text:
Touramline, Far IR and other hogwash
2 weeks ago I spoke with a person who seemed very intent on disproving me and got offended when I made disparaging remarks to the validity of several companies' claims as to the effectivemness of adding tourmaline minerals into the sediment and how it can help a tank.
Perhaps a chemistry professor bent on helping folks wade through wonky water schemers should offer some support.
Look down farther where he discusses far IR, the same stuff discussed with Touramline.
If you poke around, you can look into a number of methods and signs that will help you from not getting taken by such marketing.
"You don't even need water to get hit by "ionization" scams!
Yes, this outfit offers "ionized bracelets" to willing suckers... no mention of how they work or what they are supposed to do for you.
Here's another that peddles tourmaline crystals as "Nature's source of Far Infrared and Negative Ions". Of course, all matter above absolute zero emits far-ir radiaiton, ordinarily known as "heat". Tourmaline also happens to be piezoelectric: when you squeeze it, a small voltage difference develops between the two ends of the crystal. Nothing special here, but these operators weave this into a fabric of lies about the crystals putting negative ions into and purifying water, reducing cluster size. increasing dissolved oxygen, and have a general healing effect.
And how about Ener-Chi Ionized stones? Can rocks be ionized? Well not really, but natural radioactivity occasionally knocks an electron out of an atom, creating an ion pair which can remain locked into the solid for a long time. So in this sense, even the rocks you find in your back yard can be said to be "ionized". But these jokers take it to ridiculous extremes:
By placing an Ionized Stone next to a glass of water or plate of food, the water or food becomes energized, increasing digestibility and nutrient absorption. Ionized stones can also be used effectively in conjunction with Ener-Chi Art -- simply place an Ionized Stone on the corresponding area of the body while viewing an Ener-Chi Art picture."
Is it bioavailable as a trace mineral?
No, it's very very insouble.
Read this baloney:
Now if you believe that, you might think adding it your plants might impact "long plant life" as well:icon_roll
More huckster products:
Why not sell it to the aquarium industry as well?
Is it soluble in our tank conditions? Bioavailable to plants?
Apparently not even close.
Here's a claim in our hobby.
This is not from the vendor, rather ADA.
I wonder where ADA got this info?
I have been unable to find a single creditable study showing any benefits to plants with this product or mineral. If you know of a real one, post it.
I've used it and cannot say with any certainly after a year new of any discernable significant benefit to a plant, a root, any exchange in nutrients etc. Now have I done a precise experiiment for this one?
No, I should not have to either if it works as claimed.
I should live to be a 150 and never have any plant related issues.
Given all of this, the burden should be upon the companies selling the snake oil/nutty devices and what not to show that it's useful and when folks do try it, that they know, not guess that it is due to the product, not something else which is often the case.
Penac is a similar product and line that's well known in the snake oil water quackery.
Do these things work?
Who the heck really knows............generally they do not hurt except in the wallet but there's no support here the best I could find and some very dubious claims and support at best and at worst, they just want your $$.
As a hobbyists, we should/need to see something, some benefit we know we can attribute to the product based on improved fish or plant health etc.
If not, why buy it?
Tom Barr
These products will forever be available. With so many variables controlling the success/failure of a tank, it is a perfect opportunity for marketers to take advantage of the hobbyist making a Type I error. Even if the buyer only sees good results once, he'll likely bite for the rest of his life. I know you mean well, Tom. But, as long as people continue to carry severed Leporidae limbs for good luck, there will always be a market for unproven additives.
I pity no one who buys snake oil. They have access to the same info I do.
I was at Petco or Petsmart one of them, and saw they had on the shelf Beta Water (dont rememebr the exact name) but it was water that was specicialy designed for bettas. Man i fealt bad for anyone getting it, and you know people have...
At least Betta water is dechlorinated, which is a far sight better than most betta owners give.
The Asian culture seems to go for this more esoteric approach, which explains a lot of ADA stuff. I love ADA, don't get me wrong, but some of the products are pretty out there. Penac, Tourmaline BC, etc.
just cause something isn't proven scientifically doesn't mean it can be discredited entirely.
PLEASE DO NOT interperet this as me saying i believe in any of the "wonky water" stuff.. penac, or ionizing wristbands...
but what about things like...
selenium supplements and childhood/early adult acne.?
or chiropractics and backpain?
how about laughter and overall health??
A valid counterpoint, Andrew. Reminds me of a quote I read in a Sagan book (or was it Dawkins - anyway), "It is good to keep an open mind, just not so much that your brains fall out."
Aveda makes an eye cream with tourmaline in it. Maybe you could just squirt that into your tank!
Yep, but I do give the old speil every so often to those less inclined to consider such things. We cannot save everyone, but we can save a few.
So such efforts are still worth while IMO/IME.
Tom Barr
However, perhaps Germans are similar with heating cables?
That's pretty far out there as well.
USA? Haha, Hydrilla pills to increase virility, stamina, longer life, weigh loss etc, 30$ for a 30 day supply.
I think each culture is suckered well by these hucksters.
Tom Barr
But when they ask for $, you do become suspicious.
Some baloney detection is always a good idea.
And you could add this to a marketing advertisment as support, "there's so much that science does not yet know........"
I've heard that one 1001 times.
Scientists do not have the time to test and validate every crack pot that comes along. When it comes to things like agriculture, most of these ideas, crazy as you want them to be, have been studied.We have been growing plants that way for well over 10,000 years. They spend a lot of $ on this one.
It drives everything we do in the world at some basic level.
What are the odds that ADA, or Penac found this out and places like UC Davis's plant Science's dept got left in the dark?
Just based on likelyhood alone...........pretty high odds to beat.
If it does do as some of the claims, increasing growth by 50% for some species, that's a lot of corn, rice, tomatoes etc.
If it was a real increase, you'd think getting 50% more would spur the scientific community, dramatically change the way we do agriculture and make some farmers and heck of a lot of money. You'd get the nobel prize for something like that.
But I think aqua schister's are the one's making the money here.
ADA and many aquarium companies are just as gullable as a hobbyists may be. They just got sold and now market the stuff.
To the best of their knowledge, they believe it works.
Now if I claim moon beams grow better aquatic plants, just because science has not studied it, does this imply there is any truth or any merit?
If you look at junk science and marketing scams, that's one of the their favorite ploys.
"Wishful thinking
We want to believe the claims made by the promoters of these products. We let wishful thinking interfere with the ability to think critically. We're too willing to trust those with an economic interest in their claims and too lazy or proud to seek out the proper experts to help us evaluate the claims and the products. But wishful thinking is only part of the story.
Scientific ignorance
The pitch for such products is couched in scientific jargon.
Such jargon sounds good to one who is ignorant of physics, geology and lacking in basic scientific competence. What is absolutely zero in probability is that these companies discovered how to do this without anyone in the scientific community being aware of it until they marketed their product. This application of science, if it were true, would be an achievement recognized and applauded the world over.
Such devices and products get taken seriously because they are peddled to non-scientists as a device on the cutting edge of modern science and technology. Their target consumers and investors, in other words, are not usually competent to evaluate the scientific claims made by the promoters. Human pride may play a role here in duping some people; they are too embarrassed to admit that they don't understand what the seller is talking about. The potential buyer or investor who is not competent to evaluate such claims should seek out experts who are. One must be careful to choose the right experts, however.
Using the wrong experts
Purchasing agents or investors who seek out scientists from the company doing the selling, or non-scientists who peddle such merchandise, are more likely to be duped into buying and investing in useless devices than those who seek the opinion of independent scientific sources. Anyone with an economic interest in selling the product should be viewed skeptically. One has to balance keeping an open mind with a healthy dose of skepticism when considering Aamazing" new technologies.
Self-deception and selective thinking
Numerous studies have demonstrated that people generally give an excessive amount of value to confirmatory information, i.e., data which is positive or which supports a position. We easily deceive ourselves when we want something to be true. If we have invested a good deal of time, money, etc., in a project or activity, we do not want it to fail. We cling to any little bit of data that seems to support our efforts. We do not seek out contrary data and we vigorously attack those supplying such data. We easily fool ourselves and others into thinking we have a product that works, but until we put our ideas to the test by devising rigorous controlled studies, we cannot be sure we are not deceiving ourselves.
Reliance on testimonials instead of scientific studies
Testimonials and anecdotes are generally unreliable measures of new technologies. Double-blind and/or control group studies are necessary to rule out self-deception and a host of other psychological and logical hindrances to critical thinking.
Mass Media Manipulation
Reliance on testimonials instead of scientific tests should be red flags to journalists doing articles on new technologies. A minimal understanding of the proper way to test causal hypotheses should be required of journalists who review "amazing" technological products and of purchasing agents who might consider spending someone else's money on a potentially useless product. The mass media often give such devices credibility by doing promotional pieces under the guise of investigative journalism. Those who market questionable high-tech devices spend much more money on marketing than on scientific research. A good part of marketing involves getting the story out by manipulating the news media.
Reliance on lawyers instead of scientific evidence and arguments
Like I have not dealt with this one before:icon_roll
He gave up BTW.
A scientist should respond to legitimate criticism of his or her scientific claims by refuting criticism with scientific evidence and arguments. When a company responds to a scientific test of their product by suing or threatening to sue scientific investigators for making defamatory statements, it is likely the company is more interested in selling their product than in telling the truth.
Evidence from independent scientific investigation is almost always more reliable than testimony from a lawyer defending his or her high-tech client against charges of fraud.
Failure to consider the obvious, such as lack of guarantees, a company's track record, or the actual value of the product
One might expect the guarantee or warranty of an extraordinary product to be as grand as the product itself, but many such products are marketed using a number of weasel words. Some have no guarantee at all.
There certainly are many high-tech inventions that live up to their manufacturer's claims. Distinguishing them from devices more likely to disappoint than satisfy is not beyond the ability of the average non-expert. We must guard against the tendency to believe in something just because we want to believe. We must not let pride or laziness prevent us from making inquiries and demanding support from disinterested, qualified experts. We must take with a grain of salt the testimonials provided by those with an economic stake in a product. We must not forget that there is a natural tendency to be selective in our thinking and it is easy to deceive ourselves about products that seem to work but have not been adequately tested. We must remember that interested parties often manipulate journalists into promoting their products under the guise of an investigative report. We must remember that an emphasis on marketing and legal troubles, and charges of conspiracies, often indicates that there is some serious problem with the science or technology. Finally, there are some obvious tip-offs to high-tech promises that are too-good-to-be-true, such as astounding promises backed by no guarantee, or claims that a single discovery or invention can solve numerous unrelated problems, or the fact that even if the amazing product works as advertised it would still not give good value."
Tom Barr
thanks tom, i showed my grandad the ada setup guide and he was distinctly unimpressed, he used to work for british coal and was an environmental manager, basicaly a feild botanist (i think thats the right word, studied plants) incharge of making sure the old coal feilds are turned into good nature reserves and he said much to the same effect about tourmaline and penac and so on, that its simply useless for plant growth and was "druid science" im not saying hes right, but 50 years of work in the feild cant be too badly wrong. he said of having dowsers (people with mystic sticks to find water) there looking for water then wanting pay when they found some, my grandad refusing to pay looked into the matter and found out at least 2 of the party of 6 worked for the water board and knew where theyd find water without the act
I do not honestly think ADA, or many of these companies are really decpetive here, I have never said they are, however, they are no better than most of us when it comes to wading through some baloney.
And I think that is what occured here.
SeaChem has folks that are a bit more critcally minded.
They will sell Alkaline buffer, label it nicely, tell you how much to ad dper tank size, but we can use baking soda just the same. Folks to carry on and on about the differences between baking soda and alklaine buffer.
Marineland also has some good people working for them and their product line.
But if you lack a person that can cut through all this, then you can get taken, I do not care how nice of scape you can do over and over, it does not mean the product works as claimed by the Druids, pixies or whatever belief system you want to impose.
I do not debate beliefs.
That is the realm of philosophers and priest, of which I am certainly not nor wish to be.
I will look at likelyhoods, that's about all we have to go with.
Based on that, I cannot say this stuff does a hill of beans, but many folks still suggest it for some odd reason.
What I'd like to know, is why they still do.
Or is it mere belief?
Tom Barr
|All times are GMT. The time now is 07:53 PM.
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text:
- June 20: Toyota Sienna Power Sliding Door Lawsuit Filed in Missouri news | 9 days ago
- June 18: Takata and Honda Get Some Airbag Claims Dismissed news | 11 days ago
- June 13: Toyota Loses Appeal in Koua Fong Lee Crash news | 16 days ago
- June 4: Toyota Owned Part of Tesla, But Not Anymore news | 25 days ago
- June 3: BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota Will Settle Takata Lawsuits news | 26 days ago
NHTSA — Steering Problems
CarComplaints.com Notes: The Toyota Matrix is the mechanical twin of the Pontiac Vibe.
Both models were a joint GM-Toyota venture, manufactured together at a NUMMI production facility in Fremont, CA. Only the heating & A/C systems are different.
10.0really awful
- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 60,294 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
steering problem

