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ANC president Jacob Zuma expressed delight and said his party was "humbled" that the majority of South African voters have returned the party to power.
Zuma, the ruling party's presidential candidate who is expected to serve a second term as state president, delivered his address on Saturday after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced official final results for this week's election.
Zuma called the ANC victory a "reaffirmation that South Africa indeed has a good story to tell". The ANC won 62.15% (11 436 921 votes) of the 18 million votes cast on Wednesday.
Though the party remains the majority in the National Assembly and eight provinces, it lost 15 seats in Parliament and was reduced to 249 seats.
Zuma was however not fazed by the decline over the past two elections. "They [voters] have approved of the good work we have done over the last 20 years in general and in the past five years in particular," he said.
The ANC dedicated this election victory "to Madiba's memory and vow to take forward his legacy and that of his peers," Zuma said.
Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, died last December and the ANC urged voters during its campaigns to elect it back into power to honour him.
In the next five-year term the ANC would "use our majority to implement policies and programmes that improve the lives of the people, especially the poor," Zuma said. "This new mandate is a licence to continue building on infrastructure programmes and it gives us the green light to implement the national development plan".
The NDP, the country's long-term plan for social and economic development as well as job creation, was widely accepted by opposition parties, but part of it criticised and rejected by metalworkers' union Numsa, the biggest affiliate of the ANC's ally Cosatu.
In an attempt to appease and reach out to residents that have demonstrated their anger and frustration towards the ANC-led government through protests, Zuma promised residents of Bekkersdal in Gauteng, Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape and Marikana outside Rustenburg that their grievances would be attended to.
"No community in our country should live in a state of turmoil. The issues they raised will be addressed," he said. Residents of Bekkersdal threatened to vote against the ANC, but the party had a good showing in the area. It's in Marikana where the party was punished, with more votes going to the party's breakaway Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Though the loudest cheers were for the ANC victory throughout the announcement, the EFF received ample applause for their good showing in provincial legislatures and Parliament. With 25 National Assembly seats, the EFF is expected to give the ANC-led government a hard time with accountability.
In his address Zuma promised a government that will serve all, including those who did not vote the ANC.
For the second time the ANC is an opposition party in the Western Cape, where the DA has been ruling since 2009. He congratulated parties that "did well" but comforted the losers saying "losing is part of the democratic process. In democracy you win and lose."
Zuma attended the IEC's celebration gala dinner, after which he will address ANC members and supporters at Library Gardens in Johannesburg.


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Currently in closed beta, Arctic Combat appears to be set in the Middle East, despite its title. That's not all that looks fishy about this free-to-play military shooter. One of its maps, "Sand Storm," is almost a direct copy of de_dust2 from Counter-Strike. See for yourself in that video above.
PC Gamer notes that some corridor dimensions and crate emplacements are different, but the overall layout, including the choke points, remain the same. The rest of the game, well, looks like a straight ripoff of Call of Duty, not that that's a real crime or anything. Arctic Combat is made by Webzen, which is based in South Korea.
Free-to-play shooter Arctic Combat contains obvious Counter-Strike map reproduction [PC Gamer]

