the legislation. Clinton signed DOMA into law in 1996. 'Throughout my life I have opposed discrimination of any kind,' Clinton said in the statement. 'When the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, gay couples could not marry anywhere in the United States or the world for that matter. Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy.'"
In addition to Lee and Conyers, sponsoring members of the Congressional Black Caucus include Alcee Hastings (FL), Yvette Clarke (NY), Donna Edwards (MD), Chaka Fatah (PA) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL). The National Black Justice Coalition calls on the entire CBC to support the legislation. Says Deputy Director Jason Bartlett: "As African Americans, we know all too well the injustices that laws such as this impose on our communities and our families. As African Americans, we are sensitive to the federal government trying to define our families. Let us consign the mistakes of the past to history and move forward together. We call on Congress to pass the Respect to Marriage Act as we continue to fight for our civil rights."
The Human Rights Campaign reports the Respect for Marriage Act "would restore the rights of all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples—to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. The bill also provides same-sex couples with certainty that federal benefits and protections would flow from a valid marriage celebrated in a state where such marriages are legal, even if a couple moves or travels to another state...rights like Social Security survivors' benefits, medical leave to care for an ailing spouse and equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws along."
Not present at the news conference was openly Rep. Barney Frank, who says the bill has "zero" chance passage in the near term and believes several federal lawsuits challenging DOMA will be more successful. Nadler disagrees: "Mr. Frank knows better than anyone that our opponents will falsely claim that any DOMA repeal bill 'exports marriage' in an effort to generate fear and misunderstanding. But the dishonest tactics of our opponents should not stop us from aggressively pushing to end this horrific discrimination now. Our bill does not tell any state who it must marry or what marriage it must recognize under state law."
[images via HRC]


text: Owning their home free and clear would give this family more cash to cover tuition expenses. By Thomas M. Anderson, Contributing Editor March 12, 2010 OUR READER Who: Rachel Aptekar, 46 Where: Davis, Cal. Question: Should I use spare income to slash mortgage debt or invest in a 529 plan?A part-time biology instructor at two colleges, Rachel earmarks $12,000 a year for her family's future. Her top priority is to save for college for her three children -- a commendable goal, but more complicated than it seems. In fact, her solution appears to be to do something unexpected. Rachel is considering two options: Burn the family's mortgage by 2013, a year before Laura, 14, graduates from high school, or invest $1,000 a month in college-savings accounts for all three children (including Dylan, 12, and Wesley, 10). With a state-sponsored 529 college-savings account, earnings are tax-free if used for tuition, books, school fees, or room and board. Retirement is key. Rachel and her husband, Christopher Cassels, first need to review their retirement savings. When college bills come due, kids and their parents can use current income or scholarships, or they can borrow. But you can't get loans to fund retirement. Christopher, 44, a county government supervisor, contributes to an investment plan for public employees and to a Roth IRA. An extra boost from Rachel would help shore up the family's retirement security. Plus, Rachel and Christopher could withdraw their Roth contributions tax-free and penalty-free at any time for any purpose, including education. Advertisement But there are exceptions, and Rachel and Christopher are that rarest of couples who could own their home free and clear before their children are out of their bedrooms. They have a 15-year loan at a fixed rate of 5%, and they figure the house is worth about $400,000. If Rachel whacks away at the principal with full force, the mortgage stands to be paid off by 2013. Their monthly cash flow would be vastly improved, and they're not worried about losing a tax break by paying off a mortgage early. They don't get any tax benefit from paying mortgage interest now because they use the standard deduction -- at $11,400 for 2010, it's bigger than all their itemized deductions combined. The college angle. The formulas for how much parents are expected to pay for college differ between public and private schools. The federal formula, which governs federal financial aid and public-college awards, does not consider home equity. Many private schools do factor it in, however, so a paid-off house is a disadvantage. Money in a 529 plan can also restrict aid. Nevertheless, the family should still qualify for some assistance because there will be two, and possibly three, siblings in college at the same time, all being financed on a middle-class income. That situation will count in their favor when it comes to financial aid, especially if the children apply to public colleges. Bottom line: Rachel should lean toward extra mortgage payments. If all else stays the same, she'll eventually have $12,000 a year, plus the thousands the couple conserve by not owing on a mortgage, to cover college costs or expand retirement contributions. Less debt equals more flexibility.


text:
These games teach valuable skills and have a high fun and educational rating.
Your child learns about gradable adjectives (e.g. big, bigger, biggest) while organizing animals at the circus.
Your child learns how to correctly spell plurals while helping the Midnight Bride find a husband and escape from a trapped tower.
