text:
About 2 months Ago I purchased the Logitech Desktop Wave, which is a wireless keyboard and mouse combination. Since then I've had intermittent problems with lag.
I cannot say my lag issues are completely resolved, but I will share my experience so far, which has helped me make the lag more tolerable while I dig further and try to find the solution to the problem.
Firstly my disclaimer: I would highly recommend that you do not purchase this keyboard and mouse combination if you are a precision user. For the average granny sitting at home I am nearly sure that a bit of mouse lag would go by without the user even noticing it. I however expect my equipment to work nearly flawlessly, so I notice every single bit of lag. It gets highly frustrating for power users to have to sit through laggy mouse sessions. Owning a wireless combination set has turned me into a believer of cables.
Here are the solutions you should try that might solve your issue.
1. No matter what, get yourself a USB extension cable, and plug it into the receiver. Now move the receiver no more than 10cm's away from your keyboard or mouse. This defeats the whole purpose of having these devices wireless, but it does reduce most of the OOB lag. Look, its either this or you pack up the keyboard and mouse in the box and take it back to the shop.
2. If you keep your wireless router on your desk, move it away or turn off the radio transmission if you're not using it. 2.4Ghz is a busy frequency in the living area of a geek. Don't bother trying to adjust the wireless router channel, this simply doesn't work. Move it or loose it.
3. Try every single USB slot you have available extensively, front and back ports included. This takes time to run full tests, until you find the least laggy port. Some motherboards have network cards which seem to share bandwidth with certain USB ports, I've read this, but yet to confirm this as a myth, however a lot of users found their lag issue solved by switching to a front USB port on their desktop machines.
4. Don't use SetPoint. I know it sucks not having the extra buttons work, but SetPoint might be the root cause of the Lag.
5. Wrap the reciever in tin foil. I've heard this boosts the reception and lowers the lag, I have personally not tried this.
- It appears the lag is worse during network usage or while downloading content from the internet.
- Logitech support offer no solutions
- Mostly its about making the lag more bearable, rather than solving it completely.


text:
Festivals & Events:
Multi-Layered Impressions: An Exploration of Printmaking Techniques (Ages 16+) with Nori Pepe
Saturday & Sunday, July 11 & 12 | 10am – 4pm | $200 tuition + $65 materials Experiment with printmaking techniques while turning ordinary scraps and textured materials into dynamic, layered works of art. Using a combination of processes and collaged materials, students will turn ordinary junk and textured scraps into dynamic, layered works of art. By applying ink, ink modifiers and pressure, we'll transfer multiple images onto paper, ultimately achieving depth, range of tone, and cohesion of colors. Techniques we'll explore include collagraphy, multi-color printing, ghost images and blocking. Students should emerge with several proofs, as well as one or two finished pieces that combine each step of the process.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What does 89 really mean? For starters, let's stop apologizing. It's not "women's basketball." It's basketball.December 22, 2010 – 2:37 PM
By Rachael Goldenberg
It's now 89. Officially the NCAA college basketball win-streak record. And if this team's composure so far is any indication, the streak isn't ending anytime soon.
What do we do with this? How does the world look different for women's sports today? What now?
Well, for starters, let's go with this dominance. Leading up to last night's game on ESPN2 there were questions – should the women own this record? (good for Greg Wooden for being at the XL Center). But we can stop apologizing. Let's not talk about the women's NCAA college b-ball win streak record. It's THE NCAA record.
The truth is that women's college basketball arrived several years ago. But this event makes that clear to a wider audience. Networks, get ready. There is drama to be had (think UConn vs. Stanford at Stanford. Story line: Who will be the streak killer?)
Here's what I saw in watching number 89:
— Let's start by saying how refreshing it is to hear the praise for this UConn team, to see them as the lead on SportsCenter, to see President Obama's phone call to coach Geno Auriemma). Good for the fair number of male sportswriters arguing why this streak is just as compelling at the UCLA men, countering naysayers in a detailed, smart way. They get that it is tough to be so good. And to do it consistently.
— Now there is work to be done. ESPN2 only advertised men's basketball during timeouts. Isn't this the moment to grow the women's basketball audience and appeal to those viewers who want to tune in?
— Commentator coverage for women's basketball has improved dramatically in recent years but why ask – over and over – if UConn's dominance is bad for the game? During Tiger's run, did anyone worry about that? Just as Tiger at the top was thrilling to watch for the absolute skill with which he played, seeing Maya Moore (41 points against Florida State) do what she does is incredible.
— Geno may think he is a "man breaking into an old girls network" but since Title IX the number of men's coaches of women's sports has increased dramatically. He's far from being alone. While Geno's comments sometime reflect the sense that he must defend himself as a women's coach – is he among the greatest ever or women's greatest ever? – it's time to get past the differentiation. UConn should schedule equally with their men's team (not fewer games in the XL Center than the guys) and they should financially support and promote them equally as well. Kudos to Geno for calling out the bias (if they were breaking a women's record it would be 2 paragraphs in USA Today).
Finally, #89 means that, even if only for a week, the entire nation's attention was focused on a women's team and their athletic prowess. On TV sets all over the world, words like "leadership" and "greatness" were used in conjunction with "young women" and "female". Ultimately this win was not only another success for the Huskies, but a win for women in general.


text:
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Doddlr for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
An idea hatched by two 16 year old students, Doddlr is a new service that wants to help unite your online social networks and email all in one place. The 2 young co-founders want to show the world that UK entrepreneurs can still compete with Silicon Valley.
Anyone even remotely into social media and technology knows that it can quickly become a pain to deal with all your different social inboxes, alerts, and messages. Doddlr lets you connect accounts from Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, and email accounts with other services coming soon. This means all your social activity can be taken care of in one place.
The philosophy behind Doddlr is to avoid re-inventing the wheel, while providing the user with the most up-to-date information from their various social networks and mail accounts. The focus is on what's happening now and possibly in the future, without influence from past events.
Doddlr provides a clean and simple user interface and connects securely to your various social networks, requiring no direct usernames and passwords. Their is no primary newsfeed or timeline, but you are able to see multiple updates from your social accouts in one place and also share updates to multiple networks at once. Each update can be manipulated directly for likes, comments, retweets, etc..
Doddlr is a free app, so check it out and let us know what you think.


text:
Tracking milestones in prior to age three gives early education professionals the tools they need to gain a full sense of your child's specific needs. Additionally, if there are any aspects of your child's early development that would benefit from special attention, our teacher's individualized attention toward your child's development will allow these needs to be identified early so that we can make a plan with your family about the best way to address them.
Our curriculum structure gives our teachers the ability to build their classroom activities from where their students take the most interest while following age-specific learning and development objectives in the following categories:
- Fine & Gross Motor Skills
- Language & Communication
- Cognitive Development
- Creative Expression
- Music & Movement
- Social & Emotional Development
- Self-Help
Your child's portfolio begins with an aggregation of their day-to-day trends concerning these developmental objectives, followed by twice-annual assessments with a more in-depth look at your child's progress. Their portfolio follows them from classroom to classroom so that, by the time they enter preschool and prekindergarten, they have a sense of achievement and pride from looking back on all of their hard work, adventure, and fun.


text:
I'm currently enjoying Delivering Happiness, the book by Tony Hsieh of Zappos. In the book, his approach to customer service reminds me a lot of what Seth Godin wrote about in his book, Linchpin. For those looking to map this to an activity in the PMBOK, I see this falling under Manage Stakeholder Expectations (Executing and Communications).
In any case, I can relate to my intent to communicate directly to people as people, not as mere customers, vendors, or colleagues. Every day, I see people act as though they have no free will to make a decision. They ignore what is right or wrong. They act like they need permission to be honest and humble. They act like...wait for it...zombies! Yes, zombies!
I recently sat in a meeting and heard how the vendor screwed up. I'm talking completely-their-fault nobody-else-to-blame screwed up. When confronted by the customer, their reaction was "I'm sorry you feel that way about [this]. I respect how you feel."
My reaction? [expletive] YOU, man! I don't care if you respect how I feel or not. And don't try to feed me that Dr. Phil line about me owning my own feelings! What I want to hear you say is "I'm sorry we screwed up. I will do whatever I can to make this right."
Another scenario that comes to mind was my wife contacting a credit card company about something. The customer service rep was painfully unprepared to talk to a human being. They could not deviate from a script one word without needed to talk to a supervisor.
Thank you for calling. We appreciate your business. Can we interest you in buying our credit protection plan? [my wife complaining] Oh, I'm sorry, can I put you on hold while I discuss this with my supervisor? [5 minutes later....click]
People, you want to provide great customer service? Empower your customer service representatives. Vendors, you want to provide great customer service? Empower your teams to admit when they screwed up and offer to fix it, not just cover it up.
I've always seen the best performance from my teams, when they knew what we needed to do but were not being told how they needed to do it. I believed they would make the right choices for us all to reach our goals. Those of you in the Agile community get this already. Empower the team and communicate with everyone as much as possible. Don't just communicate. Talk to them.
So, as I step down off my rant soapbox, I want you to take a look at the Zappos core values (listed below). They actually remind me of the 4 values, 12 principles of the Agile Manifesto or Agile community as a whole.
Zappos core values
- Deliver WOW Through Service
- Embrace and Drive Change
- Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
- Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
- Pursue Growth and Learning
- Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
- Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
- Do More With Less
- Be Passionate and Determined
- Be Humble
If you had 10 core values for your project or team, how would you refine this list?
Like the image? Find it at Pictofigo


text:
He may have been reticent to talk about any possible partnership with Apple, but Verizon Wireless chief executive Ivan Seidenberg wasn't coy about planned changes to the company's pricing structure during a conference session Thursday with investors.
From the Wall Street Journal:
Mr. Seidenberg said the introduction of new products and services—likely in conjunction with the launch of fourth-generation wireless services (4G)—would allow Verizon Wireless to introduce a tiered pricing structure. The carrier would follow AT&T, which earlier this year introduced a two-tiered data structure with caps on how much data can be used. But Mr. Seidenberg said the tiers and bundled offerings would be different.
I guess we'll have to wait to find out how different, since he didn't put any numbers on it. And assuming Seidenberg was being totally candid, it sounds like he'll have to wait along with the rest of us to find out when -- and if -- Apple will build an iPhone for Verizon Wireless's planned 4G technology.
While Seidenberg told investors that Verizon Wireless, which has 92 million subscribers, is eager to carry the iPhone, he added, "I can't speak for Apple." Currently Apple has an exclusive deal for the iPhone with AT&T.
4G, which is expected to be the new industry standard, promises faster data transmission, which is increasingly important as smartphones continue to add more data-hungry features and capabilities and consumers demand better performance from their wireless networks. This puts pressure on carriers to ensure their networks keep up, forcing them to spend billions on infrastructure.
Regional cell phone company MetroPCS Communications on Tuesday became the first U.S. carrier to roll out 4G, introducing the service -- dubbed LTE, for Long Term Evolution -- to customers in Las Vegas. Verizon Wireless plans to offer LTE to 25 to 30 cities by the end of the year.
This story, "Verizon Readies Tiered Data Pricing" was originally published by ITworld.


text:
Bites of My Life/
It's amazing how much I can fit in a day without having work getting in the way. Errands, shopping, lunch with old friends, recipe testing, house cleaning, laundry, meetings, dentist visits, workouts; I could get used to that life...Unfortunately/fortunately this is my last week off. So many delish bites last week in the form of food, vibes and visitors. Time to pack it all in before funemployment is over.
-No grocery shopping last week meant helping mom clean out her fridge. I don't think she minded.
-I discovered turmeric milk last week. It's a great nighttime drink full of health benefits that do your tummy well while you sleep.
-This Cashew Butter and Jelly smoothie recipe got slurped up almost everyday for breakfast last week and the recipe is up for you to enjoy!
-Sister and I spent our Wednesday recipe testing scones. We came up with blackberry dark chocolate and (not pictured) grapefruit brown sugar!
-The Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts came to town this week. I made an appearance twice. I'm always more interested in the "culinary arts" portion.
-It's one of my favorite events of the year, and probably the thing I knew would be easiest to cross off my Spring TDL.
-A salad date with one of my favorite friends to catch up with. We could sit and talk for hours!
-Wallpaper vibes in Pencil Shavings house during a local neighborhood home tour.
-Such a special day for my city and a special day for my besties completing their 3rd Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon!


text:
In the second teaser for forthcoming film Mr. Holmes, Ian McKellen takes up the deerstalker in a role he should have tried years ago.
The new film is adapted from 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin and finds the sleuth in 1947, retired and living in Sussex.
But you can't keep a great mind in Sussex for long, as Holmes soon takes on an unsolved case, trying to recall the thirty-year-old events that led to his retirement.
Forget Sherlock, Mr. Holmes is here.


text:
Yard Signs are a perfect way to drive business your way. They are inexpensive and can be produced full color either one or two sided. Signs can be on coroplast or metal and come with metal stakes to put in the ground. Call us today to get a quote.
Return To List »


text:
When selecting a suitable floral arrangement for the birth
of a baby girl it is common to send colours that include, but not limited
to:- Pinks, Yellows, Whites, Creams and other soft pastel colours. The symbolic
meaning of flowers does not really bear much significance, but most often
customers prefer to send Gerberas and lilies, two flowers that display vibrant
arrays of bright colours.
More Info
Quality Baby Girl Flower Arrangements
delivered throughout Melbourne Same Day. Our staff take pride
in all their work and the results speak for themselves. Star Florist also provides a
weekend delivery service. We can deliver same day on Saturday and
Sunday. For further information about baby girl flowers and gifts please visit our extended catalog of baby girl flowers. There you will find a selection of flowers most appropriate for sending.
Star Florist is an Online provider of quality fresh flowers including Roses, Gerberas, Lilies, Tulips and more.
We source our products from a range of growers to bring you the most modern, realistic and cost effective flowers in Melbourne.
Our store operates primarily through the World Wide Web, this allows us to minimise our expenditure and offer our customers more value but you can also visit our Showroom in Melbourne.
We value customers feedback and always look at ways we can make your Online experience a better one.
Please feel free to leave your comments on our contact form.
The Star Florist warehouse is located in Melbourne Australia.
Fresh Flowers are only delivered to Melbourne.


text:
Location: Bella Terra Amphitheater
Got entertainment?
Check out our Summer Block Party on June 11th! DJ Jack Factory will entertain kids with music, contests and interactive games like Limbo, Freeze Dance and hula hoop-ageddon!
But wait - there's more! Join in group dances like The Electric Slide and Macarena and craft unique friendship bracelets at the craft stations.
Come on down, make new friends and celebrate Summer!


text:
See you soon India
Photography by Freya from Nishaantishu
I am beyond excited to go back to India in the next few months! I have just bought my tickets and I totally did a ridiculous happy dance in my head (I would have been fired if I actually performed it)
I've been to India 9 years ago now (?! ok - totally freaked out just typing that out..) We spent a month in Kerala as a family and I've been craving to go back ever since. We did go to Sri Lanka a couple of years after that, which intensified my cravings by a million. Every time I see someone's photos or stories from India I get very jealous and it brings back all these memories, smells, noises... From experience and from talking to a lot of people about their Indian adventures, India just gets under your skin - whether you loved it or hated it - there's just no denying. The experience is so intense there's no way around it. It stays with you forever.
The plan at the moment is to go and meet my mum in Pondicherry end of november (she sponsors a child there and contrary to the rest of us she's been going back to India every 2 to 3 years... lucky one) We will probably stay there for a few days before making our way across land all the way to Kerala. We haven't quite decided if we want to go along the coast or straight across... if you have any recommendations, of places or people to visit, please do let me know!
These fantastic shots were taken by my beautiful and talented friend Freya, she went to India this year through work (lucky gal) and these shots are just too perfect. I can almost smell and feel the dirt in the air just looking at those. Go ahead and get lost in her India posts because they are out of this world...


text:
Sponsored by Ball State University, Old National Bank, and Old National Mortgage
Choreography by Lisa Carter, Susan Koper, Audra Sokol, Michael Worcel, and Christie Zimmerman
Featuring live music by the Ball State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Douglas Droste
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker provides the setting for a new collaboration between the Department of Theatre and Dance and School of Music. With live music by the Ball State Symphony Orchestra, performers will tell the story of Clara, the Mouse King, and the Nutcracker Prince. Join us for this unique and unforgettable kickoff to the holiday season.
All tickets $10
December 8 at 7:30pm
Tickets are available by calling Emens Box Office at 765-285-1539


text:
Friendly, sociable and catering for all abilities, we meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights and normally have three or four groups of differing distance and ability running. Meeting at the Sunnyhurst Pub the runs set off at 7pm. If you want to come along, please get in touch so we can arrange for somebody to meet you.
Beginners normally start with our very popular and successful Wednesday evening beginners course.
Another lovely race from your Dashing friends
Tockholes Fell Race. All the details.....
Really popular race from The Kiosk, Sunnyhurst Woods. Always on the last Sunday morning in November.
Another lovely race from your Dashing friends


text:
Saracco Moscato d'Asti 2010
Winemaker Notes
Critical AcclaimAll Vintages
The Saracco winery is located in the picturesque village of Castiglione Tinella. Located in the heart of the Piedmont Region called the Langhe, which is famous for great wine and incredible cuisine. For four generations the Saracco family has been dedicated to growing the best Moscato d' Asti in the region.
Grapes were first cultivated in the hills surrounding Castiglione Tinella in the 1600s. Throughout history many different grape varieties were planted but Moscato d' Asti proved to be the perfect grape for this appellation. Luigi Saracco, the great grandfather of Paolo, began growing Moscato grapes in the early 1900s. With each generation the legacy and commitment to quality continues.
Paolo Saracco grew up in the vineyards and, even at an early age, had a desire to make a wine with the family name. Upon completion of his enological studies, Paolo began experimenting not only with new winemaking techniques, but also a more modern vineyard management style. The result has been consistent acclaim from the press, and more importantly, his loyal customers.
Recognized as the source of the best Barbera in all of Italy, Asti is a province (as well as major city) in Piedmont, consisting of a gentle, rolling landscape with vineyards, farmland and forests alternating throughout.
Barbera d'Asti can be made in an array of styles from relatively straightforward, fruity and ready for consumption early, to the more concentrated, oak aged version with an ability to cellar impressively for 10-15 years and beyond. Some of the very best sites for Barbera in Asti are concentrated in the subzone of Nizza Monferrato. Other red varieties grown here include Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto, which can be bottled varietally or blended into Barbera.
Historically consumers commonly associated the Asti region with Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti, both playful, aromatic, sparkling wines made from the Muscat grape. Asti Spumante is less sweet, fully fizzy and more alcoholic (yet still clocking in at only around 9% alcohol) while Moscato d'Asti is sweeter, gently sparkling ("frizzante") and closer to 5 or 6% alcohol. Each is produced in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh and fruity flavors of the grape, often including peach, apricot, lychee and rose petal. Asti is also the spot for the pink-hued Brachetto d'Acqui, a slightly sparkling wine ready to charm with its raspberry and rose flavors and aromas.
Alluringly aromatic and delightful, Muscat never takes itself too seriously. Muscat is actually an umbrella name for a diverse set of grapes, some of which are genetically related and some of which, are not. The two most important versions are the noble, Muscat blanc à Petits Grains, making wines of considerable quality and Muscat of Alexandria, thought to be a progeny of the former. Both are grown throughout the world and can be made in a wide range of styles from dry to sweet, still to sparkling and even fortified. It is well known in Italy's Piedmont region for Moscato d'Asti, a slightly sparkling, semi-sweet, refreshing wine that is low in alcohol. On the Iberian peninsula, it goes by Moscatel, not to be confused with Bordeaux's Muscadelle, which is acutally unrelated.
In the Glass
Muscat wines possess marked aromatics and flavors of peach, pear, Meyer lemon, orange, orange blossom, rose petal, jasmine, honeysuckle or lychee, often with a hint of sweet spice.
Perfect Pairings
Thanks to its naturally low alcohol levels, Muscat is a perfect match for spicy Asian cuisine, especially when the wine has a little bit of residual sugar. Off-dry Muscat can work well with lighter desserts like key lime pie and lemon meringue, while fully sweet Muscat-based dessert wines are enjoyable after dinner with an assortment of cheeses.
Sommelier Secret
Muscat is one of the oldest known grape varieties, dating as far back as the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Pliny the Elder wrote in the 13th century of a sweet, perfumed grape variety so attractive to bees that he referred to it as uva apiana, or "grape of the bees." Most likely, he was describing one of the Muscat varieties.


text:
The Collaborative for Palliative Care ("Collaborative") is a grassroots consortium of public and private organizations that came together in 2005 for the purposes of studying the increasing need for palliative care and the methods for such care. It has grown from a small fledgling group to a membership of over 50 community-based organizations and volunteers dedicated to improving care of the seriously ill through education, research and advocacy. The Collaborative bridges policy, research and practice in its initiatives and vision for the future.
Partners in Palliative Care examines specific areas of concern that the Collaborative has addressed in its education programs and advocacy, as well as the collaborative processes that have been so successful in building community assets. Areas of concentration have been diverse and include advance care planning, relational communication paradigms, community capacity building, the role of culture and spirituality in palliative care, the meaning of pain and suffering for seriously ill individuals, and the ethics of health care costs in palliative and end-of-life systems of care.
This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care.
Mary Beth Morrissey is a social science researcher with the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service, USA. She earned her Ph.D. in May 2011 at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in gerontological social work and was a recipient of the Fordham University May 2011 Langenfeld Research Award for doctoral research. She is also a practising health care attorney with over 20 years of experience serving health care providers in various health care settings. Her research has focused on health and mental health policy, public health law, pain and suffering among seriously ill older adults, and relational paradigms of communication in palliative systems of care. She provides education to interdisciplinary professionals on translating legal and ethical norms into clinical practice.
Bruce Jennings is a director of bioethics at the Center for Humans and Nature, a Lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health and a Senior Consultant at The Hastings Center, both in the USA. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the forthcoming 4th edition of the Encyclopedia of Bioethics. He writes on ethics, political theory, and public policy issues – mainly in the areas of health and the environment.


text:
CCA has been working for the past 18 months preparing for the above and we have had various articles and comments in our magazine "The ARK".
Our priority is and has always been that policy makers, academic, media amd others realise that not only is tackling man-made Climate Change an imperative but also that it must be focused on all creation and not just human based. Climate change affects all of God's creation and when the issues are discussed and decisions made, the resulting effects on all animals need to be considered and factored into debates.
Catholics have taken the lead in this area with the wonderful publication by His Holiness, Pope Francis, earlier this year and now the UN Summit has arrived and begins in Paris this weekend. We endorse and support the call by Cardinal Turkson for Catholics (photo above) to take part in the the marches taking place across the globe tomorrow Sunday 29th November and urge all CCA Members and supporters to do so.
I will be travelling to Paris tomorrow to represent CCA at events surrounding COP 21 and will report in future blogs on how things are going with the UN Summit.


text:
A former Wall Street analyst discloses the topics that equity analysts and hedge fund managers are currently talking about.
Key Issue 1: With the new Alphabet structure, how will the stock be revalued?
Investors are debating how Google's new reporting structure will impact valuation. Recall that the new Alphabet structure will disclose its core search business as a separate business unit from its other "moonshot" projects in 4Q15. With the new disclosures, investors will learn two things: 1) how profitable is Google's core search business, and 2) how much is Google spending on their other projects. Investors could then apply a sum of the parts valuation to each piece to arrive at a new Google valuation.
What are current expectations? Expectations seem to hover around a total Google valuation somewhere in the $800 - $900 range. This assumes the Google core business makes up the majority of that value (using a 15-20x multiple on EBITDA) and a small positive value coming from their moonshot projects. While these projects are estimated by the Street to be losing somewhere between $2 - $8 billion, the thinking is that these projects are worth something given the amount of traction and future growth potential that some of them have generated.
The situation is somewhat similar to Amazon's when they reported their AWS business separately. The new disclosures revealed an AWS business that was significantly more profitable than investors expected, which shot AMZN stock significantly higher. The key message: new disclosures can cause a radical change in how investors view and value a stock.
Key Issue 2: How will the core Google search business fare in 3Q?
While the implications of new disclosures has dominated investor discussion, numerous analysts have reminded investors to not ignore Google's core search business, which still represents 90%+ of its total revenue. Investors expect positive trends in the core business due to 1) YouTube revenues ramping up as it takes more share of ad budgets, 2) outperformance in mobile as Google increased its ad load from 2 to 3 in the quarter, and 3) easier comparisons from one year ago when the company faced difficult FX trends. These factors have led to consensus expectations for revenue acceleration in 3Q15 (see image below), with some analysts calling for further upside to this estimate.


text:
A range of badges, shirts and other items bearing the NECPWA logo are available from the Club Regalia Officer.
For the latest prices and to purchase, contact Ian or Kath Johnson on 0191 483 8476 or by e mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Currently available items are:
Rugby Shirts, Sweatshirts, Polo Shirts, Fleece Jackets, Body Warmers, etc.
|Rugby Shirts - Choice of colours in Small/Medium/Large/XL/XXL
|Sweat Shirts - Choice of colours in Small/Medium/Large/XL/XXL
|Polo/Leisure shirts - Choice of colours in Medium/Large/XL/XXL
|Licence Disc Holder (get a High Quality replica tax disc from 'Poplar Greg' - Click Here - )
Fleece Jackets
Rain Jackets
Baseball Caps
In season, save postage: items can be collected from Ian/Kath at a rally by prior arrangement


text:
Let's work together!
Trainings - Conscious Global Living
"Oxana, your workshop went to the core of my being--not as a spouse or a freelancer or whatever other role I'm expected to play with every new move. But it was simply about being me and affirming my core, which in turn, helps me flesh out my other roles."
Brenda | Workshop Participant
Relocation puts a fair amount of stress on our primary relationship. It happens partly because both partners might be overwhelmed by too much of the Unknown. Partly, because relocation, like any other big transition, highlights the weak links in the relationship. Also, we may demand more from our relationship when we move, as it is often the only remaining familiar structure and our main point of reference. In this presentation we explore several powerful tools and techniques that are the most effective in strengthening and harmonizing your relationship. Live demonstrations and exercises are designed to show you how you, as a couple, can create a more fulfilling and fun relocation experience together.
This training is suitable both for individuals and couples.
Empowered Relocation workshop is experiential learning. In Empowered Relocation you learn to use simple, powerful skills, backed by scientific research, that take you from "relocation is hard" to consciously creating what you really want in your life no matter where you are in the world.
Empowered Relocation will also give you the technological background that will help you manage your transition effectively, keep in touch with your loved ones around the world and create a consistent online presence that will stay with you no matter where you live.
The Empowered Relocation Workshop is specifically designed to assist expat spouses and partners in creating a stress-free, enjoyable and productive relocation experience.
The workshop was initially designed for the World Bank Family Network members where it was successfully piloted in 2014.
Learn what holds you back and how to get rid of your fears. Master a whole new set of powerful tools to design your life.
Do you feel overwhelmed by so much Unknown around you?
Do you often feel lost and lonely after you moved to a new place?
Do you doubt yourself even though you used to be a confident person?
Do you often feel like you are losing control over your life after you relocated?
Have you ever thought that you are wasting your time trying to figure out what to do next?
Know that you are not alone, if you answered "yes" to either question: There are many reasons to feel that way when we go through such a big life transition as relocation.


text:
You've worked hard all your life and are finally gearing up to bring your career to a close. But before you do, there are a few key moves you'll need to make to set yourself up for the future.
Why the need to focus on your career when it's winding down and retirement is right around the corner? It's simple: There's a good chance you'll end up working in some capacity once you leave your full-time role, whether it's out of financial necessity or boredom. And the better you prepare for that scenario, the easier it'll be to transition into it when you want or need to. So rather than neglect your career in its final stage, do the following things instead.
1. Network aggressively
Many seniors wind up spending more than expected in retirement. If you retire and come to find that your bills are eating up a frightening chunk of your nest egg, a good way to stop the bleeding is to generate a little extra income as you go.
And that's where having a large business network can help. The more people you know, the more opportunities for work you're apt to unearth later in life, whether it's associates in your former industry or colleagues who have moved on to a related field. Therefore, spend your last full-time year in the workforce attending conferences, meeting like-minded professionals for business lunches, and getting in touch with the folks you haven't spoken to in years. This way, you won't need to be shy about reaching out to those same people during retirement and letting them know you're looking for work.
2. Renew your certifications
Some industries require workers to become certified in specific areas or skills. For others, a certification isn't mandatory, but it can help establish job security. No matter your reason for getting a certification, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is letting yours lapse right before you retire. Sometimes, all it takes is a few hours of continuing education (which, these days, you can frequently do online) to keep the doors open to different job opportunities, and since you never know when you might want or need to return to work after retiring, it pays to make a modest effort to retain the credentials you're already carrying.
3. Soak up some knowledge from your younger colleagues
Just because you've been in the business for multiple decades doesn't mean you can't learn a thing or two from your younger counterparts. Quite the contrary -- if you observe your younger colleagues, you may come to find that they possess certain skills or are up on certain technologies that you're virtually clueless about. Getting that last-minute education, however, could give you an edge if you wind up looking to consult in your former field after you retire, so take advantage of having access to those younger employees while you still can.
Though we're wired to think of retirement as a period during which we don't work, the reality is that you may end up wanting a job during your golden years. Make a small but meaningful effort during your last full-time year on the job, and you'll hopefully have the option to get one later in life.


text:
The Beauty of Constraints
Rules — they have the tendency to irritate, anger and annoy the people who they limit, yet we can't deny their necessity in our lives. While I knew rules were good for things like safety, up until recently, I didn't really understand what practical purpose they served in the day-to-day.
I just finished reading a book called Crash Course by Kim Bearden who is the co-founder of Ron Clark Academy along with Ron Clark. One of the tenants of the school, which has received world-wide acclaim for its unconventional yet highly effective teaching methods, is a system of rules that hold the students to a high standard. Not because they wanted to turn it into a military-style academy nor because they wanted to set the kids up for failure with impossible standards. Rather, rules provided a structure for learning by removing a lot of the unnecessary decision making on the part of the students and training them in good lifestyle habits.
I've written before on the draining effect that decision-making has on our willpower. Each decision we make drains from a finite pool of willpower each day. By the end of the day, your ability to override your lizard brain and make hard decisions that are good for you even when they're not desirable is depleted. That's why you're more prone to snack on potato chips and binge watch Netflix when you get home from work even when your rational mind tells you to go for that run you promised you'd do.
Rules are a meta-cognitive substitution for willpower.
They allow us to eliminate options that won't be good for us, saving us from unnecessarily using willpower to make mundane decisions. For example, you and your spouse might make a rule of, "no Netflix until after we run" and hold each other accountable.
Obviously, rules are regularly taken too far and can seem burdensome when not correctly used. But since we live in a society governed by rules and we can't readily change them, isn't it better to try to understand their benefit than to complain about them?


text:
We at Playfish have been hard at work all summer and are finally pleased to announce the beta launch of our next title, Pet Society!
Pet Society lets you create and care for your own pet and interact with your friends. You can feed, wash and play games with your pet, as well as choosing clothes and accessories for it. You can also explore the village and visit shops and your friends' pets. While visiting someone you can leave notes and gifts to your friends, or just watch TV or dance together if you feel like it!
In Pet Society we wanted to explore social game play with a lot of depth, persistence and expression – it's all about having a good time with your friends, collecting new items and playing games together. For those of you who like a little bit of competition there are experience points and we'll be adding some mini-competitions in the future as well!
We wanted to design the title around a micro-transactions model to give players a choice to spend as much or as little as they like. The economy is based on coins that you can either earn through gameplay or buy through various payment methods by going to the bank in the village. There's plenty to spend your coins on – ranging from food to shirts, hats, shoes, plants, and tons of different types of furniture and accessories.
Pet Society is a Playfish London studio production and the team is still hard at work adding features and fixing some known issues. We really want to give people a chance to look at our new game early while working hard with our beta testers to do the last bits of polishing and balancing that we all love!
Check out Pet Society beta on Facebook by clicking here and let us know what you think!


text:
Actually following one of the #BEDM prompts today - I'd be proud of this but I think this one was for some time last week... Anyway, the prompt encouraged us to share the contents of our bags. The contents of my handbag are embarrassing (heaps of receipts, manky makeup, small toys, crayons etc for the little man) and really of no interest to you whatsoever, so I decided to share the contents of the main bag I take to markets and fairs (in the hope this might actually be useful!). Here it is...
Now, a couple of these items live in the little bag I use for my float, but they're so essential I couldn't leave them out. Working clockwise from the top left:
1. The bag itself. This is one of the first items I made in my original version of my Park Hill design (you can see how it's changed over time here). It's a big, sturdy, canvas bag with a piece of my fabric appliquéd on, edged with Liberty print bias binding. I've been using it for years now and can fit masses of stuff in it. All of the contents shown here sit in orange plastic trays inside the bag so I can lift them out easily (and find things).
2. Duplicate book. I use this in the event that someone requests a receipt. It's also a good place to write down orders (as people leave with a copy) for commission items or larger quantities of fabric.
3. Lip pencil - this is a nice chunky one from Bourjois (Color Boost in 09 Pinking of it) - it's my attempt to look like I've made a vague effort with my appearance, but to be honest I usually forget to put it on...
4. Spare stickers and coloured paper. I use the stickers to add prices to my tags and always take spares in case I forget to do any, or a tag gets mislaid on route. The coloured pieces of paper are useful for general notes.
5. Clothes pegs. For holding stuff together, pinning stuff up, more often than not lending to other stallholders.
6. Vaseline. For chapped lips when it's cold (and for sore hands too).
7. Selection of string, twine etc. The normal string holds bags together, ties things onto a market stall, I use the nice one for my price tags.
8. Nail file. Nothing worse than a sharp nail...
9. Scissors (I've not shown my fabric scissors here, which I always take if I have larger amounts of fabric with me and may need to cut it).
10. Float (lives in the other bag, but had to include as forgetting it basically spells the end of the world - slight exaggeration).
11. Snacks (yes, this is a Lotus biscuit - yum).
12. Small coin purse - another one that lives in the other bag. For keys, non float money etc.
13. Notebook - this is where I write down all of my takings and anything else that's important. My notebook was a gift but it's from Smythson, and it's leather, and I adore it.
14. Tissues. Nothing worse (other than forgetting the float) than sneezing all over your stock...
15. Cables. For charging the phone.
16. Safety pins. These little black ones (which it appears I'm nearly out of - eeek) are used to pin up backdrops and my signage as well as to attach tags to products.
17. Sellotape. I used to take a massive heavy dispenser of the stuff but recently (for the sake of my back and my sanity) I'm trying to reduce the weight of the things I'm lugging around, so this is a very lightweight plastic one. Lighter but I do need two hands to use it.
18. Washi tape. I very occasionally use this, but who wants to be out without washi tape?!
19. Pens - more than I can possibly use/loose. Prevents a repeat of the day I forgot a pen.
20. Box of business cards. I use Moo mini cards as they're cute, don't take up too much space, and double as tags when I punch a hole in them. They're very popular though so I get through A LOT of them.
Find some more of my tips for markets and craft fairs here.
Do you do markets and fairs? What do you keep in your bag?
Stay in touch! Join the mailing list to receive my monthly newsletter.


text:
Young Peonies
Young Peonies
Original Painting of "Young Peonies" 2017
23cm x 31 cm
Mixed Media on Paper
100% Cotton 300g/m2-140 lb
23cm x 31 cm
100% Cotton 300g/m2-140 lb
Add To Cart
Every order will ship within 2-3 business days. Both Domestic and international orders ship via USPS Priority Mail.
For Domestic shipping, Priority Mail arrives in 1-3 days.
For International shipping, Priority International Mail typically arrives in 5-14 business days to most destinations, however occasionally a package may take up to one month to reach its destination.
*I try to photograph my products as accurately as possible, but due to screen differences some color shifting is expected.


text: Are you beautiful? Ever wondered if you are beautiful? This test will find out by asking a few questions. xXxCaitiexXx published on January 14, 2013118 responses 15 4.4★ / 5 Questions in vertical order How many friends do you have? None One or two friends Several good friends Lots of good friends Do you take good care of your hair? Hmm... Not really. I just wear it the way it falls. I take time to style it most days, but sometimes I just wear it down. I always style it, even if I'm not going anywhere special. Do you take care of your skin? No Occasionally Most of the time, although sometimes I forget I follow my skin routine every morning and night Do you take good care of your health? I don't know / No I exercise occasionally. Sometimes I'll have a piece of fruit or veg. I don't drink a lot of water and get less than eight hours sleep. I try to exercise every day, as well as eat the proper serves of fruit and veg. I drink water and get eight hours of sleep most of the time. I always exercise and eat the proper serves of fruit and veg. I always get eight hours of sleep and drink plenty of water. Do people compliment you on your looks? Rarely Sometimes Often Always Do you compliment people on their looks? Rarely Sometimes Often Always Do you think that someone who's beautiful is better than someone who isn't? Of course not! I believe that everyone is beautiful in their own way. Of course not! Beauty has nothing do with self-worth. Maybe... I don't know Yes How long do you take to get ready in the morning? Thirty seconds. Ten minutes. Thirty minutes to an hour. I start a week prior. Do you think you are beautiful? Yes I'm ok Not really No


text:
Cloud-delivered network monitoring service assures customer application performance
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AppNeta, the leading provider of cloud-delivered services for performance management, today announced the launch of a new partner program for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). The AppNeta MSP Partner Program is designed to offer easy, revenue-generating services for assuring performance of critical applications such as VoIP, video conferencing, virtualization and web-based services. Today, AppNeta's MSP Partners seamlessly and easily integrate AppNeta services into existing managed service contracts and create enhanced service offerings including network assessments, continuous monitoring, proactive troubleshooting, and scheduled reporting and alerting.
AppNeta's PathView Cloud network performance service provides channel partners with unmatched breadth of insight and time to value, enabling them to see across multiple customer infrastructures in one view, and then pinpoint exactly where problems are occurring and why. The new MSP Partner Program offers unique pricing terms, centralized dashboards and alerts, white-labeled custom branded interface and a utility-based MRR billing model.
"We understand the demands on customer networks today, especially as business applications become more performance-sensitive. It is absolutely necessary for MSPs to have 24/7 performance visibility," said Jim Melvin, CEO of AppNeta. "AppNeta is partnering with MSPs to develop an easy-to-implement service assurance program that will not only improve customer satisfaction, but will create new revenue sources at the same time."
"Bandwidth Management Group is thrilled to be part of the AppNeta MSP Partner Program. We can now measure the performance of our customers' wide area networks and cloud applications with continuous remote site monitoring," said Christian Fedor, president, Bandwidth Management Group. "The new billing and training programs have made it easy for us to integrate the AppNeta solution into our existing managed service portfolio."
While AppNeta has a long-standing partner program with more than 400 partners around the world, the new MSP Program is enhanced with key benefits to partners managing ongoing services and delivering critical applications to their global customer sites. The AppNeta MSP Partner program features:
- Monthly, consumption-based billing
- Easy, cloud-delivered implementation and automatic service upgrades
- Simple, straightforward licensing
- Regular upsell opportunities to customers
AppNeta's award-winning PathView Cloud service provides integrated insight from every element of the network performance stack including active path performance analysis, application-aware traffic flow analysis, automated remote site packet capture and on-demand device status, using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). This complete suite delivered from the cloud brings thousands of global customers the fastest time to resolution in the industry and superior End User Experience Monitoring.
Free trials of PathView Cloud network performance management service are available today at www.appneta.com.
About AppNeta
AppNeta is revolutionizing IT Performance Management with the first cloud-delivered service for integrated, end-to-end visibility across networks and applications. AppNeta delivers an industry-first SaaS portfolio of End User Experience monitoring services with broad, cross application performance visibility and unprecedented network performance insight. AppNeta arms network and application engineers with the end-to-end visibility needed to know how users experience applications across the network. www.appneta.com.
Leigh Merrigan, 800-508-5233
The Hoffman Agency for AppNeta
Julia Sinykin, 508-329-3319
Source: AppNeta


text:
Here's the first footage from the project Skipping Stones, which I'm currently dedicating most of my time to:
Friday, 19 October 2012
Friday, 12 October 2012
The trouble with abstraction
Abstraction is good
Abstraction hides all the complicated details of a process so that the user focuses on the grand scheme instead of dealing with the nitty gritty. For example, to drive an automatic car you don't have to understand how an engine works, you need to understand how to use the pedals, the steering wheel, and how to read the gauges. If your car is manual you have other nonsense to worry about, like the clutch, and knowing how the transmission works. That's because an automatic transmission is one level of abstraction higher than a manual transmission, and as a result if your transmission is automatic than the details of how it works are hidden from you. Furthermore, both of these abstract away the inner-workings of the engine, so the driver can focus on the road and his destination rather than how to turn the wheels of the car. Eventually driving will be abstracted even more and cars will drive themselves, so the only thing you'll have to think about is your destination.
Another example of abstraction is a restaurant. A client in a restaurant is given a menu of options, tells somebody which ones he wants, and gets to eat them shortly after. Restaurants abstract away cooking and creating recipes, so you only have to worry about how to get the food from your plate into your mouth.
Instructions in a higher level programming languages abstract away Assembly language, which in turn abstracts away machine code. If you're writing for a VM then there's at least another step in there too. This is a good thing because code looks like this:
instead of this:
There are lots of benefits to using higher level languages, including readability, productivity, clarity, etc., that you can read about all over the place, but I'm writing an article about the problem with abstraction.
Where abstraction fails
As it turns out, programming is not the same as driving a car. Cars are tools with one goal in mind, whereas most programming languages are general purpose tools that are used for building more tools. The trouble is that it's easier to design a tool that does one thing really well, than it is to design a tool that can do anything, including build more tools. As a result, high level languages will get the job done, but they may not do it the way you had hoped. This isn't actually a problem for most applications, but can a pain when writing video games and other performance critical applications. All of a sudden, the nitty gritty details that have been abstracted away become very important. Another problem arises when the system breaks. For example if your car's breaks don't work, you can't fix them unless you understand the underlying system. Programmers who don't understand how a compiler works will be confused by unfamiliar compiler errors, so they seek somebody who understands the underlying system.
What to do about it?
There are multiple solutions. You can build your own system of abstraction, so that you can control and understand every aspect of it. This is equivalent to building your own car engine, or writing your own game engine in a language that gives you the necessary level of control, such as C or C++. This is both an enriching and time-consuming experience, and when you finish you'll feel like a real champ. However this is also a very difficult path, and without the right guidance you may never actually finish, in which case you'll feel like a trash can, question whether you just aren't as good as those who succeeded, go through an existential crisis and move into the woods to find yourself. This is the bottom-up approach to understanding a system of abstraction.
You could also learn the system from the top-down. In other words, start using an existing system of abstraction, and as you become more comfortable with it you learn ways to coax it into doing what you want. This has been a common approach for a long time. For example, when C++ first trickled it's way into game development, developers were concerned with making object-oriented design in C++ as performant as C, which is done by avoiding constructing and destroying too many objects. The problem is that depending on your code, the compiler may create lots of temporary objects without you realizing. That means that you have to understand the underlying system of abstraction in order to coax the compiler into not doing that, which I think is a great example of a top-down approach to learning a system of abstraction. By the way, this problem still exists and in garbage collected languages this can have a huge effect on performance. Similarly to the bottom-up approach, the more you understand the underlying system the more productive you'll be, but luckily the path to righteousness won't be quite as difficult. Furthermore, the knowledge you gain from learning this system can be used later if you choose to build your own from the bottom-up.
You could do nothing. That is, if you're lucky you'll find the right tools for the job and you won't have a problem, like a steering wheel which is perfectly suited to steer a car.
Why am I writing this?
I think it's important for creators to understand their tools, rather than view them as a mysterious black box. Doing so will make you more effective when using them, and avoid helplessness and frustration when something goes wrong.
In my experience no system is perfect, and this post represents my experience in dealing with a world of broken systems.
Posted by Bronson at 16:38
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
- Gender
- Magnification
- Color
- Price
- Stock
- Material
- Lens Width - A
- Lens Height - B
- Temple Length - C
- Frame Width - D
Sightline multi focus reading glasses have three different strengths in one pair of reading glasses. Multiple levels of magnification are better for multitasking - like reading, and working on your computer.
- Fashion and Function
- Optical Quality Frames
- Class Leading Lens Technology
Sightline Proximity Reading Glasses feature Multi Focus Lens Technology
- Progressive lenses: No bifocal lines -
- State of the art reading glasses -
SightLine Multi Focus Readers are fashionable reading glasses that meet this century's reading needs. The magnification you need for work at a computer screen differs from what you need for reading. Eye fatigue experienced by readers and computer users, computer vision syndrome, is reduced with SightLine Multifocal Readers.
Drug store readers are designed to view objects 14 to 18 inches away. When you look past that distance, objects get fuzzy. SightLine Proximity Readers, with multifocal lenses, work better than regular readers, or bifocal reading glasses for comupter users. SightLine are simply better reading glasses with state of the art progressive lens technology.
You have to try SightLine Multifocus Readers to appreciate the difference. And, because we want you to be completely satisfied, free shipping both ways is provided.
Combat computer vision syndrome, reduce fatigue, look sharp, and be more productive. You will thank yourself for trying SightLine! Guaranteed.
Sightline Multi Focus Readers
Sightline Multifocal Computer Reading Glasses © 2019


text:
Experiencing the Magic
In the mid-1960s, Walt Disney's dream was to build a family resort destination like no other. The dream became a reality when Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971 featuring Magic Kingdom as the centerpiece. Today, Walt Disney World Resort and its Cast Members deliver one-of-a-kind experiences to millions of Guests who come from around the world to enjoy visiting at the resort.
Spanning 40 square miles, Walt Disney World Resort is a world-class entertainment and recreation center featuring:
- Four theme parks
- Two water parks
- Twenty-five resort hotels, including seven Disney Vacation Club properties
- Five golf courses
- ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
- Downtown Disney
Just as Walt Disney once said, "Disneyland will never be completed," Walt Disney World Resort "will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." New projects are always in development and on the horizon, including:
- Fantasyland – The largest expansion project in Magic Kingdom history began opening in 2012 at Walt Disney World Resort, featuring attractions and experiences in an area that doubles the size of Fantasyland. New elements include: Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, Ariel's Grotto, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, The Great Goofini and Casey Jr. Splash 'n' Soak Station. In 2013, Princess Fairytale Hall is expected to open, where Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel, will greet Guests in an elegant royal court.And a 2014 opening is now scheduled for The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, taking Guests on a musical ride into the mine "where a million diamonds shine."
- Splitsville - Located in Downtown Disney, Splitsville offers an upscale bowling and dining experience that's perfect for families and Guests of all ages. Spanning 50,000 square feet and two floors, Splitsville has 30 lanes and an impressive menu featuring fresh sushi rolls, gourmet burgers, hand-tossed pizzas and salads.
- Test Track Presented by Chevrolet - Puts Guests in the driver's seat for a thrilling experience and immersion into the world of auto design and performance. As part of an all-new interactive queue, Guests can create their own virtual concept vehicles prior to buckling into their 6-person "SimCar" ride vehicle and putting their design through its paces on the exhilarating hills, switchbacks and straight-aways of the Test Track circuit.
- The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow – The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow debuted at the end of 2012 at Disney's Hollywood Studios giving Walt Disney World Resort Guests a chance to become immersed in the world of the four "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. Aspiring pirates experience the story of Jack Sparrow like never before to discover if they have what it takes to join Captain Jack's crew. The attraction is located in Soundstage 4, former space of Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian.
- Four Seasons Resort Orlando – The 900-acre luxury resort residential community of Golden Oak, anchored by the prestigious Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is scheduled to open in 2014. The development, along the northeast border of the property, will include a luxury hotel, 18-hole championship golf course, single- and multi-family vacation homes and fractional ownership vacation homes.
- AVATAR -Walt Disney Imagineers are currently in the design stage for AVATAR at Disney's Animal Kingdom.Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide is joining forces with visionary filmmaker James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world of AVATAR to life creating themed lands that will give Guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of AVATAR first hand. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Disney's Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected begin in 2013 and project of this size typically takes approximately five years to design and build.
Disney Parks offer new immersive experiences and updates to several Guest favorites. Here's what's new:
- Disney's Art of Animation Resort – A new resort hotel inspired by Disney animation features 1,120 family suites themed after "The Lion King," "Cars" and "Finding Nemo," and 864 themed rooms in "The Little Mermaid" wings. Animation themes carry throughout building exteriors and room interiors and feature larger-than-life icons from the animated films in courtyard areas. Crowned by a 35-foot-tall model of King Triton, Disney's Art of Animation Resort is located next to Disney's Pop Century Resort.
- Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P's World Showcase Adventure (Epcot)- Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is based on the wily secret-agent alter-ego of Perry the Platypus – faithful pet to the title characters from Disney' Channel's animated series "Phineas & Ferb." Transforming into secret agents, Epcot Guests will use a "high-tech secret agent device" to scour World Showcase for clues, evil "Inators" and – with a little bit of luck – help Agent P defeat his nemesis Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
- Tutto Gusto (Epcot)- Located adjacent to Tutto Italia Ristorante in the Italy pavilion, Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar is a more intimate space complete with stonewalls, vaulted ceilings and a fireplace in the dining room. Inspired by an atmospheric Italian wine bar, Tutto Gusto features a small-plate menu plus more than 200 Italian wines, as well as beers, grappa and other libations.
- New interactive queues (Magic Kingdom) – As part of New Fantasyland, the all-new queue at the reopened "Dumbo" is now open for children and families to enjoy. The innovative queue area completely redefines what it means to prepare for a Disney attraction as a "circus ticket" pager holds a Guest's place in line and notifies them when it's their turn to fly with Dumbo. Our youngest Guests can also play in the fully-immersive, transformed queue at the "Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh." The entry to this classic Fantasyland attraction entertains youngsters with drum playing and gopher surprises in Rabbit's Garden, tiny playhouses to climb through and amazing special effects at Pooh's Hunny Hives. Guests who dare to enter "The Haunted Mansion" will find frightful fun in a new courtyard queue that brings them into an expanded, interactive graveyard. The area features a ghoulish organ, a wall of unusual musical instruments Guests can "orchestrate," a chance to complete a rhyme with the Decomposing Composer and photo opportunities with favorite spirits from the beloved attraction.
- Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom – Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort features a brand-new interactive experience enabling Guests to defeat the Disney Villains. Armed with magic spells in the form of special cards, players must search for the symbols that lead them to the animated villains' hiding places. Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom will be included as part of park admission.
- The Exotics Course featuring "supercars" (Walt Disney World Speedway) - The Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Resort now features a brand-new adrenaline rush, the "Exotic Driving Experience." The "Exotics Course" at Walt Disney World Speedway, a new one-mile circuit custom-built for the attraction, is home to a riding experience for Guests in "supercars" by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi and Porsche. Thrill-seekers can get behind the wheel of these epic vehicles and navigate a circuit offering rapid-acceleration straight-away with a skill-testing course of turn-on-a-dime maneuvers.
Over the next year, new Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms will enable Guests to sleep like visiting Disney royalty during their vacation.
- When Walt Disney World Resort Guests stay in the Royal Guest Rooms at Disney's Port OrleansResort-Riverside, they'll discover special treasures left behind by the stars of favorite animated films such as "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Princess and the Frog." In quarters befitting not only the young Princes and Princesses of the family but also their grown-up King and Queen parents, Guests can unwind amid remarkable décor. They'll be able to watch "fireworks" swirl as they recline in ornate beds, curl up in custom linens and more. It's majesty and fun, all rolled into one. Each of the 512 Royal Guest Rooms sleeps up to four Guests in two queen beds.
Walt Disney World Resort Guests can personalize and customize their vacations like never before:
- "Magic Your Way" ticketing and packages allow Guests to create their own Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Ticket-holders can customize their Walt Disney World Resort theme park visits by adding components to the base ticket such as park-hopping, water parks or other vacation fun. The savings grow the longer a Guest stays.
- Specialized vacation planning tools addressing topics such as"Traveling With Little Ones" and "Affordable Vacation Options" can be found on www.disneyworld.com. This resource has special offers and helps Guests customize their vacation itinerary to suit interests as well as considerations such as age, height restrictions and medical needs.
Technology enables Walt Disney World Resort to continue to take storytelling and Guest service to new heights:
- My Disney Experience is a free mobile application designed to help Guests make the most of their experience while visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. The app offers a digital guide to the magic, including detailed maps with GPS and in-park navigation that provide a vivid, accurate representation of the theme parks, resorts and other on-property points of interest. My Disney Experience helps Guests find Character locations and times, park hours, wait times and nearby attractions and services. Guests can book dining reservations with the app, share plans with family and friends and get detailed attraction information. Some features will require Guests to create an account and sign in to activate functionality. The app is available free in the App Store and via Google Play.
- Disney's Handheld Assistive Technology Device – this first-of-a-kind Disney-designed device for Guests who have hearing and visual disabilities uses wireless technology to combine handheld captioning, video-captioning activation, amplified audio and detailed audio description into one small, easy-to-use resource that seamlessly works with show elements in select attractions. Newly enhanced with an interactive audio menu, the device fits in the palm of a Guest's hand.
- Ears to the World, Disney's Show Translator – International visitorsto Walt Disney World Resort are able to take advantage of a personal translation device called Ears to the World, Disney's Show Translator. These units are lightweight headsets that utilize cutting-edge wireless technology to provide synchronized narration at several popular theme park attractions in five languages. Wireless signals throughout key attractions trigger digital audio recordings in each unit – providing real-time translation in French, German, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish.
- Disney's PhotoPass – using the latest digital equipment and Disney-engineered technology, photographers take photos of Guests throughout the theme parks. Instead of receiving a paper claim ticket, Guests receive a Disney's PhotoPass card that links all of their vacation photos taken by Disney photographers together into one online account. Guests can go online to www.disneyphotopass.com to easily view, share and order their photos, order a CD of all their Disney's PhotoPass images, and more.
- Disney's FASTPASS – Disney's antidote to line-standing is offered at a selection of popular attractions in all four theme parks. Guests who choose to get a FASTPASS receive a ticket with a designated one-hour-long window of time when they can return and skip the regular line. Guests don't have to choose FASTPASS: there's a standby line at all attractions. Disney's FASTPASS costs theme park Guests nothing extra. Since its debut, more than 350 million FASTPASS tickets have been issued.
In all, there are 25 themed, Disney-owned-and-operated resorts, ranging from value to deluxe villas. While Walt Disney World Resort provides magical moments for everyone, Guests staying at these Walt Disney World Resort hotels are able to take advantage of special perks:
- An Online Check-In Service, designed to simplify and streamline Guest arrivals, is complimentary and available to Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club resorts. Within 10 days of their arrival, Guests are able to provide check-in information, advise the resort of their arrival times and request room preferences. Guests can also register the names of all the people in their party and provide a credit card to cover charges. Upon arrival at their resorts, Guests visit a special welcome location where their room keys and other registration materials are waiting for them.
- The Walt Disney World Transportation System of buses, monorails and boat launches combines to connect virtually all areas of the Vacation Kingdom. With the convenience of "door-to-door" service throughout the resort, many Guests enjoy their Walt Disney World Resort vacation without a car.
- Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can add fun to their day with the Extra Magic Hours benefit. Each day, one of Walt Disney World Resort theme parks opens one hour early or stays open up to three hours later for Walt Disney World Resort Guests, providing extra time in the parks to experience select attractions.
- Guests who prefer to include dining in their vacation packages can choose from several Walt Disney World Resort Magic Your Way vacation packages that include a Disney Dining Plan,Disney resort hotel accommodations and Magic Your Way tickets. The Disney Dining Plans feature a variety of meal and snack entitlements – both in terms of the type of restaurants Guests can visit and the number of meals and snacks included with the plans.
From fast casual to five-diamond, there are more than 300 places to dine across Walt Disney World Resort and more than 6,000 food items available for Guests. The resort also is the largest single-site purveyor of wine in the world and has more sommeliers than any other company in the world.
Whether it's an unforgettable souvenir or an extravagant gift for someone special, Walt Disney World Resort is a shopper's paradise of more than 300 unique stores. Package pick-up located near the front entrance of each theme park and hotel delivery is available at no charge.
Services for Guests with Disabilities
Guests with disabilities are able to utilize many special services and facilities available to them throughout Walt Disney World Resort. From handheld captioning for the hearing impaired to unique ride vehicles at Toy Story Mania that provide access for Guests using wheelchairs, Walt Disney World Resort is focused on meeting the needs of all Guests.


text:
A credit card-sized remote that controls every feature — the presets, the power, the volume, the clock and the gently rising dual alarms for different wake-up times.
Key features
- Use the six personalised presets for one-touch access to your favourite Internet radio stations or playlists.
Compatible products
- Wave® SoundTouch® music system IV


text: Nathalia, or Miss International as we should call her. Nathalia is Jewish but grew up in Brazil, studying fashion at Universidade Estadual de Londrina, spent time in Canada, travelled all over, and is now in New Zealand. She's is a stylist, with a stylists touch in the way she puts a daily outfit together. Fab !


text:
Djpailo's Guide to Runescape
RS Picture Gallery
Written by Djpailo
(Last Updated: 11 December 2007)
Here are all of my runescape achievements to date. I don't really keep dates or anything like that. I have been playing runescape
for over five years on and off. Enjoy!
>>>Pkin Kills<<<>>>Very Old highscores<<<-Skill Logs (coming soon)-Funny pictures (coming soon)
-Miscellaneous (coming soon)


text:
Whew! I blinked and it is almost March already! We've just begun wrapping up our New Years and beginning of 2018 weddings, so there is finally a moment to breathe! I've wanted to share this for so long and I think today is the perfect day!
We have a fantastic feature in The Knot MN from Samatha & Bryan's wedding at the Mayowood Stone Barn! Their wedding is one of my all-time-favorites and it was so great to see such a generous spread of images in print! If you're looking for a little real-wedding-inspiration, definitely take a peek at their blog post! It was perfection!


text:
Keara Meeley
Business, finance, hospitality, marketing, sales, and service; a program at Cosby throughout the school's 10 years, DECA prepares high school and college students for future jobs in these fields and more.
Cosby's branch of the student organization currently has 190 members who have been recruited through Cosby's business and marketing classes. Any student enrolled in a business or marketing oriented class has the ability to be a part of the program, but they are not guaranteed the ability to compete in role play competitions that utilize marketing and business terminology and strategies.
Recently, all DECA members had the opportunity to attend the District Leadership Competition. The competition took place at ECPI University in Richmond VA and over hundreds of high school students attended. Students chose a category, such as marketing management or hotel management, and then completed roleplays. The follow up competition is the State Leadership Competition that takes place in VA beach.
A DECA member can attend the state competition by competing at districts and receiving first or second place in their category. Students who received third position or other high scores have the ability to be chosen to perform at states with a partner. "They have to have competed at districts in order to go to States and be a part of a team," says Mrs. DeFrancesco, a marketing teacher at Cosby.
Cosby can take up to eight teams, meaning sixteen people who did not make first or second place can attend. Seniors in the marketing management class also have the ability to go. "Students in the marketing management class write a business plan, known as a manual, that is anywhere from 5 to 30 pages depending on the category. They then present it to the judges," says Mrs. DeFrancesco. The winning contestants then get to continue on to States.
Being a part of DECA allows students to gain skills that are valuable in all fields of study and looks great on a college application. Consider signing up for a business or marketing related class next year!


text:
Estimated gun sales plummeted 26 percent in July compared to last year as manufacturers and retailers predict a return to the industry's "seasonal trends" in the non-election year.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation processed just north of 1.7 million applications through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System last month.
Guns.com estimates about half resulted in a gun transfer, though federal background check data itself remains an imperfect, albeit the best, proxy for the industry to track sales. Summer remains a historically slow period for gun sales.
Despite the dip in sales, last month's estimated 845,000 sales came in just 30,000 less than July 2015 and a 100,000 higher than July 2014 and 2013, according to federal data.
Dealers processed checks for 480,124 handguns, federal data shows, representing a 16 percent decline from June. Sales of long guns remain flat compared to June, topping 322,000.
The market saw a sudden shift in demand following last year's presidential election. With Republicans in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, many believed gun sales would drop to significantly, but the industry has managed to keep sales relatively high with discounting and promotions. Gun sales so far this year are trailing 2016, the biggest year in NICS history, by about 10 percent.


text:
Featured :
Featured on Home Page
Sunil is a solutions architect focused on Deep Learning at AWS working with customers in various industry verticals. Prior to that, he co-founded the neuroscience and machine learning based image analysis and video thumbnail recommendation company Neon labs. He's also worked on building large scale low latency systems at Zynga and has an acute passion for serverless computing. He hold a master's degree in computer science from Brown University


text:
Soft spoken, polite, articulate and thoughtful rather than blunt and demanding, blending in seamlessly with the crowd at Fantastic Fest, Annick Mahnert does not fit the typical image of the angry, haranguing Hollywood producer. Then again, she's NOT your typical producer. After studying production at NYFA, she cut her teeth at Roger Corman's Concorde-New Horizons before going big-league, handling programming and distribution for such studios as 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., then went solo in 2013 to become an independent producer. And produce she has: the Swiss native has quietly become one of the most impressive purveyors of international indy horror, from 2014's polarizing México Bárbaro to last year's Dearest Sister, the latest feature from Mattie Do and the film that just might put Laos on the international horror map. Her position as a producer who can—and does—cross international and cultural boundaries puts her in a unique position to help give a more global view on the role of women in horror, and I was fortunate enough that she agreed to chat with me regarding what she's witnessed and experienced on the global horror scene.
Preston Fassel: You've worked with filmmakers from a variety of countries in a number of different locations. Where have you found the reception to female filmmakers most positive? Most negative?
Annick Mahnert: I can't really say that I've seen a negative reception to female filmmakers anywhere. I live in Europe and I work around the globe. I keep hearing stories about how difficult it is for some female filmmakers to get jobs, but, I've never witnessed it personally. I know that Mattie has trouble in her own country, but it also has to do with the culture; and Asia, in general, is not an easy place for women. But in terms of reception, if we talk about Dearest Sister, it's been really great. Everywhere we went, people were happy to see the film and talked to us about it afterwards.
PF: How does the reception to horror films differ according to country?
AM: Well, this is a very deep subject and I don't think we can really cover this here, but every festival has its "audience". Some films will play in certain countries and some won't. Asia won't play a specific type of films, neither won't Latin America. This might depend on the origin of the film, the ethnicity, and many other factors. Some stories will resonate with some audiences and some won't. This is something that, unfortunately, you can't control. But as a filmmaker, you should never make a film a certain way to adapt to such and such country or audience. You need to stay true to yourself and the subject you want to handle.
PF: What do you consider your proudest achievement as a producer?
AM: Having produced Dearest Sister was already an achievement. I got to work with filmmakers in a country I knew nothing about and I gambled on someone who had absolutely no film education whatsoever. I'm very proud to have been able to help Dearest Sister getting made. This film has not only established Mattie, it has also established my company as a serious production company. Since then, I've coproduced a documentary called 78/52, about the shower scene in Psycho, and we just world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
PF: What was your favorite horror film of 2016?
AM: Without hesitation, The Autopsy of Jane Doe. It's a fresh take on horror, it's original, and it's really scary. The first time I saw it, I thought "where the hell is the director taking me?" That's what I love about this film: I had no clue where the story was going. It surprised me.


text:
PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
An advanced lip product that instantly moisturizes while improving long-term lip volume, hydration, and softness. Achieve softer, fuller lips with this hydrating, daily-use product designed to immediately enhance moisturization and stimulate collagen production for long-term volume-increasing benefits.
- Ultra Filling Spheres instantly hydrate and plump the lips
- Powerful peptides stimulate collagen production to reduce lip lines
- An advanced ingredient blend improves long-term lip hydration, volume, and softness
Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Beeswax, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Flavor, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil


text: All-new Mazda CX-5: first European test-drives Castelnuovo Berardenga / Leverkusen, 20/03/2017 Print In the Tuscan countryside south of Florence, European media representatives will get their first impressions behind the wheel of the all-new Mazda CX-5, the next generation of Japanese carmaker's top-selling model in Europe. The compact SUV, which made its European premiere earlier this month in Geneva, spearheads another new generation of innovative and attractive Mazdas. In 2012, the outgoing CX-5 generation launched a remarkable new range of vehicles to Europe featuring SKYACTIV Technology and KODO styling. Now, the all-new CX-5 raises the bar for the Mazda line-up's already extraordinary combination of fuel efficiency, driving fun, award-winning premium looks and top-class safety. Highlights include a quieter, more comfortable and more ergonomic interior with, among other things, a premium class windshield projected head-up display. A product of the company's human-centred development philosophy, Mazda has advanced the car's Jinba-Ittai intuitiveness for the benefit of all occupants, who like the driver will feel at one with the all-new CX-5. Meanwhile, a number of advancements such as better seats and cabin insulation, powertrain and suspension tweaks, and G-Vectoring Control (GVC), an innovative software-based system that controls body roll for better handling, heighten ride comfort and safety. The exterior exudes refined strength, with the sleeker sides and lower roofline underscoring the all-new CX-5's solid stance and maturity. The SUV also marks the debut of a new premium colour from Mazda, Soul Red Crystal, which blends intense depth with unusual translucency. Production of the all-new CX-5, which is slated to arrive in Europe in May, began in Japan in December. To date, Mazda has sold more than 1.5 million CX-5s. The model currently accounts for some 25% of global sales and has won well over 90 awards so far around the world. Read more about the All-new Mazda CX-5. (only available after login).