subset: commoncrawl


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mn8 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 82 designs submitted by 34 freelance designers.
Finishline Flooring is going to be an internet hardwood Flooring, and Laminate Flooring company that will cater to the customer by offering online wholesale pricing with excellent in home customer service. We will turn our leads into in home based appointments.
Being developed
Shop at home and save BIG!
Desired Color Scheme:
no more than 3 colors any color combo is fine
Desired Style:
web 2.0 style anything clean and professional looking
Accepted File Formats:
We're looking for a clean professional web 2.0 design. Something that accurately represents our company. We require all formats for web applications and print. You must provide us with the image in Vector format.
We will leave accurate and timely feedback so that we can help you better understand our descision making process.
We will end the contest early if we find the appropriate design. We're looking to get this done ASAP, so that we can turn this over to our web designer.
We will be competing directly with some national known companies in this industry. they are at the following websites.
Take a look at those sites for knowledge of what we do and some inspiration. Thank you very much in advance
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Today we took the 'How Clean is your Cloud' challenge directly to Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, the three companies which need to switch from dirty coal to clean, renewable power. This challenge follows yesterday's launch of our 'How Clean is your Cloud' report.
Greenpeace Luxembourg visited Amazon's European headquarters, while Greenpeace Turkey visited Microsoft's European headquarters in Istanbul. Greenpeace International's team appeared at Apple's European headquarters in Cork, Ireland.
We are calling on IT companies to change the way they source power for the rapidly expanding 'cloud' – basically where data is stored - which they are currently powering with a lot of coal and nukes. The teams used a variety of methods to communicate to the companies that what happens in the cloud has a very real impact on the world we live in. At Microsoft activists were on the roof with cloud-shaped banners. In Luxembourg the message was carried 10 metres up on giant balloons to the roof of Amazon. In Ireland we had a special new 'cloud machine' that makes logos out of environmentally safe bubbles.
We are calling on these companies to think differently and use their innovative skills to make sure they power our cloud with renewables. We know they can do it, because Google and Yahoo are already leading the way.
Protests were received quite differently at the different offices. In Turkey, Microsoft's security were aggressive towards our peaceful activists and at Apple a lot of the employees seemed open to our message and accepted our leaflets and our free mousemats which we made especially for them. In Turkey activists were detained but released without charge.
(Unregistered) Carlos
Turkey is still a country with no future.. and the companies that operate there follows the same way..
18 April, 2012 at 19:52
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(Unregistered) MAM
When I look at problems all over the world, Microsoft's and Apple's clouds seem to me nothing. What impact they have on ecological situation c...
When I look at problems all over the world, Microsoft's and Apple's clouds seem to me nothing. What impact they have on ecological situation comparing to Chinese coal plants??? And how about burning Indonesian rain forests??? I know Greenpeace also has people in these countries, but you need to concentrate more effort in such problematic places instead of blaming IT corporations. Don't waste your time and our donations.
19 April, 2012 at 5:57
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(Unregistered) Andthen01
C'mon greenpeace, get your facts right before launching a stunt like this. Your claims against Apple are unfounded (or release your source!) ...af...
C'mon greenpeace, get your facts right before launching a stunt like this. Your claims against Apple are unfounded (or release your source!) ...after all we don't want Apple to look more transparent than greenpeace
19 April, 2012 at 10:06
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Activists Stay the Course!
These IT giants have the power to change the CARBON direction and SET a SUSTAINABLE ENERGY example for other ...
Activists Stay the Course!
These IT giants have the power to change the CARBON direction and SET a SUSTAINABLE ENERGY example for other companies to follow... and for consumers to choose, wisely...
Ocean Acidification is now irreversible... at least on timescales of at least... TENS of THOUSANDS of years...
Even with stabilisation of atmospheric CO2 at 450 ppm, Ocean Acidification will have profound impacts (death and extinction) on many marine systems.
LARGE and rapid reductions of global CO2 emissions are needed globally by at LEAST 50% by 2050.
Analysis of past events in Earth's geologic history suggests that chemical recovery (normal pH for LIFE in the Ocean) will take TENS of THOUSANDS of years - while the recovery of ecosystem function and biological diversity (LIFE AS WE KNOW IT) can take much longer. (MILLIONS OF YEARS)
..:: "Every day, 70 MILLION TONS of CO2 are released into Earth's atmosphere. ( remaining in the atmosphere for thousands of years )
..:: "Every day, 20 MILLION TONS of that CO2 are absorbed into the OCEANS, thereby increasing the overall ACIDITY of the OCEANS.
By 2100, Ocean acidity will increase another 150 to 200 hundred percent.
This is a dramatic change in the acidity of the oceans. And it has a serious impact on our ocean ecosystems; in particular, it has an impact on any species of calcifying organism that produces a calcium carbonate SHELL.
..:: "These are changes that are occurring far too fast for the oceans to correct naturally, said Dr Richard Feely with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
..:: "Fifty-five million years ago when we had an event like this (and that took over 10,000 years to occur), it took the oceans over 125,000 years to recover, just to get the chemistry back to normal," he told BBC News.
..:: "It took two to 10 million years for the organisms to re-evolve, to get back into a normal situation.
..:: "So what we do over the next 100 years will have implications for ocean ecosystems from tens of thousands to millions of years. That's the implication of what we're doing to the oceans right now."
Calling all "Ocean Defenders", to INFORM the UN-informed "voting" American public of the danger of atmospheric CO2 produced by fossil fuel combustion... leading to global warming and Ocean Acidification... leading to the extinction of the base of the food chain in the Ocean and the loss of oxygen producing phytoplankton that is essential for Life on Earth... the only known planet with Life, as we know it, in the entire universe.
Keep saying it to everyone... until everyone is saying it to you.
Until a critical mass of American "voters" can actually understand the OA problem, and stop living in denial, there will be no "political will" to solve the problem... mainly caused by Americans and the US military, ( http://EcoDelMar.org/Green_Military ) ... while believing their "might is right"... and believing in the infallibility of the human ego, while ignoring their own Spiritual appreciation/gratitude for Life itself... in effect, worshiping golden idols over Life.
While a critical mass of American "voters" stubbornly cling to a blatant denial of the findings of 98% of the top scientists of all time... the problem will not be seen by the "voters"... until it is too late.
~ Capt LL
19 April, 2012 at 18:03
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Iris Cheng
@MAM: Actually, getting Microsoft and Apple to use clean energy is critical to solving the coal problem. Globally, cloud computing is the 5th biggest ...
@MAM: Actually, getting Microsoft and Apple to use clean energy is critical to solving the coal problem. Globally, cloud computing is the 5th biggest carbon emitter (if it's a country) and has a bigger carbon footprint than the whole of India. And the problem is not limited to the US. Global IT companies are building massive data centers in China, India to serve the rapidly growing customers in those markets. How these new, energy hungry datacenters (some uses as much energy as 250,000 EU homes) want to be powered will influence whether a coal plant gets built in China or not, or whether an Indonesian forest will be burned down so they can mine the coal underneath.
Getting the IT sector (the fastest growing big energy customer) switching to clean energy is a key step – and they just need a 'nudge' from us. As an Apple employee said to me yesterday in Cork, "we are innovators. If anyone can make the switch to renewables, it would be us."
19 April, 2012 at 18:55
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@Iris Cheng: if you really love our Planet - stop using electronic devices, buying pretty clothes and using tonnes of cosmetics!
20 April, 2012 at 6:39
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Grateful Child
Larry: That was a really great post. Thanks very much.
20 April, 2012 at 14:39
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Andrew Davies
Mam - I'm sure Iris will be flattered by your comment on her personal style, but I think you're missing the point.
People don'...
Mam - I'm sure Iris will be flattered by your comment on her personal style, but I think you're missing the point.
People don't need to chose between using the cool new digital stuff that's powered by data centers, and a green future. Tech companies can power those data centers with renewable energy.
They're big enough buyers that if they have a preference for green energy (solar, wind, etc) the big utilities will build that capacity to stay competitive.
Some companies are already moving in that direction Microsoft, Apple and Amazon are ones we feel could do a lot more. Essentially, we're asking them to innovate - something they're good at.
20 April, 2012 at 20:11
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(Unregistered) Unknown
So let me get this straight, you messed up your initial report saying Apple use 58% of their energy from coal when it's actually only ~14%, you we...
So let me get this straight, you messed up your initial report saying Apple use 58% of their energy from coal when it's actually only ~14%, you went and protested their European head office in Cork which is run by 100% renewable energy, handed out paper flyers to their employees (care about the trees much?) and then tweeted about your escapades via your Apple iPhones? Are you having a laugh?
21 April, 2012 at 0:20
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(Unregistered) Unemplyed
Hi Green Peace.
Since your protest at one of the IT Companies. Cannot mention name.
5 Security Guards were fired the same day for ...
Hi Green Peace.
Since your protest at one of the IT Companies. Cannot mention name.
5 Security Guards were fired the same day for allowing the protest to get as far as it did.
I am one of them and I am unemployed with 3 children now.
You dont think of that part of the protest do you. Yes we should all think green I agree but there are consequences when you do what you do.
There are no jobs out there and I only said to my wife the other day how lucky I was to have a job in times like this. Now I dont.
While you all clapped each other on the back and took your photos, a few hours later we all got our P45.
Thanks, I hope you are really proud of yourselves. At least have the courage to put tis on your site or is Greenpaece as selective as the companies you protest against.
28 April, 2012 at 19:34
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I have a Touchstream LP that I bought new way back in the day and I have a few questions about getting it prepped to sell. I figured you guys were the experts so I thought I'd come here! =)
I bought it new years ago to use for coding but I haven't used it in at least 5 years. As far as I know, it still works perfectly. It's always been kept in its original box with all the manuals and CD.
If I'm wanting to sell it (on ebay or craigslist or here, I guess), what things should I do/post in preparation for the sale? What do you guys look for? What are the best pictures to take? Are there any tests for the unit that shows it still works perfectly?
Any input would be appreciated. I apologize if this is the incorrect forum, but I thought it was the best choice out of the ones presented.


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The packaging process for machine drills is an application example for the precise detection capabilities of the ML6-8-H background suppression sensor series. First, the completeness of the drill is verified by checking for presence of the drill tip. Here the small, sharp light spot enables proper small parts detection. Next, proper placement of the drill into its packaging is checked. One sensor is triggering on the leading edge of the package and is activated. An additional ML6-8-H photoelectric sensor verifies the presence of the drill in the package's mold from a top-view position. This packaging application demonstrates the very low black-to-white difference and excellent background suppression that is necessary to detect the dark drill in front of the bright packaging material.
Je hebt Windows Media Player of een gelijkwaardige software nodig om de animaties te kunnen bekijken.