Your child learns the meaning of prefixes and suffixes by playing this game.
Zoodles 11.8.7 Copyright (c) 2014 Inquisitive Minds, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
Please Note: There are several recipes listed on this page. Please scroll down the page, to find the recipe you are seeking. Thank you!
Apple Turnovers
Makes 4 servings
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced
4 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 6-inch whole-grain flour tortillas
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a medium rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Put the apple, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, and ground cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir until evenly coated. Put a tortilla on a large dinner plate. Brush each side of the tortilla evenly with 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup. Spoon one-quarter of the apple mixture into the center of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over the apple mixture and firmly press the outer edges of the tortilla together to form a tight seal. Decorate the edges and help to further seal the turnover by pressing the tongs of a table fork firmly around the outer rim of the turnover. Repeat with the other three tortillas. Put the turnovers on the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Put the sheet on a wire rack. Dust liberally with confectioners' sugar. Cool 10 to 15 minutes and serve warm.
You may use 8- or 9-inch tortillas for this recipe. If you do, use a large apple or 2 small apples for the filling.
Peanut Butter Mousse Tartlets
Makes 12 Tartlets
12 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup unsalted, raw sunflower seeds
2/3 cup cubed firm regular tofu (sprouted variety is preferred)
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup
12 vegan chocolate chips
Put the dates and sunflower seeds in a high-performance blender or food processor, and process to a smooth dough. Put the date mixture in a medium bowl and pull it together to form a ball. Divide the date mixture into 12 parts and roll each into a ball. Press each ball into the shape of a cup, one at a time, using the cups in a mini-muffin baking tin as guides. Using an offset spatula or table knife, carefully remove the date cups from the mini-muffin molds, and place them on a flat tray or plate that has been lined with parchment paper.
Put the tofu, peanut butter, and maple syrup in a blender or food processor and process until very smooth. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star pastry tip. Pipe the filling into each of the date cups and top with a single chocolate chip. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours before serving. Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover tartlets will keep up to 24 hours.
If you do not have a pastry bag, simply spoon the filling into the cups. Not quite as fancy, but still jazzylicious!
Chocolate Candy Clusters
12 to 14 candies
5 heaping tablespoons vegan dark chocolate chips
1 cup ready-to-eat vegan cluster-style cereal or granola
1 tablespoon raw unsweetened shredded dried coconut
Line a medium baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Put the chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat (see note, page TK). When the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat. Put the cereal in a medium bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal and stir together until the chocolate completely coats the cereal. For each cluster, drop one heaping tablespoon of the chocolate mixture on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a bit of coconut over top of each cluster. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until set. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, clusters will keep for about five days.
Coconut-Date Truffles
Makes 14 Truffles
I made these beauties for Michael Feinstein when we filmed his interview for the television show and he loved them! I know you'll love them too.
6 large Medjool dates
3 heaping tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded dried coconut
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Line a small baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Put the dates, raisins, coconut and sunflower seeds in a high-performance blending appliance and process to the consistency of soft dough. Transfer the date mixture to a medium bowl. Spoon out a heaping tablespoon of the date mixture, and roll it into a ball. Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll each truffle in the cocoa powder until completely coated and place on the prepared sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


text:
State of CobbTuesday, December 15th, 2009
Had the opportunity to get away from the farm a bit this week and attend a Christmas dinner provided by Cobb. They have this every year and it's called "State of Cobb". Growers gather to hear about the business; how it's doing, what to expect, and where we're heading. It was good to hear that in a bad economy business has stayed pretty flat. Cobb hasn't lost any business and in this economy that's a plus. To stay flat the company had to gain market share and that we have done. Hopefully when everything starts picking up that market share will translate into sales gains. The leaders of this company are pretty ambitous and I for one like that. There are some pretty lofty goals set. Plans for a new complex in Tennessee are moving forward as scheduled. There is talk of building a feed mill that will be company owned and operated to supply some or all of the complexes. Expansion in Kentucky is on the way with Cobb building a new QA facility in western Ky.. At one point there were plans to build some more farms here at this complex, now all that's kind of up in the air waiting to see how growers develop in Tennessee. The Tennessee hatchery will be close enough that we could see some building of farms here to supply that hatchery if growers don't develop in Tennessee. There were some negative things this year. The biggest of which was loss of birds to disease. We lost a substantial amount of money and production, but contrary to reports there are plenty of Cobb chicks to go around. Cobb is begining to offer some training to growers. Next year Dr. Anthony Pescatore from The University of Kentucky will be hosting classes in everything from Embryology to Industry Facts and Infastructure. I found it really interesting we got a letter in the mail fom Cobb telling us we could not take pictures of Cobb birds or inside or outside our houses. I feel like this was directed right at me. The best part is a few weeks later Cobb had it's own company farm on America's Heartland.
