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If they gave out Oscars for "Dumbest Idiot", you'd certainly have taken all of them home!
open/close all folders
Harsh (Tsun)
- Neytiri from James Cameron's Avatar acts quite tsuntsun towards protagonist Jake Sully. She even refers to him as "skxawng," which is essentially Na'vi for idiot. She softens up to him once they get to know each other better, and eventually she gets to show her deredere side. (Played with here.◊)
- In a case where the tsundere is the protagonist, Ginger from Chicken Run is very much this towards Rocky. Though considering his cockiness and Fake Ultimate Hero status, he's pretty much asking for it.
- Gru from Despicable Me, though he's not a love interest, he's a father-figure.
- This is pretty much the only way to describe Max Lozoya's behaviour towards Prince Dmitri Vassilovich Orlowsky in Don't Turn the Other Cheek!. Equal parts belligerent and playfully cheeky towards Orlowsky at the beginning. For measure, just watch his reaction to him getting boosted up by the rear by Orlowsky trying to scale a wall.Lozoya: I'm a Mexican.Orlowsky: So?Lozoya: No-one touches my ass. It just don't happen. You got that, gringo?
- As the film progresses, Lozoya begins to show more respect towards Orlowsky, to the point where it blossoms into a fully-fledged bromance at the end.
- Megara from Hercules is such a defining textbook example that her song from the film ("I Won't Say I'm in Love") has more or less become the official anthem of every Harsh Tsundere ever. And Youtube is rife with fanmade music videos to prove it.
- Shira from Ice Age 4: Continental Drift.
- Marion Ravenwood, love interest of Adventurer Archaeologist extraordinaire Indiana Jones.
- Beans from Rango is a mild example of Harsh. She is usually a stubborn, confident person in regards to most people, but in her sincere moments she becomes very affectionate and sweet towards Rango.
- The Spirit of Christmas Present as played in Scrooged by Carol Kane.
- Sherlock in Sherlock Holmes (2009) is A PAIN in the neck to everyone but Watson.
- If he wants to exchange his life for Watson's you KNOW something's not right.
- Helvetica Black from the Robert Rodriguez kids' film Shorts. Let's see: female bully whose main target is her love interest? Check. "I'm not helping you because I like you or anything"? Check. Freakin' twintails? Check, check, check.
- Grumpy from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an early, definitive tsundere played completely straight, as well as being a rare male example.
- Prudence Perkins and Patience "Sidewinder" Barton in Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local Gunfighter respectively. Both are hot-tempered women who almost instantly latch onto James Garner's two characters as potential mates. One notable difference between them is that Prudence is a much better shot.
- Kat (oh so very Harsh) in 10 Things I Hate About You. Since she's based off Katherine, from William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, this shouldn't be too surprising.
- Kate Mosely in The Cutting Edge is just an absolute bitch on skates at the beginning of the film, although it does turn out that she has a deeply buried sweeter, kinder side. Of course, by the end of the film, she's completely warmed up.
- Max Lozoya towards Dmitri in the 1971 Spaghetti Western Don't Turn the Other Cheek!, who goes from insulting and cursing the Russian conman (who is admittedly a bit of a dick himself) to viewing him with honest respect and even going off with him after Lozoya's Disney Death to continue their bromance.
- A bit of Foe Yay is induced in the film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, since one of Zaphod's heads seems to generally like Aurthur (even complementing him and not saying much bad about him), while his second head threatens to pull out his spleen and rips on him constantly. This is not in the book since both heads think the same way and both generally hate him.
- Esmeralda to Phoebus from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
- Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story.
- Margaret Tate in The Proposal. Known as the "Witch" around her publishing house for being a crazy, defensive, angry bitch, but later on switches to total deredere in regards to her male secretary.
- Klara Novack from The Shop Around the Corner is like this to Albert Kralik. While she's extremely acerbic in person, she shows her deredere side in their anonymous letters.
- EVE from WALLE is a non-human example. She helpfully illustrates why you do not give one of these ladies a plasma cannon. Most Tsundere girls at least WAIT for their love interest to say or do something stupid to break out the giant mallet from hammerspace. EVE uses it at their first meeting to say 'hello'. The repair scene at the end (particularly where she blows out the ceiling to get him sunlight) is a perfect example of the "Ohmygodhe'sintroubleGETTHEFUCKOUTOFMYWAY" protectiveness Tsundere can exhibit when their love interest is threatened.
- Beast from Beauty and the Beast was turned into a monster because of his spoiled, selfish, cruel and unkind nature as stated in the prologue. Understandably, he lashes out at the world and it's only when Belle refuses to stand for his behavior that he begins to change and find more of his inner tenderness to the point he's willing to let Belle go to her sick father even if it means he and the rest of his staff will be doomed to remain cursed forever.
- Chloe from The Secret Life of Pets is a cat to the core, and that includes being a tsundere. One of the first things she says in the movie is "I don't care about you," while giving out some advice for Max, and later she's the one to rally the other pets to rescue him. In the ending, when her owner comes home, she bites her finger and acts annoyed before licking her.
- Rocko from The Pebble and the Penguin acts rude and defiant to Hubie, and actually likes him but is too proud to admit it. The song Looks Like I Got Me A Friend is pretty much a tsundere anthem, too, as Hubie tries to get Rocko to admit he likes him.
Sweet (Dere)
- Astrid from the film How to Train Your Dragon. She initially disliked Hiccup (the main character) and was violent towards him, but after discovering his peace-making with dragons and his bond with Toothless, her attitude softens considerably and she develops a romantic interest in him. She still continues her hitting with Hiccup, but becomes more "dere" than "tsun", particularly in the sequel.
- (after putting himself in danger)Astrid: (suddenly punches Hiccup) That's for scaring me.Hiccup: (annoyed) W-What?! W-ha ... is it always gonna be this way?! Cause ...(Astrid suddenly kisses him)Hiccup: ... I could get used to it.
- Then there's Annabelle, the angelic whippet from All Dogs Go to Heaven. "Touch that watch and you can never go back...I SAID TOUCH THAT WATCH AND YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK!"
- Celia from Monsters, Inc. is generally sweet and affectionate towards Mike, but she gets very angry after he leaves her to be picked up by the CDA decontamination team.
- As a rare male example, Boromir from Lord of the Rings is the first guy to support the inclusion of the Hobbits in the Fellowship. On the other hand, he's generally a prick towards Aragorn, believing that Gondor has no need for a King. It isn't until near death that Boromir declares his tragically late respect for his future King.
Unsorted (May have mixed traits)
- In the 1996 film version of Jane Austen's Emma, the title character finally realizes she is in love with her lifelong friend Mr. Knightley, but wavers back and forth, repeatedly saying "I hate John!", then "I love John!" and takes a long time to decide whether to pursue marrying him. This troper is unsure whether she would be classified as Harsh or Sweet, however; as Emma is very attached to and jealous (possessive?) of Mr. Knightley, but completely opposed to a romantic attachment between them for much of the film.
- Actually John is Mr. Knightley's brother, seeing the one she's in love with is named George. Her "I love" then "I hate" comes from what she believes John will say to Mr. Knightley and how he might respond.
- Kristoff in Frozen is initially Grumpy (yuk yuk) towards Anna and her requests, but gradually warms up to her (and doesn't even deny it). He was a Type B with his Troll family and Sven, but a Type A around humans, until Anna uncovered his soft side.
- Happy Gilmore.
- Various Bond Girls. Natalya from GoldenEye is a shining example.
- The Landlady from Kung Fu Hustle. Well, more like a cranky old woman very early on, getting pissed off at the residents complaining about the lack of amenities and screaming really loud for them to all shut up (and it's later a Plot Point), not to mention slapping the crap out of her husband whenever he hits on a bucktoothed resident lady of the complex. But, she's shown to be protective and not a jerk later on in the movie.
- Though she may have had reason for suspecting him, since he has apparently spied on women in the showers, which is mentioned early on, and the character of Rabbit-Tooth Jane, as the buck-toothed girl was known (for obvious reasons) as a Lady of the Night.
- Jeanette MacDonald's character in The Merry Widow has some tsundere tendencies.
- Colette from Ratatouille is one of these in a big way. All you need to do is watch the scene where she's giving Linguini (and Remy) advice on how to be a chef, where she goes from threatening to kill him if he doesn't clean up his work space, to cheerfully thanking him for listening to her.
- Star Wars: Leia is usually Harsh especially with Loveable Rogue Han Solo, but has some traits of a Sweet.
Back to Tsundere, and the only mark you're leaving in Hollywood is the smear I'm going to reduce you to, baka!