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A Labour government would put an extra £100 million into GP surgeries in England to pay for an additional three million appointments a year and guarantee NHS patients can see a doctor within 48 hours, Ed Miliband has announced.
Mr Miliband said the cash would come from abolishing the market framework introduced by the coalition Government and reducing spending on consultants and senior managers.
He released figures obtained through freedom of information requests showing that health commissioners and trusts are spending at least £78 million a year on new competition requirements, and cited official figures showing that the key quangos of the Government's NHS reorganisation - Monitor, the Trust Development Authority and Commissioning Support Units - are spending £55 million annually on consultants and very senior managers.
In a high-profile speech in Manchester, Mr Miliband said it was a "scandal" that numbers of patients getting a GP appointment within 48 hours had fallen from 80% under Labour to just 40% now, while a quarter of people are now unable to get a GP appointment in the same week.
Accusing David Cameron of having "broken his bond of trust with the British people" on the NHS, he said that difficulties getting GP appointments were increasing pressure on A&E departments, as patients turn up at casualty because they cannot see their family doctor. A 5% increase in patients seeing their preferred GP could cut emergency admissions by up to 159,000 year, saving the NHS £375 million, he said.
Under Labour's plan, every NHS patient contacting their surgery would have the right to consult a doctor or nurse the same day, with a face-to-face appointment in the surgery that day if they need to be seen quickly. Those who do not need to see a doctor or nurse immediately, and whose problem cannot be dealt with remotely, would be guaranteed an appointment within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, patients would also be give a right to book non-urgent appointments with the GP of their choice more than 48 hours in advance.
"This will be better for patients, because they have better access to their GP surgery; better for the NHS, because it will save money currently spent in A&E; and better for Britain, because it is the kind of health service we need," Mr Miliband said.
Mr Miliband acknowledged that a Labour government elected in 2015 would not be able to match the spending on health achieved under the previous administrations of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
"We will have to do things in a new way to make our health service better, to save money where we can - and make sure that every single penny is well spent," he said.
This would be achieved by putting principles of "co-operation and integration, not competition and privatisation" at the heart of the service; integrating mental health, physical health and care for the elderly; and investing in preventative care at the family doctor level.
Mr Miliband accused Mr Cameron of taking on new powers to close down health services, presiding over an increase in patients waiting four hours or more in A&E and shutting a quarter of NHS walk-in centres.
And the Labour leader said: "He promised there would be no more top-down reorganisations. But he spent billions of pounds on a top-down reorganisation that nobody wanted and nobody voted for which has put the principles of markets and competition at the heart of the NHS like never before - a boost for the private companies and competition lawyers, a burden for everyone else.
"Competition, fragmentation, and privatisation - that's how the Tories see the future of our NHS and that's why it is going backwards.
"David Cameron has broken his bond of trust with the British people on the NHS. He has proved the oldest truth in British politics: you can't trust the Tories with the NHS."
A Conservative health spokesman said: "This is an unfunded pie-in-the-sky policy that Labour can't pay for and doctors can't deliver. More unfunded spending would mean more borrowing and more taxes to pay for it. It's the same old Labour.
"The last Labour government vandalised the relationship between GPs and their patients by introducing tick-box targets and scrapping family doctors, something we are now putting right.
"Far from improving access, another top-down target will leave GPs less time with their patients and put more pressure on general practice. The real solution is less micro-management and more GPs, something we've already committed to."
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) welcomed the announcement but warned that it must form part of a wider shift in funding towards family doctors.
RCGP chair Dr Maureen Baker said: "There is a growing crisis in waiting times to see a GP across the country, and it is clear that this will become a key issue at the next election.
"GPs want to provide better access for their patients, but are being prevented from cutting waiting times because of the funding black hole in general practice. Ed Miliband's announcement that more money should be channelled into general practice is therefore extremely welcome."
She warned that "general practice is now teetering on the brink of collapse" and was "disintegrating before our very eyes".
"Family doctors now regularly consult with up to 60 patients a day, with the majority of GPs now saying that they fear missing something serious in a patient due to unsafe workloads.
"General practice delivers 90% of NHS patient contacts for just 8.39% of the NHS budget. This is simply shocking and unsustainable for patients, GPs and the wider NHS itself."
She added: "While we welcome Mr Miliband's announcement it must not be another 'sticking plaster' solution but part of a broader, long-term, shift in investment. Ultimately, general practice needs 11% of the NHS budget by 2017 in order to cut waiting times and guarantee safe care for our patients."
NHS Confederation chief executive Rob Webster said: "Our members tell us that the best prescription for primary care is not just additional money but also more collaborative working between primary care, hospitals and community services, and other partners like social care.
"The NHS Confederation supports the use of competition wherever it benefits patients and the taxpayer, as NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC) called for in their manifesto launched last week. Like NHSCC, we believe that 'the rules are not your enemy' and should be applied appropriately.
"We support Monitor's role as a specialist sector regulator which offers some protection against the generic, inappropriate application of existing EU and UK competition law to the NHS. Labour's proposals would not abolish competition in the NHS and it is important there is a regulator to ensure that it operates in the interest of the patient.
"We also believe that commissioners need the appropriate expertise to make effective decisions about meeting the needs of their populations. Any changes to commissioning capability - whether in CCGs or CSUs - should be tested against the impact on their ability to do so. The last thing the NHS needs is more forced reorganisation."


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If you wake up more than one time each night to go to the bathroom, you may have nocturia. Sleep disruption from having to urinate during the night can impact your quality of life. About 1 in 3 adults over the age of 30 experience nocturia. …more
Last Updated: 12/27/2018
Urethral diverticulum (UD) is a pocket or pouch that forms along the urethra. Because of its location, it can be filled with urine and lead to infections. It is can cause: a painful vaginal mass, ongoing pelvic pain, and many urinary tract infections (UTIs).…more
Last Updated: 06/26/2019


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Paul Horn and Ann Mortifee will be presenting In Love with the Mystery as part of When the Mountain Calls' world premiere in Hawaii this November.
Music for the film When the Mountain Calls is by Paul Horn and Christopher Hedge.
For times, tickets and more information: www.WhenTheMountainCalls.com
Link here for Video of Paul Horn Playing at Sunset on the beach in Maui


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Multi-row cylindrical roller bearings for rolling mills
For highest accuracy demands, the inner rings in dedicated execution can be ground together with the roll body for exact run-out. Bearings with standard tolerances can be paired or special precision bearings can be used for equal load taking, especially for work rolls in thin strip and foil rolling mills.
Cylindrical roller bearings
Bearings with a cage can accommodate heavy radial loads, fast accelerations and high speeds. Full complement bearings incorporate a maximum number of rollers and are therefore suitable for very heavy radial loads at moderate speeds. SKF high-capacity cylindrical roller bearings combine the high load carrying capacity of a full complement bearing with the high speed capability of a bearing with a cage.


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Truck and Equipment Transmissions For Sale
Our supplier is an OEM authorized remanufacture for Allison, Eaton-Fuller, Rockwell-Meritor and more. Same day shipping.
ROCKWELL RMX10165A Transmission Assembly
ROCKWELL-MERITOR OEM DEALER REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION* EXCHANGE WITH TWO YEAR OEM DEALER WARRANTY - PRICE INCLUDES FREIGHT BOTH WAYS US48 - PLUS REQUIRED $500.00 NO HASSLE REFUNDABLE CORE DEPOSIT.Email: email@example.com
Phone: 312-368-7997
Fax: (312) 368-9419
Heavy Quip, Inc. dba Diesel Sales
55 West Wacker Dr., Suite 1120
Chicago, IL 60601
We are a high volume dealer with 50 years of experience. We offer OEM quality, competitively priced, remanufactured transmissions and differentials with freight paid both ways in the lower US 48. No-hassle, lowest, refundable core deposit in the industry. All Allison and heavy duty manual transmissions have a 24 month warranty, medium duty 12 months, all differentials are warrantied for one year.


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About Zem
Just another author tilting at windmills.
No need at all to worry about this. Its just another wall that will be too high for legitimate streaming services to climb over.
The end result is that the illegal ones will flourish, we all get it for free, and they get no money what so ever.
You have to hand it to the lawyer who drafted this. What a way to keep themselves in litigation work for life. The only party who stands to profit from this.
People were as sceptical about the early green parties in europe when they first appeared.
They went on to form coalition governments.
"Mega Kim is learning that just doesn't work out."
Strawman reply. I see no default judgement or DRM violation here.
What most people do not realise, this type of default judgement, with large minimum awards, actually encourages DRM circumvention.
How so? Lets just put aside the whole is it right / wrong argument to start with.
As it stands right now, the financial impact of a small infringement is of such magnitude that it is for all intensive purposes, no different from a massive infringement.
So, if you are intending to infringe, infringe BIG.
Secondly, when any judgement, uncontested or not, involves that large a sum of money, there are realy only 2 outcomes. The first is all the assests are overseas and can not be touched by the US court system. The second is it goes to appeal and gets tied up in the courts for several years.
So, if you are intending to infringe, infringe BIG.
But it is a detterent I here you say. Not realy, if it was we wouldnt keep hearing about these kind of cases.
All these type of laws do is encourage the very thing they are trying to prevent, provide great fodder for blogs sites, and give plaintiffs flase hope of riches that will never appear.
International commerce to some degree relies on each countries respect for the others jurisdiction. No company can survive on "local" sales only.
If this keeps up we may just see the return of the 18th century privateer. ie state sponsered software piracy.
What next, will they start burning books with written links?
I heard someone else tried that in the past to great success.
Are we now suprised how our corporations act based upon the example set by the government.
Can some one please tell me why I should store all my furniture and stuff in someone elses house and pay them for the privilege?
I can see a large takeover bid for Stardock in the future.
Not because they can make a proffit in the digital age. But because the only way to stop their heresy is to buy them and then shut them down.
As we have seen, the big guys infringe as well.
So if we are vigalent, watch and wait, we too can use this new tool.
Imagine the fun to be had when a major studio gets locked out after their 6th strike.