The kids are all doing good. Kaylees' cheer team qualified to go to nationals in Myrtle Beach S.C. again this year. They actually had the highest score of the whole competition even edging out the Coed team from here. Garett is really taking to shooting his bow. I hope he stays interested in things outdoors. I was afraid he was gonna be an inside person. Madison won her division in the Miss Snowflake pagaent she entered. I think these pagaents really boost her self confidence. Katie is kind of struggling with school this year. She's a freshman and it's a whole new world for her. I'm trying to take a laid back approach for now. Her math is what's really getting her. She has the same teacher that BJ had in college. They both say she's not much of a teacher. More like show you once, give you the assignment, and you're on your own. I remember my grandmother telling me that when she taught she felt like if the kids didn't learn it wasn't their fault it was hers. Sure wish we had more teachers like "Granny Ball".
Just as soon as I said the weather wasn't much like winter we got a nice little blanket of snow. It got kind of nippy too. I had to scramble and get some of the fans covered with plastic at the chickenhouse. We cover about 6 of the fans in the coldest part of winter to regulate the temperature. I noticed during this little cold spell that one of the cows is getting really slow. I knew she was getting old, but hoped to get one more calf from her. If she calves before spring I'm moving her on. I should have about 5 calves to sell this spring. My plan is to sell the calves and buy back cows. Hopefully in a couple years I can have about 15 or 20. I would also like to get back into the rabbits. I'm looking for New Zealand Reds. Madison and Benji (our help) have been trying to get me to get some more pigs. This time around they want to raise piglets. My objection has always been you feed them more than you can sell feeder pigs for, but maybe with cull eggs and spilled chicken feed to supplement we can make a go of it. As fast as the colder weather came it's gone. That meant high winds and rain. The wind blew the top off "the pig mansion". The kids named it "the pig mansion" because they said it was too nice to be called a pig pen. Farm I is back together now. They disinfected this week and will be placing shavings soon. Chickens come December 23rd. Guess that's my present. We made a few improvements to the older houses. We added doors to access the feed bins, reinforced the slats, replaced any slats that were damaged, and added a drain in the scalehouse of house 1.
While traveling to watch Kaylee's cheer competition we ran across a Druther's restaraunt. I haven't seen one of these in years. Bj and I reminisced about the old Druther's here in town and it's Andy Dandytale Meal we used to get as kids. The one here started as a Burger Queen, then became a Druther's, followed by a Dairy Queen, and finally a Long John Silvers and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sometimes I wish time would have just stood still so I could go back to all the things that made my little world go round when I was a kid. Life was so simple then. No responsibilities, no bills to pay, no kids to hurry here or there, grandparents that adored me. Of all that I miss my grandparents the most. They were truly spectacular people who I try to model my life after today. Katie was the only one of my children who was old enough to remember Granny and Pap. Garett was just a little guy when they passed.
Well I've written longer than I had planned. Lot's to do and not as many hours to work with these short days so I better close. Check out the pics I've added here. As always thanks for reading!


text:
In the wake of the 1975 season, a new electronic scoreboard was built above the bleachers in center field and the press box was enclosed with glass. The left-field wall was also reconstructed as part of the team's offseason improvements. On the field however, the Red Sox struggled and won just four more games than they lost in 1976, a year in which the organization also lost owner Tom Yawkey when he passed away in July.
Record: 83-79, 3rd in American League East
Manager: Darrell D. Johnson (41-45), Donald W. Zimmer (42-43)
Attendance: 1,895,846
Following their pennant-winning season the previous year, the Red Sox struggled through a hangover season in 1976. The team failed to sign Rick Burleson, Carlton Fisk and Fred Lynn to new contracts by the March 10, 1976 deadline. As a result, each player had his contract automatically renewed and entered an option year. All three eventually signed new deals with the club but some believed that their contractual situations were a distraction to the team.
An early 10-game losing streak deposited the Red Sox in last place by May 11. Nine days later, Bill Lee suffered a torn shoulder and ligaments during a brawl at Yankee Stadium.
On June 15 the Red Sox purchased Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers from the A's for $1,000,000 cash apiece. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn subsequently squelched the deal, claiming it was "not in the best interest of baseball." Less than a month later on July 9, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey passed away after a battle with leukemia, leaving his widow Jean as the primary benefactor.