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NRC: Round Three Sunday: Five things we learned
Two very different results to complete Round Three of the National Rugby Championship, with Brisbane City and Canberra playing out a 42-40 thriller at the Uni of Queensland, while Perth Spirit were in cruise control, thumping Greater Sydney 61-17 at McGillivray Oval in Perth.
1. Points fest at UQ
Maybe it was because they followed the third round of the AON Uni7s series, but the Brisbane City v Canberra NRC game that followed certainly followed the attacking rugby script.
Twelve tries in all, and with both sides going try-for-try over the last 45 or so minutes ensured the crowd hanging around after the UQ women claimed their third straight Uni 7s round were entertained all day.
And both City and the Vikings will have a couple of entries for the Round Three Try of the Week, with Tom Banks' speed sure to feature, and City flyer Ed Fidow's run allowing centre AJ Alatimu to score the second of his double from a long way out.
Rugby entertainment, brought to you by the NRC.
2. Banks v Fidow: how do we arrange it?
The speed of Banks got everyone's attention early at UQ, with the Vikings fullback travelling so quickly for his first try that he finished up on the athletics track – of all places – that surrounded the ground.
Tom Banks is absolutely airborne for @CanberraVikings. Deadset star. #BRIvCAN #NRC17— Sam Phillips (@samphillips06) September 17, 2017
But Fidow's break in the lead-up to Alatimu's second try quickly reminded everyone that Banks might be the quickest after all.
A match race, you say? The closest we got was late in the game when Banks did indeed run Fidow down, leading Fox Sports' Gareth Wasik to conclude, "Fidow over 50 metres, Banks over 100."
Let's get this sorted before the year's out.
3. Cooper shows his class
The return of Quade Cooper to the Brisbane City side was as immediate as it was obvious, with the Reds and Wallabies flyhalf adding precisely the kind of ability and experience you'd expect of someone of his standing in the game.
Cooper played the way he always does – he might even say it wasn't anything particularly special – but his natural game immediately meant that City could play a lot flatter, with a lot more width, and the Canberra Vikings defenders had to work a lot harder than in their previous two games this season.
Cooper also kicked six from six from the tee, a nice turnaround from last week, where City could only raise the flags once from two attempts.
The question now will be how often does Cooper pull on the City jersey? Could he be on a Perth-like management plan of home games only?
In which case, the bye next week and two away games to follow means we won't see Cooper again until October 15, when City host Melbourne Rising at the home of Wests Bulldogs in Brisbane in Round 7.
4. Spirit master the man-management
Perth have always been proactive on the player management front, especially when it comes to Super Rugby-contracted Western Force players coming off the back of an already long season.
At the time, there was even a train of thought that suggested the policy of leaving the contracted players at home for away games might even have cost the Spirit the inaugural NRC title in 2014.
Regardless, it's clear the Spirit have adopted 'home game' and 'away game' squads again this season, entirely their prerogative, of course.
The difference might be that in 2017, their 'away' squad players are more than capable of matching it with the best club players around the rest of the NRC, and they could definitely sneak wins on the road.
And if they can finish in the top two and secure finals hosting rights, then suddenly, their defence of last year's NRC title will be looking very healthy indeed.
5. A good big man will always beat a good little man
Except when the good little man adjusts his technique on the go, and starts dropping the big man for fun, and with monotonous regularity.
Rams and Waratahs winger Taqele Naiyaravoro had a significant weight and size advantage over Perth Spirit and UWA's Clay Uyen going into the game, and after the big winger swatted Uyen away at their first coming together, you sensed the NRC debutant might have been in for a rough afternoon after winning a gameday call-up, replacing an ill Peter Grant.
But Uyen reacted perfectly. After the aforementioned swatting, Uyen was quickly back on his feet and chased Naiyaravoro down from behind, in the process unlocking the formula to stopping the 128kg behemoth.
From that point, and for the rest of the game, Uyen just went low, and brought Naiyaravoro to ground throughout the game by wrapping the arms around big Taqele's sizable ankles and holding on, felling the big winger repeatedly, and effectively shutting down the one remaining attacking advantage the Rams had, on a day where their attack otherwise didn't feature.
It was a remarkable defensive performance from a player giving up easily more than 30kg in the contest.
But a reminder to all the smaller kids out there that if your technique is right, you can stop anyone that comes your way.

subset: commoncrawl


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It has been declared that cutting moulding and installing the pieces can be one of the most difficult home improvement tasks that a homeowner can undertake. Many homeowners have thrown up their hands in despair and declared that they will never undertake a project involving moulding again because of the frustrations that they have faced. There is help for these individuals because there are easier ways to complete the project and take the hassle out of cutting crown molding.
One of the most difficult aspects of cutting the moulding to fit the areas where you would like to place it is actually cutting the moulding itself. At first glance, sections of moulding look similar in style to baseboard sections or door casings. This causes many homeowners to believe that the moulding should be cut in the same way as they would the baseboard or door casing.
The truth is that moulding sections are significantly different than baseboard sections by design. Instead of having a flat back with a raised profile on the face like a baseboard section, the moulding sections actually have numerous angled areas on the face and angled areas on the back that are designed to fit seamlessly against the wall and ceiling in the home. This is the reason why moulding sections are so difficult to cut when attempted in the same way that would be used to cut baseboards or casings.
Baseboard and casings are cut with the flat back or side up against the vertical fence of the table saw. Moulding should be cut with the face of the moulding against the table, in an upside down position, with the side of the moulding flush against the vertical fence. With the saw at a 45-degree angle, the saw will cut a moulding section for a perfect fit against the walls of the home.
After the moulding sections have been cut to the length needed to complete the project, it is time to install the moulding sections. The moulding sections should be placed with the flat areas of the side of the moulding section flush against the walls and the ceiling of the room. This will create a small hollow area between the moulding and the junction of the wall and ceiling.
Some homeowners choose to fill in this area with a strip of filler between the wall and the moulding. An angled filler strip can be purchased at most home improvement stores and can be nailed to the wall about 1 inch below the ceiling into the wall plate to ensure that the filler strip will be held securely in perfect placement to fill in the area behind the moulding section. An average width filler strip is enough for most types of moulding, but extra wide moulding may require a thicker filler strip to fill in the area between the moulding and the wall.
Moulding is typically secured into place using standard nails and a hammer. The nails should be long enough to penetrate through the moulding and through the wall or ceiling to penetrate to a depth of ¾ to 1 inch. The nails should be spaced evenly down the entire length of the moulding section and should be nearly flush with the edge of the moulding when secured.
See Also: Using a Coping Saw


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100% Organic, Vegan and Gluten-Free
Victory grows all of the ingredients for our "Victory's Organic Gardens" food products, and most items for the China Bend Cuisine which she prepares for guests at our Bed and Breakfast. grows
From garden to kitchen, she has assistance of great helpers. Victory sells her products at the China Bend Gift Shop, local health food stores, such as Meyer's Falls Market in Kettle Falls.
Call us at (800)700-6123 to order.
|During each special event, the China Bend Tasting Room and Gift Shop will be open to purchase canned products of Victory's Salsa and Enchilada Sauce, jams, and pickled gourmet treats. is open from April 1 till Oct 31 (or by appointment), Noon till 5pm everyday except Sunday. Call 1(800) 700-6123 to place an order, or find Victory's booth at our local Farmer's Markets!
Tasting Room and Gift ShopOpen April-October, Noon-5pm Closed Sundays
Annual Winter Break
November 1 till March 30
Click for our China Bend Winery Websitewww.chinabend.com
Our Online Store is Openshop.chinabend.com
Email us with your questions
Call the Winery for info,
reservations, and orders
(800) 700-6123
(509) 732-6123
Address mail to the Winery
China Bend Winery
3751 Vineyard Way
Kettle Falls, WA 99141


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Every year in the run up to Christmas I receive countless emails from people who are trying to find that ideal whisky as a Christmas gift.
It is such an open question and taste is so, so personal it is almost impossible to pick out a whisky without really knowing the person involved.
I've put together a few (hopefully) helpful guidelines that might just help you, or at least point you in the right direction.
At the very least it might prevent you looking lost in your local supermarket whilst simply trying to find the oldest whisky for the lowest price…
Firstly you should consider what they currently drink. If they are a creature of habit then its best to keep it narrow, either to region or distillery, if they seem like they might be open to trying something new then its time to widen the search.
If they are creatures of habit then why not look for an older age statement of a current favourite? If they love a particular 10 year old whisky then why not treat them to a 12 or 15 year old?
If they are just beginning their whisky journey and you want to get them a 'starter malt' then be careful. I am not really convinced that there is such a thing.
I have friends who have started on Laphroaig and loved it, and friends who started on Dalwhinnie and loved it. Taste is 100% personal so it's difficult to predict what they might like.
I'd really recommend as a starter gift a tasting set (available from companies such as Drinks by the Dram) that contain malts from all regions of Scotland. This will provide a closer look at some of the varying styles before finding a particular dram that suits.
On this note, I would also recommend as a gift a whisky subscription box. Favourites of mine are from The Dram Team and Wishky, both of which offer various subscription choices and a good variety of themed tastings during the year.
If they have a favourite distillery then why not look for an independent bottling or a single cask expression from there? This will offer a different experience from the standard releases.
Variations on a theme of one distillery could also include different finishes. Perhaps a sherry or port finish rather than the standard?
If you are looking for a drinker who likes to proudly display his malts then why not look for one that comes in a nice presentation box?
If, on the other hand, you are buying for an extreme whisky geek who is really particular about what they drink then gift vouchers are your best bet… or maybe just ask, we always love talking about whisky.