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After gorging myself on various pork products for the past few weeks, I really felt like I needed a break from all the meat. To get my new found interest in vegetarianism off to the right start, I started the day off with a $7.50 vegetarian lunch buffet at Tiffin Wallah, which happens to have the best southern Indian food I've had in Manhattan (buffet or otherwise)
I never cease to be impressed by the way this place infuses vegetables with enough umami and substance to make you swear they'd used a meat based stock. Stomach full, and on the 12 step program to recover from my porkaholism, I sauntered down to the Union Square Farmers Market to look for some inspiration.
Sunchokes, stinging nettles and ramps seemed to be the flavours of the day, and I happened to have two of those ingredients at home already. I bought a pound of sunchokes and headed home, deciding to make a potage with some leftover stock and crème fraîche.
After simmering the sunchokes in the stock for an hour, they were tender and had imparted a mild sweetness to the broth. The stinging nettles and ramps went in at the last minute, and a quick blitz in the blender turned an ordinary looking vegetable stew into a glorious green soup that looked like it might glow in the dark if given a chance.
Luscious and velvety with just a hint of sweetness, this nettle soup is wild and verdant on its own or mellow and refined with a dollop of rich crème fraîche. The flavours are so bright and concentrated this would even be good served as a sauce over some sauteed fava beans, mushrooms and asparagus.
Sunchoke Ramp and Nettle Soup
2 1/2
vegetable stock low sodium
ramps roughly chopped
to taste
creme fraiche
Add the sunchokes and stock to a stockpot. Cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour, or until the sunchokes are very tender. Add the ramps and nettles and cook for another minute or two until the ramps are a bright green in color and the nettles are warmed through.
Transfer to a glass blender and blend the nettle soup until smooth and bright green. Salt to taste then pour the green soup into 4 small soup bowls.
Top with a dollop of creme fraiche per bowl and serve with some crusty bread, toasted and rubbed with a raw clove of garlic.


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See the Cast of 'Ghostbusters' Then and Now
Even though we were first introduced to these guys back in 1984, to this day we still know that if there's something strange in the neighborhood we're gonna call…the 'Ghostbusters.'
The film starred a cast of comedy legends and created one of the most successful franchises in history. From there, we were met with television shows, video games, merchandise and a sequel. (And perhaps a third outing one of these days…) But until then, let's take a look at the cast of 'Ghostbusters' then and now.
Then: Bill Murray had already left 'Saturday Night Live' and had 'Meatballs,' 'Stripes' and 'Caddyshack' under his belt. He took the Venkman role in exchange for Columbia Pictures letting him play a dramatic role in the big screen adaptation of the novel 'The Razor's Edge.'
Now: Today, Bill's become a living legend for his comedic and dramatic roles. Sure he's a bit off the charts, having only a voicemail box as representation and showing up at pick-up kickball games, but we still love the guy.
2. Then: Another 'SNL' player, Dan Aykroyd not only starred in 'Ghostbusters,' he was also one of its writers. (He originally conceived the movie as a vehicle for himself and the late John Belushi.)
Now: In addition to holding out hope for a third 'Ghostbusters' movie, Aykroyd has invested time in developing Crystal Head Vodka, because he is actually really REALLY into the occult. He's also reportedly working on a script with old pal Chevy Chase.


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Snow and TurkeysSaturday, November 25th, 2006
The first snow of the year has come and gone here. The kids were so disappointed to see it melt. They wanted to build a snowman. We only got about a half inch so it would have been difficult even if it hadn't melted by the time they got home from school.
The snow did make us finally start feeding out some hay. I've put out 4 rolls total for the goats and horses. The goats also get some squares along the way that got baled too green. I am afraid to feed this to the horses due to the likelyhood of some mold being in it. The goats sure don't mind it though. They gobble it down and don't waste a bit like they do with the rolls.
Today the family is off to Mamaw Staley's for Thanksgiving dinner. The Staley's live just a few miles north of us and they have a small farmstead the kids like to visit. They raise their own honey as well as milk. They make buttermilk and fresh butter too.
Temps today are forecasted to be in the 60s and that's a welcome change. Our wood splitter has been torn up so we've been only burning the round stuff. I braved the cold long enough to take it apart. Now I've got to order some parts. The goats helped me with it by eating the spark plug wire. I'll never understand why they eat some of the things they do.
We have decided on rough lumber to side one of the old chickenhouses since we are out of the stone shingles that were on it originally, and several of them are broken. I made a trip to an old friend's sawmill to see about the wood. It will be a couple weeks, but fortunately he will saw the 1×6′s I will need. He told me he has a really hard time getting pine to saw since the pine beetle hit us so hard. There just doesn't seem to be much pine left here, and what little there is won't get cut because folks are hoping the trees will reseed themselves. On this property there are hundreds of downed dead pines that would have fetched a pretty penny in their prime. At the time, the estate of my great uncle was being litigated so no one could do anything with them. I bet it cost the parties involved over $100,000 in timber sales on the whole 125 acres. If I thought the lumber would be salvagable, I would skid them out with the 6000 4wd and either take them to be sawed or buy a band mill and do it myself.
The next few months will bring big changes here on the farm. We have borrowed the money to clear some more of our land and do some improvements. Now we are searching for the most economical way to do this. Our choices are hiring someone to do it all, versus renting (or buying) a dozer and doing it ourselves.
Well check back soon I'll be posting more with some pics as time allows……Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving!


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BOULDER, CO - June 1, 2009
Webroot, a leading provider of Internet security software for the consumer, enterprise and SMB markets, has received a Best Buy Bravo! Award from consumer electronics retailer Best Buy.
Best Buy recognized Webroot with a Bravo! Award for the company's innovation and performance in Best Buy's Subscription Software service. Through the program, customers can purchase Webroot® Spy Sweeper with AntiVirus and Webroot Internet Security Essentials and receive automatic renewals and updates to ensure they have the most current protection against viruses, hackers and other Internet security threats. Customers can choose between monthly, one-year or multi-year subscriptions.
As one of the service's pioneering vendors, Webroot worked with Best Buy to develop new packaging specifically designed to simplify the product installation and activation process.
"Webroot is honored to receive this award," said Paul Lipman, senior vice president and general manager of Webroot's Consumer Business Unit. "We've achieved great success through the service and consider it an important extension of our partnership with Best Buy and our commitment to providing consumers with the most up-to-date malware protection."
Now in its 10th year, Best Buy's Bravo! Award program honors manufacturers and vendors whose innovative and exceptional work exceeds expectations and achieves outstanding results. Best Buy's award committee evaluates hundreds of nominees and chooses annual winners in several categories, considering factors including technology leadership, honesty and integrity, responsiveness, growth initiatives, partnering acumen, and speed to market.
Webroot Spy Sweeper with AntiVirus and Webroot Internet Security Essentials are available through the subscription service at Best Buy stores across the country. Additional consumer security products from Webroot are available at Best Buy stores.