After starting the season with a 41-45 record, the Red Sox fired manager Darrell Johnson on July 19 and replaced him with Don Zimmer. The team rallied a bit under Zimmer's leadership and crawled back into third place by season's end.
The team's offensive leaders included Fred Lynn (who hit a team-leading .314), Carl Yastrzemski (21 homers and 102 RBIs) and Jim Rice (25 home runs and 85 RBIs). Butch Hobson took over for Rico Petrocelli at the hot corner and hit an inside-the-park home run in his first game of the season at Fenway Park on June 28.
During the offseason, the Red Sox signed a million dollar contract with reliever Bill Campbell, one of the first high-profile free agents in baseball after the reserve clause, which forced players to remain obligated to their former team once their contract expired, had been ruled invalid.
After the 1975 season, a new electronic scoreboard was placed above the center-field bleachers. Costing $1.5 million, Fenway Park's new scoreboard measured 40 feet wide and 24 feet high. It showed film and videotape, offering Fenway crowds a chance to see instant replay. In addition, the wall behind each bleacher section was raised to provide for a more symmetrical look and advertisements were placed there. It was first time commercial advertisements had appeared in the park in three decades.
In addition to the new scoreboard, the entire left-field wall was rebuilt before the 1976 season and the scoreboard was re-situated on the wall towards center field. With the new center-field board able to display the lineups, the electronic scoreboard on the wall, which was installed in 1962, was removed along with National League scores.
The reconstruction of the Green Monster addressed the dead spots and unpredictable bounces when batted balls struck the wall. A new tin covering with Styrofoam backing was placed inside the wall to ensure more consistent caroms. The new exterior replaced the old tin panels, which had covered the wooden railroad ties that made up the skeleton of the wall. In addition, six -foot high padding was added to the lower portion of the wall after reigning MVP and Rookie of the Year winner, Fred Lynn, crashed hard into the wall during Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.


text:
Business and e-Commerce Icons Set will help any designer or developer create a professionally looking website with neat elements. All the icons you will find in this set have a detailed design, each pixel having its own place, hence making them look very good.
The set consists of 25 high quality icons in transparency PNG format and layered PSD (16px, 24px, 32px, 48px sizes).
Icons list: Money, Credit Cards, Master Card, Visa, PayPal, Graphic/Statistics, Business man (people), Phone, Calendar, Contact, Bank, Safe, Clock, Shopping cart, Wallet, Business Bag (briefcase), Calculator, Handshake (partner), Secure Payment, Checkout, Shopping Bag, Products on Sale (for sale), Notebook (diary), Delivery (automobile), Exchange.


text:
Price & Performance
Performance information is based on the past performance of a product's investment options. It is not an indicator of future results.
The returns displayed generally will not align with your quarterly statement returns due to differences in time periods, and the specific fees and charges associated with your contract.
You could lose money by investing in the AZL® Government Money Market Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund's sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time. 7-Day Current Yield more closely reflects the current earnings than the total return.
The Allianz Investment Management LLC, Allianz Global Investors, NFJ Investment Group LLC, RCM Capital Management LLC, and PIMCO investment options are managed by an affiliate of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, and Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC. All are affiliated companies.
Performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions, so that units, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance information quoted. To access the most current month-end performance, please select Standardized Monthly Performance from the View Type above.
Performance is calculated on the basis of historical performance of each investment option. Actual performance from the date the Separate Account began investing in the investment option is shown. Performance figures show the change in value of a hypothetical investment over the indicated periods, assuming reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
Standardized performance
Standardized performance information reflects the deduction of the mortality and expense risk (M&E) charge except Allianz Index Advantage® Variable Annuity, which reflects deduction of the product fee instead of an M&E charge.
Standardized performance for all listed variable annuities also reflects the fees and expenses of the investment options after reductions for fee waivers and expense reimbursements, contract maintenance charge, and withdrawal charge as follows:
|Withdrawal charge schedule
|Allianz VisionSM Variable Annuity
|8.5%, 8.5%, 7.5%, 6.5%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 0%
|Allianz ConnectionsSM Variable Annuity
|8.5%, 8.5%, 7.5%, 6.5%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 0%
|Allianz Index Advantage® Variable Annuity
|8.5%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 0%
|Allianz Index Advantage NF® Variable Annuity
|8.5%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 0%
The M&E charge is assessed daily against the investment options' net asset value (NAV). The product fee and a contract maintenance charge of 0.01% are shown as assessed against the investment options' NAV on the last day of each year (or the last day of the period for any period of less than one year) and the withdrawal charge is shown as assessed against the NAV on the last day of each period using the withdrawal charge percentage that would apply at that time. The product fee, contract maintenance charge, and withdrawal charge are not reflected as actually calculated and deducted. They are shown as a representation of these fees' impacts on fund performance. This may overstate or understate actual performance.