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Works of art by Cameron University Professor of Art Katherine Liontas-Warren have been accepted into two upcoming juried exhibitions. 528.0 Denver: A Regional Juried Printmaking Exhibition sponsored by the Invisible Museum on Denver, Colo., has accepted two of Liontas-Warren's stone lithographs. The Rockies West National 21st Annual Juried National Exhibition sponsored by the Western Colorado Watercolor Society, will display one of her watercolors.
"Spring Chatter" and "A Decision" will be included in the 528.0 Denver juried exhibition on display at Redline in Denver. The exhibition, which was open to artists from 14 states, will be on display from February 1 – 28. Seven jurors will select two artists as "juror's favorite."
The Rockies West National exhibition will be on display at The Art Center in Grand Junction, Colo., from March 1 - April 5. Liontas-Warren's "Come with me," a 7" x 10.75" watercolor on paper, is one of the works selected for the exhibition.
Liontas-Warren, who joined the Cameron faculty in 1984, teaches drawing and printmaking. She holds a Master of Fine Art degree from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University. For the past 28 years, she has exhibited in more than 20 solo shows and 275 national and regional juried competitive exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, and has received numerous purchase and juried awards. In 2011, she was the recipient of the Bhattacharya Research Excellence Award at Cameron University. Many of her prints and drawings are in permanent collections throughout the nation and can be located in university galleries, museums, and private institutions. In 2010, the Paseo Art Association awarded her "Artist of the Year" in Oklahoma City. Recently, she was featured in the documentary "Earth Chronicles Project, the Artist's Process: Oklahoma."
January 29, 2013


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We recently implemented the latest version of the spssio32.dll in order to resolve the 255 character limit that was imposed on text fields in previous versions.
However, we are now noticing that the dll is generating huge files compared to the previous version. Files that were previously approx. 1MB in size are now over a 100MB is size even though the data is the same. We have some files that are now over 4GB in size!
Our initial thoughts are that the file is now allocation 32K characters for EVERY field rather than using dynamic sizing but have not been able to confirm this.
This is an urgent issue for us so any help you can provide would be very useful.
Answer by SystemAdmin (532) | Apr 01, 2010 at 07:02 PM
We may need more information, but you can control the width of string fields. Although the max is now 32K, you set the width in your code.
Also, if you are in Unicode mode, characters will require more bytes if they are not plain 7- bit ascii. Again, whether or not you are in Unicode mode is under your control.
I wonder also whether you have compression turned off.
Jon Peck
Answer by SystemAdmin (532) | Apr 01, 2010 at 09:12 PM
Thanks for the reply Jon.
We are currently setting the width but is there any way to do this dynamically via the dll?
Specifically, every string variable is different for us and rather than setting a static value for all string variables, is there a way to let the DLL decide how wide to make the column based on the data that is being passed?
We use the spssSetVarPrintFormat to set the width of the variable but I noticed that there is also a spssSetVarColumnWidth that allows a special value of 0 to be set. Should we be using this instead.
I have provided a code snippet that illustrates how we are calling the DLL below. Any advice you can provide would be useful.
// Create Variable
int errCode = spss.spssSetVarName(handle, varName, varType);
if (errCode != Spss.SPSS_OK)
new Exception(string.Format(
"Unable to set variable name: {0}\r\nError: {1}", varName, errCode));
// Set Variable Label errCode = spss.spssSetVarLabel(handle, varName, varLabel);
if (errCode != Spss.SPSS_OK && errCode != Spss.SPSS_EXC_LEN120)
new Exception(string.Format(
"Unable to set variable label for variable: {0}\r\nError: {1}", varName, errCode));
} errCode = spss.spssSetVarPrintFormat(handle, varName, varPrintType, varPrintDec, varPrintWidth);
if (errCode != Spss.SPSS_OK)
new Exception(string.Format(
"Unable to format variable: {0}\r\nError: {1}", varName, errCode));
} The varPrintWidth is what we are setting to
const Int32 SPSS_MAX_LONGSTRING = 32767;
Answer by SystemAdmin (532) | Apr 01, 2010 at 09:40 PM
There is no way to set the width dynamically, because all the data would have to be passed first in order to know how wide to make the fields. You might try opening the file in Statistics after creation is complete and run ALTER TYPE a to z (AMIN). That would show you what the minimum field widths could be and how big the sav file is afterwards. TheColumnWidth parameter is not relevant here. It is just the width setting for Data Editor displays. The varType in your create code above is the only thing that could affect size.
Be sure that you have called spssSetCompression with a switch value of 1. The default is uncompressed.
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text:
A gift to the mayor of Frankfurt: Judea and Samaria productsFrankfurt Mayor Uwe Becker visits pro-Israel conference, receives dates from Jordan Valley and wine from Judea and Samaria.
Jewish woman found stabbed to death in Frankfurt park29-year-old Jewish woman brutally murdered in Germany.
'A moral imperative to document the Holocaust'Arutz Sheva hears from Claims Conference EVP at event honoring 14-year-old girl murdered in Sobibor whose pendant was found last year.
Young Holocaust victim remembered in FrankfurtMoving ceremony held in Frankfurt in memory of Karolina Cohn, Jewish girl born in city and murdered by Nazis in Sobibor death camp.
Frankfurt Mayor explains why he banned BDS'I think many people don't understand the BDS is a deeply anti-Semitic movement.'
First German city bans BDSFrankfurt mayor orders city not to provide funding, rooms, for BDS-related activities or people.
Conflict arises between Frankfurt rabbis and ChabadFrankfurt Jewish group severs ties with German city's Chabad over 'disrespect' and 'insults.'
Man opens fire in German movie theater, no casualtiesPolice kill shooter. No other victims, though a number of people were held hostage.
Iran Threatens Germany Boycott Over Salman Rushdie InviteTehran threatens to withdraw from Frankfurt book fair due to outstanding death order against Rushdie.
Kosher Butcher in Germany Admits to Selling Trief Meat for YearsButcher admits to fraud in court, sold 88,000 pounds of non-kosher meat as kosher to escape bankruptcy.
Germany: Police Car Broadcasts Anti-Israel SlogansJewish leaders outraged after rally featuring anti-Semitic slogans given police sound system to broadcast message of hate.
Frankfurt's First Jewish Mayor Since HolocaustThe German city of Frankfurt on Sunday elected its first Jewish mayor -- Peter Feldmann -- since the Holocaust.
Frankfurt Terrorist Admits Murder of US ServicemenThe terrorist who murdered 2 US servicemen and wounded 2 others in Frankfurt says he was 'radicalized' by Islamist propaganda


text:
Yep. It's actually one of my favorite types of sandwiches and I like to make it when I have all of the ingredients around and they're high quality. I can't even remember the first time I came up with the idea, but it was love at first bite. However, I definitely think it's best made with fresh broccoli. I love frozen broccoli and it gets used often around our household, but the texture of fresh is imperative here.
There's so much I love about this sandwich. It's filling, with the fiber and protein from the broccoli and whole grain bread. It's tasty, from the perfectly-cooked broccoli and the fresh grated Parmesan cheese. And it's healthy, with up to two servings of veggies depending on how full you stuff it!
You can easily make a larger batch of the filling and then use it over the course of a couple days to make a sandwich in minutes without having to fuss with steaming the broccoli.
Broccoli Sandwich
Serves 1
2 cups of fresh broccoli florets
1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 slices of whole grain bread
Salt and pepper to taste
Steam the broccoli until it is green but very tender to the fork, about 5-7 minutes. Place in a bowl with the Parmesan cheese, butter, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash well with a fork until it has a uniform texture with no lumps.
While the broccoli is steaming, toast the bread to desired doneness. Place on a plate on top of a paper towel to prevent the bread from steaming and becoming uncrisp.
Spread the broccoli mixture on the bread and sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, or Parmesan as desired. You may do this as an open-face sandwich as above, or as a regular style sandwich. I find the open-face style to be a little easier to eat!


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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February 2010.
For the past several weeks, I've looked a lot more like a transition mat than a triathlete. That's what happens when your back goes out in the midst of training. In case you are wondering if that can happen to someone who is fit and in their mid 30s (or as I like to call it, my "endurance prime"), please allow me to remove that veil of mystery…the answer is a painful yes. So, what do you do when life throws you a curve ball? What happens when you suffer an unexpected injury (like we ever expect them), or worse yet, when the doctor calls with bad news, when you lose your job, a loved one, when your family or relationship is falling apart, or when any one of a thousand other life shattering calamities strike?
You suddenly find yourself caught in a whirlwind. You turned your head for just a moment, and life sucker punched you square in the jaw. Now what? Can any good come from the apparent chaos? Is there actually such a thing as constructive chaos? As unlikely as it was for someone known for having the flexibility of Mr. Fantastic to throw his back out, the equally unlikely prospect of what we see as chaotic being used for good is not only a possibility, it can actually be a promise.
A couple of weeks ago I was listening to the radio, and I heard a talk show host ask a question that went something like this; "can chaos actually be used as a force for good?" He went on to make a comparison between chaos and a home renovation project. That struck home with me, no pun intended. You see, several years ago my wife and I bought a 20+ year old rental property. It was pretty trashed when we got to it, but it hadn't seen any "real" damage until we put our hands on it. We literally dismantled that house from top to bottom. We had a great view of the upstairs master bath, unfortunately that was through a gaping hole in the kitchen ceiling caused by a 20 year old water leak. If someone off the street would have walked into our house during the demolition process (and somehow missed all the signs that it was a work in progress), they would have surely concluded that this was the biggest, most unsalvageable dump they had ever laid eyes on. However, as we systematically ripped the house apart removing floors, ceilings, and practically everything else (including the kitchen sink) we knew what the result would be after all the sweat, pain, and debris were just memories. What an outsider may have seen as chaos, we understood as a carefully ordered process. Now that our renovation project is complete, there is no evidence of the path of destruction we had to cut many years ago, only what we now simply refer to as "home."
History shows us great examples of this paradox in life. A long time ago, a man from the other side of the world named Joseph had many older brothers. They were jealous of their younger brother and his relationship with their Dad, so one day they threw him into a cistern (in those days, dry wells were often used as prison cells) with plans to abandon him in the desert. Ultimately, they decided against shedding their brother's blood and sold him into slavery. From that point on Joseph endured many hardships, including slander and imprisonment. But Joseph did not lead a life of despair. What looked on the outside like his undoing was actually being used to his great benefit. You see, Joseph trusted in God, and God chose to bless Joseph and make him prosper in the midst of his seemingly chaotic circumstances. Make no mistake, God is never the author of evil, (Joseph's brother's got that train moving), but He did use those circumstances for Joseph's good. As Joseph would later tell his brothers after he had become the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, and had used his position to save an entire nation from ruin, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
God has a perspective far greater than any of us can comprehend, and because he is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good, he has the ability to use situations in ways we cannot fathom. God does not cause evil to befall us; that is simply part of living in a broken world. However, because he IS God, he can even take things that may have been meant to do us harm, and use them for great things. To those who have been adopted as part of His family, whom he claims as His children, He has given some amazing promises. The Bible tells us that, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose." What may look like chaos in our lives clearly falls into the category of "all things." Apart from God, what we think of as our chaotic circumstances can seem pretty meaningless, and even hopeless. However, with Him, we have the promise that He is always working things out for our good.
Now back to my own little melodrama. I have not been able to train like I normally would for 3 or 4 weeks now, but in many other ways the time that I have reclaimed for a short season has been of an even greater value to me. I suspect that as I one day look back at this little episode I will see even more ways it was used as a blessing. I know that the ultimate outcome of my "unplanned" break will be good, and that gives me great comfort as a wait, rest, and trust in God.
(If you have never really thought about what it means to "know" God, and become one of his adopted children, please consider reading, "The Secret to Finishing Well.")