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Producer/DJ/Hitmaker Arthur Baker would be a legend even if he hadn't given New Order their "Confusion" and Hall & Oates their Big Bam Boom, or aided and abetted the likes of everyone from Dylan and Springsteen to Diana Ross and Al Green. Why? Because Baker produced "Planet Rock", and he's spent every racket-making moment since keeping the kinda open mind which made that track so legendary. This Wednesday Baker legends-up at The Shore Club alongside Felix da Housecat, DJ Pierre and Tommie Sunshine for Return to Chicago; then on Sunday, it's off to The Vagabond for Everybody, an all-star gathering of the tribe in tribute to the legendary Mark Kamins. If you ever wondered what becomes a legend most, now's your chance to find out.
What's the story behind The Shore Club storming? Believe it or not the idea came from a Twitter thread started by one of Tommie's followers, who suggested that me, Pierre and Felix should play together- all Chicago cats but me- ts Felix and I did a track called "Quiet Riot" by The Crazies in 2000
This ain't your first Return rodeo, is it? I had a party that was the top party in London from '02-'06 called Return to New York which launched such acts at LCD Soundsystem, 2 Many DJs, Mylo etc. We actually had a few in Miami too -- we brought in the aforementioned plus The Rapture to Soho Lounge in '04, and we did a party at The Shore Club in '06. We also a did Return of the Bass party with 2 Live Crew.
What is it about Then that you believe to be vital to Right Now? Chicago is the birthplace of house music, which obviously had much to do with the development of EDM -- in fact, it's partially their fault!!!!
Speaking of Then, you're also behind a memorial spin for the legendary Mark Kamins, how far back did you and he go? Mark and I met around 1980, I use to bring him acetates at Danceteria, Mars and The Harem -- where I would hang with you also.
What kinda impact do you think he had on the way the world now spins? Mark was a fearless DJ -- world-traveling when no other DJ was; he played sirens, Middle Eastern chants and hip hop mash way before the term balearic existed.
Would it be fair to say Mark Kamins helped paved the way for the madness that is Miami Music Week? Mark gave madness a new definition when it came to celebrating music and partying -- he was still the life and spirit of the party and fully into music past, present and future till the day he died. RIP, brother.
Return to Chicago with Arthur Baker, Felix da Housecat, DJ Pierre and Tommie Sunshine takes place Wednesday March 20 at The Shore Club. Everybody: A Gathering of the Tribe in Memoriam of Mark Kamins with Arthur Baker, Jellybean Benitez,Todd Terry, Freddy Bastone, Mr. Pauer, Ray Milian, Gabby Meija, Richard Vasquez, Tony Garcia, Victor Simonelli WorldWarWalter and Krisp takes place Sunday March 24 at The Vagabond.


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August 21, 2000
Mr. David J. Strom, In-house Counsel
Ms. Stephanie S. Baxter, Senior Associate Counsel
American Federation of Teachers
555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-2079
Dear Mr. Strom and Ms. Baxter:
This is in response to your August 4, 2000, letter, addressed to Deputy Secretary Frank Holleman, in which you asked that the Department interpret the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in such a way that universities may disclose to a union representing student graduate assistants who teach undergraduate classes personally identifiable information from the education records of such individuals. I have been asked to respond to your letter to the Deputy Secretary because, as you know, this Office administers FERPA. This also serves to respond to your July 14th letter to this Office, and as a follow-up to our July 19th meeting, on this issue.
You explained in your letter that the University of Oregon (University) and the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF), a union that represents graduate student teaching fellows at the University, have signed an agreement under which the University would disclose certain information regarding graduate teaching fellows to the GTFF. This information includes: name, social security number, department, terms of employment, changes in employment status or rate of pay, home addresses, bargaining unit status, terms of appointment, and major. The agreement provides that addresses disclosed by the University will only be used by GTFF for union business and that social security numbers will only be used for payroll deduction and insurance administration. The agreement further states that "The University will assume no liability for the unauthorized disclosure of information to parties outside the GTFF."
By letter dated April 3, 2000, Melinda W. Grier, general counsel of the University, advised you that based on a September 19, 1999, letter to the University of California from this Office, the University could no longer disclose information from education records of graduate teaching fellows to the GTFF absent prior written consent. In relevant part, we advised in that letter that the records of teaching assistants are education records subject to the provisions of FERPA. We also explained in that letter that when an educational agency or institution chooses to comply with a State law that is in conflict with FERPA, it puts its continued eligibility for Federal education funds in jeopardy. That is, FERPA provides that the Department of Education may not make funds available to any educational agency or institution that has a policy or practice of denying students their rights under FERPA. You stated in your letter to this Office that you disagree with "this construction of the statute as it leaves education institutions in the untenable situation of choosing between complying with FERPA and conflicting state and federal law."
You stated that without information about graduate teaching fellows, the GTFF cannot meet its obligations under State and Federal law, and such individuals will be "deprived of important rights," such as health enrollment information to eligible non-participants and continuation of benefit notices required under COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, Pub.L. 99-272, Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 82) to teaching fellows who are separated from employment. Additionally, the GTFF would not be able to seek fees to which it is entitled. Finally, you stated that this issue is of concern because such situations exist regarding student graduate teaching assistants and fellows across the country.
You suggested in your letter that this Office interpret FERPA so that the records of graduate teaching fellows/assistants are employment, and not education, records under FERPA. You state that such individuals "are employed not because they are students, but, instead, because the institution has decided to carry out [its] undergraduate teaching programs using a significant number of graduate teaching fellows rather than professors." You also argued that "the vast majority of public employee relations boards . . . have ruled that graduate student employees are 'employees' entitled to organize and bargain collectively," and, as such, their records should not be subject to FERPA. You alternatively suggested in your letter that this Office expand "directory information" to include: graduate employees teaching status, schedule, rate of pay, bargaining unit status and other pertinent employment information. You suggested that this information could not be considered "harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed."
FERPA protects privacy interests of parents in their children's "education records," and generally prohibits the disclosure of education records without the consent of the parent. The term "education records" is broadly defined as all records, files, documents and other materials which:
contain information directly related to a student; and are maintained by the educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.
20 U.S.C. § 232g(a)(4)(A); 34 CFR § 99.3 "Education records." When a student reaches the age of 18 or attends an institution of postsecondary education, the student is considered an "eligible student" under FERPA and all of the rights afforded by FERPA transfer from the parents to the student.
FERPA provides limited exemptions from the definition of "education records." FERPA states:
(B) The term "education records" does not include
(iii) in the case of persons who are employed by an educational agency or institution but who are not in attendance at such agency or institution, records made and maintained in the normal course of business which relate exclusively to such person in that person's capacity as an employee and are not available for use for any other purpose. . . .
20 U.S.C § 1232g(a)(4)(B)(iii); 34 CFR § 99.3 "Education records" (b)(3) (emphasis added). The FERPA regulations clarify this provision by explaining that: "records relating to an individual in attendance at the agency or institution who is employed as a result of his or her status as a student are education records and not excepted under paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this definition." 34 CFR § 99.3 "Education records"(b)(3)(ii) (emphasis added).
Thus, FERPA provides a very narrow exemption for records related to an individual's employment from the protections provided by FERPA. This exemption applies to those records related to the employment of individuals who are employed without regard to their status as students. For instance, if a secretary in the president's office takes a course at any given time, her employment records do not become education records because the secretary is not employed as a result of her status as a student. The regulations make clear that if an individual is employed at a school as a result of his or her status as a student, those records are education records under FERPA. While you did contend that graduate fellows/assistants are employed out of necessity for the schools at which they work, you did not contend that graduate fellows would be employed if they were not also enrolled as graduate students in a program at such schools.
You further asked that this Office interpret the records of graduate fellows/assistants as "employment records" rather than as "education records" because some public employee relations boards have ruled that graduate student employees are "employees" entitled to organize and bargain collectively. However, whether graduate student fellows/assistants have the right to organize and bargain collectively as employees does not affect whether records regarding such individuals are education records under FERPA. Further, the fact that certain records may be related to an individual's employment does not prevent such records from also being education records under FERPA. Rather, as discussed above, records regarding an individual's employment at a school are education records if the individual's employment is contingent on the fact that he or she is also a student at that school. As stated above, it appears that this is the case with respect to graduate student teaching fellows/assistants.
With regard to your question about directory information, FERPA generally provides that an educational agency or institution may only disclose a student's education records to a third party if the parent or eligible student has given appropriate written consent. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1) and (b)(2)(A); 34 CFR § 99.30. FERPA does permit the nonconsensual disclosure of education records in certain limited circumstances that are clearly specified by statute, such as when the information has been appropriately designated as "directory information." 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1); 34 CFR § 99.31(a)(11). FERPA provides that a school may disclose directory information if it has given public notice of the types of information which it has designated as "directory information," the student's right to restrict the disclosure of such information, and the period of time within which a student has to notify the school in writing that he or she does not want any or all of those types of information designated as "directory information." 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(5)(B); 34 CFR § 99.37(a).
With respect to what information can be considered "directory information," FERPA states:
For the purposes of this section the term "directory information" relating to a student includes the following: the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.
20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(5)(A).
In administering FERPA, the Department recognizes that there are other similar types of information that an educational agency or institution may wish to designate and disclose as directory information. In this regard, the FERPA regulations further define directory information as information contained in an education record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. 34 CFR § 99.3 "Directory information." The regulations then specifically list those items set forth as "directory information" in the statute. The recently amended regulations (published in the Federal Register on July 6, 2000) also state that electronic mail address, grade level, and student status (part-time, full-time, graduate, undergraduate) can be specified as directory information.
This Office has made determinations on various occasions, in response to specific inquiries from school officials or in connection with the investigation of complaints of alleged violations of FERPA, as to whether a particular type of information can appropriately be considered directory information. In so doing, this Office fully considers the relationship of the potential new type of directory information to those types of information clearly specified by statute. For instance, a photograph or an e-mail address are very similar to those types of information listed in the statute. They identify the student or provide a means to contact the student, without disclosing to the individual receiving the directory information any additional data that the student would generally expect to be private or that he or she would perceive as harmful if others had access to it.
Much of the information you have specified cannot be designated and disclosed as directory information because it is not similar to those types of information clearly specified by the statute and because it would be an invasion of privacy if disclosed without consent. Specifically, we find that rate of pay and bargaining unit status cannot be designated and disclosed by educational agencies and institutions as directory information.
Additionally, we note that a social security number, or other identification number, is generally linked to significant amounts of other information about an individual. An individual's social security, or other identification, number is a private identification number, the disclosure of which is generally expected to be controlled by the individual. Therefore, the designation and disclosure of a student's social security, or other identification, number as "directory information" is not permitted under FERPA.
However, we agree with your assertion that a graduate fellow's/assistant's status as a graduate fellow/assistant and his/her teaching assignment may be designated as directory information, should an educational agency or institution so choose. This information is similar to those types of information that are specified by the statute under the definition of directory information and are of a nature of being common knowledge to those who are in the individual's class or who pass by the class. We note that if a school publishes and/or posts the names of teaching fellows/assistants with course selection or other registration information, it should be designating these two items as directory information.
With regard to your concern that FERPA's requirement that educational agencies and institutions comply with FERPA even if that means choosing to not comply with conflicting State law, any other interpretation would render FERPA meaningless in the context of any State law that permitted disclosure of education records outside the scope of FERPA's provisions. Further, with regard to your claim that schools are forced to choose between FERPA and conflicting Federal statutes, we are not convinced that an irreconcilable conflict exists. Generally, in such cases, we begin with the presumption that Congress does not intend two statutes to conflict. Thus, when determining which of two Federal laws controls in an apparent conflict, it is especially important to try to avoid reading them as being in conflict, which Congress presumably does not intend.
The purpose of FERPA is to protect the privacy interests of eligible students in education records. These privacy interests should not be viewed as barriers to be minimized or overcome, but as important public safeguards to be protected and strengthened. Exceptions to the rule of prior written consent under FERPA should be construed narrowly to achieve its statutory purpose protecting the privacy interests of students. From the circumstances you have presented, a plausible method for sharing personally identifiable information from education records with the union is to obtain the consent of the graduate student fellow/assistant before personally identifiable information is disclosed to the GTFF. Alternatively, the University could provide information to the students on behalf of the GTFF and the graduate student fellows could then submit the required information to the GTFF. Finally, based on the advice we give herein, the GTFF will be able to learn who are graduate teaching fellows through the directory information exception.
As we discussed in our meeting, another option is to seek a legislative amendment to FERPA that would specifically permit the nonconsensual disclosure of information from education records to graduate student teaching fellows/assistants unions. Should you choose to take this step, this Office would, of course, offer any assistance in drafting appropriate language.
Finally, as a matter of note, the agreement between the University and GTFF states: "The University will assume no liability for the unauthorized disclosure of information to parties outside the GTFF." Even if the University could lawfully disclose the information sought by GTFF without consent, this provision in the agreement is not in compliance with FERPA's redisclosure provisions. FERPA provides that a school may disclose personally identifiable information from an education record only on the condition that the party to whom the information is disclosed will not redisclose the information without the prior consent of the parent or eligible student, unless the redisclosure is on behalf of the educational agency or institution and meets the requirements of § 99.31 of the regulations. 20 U.S.C. § 1232(g) (b)(1) and (b)(4)(A); 34 CFR § 99.33. 34 CFR § 99.33(a)(1) and (b). Further, if this Office determines that a third party has improperly redisclosed information from education records, the educational agency or institution may not allow that third party access to personally identifiable information from education records for at least five years. 34 CFR § 99.33(e). The redisclosure provisions do not, however, apply to disclosures of directory information.
I trust that the above information is helpful in explaining the scope and limitations of FERPA as it relates to the issue you have raised. Please let us know if this Office can be of further assistance to you.
LeRoy S. Rooker
Family Policy Compliance Office


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Guest Blogger Before & After: Laura Casey Interiors
Happy New Year to all of Lauren's readers.I would like to congratulate Lauren on the arrival of Justin, there is nothing better than the family and a new baby to be thankful for. Pure Style Home quickly became one of my favorite blogs because of Lauren's great style and wonderful eye. I appreciate Lauren asking me to be a guest blogger. She asked if I had a before/after to share with you all so here is a room I recently worked on
for a more traditional client.
To give a family room an easy update I changed the layout of the furniture, put in a new carpet under the rug, painted the walls, fireplace, backs of the bookcases and recovered a sofa that had been in another room. I had the outdated attached fireplace screen removed as well. The family has two young boys so the room needed to be comfortable and still have plenty of space on the floor for the boys to play. The boys are now sharing a bedroom and one room is now a play room where all the toys went. Here's the before:
The paint on the walls is Benjamin Moore Pale Smoke and the color on the backs of the bookcases is Benjamin Moore Slate Blue . Here's the after:
We moved the treadmill upstairs and brought in their piano.
They are happy and I love how painting the fireplace turned out too. Thanks
again Lauren for including me as a guest blogger.
--------------Thank you so much for your before & after Laura!! It's amazing how these little changes can really transorm a room. I love the blues you pulled out of the painting --especially the brighter blue in the sholves-- and painting the brick was perfect!!! We appreciate your taking the time to do this!!
Guest Blogger Up Next: Eddie Ross
10 comments:
- LindsB said...
Wow, what a different some paint makes- the after is perfect for a growing family, I love the painted brick :)
- January 6, 2010 at 4:32 PM
- nkp said...
The fireplace transformation is really fantastic. It has become such a beautiful focal point. Great before and after!
- January 6, 2010 at 4:34 PM
- Ness Lockyer said...
Ah, paint...the best thing in the design world...besides fabric! The clients must have been happy with that for sure.
Ness xx
- January 6, 2010 at 4:55 PM
- MyLittleHappyPlace said...
Looks great, Laura!
Have I been living under a rock? When did you put up the link to your portfolio? It is AMAZING! Beautifully-done, professional site - and your work just shines, shines SHINES! Just one little critique...give the link a photo and more prominent placing on your blog - it is TOO GOOD to miss!!!
alison g.
- January 6, 2010 at 5:14 PM
- Tina said...
Wow, a great transformation! I love the blue behind the shelves and the fireplace turned out so beautifully - thanks so much for sharing your wonderful work Laura :)
- January 6, 2010 at 5:22 PM
- Carla said...
Wonderful colors! Love the bookcase/fireplace focal point. Thanks for the post. Carla
- January 6, 2010 at 6:56 PM
- Pink to Green said...
I love Laura's work! It is really great to see what you can do with a little paint and rearranging furniture; the after photos look so much lighter.
- January 6, 2010 at 7:05 PM
- Melissa said...
I'm showing this to my husband. We are the proud owners of The World's Ugliest Fireplace with a screen just like that one. He thinks it's great. I can't wait to show him what it CAN be!
- January 6, 2010 at 8:05 PM
- Denise said...
That looks Fabulous! I remember when I wanted our painter to paint our fireplaces white. He about had a fit.
I seriously thought he was going to refuse. I finally talked him into it and now, 18 years later, we still love it!
- January 6, 2010 at 9:14 PM
- Maria Killam said...
Great job, they are lucky to have you as their designer!
- January 7, 2010 at 8:45 PM


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I wish photographer Cara Phillips took a picture of my face like these. There's something intriguing and beautiful about our "awful" skin imperfections. But then again, I always loved freckles. They are my favourite thing ever.
Cara takes her black and white photos with UV lighting, a technique used by dermatologists to examine your skin's condition.


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LAIE, Hawaii — Warriors executive vice president Chris Mullin has been hoarding his team"s pennies over the last year.
This month, Andris Biedrins is expected to smash that piggy bank open.
In a league littered with overpaid big men — including as one of the most egregious examples, former Warrior center Erick Dampier — Golden State got a true bargain last season in Biedrins. The only Warrior to play in all 82 games, Biedrins averaged 9.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in 29 minutes per contest. He had the league"s best field-goal percentage for much of the season before finishing third at 59.9 percent.
For all that, he earned $1.99 million, or only slightly more than one-fifth what Dampier pulled down while collecting 7.1 points and 7.4 rebounds last season for the Dallas Mavericks, who gave Dampier a seven-year, $73 million contract as part of a sign-and-trade deal with Golden State in 2004.
Unless the Warriors want to risk watching Biedrins leave town via restricted free agency, they have until Oct. 31 to lock him up with a lucrative extension.
"Obviously, we want to get him signed now so he don"t have to worry about that, so he can play with a clear mind," Warriors forward Al Harrington said. "I just can"t see an organization ever getting rid of a guy like that. I"ll keep my fingers crossed that it gets done, because we"ve got to have him."
Bill Duffy, Biedrins" agent, and Mullin are slated to begin talks next week. Neither side expects the negotiations to be that contentious; the Warriors clearly want to keep Biedrins, and Biedrins is equally enamored with the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2004.
Of course, few people expected Mickael Pietrus" negotiations to go down to the last possible day, either.
The Warriors can offer Biedrins a maximum of five years on a contract extension, which would go into effect beginning with the 2008-09 season. Given that even middling centers such as the Los Angeles Clippers" Chris Kaman are making eight figures, you can reasonably assume that Duffy will be asking significantly in excess of that amount, at least as a starting point.
"We"ll see how it goes," Biedrins said of the talks. "I didn"t really think about, "I need that contract." I just go with everything and hope for the best."
Having that carefree stance is easier when you put up numbers like Biedrins did last season. And at the age of 21, buoyed by an impressive performance at the European championships in his debut for the Latvian national team, Biedrins forsees even more success.
Although the Latvians were sent home during pool play, Biedrins said he developed some more range to his offensive game, including isolation plays on the perimeter, something previously unheard of in his repertoire.
"I think I still will make progress," Biedrins said. "I was working hard this summer, back home, and I"m looking forward to getting even better and better. I"m looking forward to this being my best season in the NBA."
That kind of work ethic may be why his teammates — many of whom have been squeezed recently as part of the new austerity program implemented by Mullin and team president Robert Rowell — don"t begrudge Biedrins his payday.
"To have someone that"s 21 years old, with a bright future ahead, it"s very important to reward him for what"s to come in the future," point guard Baron Davis said. "He"s going to be a force to be reckoned with. He deserves everything he"s going to get, and everyone on this team is happy for him."


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Life Stories
- About Us
- Our Services
- Pre-Plan
- After Care
- Veterans
- Resources
Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.
Art is captured on a canvas, just as life is captured within each unique person.
At Billings Funeral Home, we believe that each passing person deserves respectful reflection on the uniqueness that he or she has brought to the lives of family members and friends. This reflection lends to healthy family healing as you together take a moment to reflect on the good times, chuckle at the challenging times, and pay tribute to a person that leaves behind an important legacy for the family to pass forward.
We serve families from Elkhart, IN and the Michiana area. Our personalized services begin with our compassionate and trained staff housed in up-to-date, warm quarters that include chapels, lounges, and offices. We are here to help all faiths paint the canvas of your loved one's life to reflect on the beautiful memories and significant contributions that he or she made. Veterans too, will realize the honor and respect we hold for our homegrown and national heroes with package options that will pay tribute in just the right way.


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A Closer Look at Payday Loans
Never underestimate the tenacity of a consumer who wants something.
Yes, they're horrible, but research shows they can meet a need.
The other day I found out that a close family member—whose name I will not disclose, and refer to only as "my daughter"—took out a payday loan with a local credit union.
I told her, in a clear and professional manner, this was a poor financial decision, which made her storm off in a huff. I believe the phrase I used was, "as dumb as inviting Miley Cyrus to your dance recital." This, in hindsight, might not have been received in the spirit I intended.
After things calmed down, I realized my biggest surprise was that a credit union would be offering payday loans. After all, we all know that payday lending is a practice best left to those void of morals, ethics, or civility.
Or is it?
My daughter actually had a legitimate borrowing need. She needed to get her moped fixed because it's her only source of transportation. Temporarily out of work due to a school break, she borrowed $200 and paid it back within 10 days.
According to my calculator, the annual percentage rate (APR) on the loan was about 438%. A loan officer might say this is "a tad above what we can get for an indirect auto loan."
Other options presented much better rates, but she knew the loan would be granted quickly and with little hassle. "Why would I take the chance of being denied?" she asked. In her mind, the APR wasn't the most important consideration. She recognized a problem, figured out a solution, and executed the process. As she zipped off on her moped, I found it difficult to argue with the results.
So, is payday lending the evil most of us say it is?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a report earlier this year, Payday Loans and Deposit Advance Products . In general terms, the CFPB concluded two types of consumers use payday lenders— the casual borrower and the perpetual borrower.
Opponents of payday lending focus primarily on perpetual borrowers—those who find themselves locked in a continuous debt cycle. Payday lending opponents offer emotionally and economically persuasive arguments when they focus on perpetual borrowers.
Consider, though, the ramifications of an outright ban. Some say this will stop the abuse and ultimately make consumers financially smarter. But as author and journalist George Leef wrote for the Foundation for Economic Education, "You can't make people better off by taking options away from them."
A Federal Reserve Bank of New York research paper analyzed the effects of a payday lending ban in North Carolina and Georgia. The researchers concluded consumers were actually in worse financial shape after the ban due to higher bankruptcy rates, more bounced checks, and more
The research paper offers two lessons:
What about these free-market options? Let's say a consumer pays his $100 cell phone bill when he's a little short of funds, and his check bounces. The combination of nonsufficient funds and merchant fees could result in an APR exceeding 1,000%, which leaves that ugly, despicable payday loan the deal of the day.
Meanwhile, back at the Collins household, I took my daughter aside and made this request: "The next time you get yourself in a pickle, ask me first. My rates are much lower."
She thought for a moment before responding: "Dad, it's not your rate; it's your terms and conditions."
JAMES COLLINS is president/CEO at O Bee CU, Tumwater, Wash.


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A recent story published in NACo County News brought the government financial crisis close to home. We may one day soon see our rural county roads return to dirt!
It's happening close to home, in Sonoma County. The county requires $55 million to maintain its many rural roads, but has an annual budget of just $5 million. Something has to give. They're talking about not just ending maintenance, but literally grinding up aging paved roads and turning them to gravel.
I've ridden on many rural roads in Sonoma County, and you can bet your 52-tooth chainring many of the roads they're talking about turning to gravel are popular with cyclists.
On the whole, I'd rather have paved roads, and I doubt that unpaved roads will save on maintenance. It may even cost more due to washouts.
It wasn't all that long ago Old La Honda Road (west side) was dirt. I won't soon forget those rainy winter days when the road became a mud hole in places. San Mateo County went on a paving campaign starting in the mid-1980s and paved every dirt road under its jurisdiction.
We all know how Tunitas Creek Road has been a patchwork over the decades, although – magically — the Tour of California competitors saw the road mostly repaved in 2009.
Maybe Gov. Jerry Brown can fix the mess we're in, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Enjoy those paved country roads, while they're here.