Standardized performance information does not reflect the deduction of any optional rider charge. Performance would be lower if the investment options' fees were calculated before reductions for waivers and reimbursements, or if rider charges were deducted. Investment option fee waivers and expense reimbursements are not permanent and may be discontinued. Please see the prospectus for more details on contract expenses and charges.
Standardized performance information for Allianz Index Advantage ADV® Variable Annuity
Standardized performance information reflects the fees and expenses of the investment options after reductions for fee waivers and expense reimbursements, the product fee, and contract maintenance charge. However, standardized performance information does not reflect deduction of the withdrawal charge (which is 6.5%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 0%) as the withdrawal charge only applies to, and is only deducted from, the index options. Withdrawal charges are not assessed or deducted from the variable options.
Investing in a variable annuity may be the answer for part of your overall retirement strategy. A variable annuity offers a unique combination of features, including market participation through a variety of investment options; tax-deferred growth opportunities; and optional protection benefits that can provide certain accumulation, income, and beneficiary guarantees for an additional cost. Please note that we no longer offer any variable life insurance products.
Variable annuities are subject to investment risk, including loss of principal, and contract values fluctuate daily. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that units, upon distribution, may be worth more or less than the original cost.
Variable investment options are available only as investment options in variable annuity contracts. They are not made available to the general public directly.
Withdrawals will reduce the contract value and the value of any protection benefits. Withdrawals taken within the contract withdrawal charge schedule will be subject to a withdrawal charge. All withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax and, if taken prior to age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal additional tax.
For more complete information about variable annuities and variable investment options from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America or Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, call your financial professional or Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC at 800.542.5427 for a prospectus. The prospectuses contain details on investment objectives, risks, fees, and expenses, as well as other information about the variable annuity and variable investment options, which you should carefully consider. Please read the prospectuses thoroughly before sending money.
Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company. Variable annuity guarantees do not apply to the performance of the variable subaccounts, which will fluctuate with market conditions.
• Not FDIC insured • May lose value • No bank or credit union guarantee • Not a deposit • Not insured by any federal government agency or NCUA/NCUSIF
Products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297. In New York, products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, 1633 Broadway, 42nd Floor, New York, NY 10019-7585. Variable products are distributed by their affiliate, Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, member FINRA, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297.
In the state of New York, only Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York is authorized to offer annuities and life insurance. www.allianzlife.com/new-york
Product and feature availability may vary by state and broker/dealer.


text:
With man-made climate change now a virtual certainty as well as the un-sustainable extraction of raw materials and water this community has three broad choices,
1. Rely on central and local government to legislate mankind and this planet out of trouble.
2. Ignore all the scientists and evidence and continue to overuse energy, refuse to recycle, fly at a whim to the closest destinations and eat strawberries from Egypt in January.
3. Work together as a community to find ways to reduce our environmental impact.
We like option three; if you'd like to find out more have a look around our website.


text:
Director-designer Achim Freyer has given L.A. Opera what may go down in infamy as the Balloon Ring. For "Gotterdammerung," the final installment in Richard Wagner's tetralogy "The Ring of the Nibelungen," the heroic Siegfried (John Treleaven) announces his wedding celebration to the spectacle of nine small red balloons being dropped from the flies above. Actually, it was supposed to be 10, but one of the balloons popped earlier in the act, causing an unexpected shower of red plastic petals, and yet another balloon burst ahead of schedule a minute or two after its momentuous descent. Yes, balloons. Like one would see at a children's party. This is what $32 million buys an opera company?
Granted, those eight or 10 red balloons occupy only about five minutes of the nearly 18 hours the Ring requires to stage, but they typify Freyer's comicstrip approach to one of Western civilization's crowning artistic achievements. Who knows? For a few dollars more, he could have provided enough balloons to carry all the English surtitles above the heads of Wagner's characters. If nothing else, this "Ring" succeeds in reducing them all to mere cartoons.
Popular on Variety
In "Gotterdammerung," or "Twilight of the Gods," the greatest of the goddess warriors, Brunnhilde (Linda Watson), has been freed from the ring of fire by Siegfried, whom she calls "the greatest of heroes," only to see that love betrayed by the Gibechungs, Gunther (Alan Held) and Gutrune (Jennifer Wilson), and their evil half-brother, the dwarfish Hagen (Eric Halfvarson). It's a love that, in the end, can only be redeemed by an apocalypse, which Brunnhilde dutifully sets in motion.
