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Fancy a bit of a shopping trip whilst visiting North Cyprus? Why not make a visit to Arasta in the heart of the walled city of Lefkoşa to experience some modern shopping, located in a wonderfully historical location! Arasta is located at the top end of Girne Caddesi which is the main road leading up from the Kyrenia Gate – keep walking and you will come upon it one way or another! You will know you have arrived when you enter a vibrant and busy shopping district.
Arasta Shopping, Lefkosa
Duty & Tax Free Shopping in North Cyprus
A nice little treat for most of us are the cheap goodies we can buy coming in and out of North Cyprus! Note that there are limitations on what you can bring in and what you can take out however, (taking out is more relevant for the country you are travelling back to!).
When arriving into Ercan airport which serves North Cyprus you are currently allowed to bring in: -
Büyük Han, Lefkoşa, North Cyprus
One historical sight that you have to see when visiting North Cyprus is the wonderful and vibrant Büyük Han in Lefkoşa. It's one the main attractions for tourists, but also has its own local community feel, with residents and tourists alike spending time soaking up its unique atmosphere.
The Büyük Han (or Great Inn), located within the city walls, was commissioned by the first Ottoman Pasha to Cyprus, Musafer, in 1752, shortly after the Ottoman occupation of Cyprus. It was a familiar sight for travelling tradesman, as these types of Hans (Inns) were common in Turkey, especially in Anatolia. They were also known as 'caravanserai' which literally means a centre where people would commune. Apparently this Han is similar in design to only two others in the whole of Turkey, and is often compared with the Kosa (or cocoon) Han in Bursa.
Cross Border Shopping, North Cyprus
Before 2003 if you lived in North Cyprus you could only shop in North Cyprus, but with the opening of the Ledra checkpoint in the heart of Lefkosa in April 2003, locals and European shoppers alike were able to explore the delights of what the south of the island had to offer.
Although officially there are duty restrictions in place, which at present are set at a limit of goods worth135 euro per person for shoppers coming back through to the north, there are not too many searches of goods purchased as you come back through the checkpoints – at the moment! There are also plans to raise this limit to between 250-300 euros (presently it's 260 Euros for shoppers going back through to the south), and although progress is slow it is likely that this will become reality in the not too distant future. Sadly the effect on trade and related services since the opening of checkpoints has not been as fruitful as previously anticipated with Turkish Cypriots not feeling the full benefit of trading with their Greek Cypriot counterparts.
North Cyprus Cinema
When we talk about cinema in North Cyprus, we don't just mean the usual blockbuster movies that anyone can see no matter where in the world they live, we also mean that North Cyprus does have its own budding cinematic scene. So, you will find the usual cinema facilities in the city areas, but there are also a number of art house cinema venues which are popular places for people wishing to see something different.
Arts venues are host to various screenings, with offerings from local and international film makers, and you can see them in a variety of places such as at Sidestreets in Lefkoşa. Often these cinematic events are bought together by both Turkish and Greek Cypriots, who seem to thrive on working closely to provide a vibrant arts scene. [Read more...]
Buying a Car in North Cyprus
So, you've finally relocated to Northern Cyprus and you want to get around and need some independence – i.e., you want to look around for that ideal form of transport, the car!
Buying a car here is actually really quite easy, and there are heaps of car dealerships for both brand new and second hand vehicles. We will offer some tips and advice on how to get the best deal, what to expect within the cost of buying a car, and what you need to do to keep it legally on the road!
Shopping in North Cyprus
Shopping – don't we love it!! Well, in North Cyprus you are spoilt for choice when it comes to what you can buy and where you can shop, whether you're in the market for practical items such as DIY materials, food etc., or indeed you want to indulge in shopping for pleasure for gifts, clothes and entertainment.
Besides just looking around the offerings on the north side of the island, there is now the opportunity to partake of some cross-border shopping too. Since April 2003 when the borders were opened, shoppers have been able to purchase items which are not readily available in North Cyprus, or to treat themselves to some items from western chain department stores.