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A native of Peru, Alex has apprenticed with masters in systems of Andean shamanism, in the arts of geomancy and feng shui, and in architecture. He is deeply engaged in his daily work in bringing shamanism practically and effectively into all facets of contemporary life through his work with space. Alex's work has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, Town & Country, New York magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the London Evening Standard, and on CNN, PBS, and the Arts & Entertainment channel. He lives with his wife and daughter in Venice Beach, CA.
Alex is an internationally recognized consultant, advisor, and teacher on issues of creativity, efficiency, design, and healing. A practitioner of feng shui and European geomancy, he advises on issues of design and placement for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities; urban settlements; and health-care facilities; and on issues of institutional and personal transformation. He has received a design citation for his feng shui work by the Boston Society of Architects.


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Trinity House website to see just how many of their lighthouses I had seen first hand and I was amazed at the variety of stripes and shapes and lighting sequences. I think if I'd have married a lighthouse keeper, I might have made a lovely lighthouse quilt to remember life by the high seas. In fact, maybe I will one day. Make the quilt, that is.
04 October 2010
Trinity House website to see just how many of their lighthouses I had seen first hand and I was amazed at the variety of stripes and shapes and lighting sequences. I think if I'd have married a lighthouse keeper, I might have made a lovely lighthouse quilt to remember life by the high seas. In fact, maybe I will one day. Make the quilt, that is.
10 comments:
- Val said...
Fascinating glimpse of lighthouses.. thanks
Your Uncle Ben sounds like a very nice chap :0)
- 5 October 2010 at 01:27
If you get the chance, go aboard the lightships at Trinity Buoy Wharf. One of them, which I haven't visited, is now kitted out as a recording studio. The other is a photographic studio providing a very swanky location for fashion shoots and the like. The owner is clearly in love with his craft and its history and while one deck is kitted out with an English Rose kitchen and fancy furnishings the lower deck quarters have been kept as they were when the ship was out in the north sea. We went to see it on Open House weekend (arriving by small motor boat from the O2) and the very hospitable host even let us climb up right into the lamp. There are some photos of the ship here:
Well worth keeping an eye out for future openings.
- 5 October 2010 at 11:23
- Rattling On said...
I have a great memory of going up a lighthouse as a child. On my own as the rest of the family were too scared!!
- 5 October 2010 at 13:02
- Lara said...
It must have been quite windy and very exposed on Dungeness. I would have been clinging to the sides with you. I remember seeing a lot of engineers at the top of Bishops Rock lighthouse last summer and it gave me vertigo just watching them at the top!
The money box sounds fantastic - really clever.
I loved the Lighthouse Keeper's lunch book when I was little and also became quite obsessed by the idea of living in a lighthouse. It was one of my favourite parts of summer holidays in the scillies to take the boat out where they threw up the post and paper for the keeper. I was so sad when they became fully mechanical.
I like that they all have different light sequences as well and think a lighthouse quilt would be fantastic.
I think there is one in Norfolk that you can rent out which I think would be amazing. Also have you read Peter Hill's book Stargazing - its about living in a lighthouse and I really enjoyed it.
- 5 October 2010 at 15:54
- Liz said...
I don't think I've ever visited a lighthouse though we do have some in the north east. Must add it to the to do list. I've always loved ships in bottles, though.
- 5 October 2010 at 23:14
- colleen said...
What a comfort to know that there are other lighthoues lovers out there too. Sorry I missed the open house at Trinity Buoy Wharf but I may compensate by a visit to the real Trinity Buoy Yard at Harwich again some soon. They are huge!
I may add the Stargazing book to my to read list at the library. I noticed it when I was looking up books on lighthouses. Also amazed to find a couple of books on women lighthouse keepers - inspiring!
- 6 October 2010 at 09:52
- Unknown said...
Amazing pics are they copyrighted?
- 2 July 2012 at 19:03
- Unknown said...
alot of money has been made on the back of this!
- 2 July 2012 at 20:03
- colleen said...
Steve - The pic in the link you gave does look remarkably like the one I took. I googled images for Southwold limehouse and there are only 4 or 5 of the interior staircase and they are not the same.
Naive of me to think people might have the common courtesy to ask for permission to pubish, as I ask in my sidebar. However, I really don't want to watermark my pictures.
Thanls for pointing this out.
- 2 July 2012 at 20:24
- colleen said...
I mean lighthouse of course. (Limehouse is down the road!)
- 2 July 2012 at 20:25


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Vacuum Cleaner Made From Its Own Cardboard Packaging
Image: Vax
One of the biggest floor-care brands in Britain has unveiled a cardboard vacuum cleaner made from its own packaging, the Vax ev. And it was created by a student.Open and Assemble—Without the Packaging Waste
The vacuum is sold in a retail box, which the customer can separate into parts that "pop into place around the motor housing," according to Vax, without any need for glue. The cardboard has a flame retardant coating, and Vax says the pieces are easily replaced if damaged—and cost a tenth of what an equivalent plastic piece would cost.
As for the non-cardboard parts of the vacuum, Vax says: "Components that cannot practically be made of cardboard have been produced from recyclable, pure nylon plastic using RP (rapid process) manufacturing, rather than injection moulding. This means the Vax ev can be manufactured locally to order, without the need for costly tooling moulds and assembly lines, whilst avoiding long distance distribution."
Loughborough University student Jake Tyler came up with the design while working in the company's student placement scheme, where he had support from the Vax New Product Design team. Vax is now exploring a limited production run of the vacuum.
More on vacuums and sustainability:
Vacuum Cleaners Made from Ocean Plastic Highlight Ugly Pollution, Beautiful Design


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APP: "Zero tolerance for illegal wood." - @AsiaPulpPaper
These are the five words that say a lot but apparently mean little to a company that has made a mantra out of repeating something which is simply not true. And today, we've released proof that what APP says is wrong - the results of a yearlong investigation uncovering how APP is systematically violating Indonesia's laws which protect ramin, an internationally protected tree species under CITES.
Ramin trees come from Indonesia's peat swamp forests which are also home to the endangered Sumatran tiger. Our latest mapping analysis shows that since 2001, at least 180,000 hectares of peat swamp forest – an area twice the size of New York City have been cleared in concessions now controlled by APP. Is it any wonder there are only 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild?
Numerous visits were made to APP's largest pulp mill in Indonesia over the course of last year. Hidden among other rainforest species waiting to be pulped were numerous illegal ramin logs. To prove these trees were ramin, samples were taken and sent to an independent expert lab in Germany. The lab confirmed that all of these samples were indeed ramin.
See the full results of the investigation
As well as finding APP in possession of illegal ramin we've tracked where APP's pulp and paper is going and found a trail that leads us back to major global names such as Xerox, National Geographic and Danone. As we did with Barbie's packaging last year we sent their products for forensic testing and found they contained rainforest fibre.
Not only is APP undermining the rule of law in Indonesia it is also implicating some of its biggest customers in this rainforest scandal. The likes of Xerox and Danone must now follow in the footsteps of other major names like Mattel, Nestle and Adidas who have already suspended all purchases from APP.
Help us persuade these companies to stop supporting APP's forest destruction.
In Jakarta, Greenpeace Indonesia will be handing the video footage to the Police and is urging the Ministry of Forestry and CITES authorities to immediately seize all illegal ramin in APP's operations and work together to end the trade in ramin from Indonesia's peat swamp forests.
Please help us persuade Xerox, National Geographic, Danone and many more companies to stop buying from APP until the company cleans up its act. Join us in taking action now.
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Tolls, Commercial Management and Customer Telephone Service
The Department of Tolls, Commercial Management and Customer Telephone Service of Attica Tollway occupies approximately 680 employees, whose main duties are:
- Toll collection
- Management of Customer Telephone Services
- Management of the subscription programmes implemented on Attica Tollway.
Toll service on Attica Tollway has reached high standards. "Attikes Diadromes S.A." has repeatedly received a Certificate of Merit at the Toll Excellence Awards established by the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) "for contributing to the advancement of the worldwide toll industry".