Held, Wilson and Halfvarson are true larger-than-life Wagnerians, and are ideal in their roles. Siegfried runs in Treleaven's blood, but it's an impossibly arduous role that runs into trouble in his throat, causing some distressingly wavering tones. Watson possesses an edgy voice that doesn't so much soar above the orchestra as cut through it; there is, however, real passion and drama in her singing. James Conlon doesn't offer the most sweeping or grand reading of the score, but he is a most supportive conductor, and always provides a lush cushion of sound that never overwhelms the singers whose voices he rightfully keeps front and center.
Which brings us, unfortunately, back to Freyer. He tells Wagner's amazingly fantastical story on the same unit set (a simple raked stage framed by black curtains on the sides and a cyclorama upstage) that we saw in the previous three operas: "Das Rheingold," "Die Walkure" and "Siegfried." Such commonplace minimalism leaves it to Freyer the costume designer to provide any real spectacle, and here he seems to have been inspired by the crude, childlike sketches of the late Keith Haring. Freyer's costumes don't so much clothe the performers as encase them. It's a directorial technique that saves him from having to bother with blocking or any kind of character interaction. In fact, some of the costumes actually are standing cartoons, the kind through which people stick their heads to transform themselves into a mermaid or a pirate at a carnival sideshow.
With her headdress of dark curls, Brunnhilde looks like Cher if she ever took up a witch-doctor motif for another of her final tours. Siegfried is pure Popeye in a yellow fright wig, complete with muscled body suit. This hero may be naive, but he's not a clown. Worse, there's nothing heroic or romantic about any of these visuals, which instead are just silly.
Freyer's stab at high-tech comes courtesy of several LED tubes that double as ropes, rings and swords, bringing "Star Wars" to mind. Otherwise, he can be awfully literal. When Wotan's injured eye is mentioned, Freyer provides not one but three big eyeballs onstage. When Brunnhilde sings of ravens in the immolation scene, two ill-drawn ravens rise from downstage to expose the prompters who've been hidden behind them throughout the opera. That's Freyer's vision, intended or not, of the apocalypse: What we've been watching is a total sham.
These banal theatrics not only undercut every bar of this supremely grand and majestic score, they also contradict the story. The "sleeping" Hagen, at one point, walks across the stage so Siegfried, stuck in one of those aforementioned carnival cutouts, can awaken him. At another point, the spotlight remains on Hagen when the music's leitmotifs belong to Brunnhilde and the ring. The chorus of Gibechungs is left onstage when there's no reason for them to be there except to fill that space. Throughout this enterprise, the stage pictures often look underpopulated, half-empty, incomplete.
L.A. Opera is offering three complete "Ring" cycles later this spring, beginning May 29, June 8 and June 18. Top price ticket for seeing all four works over a span of one week is $2,200. Will operagoers who've already experienced Freyer's take on Wagner during the past two seasons want to pony up again? There were a few empty seats at Saturday's matinee preem of "Gotterdammerung," and many more empties by the beginning of act three. The company's hope is that European opera houses will want to borrow the production, which might help to recoup some costs. It will be interesting to see who overseas rents the Balloon Ring.


text:
- Page 1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ62 Review
- Page 2 Performance, Image Quality and Verdict Review
- Page 3 Sample Images: ISO Performance Review
- Page 4 Sample Images: General Images Review
- Quality build and feel
- Versatile focal range
- Strong overall image quality
- Aspect ratio of monitor results in wasted screen space
- Lack of Raw capture
- Claimed 10fps only good for three consecutive shots
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £350.00
- 1/2.33inch 16.1MP High Sensitivity MOS sensor
- 24x optical zoom (25-600mm)
- ISO 100 - 3200 (exp. to 6400)
- 1080/25p Full HD video capture
- 3in, 460k-dot LCD monitor
Video review
This being a superzoom the thing that will be of most interest to potential buyers is the optical zoom, and in this respect the FZ62 delivers the goods with a 24x Leica-made fixed zoom that offers the 35mm equivalent of 25-600mm. The lens is a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT optic that further benefits from Nano Surface Coating to reduce the effects of glare, and Panasonic's own Power O.I.S. image stabilisation technology to minimise the effects of camera shake and help keep images (and movies) sharp. Maximum aperture is f/2.8 at 26mm, rising incrementally to f/5.2 at 600mm.