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|A History of Violence
|Tuesday, 14 March 2006
"A History of Violence" began life as a graphic novel written and drawn by John Wagner and Vince Locke. When it was picked up and turned into a movie directed by David Cronenberg in 2005, "A History of Violence" arguably became one of the best movies of that year. The DVD case even advertises that the feature hit over 150 Top Ten lists.
At its heart, "A History of Violence" is about a man who gets caught up in events far beyond his own control and ends up struggling with his private demons. Since a man's war within himself never truly stays within that private battle zone, it spills over onto his family. This family is an ordinary family, not trained to deal with the maelstrom that's about to hit their lives and shatter everything they thought they knew.
This review comes with a spoiler warning. Viewers who have already seen the film can read on freely, but those who haven't seen it and want to remain surprised by the twists and turns of the plot will be warned away further down in the review.
"A History of Violence" is a remarkable film, one that truly earns the label gut-wrenching. A savvy movie watcher will guess at twists and turns the plot and the characters take. Maybe that movie watcher will be both right and wrong. The acting and the resonance the film brings to the viewing experience will blow away even someone who guesses right.
This is truly one of Viggo Mortensen's most superb films. He plays Tom Stall with quiet dignity, presenting him as a man anyone would want to meet and admire. Maria Bello plays Tom's wife Edie with a combination of earthy sexuality and protective mother that seems to be the epitome of an empowered woman. It's their relationship that gets delineated onscreen the most, the one that draws us in most intently.
Director David Cronenberg and screenwriter Josh Olson offer up a polished jewel with this film. The simplicity of the characters, the scenes, the background and the action drives the film every minute. The ease with which Cronenberg moves the story along, the way that the background information seeps in so naturally, the fact that the scenes never overpower the character interaction is so understated that most viewers will probably forget the movie was directed. It all seems natural, even the violence.
The musical score is also simple, not – for a change of pace – fed off today's Top 40. The music becomes a force throughout the scenes where it is used, which is astonishingly seldom. Most of the time, the action, the sound of a door closing or keys jangling or cars passing, is the only background noise to a given scene. The audio portion of the film gives credence to the belief we are actually peering in at a family's life.
Chapter 1 begins on a low-key level that escalates with the explosive surprise of an unexpected left hook. Two men walk out of a cheap motel. There's no music, just the usual sounds of a door closing, boots hitting the pavement and quiet, abbreviated conversation between the men. In the car, the radio is barely audible, playing an undercurrent of country and western music that almost gets drowned out by the engine noise. A truck passes on an unseen highway, speeding by from right to left and putting us at that Anywhere Motel. Birds chirp. It's a normal day. Then the older man sends the younger one in for some cold water from the cooler. As the young man enters the office, he methodically goes through the payphone for change and checks out the postcards. Then the blood on the desk is shown, hinting at what really took place when the first man checked out. The gurgling cooler sounds so normal after seeing the dead bodies that it's horrifying in the quiet when a little girl opens the door and looks at the young man. He drops to his knees so he won't scare her, then takes out a pistol and fires a single round. In six minutes and three seconds, the hook is set, as we want to see these two men get what's coming to them.
Young Sarah Stall (Heidi Hayes) screams in bed at the beginning of Chapter 2. The entire family, father Tom, mother Edie and brother Jack (Ashton Holmes), comes to the rescue. In just this short scene, the closeness of the Stalls is revealed in a manner that will be familiar to most families. The quiet breakfast the next morning, again without a music track, complements the initial introduction. The conversation at the breakfast table, just like the exchanges between the killers, is brief and everyday. Later, Tom walks through town and everyone knows his name. As he cleans the debris from in front of his diner, it's obvious that he takes pride in what he does.
Chapter 3 focuses on Jack as he deals with a bully on the softball field. That encounter continues into Chapter 4, when Jack uses his wits to get himself out of a jam. The thing that seems to throw the bully off is that Jack really isn't afraid; he just knows he can't beat him in a fight. Later, Edie waits for Tom and picks him up after work. Tom and Edie go back home. The image of Tom, knowing that Edie has something special planned, is endearing. When Edie shows up in her old cheerleader outfit, the scene changes tone to sexual in a heartbeat. Later, Jack hangs out with his girlfriend, and his view on life is definitely different than how he lives at home. A passing car slams the subwoofer for just a moment as it passes from left to right through the surround sound system. The bully is on the scene, but a near miss with the killers gets him to tuck his tail between his legs and save his promise of violence to Jack for another day.
The action turns down and dirty in Chapter 5 as the killers pick Tom's diner to rob. Tom is going to give them anything they want, but they decide to rape the waitress after he tried to get her clear of the confrontation. Tom acts with smooth confidence, going on the offensive and killing both men without hesitation.
The media seizes the story in Chapter 6. Tom sits in a room all by himself, obviously distressed by how much attention the story is receiving. Outside, he gets a hero's welcome. At home, Tom finds a news reporter waiting at his front yard. Later, the menace quietly settles in as Edie spots a mysterious black car sitting across the street from the house.
In Chapter 7, an admiring town crowd packs the seats at Tom's diner. Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), dressed all in black and looking like pure threat, arrives and starts calling Tom "Joey Cusack." Tom comes across mild and meek, insisting that he's not who Fogarty thinks he is. Fogarty reveals a dead eye and a horrible scar beneath his sunglasses. The menace gradually cranks up as Fogarty won't go away, even after Edie gets involved. Later, the sheriff – summoned by Edie – braces Fogarty and his men on their way out of town, getting their names and warning them off. After running background checks, the sheriff tells Tom and Edie that Fogarty is an organized crime figure, and that he couldn't find anything on a Joey Cusack, but he found out that Richie Cusack is a syndicate boss. He asks Tom if he's in witness protection, and Tom tells him no, that he's just a guy and Fogarty is mistaking him for someone else. The sound of the rain as the sheriff leaves is constant, just like the dread that has entered the lives of the Stall family.
Chapter 8 shows Tom coming apart at the seams. He walks to work because his truck still isn't running. While he's there, he sees Fogarty's car out front. Fearing that Fogarty and his men are going to harm his family, Tom runs home, scaring Edie and Jack. Edie grabs and loads the shotgun at Tom's insistence, and the music that underscores the scene is soft and dramatic, amping up the fear level in a subtle way. Tom arrives but the killers don't. Jack asks him what they'd do if the killers had arrived. Tom says they would have dealt with it.
Fogarty turns up the pressure in Chapter 9 by stalking Edie and Sarah at the mall. Again, the quiet everyday noises going on around the action without an accompanying music track actually helps suspend disbelief. This feels real. The car that slides by behind Edie moves from right to left through the surround sound system, then Fogarty's car snarls like some monstrous beast in the center speaker as it brakes to a halt to fill the screen. After Edie finds that Sarah has wandered off and Fogarty is watching her daughter, she reacts like a mother wolf, snarling and snapping at the mob guy. Fogarty goes on talking anyway, asking her why it was so easy for Tom to kill those men, and showing her his ruined eye, telling her that Joey did that.
Chapter 10 shows Jack at school. He's forced into a fight. The violence there is quick and brutal, coming too naturally to him. Later, at home, Tom talks to Jack, ends up losing his temper and slaps his son. That slap reverberates in the surround sound system with no other sound audible. Edie arrives after that and tells Tom what happened at the mall
Fogarty arrives with Jack in Chapter 11. He offers to let Jack go if Tom will agree to return with him to Philadelphia. Tom sends Edie away and approaches the men while unarmed. When Jack is clear of the area, Tom changes. The viewer sees the mask slip. In a heartbeat, forced by circumstance beyond his control, Tom is Joey again. The fight is swift and bloody, and in seconds Tom has left dead men stretched on his lawn. He's saved from Fogarty by Jack. The scene when Tom – his face stained by blood – takes is son into his arms is phenomenal, proving again how powerful the film medium is.
In Chapter 12, Edie demands the truth and turns out to be unprepared for what Tom has to tell her. He was Joey, but he walked away from that life 20 years ago.
The friction with Tom's family builds to a breaking point in Chapter 13, all without the aid of music. The tension comes in the words and actions of the actors, bringing us into their world and letting us suffer along with the Stalls. Then Richie Cusack (William Hurt) calls, telling Tom he should come see him in Philly, setting up the final arc of the bloody action that ensues.
The extras on the movie are lean, but they're good. The "Acts of Violence" documentary offers keen insight into the characters, as well as the violence that takes place in the film. The featurette concerning the differences between the U.S. version and the international version is interesting. The Cannes featurette gives some cool background on the film and the director. But "The Unmaking of Scene 44," detailing the special effects for that scene, is most awesome.
"A History of Violence" is definitely not a family film. It's one of the few truly adult films made in 2005, and it excels in deep characterization, truly motivated action and violence, and a plot that is at once simple, easy to follow and surprising. For viewers who have been missing out on action flicks in the theaters, this one's a keeper for the collection. People who missed the film during its tour of the theaters, who want something driving and engrossing, pick this one up for a night's rental when the kids are out. The DVD might just turn into one that finds its way into several home movie collections.