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Condado Window Hurricane Protection guarantees, to the original owner, that all the products purchased are to be free from defects in material and workmanship for the limited time period of (3) year warranty. This warranty period comes in effect from the final inspection date. Condado Window reserves the right of repair and/or replace any product identified with a defect covered by this warranty. All product warranties are limited subject to the following conditions:
- The product has been installed properly by a professional installer.
- Each Rollup Shutter is manufactured using the parts with the necessary quality to comply with Dade County of Florida standards.
- The product has been maintained in accordance with the Care and Maintenance Instructions.
- The product has not been subject to misuse, physical abuse or neglect.
- Manufacturing standards and tolerances are not deemed defects, nor are industry variations in the color of the aluminum surface finish.
- Condado Window assumes no liability for damage caused by cleaning solvents or concrete cleaning acids.
- This Guarantee is limited to the repair or replacement of the faulty product at the company's discretion but does not extend to the installation or refinishing of a replacement product. No liability is accepted by Condado Window for personal injury, loss or claim or property damage, installation costs, material or other costs (whether special, consequential or otherwise) howsoever caused or arising whether direct or indirect.
- Only repairs carried out by Condado Window personnel or authorized Condado Window agents are covered by this Guarantee.
- Claims under this Guarantee should be made within one month of the defect arising in the product. Copies of documentation showing the purchase date of the product should be included with your written claim and forwarded to the Condado Window.
- This warranty does not cover electrical typical problems such as spikes or running shutters during a brownout.
1. The customer will have Thirty (30)days from the delivery date and/or date of installation performed to notify in writing with copy of purchase order and invoice, any claim related to the following:
- Dents and or depressions in extrusions
- Finish defects- e.g. peeling or blistering paint
- Defective operators
- Will not close properly
- Operators improperly installed (*)
- Problems with Operable Mechanism
- Improperly aligned and/or out of plumb (*)
2. Electric Motor has a one (1) year replacement warranty.
3. Electronics components or accessories have a one (1) year warranty.
Should you wish to offer feedback on any of our products or services then please call 1-866-CONDADO (266-3236) or email to email@example.com.
Replacement parts and services
Condado Window stocks parts for all our window, doors and shutter systems. We also offer routine maintenance, repair work, and parts replacement services. Condado Window employs industry equipped service technicians; to guarantee that specialist service and maintenance back up is there if you require it. Our service technicians complete work under our written warranty or charged out service calls - including repair and/or replacement of hardware (ex. operators, handles etc.) and/or aluminum components (ex. slats, housing, framing, tracks, etc).


text: I made a short fiction sale to ARTPOST Magazine. They're a new publication that paid .04 a word for my science fiction story – solidly in the semi-pro market scene but also the most I've been paid for a story to date. "A Letter to the People of Earth" is a flash piece considering what it might be like if aliens gave humanity the choice of how we wanted to be invaded. It has some dark humor elements to it, I hope you will enjoy it. The story is due out in the July issue so I will post more details as the publication is released. Onto more projects!


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In Wisconsin, all property owners have some level of legal obligation to keep their property safe. Generally speaking, however, commercial property owners are held to a higher level of responsibility because they are governed by Wisconsin's Safe Place Law. This law essentially states that a business that "invites" people onto its premises must keep the premises as safe as reasonably possible for use by its customers.
Accomplished personal injury attorney Dave Sparr knows the Safe Place Law well. If you or a family member has been injured in a slip-and-fall, trip-and-fall, attack or other event on unsafe business property, you can consult free with our Oshkosh, Door County and Madison dangerous property lawyer about your legal options for recovering compensation.
Our firm offers two convenient office locations in Oshkosh and Madison to serve the needs of clients who were injured on commercial property.
Knowledge Across the Spectrum of Premises Liability Cases and Outcomes
We have handled many types of premises liability claims — arising from accidents on business property, residential rental property and government property. Our firm's knowledge and experience can be a tremendous asset for you after an injury-causing fall, dog bite, impact injury from falling objects or attack due to inadequate security. We are equipped to pursue:
- Structural defect claims that may also involve building code violations, including unsafe stairways without handrails or other dangerous conditions
- Negligence claims when a property owner breaches his or her duty to keep the premises safe for those on the premises lawfully — sometimes involving failure to clean up or mark a slippery area, negligent security in an area of known risk, or other factors
At David K. Sparr & Associates, S.C., we are prepared to hear you out, investigate what happened and offer sound legal guidance. You will receive compassionate personal attention and be treated with respect as we look at all possible sources of compensation to help you pay medical bills, replace lost income and achieve maximum recovery.
No Risk and No Obligation. For Skilled Legal Guidance, Call 800-236-3836
If you believe your recent serious personal injury, or the injury or wrongful death of a family member, was caused by a property owner's failure to keep a store, restaurant or other place of business safe, please contact us now. Your initial consultation with our proven Oshkosh and Madison dangerous property lawyer will be free, and you will owe no attorney fees whatsoever unless we take your case and obtain financial compensation for you.


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"Title track, the upbeat 'Lady of the First Light' is an absolute stunner. More rockier than some of the other material with some gorgeous lead guitar and Julie July in fine voice, it's not impossible to imagine a parallel universe where it's a recently-discovered track from Fairport's Unhalfbricking sessions" For the full review click on Darren Johnson below.
"I salute the July Julie Band for their dedication in keeping Sandy Denny's music alive. Both their live performances and this album do justice to her enormous legacy" For the full review click on Darren Johnson below.
"The Julie July Band has built a substantial reputation on reinterpretations of Sandy Denny's songs. Songs which should never be forgotten, and Julie is an accomplished and sensitive interpreter of Sandy's material, and the band provides her with excellent support. I was particularly struck by Steve Rezillo's fluent lead guitar and its interplay with Don MacLeod's intricate acoustic guitar" For the full review click on David Harley below.
"Julie's vocals, always a little more mainstream than Sandy's Gaelic-influenced ornamentation, are very well suited to this range of material, and the band's instrumental support is as solid as ever" For the full review click on David Harley below.
"Julie July and her band have delivered a first rate collection of contemporary folk rock music. Quality songs, superb vocals and forthright lyrics delivered with skill, technique and conviction. Perfectly conceived, recorded and superbly realised – this is proof that she is one of the brightest talents in the UK right now"


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Welcome to Auto Alarms & Accessories. Our friendly associates will help you find the products you want at a price you can afford. Our years of experience and commitment to quality have earned us thousands of loyal customers throughout the New Bedford area. We now bring that same great service to you online. Through the Internet or in store we can respond to your needs quickly and make purchasing a hassle-free experience. We guarantee it!
We have products for Motorcycles and Cars.
We stand by every product we sell. Due to our low overhead, we can pass incredible savings along to you.
We are a family owned business for 24 years. We treat you as though you are family.


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Deal: Complete White Hat Hacking and Penetration Testing course bundle - US$19
Today we're offering you a way to become a computer security expert and find your way into a high-paying career for just US$19. Our latest course bundle deal provides 16 hours of detailed instruction on everything you need to know about white hat hacking and penetration testing, and is available now with 97 percent off in the AndroidPIT Deals Store.
Learn your way around computer networks and see them through a hacker's eyes with the help of this fantastic course bundle. It will give you the knowledge you need to set yourself on course for a US$120,000-a-year career.
Get a grounding in cloud-based web technology, Cisco packet tracing and web hosting; learn how hackers think and get yourself a career worth pursuing with the Complete White Hat Hacking and Penetration Testing course bundle. Get it now for just US$19 – 97 percent off – in the AndroidPIT Deals Store.


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On Monday 31st March 2014, Deaf health was discussed in the House of Lords following the launch of our Sick Of It report.
Unfortunately, Deaf people couldn't access the debate because a BSL interpreter and Speech to Text services were not provided. The debate was about Deaf people, so Deaf people must know what was said. We have made summary BSL videos (not translations) to inform you about what happened, you can also read about it here in our plain English version.
- To watch the first speaker, Lord Ponsonby, in BSL, click here.
- To watch the second speaker, Lord Borwick, in BSL, click here.
Third speaker: Lord Addington
Part 1
Part 2


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I recently had some issues getting Wifi on my tablet though I sorted it. I downloaded the BT Wifi app and I coulde connect to my HUB, Wifi-FON and BTWifi-X.
However now I cant seem to be able to connect to BTWifi-X, it says 'identification error occured' then asks for identification or something, which I have no clue.
Can anyone help please?
Try a factory reset of the Homehub by pressing a pin into the recess button on the rear for about 20 seconds. This can often sort out problems.
I can connect to the Home Hub just fine, and BT-FON. I just cant connect to BTWifi-X, which doesnt include the HUB. I have the BT Wifi App instaklled on my Samsung Tablet but it wont let me connect to BTWifi-X anymore.
Does a HUB reset make any difference?
Are you talking about BTWifi-X on your own Homehub or when out and about? If it is when out and about then resetting your own hub will make no difference.
If it is your own hub, try it and see. You have nothing to lose if it is not working at present.
As regards connecting to your own Homehub and not BTWifi-fon or BTWifi-X you do not need an app to do that. You need to use the wireless passkey that is on the Homehub label.
You should make sure that you have "Smart set up" on the Homehub turned off. See link how to do that.
I have no issues connecting to my own home HUB, only BTWifi-X.
I used to be able to connect to BtWifi-X sitting next to my HUB, but it doesnt work now. It shows a strong signal and says the signal strength is very strong, but when I click 'Connect' it just says connecting then stops and it then it just connects to my home hub.
When I turn my home HUB off and try and connect, it does the same thing except connects to Wifi-FON.
It said 'Identification Error Occured' the first time, now it just says ''Saved, Secured'
I got a strong feeling resetting my home HUB wont do anything.
Well don't do it then!
I just reset my HUB and it didnt do anything, same issue.
It says:
EAP method
PEAP (drop down arrow)
Phase 2 authentication
None (drop down arrow)
CA certificate
<Wants me to type something>
Anonymous Identity
<Wants to me to type something>
Enter Password
Wireless passkey wont work.
Signed up to the BT Tech support thing as hopefully got it sorted.
Thanks alot for taking the time to help me GG30340, appreciated man.
I would have tried the BTWifi help line 0800 022 33 22 first. They are very helpful and usually manage to resolve mot issues and it's free.


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1.Keep your video brief. 2.Check microphone settings before recording. 3.Sit close to the microphone & camera. 4.Find quiet place to record. 5.Speak as you do in the class. 6.Use visual aids whenever..
Category : 7. Tips
1.Write a clear headline that explains the main idea of every slide. 2.Break up your story into digestible bites in the Slide Sorter view. 3.Reduce visual load by moving text off-screen and narrating the content. 4.Use visuals with your words, instead of words alone. 5.Remove every element that does not support the main id..