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kansas City, MO, USA < change city >
Cakes (36)
Florists (36)
Caterers (33)
DJs (32)
Bands (19)
Wedding Fashion (17)
Coordinators (12)
Wedding Day Beauty (11)
Videographers (10)
Tuxedos (9)
Invitations (9)
Officiants (8)
Rentals (8)
Limos (5)
Decorations (5)
Ceremony Sites (274)
Reception Sites (210)
See All Vendors >
First United Methodist C...
505 169th Hwy
Smithville, MO 64089
Ceremony Sites, Officiants
2 ratings, 1 review, 2 weddings
Pastor Skip Robertson is an amazing pastor! He is so flexible, very pleasant to t...
Wedding Minister
Main Street
Olathe, KS 66062, United States
(913) 884-5831
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
Dr. Rev. Gamm was very accommodating. We opted to include a second language into ...
Liz Coleman
Kansas City, MO, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
I love Liz Coleman. During the ceremony I could tell that she listened to every ...
Phyllis Blew
Waldron, MO, United States
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
My mom was our officiant and did a wonderful job, as I knew she would.
Kansas City Clergy Services
Kansas City, MO, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
very easy to work with. they set us up with an officiant that had our similar den...
Rev. Elizabeth Coleman
Kansas City, MO, USA
2 ratings, 2 reviews, 2 weddings
Although we just met Rev. Liz, it seemed like she knew us forever. Our ceremony w...
Evangelical Community Mi...
Merriam, KS, USA
0 ratings, 1 review, 1 wedding
Irl Gladfelter hijacked my ceremony! Prior to the wedding he had guaranteed my hu...
Father Nick
Overland Park, KS, USA
0 ratings, 0 reviews, 1 wedding


text:
Felix Benz wins Abdus Salam prizeNov 29, 2016
NanoPhotonics researcher Felix Benz has been awarded the prestigious Abdus Salam prize. His work utilizes the strange properties of tiny particles of gold; light is concentrated down smaller than a single atom enabling a look at individual chemical bonds inside molecules, opening up new ways to study light and matter.
Anna Lombardi answers Naked Scientist questionOct 27, 2016
Can light exert a force to move an object?
NanoPhotonics go bowling
Jeremy Baumberg guest presenter for the Faraday Discussions


text:
Posted by James McQuivey on February 27, 2013
Yesterday The New York Times picked up the hopeful news from the global music business that the revenue free-fall from $38 billion a year more than a decade ago appears to have stopped at $16.5 billion, leaving the industry at less than half its pre-digital size. This bottoming out of the revenues will come as some relief to industry executives who have wished and prayed for this day because, until it actually arrived, nobody knew for sure what type of revenues to expect in the future. That can make running a business pretty tough.
The music industry is everybody's favorite example of digital disruption done wrong -- including mine, since I covered music for Forrester several times. I have some classic stories I could tell to illustrate the point about executives who believed that suing customers was the path to profitability and so on, but I'll spare you those. However, as the author of a book called Digital Disruption, I actually owe it to the music industry for teaching me a few key principles of how to manage digital disruption:


text:
« Local Home
Ottawa, Ontario Pet-Friendly Stores, Canada - Dog-Friendly Listings
Canada: Ontario: Ottawa: Pet-Friendly Stores
Ottawa - as dog-friendly as they come! This city guide will show you all the best (and worst) places for your pets. Don't forget to add your reviews for the businesses in this ultimate resource.
|Top-Rated Pet-Friendly Stores
|Pet-Friendly Stores:
Add a Listing
If you still can't find the listing you're looking for, feel free to add it now!


text:
Boston Cream Sponge Cakes RecipeRead Reviews Be the first to add a review
5 2 2
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 5 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a small bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Fold in flour, 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Gently spoon into two 4-in. springform pans coated with cooking spray (pans will be full). Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For custard, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat. Gently stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature without stirring. In a small bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in custard.
- To assemble, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place bottom layers on two serving plates; spread with filling. Replace cake tops. In a small bowl, beat the frosting ingredients. Spread over top of cakes. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 2 servings.
Originally published as Boston Cream Sponge Cakes in Cooking for 2 Winter 2008, p22
Sweet White Wine
Enjoy this recipe with a sweet white wine such as Moscato or a sweet Riesling.
Reviews for Boston Cream Sponge Cakes
Please Log In or Join to add a rating and review.
Click stars to rate
Any changes to your rating or review will appear where you originally posted your review
Reviewed Mar. 7, 2013
"Made these gluten free with a GF flour and turned them into cupcakes. My kids loved them! The cake recipe made 6 cupcakes which I hollowed out to put the custard and topped with frosting. Sinfully delicious!"
Reviewed Mar. 4, 2011
"I made these and I thought they were terrific. The sponge cake is lovely, not too sweet. The custard is delicious. I did omit the butter in the custard. It was sweet, creamy and tasty without it. The only thing that was bothersome about this recipe is the amount of dishes it made for only two treats. Then again the recipe is cooking for two. See them pictured on my page. 5 Stars!"