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Ford KA+ Company Car Tax
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It's still snowing here Dave.
BUT I've been looking at the Indy problem. I think I need smaller injectors. But I don't know what size - it's so confusing!
The FAST throttle body has 2 x 88lb injectors (rated at 58psi) so that's like 4 x 44lb if I had port injection.
But I've been told to run them at 43psi so that would make it closer to flowing like 2 x 74lb or 4 x 37lb?
The original Fiero 2.5L had a single 60lb injector. I'm thinking 2 x 42lb injectors may be more suitable.
How do I figure it out with this larger displacement 3.4L SD4 engine and higher RPM and airflow capability?
The other problem I think is the huge open plenum under the TBI on this Edelbrock intake.
Since it's a 4-bbl , that open plenum is equal to what I'd see in a V8 intake manifold.
I'm thinking I need a turtle in there to reduce plenum volume to maintain flow velocity. Any ideas?


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It's been a long time since we've had a poll and a previous post I made today prompted this question:
What percentage of your cache hunts are done with Paper(Printed) versus paperless (PDA)?
I almost always use my PDA. The exception is when my data is not current and I'm just going out for a few new caches, then I print.


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We all want to make our customers happy by giving them what they want and need, right? Well, it depends. Voice of the Customer (VoC) is aimed at clarifying customer wants and needs, but how you approach the process can make all the difference.
First, you must be absolutely sure that you're speaking to the right people for the right reason. Many people head out into the world to do VoC work, but they're asking random questions to the wrong people. For instance, you might be asking doctors questions about how well they like a certain surgical tool, but that particular tool might be something that's only purchased on the whim of a hospital buyer. The doctor might not have anything to do with it. This provides great usability information, but not from your true customer. The doctor will likely have input, but you need to be sure to get information from the person that's going to actually be making a buying decision.
It could be worse. Somebody in marketing says, "Let's talk to customers in the field. Find out what they want. And then we'll know how to create a product that they like that's wildly successful." And so, a marketing person meets with a doctor and asks, "What do you think of this device? What do you want?"
Given these questions, what is the doctor supposed to think? They're put on the spot, taken off-guard. And doctors typically don't understand how to dig down into levels of functionality. They may spew a few things off the top of their heads. You may get some good data and you may not. If the doctor says, "It should have a big handle sticking off the right-hand side," and you go back and make it that way, it can be a potentially huge mistake. The reason is that, in your research, you must discover the "needs behind the need."
Perhaps a better question to ask is, "What do you need to be successful when you're setting this up, holding it over the patient, or operating it as a device? What do you need to do to make sure you're successful?" Now you're at the beginning stages of understanding how to design a solution that provides its users with the things they need to be successful.
This way you don't end up just designing what the customer asks for, which can be dangerous. Henry Ford said that if he would have listened to his customers, he would have designed a faster horse. That's one of the biggest pitfalls of VoC -- just giving the customers what they ask for straight up.
Generally speaking, people don't know, off the top of their heads, without proper questioning and preparation, what they really want and need. They might have some ideas, but probing questions and structured, in-depth interviews and observations are key. Otherwise, you might just get the answer of the moment.
It's your job to find the right people, ask the right questions, to dig deeper, and properly prepare your users so they can provide you


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Schoolboy Q Interview With The Breakfast Club!
"Power 105 1's "The Breakfast Club" interviews Schoolboy Q. He speaks on being the best in the Black Hippy Crew, being anti industry, his upbringing as a crip, how he acquired the name Schoolboy, what to expect from his debut album "Oxymoron" and more!" - Charlamagne The God
Posted by Jay
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In 1963, the Boston Patriots began playing their home football games at Fenway Park, which also featured the annual Mayor's Charity Field Day that year along with another Harlem Globetrotters game. On the diamond, several young Red Sox players gained valuable experience in 1963 but the team finished with 76 wins for the third season in a row.
Record: 76-85, 7th in American League
Manager: John M. Pesky
Attendance: 942,642
Several players truly came into their own in 1963, with 43-year old former Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky at the helm. Pesky had the team playing inspired baseball and through their June 28 game, Boston was 10 games over .500 and only 1½ games behind the Yankees.
It's been said that one play in the June 27 game changed the course of the 1963 season. The Red Sox trailed, 6-3, with two on and one out in the bottom of the eighth. Dick Williams belted a long drive destined for the Red Sox bullpen but Cleveland right fielder Al Luplow dove over the wall, landing just inches from the bullpen mound. A run scored on the sacrifice but Bressoud grounded out and ended the threat. The Red Sox went to Yankee Stadium and dropped four of the next five games and by the time the season was over they were in seventh place with a 76-85 record.
Bill Monbouquette became Boston's first 20-game winner since Mel Parnell and Carl Yastrzemski won his first batting title with a .321 average. Newly-acquired first baseman Dick Stuart led the league with 118 RBIs and finished with an impressive 42 home runs, winning Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Dick Radatz had one of the greatest years ever for any closer, finishing with a 15-6 record, 1.97 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 132? innings. Nicknamed "The Monster," Radatz appeared in the All-Star Game and had five strikeouts in two innings.
For the second straight year, the American All-Stars swept the Record All-Stars in the William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament games at Fenway Park.
|1963 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
|August 1
|William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 8, Record All-Stars 3
|August 1
|William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 6, Record All-Stars 3
In 1963, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Patriots agreed to a contract allowing the Patriots to play their home games at Fenway Park. In their first season playing at Fenway Park, the American Football League's Boston Patriots won six of their home games, en route to clinching a playoff berth. The Patriots opened their Fenway stint in grand fashion, beating the Oakland Raiders, 20-14, before a crowd of 26,494 on October 11. The Patriots' lone home loss came at the hands of the eventual league-champion San Diego Chargers, to whom the Patriots would fall in the AFL title game. Earlier in the year, the Mayor's Charity Field Day at Fenway Park showcased a softball game between a team of local media personalities and a team of local boxers. On the team of pugilists was Tony DeMarco and future Massachusetts State Auditor Joe DeNucci. The Harlem Globetrotters also returned to Fenway Park in August 1963 and played a team of US All-Stars.
|1963 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
|January 24
|Junior Goodwill Dinner*
|July 1
|Mayor's Charity Field Day**
|August 23
|Harlem Globetrotters vs. US All-Stars (Basketball)
|September 8
|Boston Patriots 38, New York Jets 18 (Football)
|October 11
|Boston Patriots 20, Oakland Raiders 14 (Football)
|October 18
|Boston Patriots 40, Denver Broncos 21 (Football)
|November 1
|Boston Patriots 45, Houston Oilers 3 (Football)
|November 10
|San Diego Chargers 7, Boston Patriots 6 (Football)
|November 17
|Kansas City Chiefs 24, Boston Patriots 24 (Football)
|December 1
|Boston Patriots 17, Buffalo Bills 7 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
Patriots Head Coach Mike Holovak had enjoyed fame at Fenway Park as an All-American back at Boston College during the Frank Leahy glory days in the late 1930s and early 1940s. His Patriots won perhaps their most significant game as tenants of Fenway Park when they beat the rival Bills on December 1, 1963, in front of a crowd of slightly less than 17,000.
Asked about his team's title hopes after the game, Holovak observed, "It's up to us now. We just got what we asked for and now we can win it all by ourselves. It's up to us." (Bennington (VT) Banner, December 2, 1963)
After the December 1 game, the Patriots split their last two regular season contests on the road and finished tied with the Bills in the Eastern Division. On December 28, the Patriots and Bills met in Buffalo for an extra game to decide the AFL Eastern Division. After defeating the Bills in swirling snow and icy conditions at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium, the Patriots were soundly beaten in the AFL Championship Game against the Chargers in San Diego, losing by a score of 51-10.


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DragonAtma wrote:Australian National University rearranged their website not too long ago (sometime after june 23rd, 2012); therefore, the link to Rafe's online publications is out of date.
it's now at https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/b ... lang=en_US .
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