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Help End the Epidemic of Violence.
Join the VPC today!
In addition to being part of a large, vibrant, like-minded network of organizations engaged in complementary activities, and the built-in opportunities for networking and collaboration, there are concrete benefits to membership in the Violence Prevention Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, including:
- Quarterly e-newsletter along with subscription to member-only announcements
- Discount to some of the VPC conferences
- Access to free community workshops and professional development
- Priority early registration to VPC conferences and events
- Ability to network between other members and community partnerships
- Link to your website on the VPC website
- Priority registration for Quarterly Coalition-Wide Meetings
- Eligible for leadership positions in our Working Groups
- Members-only networking reception prior to Coalition-Wide Meetings
- Opportunity to shape Coalition stance and priorities
- Announce and post your organization's events and opportunities in VPC's e-newsletter
- Membership referral discount
- Outreach opportunities through special events hosted in partnership with other organizations or community events
- Feedback on evaluation and data collection efforts
- Access to the VPC English and Spanish-Speaking Advocates Directory
Membership is $150 for organizations and government agencies, $50 for individuals (No dues for youth and students), and $2500 for corporations. Fees can be waived for in-kind services for qualified, needy applicants. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact us.


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Our latest team rider James has just taken his first win of the year down at the Soggy Bottom series run at Newnham Park. Not only did he smash his category by 5 minutes but he also caught the Elite category that started a minute in front him and finished second faster rider of the day! Read on for his report… (more…)
Archive for January, 2013
James Davey takes his first win of the year at Newnham Park!Wednesday, January 30th, 2013
Woodland Riders DH Round 1.Friday, January 25th, 2013
With 20 days of the new year already flown by, it was time for the first race of the year down at Tavi woodlands in absolutely baltic weather conditions. Tavi has recently fallen victim to being felled and Chaz Lamely did a top job to get a race track clear.
S-Works Demo 8 BuildWednesday, January 23rd, 2013
We recently did a custom build on a incredible new 2013 Specialized S-Works Demo 8, it features a full carbon front triangle made from the FACT 11m material which is the same as all the top road bikes use. (more…)
Biking boost for Totnes cyclistsMonday, January 7th, 2013
We recently gave away a new Specialized bicycle for one lucky cyclist taking part in the Cycle Confidence sessions run by the South Hams council, check out the official word below… (more…)


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Pour la derniére demo, Chef JJ a fait le mille feuille:
I was sad that there is no practical to go along with the last demo because this is one of my favorite desserts! Crispy puff pastry, creamy mousse sans gelatin, crunch caramelized hazelnuts and chocolatey praliné! It's to die for.
Surely I'll be practicing this leçon back home. Guinea pigs welcome!


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Team Building
Every year, the number of sanctioned teams depends on the number of players registering and the availability of volunteer coaches. Every attempt is made to accommodate as many players into the program as possible. However, sometimes the maximum number of players allowed per team (D1 = U12 min. 8, max. 15, U14 – U18 min. 11, max. 22 / D2 = 10 for U8, 14 for U10, 15 for U12, and 22 for U14 through U18) under the rules established by the Vermont Soccer Association, the governing body for youth soccer in Vermont, can create a situation where not all players can be accommodated. Addison United follows the VSL Divisional Rules and Guidelines: https://usys-assets.ae-admin.com/assets/980/15/VSL%20DIVISIONAL%20RULES%20AND%20GUIDELINES%202015.pdf
Are there tryouts for Addison United Soccer Club?
In cases where there are more players than will fit on a single team, the Club makes its best effort to accommodate all players. Our clubs training philosophy is what allows our players to reach a higher level of playing. While our teams play at the D1, D2, and D3 levels, we strive to have all our players get to the highest development level possible that fits their goals, and learn new skills that challenge them throughout that process. Our coaches are trained to teach players technical and tactical skills of the game that they can take home with them and improve in the yard, driveway, at the park, etc. By getting our players to become students of the game, they are better able to see where improvements can be made and gain a better understanding of soccer.
The Addison United Soccer Club schedule is meant to have games at our level and games above our standard. It is important to keep this in perspective and focus on the development of your child and the team. It is important that our Club is not only put into tournaments and leagues in which they can win but that they are challenged with tougher experiences as well. The challenge of more difficult opponents should be welcomed and encouraged. Part of this encouragement as parents understands that the team may not always win every game, and sometimes watching the players and team improve is just as, if not more important.
Team Assessments: Athletes will be evaluated according to specific criteria related to; general fitness, soccer-specific skills, knowledge, and understanding of the game, commitment to the team and sportsmanship, work ethic and willingness to improve in each of the other areas. Assessments will occur at our pre-season team training starting in January (U12-19). Together, our Coaching Director and coaches will place players on the team that best fits their skill and will foster the player's success. Players will be continually assessed during preseason team training on Sundays at the Vergennes Union High School to be sure their team placement is a good fit. *Addison United holds the right to move players into another age group or division if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the club.
***The VSA D1 roster deadline is 12/17/19 and D2/3 VSA roster deadline is 3/4/20. All players will be continually assessed during pre-season team training to confirm appropriate placement. Final team placement is at the coaches' discretion.
Addison United Soccer Club – "Playing Up" Policy
Addison United strongly encourages players to play only within their age group and discourages playing in the next higher age group. Higher-caliber players playing within their age group have the opportunity to provide leadership to their peers while benefiting from the constraints imposed on the game for players their age. For example, the maximum number of players allowed on the field during games differs across age groups, and the length of the games varies, too. Both are in recognition of the players' maturation process, as well as the psychological effects of playing with and against players who are the same age.
Exceptions to this policy are at the sole discretion of the Coaching Directors. A player may be asked to attend the tryout/practice for the higher age group, if and only if there are roster shortages at that higher age level.
Players may not be offered a spot on a team in the next higher age group due to a variety of factors. As such, no explanation will be given if a player is not offered a spot on the team in the next higher age group and attended the tryout/practice for the higher age group. The player's participation in the correct age group will not be affected.
Dual – Sports Participation Policy:
Student/Athletes tend to be active and engaging individuals. Personal preferences are often hard to make since interests vary. Parental and peer pressure can lead to anxiety about choosing the best activity and performing at the best level for the athlete. This can lead to scheduling difficulties, arguments, and below-average performance in activities that should be fun and stress releasing. With that in mind, we would like to provide an easy way for athletes to set priorities and still participate in as many activities as are healthy and fun.
If you are a parent and your student/athlete wants to participate in two or more activities that may have conflicting schedules, discuss the concept of setting priorities and how splitting time and energy between two events can adversely affect their performance in each. Once the priority is set, then discuss the decision with the coaches of each team and discuss whether it is the best interest of the team to have a part-time participant on the team. If everyone agrees, the coach should set expectations about practice time, game time, and set goals for the activity that is reasonable based upon the level of participation.
It is the policy of the AUSC that athletes who want to participate in AUSC activities, (practices, games, tournaments), do so with the expectation that they will do so with the mission and philosophy of the club as stated at addisonunitedvt.com.


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by Helen Tester, Wellbeing coordinator at Pharmacist Support – the independent charity for pharmacists, trainees and MPharm students.
11-17th May marks Mental Health Awareness Week – a time to reflect on and help raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues. According to an ONS study one in four of us will suffer from a mental health illness at some point in our lives. If this is the case how can we stay mentally healthy?
Back in May 2013 I joined the team at Pharmacist Support to work on their new wellbeing service. At the time the charity had received a generous legacy from a pharmacist keen to see his gift used to help those in the profession deal with stress and were about to begin trialling a series of wellbeing workshops. Since then I have done a lot of research around this subject area and into how we can improve our mental health. I've learnt a great deal about the techniques available, and have enjoyed trying a lot of them out in the process!
My two favourite techniques (also popular with attendees) are challenging the thought process through a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy based technique and Mindfulness. Mindfulness is about focusing on the present not looking back and not worrying about the future. We can't change the past and the future – well that's yet to happen. This approach helps me eliminate some of the pressure I feel building up during busy and stressful periods, focusing on the current task rather than becoming overwhelmed by upcoming events. Sometimes after a busy day at work I will sit on the train and not do anything – just look out of the window and take notice of what I see and enjoy being in the moment.
We all know stressful times are unavoidable but what this past couple of years has taught me is that following any stressful event it is important to allow yourself a recovery period – some time to be a little easier on yourself and to do things you enjoy. Through working on our wellbeing workshops I have learnt the value of adopting a positive attitude. This concept is not new to me, it's what got me to the top of Kilimanjaro a few years ago!
Every workshop starts with a 'joy of the day' where attendees are encouraged to share something positive from their day. The ripple of excitement this brings is proof of the value of looking at the positives and being thankful for them. There are many tips and techniques you can use to help you stay mentally healthy – I could go on… and on, believe me! But it's about finding the ones that work for you personally. So for now I shall leave you with a quote from the great philosopher, Epictetus: 'People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them' and encourage you to try out one of our wellbeing workshops for yourself!
For further information on Pharmacist Support and its new wellbeing service visit here.


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The Importance of Preconception Nutrition
If you are thinking of having a baby at any time, you start to feed your baby right two to three years before he or she is born.
If you are thinking of having a baby at any time, you start to feed your baby right two to three years before he or she is born.
Do you feel pressure to have children before a certain age? If so, let me tell you how to remove that cultural pressure so that you have the ability to be pregnant whenever you want to. Learn how your beliefs influence your health and fertility and learn about a culture where women routinely get pregnant […]
The FDA is studying a new morning-after pill, commonly known as Ella, for approval in the United States. Ella is short for EllaOne, the brand name of the pill in Europe. It is effective for preventing pregnancy up to 120 hours following unprotected sex and was approved for use in 44 countries in early 2009. Though it is still a new drug and needs further study, I am hoping for rapid approval for prescription use. Why?
I'd like to ask you a question about the fertility drug Clomid. My 33-year-old daughter has been trying to have a baby for more than four years. So far, she has done everything natural to enhance her fertility, including yoga, sugarless diet, acupuncture, and herbal teas.


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Going into hospital when you have Parkinson's
Going into hospital can be an anxious time for anyone. If you have Parkinson's, you may have questions about how to be prepared and what to expect.
You can read in more detail about what to consider before, during and after your hospital visit in the following pages, but here are our top tips.
planned hospital admission
- Keep an up-to-date medication record, which includes all the medication you are currently taking (not just for Parkinson's) and what time you take each dose.
- Tell your GP, specialist or Parkinson's nurse you are going into hospital. They can provide details of your medication regime to the healthcare team who will be looking after you in hospital. Your Parkinson's nurse can also talk to the ward staff about your medication needs and the importance of getting your medication on time.
- Make sure people know you have Parkinson's and how important it is that you get your medication on time. You can do this at a pre-admission assessment, or when you are admitted.
- Prepare extra supplies of your medication and let other people know where they are. Your medication should be kept in its original packaging and make sure you have at least 24 hours' supply so you don't miss any doses.
- Organise your work and home life – for example, cancel newspaper deliveries.
- Find out about the hospital's self-administration of medication policy and how this works practically on the war
emergency hospital admission
- Explain to staff what medication you take. Show them your medication record. Ask them to keep a copy of it in your notes and check they have recorded this accurately. You may be able to self-administer your medication. If you are able to do this, keep taking your medication as you normally would at home.
- Ask a member of staff to let your GP, specialist or Parkinson's nurse know you are in hospital.
- Tell staff if you have had deep brain stimulation and show them your patient ID card.
Download this information
Going into hospital when you have Parkinson's (PDF, 787KB)
We know lots of people would rather have something in their hands to read rather than look at a screen, so you can order printed copies of our information by post, phone or email.
Get It On Time
We're campaigning to make sure that everyone in a care home or hospital gets their medication on time - every time.
Last updated October 2014. We review all our information within 3 years. If you'd like to find out more about how we put our information together, including references and the sources of evidence we use, please contact us at [email protected].


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Engineering applications are becoming more and more complex. Consequently, the theory required to analyse corresponding systems becomes increasingly complicated as well. Experimental investigations are often too complex, too risky, or too costly. Computational Engineering (CE), including computer based modeling, analysis, simulation, and optimization, is a cost effective and efficient alternative to investigate engineering applications and to engineer new technical solutions. It enables the creation of scalable digital models to support research, development, design, construction, evaluation, production, and operation of engineering applications. It allows optimal strategies to be found, which address key issues in future technical developments for the economy and society, in the areas such as energy, health, safety, and mobility.
Technische Universität Darmstadt
Graduate School CE
Dolivostraße 15
D-64293 Darmstadt
Send e-mail to assistants' office
Show a list of open BSc/MSc topics at GSC CE.


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Bristol City supporters have set up a crowdfund to help young fans hardest hit by the club's rise in season ticket prices.
Last month, Bristol City announced significant increases in its season ticket prices for the 2018-19 season - Robins fans in the Lansdown Central section of the ground who take their kids to the match are facing huge hikes in their annual pay out to the club.
The Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust (BCSC&T) called the prices hikes, ranging from 50% to 340% increases, "eye-watering" and urged the club to rethink its plans.
After lobbying the club on the issue some concessions for under-12s and under-19s were restored in the Lower Lansdown stand, albeit with a price increase of some 99%.
Now the Trust has created a crowdfund to help those parents who take their children to the match make their payments – young fans the Trust says the club risks losing by doubling the cost of attending Ashton Gate.
"Sadly we don't have the resources to help everyone," the Trust said. "So we're focusing on fans of the future - the kids that the club had done so well over recent years to attract."
BCSC&T approached the club, requesting details of how many young supporters would be affected by the rises but Bristol Sport, the group owning the club, refused to assist.
The Trust said: "Despite being denied any guidance on numbers or any logistical assistance, we are pushing ahead, as we are keen that the 99% price rise doesn't prevent any young fan from coming to The Gate."
Called 'Fans Funding Fans of the Future' the crowdfund has been launched with an initial £2,500 from BSC&T funds and other supporters are being urged to contribute.
Thanks to Ben Sutherland for the image used in this article. Reproduced here under Creative Commons license.


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What's the worst flowery nonesense mumbo jumbo language used in your office?
The BBC's 50 office-speak phrases you love to hate article has certainly sparked plenty of amusement amongst the Twitter community.
The worst phrase I encounter at Microsoft is to "socialize the idea" - meaning to ask people what they think!
I'm super excited at the prospect of you engaging in some blue sky thinking to share some of the nonesense phrases you hear at work in a web 2.0 fashion - don't be shy - hit the "comment" button :-)


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Office: Helsinki
+358 (0)29 000 6280
+358 (0)40 845 8194
+358 (0)29 000 6201
Download vCard
Vilja Virta specialises in insolvency and corporate restructuring assignments. She has experience in assisting in the administration of some of the largest and most complex bankruptcy proceedings in Finland. Ms Virta also advises clients on dispute resolution matters. In 2013, the Finnish Company Law Association bestowed upon Ms Virta an award for her distinguished master's thesis. Prior to graduating, Ms Virta worked as a trainee for the firm.
Finnish Bar Association
Finnish Insolvency Law Association
Finnish Corporate Law Association
INSOL International
Young Arbitration Club Finland
Master of Laws, University of Turku (2012)
Studies at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom (2009–2010)


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DMV Finder
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Missouri -- Festus
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Festus DMV Location
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Monday: 9 a.m - 5 p.m
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Collecting Taxes, Titling And Registering Motor Vehicles, And Issuing Driver Licenses.


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I have been needing new runners for a while now and since I'm fairly prone to knee, ankle and foot injuries I have been avoiding exercise. Well, today, at long long last, I've finally got a new pair of runners. So I took the dog for a walk - 1.92km according to the pedometer. And I am absolutely stuffed! I can't believe how unfit I've become. I've always been large but generally fairly fit. 12 months ago I was walking 6-8km a day and loving it. Today I barely got to the end of our street before my legs were tired. It's just not good enough! Maybe this was the wake-up call I needed!
Tomorrow I will try to go a little further.


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Starting and growing a family owned business in a highly competitive market. Branding and product differentiation, the key is VALUE ADDED.
"Stuc's Pizza has offered a world-class pizza, made from scratch, for over 20 years. Our family sourced recipes are unique and sure to please! Nutrition isn't usually associated with pizza but our product is made with real food and quality fresh ingredients."
Appleton, WI
110 N Douglas Street
Appleton, WI 54911
Phone: (920) 735-9272
Neenah, WI
Neenah, WI 54956
Phone: (920) 725-2215


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- This event has passed.
Medicare Cafe: Back to Basics
January 14, 2019 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sometimes, in order to move forward, you have to take a step back.
Join your hosts of Medicare Cafe, Mike and Olivia, in a discussion reusing, rehashing, and reviving the fundamentals of selling in the Medicare arena. Back to Basics will put a new spin on old ideas to ensure you are making the most out of your opportunities.
*Please note, registering once will set you up for the entire week of training.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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This article concerns two procedures, gastric band and tummy tuck.
Gastric band surgery helps you to lose weight by decreasing overall daily food intake and so that you can achieve a sustainable weight. Gastric band surgery helps to enable weight loss by changing your eating habits.
A tummy tuck is a from of plastic surgery, or cosmetic surgery, which removes excess skin. After losing a great deal of weight, some people find they are left with excess skin due to stretching. This is when tummy tuck surgery is appropriate.
How A Gastric Band Works.
A gastric band works by giving you the sensation of satiety, or feeling full. This reduction in the sensation of hunger makes it easier to eat less and reduce weight.
A gastric band is placed around the stomach through keyhole surgery, dividing the stomach into two sections. The first section forms a small pouch that fills with food quickly, making you feel full. Food passes into the second section and is processed as usual.
Having a gastric band fitted helps reduce weight and lead to a healthier lifestyle by helping to change your behaviour. To achieve the maximum benefits of gastric banding, discipline after surgery is an important part of the process.
In recent years,as gastric banding has become more popular, gastric band prices have fallen considerably, and this is set to continue as this reduction in gastric band cost has further increased its popularity.
How A Tummy Tuck Works.
Weight loss can leave you with excess skin, especially around the abdomen.
A tummy tuck can remove excess tissue. The best results of this and all plastic surgery procedures are from those within the ideal weight and height band.


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Course Title: Designing Policy
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Designing Policy
Credit Points: 12
Course Code
Learning Mode
Teaching Period(s)
City Campus
365H Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng
|Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2012
Course Coordinator: Peter Norden
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3823
Course Coordinator Email:firstname.lastname@example.com
Course Coordinator Location: 37.4.12
Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Course Description
This course is a third year core social science course that introduces you to the role played by key values and ethical ideas like justice, individual rights, respect, fairness, and truth-telling, in both making and implementing public policy. The course is designed to introduce you to something of the traditions of ethical debate in the West, the key vocabulary deployed in rational value analysis, the discernment and critical evaluation of the role played by certain values in a range of contemporary policies and the development of innovative policy ideas that draws on alternative values to those currently informing social and public policy.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
By the end of this course you will be able to: use the vocabulary of a number of ethical traditions and to identify, analyse, evaluate and compare the role played by a number of values (like 'good' and 'bad', 'justice', 'respect', deliberative democracy', 'truth-telling' and 'equity') in a longer tradition of ethical and political debate and discussion in the West; to identify this values and ethical vocabulary at work in contemporary policy making and programs and to understand and show how these values shape the kind of policies under examination, and/or be able to identify the issues involved in a policy or professional dilemma where competing values and interests are at stake, such as a case of organisational malfeasance and the risks associated with 'whistleblowing'.
Overview of Learning Activities
You will be able to engage in a variety of lectures and smaller classes.
Overview of Learning Resources
You will be able to use a prescribed text.
Overview of Assessment
You will be able to prepare assessment tasks with a total word length or equivalent of 4,000 words.