text: My 53K mile '85 URq has developed a noise from the rear of the car that at first sounded like a loose rattling tail pipe, but the exhaust system is only a couple yers old and is solid, so now I suspect something related to the drive shaft. I am not going to drive it until it is diagnosed and fixed. I have mechanical abilities, but little or no time due to work, so I may tackle this or I may find a local Seattle - Everett - Redmond shop or "that guy" that knows these cars. Input please. Thanks in advance. I used to know a guy in the Lost Lake Woodinville area that was a guru....Leif something?


text: Zenergy Helena Hatchi Print Jacket Style: 570070639 Out of Stock Love it? Everyone else did too. This item sold out! Use our search tool, chat online or call 1.888.855.4986 to find something equally desirable. The Zenergy hoodie shows off a Western edge with an Aztec-inspired print and palette, sparkled for a signature finish. Mixable, matchable, cozy-chic Zenergy®: live in, lounge in, love. Kangaroo hand pockets. Length: 24" to 27". 90% polyester, 10% silk. Unlined. Machine wash. Imported. Read More… Share on Facebook Tweet Pin


text: I finally got my aluminum darts to finish up these knees. They were a little undersized so I had to fill in and doctor them up a little (which I will redo the right knee as the rust color isjust too thick). Anyway, These knees are great and if you have the chance to get a pair do it. Thanks Stormrider!


text: I just picked up an older 226. I didn't know it had an internal extractor until I took it apart. Shouldn't be any issues with the design, I'ts alot like a 1911 extractor(which has worked well for a few years). I think the design change was all about standardizing the different handguns. Personally, I like the older "clean" slide. I'm going to shoot the crap out of it !


text:
When I tested Fedora in the past, I usually found font rendering different, poor when compared to Ubuntu's. That's obviously subjective, but I find Ubuntu font rendering smooth and good looking, while Fedora's is certainly not as smooth. In fact, this issue with font rendering was not limited to Fedora, for many other KDE distros apparently had the same problem.
In this particular case, I was testing Fedora 15 KDE for my King of KDistros article. I happen to love "Lovelock", so it kinda bugged me that font rendering was not up to par with the great overall quality of this last official Fedora release. As a result, I decided to do some research on the matter to make Lovelock look even better.
I quickly found that there are loads of resources available on the topic, often going into huge levels of detail. While I was finding those reads interesting, I didn't want to put that much time and effort into something like that, so I found a somewhat simple solution that provided a good enough result. Having said so, those interested may find the following two blog entries from Andreas Haerter particularly interesting:
How to change Fedora's font rendering to get an Ubuntu-like result
Ubuntu fonts installation for Fedora 15 Lovelock (and above)
Now, like I just said, I didn't go that far. Here are the steps I followed:
1.- In Fedora, install RPM Fusion (FREE and NON FREE) repositories (find more on this on RPM Fusion's own SITE).
2.- Install the
freetype-freeworld font package.
NOTE: This package is not free (as in speech), so legal regulations may apply in your country.
su -c 'yum install freetype-freeworld'
3.- Install Droid Sans Fonts.(if you want to achieve the results shown in the screenshots below)
su -c 'yum install google-droid-sans-fonts'
4.- Create a backup for your fonts config file.
cp .fonts.conf .fonts.bak
5.- Edit your fonts config file:
kwrite .fonts.conf
6.- Change the hinting from
hintmedium (as used in Fedora) to
hintslight (as used in Ubuntu).
7.- Logout and then log back in.
That should do it, here are a couple screenshots showing the difference after applying the changes I just explained. First off, in a web browsing environment:
Now, in a desktop environment:
So there you have it, a quick and easy way to make your fonts look a bit better in Fedora. As you can imagine, the same or similar steps would apply in other KDE distros with similar issues, only the
freetype-freeworld package name may differ.
Have fun!


text: Inspired of course by various threads in other forums. Not everything requires a "build" thread so post your hard work. Whether it's just a simple go fast sticker or progress on your project post with pride. Of course pics are optional but how else can you show off that new part.


text:
Follow us on Twitter
Connect with us on myCBN
Sign-up for CBN Email Updates
CBN's 700 Club program has been on the air since 1961, bringing a magazine-style mix of news, interviews, testimonies, and insights from Christian leaders, including host and founder Pat Robertson. CBN's Prayer Center provides prayer as well as biblical guidance and resources to callers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
700 Club Interactive - your daily dose of inspiration, encouragement, and entertainment! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and send your prayer requests and praise reports. Watch us on Freeform weekdays at 9:30 AM EST and online at www.700clubinteractive.com!
Bringing the Bible to the next generation!
With your help, CBN is launching a massive media campaign to bring the Bible back into the lives and hearts of children here in America and around the world through the new Superbook.
Orphan's Promise ministers to the physical, spiritual and educational needs of orphaned and vulnerable children by providing loving care, training for life and the future, and the hope of the Gospel. Click here to find out more.
Through core programs of disaster relief, medical aid, hunger relief, orphan care, water wells, and community development, CBN's Operation Blessing International is dedicated to demonstrating God's love by alleviating human need and suffering in the United States and around the world.
We offer multiple resources to help people grow in their walk with God, including: streaming video teaching from Pat and Gordon Robertson; in-depth discipleship courses; Online Bible; CBN Radio; Bible teachings; my.CBN.com, a social network; and free downloads of videos, widgets, and articles.
CBN is a global, nonprofit ministry preparing the nations of the world for the second coming of Jesus Christ through media, prayer partnering, and humanitarian aid.
Learn More about CBN | Our Mission & History | Contact Us
Send To Friend


text:
'"I knew I had to lose weight," Peters told NHL.com. "The new NHL doesn't carry all the guys that are 250 pounds. I got down under 230. I just wanted to get faster and work on my game and mainly start out by being in the lineup more."'
Peters reshapes his body and his game
November 9, 2006 Submitted by
Via: NHL.com


text:
Our faculty bring their strong academic credentials and most important their industry experience to each class. Their teaching is current and lively encouraging you to engage and learn in preparation for a great career in a fast pace industry.
Our students are focused and demanding learners working as a team to achieve high standards that are recognized by our industry.
Our department is committed to working with the support of the industry in keeping the program firmly focused on delivering a valuable education that will ensure that our graduates succeed and develop in their future career.
Our department works in close collaboration with a number of specialized fields of studies to allow our students to gain a wealth of knowledge in a broad but relevant range of subjects. Working within IPFW's Baccalaureate framework we focus on helping our students acquire lifelong skills helping them achieve rewarding personal goals.
Our industry is waiting to see you when you graduate to become a professional in the world's fastest growing, rewarding and exciting industry.
Dr. John C. Niser, Chair
Hospitality and Tourism Management Department


text:
Jump to:Page Content
Home > News & Events > Events Calendar > Peking Tom Perspectives: Seminar in Honor of Richard Baum
As a leading scholar on China public policy and a professor of public policy at UCLA, Richard Baum was author of over 50 scholarly studies, as well as author of five books and co-author or editor of five additional books. "He was one of the most important and influential China scholars of his generation," said longtime colleague Clayton Dube, executive director of the University of Southern California's U.S.–China Institute. "Whenever anything important happened in China, people were anxious to know what Rick thought about it. His opinion was greatly valued" (as quoted in UCLA Newsroom). Baum also launched Chinapol, one of the world's largest and most influential internet community convening China experts, journalists, and policymakers. Nearly 20 years later, the Listserv group has expanded to 1,300 members. According to James Fallows of The Atlantic (as quoted in the New York Times), "Rick Baum allowed people from a wide variety of interests to share news, impressions, and questions about China, in a way that left nearly all of them better informed." Baum also served as an advisor to leading politicians -- including President George H.W. Bush and 2008 Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton -- and was a preeminent expert on Mao Zedong, the economic policies of Deng Xiaoping, and the era leading up to the Cultural Revolution. His 1996 book, Burying Mao: Chinese Politics in the Age of Deng Xiaoping is "considered a definitive work on the transformation of China in the decades immediately after the communist revolutionary leader's 1976 death" (LA Times obituary). Published in 2010, Baum's China Watcher: Confessions of a Peking Tom describes his own personal history in China over the last 40 years starting in the 1960s. This panel honors both his memory and his notable contributions to the field of academic study on China. Introductory Remarks: Matthew Baum, Marvin Kalb Professor of Global Communications and Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School Panelists: William Alford, Henry L. Stimson Professor of Law, Harvard Law School and Director of East Asian Legal Studies Joseph Fewsmith, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Boston University and Director, Center for the Study of Asia Tony Saich, Daewoo Professor of Public Affairs and Director, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Moderator: William Kirby, T. M. Chang Professor of China Studies, Harvard University; Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies; and Chairman of the Harvard China Fund


text: Earlier this year, I made a special trip to Sydney and bought a dress for competition. It's a nice dress and very pretty and I love it very much, but it was so hard finding a dress to fit. (I'm 5'9" and...well...not skinny. Not huge, but definitely not skinny. Plus I'm not sure any pre-made dress companies realised female figure skaters actually grew to be five nine.) Late last year, my grandma made a pair of boot covers for me - I accidentally bought WAY too much lycra and joked at the time that I could make a matching dress with the leftovers - and now the idea won't leave my head. That way I could save money AND the dress would most likely fit, and I could make it the way I wanted exactly. Has anyone here got experience with making figure skating dresses? Which patterns do you use? I'm liking the look of the Jalie patterns and people in other places say they're easy to work with... Any other advice would be greatly appreciated (I better put this as a disclaimer: I am a notorious procrastinator and will probably go back and forth with my mindset on this subject for MONTHS.)