Internally, the new model employs a 1/2.33in High Sensitivity MOS sensor with an effective resolution of 16.1MP. This represents a fairly sizeable increase over the 12.1MP sensors found in the previous generation of Lumix superzooms, although this does in turn raise some questions over pixel density and the effects this might have on low-light performance. To this end Panasonic claims that the FZ62's Venus Engine image processor improves image quality at high ISO settings through 'Image Noise Reduction' and 'Multi-process Noise Reduction' to help image quality at high ISO settings. Speaking of sensitivity, the FZ62 offers a standard ISO range of 100-3200, which is expandable to ISO 6400 in High Sensitivity Mode albeit at the expense of overall resolution.
Panasonic also claims that the Venus Engine improves general performance, providing fast start-up times while enabling the camera to shoot at up to 10fps – albeit for a maximum of three consecutive shot. Just as importantly, the FZ62 also benefits from the same Light Speed AF system found in the company's compact system cameras.
On the back of the camera sits a fixed 3in, 460k-dot LCD screen that provides a 100% field of view. Should you prefer to hold the camera at eye-level then the FZ62 also offers a 0.2in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a resolution of 202k-pixels which, again, offers 100% field of view. There's no eye sensor built in though, so you'll need to use the LCD/EVF button next to the eyepiece in order to toggle between the two options.
The FZ62 is JPEG only, with no provision for the capture of lossless Raw image files, however it does offers manual control in the form of Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and full Manual control exposure modes. Should you prefer to let the camera do all the work then the FZ62 offers Panasonic's tried and tested intelligent Auto (iA) point-and-shoot mode alongside 18 Scene modes. The FZ62 also gets 14 'Creative Control' digital filter effects that can be applied to your images at the point of capture, allowing you to add fun effects to your images without the need for any time-consuming post-processing software. Within the Creative Control sub-menu you'll find all the usual favourites including 'Miniature Effect', 'Toy Effect', 'Cross Process' and 'Selective colour'.
Movie enthusiasts are well catered for with the FZ62 offering 1080p Full HD video capture at 25fps in both the HDTV-friendly AVCHD format and the more computer friendly MP4 format. There's no external microphone input but videos are recorded in stereo via twin microphones positioned on top of the camera. There's also a noise reduction system and an Auto Wind Cut function available, should you need them. The zoom remains active during movie recording and it's also possible to add Creative Control effects to movies should you want to.
In terms of design the FZ62 doesn't break with superzoom conventions and, as such, follows the established template of looking not dissimilar to a miniaturised DSLR – albeit one with a fixed zoom lens rather than one that's interchangeable. The handgrip is fairly pronounced and also rubberised, which allows you to wrap your fingers around it for a secure and comfortable grip on the camera. In keeping with other Panasonic Lumix cameras, overall build quality is quite good with the camera feeling solid enough to stand up to plenty of use. The exposure mode dial and main on/off switch are also firm enough to withstand being accidentally nudged during regular use.
The FX62 offers a generous range of physical buttons, evenly distributed on the top and back of the camera, enabling you to quickly access and a range of shooting settings. On the back, the four-way directional pad grants direct access to ISO, White Balance and Self-timer settings, with the final button acting as a Function (Fn) button that you can assign as you see fit. In addition, the AF/AE-lock button to the right of the EVF also doubles up as a second Fn button should you need it.
On the top of the camera you'll find a large mode dial, and a dedicated video record button along with buttons providing one-touch access to Focus and Drive mode settings. The only minor gripe we have is that there aren't any controls on the zoom barrel itself; it's not unusual to find a zoom control placed here, something that Panasonic itself implements on its CSC power zoom. This is only a minor criticism though, as in all other aspects the FZ62 is a very comfortable and well laid-out camera to hold and use.
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We'll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.


text:
Apple's new iOS software looks beautiful, reflects 'simplicity' mantra
SAN FRANCISCO — Think Apple's critics struck a raw nerve with the company?
"Can't innovate anymore, my ass." That's from Phil Schiller, Apple senior vice president for worldwide marketing, speaking on stage at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
Schiller was essentially talking about Apple's new tubular-designed Mac Pro, the kind of powerful computer used by developers who make up much of the WWDC audience. But he might as well have been addressing Apple's most vocal detractors, those who say that Samsung is now the company that Apple used to be, and that Tim Cook isn't Steve Jobs. These are the fickle what-have-you-done-for-me-lately types who wonder whether the company that forever altered the tech landscape with the Mac, iPod and iTunes, iPhone and iPad has somehow lost its mojo. As if pumping out game-changing hardware is some sort of divine obligation.
There were no true game-changers introduced at WWDC, though this isn't typically a venue in which Apple goes crazy with new hardware. Apple didn't unveil the branded television that has long been rumored, or the iWatch computer that has also been the subject of considerable speculation. If those products do happen, the fall time frame would seem to be more likely. Apple did unveil that new Mac Pro, a small and attractive computer that — and I mean this is in a good way — resembles an elegant trashcan. The company also showed new MacBook Air models with what Apple claims will be all-day battery life, accomplished in part thanks to the new "Haswell" chips from Intel that are inside.
But this was mostly a software show, and what a show it was. The new iOS 7 for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches looks beautiful and reflects the "simplicity" mantra of famed Apple designer Jony Ive, who is now in control of software. We kept hearing all sorts of rumors about how the new iOS 7 would reveal a "flatter" design. But this is actually all about a depth of design, with functional and translucent layers and subtle animations that make everything somehow appear to be fresh and clean. So while Apple may not have unveiled a new iPhone this time around, iOS 7 when it hits in the fall promises to make your existing handset feel new.
Indeed, Apple has dispensed with the old — no more "green felt" in Game Center or "wooden bookshelves" in Newsstand or yellow notepads in the Notes app. Animated snowflakes or a bolt of lightning dress up a nifty weather app.
The new operating system isn't merely about the new edge-to-edge design. Apple has added promising features, too, including a translucent Control Center that you can summon with a swipe up as needed to turn on Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, alter the brightness, play a song and more. Sure, you could do all of this before by accessing the Settings app (and still can), but many of the most commonly used settings are more easily accessible. Apple has even thrown a flashlight app in there (and pity the poor third-party app developers that now produce flashlight apps).
The newly designed Notifications Center that reveals To-Dos, missed calls, appointments and other things you need to know is now visible on the lock screen, with a convenient "today" summary showing the important goings-on, well, today.
Apple says multitasking works better, too. By pressing the home screen twice, you can see preview screens of all your running apps and swipe to move from one to another. Apple updates apps automatically in the background and does so when you're plugged into Wi-Fi. The idea is that fetching such updates won't kill your battery.
Photos in iOS 7 are now automatically organized into Collections, Moments and Years, which seems like a potentially useful organizing principle, though I want to see it in practice. And when you shoot pictures with your iPhone you'll have easy access to Instagram-like filters (Mono, Chrome, Noir, etc.). You can also tap or swipe to shoot a regular photo, video, pano (for panorama) or square-type picture.
In an apparent dig at Samsung, Apple mentioned that you won't have to bump your phone against another handset to easily share pictures, videos, contacts or other files with a friend who happens to be nearby. Instead, you can now use the peer-to-peer feature known as AirDrop, which lets you tap a button and use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. (The feature was previously available on Macs.)
Among the most welcome new features that show up in Safari (both on iOS 7 and OS X) are "Shared Links," a convenient way to keep track in one place of the URLs posted by people you follow on Twitter.
Speaking of keeping everything in one place, you can exploit a feature known as iCloud Keychain to securely store your passwords, account numbers and credit card information in the cloud.
I'll have to play with the new Siri more to see if I like the improvements that have been made. Siri is no longer just a she — you can pick a male voice now. She (or he) is supposed to be even more obedient. You can ask Siri, for example, to play your voice mail or increase the brightness on your phone. Or to let you know what folks are saying on Twitter.
Another potentially useful feature enhances the Find My iPhone app that can help you recover your phone if stolen. The crook can no longer turn off Find My iPhone or reactivate the device once you have remotely locked it.
Apple's revamped Music app includes the new iTunes Radio feature that seems like more of a direct hit against Pandora than a subscription-based service such as Spotify. There is no on-demand-music option as in Spotify and no subscription fee, either, though if you subscribe to iTunes Match for $24.99 a year you won't see ads in iTunes Radio.
ITunes Radio includes 200-plus music stations that are designed to help you discover new music as opposed to playing the music you already own. But, like Pandora, you can type in the name of an artist or song and build a radio station around that. There's already a lot of competition for your ear, of course — from Google, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora and many others. Apple's advantage would seem to come from the fact that a lot of people use iTunes as their music jukebox of choice. But until I've had a chance to play with iTunes Radio, I'll reserve judgment.
I'll also reserve judgment on the latest version of OS X, dubbed OS X Mavericks (with Apple finally moving away from the feline-type nicknames that accompanied the nine prior versions of OS X).
Apple claims more than 200 new features in Mavericks, including Maps, iBooks and a convenient way to organize and tag files through Finder. As with iOS 7, it is due to reach consumers in the fall around the time, I suspect, there will also be new devices to also talk about.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow @edbaig on Twitter.


text:
insomnia47 30th November to 3rd December 2012, International Centre, Telford!
There are currently 1 users browsing this forum. (0 members & 1 guests)
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules