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If You're Not Seeing Data, You're Not Seeing
- By Brian X. Chen
- August 25, 2009 |
- 8:00 pm |
- Categories: Phones, R&D and Inventions
- source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/augmented-reality/
As you shove your way through the crowd in a baseball stadium, the lenses of your digital glasses display the names, hometowns and favorite hobbies of the strangers surrounding you. Then you claim a seat and fix your attention on the batter, and his player statistics pop up in a transparent box in the corner of your field of vision.
"Augmented reality is the ultimate interface to a computer because our lives are becoming more mobile," said Tobias Höllerer, an associate professor of computer science at UC Santa Barbara, who is leading the university's augmented reality program. "We're getting more and more away from a desktop, but the information the computer possesses is applicable in the physical world."
Tom Caudell, a researcher at aircraft manufacturer Boeing, coined the term "augmented reality" in 1990. He applied the term to a head-mounted digital display that guided workers through assembling electrical wires in aircrafts. The early definition of augmented reality, then, was an intersection between virtual and physical reality, where digital visuals are blended in to the real world to enhance our perceptions.
Futurists and computer scientists continue to raise their standards for a perfectly augmented world. Höllerer's dream for augmented reality is for it to reach a state in which it does not rely on a pre-downloaded model to generate information. That is, he wants to be able to point a phone at a city it's completely unfamiliar with, download the surroundings and output information on the fly. He and his peers at UCSB call this idea "Anywhere Augmentation."
But we have a long way to go — perhaps several years — before achieving Anywhere Augmentation, Höllerer said. Augmented reality is stifled by limitations in software and hardware, he explained. Cellphones require superb battery life, computational power, cameras and tracking sensors. For software, augmented reality requires a much more sophisticated artificial intelligence and 3-D modeling applications. And above all, this technology must become affordable to consumers. The best possible technology that is available today would nearly cost $100,000 for a solid augmented-reality device, Höllerer said.
Given the cost of creating decent augmented-reality technology, early attempts have focused on two areas. One, augmented reality for your computer is prominently appearing in attention-grabbing, big-budget advertisements. And a few consumer applications of the technology are just beginning to surface in smartphones.
A recent example of augmented reality appeared in the marketing campaign for the sci-fi blockbusterDistrict 9. On the movie's official website was a "training simulator" game, which asked computer users to print a postcard containing the District 9 logo and hold it in front of a webcam. The postcard contains a marker; when the game detects that marker in the webcam video, it overlays a 3-D hologram of aDistrict 9 character on the computer screen. From there, players can click buttons to fire a gun, jump up and down or throw a human against a wall in the game. (See video above.)
Mattel is using the same type of 3-D imaging augmented reality in "i-Tag" action figures for James Cameron's new movie Avatar. The toy includes a card containing a marker, which is projected as a 3-D action figure on a computer. This way, children can battle each other's virtual characters on a computer screen.
But augmented reality isn't truly useful in a static desktop environment, Höllerer said, because people's day-to-day realities involve more than sitting around all day (outside of work, at least). And that's why smartphones, which include GPS hardware and cameras, are crucial to driving the evolution of augmented reality.
Brian Selzer, co-founder of Ogmento, a company that creates augmented reality products for games and marketing, recognizes the need for augmented reality to go mobile. He said his company is working on several projects coming in the near future to help market mainstream movies with augmented reality smartphone apps. For example, movie posters will trigger interactive experiences on an iPhone, such as a trailer or even a virtual treasure hunt to promote the film.
"The smartphone is bringing AR into the masses right now," Selzer said. "In 2010 every blockbuster movie is going to have a mobile AR campaign tied to it."
On the consumer end of the spectrum, developers have recently released augmented reality apps for the Google Android-powered HTC G1 handset. Layar, a company based in Amsterdam, released an augmented reality browser for Android smartphones in June. The Layar browser (video above) looks at an environment through the phone's camera, and the app displays houses for sale, popular restaurants and shops, and tourist attractions. The software relies on downloading "layers" of data provided by developers coding for the platform. Thus, while the information appears to display in real time, it's not truly real-time: The app can't analyze data it hasn't downloaded ahead of time.
"This is the first time media, internet and digital information is being combined with reality," said Martin Lens-FitzGerald, co-founder of Layar. "You know more, you find more, or you see something you haven't seen before. Some people are even saying that it might be even bigger than the web."
Cellphone giant Nokia is currently testing an AR app called Point & Find, which involves pointing your camera phone at real-world objects and planting virtual information tags on them (above). Users of the app can view each other's tags on the phone screen, essentially crowdsourcing an augmented reality.
"This year we're feeling a real urgency to work on augmented reality because the hardware is finally catching up to our needs," said Rebecca Allen, director of Nokia's research center in Hollywood.
Georgia Tech's Augmented Environments Lab has been researching augmented reality for a decade and recently shifted its focus onto handhelds. The video demo above, which the lab created in collaboration with the Savannah College of Art and Design, demonstrates an augmented-reality zombie shooter called ARhrrrr. The smartphone in use is a prototype containing an Nvidia Tegra, a powerful chip specializing in high-end graphics for mobile devices. How do you play? Point the phone camera at a map containing markers, and a 3D hologram of a town overrun by zombies appears on the phone's screen. Using the phone, you can shoot the zombies from the perspective of a helicopter pilot. And you can even place (real) Skittles on the physical map and shoot them to set off (virtual) bombs.
As for the iPhone, officially there are no augmented reality apps in the App Store yet — because Apple doesn't provide an open API to access live video from the phone's camera. This barrier prompted augmented reality enthusiasts and professionals to write an Open Letter to Apple pleading for access to this API to make augmented reality apps possible in the App Store.
Brad Foxhoven, Selzer's partner at Ogmento, said Apple has told him the next version of the iPhone OS (3.1) "would make [AR developers] happy," implying the live-video API will become open, and AR apps will become available very soon.
Meanwhile, some augmented reality developers have already hacked away at the iPhone's software development kit to code proof-of-concept augmented reality apps. The video above demonstrates an app called Twittaround, an augmented reality Twitter viewer on the iPhone. The app shows live tweets of mobile Twitter users around your location.
"We're doing as much as we can with the current technology," Selzer said regarding the overall augmented-reality developer community. "This industry is just getting started, and as processing speeds speed up, and as more creative individuals get involved, our belief is this is going to become a platform that becomes massively adopted and immersed in the next few years."


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Kai Shin Kai - formerly called `Yamarashi` - was founded in the 1960`s by Mike Smith who was awarded his Nidan by Tielemans Sensei of Belgium. Shortly thereafter, Mike affiliated KSK to the British Aikido Association as a traditional group autonomous to, but working closely with the Tomiki-Kai. The BAA is recognised by the Japan Aikido Association - which later ratified future Dan promotions within the KSK. In 1994 the KSK left the BAA to establish itself as a separate school recognised by the BAB. Mike Smith resigned from the KSK in December 02 to reform his own group in the BAA. Bill Harris (7th Dan) is presently the KSK Chief Instructor/Chief Examiner, Vincent Sumpter (6th Dan) is the Technical Advisor and Nigel Vaughan (5th Dan) is the KSK deputy Chief Instructor.
Membership Type
Full Member
KSK practices traditional Aikido in the manner of Hombu Dojo (Tokyo), where senior Shihan all have distinctive styles but nevertheless all follow the path of starting as a triangle, moving as a circle and finishing as a square (posture, movement and stability). That is, the KSK recognises that there are many ways of expressing both basic and advanced Aikido, none being incorrect as long as the tenets of Aikido as taught by O-Sensei are followed.
William Harris - Chief Instructor.
WebSite :
Email the Kai Shin Kai Chairman
William Harris
Email the Kai Shin Kai Child Protection Officer
Deirdre Taylor

subset: commoncrawl


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cPanel is where you manage your hosting account with InMotion Hosting. Your control panel, or cPanel is where you will create email addresses, modify DNS records, upload files, and much more. If you are a new customer and unfamiliar with web hosting, we recommend reading over our "Getting Started Guide for New Customers"
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The right are ill-qualified for the fight against the xenophobes
May 22, 2009 Leave a comment
It has emerged that 27% of voters plan to 'send westminster a message' by voting for a fringe party, the Guardian reports today (drawn from a poll of 1,010 adults between 20-21 May).
Though it seems the BNP vote will only garner 1%, some 4% less than the last European elections in 2004 (though as I've said before, and the article reiterated, voting intentions are not always so reliable for the xenophobic BNP). Ukip are down from 16% in 2004 to 10% on the voting intentions (perhaps their vote has been affected by the expenses scandals after all).
Two runners hoping to capitalise in on anti-Labour sentiment, have today been involved in in-party dispute's over public perception. David Cameron of the T0ries, in the last 48 hours, has had to give two tellings off to MP's for "unnacceptable comments". Not racist comments, or slurs, but hubristic, nob-headed comments.
The Guardian's report notes;
"David Cameron today rebuked the Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries after she accused the Telegraph of coming close to a "McCarthyite witch-hunt" with its disclosures of MPs' expenses claims.
The Conservative leader also made it clear that party grandee Anthony Steen would have the whip withdrawn "so fast his feet won't touch the ground" if he continued making "unacceptable comments".
Yesterday, Steen claimed he was the victim of "jealousy" among his Devon constituents, who he said were envious of his large house.
"I gave him a very clear instruction after that interview – one more squeak like that and he will have the whip taken away from him so fast his feet won't touch the ground," Cameron told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. "It was a completely unacceptable interview,"
(see also Liberal Conspiracy's version of the events)
The second party which has (also!) had yet another setback in its false guise of moderate modification is the BNP.
The Mirror informed that;
"A BNP candidate could be deselected for posting offensive comments online.
Eddy O'Sullivan, the party's Salford organiser, wrote on his Facebook profile: "W**s go home," adding, "They are nice people, 'oh yeah,' but can they not be nice people in the f***ing Congo or… bongo land or whatever?"
Mr O'Sullivan, 49, standing with party leader Nick Griffin in the European election for the North West region, said: "It was supposed to be a private conversation. I also may have had a drink at the time. I don't believe those comments are racist."
Clive Jefferson, BNP North West organiser, said if the allegations were proved Mr O'Sullivan would be suspended.
Deputy party leader Simon Darby said: "We will take disciplinary action if we find he has posted the comments."
Now that really is rich coming from Simon Darby, who was photographed by Searchlight recently being greeted with fascist salutes by Roberto Fiore's Forza Nuova party in Italy. One would choose their friends more wisely (advice extended to Cameron after mvoing his party to non-attached in Europe along with the likes of Le Pen and the Polish Law and Justice party).
These things are clearly embarrassing for the two parties mentioned here, for they show a presence of an image they would really rather keep quiet. For the Tories, I really believe that David Cameron really believes he is the new modern times Tory, when in actual fact, and despite their elections slogan, they are more of the same. The BNP, however, are desparately trying to seem way more with the times than they actually are (and unsuccessfully). It can be seen quite clearly from the recent amendments made to their manifesto, constantly redefining their ideas of what it is to be British, and their language and conduct entries. Change the voter's mind, and dupe them later.
To really get under the skin of the BNP in the coming weeks, then months, and years to come, critics must do more to understand their warped appeals to moderation.
Which is why it should not be left down to some comic Tories who have started casually calling the BNP a far-left party – which also tainted some of Tim Montgomerie's good work. See also Daniel Hannan's recent blog entry and Harry Phibb's unbelievable trite, with absurdities like this;
"What Conservatives can add to this critique is something that the left can never admit: Nazism and communism are ideological twins. The BNP is in fact an extreme leftwing outfit. It wishes individual liberty to be sacrificed to state control. It seeks the overthrow of capitalism, and rages against profit and speculators. It wishes to institute a siege economy with protectionism and the nationalisation of foreign-owned companies. In this it is being consistent to its founding inspiration. Hitler nationalised the banks and insurance companies, the economy was rigidly centrally planned, there was an extensive programme of public works, independent schools were banned.
How does he, then, define the far-right – and presumably in whatever way he does define it, he must be in it if everyone right of the Tories are socialist by default. These articles, in spite of their aims, are ample evidence that many respected commentators are ill-qualified to tackle a dangerous element rearing its ugly head in our democracy.
But unsurprisingly none of these party failures have restored any faith in Labour (due to their own party failures). Which is why I was suprised to read this;
"The Labour Party continues to enjoy a healthy lead at the polls according to the European Parliament election forecast even if its share of the vote has dropped over the past two weeks."
But unfortunately, this article is taken from Times of Malta. At home some of our most respected commentators are still insisting on a Labour Party shake-up to end all shake-ups. Polly Toynbee rejects this flimsy word "reshuffle" for the heavier handed "mass exile". And although it is well established that the European/ Local Elections are set to look pretty miserable for Labour, there some clean hands in that party (see here for the note on Chris Mullin, and here for Shiraz Socialist's report on the Labour Party worth fighting for) and the general elections do not have to be half as miserable.
And on an optimistic note, all is not lost on British humanity, for our next generation are already showing a hint of rebellion in Loughton, Essex, where local school children have revolted and instigated a school walk out on account of newly installed CCTV cameras in classrooms. Bite the Flower!


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< Vatican - Pope to Resign
Feb 12, 2013 06:53
Category: General News
Category: General News
ID Senate Committee Takes On Teacher Contracts
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho Senate committee will debate three revised bills governing teacher contracts and negotiations. The bills are supported by the Idaho School Boards Association. The latest version would allow details such as schedules and grades to apply to two years in those contracts. But issues of salary and benefits would be renegotiated annually.


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SOURCE: TNI BioTech, Inc.
December 27, 2012 14:49 ET
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Dec 27, 2012) - TNI BioTech, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: TNIB), a biotech company combating fatal diseases through the activation and mobilization of the body's immune system using patented immunotherapy, is pleased to announce that Umbrella Research has initiated coverage on TNI Biotech, Inc. The full report is posted on the Company web site at http://www.tnibiotech.com/investor-relations/reports or it can be accessed by clicking on the link http://umbresearch.com/Research_Reports.html
About TNI BioTech, Inc.
TNI BioTech, Inc., is a biotech company combating fatal diseases through the activation and mobilization of the body's immune system using our patented immunotherapy. Our products and immunotherapy technologies are designed to harness the power of the immune system to improve the treatment of cancer, infections such as HIV/AIDS, chronic inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases.
Our proprietary technology, therapies and patents, will be used to treat a wide range of cancers. Our most advanced clinical programs involve immunotherapy that works by isolating a patient's lymphocytes and then incubating them together with Methionine Enkephalin (MENK) in an enriching external incubation system. After incubation the patient's lymphocytes are re-infused back into the patient where they combat and destroy tumor cells.
Even though Management considers any condition that results in altered-immune response a target for investigation, the Company will most likely pursue additional investigations for MENK as a valuable candidate in the treatment of the following:
About Umbrella Research
Umbrella Research LLC was created to fill a growing information vacuum in the equity universe as diminishing investment banking prospects have resulted in the underinvestment of traditional sell side research support for small cap and emerging growth companies. Umbrella Research is a research and advisory platform focused on lesser known companies where its research, whitepapers and investor outreach can create greater incremental value to both the subject companies and investors. All of Umbrella's publishing analysts have significant sector focused experience in traditional sell side models. Its in-depth, fundamental research is designed to educate and inform investors with an emphasis on factual data and tangible performance metrics. The research is available to investors through Umbrella's proprietary distribution list as well as on the company's website at www.UMBresearch.com. Umbrella's advisory services include analysis of potential growth funding mechanisms, creation of marketing materials and presentations, investor pitch, preparation for Q&A, introduction to placement agents and funding sources, assistance drafting legal docs required for financing...etc.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release includes various "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which represent the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events. Statements containing expressions such as "believes," "anticipates," "intends," or "expects," used in the Company's press releases and in Disclosure Statements and Reports filed with the Over The Counter Markets through the OTC Disclosure and News Service are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurances that actual results will not differ materially from expected results. The Company cautions that these and similar statements included in this report are further qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Global Investment Media
Phone: 310-353-6277
Global Investment Media
Phone: 310-353-6277
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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Two goals by striker Mads Stokkelien and a second-half goal by Alessandro Noselli lifted the New York Cosmos to a thorough 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Shuart Stadium Saturday night in front of a bipartisan crowd of 9,364.
The Cosmos will face either host the Harrisburg City Islanders (at St. John's University) or play on the road against the Philadelphia Union on June 24 in the competition's Round of 16.
The Red Bulls were without many of their usual starters, including Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill,Dax McCarty, Roy Miller and Jamison Olave, for the first-ever meeting between the New York squads. But regardless, the match had a derby-like feel from the opening kickoff.
Not long after the start, Stokkelien struck for his first goal. The Norwegian ran onto a long ball by Carlos Mendes and fired a first-time volley off the bounce into the upper left corner of the net.
Stokkelien made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute, latching onto a Danny Szetela cross and placing his first-time attempt inside the far post. It came one minute after Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara was forced to make a diving save on a shot by Sebastian Guenzatti at the top of the box.
Five minutes later, Noselli took a chested feed from Stokkelien and put the game away with a low shot that eluded Meara from 12 yards out.
Three minutes from full time, the Red Bulls were reduced to 10 men when defender Chris Duvall was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Guenzatti at midfield.
The Cosmos controlled the game from the outset, outshooting the visitors 21-3, including 9-0 in the second half.
Mendes nearly scored against his former club in the 25th minute, but the Cosmos captain hammered a close-range shot off the crossbar after a sliding attempt by defender Jimmy Ockford, on loan from the Seattle Sounders off a free kick served by another former Red Bull, Hunter Freeman.
The Red Bulls' lone chance of the first half came just after the half hour mark when Jonny Steele found space inside the 18-yard box and fired a low shot toward the far post, but Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer -- yet another former Red Bull -- parried it away for the visitors' first corner of the match.


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Agronomists say it's time to rethink the value of the often-neglected rotary hoe. Sure it'll break crusts to help save stands. But it can provide valuable help as a weed control tool. The key is in the timing.
It was a tool and task I lived for during those warm, dusty Iowa springs of my youth. The rotary hoe, the 4020 with the good AM radio, sunshine, a sturdy ballcap, dirt flying... and best of all, a pace close to "road gear."
When dad picked me to go rotary hoeing instead of using my renowned skills with a cultivator (removing weeds in the row), my day was made. Thankfully, both my older and younger brothers had that "steer-straight" cultivating gene, you know the one that lets you concentrate on what I deemed the most boring job in the world. Nope, not for me. Rotary hoeing was the greatest gig on the farm.
Changing philosophy. We, like many Midwest farmers, dusted off the rotary hoe only when wind erosion or crusted soils appeared. Today, more than two decades removed from my glory days, agronomists emphasize a change in this philosophy.
The new science of weed biology (See "Buy into weed biology," February issue, page 4) will help make the rotary hoe more viable as a weed control tool.
Hoe by emergence. "By using our WeedCast software (a weed emergence prediction tool, based on soil temperature and moisture data), early research shows we can optimize timing to control more foxtail with a rotary hoe or a cultivator," says Frank Forcella, weed researcher at the USDA/ARS North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab in Morris, MN. "Foxtail, which is the first weed we've studied, is best controlled with a rotary hoe when 30% have emerged."
Doug Buhler, research agronomist at the National Soil Tilth Lab in Ames, IA, agrees that weed emergence prediction tools "will help add success to mechanical control, but more research is needed."
His Iowa studies with the rotary hoe were born out of a grower segment interested in eliminating herbicides. "We determined that two rotary hoe passes (at seven and 14 days after planting) can control 60 to 70% of certain early species like lambsquarter, smartweed and foxtails," Buhler says. "But once we get a better handle on predicting weed emergence, mechanical control should play a larger role to complement herbicides, especially when cost is $2 per acre."
Short of having weed biology data, the best rule of thumb to improve rotary hoe weed control is to dig in the soil to find small weeds. "If you see white roots scattered after making a pass, that's the time to hoe. If you're going into 1/2-in.-tall weeds or greater, the chance of control diminishes," Buhler says.
Tool technology. Design of the rotary hoe hasn't changed much since the early '90s. But if you're looking to upgrade from a 15- or 20+-year-old machine, here's a look at the four companies offering hoes, most priced in a $3,000 to $15,000 range.
Case offers two rotary hoes: model 181 for conventional tilled fields or 181 minimum-till for mulch-till situations. Each 21-in., 16-tooth wheel is suspended from a spring-loaded arm. Two staggered hoe ranks on the minimum-till model allow for better residue flow. Both rigs are available in rigid or folding styles, in widths from 15 to 41 ft. Contact Case Corp., Dept. FIN, 700 State St., Racine, WI 53404-3392, 414/636-6011 or circle 204.
Deere also has two models: a rigid or folding 400 series rotary hoe. The design features a choice of mainframe size, 20-in. dia. wheels with 16 teeth, walking beam connection to allow individual wheel flexibility and high-strength shank attached to each wheel, which is individually flexible and staggered. Sizes are from four 40-in. rows or six 30-in. rows to 12 40-in. rows or 16 30-in. rows. Contact Deere & Company, Dept. FIN, John Deere Rd., Moline, IL 61265, 309/765-4714 or circle 205.
M&W offers a wider variety of rotary hoes, from basic conventional-till rigs to minimum-till and ridge-till units. Its minimum- and ridge-till rigs feature unique extended rear arms to create two separate rows of wheels. The company claims that its rotary hoes clear trash better because teeth on wheels in one row remove trash from between wheels in opposite rows as they rotate. Widths range from 15 to 41 ft. Contact M&W, Dept. FIN, 1020 S. Sangamon Ave., Gibson City, IL 60936, 217/784-4261 or circle 206.
Yetter Manufacturing also offers three styles of rotary hoe, from the basic rigid or folding toolbar to its MT (minimum-tillage) series to a ridge-till rig. They feature 21-in., 16-teeth wheels, each mounted to its own malleable cast arm, which is independently spring-cushioned. Widths range from four to 24 rows. Contact Yetter Mfg. Co., Dept. FIN, Box 358, Colchester, IL 62326, 800/477-5777 or circle 207.


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Bamilo.com is a popular eCommerce website.
This website is online for four years and two hundred forty three days.
Bamilo.com is currently enjoying a global rank of 1506.
فروشگاه اینترنتی بامیلو، ایستگاه اول شما برای خرید اینترنتی تمام نیازهایتان در ایران است. شما دارای حق انتخاب از میان گستره ای از گزینه های موجود در وسایل الکترونیکی، مد، لوازم خانگی، وسایل بچه و سایر موارد هستید. فروشگاه اینترنتی برای همه نیازهای شما.
E-commerce is an innovative process that entails "buying and selling of products through websites on the internet" instead of the normal shopping-at-the-store offline. Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, is trading in products or services using computer networks, such as the Internet. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing and online transaction processing. E-commerce is widely considered the buying and selling of products over the internet, but any transaction that is completed solely through electronic measures can be considered e-commerce. It includes activities such as order entry, transaction processing, payment, authentication, inventory control, order fulfillment, and customer support. E-commerce (electronic-commerce) refers to business over the Internet. Web sites such as Amazon.com and eBay are e-commerce sites. eCommerce is a type of business model, or segment of a larger business model, that enables a firm or individual to conduct business over an electronic network, typically the internet. Almost any product or service can be offered via eCommerce, from books and music to financial services and plane tickets.
It may have at times happened to you to come across a website like Bamilo.com, that you start cherishing the idea of owning such a website right away. And it is widely believed that a website precise enough for your purpose indeed bears the potential to prove itself the vehicle to fame and fortune.
You are now very close to becoming the rightful owner of the website of your choice. You have the option to try a ready eCommerce script or fill in the form specifying therein your own requirements. Our team of designers, after minutely studying your specified requirements, get down to the business of shaping and evolving the website of your choice - however elaborate and intricate.
It is nevertheless explicitly stated that as a matter of policy we Do Not design websites identical to any other. We merely design all new websites with similar functionality.
Please try the demo, we know you'll love it.


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Halle Berry & Olivier Martinez Visit Churches in Paris
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez walk hand-in-hand as they do some sightseeing at historic churches on Sunday (December 23) in Paris, France.
The 46-year-old actress and 46-year-old actor visited two famous Parisian churches: the Saint-Sulpice and the Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Halle Berry
The day before, the couple arrived on a flight to Paris, holding hands as they made their way through the airport.
FYI: Olivier is wearing Levi's jeans.
20+ pictures inside of Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez holding hands while visiting some churches in Paris…


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Views: 36
I used to only do the one entry per request thing too, until I had a sponsor turn me down for a review/giveaway because they "require" at least 100 entries per contest to make it worth THEIR trouble. That was simple enough - I allowed extra entries for doing the extra things. But then I keep hearing that folks don't really like all that. I know that I myself am disheartened when I find something I'd love to win in a giveaway on another blog and there are already 1,500 comments halfway through the giveaway!! At that point I feel like I'm wasting my time entering that one at all...
I am tempted to go back to the one entry per request thing. But then that looks like all my giveaways are "low entry" - which does prompt some casual surfers to enter, but it also looks to the sponsor as if their giveaway isn't drawing very much attention on my blog.
It's a two-edged sword. :-/


text: Carolyn Whiteman Sagendorph, age 90, a 5-year resident of The Hill at Whitemarsh and formerly of Wyndmoor, PA, died on August 27, 2013. She was the devoted wife of the late Samuel Lyons Sagendorph, a wartime Naval veteran, for 49 years until his death in 1997. Carol was born in Philadelphia, PA on May 20, 1923, the second of five children of the late Elizabeth Mathieu Whiteman and the late Daniel Swab Whiteman. Carol attended Rydal Elementary School and, in 1944, she graduated from the Ogontz School, which was a high school and junior college. She then studied at the School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia for 2 years. Carol was a loving and devoted wife, homemaker, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and an accomplished water color artist. She enjoyed playing tennis and squash, gardening, traveling, playing bridge, needlework and the New York Times crossword puzzles. She was an avid golfer for close to 80-years and had, on the day before her death, played 9 holes with the four generations of her family. She was also an avid Phillies fan. Carol was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill for more than 50-years, where she served on many committees and most recently arranged the altar flowers. She was a member of the Junior League, Huntingdon Valley Garden Club, Sunnybrook Golf Club and Pocono Lake Preserve. She also served on the flower committee at The Hill at Whitemarsh. In addition to her loving daughters; Lyn Montgomery and Joan Sagendorph, she is survived by her son-in-law, David Montgomery, by her grandchildren; Harry Scheid, Sam Scheid and Susa McFall, and by her great-grandchildren; Elizabeth Scheid and Cameron McFall. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Susa Hays Sagendorph. Memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, September 5, 2013, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 22 E. Chestnut Hill Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118. A reception will follow the service. Memorial contributions may be sent to Phillies Charities, Inc. 1 Citizens Bank Way, Phila., PA 19148. Carol's daughters hope that the readers of this obituary were sitting or standing up straight while they read it, as it would have made their mother happy. Arrangements were by Helweg & Rowland Funeral Home, Abington, PA


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These are some of the views and reports relevant to our readers that caught our attention this week.
Smartphones could provide weather data in poor nations
African Brains
"Smartphones can now be used to collect weather data such as air temperatures through WeatherSignal, a crowdsourcing app developed by UK start-up OpenSignal.
This helps crowd source real-time weather forecasts and could one day help collect climate data in areas without weather stations, its developers say.
Once installed, the app automatically collects data and periodically uploads them to a server.
The app's ability to record air temperature is based upon the discovery that the temperature of a smartphone battery correlates closely to the surrounding air temperature, published in Geophysical Research Letters this month (13 August)." READ MORE
Public Open Data: The Good, the Bad, the Future
Idea Lab
"New technology tools, combined with raised expectations among voters and stakeholders for government transparency, have sparked a movement toward "open government." Championed by advocacy organizations and a few high-profile elected officials, the trend seeks to promote greater accountability and responsiveness for the systems of representative democracy. An area of particular opportunity — as well as potential concern — is the growing cache of large datasets of public information now available on the Internet.
Government entities from cities to nations are making data not only public but accessible. Earlier, such data was often buried in City Hall filing cabinets, provided only after Freedom of Information Act requests, or published electronically but in cumbersome formats. Machine-readable formats allow new applications, analysis and visualizations to be developed by anyone with basic skills and an Internet connection. Datasets from many corners of government are coming online: public health and demographic information, business licenses and property ownership, campaign contributions and expenditures, crime reports, school test scores, and much more." READ MORE
Utilising Linked Social Media Data for Tracking Public Policy and Services
Digital Enterprise Reseach Institute
"What are the concerns of citizens in relation to the new proposal for a ring-road? What are their views on means-testing for medical cards? Are self- employed people finding the online tax system helpful? Traditionally, such question would be answered through commissioned surveys, targeted consultations or journalistic research. Today, citizens are expressing views on topical issues such as public policy and services voluntarily on social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. contain views and arguments on a wide range of issues, which can be useful for informing policy-makers on public opinion. However, public policy isn't the only topic discussed by citizens online; how can policy-makers distinguish relevant data from opinions on who should win X-Factor or what is the best sandwich filling? In this paper, we propose a solution for systematically tracking particular topics of interest across a range of social media sites. We also discuss how this solution may be employed for tracking topics related to specific public policy or service of interest." READ MORE
Billionaire investor Neilson backs mobile phone boom in Africa
Financial Review
"Billionaire investor Kerr Neilson has championed the rise of mobile internet across Africa as a "game changer" that will challenge entrenched practices such as graft and corruption and spur productivity.
Mr Neilson, the founder of fund manager Platinum, said that the continent's mobile users had swelled to more than 700 million compared with fewer than 10 million fixed lines mostly concentrated in one country at the turn of the century.
"What is so significant for countries that suffer from the poor ordering and allocation of resources is that the network effect created by communications and data mobility circumvents the dead hand of government. Moreover, the extraordinary leaps in technology and falls in equipment costs have made this change possible in even the poorest countries," he said." READ MORE
A new approach to high impact infrastructure technical assistance
Global Development Professionals Network
"Infrastructure development is central to economic growth and poverty reduction: well-functioning infrastructure provides the foundation for the development of all other sectors. Donors are looking to new models of infrastructure programming that can adapt to the changing circumstances that characterise the long duration of infrastructure programmes.
The facility model is one such approach that is proving attractive to donors for delivering technical assistance. A facility is a large programme run by one service provider to manage hundreds of small, complementary interventions. Where traditional development programmes are implemented according to a pre-developed terms of reference, the facility model's core difference lies in its flexibility and demand driven approach to the delivery of technical assistance." READ MORE
The New Transparency in Aid Evaluation: The Millennium Villages Debacle Is a Good Sign of What We're Learning
Center for Global Development
"How can we know when an aid project 'works'?
Today Nina Munk released a new book on the Millennium Villages Project, an intensive experimental "solution to extreme poverty" underway across rural Africa. Munk wrote her book, The Idealist, after observing the Project firsthand for six years, and her account is sympathetic to its founder while deeply critical of the Project itself. For Joe Nocera of the New York Times, the book makes it "tough to believe" the project is succeeding; for James Traub in the Wall Street Journal, the book shows how the Project was "beset by immemorial forms of misfortune that Mr. Sachs's team in New York hadn't counted on."
Right, but how do we know when a project works or doesn't? There's bad news and good news. The bad news is that development economists have made little progress on answering big questions like how to 'solve poverty.'" READ MORE
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Photo credit: Flickr user fdecomite


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$29.95 to $69.95
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Canine Cooler®Thermo-Regulating Pet Bed offers long-lasting cooling comfort which absorbs your pet's body heat. Read More
This product is currently unavailable for purchase.
Canine Cooler® Pet BedCanine Cooler® Pet Bed offers long-lasting cooling comfort which absorbs your pet's body heat.
SoothSoft Innovations' extremely cushy design, uses foam and fluid in synergy to provide a cooling sensation with an unparalleled level of cushioning comfort. Simply add water, and the bed's design offers a lasting cooling effect that your pet will love. The SoothSoft Comfort Technology requires no refrigeration and works at room-temperature. The Canine Cooler® Pet Bed has a foam core and an extra thick and puncture-resistant vinyl covering. Especially beneficial as ongoing healthy therapy for any pet suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia, skin disorders, obesity, post surgery recovery, etc.
Canine Cooler® Features & Benefits:
- long-lasting cooling effect
- no refrigeration necessary - simply add water
- works at room temperature
- foam core
- extra thick, puncture-resistant vinyl covering
- use indoors, outdoors, or in the crate when traveling
1-year manufacturer warranty. To inquire about warranty, call (719) 226-2873.
- Dimensions: 18" x 24",24" x 36",36" x 48"
- Warranty: 2 Year
- Type: Cooling
- Color: Aqua
Reviews (4)
"Can't live without this."
We have owned 3 of these in the past 10 years. Our 2 almost 14 yr old Australian shepherds LOVE the coolness; when traveling in warm weather, our dogs would not survive the heat without these beds! We wore one out. The 2nd one leaked & was replaced, under warranty. We had to buy 1 bed for each of our dogs! Keep the mat level when riding, so that you do not stress the vinyl. This co. stands behind its product.
"My Newfs love it"
I bought one of these, the largest size, during summer of 2011. Thought about buying it in summer 2010. Wish I had! I only bought one to try it out. I didn't fill it up with much water so it isn't too heavy, and it's very easy to put it in the van for long rides and bring it camping and such, otherwise it's an indoor bed for us. Our smaller Newfie took to it immediately. Now both dogs take turns on it in our house. I'll be buying another one. In general our dogs are not fussy about new toys, beds, bowls, etc. They always use things right away. If your dog is used to a fabric bed and doesn't like to try new things, they may not like this vinyl-style bed.
"My Weird Dogs"
Bed rates a 5, my 2 large dogs wouldnt go on it. I have a chow chow + a GSD both 13 yrs. Live in hot Tampa, thought they would love it. Seems like I would. I put it on the floor-tried on their air beds also-they wont lay on it at all. It must hurt their type of hip or arthritis prob??? They do not want cool. Left it down all summer sometimes yorkies play on it but nobody will rest on it. Held up well, great idea, easy to clean, no odor, but for my canine family they arent interested in it??? Not sorry I bought it, as if they needed coolness for a therapy it is a great idea + stays cool! I will try again this coming summer! Maybe a younger dog who sweats a lot would enjoy this comfort more!
"Love it!"
My golden is married to this bed. Must keep her cooler and the softness is easy on her arthritic hips. I did get a leak one week before the warranty expired. The company quickly replaced it. Have had the second for two years. Just bought another for a different room.


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- Baseball's Levine Named Rookie of the Week, Bula to Honor Roll -
New York, N.Y. - The Skyline Conference released the 1st Spring report for the 2011-12 season this afternoon, including Player of the Week, Rookie of the Week, Honor Roll and Conference statistics for baseball, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse.
Baseball Update - FULL REPORT
The baseball team opened the season in Florida, finishing 2-4 on the trip, before recording three big wins over Keene State, #14 Western New England and RPI this past weekend. The Rams are now 5-4 overall.
Freshman designated hitter Ryan Levine (West Babylon, N.Y.) was named the Rookie of the Week after he made his presence felt for the Rams, leading them with a batting average of .500, 3 doubles, 7 RBI's, and a .688 slugging percentage. Levine has 8 hits in 16 AB and had the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 9th inning against RPI to give the Rams the 2-1 victory.
Senior pitcher C.J. Bula (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) was named to the Honor Roll this week. Against #14 Western New England, Bula pitched 7.2 innings allowing just one hit and striking out 9, as the Rams held on to shut out the nationally ranked squad. Overall, Bula made three appearances to date, holding a team-low among starters - .157 opponent batting average, along with a 2.51 ERA, 16 K's and just four extra-base hits in 14.1 innings pitched.
Men's Lacrosse Update - FULL REPORT
The men's lacrosse team started off this week 2-0 with an 11-5 loss to Scranton and a 10-8 loss to Plattsburgh State, despite holding them scoreless the entire third and fourth periods. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Delventhal (Westbury, N.Y.) made 13 saves vs. Scranton and 18 saves against Plattsburgh. Against Scranton, Rams senior midfielder Tim Caden (Setauket, N.Y.) scored a game-high four points (two goals and two assists) in the loss.
Women's Lacrosse Update - FULL REPORT
The women's lacrosse team opens the 2012 season on Wednesday, March 7 at Manhattanville. Live scoring and pay-per-view video will be available for the season opener...
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/manhattanville/wlax/scoreboard.aspx
Live Video: http://www.govaliants.tv
The Rams home opener is on Sunday, March 11 vs. Hartwick at 2:00 p.m.
Softball and Men's Tennis Updates
Skyline Reports for Softball will begin on March 12 and Men's Tennis begins on March 19.
The softball team will be traveling to Kissimmee, Florida for the Rebel Spring Games from March 12-18, playing 12-games over the 7-day trip.
Men's Tennis opened the season early with a 9-0 loss to Vassar on February 11. The Rams will host a scrimmage next against Suffolk CC on March 21 at 4:00 p.m.


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Misc Clip Of The Week: Psyco Neighbor Wants Her Car Window Fixed! "F*ck You Little B*tch"
Pycho lady screams at her neighbor
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FL Team of the Week
There were less candidates to choose from this week with Sky Bet League 1 and 2 restricted by the FA Cup, but the Championship provided a fine serving of stand-out performances for our Team of the Week.
Last Updated: 09/12/13 3:04pm
Football League Team of the Week
Robert Green - Queens Park Rangers
It was a 12th clean sheet of the term for the former England No.1 as Harry Redknapp's side dropped points at Loftus Road for only the second time this season in their 0-0 draw with Blackburn. There may have been a lack of productivity up front for the Hoops but that was certainly not the case for Green. The 33-year-old was under rigorous scrutiny as Jordan Rhodes and Chris Taylor threatened to penetrate the fortress but stood up to every test with another consistent showing.
Greg Halford - Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest maintained their position in the Championship top six with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Full-back Halford was lively as ever, with his pace down the wing terrorising the Owls defence despite receiving a hostile reception following his spell on loan with city rivals Sheffield United. The 29-year-old rubbed salt into the wounds of the home fans by turning provider for the lone goal of the game, sending a cross over into the six-yard box which was met by the on-rushing Simon Cox.
Matthew Upson - Brighton & Hove Albion
The former England defender has provided stability at the heart of Brighton's back line and was on hand again on Saturday as the Seagulls triumphed 3-1 against Leicester. After taking an early lead through Ashley Barnes, Brighton were under attack but Upson was equal to the threat posed, making a crucial block to deny winger Jamie Vardy. Second-half set pieces looked like they could pave a way back into the game for Leicester but with former West Ham centre-back Upson standing tall, Brighton closed the door and sealed three more points.
Troy Brown - Cheltenham
In League Two's only game of the weekend it was Troy Brown who was the hero as Cheltenham completed the double over Morecombe. Brown scored from close range after the home side failed to deal with Matt Richards' dangerous right-wing free-kick. Neither side appeared to take control of the game in the first half but there was a flurry of action after the break with the visitors finding the net 10 minutes from time to take the points.
Aaron Cresswell - Ipswich Town
Ipswich capped a perfect week on Saturday when Daryl Murphy headed home a dramatic last-minute equaliser to beat Huddersfield 2-1 at Portman Road. It was a high-octane start to the mid-table affair and Cresswell was in action early when his delicious eighth-minute cross was almost headed home by Christophe Berra. After each side scored 15 minutes either side of the break the second half endured a dismal half hour and looked to be heading for a stalemate. That was, until Cresswell floated a testing ball into the Huddersfield box which Anthony Gerrard headed across his own box before Murphy put the seal on a Tractor Boys' victory.
Cameron Stewart - Charlton Athletic
A fiercely contested drop-zone scrap between Yeovil and Charlton ended with honours even as the sides drew 2-2 at Huish Park. Stewart, who spent two months on loan with Yeovil in 2010, returned to haunt Gary Johnson's men as he seized on some lax defending to give the visitors the lead just before half-time. After enjoying a dazzling start to the game, Stewart capitalised on some slack defending moments later, picking the ball up midway in the Glovers' half and skipping past two defenders before rifling a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Christian Battocchio - Watford
Watford fought until the bitter end to rescue a point at Elland Road, drawing 3-3 with Leeds United in a game they appeared to have thrown away. Troy Deeney fired the visitors in front early before Jonathan Bond met Alex Mowatt's free-kick and, as Leeds pondered, Hector Bellerin raced away on a thrilling counter-attack which was finished by Argentinian midfielder Battocchio for a fine second. Leeds wrestled their way back with three goals in half-an-hour before Deeney netted an 86th-minute equaliser to share the spoils.
Danny Ings - Burnley
It was an impressive return from injury for the Burnley attacker as the Clarets climbed back to the Championship summit with a 1-0 victory over Barnsley at Turf Moor. Ings was at the heart of the Clarets' attack and combined well with former Tykes full-back Kieran Trippier as they seized control of the game. England Under-21 international Ings almost broke the deadlock just after half-time when his acrobatic header narrowly missed the crossbar. Despite being forced to spend time on the sidelines, Ings returned seemingly unaffected and back to his natural best.
Andre Moritz - Bolton Wanderers
The Brazilian attacking midfielder enjoyed a vibrant afternoon as Bolton registered a comfortable 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers. Moritz was in on the action early, swinging a cross into the path of Darren Pratley, who was unable to steer on target. Moments later the 27-year-old fed an inch-perfect ball through to Joe Mason as he gave Wanderers the lead, courtesy of a deflection off the unfortunate Bongani Khumalo. Moritz doubled Bolton's lead five minutes before the break when his rifled shot ricocheted off the woodwork and beyond Ross Turnbull. He then went on to complete a fine afternoon with another assist as Neil Danns turned home his corner for the third.
Callum McGregor - Notts County
The on-loan Celtic midfielder bagged a brace as Shaun Derry oversaw the first victory of his tenure at Meadow Lane, with a 3-1 win over Gillingham. McGregor's first came on the stroke of half-time as he twisted and turned his way through the Gills' defence before firing beyond Stuart Nelson. Gillingham levelled shortly after the restart and appeared to have seized control of the tie, before Gary Liddle's low cross met the feet of McGregor, who took time to turn before leaving the woodwork shivering as his shot hit the roof of the net.
Chris Martin - Derby County
After making his switch from Norwich City permanent ahead of the new season, Martin further endeared himself to the Derby faithful by scoring his first ever Football League hat-trick on Saturday as the Rams raced to a 5-1 victory over Blackpool. The visitors took a third-minute lead at the renamed iPro Stadium but Martin levelled shortly after the break, converting from the spot after being taken down by Danny Robinson. Six minutes later Martin was on hand to collect the rebound from Simon Dawkins' shot before completing his treble with a second penalty.


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Skip to comments.Putin's Enemies Have A Nasty Habit: Dying
Posted on 11/30/2006 6:01:36 AM PST by canuck_conservative
Alexander Litvinenko, who died horribly in a London hospital on Thursday, is only the latest critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet a brutal death.
On Oct. 7, another critic, the journalist Anna Politkovskaya was gunned down in the lobby of her Moscow apartment building. Two years earlier, in July 2004, the U.S. journalist Paul Klebnikov was murdered as he emerged from the offices of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine. These killings and many others are linked to the deepest mystery of the Russian state. The mystery is the rise of Vladimir Putin.
In 1998, Vladimir Putin was named head of the Russian secret police, the KGB, now renamed the FSB. In August, 1999, a desperately unpopular Boris Yeltsin named Putin prime minister of Russia -- the fifth PM in less than 18 months. There seemed little reason to expect Putin to last any longer than his predecessors.
Then the bombs started going off. The first bomb hit a Moscow mall on Aug. 31, 1999, killing one person and wounding 40. Five more bombs followed over the next 17 days, striking apartment buildings in Moscow and in southern Russia. Nearly 300 people were killed.
Prime minister Putin blamed Chechen separatists, and ordered Russian troops to reconquer the province, which had won de facto independence in a bloody war from 1994 to 1996. This time, Russian arms won more success. Putin called a snap parliamentary election in December, 1999, and his supporters won the largest bloc of seats in Parliament.
On Dec. 31, 1999, president Yeltsin resigned. Prime Minister Putin succeeded as acting president. He granted Yeltsin and his family immunity from prosecution on corruption charges and shifted Russia's next presidential election -- originally scheduled for the fall of 2000 -- forward to March. Putin won handily.
Next he acted to reduce the power of the provinces, to renationalize private enterprise, and to close independent media outlets. Backed this time by the full power of the state and state-controlled media, Putin won 71% of the vote in the 2004 presidential election.
Despite Putin's enormous personal power, however, questions still linger about the means by which he won it. In addition to the six bombs that went off in September, 1999, there was a seventh that did not detonate. On Sept. 22, 1999, local police in the city of Ryazan discovered sacks of explosives in the basement of an apartment house. They found something else, too: a record at the local phone company of a phone call to one of the would-be bombers. The call originated at the FSB offices in Moscow.
After a two-day pause, the FSB explained that Ryazan police had stumbled across an FSB training exercise. The FSB took charge of the investigation, declared the sacks harmless, and quietly closed the case the week after Putin's election to the Russian presidency.
Meanwhile, the war in Chechnya weltered on bloodily. Most Russian journalists got the message that it was better for their health to focus on other subjects -- but not Anna Politkovskaya. Despite an attempted poisoning in 2004, she filed story after story about human rights abuses by Russian forces and the Putin-installed pro-Russian government in Chechnya. At the time of her death, she claimed to have found evidence of state-ordered torture in Chechnya. Any such evidence has now vanished: All her files and computers were seized by police investigating her death.
There is a Chechen link to the Klebnikov killing, too. At the time of his death, Klebnikov had been working on a story about the theft by Russian officials of funds for the reconstruction of Chechnya. In May, 2006, a Russian jury acquitted the two men indicted for Klebnikov's murder. By remarkable coincidence, the same jury had previously acquitted the same two men for killing one of Klebnikov's most important sources, a former deputy prime minister in the pro-Russian Chechen government.
As for Alexander Litvinenko, his offence was to have published in 2002 a book arguing that the September 1999 bombings were orchestrated by the FSB to bring Putin to power.
Measured by the number of stories posted and published in the world's English-language media (5,000 and counting as of Friday afternoon), the assassination of Pierre Gemayel in Lebanon was the week's top story. And yet in one way at least there is nothing very surprising about this story: Gemayel's probable killers are the rulers of Syria, an officially designated state sponsor of terrorism.
Vladimir Putin's Russia, by contrast, is a member of the G8, a veto-wielder at the UN Security Council, an honoured participant in international summits and conferences.
If this supposed ally in the war on terror is being run by assassins and bombers, isn't that a fact that deserves attention -- to put it mildly?
© National Post 2006
Kind of like anyone who gets close to the Clintons. They die or they end up in jail.
ANOTHER saddam hussein amongst us. BUT, mysteriously the LIBERALS keep focusing on Gitmo & abu ghraib. More selective moral outrage from the loony left? Me thinks so.
beat me to it
Why didn't I think of that?
Now the question becomes, what do we do about it?
Business as usual.
I grew up during the Cold War. When the USSR collapsed, I was hopeful that something good would come of it; however, when the billions in US aid began to disappear, I realized it was going to be a very long time before we had a true ally in the Russian state... if ever.
Communism is like liberalism... a psychological state, rather than any rational set of political beliefs. It will never disappear overnight.
It doesn't surprise me that they would kill a former spy but I'm having a lot of trouble believing that they would leave a trail as clear as this one is. If they want to send a message to former spies, there are a lot better ways of doing it than angering Europe.
Anyone want a cup of starbucks coffee?
True, but a less sophisticated killer, say, a person on the street who simply had a grudge against the former spy, would probably not be able to get his hands on Polonium 210. I would wager he would have just tried to shoot the man instead.
there are a lot better ways of doing it than angering Europe
I quite literally spit up my coffee when I read this. What could Russia possibly have to lose by angering Europe? :)
Hmm, this sounds familiar.
Wasn't Polonium one of Prince's ex-girlfriends?
<< Kind of like anyone who gets close to the Clintons. They die or they end up in jail. >>
Took the words from me mouth.
Unless you used to be and/or are Elian Gonzales, David Koresh or a member of his family or numbered among his friends, students and/or parishioners -- in which case any difference is likely too subtle and probably escapes you -- The tattered remnants of our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are all that (barely) set the Clinton Crime Family (slightly) apart from the likes of the principals and of the gangs that attached to the likes of Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Putin and Peking's present pack of predators.
Need proof?
Here it is: http://alamo-girl.com/0463.htm
We can call it Putincide.
Seems like Putin has gotten the Arkanicide afflication that BJ Clinton has had.
>I quite literally spit up my coffee when I read this. >What could Russia possibly have to lose by angering Europe? :)
Putin doesn't care much, he cut gas to Ukraine, invited HAMAS to Kremlin, M1-Tor to Iran etc, etc..
I coined the term "putincide" last week sometime.
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What a difference a few days can make.
Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average vaulted above the technical and psychological resistance level of 14,000, the highest since 2007. Yet rather than forging ahead to new highs, blue-chips spent a listless week bobbing and weaving near that area.
On Friday, the Dow industrials virtually wiped out the week's modest losses. Yet the stalled advance underscores how initial euphoria has now given way to growing skepticism about the fundamental outlook – and by extension, the ability of stocks to set new highs.
(Read More: Traders Search for Pullback Trigger as Fears Rise.)
"Everyone wants this correction to happen, which is really interesting," said Josh Brown, an investment adviser with Fusion Analytics on CNBC this week. "Even the perma-bulls are begging for this correction because nobody's long enough if we're going to continue to go up as we have in January."
Surveying the landscape market participants find no shortage of reasons to be wary. Europe has once again become a flashpoint of market instability: Spanish and Italian government bond yields are marching higher, while the European Central Bank warns about economic weakness.
Across the Atlantic, conditions are hardly rosier. Although most U.S. corporate earnings have surprised to the upside, higher taxes have begun chipping away at consumer spending power, making many CEOs cautious about the outlook for 2013. Meanwhile, last quarter's unexpected economic contraction is also raising the specter of a double-dip recession.
(Read More: Restored Payroll Tax Pinches Those Who Earn the Least)
The uncertainty has kept investors on the sidelines. Even bullish stalwarts are warning of an impending downturn, despite the fact that the Nasdaq Composite Index has now officially joined the rally by zeroing in on a 12-year high above 3,100.


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|Morrison, Colo.
|High School:
|St. Mary's Academy
|Colorado Select
Before Yale: Played for Colorado Select ... Also played high school hockey for St. Mary's Academy ... High school team was state champions twice ... Ran varsity cross country for four years and was captain for two years ... Played varsity lacrosse for four years and was captain for one ... Was All-League and All-Conference Academic First Team in both cross country and lacrosse ... Off the Ice: Member of Calhoun College. Favorite musician: Red Hot Chili Peppers Favorite food: Anything Who would you switch places with for a day? Somebody cool Pre-game routine: Music Favorite quote: "Anything less than the best is a felony." - Vanilla Ice Favorite athlete: Joe Sakic If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Germany Favorite TV show: Psych/House What is your most prized possession? My family What is the strongest part of your game? Commitment


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Production of the Mustang started in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964 and the automobile was presented to the general public on April 17, 1964 at the New York World's Fair. It is Ford's third earliest nameplate presently in production. Original sales forecasts forecasted less than 100,000 units for the first year. This mark was exceeded in 3 months from rollout. Another 318,000 would be sold during the design year (a record), and in its very first eighteen months, more than one million Mustangs were constructed.
Best Deals Buy Classic Ford Mustangs
All these were VIN-identified as 1965 models, but a number of changes were made at the standard opening of the new design year (start August 1964), consisting of the addition of back-up lights on some designs, the introduction of generators to replace generators, and an upgrade of the V8 engine from 260 cu in to 289 cu in. When it comes to at least some six-cylinder Mustangs fitted with the 101 hp 170 cu in Falcon engine, the rush into production included some unusual peculiarities, such as a horn ring bearing the 'Ford Falcon' logo below a trim ring emblazoned with 'Ford Mustang.' These characteristics made adequate difference to necessitate classification of the 121,538 earlier ones as "1964 1/2" model-year Mustangs, a distinction that has endured with purists. Mustangs For Sale in Hyde Park MA are easy to find now with online shopping.
The 1973 OPEC oil embargo brought with it more strict contamination laws and the desire for fuel-efficiency. This was likewise the very first time in vehicle history that the Huge 3 were having to compete with imports. The new Mustang II was smaller than the very first variation however, due to the extra devices required to satisfy brand-new United States emission and security regulations, was heavier than the first model. Performance was minimized and in the first year only 385,993 cars were sold.
2nd generation Mustangs for sale in Hyde Park MA were offered between 1974 and 1978 and offered in a coupe and hatchback version. 1979 the Mustang was upgraded a 3rd time. This time it was based upon the bigger Fox platform and the interior was actually big enough for 4 people. The trunk was bigger and so was the engine bay. The body styles readily available consisted of a coupe, hatchback and in 1983 a convertible. In 1979 the Third generation Mustang served as an Indianapolis 500 speed car and Ford developed 10,478 celebratory reproductions. The 3rd generation Mustangs were produced from 1979 to 1982.


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Welcome to New North Construction Ltd.
New North Construction Ltd. provides customer-driven solutions in earth-moving and construction. Activities focus on the petrochemical industry, civil projects, residential construction, and alternative power facilities.
New North Construction is committed to providing dependable and reliable service to their customers. Quality workmanship with the lowest environmental impact is our top priority. Instilling safety consciousness in each and every employee is our goal. We are committed to providing the highest level of work ethic for every job we undertake.
New North Construction Ltd. is committed to best-in-class practices in all health, safety and environmental matters that affect our employees, our communities, suppliers and our customers.
Aaneen Power Corp. and Aapatin Corp. have selected New North Construction Ltd. for all civil construction work in the Peace River region. New North Construction will building roads & leases for power generating stations for the oil and gas industry including one of the top three petroleum producers in the world.
New North Construction has a "Registered Onsite Waste Water Practitioner" on staff and is full capable of handling waste water/sewer/canalization projects:- site estimation/assessment, planning/consideration- preparation of the work site, excavation, trenching, leveling and actual pipe/septic tank installations according to the standard practice;- Quality control before/during/after job completion, maintaining monitoring, and servicing sewerage systems-private residential and commercial inspections by using Type 1 and Type 2 treatment methods.All work is done with the highest degree of responsibility, care, allegiance and commitment.
For more information on Registered Onsite Waste Water Practitioners, please visit the Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia at http://www.asttbc.org/
Aaneen Power Corp. and Apatin have selected New North Construction Ltd. for all civil construction work overseas in Nigeria, Jamaica & Panama.
New North Construction will be doing all major earth work, pouring and forming of concrete, and the erection of steel buildings to house algae plants, water filtration plants and municipal disposal systems.
New North Construction has the required resources to take any commercial/residential project from conception through to completion. We have access to a skilled workforce with outstanding work ethics. As we grow, New North Construction will add these resources to our payroll thus insuring a highly skilled team of employees that will provide our customers with the highest quality products and services. New North Construction has strong partnerships with several sub-contractors right here in Dawson Creek. Pro-West Electric is our electrical contractor of choice. A family owned and operated business that will grow along with New North Construction. Pro-West Owner Ed Heaton has over 27 years experience in all electrical/instrumentation in Oilfield, Industrial, Commercial and Residential Projects. Ed and his son Brian are very proud to be associated with the New North Construction family of partnerships. We have access to very skilled mechanical sub-contractors to handle all plumbing/gas and mechanical installations.Whether your requirements are large or small, New North Construction will always be ready to meet your needs. In fact, you will have access to our labour pool when your human resource needs fall short.


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U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. from the South Side of Chicago is introducing a $10-per-hour minimum wage across the nation. As a representative, he introduced the measure to his fellow-congressmen in the House yesterday.
It has been five years since the federal minimum wage has been raised. The employees affected are those that are covered by federal minimum wage laws. In 2007, it was set at $7.25 which means Jackson is asking the lawmakers to boost the minimum wage approximately 38% over the five-year period. Though some may argue that an increase is overdue, $2.75 in five years is a huge increase.
The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was designed to increase salaries in three steps. The last step increased wages on July 24, 2009. When passed, the Act of 2007 was a rider of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act. That bill gave small businesses nearly $5 billion in tax cuts.
How small businesses may or may not be rewarded for accommodating the congressmen's suggested pay increases have not been detailed.
Without knowing if there are any serious helpful measures to assist small businesses with such a huge minimum wage increase, the passage of Jackson's proposal could be devastating to small business owners. In the past, owners have claimed that increasing hourly wages could put them out of business. With the current state of the economy throughout the United States, the response from small business owners will be the same – only spoken more forcefully. After all, the economy is much worse in 2012 than it was in 2007.
If businesses need to lay off workers, cut employee's hours, or even close their businesses due to an extreme hike in the minimum wage, the nation's current dismal unemployment rate of 8.2% will definitely increase. It's quite ironic that a Democratic lawmaker such as Jackson is asking for this just before a national election. After all, the promotion and subsequent passage of such a law most assuredly spotlights the troubled economy under a Democratic administration.
Businesses will suffer, laid-off employees will suffer more, and the heightened unemployment rate will give Americans more reason to be discontent with the president and congress.
Jackson has said that he was encouraged to introduce the legislation by Ralph Nader. While consumers – the public-at-large – are often favorable to Nader's actions for looking out for them financially, he often has measures that are not favorable to businesses which influence the national economy a great deal.
Now is definitely not the time for Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to bring up the subject of pay increases. Instead, he should be joining forces with other lawmakers to help businesses – big and small – survive and to help people find jobs at the pay rate that is currently afforded them. Encouraging companies to hire – not lay off – should be the goal.
States that feel their businesses can handle a higher minimum wage can adjust their figures. For example, in Illinois the rate is $8.25 per hour, in general. In the state, businesses may pay workers under the age of 18 fifty cents less, $7.75. Employees who work for gratuities make $4.95 and may claim credit for tips, as high as 40% of their wage.
The range in wages throughout the nation has a significant span – depending on what state governments believe their locales should handle. The state of Washington, for example, has the highest minimum wage in the nation at $9.04 already.
It would be much better to leave the national minimum wage as is and allow state governments to make upward adjustments as their economy and business communities can handle.
About Scott Paulson
Scott Paulson writes political commentary for Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.


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Coming Events...
Antique Shows
Old tractor display on Sept. 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tractors from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s at 259 Dayton Road, Montrose, PA. Signs off Rt. 706 E. of Lawton and N. of Lawton on Rt. 267. There will be homemade ice cream made with hit and miss engine power, Take-outs are available. Admission is free.
Spaghetti supper will be held on Sept. 14, starting at 4 p.m. at the Herrickville Fire Hall to benefit fellow fireman Clinton Houghtaling. Clint is recovering from multiple injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident on Aug. 10. Chinese Auction starts at 3 p.m. and 50/50 raffle. Admission fee, $8. For more information, call 570-746-3957, Bonny or Glenn. Also seeking Chinese auction items. S34-4p/R34- 4p
Monthly Breakfast at the Herrickville Fire Hall, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. All you can eat: pancakes, French toast, ham, sausage, eggs, home fries, sausage gravy and biscuits, coffee, orange juice, real maple syrup and sugar-free syrup. Adults, $7; children to 12 years, $3; preschool, free. Benefit: Herrick Twp. Vol. Fire Co. - Dept. 4.
Craft Bazaars
Country Arts and Crafts Show. Craftsmen of the Endless Mountains are hosting an arts and crafts show at the Dushore Railroad Station, Railroad St., Dushore Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 10 to 3. Free admission.
The WVHS Class of 1951 will meet for lunch on Friday, August 23 at noon at Mark's Valley View in Laceyville.
Friends of Mt. Pisgah State Park will hold a movie night on Friday, Aug. 23 at the Hilltop Pavilion for its last movie of the season. Up is a 2009 American 3-D computer-animated comedy adventure film.
For Your Information
Bookmobile Schedule Aug. 26, BLaST IU 17, 9 a.m.; Monroeton
Library, 11 a.m. Aug. 28, Sayre Senior Center, 9 a.m.; Sayre Library, 10:45 A.M.; Bradford County Day Care, 1 p.m.; Page Manor, 2 p.m.
Salt Springs State Park Happenings: Aug. 31, Salt Springs Celebration, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, email Debra Adleman dadleman@ stny.rr.com.
Meeting Notices
S.O.S. Al-Anon — Family Group will meet on Fridays at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Hopkins Street, Sayre.
Recovery House Meetings — AA Group of Towanda meets Mon.-Fri., noon; Mon., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. NA meetings are held Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Speaker meeting every first Sunday, 8 p.m. All meetings at 205 Main St., Towanda (please use rear, lower entrance).
Compassionate Friends — of the Endless Mountains will hold their meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Endless Health Community Center, Montrose. TCF is open to all families who have lost a child from any cause at any age. There are no membership dues or fees of any kind. For more information, call 965-0901 (evenings) or 278- 1658 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Al-Anon meetings in Tunkhannock: Endless Serenity Al-Anon Family Group on Monday, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, 7 p.m., Saturday, noon. All meetings are held at the Tunkhannock UM Church Education Bldg., second floor.
Diabetes Support Group - meeting the first Thursday of every month at the Guthrie Clinic office in Towanda beginning at 5:30 p.m. There is no charge and all diabetics and family members are welcome. For more information, call Dawn at Guthrie Clinic at 570- 265-6165 during regular business hours.
TOPS PA #1134 — Laceyville, meets each Tuesday evening at the Braintrim Baptist Church in Laceyville. Weigh-ins from 5:15 to 6 p.m., meeting from 6-7 p.m. For more information, call 965-2493 or 869-1834. Toll-free 1- 800-932-8677.
AA Meeting — Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the basement of the Wyalusing Presbyterian Church. Open meeting, nonsmoking.
MOPS — Mothers of Preschoolers meet every first and third Wed. of the month from 9 to 11 a.m., September through May. Meetings are held at the First Presbyterian Church, 5 Court St., Towanda. All mothers of preschoolers are welcome. Child care is provided for children, ages infant through five years old. For more information, contact the church at 570-265-5575.
Towanda-Wysox Kiwanis Club meets every second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Weigh Station Café at 7:30 a.m. in Towanda. They find ways to help the children in the community. Contact Eileen Sheets at 570-265-2350 for more information.
Addictions to Victory. Faithbased support for addictions. Program will be held the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at New Generation Church, Milan, 570-888- 1967.
The Wyalusing Masonic Lodge No. 618 meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Lodge Hall, 158 Church St., Wyalusing. For more information, call 570-721- 0008.
AA meeting, Friday evenings at 8 p.m. at the Standing Stone Vesper Church spiritual building, River Road, Standing Stone Township. Open meeting, nonsmoking.
Grief Support Group: Jan.- Dec. 2013. A bereavement support group meets monthly, the last Tuesday of each month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. This group is open to those who have experienced loss and is facilitated by Trudy Ventello, LSW, a social worker with Memorial Hospital's Hospice program. The meetings are located in the library in the lower level of Memorial Hospital in Towanda. Any questions, call 570-268-2233.
Come Join the Depression Support Group at the Herrickville Fire Hall, first and third Thursday of the month at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Colleen Taylor, 570-746- 3021.
Caregivers' Support Group sponsored by the Law Office of Leslie Wizelman and the B/S/S/T Area Agency on Aging meets at noon the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Library at Memorial Hospital
Personal Care Home in Towanda. Anyone taking care of a family member or loved one, be it at home or as a resident of a long term care facility welcome. For information, call Donna Benjamin at the Law Office of Leslie Wizelman, 570- 746-3844 or Carol Dieffenbach at Area Agency on Aging, 570-265- 6121. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
The New Era Cemetery Association will meet on Monday, Aug. 26 at the Francis Hardenstine residence in New Era at 7 p.m. All interested people are welcome. For more information, call 570-746-1634.
The Tewksbury reunion will be Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. sharp at the Elk Lake School pavilion. Bring a dish to share, beverage and your own table service.
Northeast Bradford High School Class of 1973 will hold its 40th class reunion on Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. at Cragle's Pond, Allis Hollow. Bring dish to pass. For information, call Pam at 570- 265-2858 or Ruth at 570-744-2613.
WVHS Class of 1988 will hold their 25th reunion on Sept. 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Wyalusing Chamber of Commerce building. $25 per person payable to Class of 1988 and mailed to Sam Carr, 42 Learn Rd., Laceyville, PA 18623. For more information, call Tim Burke, 570-721-0078 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. S34- 3p/R34-3p
The 109th Chaffee Reunion will be held on Sun., Aug. 25 at the Warren Center Community Hall. Dinner 1 p.m. Please bring dish to pass and own table service, memorabilia and family photos and updates. Drinks will be provided.
Ice Cream Social to benefit Standing Stone United Methodist Church on Saturday, Aug. 24, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Full meal menu of homemade food, pies and ice cream, also free drinks. Come enjoy. Located on River Road.
Twin Tier Antique Tractor and Machinery Association Assoc. will sponsor an antique tractor pull on Saturday, Aug. 24 at the grounds in Rome. Weigh-in at 8:30 a.m. and pull at 9:30 a.m. For insurance purposes, must be member to pull. For information, call 570-637-1311.
The Wyalusing Youth Wrestling Club will be having a reorganizational meeting on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. in Room 42 of the Wyalusing Valley High School. Please come and join in.
47th Annual Running of the Camptown Races on Saturday, Sept. 14. Historic 10K cross country race, 8 to 9:30 a.m., registration; 10 a.m., foot race; noon, awards. Chicken BBQ, 10 to ? Takeouts only. 9 to noon, Homemade pies. 8 to noon, Food concessions. Sponsored by the Camptown Civic Club. R34-4p/S35- 3p
Herrickville Water Run 5K on Sept. 7 at 9:30 a.m. with a kids' free fun run following the race at the Herrickville Wesleyan Church. Registration fee is $25. Registration will be held the day of the event, 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. For more information or to register, go to http://www.facebook.com/herrickvillewaterrun. To benefit Household Water Filter Project through Samaritanspurse.org.
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Instead of sitting down and passively consuming whatever is placed on the table, or grabbing a few passed hors d'oeuvres from whichever trays pass by, more and more often event guests are actively participating in their meals.
Catering chefs are emerging from the kitchen—or wherever they've been tucked away to prep the food—to let guests observe the cooking. Or they're opening up the work space and inviting attendees to join in choosing ingredients and flavor enhancements.
Two of the buzzwords are customization and interactivity, and the point is to integrate the catering into the experience, to give food-crazy guests a chance to try something new. Make-your-own stations now go beyond salads and sundaes to all kinds of drinks, desserts, and entrées.
While often these changes mean putting a more prominent spotlight on the food, the movement away from long, seated dinners or static buffet stations can also allow attendees to focus on the point of the gathering. They can get up and mingle with each other instead of being stuck at a table for two hours. Or they can try out a new product, chat with a business contact, or listen to a presentation while the food comes to them, in waves of small plates passed in courses, or wheeled to them on carts.
With this increased interaction comes more menu choices and innovative presentation styles. Here's a look at the newest interactive and hands-on approaches from caterers and venues looking to get guests involved with their food.
More ideas:
For the opening of the sustainable and green earth exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, Blue Plate will use color-coded tent cards on catering trays to inform guests about eco-minded ingredients like locally sourced items, including some grown on executive chef Paul Larson's farm.
Occasions in Washington built an open kitchen where guests watched chefs prepare and assemble dishes at a recent event for the American Pharmacists Association.
Los Angeles-based Shotgun Promotions and Crave Cocktail Catering have a champagne buffet, with customized cocktails made with fresh mixes like honeysuckle syrup, blood orange juice, and organic vanilla-bean-infused honeycomb.
At the opening reception for Meeting Professionals International's World Education Congress in July at Epcot Alive, rolling buffets carried desserts while two smaller rolling tables carried other menu items.
Tip of the Tongue in New York offers portable food stations featuring a variety of appetizers that servers leave with a group, encouraging them to try each item.
At the Malaparte event space in Toronto, caterer Oliver & Bonacini creates a restaurant dining experience for sit-down events with as many as 180 guests. Servers take orders from specially designed menus and serve synchronized courses.
Phil Stefani Signature Events in Chicago offers a seven-course dinner reception-style package, with each course of small plates passed separately, in order.


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Matrix Financial Solutions, a Broadridge Financial Solutions company, released on Monday a practice guide outlining a three-step action plan advisors can take to ensure they're complying with fiduciary standards under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
The guide, ERISA Fiduciary Issues: A Practice Guide for Advisors, was unveiled at the Financial Services Institute's annual conference in San Diego, and offers an in-depth look at ERISA fiduciary rules and standards that may apply when advisors are delivering investment advice to retirement plan clients.
The guide is particularly timely, given that the Department of Labor plans to repropose its rule to amend the definition of fiduciary under ERISA in July.
The three-step plan, which encourages advisors to review their current business model and strengthen their value proposition through an expanded set of services specifically designed to help plan sponsors, is as follows:
Assess Your Current Business Model
For fiduciary advisors, it is prudent to periodically self-audit and analyze current practices both for regulatory compliance under ERISA and market viability. For non-fiduciary advisors, a self-assessment can confirm that their current practices do not render them an unintentional fiduciary and can also help evaluate whether they would benefit from serving as fiduciaries. The practice guide offers checklists for fiduciary and non-fiduciary advisors.
Define and Communicate Your Value Proposition Relative to Fiduciary Support
A key step in building a business plan and sales strategy is defining and clearly communicating a value proposition to current and potential clients. Among the key components to include is special licensing or credentials, honors or recognition, retirement plan training programs completed, experience in working with other plan sponsors, and success stories.
Help Plan Sponsors Meet Their Fiduciary Duty
Very few plan sponsors really understand what ERISA demands of them. A great step in building a strong relationship with a plan sponsor is to provide them with educational resources, explain their fiduciary role and then help them meet their obligations.
"The fiduciary responsibilities for plan sponsors and advisors are an increasingly important focus for the industry, as well as the Department of Labor," said Cindy Dash, chief operating officer at Matrix Financial Solutions, in a statement. "Advisors who proactively evaluate and adjust their current business practices to become retirement specialists are in the best position to grow their retirement businesses."
Dash, who was also part of a panel discussion at the FSI event entitled "The Evolving Role of ERISA in the Independent Financial Advisor Channel," told AdvisorOne in an email message that the DOL's fiduciary proposal "will likely broaden the definition of a fiduciary and require more financial professionals to be held to the ERISA fiduciary standards."
Once the reproposal is issued, "we can determine how the new definition impacts advisors and brokers and analyze what it means to their retirement plan business. For example, right now when delivering advice to the plan, brokers are generally held to the suitability standard and do not elect to be ERISA fiduciaries, but if the definition is changed, brokers need to determine how to continue to best service their plan clients regardless if they are a covered fiduciary or not."
Dash went on to say that Matrix believes the change to the ERISA fiduciary standard "is an opportunity for brokers and/or advisor to ensure that they are delivering impartial advice by offering open architecture and level compensation services to the plan. We see open architecture as a way to drive transparency and help educate investors on choice and costs that instills trust and encourages savings. This is a huge value ad that an advisor/broker can offer. Coupled with a level compensation plan where funds are chosen on merit, not costs, provides a big competitive advantage. It also can protect the advisor/broker because it shows a pattern that you can verify that you have done everything in the best interest of the plan."


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New! Order by phone
Nicholas Kirkwood's celebrated footwear designs focus on fluidity and the feminine form. Expertly crafted from leather in a shiny midnight blue glitter finish, these sparkly Beya loafers feature a pointed toe, a branded insole, a pull tab at the rear and a low heel. Sporting a slender silhouette that flatters the shape of the foot, these smart flats can fit narrow at the toe.
Designer colour: B90 Midnight
Made in Italy
Designer Style ID: 902A11TG17B90
Farfetch ID: 13257183
Measurement Information
Below are the measurements for Loafers in size 37 IT
All measurements are made by Farfetch
Still need some help? Try our Size Guide
One shipping fee, on multiple pieces, from multiple locations.
No matter how many items you purchase, or where in the world you order from, you will only pay one fee.
Click here to find out more about our shipping options, including Click & Collect and Same Day Delivery.
Free returns pick-up
We offer free global returns.
You have 14 days from receiving your order to return the item. We strongly recommend that you book your free returns pick-up within 7 days of receiving your order to ensure that it arrives back in time.
Click here to read our full returns policy.
Import duties information
Delivery duties are included in the item price when shipping to all EU countries plus USA, Canada, China, Australia, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Singapore, Republic Of Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Qatar, India, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, U.A.E., Japan. This means all import duties are included in your order. The price you see is the price you pay.
Delivery duties are not included in the item price when shipping to all other countries. This means you may be liable to pay import duties on receipt of your order.
After honing his skills at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design and Cordwainers College, British shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood launched his eponymous label in 2005. Focusing on high-quality craftsmanship and technical innovation, Kirkwood's collections are defined by bold silhouettes that play with ideas of femininity and dynamism; subverting expectations and presenting a new aesthetic for luxury footwear. From the label's signature Beya and Cassati styles, shop the Farfetch edit which also includes Kirkwood's capsule collection of customisable Beya Bespoke flat shoes.
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* Information as found on the Texas Parks & Wildlife website
Lake Characteristics
Location: On Big Cypress Creek 5 miles southwest of Mount Pleasant in Titus, Camp, and Franklin counties
Surface area: 9,004 acres
Maximum depth: 65.6 feet
Impounded: 1977
Water Conditions
Current Lake Level
Conservation Pool Elevation: 337.5 ft. msl
Fluctuation: 2-3 feet annually
Normal Clarity: Moderate, 2-4 feet visibility
Reservoir Controlling Authority
Titus County Freshwater Supply District
Aquatic Vegetation
Coverage less than 3% of the lake's total surface area. The dominant species is hydrilla.
Predominant Fish Species
- Largemouth bass
- Spotted bass
- Catfish
- Crappie
- Bluegill
- Redear sunfish
Lake Records
Current Fishing Report
Stocking History
Lake Maps
Commercial maps may be available.
Fishing Regulations
All species are currently managed with statewide regulations.
Angling Opportunities
Lake Bob Sandlin offers many quality options when pursuing sportfish. The largemouth bass population is moderately abundant with good numbers of legal-size fish available for harvest. Spotted bass are present but at low densities. White bass is a popular species with high numbers of quality size fish. Channel catfish in recent years have become more abundant across all size classes, and there are plenty of good-sized fish available for harvest. Good numbers of legal size crappie are present and provide good fishing opportunities. Redear sunfish, the dominant sunfish species in the lake, are moderately abundant and also showing good sizes.
Fishing Cover/Structure
Natural habitat is present in the form of inundated timber and aquatic vegetation. There are also numerous boat docks and fishing piers.


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University of Washington Rockwell Coliseum Purple Strap Watch
Spot on Value!
With eight programmable alarms, the Rockwell Coliseum watch ensures you'll never miss a game or an appointment! Featuring a stadium-style bezel, durable ABS case and polyurethane band, this timepiece was designed to withstand gladiator-level activities of athletic lifestyles. Go everywhere. Do everything. Rep your team.
- Purple polyurethane band
- 49mm round ABS case
- University of Washington team logo detail
- Chronograph with 50 lap memory
- Countdown timer
- Dual time zone
- Eight programmable alarms
- Water resistant up to 100m
- Multifunctional digital watch
- Buckle closure
- Imported
- Image may be enlarged to show detail
- Officially licensed NCAA® product


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Surname: Dove
Mary Jane Dove, b: 13 May 1852, d: unknown – father: James Henry Dove, b: abt 1822 – mother: Nancy McDonald, b: abt 1833
Putting The Puzzle Together: James Henry Dove is my maternal 2x ggrandfather. During my mother's lifetime I do not believe she ever knew his name. I have been fortunate to establish contact on line with a descendant that shares the same 2x ggrandfather. He passed on some information he had uncovered that helps piece this family together. The story goes…….James Henry Dove had to go off to war. He enlisted with the Confederate 32nd Alabama Infantry Regiment in April 1862 leaving his first wife and six children behind. He survived and returned to find his wife, Nancy McDonald Dove, had died of yellow fever. Mary Jane and two other children were placed in a Catholic Orphanage in New Orleans, LA. It was believed that Mary Jane grew up in the orphanage and became a Nun.
I was so fascinated with this story I immediately pointed my research in the direction of finding Mary Jane Dove. They lived in Clarke County, Alabama when the war started so I am not sure how they made their way to New Orleans or when her mother died. She was only about 10 years old when her father left so she could not have been much older when she was placed in the orphanage.
I first found her in the 1880 census in New Orleans listed as Sr.(sister) Mary Dove. The last page of the census listed the name of the orphanage as St. Joseph's German Orphan Asylum and the street was Laurel St. in the Orleans parish. I was so excited to now have a name of the facility. My next search was to find out where she was in 1870. I searched the Orleans Parish enumeration districts line by line and……bingo…..I found her. The information is not completely accurate because her birth place is listed as Texas ……but ….I know it is her. I also found her sister, Ellen Dove, listed in this same facility……….another tiny piece of the puzzle!
I've researched St. Joseph's German Orphan Asylum and found that it was run by the Sister's of Notre Dame. Yesterday I spoke with one of the sisters in charge of the archives……….hopefully we can find out when she became a nun, when she died, and where she is buried.
by: Louise Bernero


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Rick Ross 2006 Interview Where He Disses T.I. & Ted Lucas From Slip-N-Slide Records [Full 9 Min Throwback Unedited / Never Before Seen Version]
Urbanwire reports "This is a throwback interview done with Rick Ross down in Miami. This was prior to his signing with Def Jam and prior to the release of 'Hustlin'. In this interview he disses T.I. and Ted Lucas."
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