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Hey everyone! We just want to take the time to wish everyone a very merry Chrismas in advance, and also remind you of the hunt goodies available at the store! Two yummy yummy headbands, one vintage-inspired and the other with and edgy chrismas feel. You can get them both here. Hope you enjoy!
Vintage Bandeau, Diamond is Mine Hunt 3 gift (available 'till Dec 18th)
Biscuits and Gin bandeau, Peace on Earth Hunt 4 gift (available 'till Jan 3rd)
Happy shopping and happier holidays!
Love, the : FF : Team <3.


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To beautify your front lawn or backyard, you might have purchased a young tree for your property. You may only plan to plant it and watch it grow, but you've also got to maintain your new tree so it grows in a healthy way and stands in place for many years. The following pointers are sure to help the young tree grow.
Anchor It With Wood Stakes
After planting your new young tree, it's important to give its thin trunk some help. Young trees are more likely than older ones to sway in the breeze; if you live in a location that sees strong winds, keep in mind that the trunk of your tree could start to bend in one direction over time instead of growing vertically if you don't take action. To help the trunk remain straight, anchor the young tree by placing two wooden stakes on either side and tying rope or wire around the tree so that it is held in place by the stakes.
Delay Additives And Nutrients
It's not unusual to think that loading the soil around the young tree with store-bought nutrients and additives is a good idea. However, what can sometimes happen is that the young tree's roots grow only within the additive-rich soil; they don't expand to the natural soil surrounding the tree. As the nutrients are used up, the tree starts to suffer. To give your tree a chance, wait and allow the roots to naturally grow in the soil on your property. You can add nutrients later if you see that the tree needs some help.
Cover The Trunk And Roots To Prepare For Winter
The winter can be a tricky time for a young tree; should the roots freeze in the soil, growth could become a problem. As a plant, your tree will need to be protected against early frosts. To give your tree the help it needs to continue growing well, you'll have to do a few things to keep it warm.
For example, it's smart to arrange mulch around the base of the tree to prevent the soil from frosting over. You can also wrap the tree trunk with burlap to prevent frost. Depending on how cold your area will get, you may also want to think about building a small greenhouse around the tree and keeping the area warm with an electric heater.
With the information here, your new tree will be healthier and grow in a better way. Work with a local company which provides tree care services, such as NORCAL Tree Care; they can assist you with tree maintenance and show you how to best care for your particular tree.Share


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Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tonight my brother put up some fun pictures of my nephew with a fauxhawk, and I needed a subject to practice some things on, so here we are.
Posted by Greg Hardin at 10:49 PM No comments:
Labels: Sketches
DrawerGeek: Dragon
I didn't quite get this one done for DrawerGeeks on Friday, but it was good enough to put up. I'll finish it later!
Posted by Greg Hardin at 10:46 PM 1 comment:
Labels: animals, DrawerGeeks, Sketches
New art only blog
Welcome to my new art-only blog! I put this together because my original blog became about pretty much everything except for being a place to show art. I'll keep the other blog going but this one is for art only!
Posted by Greg Hardin at 10:42 PM No comments:
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City of AnkenyHome Menu
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- Date: 09/04/2019 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Kirkendall Public Library
1210 NW Prairie Ridge Drive
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
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Canasta is a card game of the rummy family, invented in Uruguay in 1939 that quickly took the world by storm and became an American craze through the 50's, 60's, and 70's. If you haven't played in several years or missed out on the craze entirely, you have another chance to learn the game and make new friends.


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You should never make fun of any kid's name you find dumb online, even if you think the name is terrible. Even if that person doesn't see it (maybe they won't), someone else could read what you said, and that person might have a kid with the same name, and it could make them feel bad in a pretty deep way. They might worry about if they really messed up and hurt their kid's future by giving them a bad name. Pretty mean.
Now this is not really related, but I really like the concept of some guy naming his kids Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but not explaining it to his wife. Or maybe he names the first two Emerson and Lake, and then his wife realizes what's going on and gets super mad. Or what if someone just thought Emerson, Lake and Palmer were great kids names (they're pretty normal), and didn't even realize there was the band. That would be crazy! But I'm sure it hasn't happened. But dang, just imagine it.


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It's starting to look like the good old days again for the CPU industry. AMD's recent launch of the Shanghai device and Intel's counter with the Nehalem processor are certainly reminiscent of the early PC era, when tit-for-tat advances kept things lively.
Nowadays, though, the chip universe is multipolar, with servers, mobile devices and appliances running a plethora of real and virtual applications, all the while trying to keep the lid on the ever-growing electric bill.
But as Brian Corn of Source Code points out in this ChannelWeb article, at least these latest chips share enough of the same characteristics to allow a better apples-to-apples comparison than devices of the recent past. With both chips built on the 45 nm process, things like speed, power consumption and even cost are more easily matched up. The expectation is that Intel will push the high-performance edge, but AMD will seek to grab market share with better price points and advanced virtualization features.
If speed is your game, you won't do much better than the Nehalem, officially known as the Core i7, according to this review by PC Mag's Michael Miller. While it's important to note that speeds can vary according to the application, the i7 has so far outperformed even the souped-up Phenom X4 on just about all benchmarks.
Still, there is a lot to like on the Shanghai, said Christoph Hochstatter on ZDNet Germany. For one, the device supports DDR2 RAM at up to 800 MHz, compared to the Barcelona chip's 667 MHz. And by the middle of next year, the line is expected to support DDR3 and HyperTransport 3.0, which bumps transfer speeds up from today's 8 GBps to a blistering 17 GBps.
All of this is happening in what is likely to be a tough year for both server and PC processors. Analysts predict sales will flatline in the coming year or decline slightly, with longer-term prospects looking equally glum depending on how long the expected recession lasts. Even then, it could be a while before market conditions approach anything near those of the past two decades, particularly if both server and desktop virtualization take hold.
That's not likely to end the gamesmanship in the silicon industry, however. In fact, demand for bleeding-edge processing will likely remain strong as enterprises look to centralize resources onto fewer, but extremely powerful, hardware platforms. If that turns out to be the case, then the advantage will almost certainly go to Intel.


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Shareholder engagement
The board believes that open and regular dialogue with investors provides the foundation for a long and trusted relationship.
The Chairman is responsible for ensuring that appropriate channels of communication are established between directors and shareholders and that all directors are aware of any issues and concerns that major shareholders may have.
Regular engagement provides investors with an opportunity to discuss particular areas of interest and raise any concerns. The group is eager to ensure that it understands shareholders' views and that it is able to effectively communicate its strategy. The group engages effectively with shareholders through its regular communications, the AGM and other investor relations (IR) activity.
Key themes discussed with shareholders in 2017
- FCA investigation into ROP and Moneybarn
- The group's relationship with the regulator
- The group's corporate governance and risk management procedures
- The search for a new CEO
- Dividend payments
Vanquis Bank
- What is the FCA investigating in respect of ROP
- What period does the FCA investigation cover
- What were the results of the back book communication exercise to ROP customers
- Why was underwriting tightened in the third quarter of the year
- What will be the impact of the FCA's remedies in respect of the credit card market study
Provident Home credit
- Why did the results of the home credit business go backwards so quickly
- Why was the new operating model so badly deployed
- What actions are being taken to recover the business
- When will the business be authorised by the FCA
- What is the expected impact of the FCA's review into the home credit market during 2018
Satsuma Loans
- Why is Satsuma taking so long to reach profitability
- What is the competitive landscape in HCSTC?
- Why is the business incurring higher levels of impairment? Is this macro related
- What is the expected impact of the FCA's review into the car finance market in 2018
- What is the impact of falling used car prices on impairment levels
IR programme
The group has a comprehensive IR programme through which the Chief Executive, Finance Director and Head of IR engage regularly with the company's largest shareholders on a one-to-one basis to discuss strategic and other issues as well as to give presentations on the group's results.
- The annual report – this is the most significant communication tool, ensuring that investors are kept fully informed regarding developments in the group. The group continually strives to produce a clear and transparent annual report which provides shareholders with a complete and balanced picture of the group;
- Our corporate website – provides investors with timely information on the group's performance as well as details of the group's corporate responsibility (CR) activities. The website was refreshed in 2015 to improve its look and feel and to ensure that the website was fully accessible from either a PC, tablet or smartphone without the need for a separate mobile app;
- Investor days – inviting institutional shareholders and sell-side analysts to an on-site facility or an external location to provide them with a more detailed insight into the group. A Capital Markets Day has been scheduled for 4 April 2017 to provide further insight into the group's growth initiatives including the expansion of Vanquis Bank's credit card distribution and the new wider loans proposition, the ongoing development of Satsuma's digital capability, the proposed enhancement of the home credit operating model and the ongoing product developments in Moneybarn;
- Investor/analyst meetings – the group takes a proactive approach by inviting investors and sell-side analysts to meet with divisional senior management and to visit operational facilities;
- US and European roadshow programmes – allows overseas investors better access to management, enabling them to receive the same access to information as investors in the UK. Usually attended by the Chief Executive, the Finance Director and the Head of IR;
- Attending broker conferences – management regularly attend and present at various conferences hosted by brokers to ensure that a wide variety of shareholders, including those from different geographies, have access to management;
- An annual CR report – a stand alone report clearly demonstrating the significant importance placed on corporate responsibilities within the group;
- Shareholder correspondence – the group is committed to responding to shareholders, regardless of the size of their holding, within two working days of receipt of correspondence; and
- An annual perception audit – designed to obtain formal independent feedback from investors and sell-side analysts. This enables management to consider and respond to any concerns in the investment community.