subset: commoncrawl


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Search 1478 mission trips from 84 mission organizations
TIME Ministries
Founded 1968
TIME Ministries originated in 1968 when a group of young people from the US spent a week during their Christmas vacation in the village of Pueblo Nuevo, just outside of Monterrey in Mexico. At that point, the ministry was called Teenage Institute of Missionary Evangelism. However, because so many of the participants in subsequent years were adults the name was changed to The Institute of Missionary Evangelism and is now known simply as TIME Ministries. After much growth, the base was moved into the urban environment of the intercity of Monterrey during the 80's. In 1991, a site was opened in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. From 1995 to 2001 we took groups to the western Mexico city of Heramoseo. In 2005, we started a base in Alemaco, Mexico that moved in 2007 into the nearby town of Queretaro. In 2006, we started a site in the largely Hispanic area of east Dallas, TX.
View 13 short-term mission trips from this organization »
Mission/Vision Statement
Connecting U.
RELAX, fifty years of short-term mission's work allows us to take care of all the logistics.
TIME takes care of all the unknowns for your groups adventure in missions. We Transport, House and Feed everyone at our safe and modern TIME Center facilities.
To Local Churches.
"Local 2 Local". Partner together with others nations in the name of Jesus through the local church.
Time has a Full menu of national pastor partners to choose from at all locations. Match your passion to a local church, and SERVE! You looking for buy-in? Partner with us.
Where God is Working.
Your passion for Jesus used wisely for the Kingdom.
TIME values gospel centered church's on the move, where God is already at work. Jesus needs willing people who are available to build, evangelize, teach and preach His good news through acts of worship.
Doctrinal Statement
We believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God, inerrant in its original writings.
We believe that there is only one God. Creator of heaven and earth, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the absolute deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through the shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the Father, and in His personal and imminent return in power and glory.
We believe that man, created by a direct act of God and in His image, feel into a sinful state. All men thus have a sinful nature and absolutely need regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation from a lost state to eternal life with God. This salvation is wholly of grace, solely through personal faith in the work of Christ on the cross, faith in Him alone.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of everlasting punishment.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as they are in His Church.
Phone Numbers:
Toll-free: 888-584-3074
Phone: 214-828-1113
Fax: 214-432-5854
General Email:email@example.com
Mailing Address:TIME Ministries
PO Box 13050
Des Moines IA 50310


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Whether you have a Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, Volvo, Mack, or Delivery Vans, we repair all makes and models of trucks here at Fargo Freightliner.
Our Body Shop offers
- Beeline Frame Straightening and Alignment in house.
- Two paint booths and experienced technicians. No job is too big.
- Free estimates. Let us help you get back on the road.
- Full Parts and Accessories department.
- Our state of the art Service Department.
- A complete package to take care of your trucks needs.
Call Tony for an appointment or estimate today.
Experienced Body Shop Technicians needed!Body Shop Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
(701)-293-9133 or toll free (800)-383-9133 Manager- Tony Larock


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The Department of Criminology
The Department of Criminology serves as the fulcrum of criminological research, operational interactivity and innovative research.
The Department was established through a transformative change processes, having formerly been designated as the "Institute of Criminology" (2008-2012) and subsequently the "Institute of Forensic Studies" in 1993. It was established, was set up with the aim of serving as a resource centre of experts and expertise for the Maltese criminal justice system.
In 2012, the Faculty for Social Wellbeing was set up and the Institute was transformed into a Department within the same Faculty.
The Department is established in the national and international arenas as a centre of criminological research focusing its efforts in such fields as policing, corrections, domestic violence, migration, juvenile crime, gender and crime, environmental criminology, spatio-temporal crime statistics, amongst others.
The Department is involved in research and teaching in the field of Criminology: policing, corrections, terrorism, geo-spatial analysis of crime, psychology/psychiatry/biology of crime, criminological research methods, cyber crime, criminal investigation, crime/criminal profiling, domestic violence, hate crimes and other crime-related areas of study.


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The Psychology Behind the Poker Game
Poker went through history with individuals of different cultures and social levels it has transported itself in the traditional to some worldwide tournament. Using the creation of online gaming, poker is among the first "casino games" to possess a revenue-generating, simulated game online.
Poker is entirely a social game. A texas holdem player has a tendency to develop observation skills of their opponents. Every poker player has mannerisms and personality nuances that will define him and the game. Every poker player also appears to possess a personal strategy and attitude for the game the longer a person plays with another the greater they have a tendency to understand by instinct each other peoples possible moves.
Online poker, regrettably, lacks this potentiality. It's stated that online poker is becoming less personal and fewer interactive. It's defeated the sociability the poker game should really enjoy. It's been greatly recommended with a population of online poker gamers that there has to be some enhancements provided to the consumer interface and also the overall arrangement from the identity aspect, i.e. avatars and account as well as in managing impressions among poker players. Better put, within an online poker game, you cannot review your opponent within the eye and smell fear or have the ability to glimpse on the triumphant smirk this is a giveaway for any good hands.
Just how will a professional online poker gamer get by with what's not there? He/she will rather take notice of the gaming behavior from the opponent by analyzing the stakes they have fun with, who usually plays in a particular time, so how exactly does he play, when does he bluff, etc. To experience poker online is much more challenging with the necessity to make amends for what's not there, given you need to feel the presence of something which would sometimes seem to be too virtual.
We advise studying this short article by Scott A. Golder and Judith Donath, "Hiding and Revealing in Online Poker Games".


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Here are the minutes from the March Board of Directors Meeting.
Links of Interest
Denver Highlands Twitter
- @ryandarbonne Hi Ryan, thanks for the note ... Are you just an individual in the neighborhood or do you represent an organization? 3 years ago
- @DenverHighlands is for sale. Send a direct message if interested. 7 years ago
- Barry's@Highlands moves into former Arabian Bar space on Navajo, hopes to be open by December. blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/20… 7 years ago
Federal Boulevard Partnership
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Family Star Montessori
- RT @joinvroom: The time you spend with your child can help their brain grow strong. Even a few minutes count! Our #VroomTips help you do mo… 1 week ago
- Happy new year! If you are on the market for a Montessori school for your child, we encourage you to check us out!… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 week ago


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#17 Jonathan DeLaureal, QB
6-2, 215, New Orleans LA (Isidore Newman HS), RS Soph.
DeLaureal walked on to the UGA squad in 2006 after a nice football and track career at the same high school that produced notable football players such as Peyton and Eli Manning, former LSU basketball player Randy Livingston, and Grammy winner Harry Connick, Jr. After winning the Iron Dawg and Defensive Scout Team Awards in 2006, DeLaureal provided depth at QB in 2007, and played quite a bit there in the 2008 G-Day game, drawing a nice review from Coach Richt about his play.
Depth Chart Analysis: With the lack of any real "blow-out" type games after the first game of the season, chances are probably not as great that DeLaureal will see the field this season. He does find himself as the firm 4th string quarterback behind Stafford, Cox and Gray.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Countdown to UGA-GSU: 17 Days
Posted by JJ at 10:51 AM
1 comment:
I actually met Jonathan DeLaureal in the Tempe, Az airport coming back from the Super Bowl this year. I was very impressed with this young man. He knows that he will never play meaningful minutes while in Athens, but he still goes out there and busts his hump. I think that we need more kids like him on the squad. I only wish that everyone on the UGA squad had his attitude and drive.
- August 15, 2008 at 4:46 PM
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It seems all I do here lately is spamming you with screencaptures, right? I'm sure you're not complaining, but Sandy news are really slow. So, I'm working to get the gallery as much complete as I can until Sandy decide to go out again.
So, this time I added more than 1300 HD screencaptures of Sandy in her 2007 movie Premonition. I love this movie, it's so sad. :guilty:
Film Productions > (2007) Premonition > Movie Screencaptures


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Mobile Monday is a weekly CanvasPop blog series featuring reviews on some of the coolest mobile photography apps, or gear available. Check back on Mondays for a new review!
We've written about the concept of filming one second of each day of your life in the past, and still really love this idea. So we were pretty stoked when we came across the iPhone app 1 Second Everyday by Cesar Kuriyama. You may recognize Kuriyama's name from his video of the same name that went viral about a year ago. He filmed one second, each day for an entire year … Read more


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Good article on the smart grid implications:
Good article on the smart grid implications:
On September 23 the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved severe increases in electricity billing rates, which the National Grid company had requested only one week before. From November 1 through April 30, basic service rates for home use will nearly double, from 8.3 cents per kilowatt hour to 16.2 cents.
The new rate will add approximately $30 to the average monthly bill this winter and is more than 60 percent higher than last year's winter rate. Small commercial and industrial users will also suffer large increases, with their basic service rate increasing to 15.138 cents/kWh on November 1.
The rate increase was railroaded through DPU's approval process. National Grid submitted its "request" on September 16 and demanded a response within five business days. The DPU caved in so cravenly that on October 2 the state Attorney General's office sent it a letter quoting a 2001 DPU ruling "that rate structure changes should be made in a predictable and gradual manner which allows consumers reasonable time to adjust their consumption patterns." The AG's office, however, is unable to request any changes to the current rate hikes except for deferring some of them to next summer.
This is happening in the Berkshires. Sheffield decided not to do it because Time Warner had a good bit of the town covered. I asked the fiber optic folks if we could run the smart grid through it and they said yes but no utilities show interest in that!
Western Massachusetts is involved in three national issues concerning internet access: dramatically increasing connection speeds with broadband fiber-optic networks; having municipalities deploy those networks; and extending broadband service throughout rural America.
The US badly trails other countries in the speed and cost of broadband. The New York Times recently reported that in many cities in Europe and Asia users can download a high-definition movie in about seven seconds, paying as little as $30 a month for their connection. But in New York and Los Angeles, that download takes about 12 times as long from the fastest available service, at 10 times the cost.
Unsatisfied with their service from big providers like Comcast and Verizon, many municipalities are looking to build their own fiber networks to compete with them. However,laws in 20 states impede cities and towns from providing broadband to their citizens. In a controversial move, the Federal Communications Commission is considering preempting such restrictions.
In many rural areas, the issue is not lack of competition, but no broadband service at all. The big companies have bypassed many small towns. Here in Berkshire County, 16 towns have no cable service; another three are served by an antiquated Charter cable system offering TV but no internet.
At last, significant progress is being made to solve this problem. 44 towns in Berkshire and adjacent counties formed a municipal cooperative, WiredWest, to deploy a regional fiber network. Massachusetts allows towns to do so under a law enacted in the early 20th century to enable municipalities to provide electricity.
Earlier this year the Massachusetts Broadband Institute completed a "middle mile" network connecting town halls and other public facilities. To extend the "last mile" to homes and businesses, Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill in August authorizing bonds to provide $50 million to MBI for that purpose. In September Senate Majority Leader Stanley Rosenberg held a meeting in his office with the Western Mass. legislative delegation, WiredWest, MBI and other involved parties. Everyone agreed that WiredWest and MBI should work together to implement a regional last-mile network.
Since then WiredWest, MBI and engineering, financial and legal experts have been working diligently on a last-mile plan. They are now holding meetings with town Select Board and Finance Committee members to discuss that plan, and seek their input and participation. It provides that MBI will build the network, and WiredWest will own and operate it on behalf of the towns.
To participate in the last-mile project, a town must take these steps:
That qualifies it as a "Fiber Town" on the network.
WiredWest and MBI will work closely with towns to help them complete these steps. If all eligible towns participate, their total share of construction costs is estimated to be $60 million or more. Towns will be on the hook for the bonds they issue, but according to the plan, WiredWest anticipates reimbursing them in whole or part for their debt service payments.
While there are risks in moving forward, for a town not to act is to risk being left behind with poor internet service, perhaps for many years, with serious consequences for its economic well-being and quality of life.
Providing broadband in our small towns is no easy task. The key to success is doing it on a regional basis, to benefit from economies of scale, share the challenges, retain professional management and deliver excellent customer service. For a town to try building and operating its own fiber network on such a small scale would be far riskier. With towns joining together to help finance a regional fiber network owned and operated by their cooperative WiredWest, western Massachusetts will become a national leader in "bringing broadband home" to people in rural areas.
Steve Nelson is Legal/Governance Chair of WiredWest. The views expressed are his own and not necessarily those of WiredWest.
This is a good site if you need to find out if your space is subject to high EMFs. They also have one that measures the body to see what levels EMFs affect you.


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News and Events
There is always something happening at Stanton & Killeen Wines. Stay informed and get all the latest news and upcoming events.
Introducing Liquid Luxury
Thursday, November 10, 2016
There's something very rewarding about maturing your own fortified blend at home and our new Liquid Luxury packages allow you to do just that. Sign up to our Barrel Club, select your preferred Liquid Luxury package and you'll receive the base wine carefully selected from our cellar plus your own small, Australian-made barrel to begin the blending and maturation process. Throw in access to your very own Barrel Concierge and you've got everything you need to create your own batch of Liquid Luxury at home. Continue reading...


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Saturday 18th January - 12 Hour Crop. Come along and spend the day working on your own projects with a fun group of like minded people! Tea, coffee, and chocolate available all day. Time: 10am - 10pm. Cost: £10.
Saturday 25th January - Scrapaholix class featuring papers from Kaisercraft's Ladylike range. Time: 10am - 4pm. Cost: £15 (includes kit and refreshments). Add on kit also available at £4.50.
The Mad Scrapper understands that your privacy is important to you and that you care about how your personal data is used. We respect and value the privacy of all of our customers and will only collect and use personal data in ways that are described here, and in a way that is consistent with our obligations and your rights under the law.
1. Information About Us
The Mad Scrapper.
Sole Trader
Main trading address: 10 The Sands, Haddington, East Lothian EH41 3EY.
VAT number: 278 2279 66
2. What Does This Notice Cover?
This Privacy Information explains how we use your personal data: how it is collected, how it is held, and how it is processed. It also explains your rights under the law relating to your personal data.
3. What is Personal Data?
Personal data is defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (EU Regulation 2016/679) (the 'GDPR') as 'any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier'.
Personal data is, in simpler terms, any information about you that enables you to be identified. Personal data covers obvious information such as your name and contact details, but it also covers less obvious information such as identification numbers, electronic location data, and other online identifiers.
The personal data that we use is set out in Part 5, below.
4. What Are My Rights?
Under the GDPR, you have the following rights, which we will always work to uphold:
a) The right to be informed about our collection and use of your personal data. This Privacy Notice should tell you everything you need to know, but you can always contact us to find out more or to ask any questions using the details in Part 11.
b) The right to access the personal data we hold about you. Part 10 will tell you how to do this.
c) The right to have your personal data rectified if any of your personal data held by us is inaccurate or incomplete. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.
d) The right to be forgotten, i.e. the right to ask us to delete or otherwise dispose of any of your personal data that we have. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.
e) The right to restrict (i.e. prevent) the processing of your personal data.
f) The right to object to us using your personal data for a particular purpose or purposes.
g) The right to data portability. This means that you can ask us for a copy of your personal data held by us to re-use with another service or business in many cases.
h) Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. We do not use your personal data in this way.
i) For more information about our use of your personal data or exercising your rights as outlined above, please contact us using the details provided in Part 11.
Further information about your rights can also be obtained from the Information Commissioner's Office or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
If you have any cause for complaint about our use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office.
5. What Personal Data Do You Collect?
We may collect some or all of the following personal data (this may vary according to your relationship with us):
6. How Do You Use My Personal Data?
Under the GDPR, we must always have a lawful basis for using personal data. This may be because the data is necessary for our performance of a contract with you, because you have consented to our use of your personal data, or because it is in our legitimate business interests to use it. Your personal data will be used for the following purposes:
7. How Long Will You Keep My Personal Data?
We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected. Your personal data will therefore be kept until you request us to delete it or in the event of the business being closed.
8. How and Where Do You Store or Transfer My Personal Data?
We will only store your personal data in the UK. This means that it will be fully protected under the GDPR.
9. Do You Share My Personal Data?
We will not share any of your personal data with any third parties for any purposes, subject to one important exception.
In some limited circumstances, we may be legally required to share certain personal data, which might include yours, if we are involved in legal proceedings or complying with legal obligations, a court order, or the instructions of a government authority.
10. How Can I Access My Personal Data?
If you want to know what personal data we have about you, you can ask us for details of that personal data and for a copy of it (where any such personal data is held). This is known as a 'subject access request'.
All subject access requests should be made in writing and sent to the email or postal addresses shown in Part 11. To make this as easy as possible for you, a Subject Access Request Form is available for you to use. You do not have to use this form, but it is the easiest way to tell us everything we need to know to respond to your request as quickly as possible.
There is not normally any charge for a subject access request. If your request is 'manifestly unfounded or excessive' (for example, if you make repetitive requests) a fee may be charged to cover our administrative costs in responding.
We will respond to your subject access request within 48 hours of receiving it. Normally, we aim to provide a complete response, including a copy of your personal data within that time. In some cases, however, particularly if your request is more complex, more time may be required up to a maximum of three months from the date we receive your request. You will be kept fully informed of our progress.
11. How Do I Contact You?
12. Changes to this Privacy Notice
We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. This may be necessary, for example, if the law changes, or if we change our business in a way that affects personal data protection.
Any changes will be made available on our website.


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A bacterium in an acidic, hot volcanic lake may hold clues to life on ancient Mars
A group of microbes found in a highly acidic, hot, mineral-rich volcanic lake in Central America may give us clues about life on ancient Mars.
Current orbiters including NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the European Space Agency's Mars Express, as well as the Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity rovers, have found geological evidence suggesting that there was hydrothermal activity on Mars approximately 3.7 billion years ago. Volcanic gases reacted with localized sources of water, which created hot, highly acidic environments and supported the formation of minerals rich in iron, silica and sulfur.
Surprisingly, similar extreme environments existing on Earth, termed "Mars analogs," are often host to flourishing populations of microbes called "extremophiles." Scientists speculate that ancient Martian hydrothermal sites could have supported similar organisms, and they are using Mars analogs to better understand what sort of life could have existed on early Mars.
A group of scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutein New York, the National University of Costa Rica and Universidad de Costa Rica set out to identify and characterize microbes from one such analog: Laguna Caliente, a crater lake in the volcano Poás in Costa Rica. Their findings were published online in the journal Astrobiology.
The study's investigators have described the lake as "one of the most extreme habitats of our planet." Its water temperature has ranged from room temperature to the boiling point of water over the course of weeks to months, and the reaction of volcanic gases with the water has lowered the pH to a range from –1 to 1.5, or stronger than battery acid. Changes in volcanic activity and precipitation have caused the lake volume to vary over decades, from a cubic kilometer to having almost totally evaporated. All of these conditions support a rich variety of chemical reactions. In addition, volcanic minerals rich in iron, sulfur or silica have been found on Poás. Notably, similar minerals have been found on Mars in Gusev Crater (explored by Spirit), Valles Marineris, Meridiani Planum, and parts of Gale Crater (being explored by Curiosity).
DNA testing
To characterize organisms that can survive in such environments, the scientists isolated and sequenced the DNA from lake water samples. The scientists examined the sequence of the 16s RNA gene, because while it is found in all organisms, part of its sequence varies across species. These sequence variations are used to identify related species.
In most of the water samples, they found a DNA sequence that belongs to a single species of the genus Acidiphilium, a group of bacteria that thrive in acidic hydrothermal regions on Earth. In addition, Acidiphilium species can survive at 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the average temperature of the Laguna Caliente samples. However, the pH of the lake was an acidic 0.29, whereas known Acidiphilium species survive at pH levels between 1.5 to 5.5. The scientists therefore proposed that they had found an especially acid-tolerant species of Acidiphilium that has not previously been discovered.
This is one of the few ecosystems on Earth where a single species is found to exist as a "monoculture," according to Brian Hynek, who is a geologist and professor at the University of Colorado's Department of Geological Sciences and Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and lead author of the study.
"It is really rare to find a single species in an ecosystem," Hynek tells Astrobiology Magazine. "Usually we find no life if the environment is too harsh, or abundant types of species in less extreme field sites. This lake is at the fringes of what Earth life can tolerate due to the dynamic conditions and unforgiving characteristics."
At the same time, the lake water samples were compared in more detail with known Acidiphilium species. The scientists found that the sample DNA sequences were similar to those of species that metabolize iron or elemental sulfur and thiosulfate.
Acidic Martian bugs
Given the abundance of different types of sulfur and iron minerals on the Martian surface, and the evidence that hydrothermal systems with acid-sulfate interactions existed on ancient Mars, the scientists propose that organisms similar to Acidiphilium might be similar to what could have existed on early Mars. This study will help inform future missions to Mars searching for signs of past microbial life.
Dr Jack Farmer, a geologist and astrobiologist at the Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration, points out how important it is for research such as this to study life in extreme water environments.
"I think many in the planetary community would agree with the idea that habitability is more than just "follow the water"," he tells Astrobiology Magazine. "We also need to understand details of the quality of thatwater, e.g., its pH, temperature, chemistry and microbiology, and how these factors may play out against each other in shaping habitability and life's perceived limits on Earth."
However, Farmer cautions that "We still don't know the details of what controls the distribution of life on Earth, and we need to be careful about how we use potential terrestrial analogs. That said, extremophiles research, [as in Hynek's study], is an exceedingly valuable step along this path to refine what we mean by habitability."
The research was supported by NASA Early Career Award # NNX12AF20G, NASA MDAP (Mars Data Analysis Program) Award # NNX14AG90G, and the University of Colorado Center for the Study of Origins.


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Android Retargeting
Note: For advertisers targeting users with Android app retargeting campaigns, a scheme must be registered in the app so that an advertising campaign can launch the app. To learn more about custom URL schemes in Android on developer.android.com, see Sending the User to Another App (external link).
Step 1. Open the AndroidManifest.xml file in XML format.
Note: You can do this by opening AndroidManifest.xml in a text editor or in Eclipse by revealing the raw XML source.
Step 2. Copy and paste the following intent filter inside an activity for your app, and replace "yourscheme" with what you have named your URL scheme.
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:scheme="yourscheme" />
Note: You must replace "yourscheme" with the name of the scheme you have created. A good URL scheme would be the name of your app with no special characters or spaces.
Congratulations! You've now set up your app with a scheme. To test, complete the following steps:
Step 1. Compile.
Compile and run on your device.
Step 2. Enter your URL scheme.
Open a web browser and enter your URL scheme followed by "://", (ex. sampleapp:// ) into the address field.
Step 3. Check to see if the URL scheme is set up correctly.
If everything is setup correctly, your application should open.
Note: Once you have set up you app and tested successfully, please distribute the URL scheme to your Millennial Media sales representative.


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In UCCE ICM scripting if we have say 2 skill groups and all agents have both the skills assigned - will calls in the shorter queue skill may get answered before calls waiting in the longer skill group? We have not tested yet. If one skill has low call volume and the other large call volume it appears that the callers for the shorter queue may get answered before the calls in longer queue. The configuration here all calls are same default prioity of 5 and all agents have both the skills. Please clarify and refer us to any documentation. Thanks.
If your queues are the same (e.g. staffed by the same agents), then calls will be answered in the order they were queued. Also note that if you queue calls to the "shorter" queue first, then those calls will be answered first.
David - thank you. We have the need to queue to one of these skill groups and not both.
So if I understand you - if a call is queued to the longer queue with 100 calls waiting and
if a subsequent call is queued to the shorter queue with 5 calls waiting,
given that the agents have both these skills assigned and there is no call priority (all default to skill priority 5),
the call which came later to the shorter queue could reach the agent earlier than the call waiting in the longer queue.
If this is not correct please clarify and if there is some document explaining this let us know. Thank you.
No, I'm not sure what you're saying is true.
Bottom line is if you have two queues staffed with the same people. Calls will be answered by first come first served.
If you have a specific scenario, please provide more exact details such as Call 1 is queued at xx:xx to Skill A at priority X. Call 2 is queued at yy:yy to Skill B at priority X, etc...
But what David is describing is the default behavior.
If a call is queued to a skill group and there are agents available, the longest available agent will be offered the call.
If there are multiple calls queued for a skill group (or multiple skill groups for that matter) and an agent with those skill(s) subsequently becomes available, the system chooses which call to offer the agent first by queue priority with 1 high and 10 low. If there are multiple calls queued with the same priority, the call queued the longest is offered to the agent.
In other words, a priority 4 call will always be answered before a priority 5 call queued to the same skill(s) regardless of how long either has been waiting.
Hi all
have a question
In UCCE ICM scripting we also have 2 skill groups(SG_1 - in icm script_1, and SG_Vip in icm script_Vip)
and each agent is a member of both skill groups.
We always have a queue to SG_1 and we need that any call which will routed (or queued) for SG_Vip will routed
to first available agent earlier than any call from queue to SG_1.
How can we do it ?
Not possible, if you queue a call to both skill groups it will be answered by the first available agent. What you can do is queue each call individually and after 2 minutes queue to the other skill group. That way your first skill gorup will get 2 minutes to answer the call, but after that it doesn't matter. Obviously, you can change the 2 minutes to whatever you want.
I thought jessepbeatty answered Dmitry's problem - if you queue the call to SG_Vip at a higher priority (lower number) than SG_1, a call arriving in SG_Vip while all agents are unavailable will be answered earlier than any call queued in SG_1, no matter how long it's been there.
I must be missing the point.
You're right Geoff, after reading Dmitry's post it does sound like Jesse's post will solve for it. The way I understood it originally was that they wanted VIP calls answered first by VIP agents, while queuing to both SGs.
thanks Geoff, thanks David!
A small addition.
Calls not queued on both SGs:
According to the production scheme, call in skript_1 placed in a queue only to SG_1.
And call in script_vip queued only to SG_Vip.
But all agents are members of both groups: and SG_1 and SG_Vip.
And we need that any call which will routed (or queued) for SG_Vip will routed
to first available agent earlier than any call from queue to SG_1.
is it possible?
Yes, that is possible. Simply set the priority higher (lower number) for the calls queued to SG_Vip. This can be done from within the Queue to Skill Group node which is probably the best choice. Or you can use a Queue Priority node anywhere in the script after queueing if you want to raise the priority after a certain amount of time. Default is priority is 5. Set SG_Vip to 4 or lower and those calls will be answered before SG_1 calls regardless of time in queue.
Thanks Jessep!
May bee i'm wrong, but
from Script Editor Help:
"Optionally, select a Priority to set the initial queuing priority for calls processed through this node versus other
calls queued for the same target: 1 for top priority to 10 for least priority. (The default is 5.)"
Here we have 2 different independent targets(SG_1 and SG_Vip) in 2 different independent queues, and agents are member of both SGs...
Probably, I incorrectly understand, but, in my opinion, for my task it is the decision is inapplicable.
Develop, please, my doubts
The targets are your agents.
Hi David! Thanks for your reply
Too it seems to me it is logical, but in "Help" write differently for configuring Queue Node:
"Select a Target Type (Enterprise Skill Group, Scheduled Target or Skill Group)."
In our case it is chosen SG.
Now has still found one similar theme at a forum:
Something isn't becomes clearer.
Continuous contradictions


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text: Heterogeneous wetting patterns in time and space often obscure the applicability of approaches to flow in permeable media. Neutron radiography allows recording of 2-d water content distributions with high enough temporal and spatial resolutions to assess the suitability of advancing water-content waves (WCWs). A WCW comprises a gravity-driven and viscosity-controlled mobile water volume due to infiltration. Infiltration experiments were performed in various boxes that contained unsaturated sands of fine, medium, or coarse texture. The boxes were 400 mm deep, 200 mm wide, and either 5 or 10 mm thick and were sprinkler irrigated. The 2-d evolution of volumetric water content θ(x,z,t) was monitored every 25 s with neutron radiography. The WCW approach applied to extremely thin horizontal layers that were just one pixel deep, i.e., 0.272 mm, and best matched the data for infiltration into pre-wet, medium-sized sand. The WCW approach is linear but discontinuous, and it does not require a representative elementary volume that is deeper than one pixel. Thus, the WCW approach applies directly to flow at the sand-grain scale.


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