text:
Posted by Claire Schooley on June 26, 2013
As businesses work to differentiate their products or services, grow the bottom line, and expand globally, they need to think seriously about the important role that their employees play in helping the business achieve successful outcomes. Businesses must invest in processes and technology to recruit and onboard the best people, address performance gaps with key learning activities, provide career development plans, and align pay with performance. Activities like human resource management (HRM) deployment in the cloud and the use of mobile and social technologies for HRM processes catapult HR to the cutting edge of innovation.


text:
NHIAA Football Roundup: Bishop runs wild to lead Lancers
Dennis Bishop ran for 312 yards on 28 carries and scored three touchdowns and Aaron Gaudet connected with Nathaneal Kelly for a pair of scores to lead host Londonderry to a 45-14 win over Merrimack in Division I football action Friday night.
Londonderry grabbed a 31-7 halftime lead and rolled up 585 yards of offense, 500 of them on the ground. Bishop scored on runs of 5, 1 and 4 yards. Gaudet completed five of his 11 passes for 85 yards and the two scores.
Merrimack quarterback Devin Gillis completed 19 of his 26 passes for 166 yards and a pair of scores. He also was intercepted once.
Ian Roberts caught six passes for 44 yards and one of the Merrimack scores. Jordan Miranda had a pair of catches for 34 yards and the other Merrimack TD. Both teams are now 3-3.
Manchester Central 33, Manchester West 6: Jesiah Wade scored four touchdowns to lead the Little Green, who improved to 4-2, at Gill Stadium.
He carried 22 times for 150 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns, caught a 12-yard scoring pass and returned a kick 70 yards for a score. Central led 14-0 after the first quarter and 28-0 after three periods. West dropped to 0-6.
Nashua North 34, Timberlane 28 (OT): At Nashua, Demitri Jackson scored in overtime for North and the Titans defense held on Timberlane of Plaistow's possession to earn the win.
Timberlane led 21-7 in the game after a 49-yard touchdown run from Tyler Furrey and then again 28-14 on another Furrey run. But North came back to tie the game when Brendan Martin scored from a yard out with less than 2:00 remaining to force overtime.
Nashua South 42, Dover 22: At Dover, South's Trevor Knight ran for three touchdowns and threw for one more to Josh Perry to lead the Panthers to a 6-0 record. Andrew Decarter added two touchdowns for Nashua South.
Dover got touchdown passes from Jack Priester and Derek Stegman, both to Cam Ruwicki. Vinny Panetta scored the final Dover (2-4) touchdown and added a two-point conversion.
Division II
Merrimack Valley 28, Sanborn 7: At Penacook, Tucker Burt scored a rushing touchdown and Ivan Niyomugabo scored one on the ground and threw a TD pass to Tommy Schneider. Cal Martin and Blake Gaboriault notched interceptions for MV (5-1).


text:
Is Slovenia The Next Bailout Battleground?
It isn't easy being Slovenia. Thanks to speculation that the small Balkan nation may be the next bailout recipient, bond prices are getting hammered by worried investors.
To be sure, Slovenia is no financial garden spot. The previous government collapsed in a corruption scandal. Elected six days ago, current Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek and his cabinet must act quickly to revamp ailing lenders. Surging bad loans equal roughly one-fifth of economic output.
Meanwhile, the IMF estimates the former Yugoslav nation needs about 3 billion euros, or $3.9 billion of funding this year while banks need $1 billion of fresh capital.
And yields on government bonds are climbing to potentially unsustainable levels.
Still, analysts at Markit Research argue that "while Slovenia is no Finland, it is certainly not a Cyprus." Gavan Nolan, director of credit research, writes:
…Slovenia's banking sector is only about 125% of GDP, well below the EU average and nowhere near the multiples seen in Cyprus, Ireland, UK etc. Its debt/GDP ratio of 54% at the end of 2012 is again well below the EU average. It now has a government that seems ready to tackle the issues, though it is early days.
European central bankers have recently expressed confidence that Slovenia will avoid a bailout. To do so, it must issue debt at more reasonable yields in the next few months, which could prove difficult. Adrian Miller, director of fixed-income strategy at GMP Securities, writes in an email to Barrons.com:
...time is of the essence for Slovenia as with most other countries in a similar situation. This is evident by the surge in the country's 5-yr CDS swaps over the past week. And with the IMF estimating the country needs about EU4Bn in funding, it's difficult to see how they are going to come up with the necessary resources. While Slovenia plans to tap the capital markets to fund its obligations, the surge in funding costs of late could effectively lock them out of the market quickly.
Concern is playing havoc with capital markets. The price for the 5.5% 2022 bond issued last year dropped sharply today to 95, according to Markit Research. The 10-year yields are well over 6% and heading to 7%, a figure widely considered unsustainable.
Meanwhile, stocks are also faring poorly. The Liubliana Stock Exchange Slovenian Blue-Chip Index and he MSCI Slovenia index have both fallen 14% since early January.


text:
Incidentally, 9mm Luger ammunition of the time was loaded with a flat point, truncated cone bullet. It is identical to the 9mm Glisenti round, and can only be distinguished by ammunition labels or headstamps. The 9mm Parabellum was never produced in Italy (at that time) and the 9mm Glisenti was never produced in Germany.
Bob Wright


text:
Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
Indiana's Animal Care Laws-Frequently Asked Questions
In cases involving livestock (which included horses) and poultry, BOAH does have jurisdiction to enforce the agency's standards of care (345 IAC 14). In addition, BOAH may refer a case to local law enforcement on investigations with violations of the state animal cruelty law (IC 35-46-3).
Suspected cases/complaints may be submitted to BOAH by phone at (877) 747-3038 or via e-mail at email@example.com. Complaints must include contact information for the submitter to allow appropriate follow-up to gather further information. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
Complaints submitted to BOAH will be investigated by a compliance staff member, in cooperation with the local law enforcement agency for the area of the incident. Individuals submitting complaints will not be notified of the outcome of the investigation.
To report suspected abuse and/or neglect, contact your local animal control agency, if your city/county has one (many do not). Often, animal control is a part of the sheriff's department.
If that is unsuccessful, you should contact your local police/sheriff department. This is not always successful, as law enforcement agencies are tasked with many duties and must set priorities. You may need to contact a local, elected city/county official for assistance or guidance.
Pet Shops and Kennels
Currently, pet shops, boarding kennels and similar businesses are not licensed/regulated specifically by the state of Indiana. Some local communities/counties may have regulations that apply. Your best bet is to contact your local government (city and/or county) clerk's office for guidance. Many communities have zoning requirements or sanitation standards through the local health department.
Indiana State Board of Animal Health--Technical Bulletin LG-2.98
In January 1998, the Board of Animal Health revised the rules regulating livestock dealers and markets. A new section in the rule addresses the care and handling of livestock at markets in Indiana.Care and Handling
Every person licensed to operate a market facility (including livestock auction markets, stockyards and concentration points) in Indiana must maintain a minimum standard of care for animals in that facility. Livestock housed at a market for more than 24 hours must have access to feed and water.
Use of implements, such as electric prods, canes, whips, paddles or canvas straps, to drive animals must be limited only to the extent reasonably necessary to handle or drive livestock.Non-Ambulatory Animals
Occasionally, because of illness or injury, individual animals arrive at a market conscious, but unable to walk or stand without assistance.
State law prohibits markets from accepting delivery of these nonambulatory (or "downed") livestock. However, market facilities in Indiana may unload the nonambulatory livestock for the purpose of euthanizing the animal.
Markets must have written policies, procedures and equipment in place to handle animals that become nonambulatory after delivery to the facility.
By law, livestock that becomes nonambulatory after arriving at a market facility must be disposed of within 24 hours of discovery or receiving of notice of the animal's condition. Click here for dead animal disposal requirements.
More information about handling techniques for nonambulatory animals and a livestock handling guide can be obtained from the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, 13570 Meadowgrass Drive, Suite 201, Colorado Springs, CO 80921, or online at animalagriculture.org. Another resource is Temple Grandin's Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide.
The Indiana BOAH recognizes the American Veterinary Medical Association's guidelines for euthanasia of animals. The guidelines are available in PDF format for viewing.


text:
Mr. William Smith
5309 N US Highway 75 Trlr 44
Sioux City, IA 51108-1574
Dear William:
Iowans are keenly aware of the critical need for a new farm bill - one that both continues and reforms our nation's food, agriculture, conservation, energy, and rural policies. A good farm bill creates jobs and boosts the economy. That is especially important in Iowa, where agriculture and affiliated industries create about one in every five jobs and generate nearly a fourth of our state's economic output.
That is why today's action by the U.S. House of Representatives in passing legislation covering only the nutrition portion of the farm bill - and greatly reducing food assistance to low-income Americans - is so troubling. Without a doubt, the House's vote today will only make it harder to enact the comprehensive, long-term food and agriculture bill so vitally important to Iowa and our entire nation.
For more than 40 years, Congress has combined help for farm families and rural communities with food assistance for low-income families in one comprehensive farm bill. This formula gave producers some degree of protection from market swings and poor prices while assisting low-income families in putting food on the table. It also allowed us to enact innovative policies to promote renewable energy and conservation of our natural resources, which have been a remarkable economic boost for Iowa farmers and the communities in which they reside.
In June, the U.S. Senate continued that tradition, passing the Agricultural Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 by a strong bipartisan vote of 66-27. As a senior member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which I proudly chaired during passage of the 2002 and 2008 farm bills, I was very involved in shaping the new Senate farm bill.
I was encouraged that the Senate legislation built on the progress and reforms of earlier bills by continuing sound, balanced, and bipartisan policies in agriculture, food, conservation, energy and rural development even while reducing federal spending. The bill included a strong conservation title that will help farmers and landowners in Iowa and across our nation conserve our soil, water, and wildlife. It also continued to fund programs helping farmers and rural businesses carry out rural renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. To reform farm programs, the Senate bill eliminated the direct commodity payments and replaced them with a new and more effective income-protection system derived from one that I worked to include in the 2008 farm bill.
Consistent with past farm bills, the Senate measure also continued support for food banks and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which benefits the most vulnerable among us - children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those working at minimum wage. Some 400,000 Iowans rely on this modest SNAP assistance to feed their families.
Rather than following the example of the Senate and passing a comprehensive, bipartisan farm bill, the House has moved in the opposite direction. After failing in June to pass the proposed new farm bill approved by the House Agriculture Committee, in July, the House leadership split off the nutrition title of the farm bill and gained passage of all other farm bill titles in a separate bill.
Today, the House passed its stand-alone bill containing the nutrition title and cutting nearly $40 billion from food assistance in the next 10 years - about twice as much as the original House bill had proposed. The severity of the House nutrition spending cut is shown in analysis by the Congressional Budget Office: it would in 2014 alone deny SNAP food assistance to 3.8 million low-income Americans struggling in a tough economy. And it would reduce SNAP assistance by an average of $90 each month to 850,000 households.
At a time when a reasonable solution is badly needed in order to finalize a long-term farm bill, the House action moves in the opposite direction, which will only make it more difficult for the Senate and the House to come together and to reach an agreement that can be sent to the President for his signature. By going down this unprecedented path -- splitting the historic coalition that has traditionally supported farm bills -- the House is not only seeking drastically to weaken modest yet critical assistance for low-income families. The House's action today has also greatly jeopardized our ability to enact a farm bill continuing income protection for agricultural producers along with conservation, energy, and rural initiatives of proven success.
Even following today's extreme action, the House still could adopt a more reasonable approach and cooperate in enacting a new farm bill. To do so, it is now essential for the House to agree to a conference so that the Senate and House can negotiate and agree upon a comprehensive, balanced, sensible, and bipartisan new food and agriculture bill. A new farm bill is far too important to farmers, rural communities, consumers, and all Americans to be delayed any longer. I intend to do everything in my power to advance this process and see that Congress passes and the president signs this critically important legislation.
For more information on the 2013 farm bill, please visit http://www.harkin.senate.gov/
Tom Harkin
United States Senator


text:
Fishermen say lie-detector test keeps Winni Derby honest
By DAN SEUFERT
Sunday News Correspondent | May 18. 2013 8:27PM
Dan Dunlop of Meredith and his son Drew fish on Meredith Bay during the Winni Derby Saturday. (DAN SEUFERT/Union Leader Correspondent)
"It's a good thing because it makes sure the whole thing is fair," said Wally Ryan of Canterbury.
Anglers bringing in fish this weekend have been talking about the newly enforced polygraph rule, she said.
At the Meredith town docks, several fishermen said they liked the idea of polygraph testing.
"It's not uncommon at all," he said. "It's just the first time they've used it here."
* e-Edition subscription required


text:
Hello and good morning to you all.
Hello and good morning to you all.
Good morning everyone! Only 5 days to go!
My Christmas Blogs:
- My most popular Christmas blog: KrisKringleForSingles dot blogspot dot com
- HolidaySingleGirldot blogspot dot com
- SilverandGoldChristmas dot blogspot dot com
Good morning my friends
Hi snowangel hope you're having a wonderful Holiday season.:elf3:
'I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!' Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. 'The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob, on my knees!' (Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol)
Hi angelpugs, Papa and Snowangel!
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
Merry Christmas to all...
good afternoon, everyone
Hello and happy weekend the big day is closing is closing in having friends and family in starting this weekend as we enjoy our get togethers and this wonderful holiday season.
Good Morning..
A heartwarming story...
There is kindness and Christmas spirit after all.....
Merry Christmas to all...


text:
Product Description
Skeena River Waders – Short - Patagonia - Highly versatile, lightweight, feature rich H2No® Performance Standard waders designed for the widest range of fishing scenarios - from small streams to big rivers. Whether you're scrambling up small, high-gradient freestones or climbing over drift boat gunwales to do the cast-step-mend steelhead dance, the fact is, most wader failure is caused by abrasion along inner leg seams. The solution for wader longevity? Move the seams out of the high-wear zone to the back outside of each leg. Our Skeena River Waders feature SSC (single-seam construction) for significantly enhanced durability and freedom of movement. These highly versatile, lightweight fly fishing waders are built from varying weights of tough, 4-layer polyester microfiber with our proprietary waterproof/breathable H2No® barrier and NanoSphere® DWR (durable water repellent) finish. They're also loaded with fishing-friendly features: waist-mounted EZ-Lock suspenders easily convert from chest to waist height and provide quick relief without having to remove your jacket; internal, welded TPU-waterproof pocket keeps camera or phone dry; chest handwarmer pockets with water-resistant zips protect your off hand from the elements; additional upper storage pockets and 100% nylon utility keeper secure essential tools. The custom-fit left and right booties are made from 3mm neoprene with abrasion-resistant soles. Field repair kit included. - Patagonia - Skeena River Waders – Short
Additional Information
Additional Information
|Delivery time - Working days
|4 - 7
|1051 g (37.1 oz)
|Used materials
|H2No® Performance Standard shell: Upper: 4-layer, 5.4-oz 100% polyester microfiber high-density taffeta. Lower: 4-layer, 5.8-oz 100% polyester microfiber high-density taffeta. All with a waterproof/breathable barrier and NanoSphere® DWR (durable water rep
|Worldwide DHL Premium Air Mail


text:
"Colonel Mustard did it with the candlestick in the library."
One hears statements of this kind while playing the popular board game "Clue." Players of Clue must travel around an imaginary old mansion while collecting hints. Based on hints, players make educated guesses about the "where, who, and with what weapon" facts of a murder mystery.
Pursuing better treatments and cures for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a little like playing an exceedingly complicated game of Clue. Villainous SLE ...Continue Reading →


text:
Comfort Inn Airport, Grand Rapids
- Free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking
Main amenities
- 107 smoke-free guestrooms
- Free airport shuttle
- 24-hour fitness center
- 24-hour business center
- 24-hour front desk
- Coffee/tea in a common area
- Air conditioning
- Daily housekeeping
- Lobby fireplace
- Front desk safe
- Laundry service
- Meeting rooms
- Free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking
For families
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Private bathroom
What's around
- Patterson Ice Center (1.1 mi / 1.8 km)
- Woodland Mall (1.2 mi / 1.9 km)
- Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve (2.2 mi / 3.5 km)
- Calvin College (2.3 mi / 3.6 km)
- Forest Hills Fine Arts Center (3.1 mi / 5 km)
Comfort Inn Airport, Grand Rapids
Hotel Info: 855-239-9246from $105
- Room, 1 King Bed with Sofabed, Non Smoking (Larger Room, 2 Person Sofa Bed)
- Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking
- Double Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking
- Double Room, 2 Double Beds, Non Smoking
- Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking
- Room, 1 King Bed with Sofabed, Non Smoking (2 Person Sofa Bed)
- Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking
More great choices
At a glance
Key facts
Hotel size
- This hotel has 107 rooms
- This hotel is arranged over 3 floors
- Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out time is noon
- Express check-out
Required at check in
- Credit card or cash deposit required
- Government-issued photo ID required
Travelling with others
- Children (18 years old and younger) stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding
- Pets allowed *
- Specific rooms only, restrictions apply *
- 2 per room
- Free WiFi in public areas
- Free WiFi in rooms
- Free airport shuttle (available 24 hours) *
- Free self parking
Other information
- Smoke-free property
Nearby Two Star Grand Rapids hotels
In the hotel
- Free breakfast
- Coffee/tea in a common area
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- 24-hour business center
- Number of meeting rooms - 2
- Meeting rooms
- Conference space size (feet) - 648
- Conference space size (meters) - 60
- 24-hour front desk
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Luggage storage
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Elevator/lift
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Fireplace in lobby
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
In the room
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Air conditioning
- Coffee/tea maker
- Iron/ironing board
- Private bathroom
- Shower/tub combination
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Flat-screen TV
- Cable TV channels
- Desk
- Free weekday newspaper
- Free WiFi
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Daily housekeeping
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
Top Grand Rapids hotels
Recently reviewed hotels in Grand Rapids
- Swan Inn MotelFrom
"This was a nice surprise. We were having problems getting a room at any of the usual places we tend to stay. So we thought we were going to be stuck with choosing The Swan. This…"Jun 12, 2017
- Motel 6 Grand Rapids MI - NortheastFrom
"It was greatly renovated and clean thank you"Jun 12, 2017
- The Winter InnFrom
"We love to stay at unique hotels, and this location did not disppoint. This historic Inn features a great tavern downstairs, and is located in a small city downtown with some fun…"Jun 12, 2017
- Baymont Inn & Suites Grand Rapids SW/Byron CenterFrom
"We had a very nice weekend at this hotel. I was extremely excited to see a Tanger Outlet sign directly across from the hotel. The only thing that I can say that disappointed me…"Jun 12, 2017
Nearby hotels
Also popular with travelers from the USA
Comfort Inn Airport, Grand Rapids's small print
Also known as
- Airport Comfort Inn
- Comfort Inn Airport Hotel Grand Rapids
- Comfort Inn Hotel Airport
- Comfort Inn Airport Grand Rapids
Parking is complimentary only during guests' stay (extended parking is not available to guests booking via this website).
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Pet-friendly rooms can be requested by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation.
For transfers, guests must contact the property 72 hours prior to arrival at the number on the booking confirmation.
Optional extras
Rollaway beds are available for USD 10.00 per night
Pets are allowed for an extra charge of USD 15.00 per accommodation, per night
We have included all charges provided to us by this hotel. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.
Is the description of this hotel not correct? Tell us


text:
Information For...
Database Finder Welding
Of the general databases, MasterFILE Premier will be useful to Welding students. They may also like the following:
|Vendor (interface):
|What you'll get:
|Vocational & Career Collection
|Full text coverage from trade and industry-related periodicals.
|Vocations, Careers & Technical Education Collection
|GaleGroup (Infotrac)
|This collection provides content from general career guides to highly specialized industry journals.
For a list of websites on Welding, check the SPC Library's Webpage Finder.
Change Catagory · Library Homepage


text:
Discussion in 'Pistons and NBA' started by roscoe36, Jun 23, 2009.
Its 3:15 ..testing testing..
I sadly can't remember, does anybody remember how much time there is on the clock between picks? I am trying to figure out how much of the draft I am gonna miss on my way home from work.
Looks like the Mavs just traded there #22 to Portland for the #24 and #56. Portland Trail Blazers deal 3 picks to Dallas Mavericks for No. 22 in draft - ESPN
Are we CHATTING tonight?
I believe this is the thread for tonight. No chat though.
Mock Draft 3.0: Wolves get their guards on - CBSSports.com
NBA At 2: Trades Impacting Draft - Basketball News & NBA Rumors - HOOPSWORLD
Lets get ready to ruuumble.....
I like Hansbrough, I think he'll end being be very similiar to Shane Battier from a solid all around player standpoint. He's got some Lambieer like nastiness in him. He's a willing elbow tosser that doesn't hesitate to clear the area under the rim.
If they take Mullens, hopefully he's involved in a pretty good trade. If Clark is available, I say take him. But I kind of of expect the Suns to take him . . . I would be happy if they take Maynor, Teague, Jennings, or maybe even Lawson. If they do take a PG with the 15th pick, then with the 5th in the 2nd Rd, I say they go for either DaJaun Summers - SF out of Georgetown, or Wayne Ellington - SG out of N.Carolina.
Yeah, he's also a possibility. One of the toughest players in this draft, without a doubt.
I think he could be a good choice. But unfortunately the other side of the Battier comparison is that he could be the next Laettner.
Except Laettner was a 3rd pic.
The Pistons should take Patrick Mills in the 2nd round if he falls that far. He has good range out to 3, attacks the basket and can score. He's a bit of a combo guard and only 6'0 but would be a nice backup. Will Bynum has impressed me, but I think he has more potential than Will.
Another combo guard? How about a pure PG? Would that be too much to ask for?
In the second round how good could a pure PG be? You'd have to spend the 15th pick to get a decent one and frankly I wouldnt
Did I mention that he should be good? Just get a pure PG so that we can check off one of the needs form the list.
Stuart Scott is the most annoying human being ever. You really have to wonder about the intelligence of ESPN, because I don't think anyone likes Scott, and yet they stick him on high profile events like this.
Yeah, he's always been crap. I'm not sure how they determine who gets the biggest gigs there.
Separate names with a comma.


text: He sure looks cuddly and your story about him is very precious. I've told you before, that I want to be a chicken or rooster at your house so you can give me lots of love and attention."Here is Annette my wimpy little baby chicken who was born with a defective umbrella on her head,but as you can see in the next photo, she had come full circle and carries that umbrella around like she owns the whole chicken yard" Soon the guys will all be after her and the umbrella. Will have to keep an eye on that little girl"


text:
|Up a level
|Gandhi, D 1982, Polypropylene fibre reinforcement of hardened cement paste , PhD thesis, University of Salford.
|Hall, M 1982, 'Quantifying trends in site location with multidimensional scaling' , World Archaeology, 14 (1) , pp. 131-152. Item not available from this repository.
|Hall, M and Borland, CH 1982, 'The Indian connection: an assessment of Hromnik's' Indo-Africa'' , The South African Archaeological Bulletin, 37 (136) , pp. 75-80. Item not available from this repository.
|Kargbo, TO 1982, Small urban centres in Sierra Leone: A geographical study with particular reference to their role in rural development , PhD thesis, University of Salford.
|Rees, PA 1982, 'Gross assimilation efficiency and food passage time in the African elephant' , African Journal of Ecology, 20 (3) , pp. 193-198. Item not available from this repository.
|Valizadeh, H 1982, Experimental studies of the processes occuring in ion plating discharges , PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.


text:
Categories: People
Mr. DenHartog came to IPFW in December 1974 where he worked for building services until March 1976. He returned in August 1976 as a patrolman and later was promoted to sergeant. In 1992 he was promoted to chief of police. In 1991 he received the Pride Plus Award.
Photo: Intercom (September 1981), p.5.


text:
"Me" will be used as the reference point to search from.
Please provide a postal code or a city, or select a city from the directory.
Situated at 1419 3 Ave S near you, Village Quilts is an enterprise inside the sewing machines - household section of Canpages.ca online directory.
You can call 403-320-1817 to do business with Village Quilts that is near your area. Or, simply add this enterprise to your personal business favorites at the bottom of this page.
Finally, feel free to share this info with your contacts by using Facebook or Twitter icons.


text:
"Folio" Personalized Wine/Drink Labelsby My Wedding Labels
$0.50 - 1.17 per label
Put your names on your own personalized custom wine labels, liqueur labels, wine bottle tags and wine coasters. Your own home vinted wine and liqueur will be transformed into a professional product with our custom wine and liqueur labels.
Our high quality, beautifully produced tags, coasters and personalized wine labels create elegant personalized wedding and party favors and unforgettable personalized gifts for all occasions. You can serve your personal coasters to guests at dinner parties along with your home vinted wine with personalized labels, or give custom drink coasters as a hostess gift when you visit friends along with a bottle of your private-labeled wine. You can also personalize the labels, tags and coasters with your monogram, photo or art.


text:
Stacy Keibler was able to lose weight without even working out - but it was far from easy!
The 33-year-old beauty, who is the host of the upcoming "Supermarket Superstar," stopped by Access Hollywood Live on Wednesday, where she dished on her recent six-month food experiment.
"I actually took some time off from working out just to see how my body reacted to certain foods by eliminating them out of my diet," she told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover.
PHOTOS: She's Got Legs! Hot Shots Of The Lovely Stacy Keibler!
Stacy's food no-no list was long.
"I did no gluten, no soy, no dairy, I did no sugar," she said. "I was eating protein and vegetables."
PHOTOS: George Clooney's (Many) Women Over The Years!
According to Stacy, the diet worked wonders - including weight loss without hitting the gym.
"I felt amazing... I really do believe you are what you eat," she continued. "When I was on it, I actually lost weight and that was without working out. So that was part of the experiment I wanted to do, was to see how my body my reacted."
Stacy's strict regime also included (mostly) giving up something boyfriend George Clooney is known to enjoy.
"I didn't have a drink because it has sugar in it," she said, but then added, "I think I may have had a drink when I went over to Europe."
PHOTOS: The Always Dapper Gentleman George Clooney
"Supermarket Superstar" premieres at 10 PM on July 22 on Lifetime.
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
190g wild discus biotope w/ LED lighting
Well after several weeks on this tank it is finally finished!!! I picked this tank up at the end of January and have been working on it nonstop. I put a lot of thought and planning into this one. In fact, this is my most intense tank build yet. Lots of DIY work, made the setup of my old 400g seem like a breeze. This tank will be home mainly to my wild discus. I went for a biotope-ish setup, even though I have a few fish that arent truly native to where the discus are from. Enough of that, on to the details!
The tank measures 60x30x24, is made from ½ glass all around and holds roughly 190 gallons of water. I bought the tank used from Charlie @ The Fish Tank Factory in SoCal. The previous owner cracked the bottom pane, which was repaired by Charlies builder. The customer never came back for the tank, so I ended up getting a really good deal on it. It just involved a very long drive to pick it up!
The stand is DIY, about 33 tall. This is the second stand I've built. I hate working with wood, I don't enjoy it all and only do it out of necessity. The stand is extremely overbuilt, but it's the easiest way I've found to build a stand. Its framed out of regular 2x4s, then skinned in whiteboard since it's light and cheap. Because I'm only painting it, I didn't need to go with some high quality wood.
The stand has side access doors along with the two front doors. The doors were built out of birch plywood panels, with a simple trim. It's not perfect, but came out decent, and I'm learning! Maybe one day I can build a stain-worthy stand. But for now, I think this will look just fine in my living room. Final color was gloss leather brown.
I also made an open top canopy out of whiteboard. Its just a simple box frame as I only needed something to hide the black plastic trim and finish up the top.
This is one area where I spent a lot of time, especially doing research. This was a bare tank with no overflow boxes and no holes, so I was starting with a blank canvas. Ive ran the Herbie setup before and I loved it. My main requirement was that this tank be dead silent as it was going in my living room. The filtration also had to be clean and simple. Im not a fan of messy wet/dry filters. Those that have seen my sumps before know what Im talking about http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif
After doing lots of research on reefcentral.com, I decided to go with the Beananimal overflow system. It involved a little more work since it uses 3 drain lines, but after running both the Herbie and the Beananimal, Im convinced the Beananimal is better, safer, and quieter. Its quieter because it uses two downward facing elbows, unlike the Herbie which uses two vertical open standpipes. The downward facing elbows make it so the system runs silent with no air bubbles in the lines at all. But because the elbows are facing down, you get air trapped inside at start-up. This is where the 3rd line comes in. When you start up the pump, the water level quickly rises past the two drain lines and starts flowing down the emergency drain. After a few minutes, the system purges the air out of the two main lines and the water level drops down, resuming its normal operation.
So with a plan in mind, I set out to drill the holes. I have never drilled glass before, so this was a learning experience. I bought a cheap diamond glass bit on eBay and practiced on a spare 20g tank. It was really easy actually. Theres plenty of videos on YouTube that show the steps involved. I ended up drilling five 1.75 holes for 1 bulkheads.
The Beananimal is built out of 1.5 piping. In fact, the entire system is built exactly like Beananimal original design as seen here: http://www.beananimal.com/projects/s...ow-system.aspx. The bulkheads are 1" with 1.25 elbows and strainers in the overflow box. Overflow box is DIY as well, using three pieces of ¼ glass.
The main drain is the one at the far right. The drain runs submerged and handles the bulk of the flow. Because its submerged, it runs as a full siphon, which can handle a lot more flow than a line that has air trapped in it. To restrict the flow and to control the noise, Im using a 1.5 brass gate valve. I was using the ball valve at first, but its much easier to fine tune the flow with a gate valve. Youll also notice that I have a small valve up top. For some reason, the air bubbled that traps inside this line during startup would not purge. I think it may be that my drain lines are submerged too far past the water level in the sump. I havent researched this yet, so I just added a small valve up top where I could release the trapped air. Without this, I was having water go down my emergency line indefinitely. As soon as I purge out the air, it goes back to normal.
The middle line is the open channel standpipe. This one basically operates like a Durso pipe, with a vented hole up top. The vent hole has tubing that extends below the rim of the tank. In the event of an emergency and a rising water level, the open channel standpipe will convert to a full siphon like the one on the right as soon as the vent tube becomes submerged under water. When it turns into a full siphon, it can handle a lot more flow than it could as a Durso, and can aid in quickly moving water down to the sump. Under normal operation, this pipe is flowing a small amount of spillover; whatever the main drain cant handle. Because its a small amount of water, the water clings to the inside walls of the pipe, thereby not making any noise. If it begins to flow too much, then air gets trapped with the water, and you get the classic gurgling sound that overflows are known for!
The last pipe on the left is the emergency drain, and simply consists of an upturned elbow. As I mentioned above, this pipe sees water each the pump restarts, until the system purges the air out.
The main drain and open channel drain both flow into one filter sock in the sump. Im currently using a 25 micron 7x16 filter sock.
The sump itself is made from an old 40g glass tank. This is quite possibly the cheapest, easiest, and most efficient sump you can build! You dont need any drip trays, dividers, or baffles. All thanks to the media of choice. I have about 30-40lbs of porous ceramic media, which works much better than bio balls or pot scrubbers. Because this media is used fully submerged, it makes the sump very easy to build.
Im using two return pumps for this setup: Quiet One 4000 (1017gph) and 4000 HH (980gph). These return back to the tank via two 1 return lines. I have a ball valve on each to be able to reduce the flow as needed; wild discus are particularly picky about not having strong currents in the tank. The returns on the inside consist of 45* elbows that I can rotate to adjust the surface current, or aim down if I wish. The return lines also have 1.5 swing-type check valves to stop the flow back to the sump, since they are several inches below the water surface.
Heating consists of a Rancho ECT1-R temperature controller and a 1000w titanium rod. I hate using regular aquarium heaters. They are so inaccurate and unreliable. This setup truly is set it and forget it!
Lighting is one that deserves its very own section, since I went into total crackhead mode here http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif I did a lot of think and a lot of research before finally pulling the trigger. I know for certain that I did not want to run fluorescent lighting. I was tired of the flat look it gives the tank. Its very unnatural, and I dont like how every square inch of the tank is lit up evenly. I also knew I wanted the shimmer effect, so it was either metal halides or LED. Metal halides were completely out of the question, since I dont like the idea of making the electric company rich! So, LEDs it was! I was almost set on running 4-6x 10w LED floodlamps you see more and more folks using these days. In the end, I decided to go DIY to give me more flexibility. These floodlamps are made in China, so you cant really know how long theyll last, or whether youll be able to buy replacements in the future. But the main reason for going DIY was color choice. Cool white LEDs are ugly in my opinion. They wash out the color of fish too much. The warm whites are very yellow. If I chose the floodlamps, I wouldnt be able to mix up the colors to get a nice mixture.
The light bar itself I made out of 1 metal conduit, which I bent into shape using a manual pipe bender. The light fixture is a big and heavy piece of aluminum heatsink, measuring 7x36. I also attached a splash shield made from ¼ acrylic. The shield really isnt needed, but it finishes off the fixture nicely, makes it look more legit.
The LEDs are Cree XP-Gs. They cost a little more than other brands, but the quality and reputation is well worth the extra cost. The fixture uses 12 neutral white LEDs (4000k) and 12 warm white LEDs (3000k). They are arranged in two rows of 12, alternating each color in the two rows. LEDs were soldered up using 20ga solid core wire, wired in series and in 4 strings of 6 LEDs each. More on this below.
The brains behind the operation is what really makes this light special! My initial plan was to drive the LEDs using pre-wired Buckpucks with a dimmer switch. But after talking to my good buddy Aaron (member: o2surplus on monsterfishkeepers), he convinced me to go with a custom driver and a microcontroller. The driver was built entirely by Aaron, so I take no credit here. In fact, if it werent for him constantly answering my noob questions, I probably wouldnt have been able to go the DIY route. If youre interested in a driver setup like mine, shoot him a pm, he may be able to build one for you http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif
The LEDs are driven by four ON Semiconductor CAT4101 constant-current drivers. Each CAT4101 is controlling a string of 6 LEDs. 4 drivers running 6 LEDs, total of 24 of LEDs. Each driver controls an individual color; drivers 1 and 3 control the warm whites, drivers 2 and 4 control the neutral whites. The current to the LEDs is controlled by soldering an external resistor to one of the CAT4101s pins. In this case, a 549ohm resistor was used for each CAT4101 to drive the LEDs at 1000mA, or 1a. The XP-Gs can handle up to 1500mA, so this is well within their safe operating range. For those who want to understand more on the CAT4101, you can find the technical specs here: http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/CAT4101-D.PDF
For dimming and on/off control, the CAT4101 relies on an external pulse width modulation signal (PWM). That is where the Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller comes in. To keep the microcontroller in sync with the on/off cycles, and in case the power is disconnected, the Arduino is connected to a DS1307 Real Time Clock with battery backup. The code I uploaded to the Arduino is set up to run sunrise-to-sunset lighting. The lights slowly fade on in the morning, and slowly fade out at night. Each LED string is fully adjustable for start time, photoperiod length, and brightness. This allows me to dim or brighten up the warm and neutral whites to get the color mixture I like. All I need to do is hook up the Arduino to my laptop and quickly edit the code. How freaking cool is that?!?!?
This magic black box that Aaron built me is really a work of art. The board is so neat and tidy. All the terminals and connections on the board are labeled. Everything is taken care of; the 24v power source hookup, the 5v power to run the CAT4101s, 12v power for the Arduino and fan connections, and the pins for the 5v PWM signal to the Arduino. He even included a power indicator light and an override switch to turn the LEDs on at any time, bypassing the Arduino. Only thing I needed to do was purchase the microcontroller and Real Time Clock and hook those up. So easy, a caveman can do it!
And last but not least, the power supply. Everything is powered by a 24v, 6.5a, 150w power supply.
The project box, showing USB connection for microcontroller and LED hooksups
Other side of project box: 24v power hookup, LED indicator light and override switch
Custom PCB: screw terminals on top row are connections for the 4 LED channels. Middle row you'll see the four CAT4101 drivers. Bottom left terminal is 24v power supply connections. Bottom middle terminal is 12v power supply for microcontroller and ground connections. Bottom right terminal is for the PWM signals from microcontroller, and for manual override.
This shows the 24v power hookup and override switch
The Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller (on inside lid of project box)
The Arduino with the Real Time Clock module attached
Driver PCB and Arduino connected
Warm white Cree XP-G
This is a good photo showing the true-life colors of the neutral whites and warm whites
24v 6.5a power supply
Decor for this tank is pretty simple, since I was going for a South American biotope look. I wanted a nice 3D background, but I didnt want to lose several inches in depth. So I settled for the thin pieces that are tiled on. I ended up going with the Aqua Terra Slimline Mesa Rock background. Those you know backgrounds, know that Aqua Terra is really the best there is. When you see one in person, youll know why. To finish up the look, I also covered the overflow box with the background tiles.
The substrate is a mixture of sand and gravel. Sand is 12# mesh Monterey Beach Sand. The gravel mixed in with the sand is Klondike Brown gravel. Both the sand and gravel were purchased from a local rock yard.
Driftwood is Manzanita, collected locally in the northern California area. I placed the driftwood vertically in the tank to give it the look of tree roots growing into the water.
To make my life easier with the constant water changes needed, I decided to set up as semi-automatic water changing system. Since the tank was in my living room, it was a little difficult to set up a 24/7 drip system, because I couldnt take advantage of gravity to drain the excess water from the sump. To do so would have required a system with float switches, reservoirs, solenoids, etc. I didnt want to deal with the extra cost, so I chose a super simple setup.
The main part of the system is the 55g aging barrel. The water is fed from my washers cold water supply line. It passes through a chlorine/chloramine filter, pressure regulator and then goes to the aging barrel. The water level in the barrel is maintained automatically with a float valve. I chose to use a barrel to heat and age the water for degassing purposes.
The 55g barrel is in a coat closet, and contains a small submersible pump to supply fresh water to the tank. There is another submersible pump in my sump; this is used to drain the tank for the daily water changes. The drain and refill pumps are controlled by a wireless remote control (this one to be exact). To actually perform a water change, this is what I do:
- Turn off main pumps and heater, let extra water flow down to sump.And thats it! After that, the 55g barrel gets refilled with treated water from the float valve, ready for the next days water change. With this setup, I can change 30-35g per day, depending on how much water I keep in the sump. And I can do it in a matter of minutes while sitting on the couch, thanks to the wireless remote!
Cold water feed from washer hookup. Feeds to aging barrel (not shown)
Drain pump that drains to nearby sink
Drain pump
Spigot that refills the sump from the aging barrel, with a Y-valve for adding water to other tanks
In a few months I plan on going to a fully-automatic system, whereby the drain pump comes on at set intervals throughout the day using a timer, draining only a few gallons at a time. The sump will then be refilled using an automatic top-off controller, commonly used in reef tanks. I spent too much on this tank already, so I saved some money by not buying the top-off controller right now. I will soon though http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif
Well, that was a long write-up. I think that covers most of it. On to the full tank shots! I will update this thread regularly with new pictures. The tank is a bare fish-wise right now, but I plan on having 15-20 wild discus in the near future. Stay tuned! Any questions, feel free to ask. Enjoy!
Beautiful setup! Love all of the driftwood and the discus. Nice job on the stand too.
Subscribed. :proud:
This is just amazing! I love it! The tannins are awesome. Maybe a nice school of Sterbais along the bottom?
Hows the tank itself btw?
I just emailed charlie asking some questions because I'm looking for a 75 gallon.
Hows the company?
This set up is bad to the bone!!!!!Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb bad!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only word that came outta my mouth was WOW . . . . . . .
Oh my goodness
You have put something together that is Beautiful.
I honestly dont think there is anything you could have done any better.
Superb setup!! Very Superb!!
+1 Wow from Kuwait!
amazing tank! I especially like the first (detail) picture of the discus. The patches of light make it look so natural.
Thanks for the very detailed write up!
I have to admit, the choice of lighting is a massive success.
Absolutely top notch project.
As many have already said. Fantastic job, this tank looks gorgeous, the stand is effective and well built, the LEDs look great and your filtration should be top notch. Congrats, I only hope to one day be able to come up with something close to this.
WOOOW, this set-up is amazing! Really well done equipment. Ive been reading about Beananimals overflow for a while and thought it was a very good design. Wow...
|All times are GMT. The time now is 11:03 PM.
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text:
When Todd Akin Made A Mistake Did Reporters Correct Him?
The initial coverage of Todd Akin's remarks often failed state the obvious, he was flat out wrong. More »
Doonesbury Tackles the Assault on Women's Reproductive Rights
The Women's Media Center thanks Garry Trudeau for his insightful comic tacking the nationwide battle for reproductive rights and abortion access. More »
Obama's Epic #FAIL on Plan B
Out of patience with Obama Administration betrayals on health issues, a coalition has launched a petition demanding an agenda that is fair to women. More »
Voters Reject GOP State Initiatives—What's the Message for 2012?
In a week when voters shot down anti-union and anti-reproductive choice measures, President Obama took pride in initiatives to advance women's equality. More »
Newsbrief: Lara Logan Breaks Ground with Graphic Description of Rape, Kentucky Church Takes a Stand
The Birth Police—Rights of Pregnant Women and Their Families
In the current wave of state legislature proposals, the threat to a woman's reproductive rights goes far beyond whether or not she can choose abortion, as the founder of Trust Women PAC explains. More »


text:
Bypass the box office line at many theaters with guaranteed advance tickets. If something comes up, you can return or exchange them up until the posted showtime.
Earn rewards points from our partners, including AMC Stubs, Regal Crown Club and more.
Save your favorite theaters and movies to experience a customized Fandango just for you.
Get the VIP treatment, free screenings, digital downloads, discounts and more.
Looking for movie tickets? Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing The Loneliest Planet near you.
A shocking incident throws a seemingly healthy relationship into crisis in this drama from director Julia Loktev. Alex (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Nica (Hani Furstenberg) are a twentysomething couple who have been together for several years and enjoy traveling, taking a certain pride in their willingness to rough it rather than follow the easy path. The pair will soon be married, and to celebrate they've traveled to Eurasia to climb the Caucasus Mountains. After hiring a local guide named Dato (Bidzina Gujabidze), the couple hike through the wilderness en route to the mountains. They spend their time swapping stories and soaking in the rugged beauty of their surroundings in respectful silence, with Dato offering his own curt interjections. However, one day the hikers cross paths with a group of hunters, leading to an incident in which Alex's reaction seems either prudent or cowardly depending on one's perspective. The trio eventually pick themselves up and move on, but nothing seems the same for Alex and Nica after that. The Loneliest Planet received its North American premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi