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Search engines are continuously attempting to refine and streamline their results to fit the user's search parameters. Semantic search has made some advances, taking the context of a web page and delivering ads to target that particular audience, but it's a long way from being perfect. We are seeing trends in speech recognition software, and it keeps improving.
The next logical product of Internet search is voice activated search. What's amazing is that it is already being done on a far broader scale than you might imagine. The next logical step for search engine results is to not have to speak at all, but rather to "know" just what the user wants. The only way to do this is either to develop a psychic machine, or to plug directly into the human brain and read our thoughts. You might be surprised to find out that experiments have already begun.
Accessibility options for those with hearing impairments, disabilities, and poor vision have existed for a little while now, and these have already evolved well into the world of semantics from speech recognition, of which one group of these accessibility options is referred to as alternative input devices.
These can include systems that operate by inhaling and exhaling (called sip and puff systems), touch screens, and electronic input devices that can be worn on the head and operated by eye movement, ultrasound, infrared and other light systems, or even sheer brain waves. Brain waves are the very weak electrical signals given off by the firing of millions of nerve cells in the brain, which can even be measured outside of the human head.
{mospagebreak title=A System in Action}
Two years ago, a quadriplegic man started playing video games only using his brain as a controller. Matthew Nagle, 26, has been the subject of study by scientists at Brown University and three other institutions, in collaboration with Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems. As much as it just sounds like fun, it may mean the beginning of a new wave of technology for television, radio, and the Internet. And this includes Internet search.
He was hooked up to a computer by way of a tiny implant, smaller than a dime, that sits on top of the brain to read the electrical signals and patterns there. Then a computer program translates the brain waves it reads into computer movement. According to the research, which was published in the British science journal Nature, Nagle learned to use the technology to literally control a computer with his mind.
This technology is improving rapidly, and is being tried by many companies for various reasons. In 2005, Sony raced to patent a game system that transmits data directly into the brain wirelessly and without implants. It uses an ultrasonic pulse to create such sensory experiences as images, sounds, and even smells.
Currently, Google is already combining satellite maps and 3-D software with its Google Earth program. Without a good graphics card, you can forget about experiencing the real Google Earth. Currently, virtual worlds may only be viewed socially as a gamer's experience, but virtual technology isn't just for gaming. There are global real estate agencies that offer virtual tours, security systems, and even some forms of exploratory surgery that fall into the real of virtual reality.
{mospagebreak title=A Whole New Virtual World}
At the end of April, Google released its free Sketch-Up program, which allows people to create 3-D layers to place over Google Earth, and Google is encouraging real estate investors and developers to utilize the tool.
Chris Taylor of CNN Money's Business 2.0 magazine says, "The notion that you can create objects and buildings and place them in a virtual world makes Google Earth sounds less like a mapping tool and more like a metaverse. What's a metaverse? Science fiction writer Neal Stephenson introduced the term in his seminal 1992 novel Snow Crash. The metaverse was Stephenson's name for a virtual world where his characters play and do business. It was a black ball 1.6 times the size of Earth, with a giant street running around its equator.
"In Stephenson's novel, millions of users uploaded customized 'avatars,' or virtual personalities, and strolled the street, entering shops and exclusive nightclubs, conversing and trading with the metaverse's other denizens. It was, in effect, a 3-D version of the web."
Virtual worlds may seem more applicable to players of World of Warcraft, EverQuest, or other role playing games (RPGs). But as Taylor says, you can envision your mom downloading Google Earth and fiddling with it. "I would expect to see someone using Google Earth as a virtual social space by the end of the year," says Jerry Paffendorf, research director of the Acceleration Studies Foundation, a futurist organization, who helped arrange something called the Metaverse Roadmap Summit, a gathering of programmers of virtual worlds.
Even if we are not in the near future planning on populating the virtual universe, one thing is clear. Google and its advances in search engine technology will never be the same, and they are unrecognizable from the primitive search engine launched over a decade ago.
{mospagebreak title=The Ultimate in Portable Computing}
Stu Wolf, one of the top scientists at the Pentagon's scientific research agency DARPA, which is credited with giving birth to the Internet, seriously believes we'll all be wearing computers in headbands within 20 years. Wolf believes that by that time we'll all be wearing tiny, lightning fast computers, and they will render the desktop a dinosaur.
"We already know we can trigger neurons mechanically," he says. "You can interact directly with the brain without implanted electrodes. Then the next step is being able to think something and have it happen: Flying a plane, driving a car, operating household machinery." Controlling devices with the mind is just the beginning. Next, Wolf believes, is what he calls "network-enabled telepathy" – instant thought transfer. In other words, your thoughts will flow from your brain over the network right into someone else's brain. The only issue, he says, is making sure it's consensual, which is a problem likely to tax the minds of security experts, probably literally.
There is certainly no shortage of creative inventions, especially in Silicon Valley. All one must do to be convinced is visit the annual Invention Convention Trade Show in Pasadena, California, which presents about 300 exhibits each year, and attracts about 10,000 visitors. With the development of the Internet as a worldwide communications vehicle, the physical trade show evolved into the cyber-show.
One company in San Jose is currently experimenting with other technology that could easily advance into the Internet world. It is also attempting to patent technology that allows tracking of thoughts in a video game, which is similar in fashion to the type of brain wave tracking devices currently in use to monitor coma patients. Time Magazine selected Dr. Lawrence Farwell as one of the TIME 100: The Next Wave, the 100 innovators who may be "the Picassos or Einsteins of the 21st century."
{mospagebreak title=Shades of the Minority Report?}
Dr. Farwell's research has led him into the field of forensic technology. According to Time, "While developing technology that would allow the vocally paralyzed to speak, he stumbled across a trove of seemingly extraneous signals stored in the brain. He began looking for a way to put that information to use. Result: a new forensic technology he calls brain fingerprinting." This technology not only helps to identify human individuals, but also can detect when one is being truthful or not. It can also lead to understanding the criminal mind, and eliminating crime before it's actually even thought of.
If this technology is already being put to work, then what may seem like the far-away future may not be as far away as we think, and the idea that controlling our search for a website with just a thought will put a whole new spin on the Internet in general, so it is hard to predict exactly what search will be like at that time. There will probably not even be websites at that time, but rather a whole new virtual world for us to explore, like ecommerce "storefronts" producing a lifelike shopping experience.
What kind of impact will this type of search have on the SEO industry? While there are certainly no predictions that will probably even come close to what the truth will be once we reach that point, one thing is clear: the Internet will never be the same again, and the SEO industry, if it is at all still alive at that time, will also never be the same. SEOs might find themselves subscribing to the types of technology that require them to implant jacks into their own brains, just to keep a step ahead of the game. It could just be that search engines will fall by the wayside in a historical era that might just be classified as torturous to modern civilization. I mean, why even search when you can just think? That will be something, indeed.


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cointiply is a next-gen Bitcoin faucet. Users earn free Bitcoin by interacting and completing tasks. The only requirement is that you have a Bitcoin, FaucetHub or DOGE address to send payments to. We will also be adding new payout options in the near future!
Bitcoin faucets—or any cryptocurrency faucet—pay users a few satoshis for loading webpages with ads on them.
You can withdraw as soon as you have at least 35,000 coins.
Go to the "Withdrawal" page and create a new withdrawal, after your withdrawal has been submitted you can view the status of it on the "Payments" page.
That will sometimes depend on the Bitcoin network, but most payouts are processed in 24-48 hours (or even sooner). We post the blockchain transaction ID for each payout in your account details. For instant withdrawals you can create a FaucetHub withdrawal.
No. For now, Cointiply covers transaction fees.
Offerwalls are services that pay users for doing some kind of task. Those tasks include watching a video and the ads that come with them; visiting web pages; filling out surveys; installing apps; signing up for services, etc.
We make money from the ads we show, and we get a cut from the offerwalls and games we host.
Coins are what we call the credits you earn when using our faucets, games, and offerwalls. The value of a Coin is tied to the dollar and gets converted to satoshis (or the crypto currency of your choice) when you cash out.
Bitcoins markets are very volatile, and many of the ad networks and offerwalls pay in fiat currency (i.e. dollars). We pay out in Coins pegged to the dollar to keep our costs constant. This protects both us and our users, because everyone involved knows how much they are earning on a dollar basis.
The price of Bitcoin is very volatile, and the value of your Coins changes with the price of Bitcoin. As Bitcoin goes up, Coins are worth fewer satoshis. As Bitcoin goes down, Coins are worth more satoshis, but it's always worth the same amount in dollars.
Yes! We pay 25% for life for faucet earnings, and 10% for life for offerwalls and game earnings. You can view all of the details on your referrals page.
Go to the login page and click on the link that says Forgot Password in the login box.
Bitcoin payments are irreversible. Once we send a payment to the Bitcoin address you supplied, there is no way to recall it. You are responsible for making sure the Bitcoin address you supply is one you control. You can check your Bitcoin address on your Profile page.
Generate a deposit address and send your Bitcoin to the deposit address. There is no minimum.
After 2 confirmations your deposit will be confirmed and the Coin equivalent will be added to your account balance. You can then use your Coins anywhere on Cointiply.
If you have more than 35,000 Coins in your account you can earn 5% annual interest on your Coin balance.


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Suddenly John, with his thee on my back and shoulders, thrust his cock balls deep into me and cry "yeh". I lay there, pinned under John and with his cock in me.
John stood up and his cock pulled out of my ass; leaving it stretched, sore and I started to try to take in all the sensations of my first suck and fuck.
As John headed to the bathroom, I felt a warmth ooze from my ass; I immediately thought I'd bled at being stretched. I reached back and felt the liquid coming from my ass and I realized John had just ridden my bareback and dumped his cum in my ass.
I lay there; used, hime and ridden as John's cum oozed from my ass over my balls. I thought I'd be furious, as I'd been clear about wanting safe fun; yet it only added to my feeling of having been slutily used and ridden by this man.
I felt turned on and horny; and went to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and as John's cum dropped from my asshole, I wanked myself to an intense orgasm.
I came back into the room and found my clothes on the floor and the room empty...the end of the story look at the video above ↑ ↑ ↑
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That's what your post seems to imply.


text:
Where to find a data entry job jobs
Small, easy and quick thing for the right person. You have to look at the code that makes the menu work with head category and undercategory. After a recent update of wordpress it no longer works.( monmarthe theme)
...consultancy agency and my requriments are these there should be no branding and you need tell me how to install in server aigin i am to give this code to more than two people 1)i need api trading platform to manage trade for my clients 2)i need a interface where i can trade all crypto currency(or new currency which is be added in exchange) 3)i nee...
...(drones and satellites) to generate maps and geospatial intelligence for farmers, universities and the public sector. I would like to build an online portal where my clients can select the area (KML) they want analyzed, and also the products they want to know about that area. A few days later, the client will access that same portal to explore the produ...
Ex: Customer of the site be able to be ad their own logos to the gloves. As well as choose color of glove front, back, palm and lining, then check out.
Need someone to guide from where i can learn android mobile application development and step by step process
Where is a CloudSigma Django source code??? Please, give me a CloudSigma Django source code, with API, etc. And also give me a CloudSigma WebApp source code. Thank you.
The project is for category java write a software application specially for students on charge.
I need an app where a user can type a message on the app (on a text field) and then get feedback about the request (on another textfield below). The design should be as simple as two textfields one onto another and then a button. (as per the picture attached) The app will first look into a mysql database to search for a similar query if not ...
Hello, We're looking for a company or a developer available at least 40 hours during the next 7 days and at least 20 hours the next week. We copied ~250 sites with httrack. The origin websites are managed with a custom CMS, coded by a company which is closing without offering any deal to its clients to migrate their site to another web agency...
Hello, We're looking for a company or a developer available at least 40 hours during the next 7 days and at least 20 hours the next week. We copied ~250 sites with httrack. The origin websites are managed with a custom CMS, coded by a company which is closing without offering any deal to its clients to migrate their site to another web agency...
I need someone to help grow my Facebook page followers to 10,000 of real people in the area that my business is located. I would prefer an initial fixed fee (so you can show me some results) and hourly rate for any on going work. [login to view URL]
I need a new website. I need you to design and build a website for my personal use
I have a PhP website which I want to modify and maintain. The website includes eCommerce, affiliate marketing, coupons. The website allows users to purchase directly or via an affiliate link / coupon. The website also generates leads for affiliates of two types. Work includes - 1. Maintain the existing code and make changes in coupon logic. The code
PLEASE READ PROJECT SPEC SHEET AND THEN VIEW ATTACHMENTS LINKED BELOW FULLY BEFORE BIDDING. The design is complete. Turning the design into a dynamic, fast-loading, full featured website is needed. ______________ Spec Sheet: [login to view URL] Full Project with Mockups: https://www
I need to redevelop a website ([login to view URL]). Retbajri will be a platform where users can create ads related to construction services and materials. And users can search for products/services city wise. Some idea can be taken from visiting the website ([login to view URL]). It was in progress but the programmer left the job. Detailed instructions wi...
...want to view this current page in future. So don't worry if you forget that important current page, just bookmark current page with a suitable title then it will save in bookmarks folder and then your find that page easily. Very helpful feature for students during exams revision. Crop pages and sections: By using this feature you can easily cut a required
Hello, a month ago I found suspicious files (this code redirected my site to spam websites) in every website in my Digital Ocean server. I cleaned them, made a backup and upgraded everything, the wordpress core, themes and plugins. Last week it started to happen again, cleaned everything again, but it keeps happening. I need someone to clean every malicious
Create a blog that delves into the lives of 4 entrepreneurs and how they got to where they are now. The title will be something along the lines of "4 Homegrown Entrepreneurs and how they've started" So no more than 500 words per Entrepreneur need. The entrepreneur choices are yours to make just be mindful of Homegrown and not someone who has inherited
need a wesbite built similar to [login to view URL] where people can upload there stock and trade with eachother
In R, Wants a User Input Field, Plot of Time series where data is missing, Wind Rose and Polar Plots
Have form to be made in gravity that needs to link to salesforce so data goes directly into salesforce. ONLY THOSE WITH EXPERIENCE DOING GRAVITY AND SF SHOULD RESPOND. SEND SAMPLES OF UR GRAVITY FORMS WORK IN SALESFORCE. Questions 1. How many GRAVITY FORMS have you designed? 2. How many times have you linked them to Salesforce? Please respond if you
Need a list of blogs where I can guest post - must be Free to join - they must be related to web design, development, wordpress, SEO, content writing, optimization, web hosting and any other related aspects. I need a minimum of 30-50 and they must be good authority and not fresh or new blogs type guestblogs-list if you read this project and only
Sometimes, the banner area and drop down navigation don't fully load in. There's space on the right side and the items are slightly off screen
Hi, I need an online shopping cart for courses and tutorials. People can browse through categories and add them to cart. After subscribing, they can take the tests and also go through video tutorials. Thanks, Parijat
...httrack. The origin websites are managed with a custom CMS, coded by a company which is closing without offering any deal to its clients to migrate their site to another web agency. One of my colleagues checked the differences between the origin sites and the copied sites and he reported these differences in a Trello board (one site, one card). These ar...
I need a logo designed.
I want an advanced website where corporate members will post a job ad
I need an Android app. I would like it designed and built.
Site web where the user can create a story in a book with a character that he/she can create through the website.. i will send you an example of website who has the same features i want.
make deeplink where if the user clicks deeplink it will automatically download the application directly from google play
...three students to buy ForEx course @ $500 and the buyer will have the following access When you join ReversalMaster, you are getting a mentorship provided by Anthony . The purpose of this course is to give you a clear understanding of the Forex market, identify the reversal patterns and to capitalize on them. ReversalMaster offers a full online educ...
This is a one off picture I need to then have printed and framed for a special friend on her birthday. We are now both 70yrs old but met in front of her house when we were 4yrs old. It need to be caricature style of us sitting on the kerb or wall with house behind us. If possible a removal truck seen in the road.
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Need website where people can list their project and I will send you design. details will be shared on chat. Thank you Please send me price and samples of your previous work
crowdfunding platform for personal and social causes, especially healthcare and related needs. Constantly endeavouring to make it easier for people to raise money online for the causes that matter to them, the platform enables lay-people to raise funds for personal causes and emergencies, especially for tertiary healthcare like Cancer care, organ transplants
Looking for apps where 2 players can compete for points or game of skill games, preferably already finished, long term colaboration possible
I want to teach English and get more language learners by advocating my skills and abilities. I want language learners know that I am ready to help them to improve their speaking skills through attending my language classes and tell them everything related to learning a foreign language.
...months Data we are collecting from users include picture and ID card picture or they should take a picture when submitting for verification and avoiding catfish Name of app is verifiedfun Max Number of pictures per profile is 5 and information shown on mobile screen is name, distance from you in miles and price you are charging for fun (from $0 to $1000)
I have two tabs of data, both identical, except one row is missing. Example Tab 1 - Row 1 - (Paragraph 1) Row 2 - (Paragraph 2) Tab 2 Row 1 - (Paragraph 1) Row 2 - must get the information from Tab one, using some sort of formula) I need to do some sort of formula (similar to vlookup) to search the lines and allow excel to do the work. The largest
We seek an APP download where subscribers can flip through our digital magazine. Please provide examples of APPs that you have developed for digital magazines. We only seek affordable bids.
I have two tabs of data, both identical, expect one row is missing. I need to do some sort of formula (similar to vlookup) to search the lines and allow excel to do the work. The largest character count is 1322 characters long. Please let me know if you can do it, this has to be done remotely to be awarded <----
I have a working project. But filtering is not working, It is built to use mobx. Need small amount of help to fix this one issue. Please only reply if you have mobx experience
...your advice on where to purchase a water level (pressure) sensor that also can measure conductance and temperature and send this to a unit on the surface that can record these parameters. No design, prototyping or production is required. I want to buy an aftermarket device and I want to use your contacts of suppliers. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO...
I need a logo designed for a new online store that i am opening called Vapez 4 U. This will be selling the vape liquids and accessories mainly online to start. I am open to suggestions on the design and dont mind edgy or cool ways to display the logo. I am totally unsure so any input is great : )
I want to build a very simple website, potentially just 1-2 pages. The main page will have the ability to submit a form with a few fields, URL, file upload, name etc. This form will them populate a backend database which can be queried by users at the front end and display a set filter of the database on the home page. e.g. most recent submissions
I need some help with tidying some T's & C's for a licence agreement for street kitchen rentals. Must be UK law knowledgable, and have excellent english legal writing skills, i also need to include T's & C's in an order form when we make a pre-licence agreement and accept a deposit payment. The licence agreement is almost complete, and th...
Need Asterisk expert, Phones are down with new router trying to debug where the problem is
...httrack. The origin websites are managed with a custom CMS, coded by a company which is closing without offering any deal to its clients to migrate their site to another web agency. One of my colleagues checked the differences between the origin sites and the copied sites and he reported these differences in a Trello board (one site, one card). These ar...
I need you to create a checkout method where the customer is required to upload id to verify age and is instructed to check email or text to pay the invoice. Creating a manual paypal checkout method where i manually send an invoice to their phone number and email. Is there anyone who can help ?
We need E-commerce portal for online selling in mens wear, womens wear as well as home decor [login to view URL] payment ga...in mens wear, womens wear as well as home decor [login to view URL] payment gateway and deliver integration. The project should be in Magento. We need a type of the project as shown below in attachment or similar to Amazon, Myntra or Flipkart.


text:
Thank you for showing interest in this item. You will be notified by email as soon as this item is available to purchase.
The item you selected has already been subscribed to notify to this email.
System error: Failed to submit email, please contact website administrator.
Find your body measurements to determine which size you should purchase from the size chart above.
Belt Size: Measure from the buckle fold (including belts with plaque buckles) to the center belt hole (or the hole most often used).
When purchasing belts, we recommend ordering the next size larger than your pant waist size.
Due to warehouse systems maintenance, we are unable to ship via expedited delivery until Friday, 2/11.
Standard Ground Shipping
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For a limited time we are offering Free Shipping on standard ground orders to the 48 contiguous United States on orders over $150. Offer is automatically applied at checkout - no promotion code needed.
Due to a technical upgrade, we are currently unable to ship to Canada. We apologize for this inconvenience. Please check back this Spring as we will be integrating a new process for international shipping.
At this time we only ship to the United States, U.S. Territoriesh & Military APO/FPO. Please check back later this Fall as we will be integrating a new process for international shipping.
Wilsons Leather offers a 90 day return policy. We want you to be completely satisfied with your Wilsons Leather purchase, so understand that sometimes an item needs to be returned. Find out more about our return policy.
You can expect a refund in the same form of payment originally used for purchase within 30 days of our receiving your returned product. Your refund will include the cost of the item, plus any applicable sales tax.


text:
foundryspatial needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 101 designs submitted by 10 freelance designers.
Foundry Spatial Ltd.
This is a new company providing subsurface utility engineering and geographic information system services. We locate and create a map-based database of the locations of underground utilities such as water, gas, sewer, telecom and fibre-optic. Clients are then provided with this information to incorporate into their design documents. We also provide mapping and spatial analysis services to clients in the oil and gas exploration and production industry.
Our services are used by engineering and construction firms, government agencies and major oil and gas companies. Logo will be used on website, maps, stationary and vehicle doors.
We chose the name Foundry Spatial as we like the idea of creating high quality, long lasting products for our customers, similar to iron works created in a real foundry. Spatial refers to the GIS and mapping components of our business which relates to where things are located.
We need a logo that represents our values of accuracy, efficiency, reliability and integrity.
- Logo may or may not include a separate icon. Type must include "Foundry Spatial". It is ok if "Foundry" is more prominent though. "Ltd." is optional. If you want to throw in a byline as well we are open to that but don't have any text in mind.
- Two versions of the logo if possible – horizontally and vertically oriented.
- Yellow, orange, brown and earth tones are preferable to blue/green. Ability to use in monochrome would be nice.
- Our business has two distinct markets – architecture, engineering and construction, and oil and gas exploration and development – so the logo should not be too specific to either industry.
Deliverables are:
Adobe Illustrator (CMYK)
Web – Layered PSD
We will be checking in on the contest multiple times each day and providing feedback on submitted designs. Please contact with any questions or if you would like more information. Really looking forward to seeing what is submitted!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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|"I show not your face but your heart's desire."
This page "shows not" an image, but just a written article. Please help the Harry Potter Wiki by uploading and adding an image to this article and then removing this template.
|"Are you a wizard or not?"
The title of this article is conjectural. Although it is based on canonical information, the actual name is a conjecture and may be supplanted at any time by additional information released from canonical sources. If this occurs, please move this page to the appropriate title.
This girl was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into Gryffindor House. However, her twin sister was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Education at Hogwarts
She began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with her twin sister in 1991 and was sorted into Gryffindor. Her twin sister, however, was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Fourth year
In 1994, Hogwarts held the Triwizard Tournament. Her twin sister supported Cedric Diggory in the Tournament and wore a Potter Stinks badge. She shared Defence Against the Dark Arts with students from the other houses this year and was taught by Professor Alastor Moody, who was actually escaped Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr in disguise via Polyjuice Potion. At the end of the year, Cedric Diggory was murdered under Lord Voldemort's orders and Hogwarts held a Memorial Feast at which Headmaster Dumbledore announced Voldemort's return.
Fifth year
In 1995, Dolores Umbridge was appointed as Hogwarts High Inquisitor and Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, so that the Ministry of Magic could watch over Albus Dumbledore after he and Harry Potter claimed Lord Voldemort had returned. Umbridge refused to teach students any form of practical defence, and, given the circumstances, Hermione Granger felt that the student body needed a teacher who would, so then an alliance called Dumbledore's Army was formed. The Gryffindor girl's twin joined the D.A., and it is possible that she did also.
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
See also
Notes and references
- ↑ For her twin sister's appearance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire she appears in the same teaching lessons as Harry Potter, and she must be his age, so she was sorted in 1991 just like he was and then was born in either 1979 or 1980.
- ↑ Siobhan Ellen Williams is the actress who plays this character in both the films Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but she also plays another character who is a Gryffindor student in Order of the Phoenix. Since both her Hufflepuff and Gryffindor characters appear in the same film, it should be assumed that they are twin sisters as both are played by the same actress yet contradict with their houses in the SAME film. Just like Padma and Parvati Patil are identical twin sisters but in different houses, they are too. It is probably a costume/casting error, but since it has been noted it should be explained.


text:
Setting your location helps us to show you nearby doctors, locations and events throughout the site.
For non-life threatening medical needs
For life-threatening emergencies, find the nearest emergency room
Get helpful advice over the phone
(844) 259-9494
Help Me Choose
If you have heart failure, you may wonder if physical activity is good for you. You may worry that putting more strain on your heart could make your heart worse. But remember, the heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, it gets stronger with use.
Regular and moderate physical activity, such as walking, swimming, dancing, or biking, can improve heart failure symptoms. It can also reduce stress, and increase energy levels. Physical activity also decreases blood pressure, improves circulation, and helps you lose weight. These are all important factors in staying healthy, especially when you have heart failure.
Being physically active with this condition can be a struggle, and you may have to follow certain precautions. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a physical activity program. If you're not used to physical activity and are nervous about starting, your healthcare provider can help you develop a plan that fits your needs. You may be a candidate for cardiac rehabilitation. Ask your healthcare provider if a cardiac rehab program is right for you.
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text:
About hggdh
'[...] TSA.gov page on what the agency calls "Managed Inclusion."'
Might they be referring to "Managed Illusion"?
I am pretty sure this has already been proposed, but I am not sure (and lacking time for a search on TechDirt).
Enter DMCA requests against the major abusers. As simple as that. If they can abuse the system for free, so can we.
Huh? I think the FS is just speculating. So, I guess, his opinion is damaging UK.
As such, he should probably stop talking.
well, not really. She is just protecting herself, after all she is a political leader (as opposed to we the people). And this is why she would never release *her* mobile metadata.
Let's try it for warrants: There's always probable cause to believe a search will produce evidence of guilt OR reassure us of innocence.


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The Society of Bluffton Artists is excited to present student artists Kelsey Borden, Priscilla Holland and Amelia Pinckney as the featured artists for the change of show Monday.
Their art along with the work of more than 100 member artists will be on display through Aug. 11. These three young ladies are the recipients of the 2012 Naomi McCracken SOBA Scholarship. Each year SOBA awards scholarships to graduating seniors from Bluffton High School who have been accepted to an accredited art college and plan to major in the visual arts. SOBA has awarded the McCracken scholarships for several years but this is the first time we are able to have the artists present their work for sale as part of our recurrent show.
A reception to honor the new artists is planned for from 3-5 p.m. on July 22 from 3-5 pm. Refreshments will be served. Please plan to meet them and many of the other SOBA members and friends.
The Society of Bluffton Artists (SOBA) is located at the corner of Calhoun and Church Streets.
For information 843-757-6586. socblufftonartist.com


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Venue-Based Couples CoOp in South Africa (Couples CoOp)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01121692
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : May 12, 2010
Last Update Posted : October 12, 2015
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Couples who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in South Africa are at high risk for engaging in risky sex behavior within their relationships and with other sexual partners. In addition, high levels of gender-based violence (GBV) in the Cape Town area intersect with AOD abuse and sex behavior. All of these interconnections raise concern for the importance of HIV prevention strategies within or surrounding drinking venues, where many of these behaviors occur.
The specific aims of this study are as follows:
Aim 1. To characterize the types of drinking venues (e.g., licensure status, size, plumbing, type of alcohol provided), their immediate context (e.g., observed availability and use of other drugs, observable violence and sexual activity), and surrounding neighborhood characteristics (e.g., quality of streets, building structures, and availability of electricity and plumbing) in the sampled neighborhood blocks in several large Black/African and Coloured communities in Cape Town, South Africa.
Aim 2. To refine through qualitative methods the proposed interventions in relation to skills-building to address gender-role expectations, sexual partnering, gender and power, violence, and environments where drinking and sexual risk behaviors occur.
Aim 3. To conduct a randomized group trial to compare the relative efficacy of a comprehensive intervention (Condition 3: Enhanced Couples) to the gender-focused intervention (Condition 2: Gender) and to (Condition 1: Men's Control and Women's CoOp) on reducing alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, sexual risk behavior, and gender-based violence at 6 month follow-ups. Aim 4. To assess the mechanisms through which the intervention effects may occur (e.g., mediators involving self-efficacy and condom mastery, negotiation, and communication skills) and to identify groups for whom the interventions have the greatest effect (e.g., partner characteristics such as race, gender, and age and neighborhood factors such as poverty) on study outcomes of AOD use, sexual risk, and gender-based violence.
|Condition or disease
|Alcoholism HIV Infections
|Behavioral: Couples Intervention Behavioral: Women's CoOp Behavioral: Women's CoOp and Men's Intervention
|Phase 2
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|600 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Venue-Based Recruitment and HIV Prevention for Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Using Couples in South Africa
|Study Start Date :
|May 2010
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|September 2012
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|September 2012
|Experimental: VCT/Women's CoOp
Behavioral: Women's CoOp
The Women's CoOp is a gender-focused intervention discussing women's risk in relationship to HIV and also discusses issues of HIV with South African women including skills for violence prevention. During this intervention, participants will also demonstrate the proper use of male and female condoms on penile and vaginal models. They attend two half day workshops.
|Experimental: Women's CoOp/Men's CoOp
Behavioral: Women's CoOp and Men's Intervention
The Men's CoOp is adapted from Men as Partners, the Women's CoOp and the Couples intervention and contain similar material with a concentration on gender roles and violence prevention. Men attend two half day workshops.
|Experimental: Couples CoOp
Behavioral: Couples Intervention
The Couples intervention is a merged intervention of three interventions (Women CoOp, men as partners's and couples). Couples attend together for two half day workshops and work on exercises on communication and problem solving, including a commitment pledge of fidelity.
- Reduced alcohol use [ Time Frame: 6 month follow up ]
- reduced gender-based violence [ Time Frame: 6 month follow up ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
- Male
- 18-35
- Identify as Black or Coloured
- Live in one of the target communities— Khayelitsha, Mitchell's Plain and Delft
- Have the same main heterosexual sex partner for at least one year, plan to stay with this partner for at least one year and do not plan to get this partner pregnant within the next year
- Report unprotected sex at least once in the past 90 days with main partner
- Have used alcohol in a tavern or shebeen in the past 90 days
- Spend time in a tavern or shebeen at least weekly
- Have been a part of previous Couples' Health CoOp group study activities
- Are currently enrolled in an HIV research study
- Female
- 18 or older
- Have the same main heterosexual sex partner for at least one year and plan to stay together with this partner for at least one year and do not plan to get pregnant within the next year with this partner
- Report unprotected sex at least once in the past 90 days with main partner
- Have been a part of previous Couples' Health CoOp group study activities
- Are currently enrolled in an HIV research study
- Have been a part of the Cape Town Pilot Study or the Western Cape Women's Health CoOp
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01121692
|South Africa
|Medical Research Council
|Cape Town, South Africa
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|Responsible Party:
|RTI International
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01121692 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
R01AA018076 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|First Posted:
|May 12, 2010 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|October 12, 2015
|Last Verified:
|October 2015
Keywords provided by RTI International:
Alcohol use
HIV risk
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Alcohol-Related Disorders
Substance-Related Disorders
Chemically-Induced Disorders
Mental Disorders


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sportsguy needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 89 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
Brainwave Sports
We are launching a web site that will help sports fans to "get smart" about the games they love.
Unlike typical sports journalists, the founders of our web site are mathematicians and engineers. In short, we are "math nerds" that love sports, and our goal is to provide advanced data analysis of games like American football, basketball, and baseball. We will analyze sports data and statistics to figure out which players are the best and which teams are going to win.
In general, we are targeting educated people who like sports:
- Primarily male, but our female user base is not insignificant
- 18-50 years old
- Educated/college degree
- Interested in the statistical side of sports
Most sports sites typically present a very simple, male-dominated, "macho" image; it's all about sports and beer and girls. That is NOT the image we want to project.
At the same time, we do not want to present ourselves as too serious. At the end of the day, our target audience is sports fans, not math professors, so if we make our brand look too serious or "nerdy", it will scare away lots of potential users. Sports, after all, is all about entertainment.
The best logo design will apply a style that presents the right mix of sophistication (without being too serious) and fun (without being cartoonish).
We would like to have a logo that primarily conveys that we are a sports site, and secondarily conveys that we are smart.
Ideally, it will also convey that a lot of what we do involves sports statistics and data analysis.
It would be especially great to have a "general" logo that we could use for purposes like business cards, t-shirts, etc., plus "sport-specific" versions of the logo. So if you are on the American Football section of our web site, the logo design could be minorly changed to use more American Football imagery.
We like our tagline (We're Smart About Sports) and want it included the design.
File formats we require:
- Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
- Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
We will gladly consider any one who does impressive work on this project for future projects. We have a lot more design work to do!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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December was a difficult month for proponents of restricting the right to marry to couples consisting of one man and one woman.
First, on Dec. 13, a federal judge in Utah struck down part of that state's anti-polygamy law. Five days later, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples in that state, and one day after that, another federal judge ruled that Utah's ban on same-sex marriage violated the U.S. Constitution's due process and equal protection provisions, bringing to 18 the number of states that allow same-sex couples to marry.
The decisions drew vehement protests from proponents of traditional marriage, including Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco.
"In a visit to the United States of America, Pope John Paul II — who will be canonized by Pope Francis — declared, 'Vast sectors of society are confused about what is right and what is wrong, and are at the mercy of those with the power to "create" opinion and impose it on others.' Both the New Mexico Supreme Court and the federal court in Utah imposed a wrong decision about the meaning of marriage onto the people of their respective states," said Archbishop Cordileone, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, in a statement.
"We must start off with the right question," Archbishop Cordileone continued. "It is not, 'Is there a government interest in not recognizing alternative types of relationships as marriage?' but rather, 'Is there a public interest in societal recognition and regulation of the only kind of relationship that brings children into the world?' Every human society in history has recognized that there is. By losing sight of this fundamental reality, confusion and error triumph."
Throughout this century, advocates for same-sex marriage have found victories in states from Massachusetts — the first to allow same-sex marriage, starting in 2004 — to Utah. At the same time, those who hold to the tradition, and Church teaching, that marriage can only exist between a man and a woman, have publicly wondered where it would all end, and many questioned what the justification would be to continue outlawing polygamy.
Federal District Court Judge Clark Waddoups' Dec. 13 ruling in favor of a polygamous family that is well known because of its reality television show "Sister Wives" drew this reaction from Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.
"For years, we have warned of the importance of preserving the norms of marriage and its definition as the union of one man and one woman," Brown said in a statement. "Now we see the next step in the path of consequences for abandoning those norms. Left on its current course, in a few years marriage could be unrecognizable."
It must be noted that Judge Waddoups did not strike down the Utah law's provision against bigamy, or the granting of official marriage licenses between one person and more than one partner at a time. Such laws are on the books in all 50 states and remain valid.
Rather, he struck down a more unusual provision in Utah law that said a person is guilty of bigamy if he or she "purports to marry another or cohabits with another person." In other words, it is legal for a person to live as though they are married to more than one spouse, so long as only one of them has legal status.
The judgment followed years of litigation involving Kody Brown, who — with his four "wives" and their 17 children — is followed by TV cameras for a TLC reality show. The Browns are members of the Apostolic United Brethren Church, a fundamentalist church with roots in Mormonism that holds plural marriage as a core religious practice.
The Brown family does not have multiple marriage licenses, with only one recorded marriage license between Kody Brown and his wife, Meri.
The 91-page ruling, in favor of the Browns, was based on the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of religion and the 14th Amendment's right to due process.
The Browns had filed suit against the state of Utah in July 2011 after their television show drew the attention of authorities in Utah, according to information posted on the website of their attorney, Jonathan Turley. The Browns later reportedly moved to Nevada to avoid prosecution in Utah.
Ultimately, it was ruled that the language of the law was unconstitutional because of its vagueness and "its targeted effect on specifically religious cohabitation," therefore violating the First Amendment right to free expression of religion.
In his ruling, Judge Waddoups made it clear that his decision does not pave the way for a legal redefinition of marriage. The issue in this case, he wrote, was "religious cohabitation" or "a personal relationship that resembles a marriage in its intimacy but claims no legal sanction" between consenting adults. As such, the language of the law violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment designed to ensure liberty.
Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage said that while the ruling does not create legally binding plural marriages, it is "the next step along the path blazed by same-sex marriage advocates who have convinced federal judges to transform the societal norm of marriage as the union of one man and one woman designed primarily for the benefit of any children produced of their union into an institution that recognizes intimate, romantic relationships between consenting adults."
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins followed the same line of reasoning, saying in a Dec. 16 blog post: "While liberals insist that same-sex 'marriage' is the ultimate goal, their demands only lay the groundwork for other relationships to demand the same entitlements. Once the courts and policymakers depart from the natural definition of marriage, the Left has a legal foundation for any arrangement between consenting adults."
"Judge Waddoups essentially admitted as much," Perkins continued. "Despite the fact that the Supreme Court outlawed polygamy years ago, Waddoups insists that he can't possibly rest on that decision in modern society. In his words, America has 'developed constitutional jurisprudence that now protects individuals from the criminal consequences intended by legislatures to apply to certain personal choices.' … Anyone being intellectually honest knew this was where liberals were pushing America."
Michelle Martin writes from Illinois.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


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We are all about YOU! The Armstrong State University Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) provides the opportunity and resources for the betterment and development of our student body. OMA supports students' social and intellectual growth as well as civic engagement though community service and cultural competency though programming.
We strive to accomplish these things through working in conjunction with various University Departments within the Division of Student Affairs, recognized student organizations, and University Departments campus-wide in an effort to provide quality interactive programming. Programs are inclusive of diversity and social justice awareness events, cultural heritage month celebrations, and global programming. The nucleus of our programming efforts target diversity, cultural competence, academic stimulation, and service to the Greater Metropolis of Savannah.
OMA is all about YOU! As such, we look forward to having the opportunity to hear YOUR voice,YOUR thoughts, YOUR ideas, and YOUR suggestions for programming.


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Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine rather than a mosque; it is considered the oldest extant Islamic building in the world and is adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem.
The Dome of the Rock houses the rock upon which Mohammed is said to have ascended to heaven, coincidentally the same rock upon which Abraham offered up his son Isaac to God to prove his faith and, in the Jewish tradition, the Foundation Stone, said to be the first part of the world that came into being at the creation. It is also on the site of the inner sanctum of the Second Temple of Jerusalem (the Holiest of Holies) on the platform known as the Temple Mount, which Muslims refer to as the "Noble Sanctuary." The holiness of the site to the three Abrahamic faiths is intense, to say the least.
After the Second Temple was destroyed in the Roman years, leaving Jerusalem in Roman and later Byzantine hands, the Temple Mount became an empty site, used alternately as empty space, or as a city dump. According to legend, when the first Muslim conquerors took Jerusalem, they approached the Temple Mount. There, the conqueror Umar (or Omar) called the Christian Patriarch Sophronius of the city before him to answer for the derelict state of the holy site. Insisting that such a site, sacred to all three religions, deserved respect, Umar insisted that the Patriarch himself begin cleaning the Mount.
The Dome was built shortly thereafter, first in a primitive, wooden state between 687 and 691 by caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwān as a placeholder, and in its final spectacular version somewhat later. It has suffered several earthquakes (746, 1033, 1927). This shrine was covered by a lead dome from 691 until it was replaced with a gold-colored covering in 1965. Because of rust, the anodized aluminum cover was again replaced in 1993 with a gold covering. [1]
At present the Muslim Waqf has the authority to manage the Temple Mount-Haram al-Sharif and consecuently the Dome of the Rock
Interior of the Dome.


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Used Truck - 2001 BMW X5 4.4L 4.4i in Dallas, Tx
Please Call For Price
About This 2001 BMW X5 4.4L 4.4i
Vehicle Location:
Dallas, Tx
Call For Price
Exterior Color:
Stock Number:
Fuel Economy Estimates
City MPG
Highway MPG
Combined MPG: 15
Estimated Monthly Fuel Cost: $148.33*
*Based on $1.78 per gallon and 15k miles per year.
Actual costs may vary.
Actual costs may vary.
Send This Vehicle To Your Smartphone
Seller's Description and Comments:
Located at Rudy's Auto Sales Inc. in Dallas, Tx. Call Rudy's Auto Sales Inc. today at 214-333-1900 for more information about this vehicle.
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2001 BMW X5 4.4L ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
BMW answers the trend with road-going performance.
Originally called a 'sports activity vehicle,' the BMW X5 delivers superb handling and performance. It may be the best-handling SUV on the road. It almost feels like an oversized rally car. Muddy trails are easily negotiable, though this isn't what we'd call a highly capable off-road vehicle. And cargo capacity isn't a strong point.
Two models are available: 3.0i ($38,900) and 4.4i ($49,400).
BMW launched the X5 for 2000 as one upscale model powered by a 4.4-liter V8 engine mated to a 5-speed automatic Steptronic transmission.
For 2001, the 3.0i was added with a 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine. A 5-speed manual gearbox (ZF Type C) comes standard; BMW's 5-speed Steptronic is optional.
The X5 is immediately recognizable as a BMW. In fact it looks like a 540i wagon on steroids - and it is remarkably close in overall size. From the kidney-shaped grille to the tailgates, the curvy X5 is all BMW. The slope of the tailgate looks almost identical to that of the 5 Series wagon. The major difference is that the X5 is 10 inches taller than the 5 Series wagon. This increased ride height is the key element of making this vehicle more like a sport-utility.
BMW's X5 is called a light-duty truck by the government. Most truck-based SUVs, including the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, are built with the body bolted onto a frame. The X5, however, uses a monocoque body shell like that of a regular sedan. This unit-body construction provides a much stiffer body shell, which improves handling, reduces noise and allows better fit and finish. The X5 is not the first monocoque SUV; the Lexus RX 300 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee follow the same design concept. Because of the unit-body construction they share, the Lexus RX 300 is the X5's closest competitor in terms of ride comfort and handling.
The X5 rides on big-diameter 18-inch wheels with low-profile tires that lend an aggressive appearance, and even more aggressive 19-inch wheels are an option.
The X5 is all BMW inside. A simple, uncluttered layout with touches of wood lend an air of elegance. The door handles have a nice brushed aluminum finish and the soft plastic surfaces somehow feel more like leather. X5 comes with a long list of standard features. The one we drove had an integrated navigation system that was a little confusing to master in the short time we had the vehicle. The seats are excellent and the ergonomics are good. Despite the X5's greater height, inside headroom is all but identical to that of the 5 Series wagon, which is itself slightly better than that of the larger 7 Series.
Surprisingly, the cargo carrying capacity is no better than that of the 540i Sport Wagon. That's not to say it's bad but don't expect the X5 to be a substitute for a minivan or Suburban in the haulage business. A very sturdy rollaway cover that can be removed for a larger load carrying capacity covers the rear cargo area. The rear seats are split 40/60 and can be folded down to provide a flat surface. The height of the load floor looks high and it seems to take a bit more heft to load cargo; a 150-pound English mastiff accustomed to climbing into dozens of different SUVs found the pitch too steep to climb up his ramp into the BMW.
The rear hatch is split with a flip-up window and a tailgate similar in design to the Range Rover's. The rear window can be opened independently of the tailgate, which is useful when you want to quickly put something in the rear cargo compartment. One annoyance: Hit the remote hatch release button up front, get out, and when you shut the door, the air in the tight cabin pops the window open enough to close it; walk around back and discover you need to go back and press the release button again; do this a few times and you feel like an idiot. This can make the X5 a bit inconvenient at the airport. Armed with groceries, you'll more likely open the rear hatch with the keyless remote control, which works well. Reflectors on the top of the tailgate's door jam enhance safety when accessing gear at night.
Passive safety has been a major part of the development of the X5. It can be purchased with no less than eight airbags to protect occupants in a major crash. Each front seat occupant gets a front airbag, a side thorax airbag and a side head bag. An optional side thorax airbag is available for the two rear-seat occupants. The airbag system is essentially the same as in the 7 Series; BMW claims its own crash tests indicate the X5 will obtain a five-star rating in the government's (NHTSA) crash tests. BMW claims the X5 is safer than a 7 Series and that it will set new safety standards for this class of vehicle. In November 2000, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the X5 as its 'Best Pick' among SUVs for crashworthiness.
Driving Impression
The X5 4.4i might be considered the BMW M5 of SUVs. Almost. It will do everything the specially built AMG Mercedes ML55 will do, except win a drag race or be a Mercedes. If the AMG Benz is for horsepower extremists, the X5 is still a power hitter-the Sammy Sosa to Mark McGuire of SUVs, maybe.
Mostly, the X5's handling is noticeably more stable and comfortable, with less twitching and head toss, making it more widely suitable.
The X5 wants to be driven like a sports car. The five-speed Steptronic transmission can be easily used like a stick, downshifting with a snick or two of the lever for turns, sometimes instead of braking. It's engaged by notching the lever to the left, which puts the transmission into Sport mode, and the upshifts/downshifts are accomplished by a simple quick nudge of the lever forward or backward.
Not all manual-automatic transmissions lend themselves to practical or convenient use, as the lever action may be awkward or the engine's powerband doesn't care, but the X5 is made for it, and the execution is perfect. It's wonderful to use during passing on two-lanes, making that move safer and smoother. The oomphy power is seamless, with redline coming at 5800 rpm.
On the freeway, the X5 changes lanes with the lightest of touch and with total precision. The tale of the tape might reveal some of its rock-steadiness. Compared to the Mercedes ML430, the X5's track is one inch wider and it rides 2.2 inches lower.
It's the slow speeds where the X5 requires effort. The engine hardly lacks torque, yet it feels like it's working when the going is deliberately slow. This seat-of-the-pants feeling might well be skewed by the transmission mapping or ratios. More bothersome is the power steering, as it takes too much effort to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds.
The brakes are appropriate to the price and function of the car. They're huge, they incorporate every electronic trick known to man, they're effortless to the touch, and they enable the X5 to stop as quickly and securely as the BMW 7 Series luxury cars.
There's no doubt BMW has achieved a hitherto unobtainable goal with the X5: It has managed to produce the smoothest riding and best handling SUV on the market, surpassing that of the Mercedes-Benz M-class. However, it's also true to say that other vehicles you drive will prejudice your opinion as to its handling. If you get out of a regular truck-based SUV and get into the X5 you'll be amazed at its handling. If you get out of a BMW sports sedan, however, you'll find the X5 is not as confidence inspiring. BMW says its test drivers have driven the X5 around racetracks at speeds close to that of the 328i sedan. This is probably true for experienced drivers, who know the limits of themselves and the vehicle's capability, but for ordinary drivers the X5 is a tall vehicle; it leans more going through corners than a sedan.
X5's straight line and freeway manners are great. It feels stable; the steering is even better than in the 5 Series and the ride is smooth. The V8 engine provides plenty of power, making it faster in the race away from traffic lights than most cars. The automatic transmission offers the Steptronic mode, which turns it into a clutchless manual transmission. This is a wonderful system for those who want an automatic with manual control. ( drove the 4.4i.)
The ride quality of the 3.0i felt firm and bouncy. Running errands around town wasn't much fun with wife and dog. Suspension undulations and head toss seemed excessive. Nor was the manual gearbox, our usual preference, enjoyable around town. Clutch engagement is quick and the torque characteristics of the engine, a bit abrupt at throttle tip-in, make smooth, brisk takeoffs a challenge. Lose concentration for a moment, get in a hurry, and it's easy to stall it at intersections, annoying because the power adjustable steering column starts moving while you're trying to restart it. And it wasn't easy to have good smooth drivin.
We have mixed feelings about the BMW X5. It's cargo capacity is no better than a BMW 5 Series wagon. The height of the cargo area is much higher than the 5 Series wagon and getting in and out is more difficult, so it's less practical than the 5 Series wagon. Ride, handling and overall performance are not as good as the 5 Series wagon. And off-road capability is not as good as a serious 4x4 sport-utility.
Yet it offers excellent handling on the road.
If you want a vehicle that can carry passengers and cargo in comfort, then a BMW 5 Series wagon would be better as it offers similar interior space, a better driving experience, and better fuel economy, all for a comparable price. If you want an SUV that will go rock climbing, then you'd be better off in a Land Rover Discovery. If you want to carry the contents of a small apartment, then you'd be better of with a minivan.
All that said, if a sport-utility vehicle is what you want, and your heart is set on a BMW, then you'll love the X5. It offers BMW luxury, character and panache, and it's fun to drive.
Model Lineup
3.0i ($38,900); 4.4i ($49,400).
Assembled In
Spartanburg, SC.
Options As Tested
rear side airbags ($385), power moonroof ($1,050), Park Distance control ($350), Xenon headlights ($500), navigation system ($1,990), premium audio system ($1,200), privacy glass ($275).
Model Tested
X5 4.4i ($49,400).
5502 W. Davis
Dallas, Tx. 75211
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner Jan 8, 2012. 41 Replies 0 Likes
I started thinking about this a little while ago. I remembered that when I was with my ex, how he used to get so incredibly insulted that I would even fathom the possibility that we evolved from…Continue
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While I have been an atheist for about ten years now, I have to admit that I am not that educated on different religious views and all the contradictions that have been pointed out within said…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Madhukar Kulkarni Nov 23, 2011. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Hi everyone. My name is Stephanie Blizzard, I am 27 years old, have two beautiful girls, not with their dad anymore (I think that my being an atheist had something to do with the marriage…Continue
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Forty cars, 25 SUVs, and a minivan earn Top Safety Pick from the Institute for 2011. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also must have electronic stability control, a crash avoidance feature that significantly reduces crash risk. The ratings help consumers pick vehicles that offer a higher level of protection than federal safety standards require.
Last year the Institute toughened criteria for Top Safety Pick by adding a requirement that all qualifiers must earn a good rating for performance in a roof strength test to assess protection in a rollover crash (see "2010 Top Safety Pick: Criteria now include good roof strength," Nov. 18, 2009). The move sharply narrowed the initial field of 2010 winners. At the beginning of the 2010 model year, only 27 vehicles qualified for the award, but the number grew to 58 as manufacturers reworked existing designs and introduced new models. Now another 10 vehicles join the winners' list for 2011. Two discontinued models drop off.
"In just a year, automakers have more than doubled the number of vehicles that meet the criteria for Top Safety Pick," says Adrian Lund, the Institute's president. "That gives consumers shopping for a safer new car or SUV — from economy to luxury models — plenty of choices to consider in most dealer showrooms. In fact, every major automaker has at least one winning model this year."
Hyundai/Kia and Volkswagen/Audi each have 9 winners for 2011. Next in line with 8 awards apiece are General Motors, Ford/Lincoln, and Toyota/Lexus/Scion. Subaru is the only manufacturer with a winner in all the vehicle classes in which it competes. Subaru earns 5 awards for 2011.
"Safety is a priority among this crop of winners," Lund says. "From the start these manufacturers set out to design vehicles that would earn Top Safety Pick, even though we've made it harder to win."
One of them is Ford. For 2011, the automaker is rolling out a new design for its popular Explorer midsize SUV, which until now had never earned Top Safety Pick. Ford also upgraded the roofs of 2 other midsize SUVs, the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT, along with the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2 midsize cars that missed the initial round of 2010 winners because they lacked the required roof strength. The all-new Ford Fiesta rounds out Ford's winners and is the only minicar to earn Top Safety Pick this year.
General Motors' new Chevrolet Cruze broadens the number of award-winning options for consumers looking to buy a fuel-efficient small car. GM built the Cruze, which has 10 standard airbags, including ones for the knees, to outperform the government's minimum roof strength requirements and touts the achievement as a selling point.
The redesigned Volkswagen Touareg is the only large SUV to earn Top Safety Pick for 2011. The Institute doesn't normally evaluate SUVs this large, but Volkswagen requested crash tests to demonstrate the Touareg's crashworthiness.
None of the small pickups the Institute has evaluated qualified for this year's award, and large pickups haven't yet been tested.
The Institute awarded the first Top Safety Pick to 2006 models and then raised the bar the next year by requiring good rear test results and electronic stability control as either standard or optional equipment. With last year's addition of new criteria for roof crush the Institute's crash test ratings now cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes.
More than 12,000 people died in frontal crashes of passenger vehicles in 2009 in the United States, more than 6,000 died in side impacts, and more than 8,000 died in rollover crashes, many of which also involved a front or side impact. Rear-end crashes usually aren't fatal but result in a large proportion of injuries. Neck sprain or strain is the most commonly reported injury in two-thirds of insurance claims for injuries in all kinds of crashes.
Vehicles rated good for rollover crash protection have roofs more than twice as strong as the current federal standard requires. The Institute estimates that such roofs reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollovers by about 50 percent compared with roofs meeting the minimum requirement.
When the first roof crush results were released in March 2009, only a third of the SUVs evaluated had good roofs. Since then about 113 vehicles have been tested, and the majority are rated good for roof strength (see "Roof strength update: Most new ratings are good," Aug. 21, 2010).
Hyundai is a case in point. The Tucson and the small SUV's twin, the Kia Sportage, earned a poor rating for roof strength in 2009, with the weakest roof among all of the small SUVs evaluated that year. A redesign helped the 2011 models secure a good rating and Top Safety Pick. Hyundai also improved the roof on another SUV, the midsize Santa Fe, and redesigned the Sonata, a midsize car that had earned a marginal roof rating the first time around.
The outlook for side-impact protection has brightened, too, Lund notes. Many cars failed the side test the Institute began conducting in 2003, but now most vehicles ace the test thanks to stronger side structures and standard side airbags that protect the head and torso. It's an important improvement because new Institute research shows that the risk of dying in a crash is sharply lower for people in vehicles that earn good ratings in the Institute's side test.
Chrysler added torso airbags to the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee to bolster side crash protection and earn a good side rating. The previous design relied on head curtain airbags to cushion occupants in side crashes and only rated marginal for side protection.
Safety equipment is increasingly standard. Ninety-two percent of 2011 model cars, 94 percent of SUVs, and 56 percent of pickups have standard head and torso side airbags. Electronic stability control is standard on 92 percent of cars, 100 percent of SUVs, and 72 percent of pickups.
Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage improve Thanks to a redesign, the Hyundai Tucson (left) and its twin, the Kia Sportage, now earn a good rating for roof strength. That wasn't always the case. When the Institute released its first batch of roof test results in March 2009, the Sportage was cited as having the weakest roof among all of the small SUVs evaluated.
"Automakers deserve credit for quickly rising to meet the more-challenging criteria for Top Safety Pick," Lund says. "Several already have requested tests for new models due to ship early next year, so we expect to add even more winners to the 2011 list."
The Institute groups Top Safety Pick winners according to vehicle type and size. Lund advises consumers to keep in mind that size and weight influence crashworthiness. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better occupant protection in serious crashes than smaller, lighter ones. Even with a Top Safety Pick, a small car isn't as crashworthy as a bigger one.
The Institute's frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.
Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on 2 instrumented SID-IIs dummies representing a 5th percentile woman, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the impact.
In the roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a displacement rate of 0.2 inch per second. To earn a good rating for rollover protection, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio.
Rear crash protection is rated according to a 2-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can't be positioned to protect many people.
Large cars
Midsize cars
Small cars
Large SUV
Midsize SUVs
Small SUVs
Overall roof strength ratings improvements, 2009 - 2010
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As if the Peregrine Financial Group (PFG) fraud story could not get any more peculiar, Russell Wasendorf Jr. and his wife Amber filed a lawsuit against US Bank and one of its employees last Friday, alleging that the bank failed to disclose pertinent information about his father's finances and misuse of customer funds.
Much of the lawsuit centers on various guaranty agreements that Wasendorf Jr. and his wife signed in connection with the construction of PFG's Cedar Falls Ia. headquarters in 2007. To build the offices, Wasendorf Sr. formed the limited liability company Wasendorf Construction, giving his son 90% ownership in the company (although Wasendorf Sr. allegedly retained control of its business affairs).
The suit also asks that a judgment be entered against bank employee Hope Timmerman "in an amount that will fully and fairly compensate the plaintiffs for their damages plus exemplary damages."
According to the lawsuit, Wasendorf Sr.'s personal assets, including PFG, would serve as collateral for the construction loans. When US Bank asked for additional guaranty agreements from the younger Wasendorf, he allegedly told them that he and his wife did not have nearly enough assets to guarantee the loans.
According to the lawsuit, the couple signed the agreements only after the bank assured them that it was "intimately familiar with the nature, value and status of Wasendorf Sr.'s assets" and that those assets "materially exceeded any obligation due under the proposed guaranty agreements."
Following PFG's July collapse, Wasendorf Construction defaulted on its loan. Now Wasendorf Jr. claims that he would never have signed the agreements if he had known the true state of PFG's finances. He has asked the court to rescind all guaranty agreements related to Wasendorf Construction.
The suit also claims that US Bank and Timmerman violated Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rules regarding treatment of customer-segregated funds.
The suit claims that the "845" account in which PFG deposited customer funds was not a designated Customer Segregated Account but a PFG corporate account that allowed Wasendorf Sr. to freely access funds. It states: "At no time did US Bank reject any of the deposits that were endorsed 'Customer Segregated Account' and which were accompanied by a deposit slip stating that the account was a customer Segregated Account, as it was required to do by [CFTC regulations]. Instead, in violation of [CFTC rules], US Bank deposited the said customer checks in the 845 account. … at no time did US Bank inform the CFTC or PFG that checks that were designated as customer segregated funds were being deposited into an account that was not designated as a segregated funds [account]."
The lawsuit goes on to claim that US Bank allowed Wasendorf Sr. to wire funds out of account 845 in violation of CFTC rules.
The suit also claims Wasendorf Sr. instructed Timmerman that she was not to answer any inquiries regarding account 845 to anyone other than Wasendorf Sr., even though there were two other signatories on the account, and that he had gone so far as to demand an employee be fired who contacted the PFG accounting office regarding a routine matter involving the account.
It also states that on May 16, 2011, a woman identifying herself as Timmerman contacted the National Futures Association claiming that a previous account confirmation sent by her was erroneous and a corrected confirmation (showing approximately $221 million in funds) would be faxed shortly. The original confirmation sent on May 13 indicated the 845 account held $7.2 million in funds.
The suit claims Wasendorf Sr. was only able to perpetuate this fraud through the acquiescence of US Bank and Timmerman.


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Baby's Death Investigated
Pennsylvania State Police and the Fulton County Coroner's Office investigated the death of a newborn baby over the weekend.
State police said 52-dayold Tobias Carper was discovered unresponsive in his bassinet by his mother on Saturday, June 1. Coroner Berley Souders reportedly pronounced the baby dead at 1:32 p.m. at the family's home located at 7026 Cito Road, Apt. 6, McConnellsburg.
Police noted the cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Light Bulbs Stolen
Two outside light bulbs were stolen from 219 South Seventh Street in Ayr Township at 3 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, state police reported. Victim is a 58-year-old Mc- Connellsburg man. Anyone having additional information linked to this case should contact state police Trooper Poole at 717-485- 3131.
Woman Charged With Retail Theft
A 22-year-old McConnellsburg woman has been cited by state police for a retail theft that occurred on Friday, May 31. State police alleged Kourtney Lee Branche stole a cigarette machine valued at $44.99 from Golden Tobacco in Mc- Connellsburg Borough at 1:20 p.m. Charges will be filed through Magisterial District Judge Wendy Mellott.
Two Juveniles Accused Of Trespassing
Two 14-year- old boys from McConnellsburg have been accused of criminal trespassing in connection with an incident that occurred along Lions Park Drive last Tuesday evening.
According to state police reports, the juveniles entered the backyard of a 39- year-old McConnellsburg woman at 9:29 p.m. They crossed into the yard through a gap in a fence. Charges against the duo will be filed through Magisterial District Judge Wendy Mellott.
SUV Strikes Utility Pole
A Big Cove Tannery woman was not injured last Thursday when her northbound 2004 Ford Explorer struck a utility pole along Route 928.
According to state police reports, 38-year-old Christy M. Johnson swerved to avoid hitting a deer at 3:30 p.m. Her sport utility vehicle travelled onto the berm where it hit the pole. Johnson was wearing a seat belt, and her vehicle sustained minor damage.
Woman Injured In Accident
A Martinsburg, Pa., woman was taken to Fulton County Medical Center via ambulance on Saturday, May 25, following a singlevehicle accident along New Grenada Highway.
Eighty-seven-year-old Chloe W. Brown suffered minor injuries during the accident just west of the intersection of Ansell Road, state police said. Brown was injured when her westbound 2003 Chevrolet Malibu spun off the Taylor Township roadway and into a tree on the northern berm.
Police noted that following impact the car continued to spin for an additional 45 feet before striking another tree with its front bumper. Brown was wearing a seat belt. She will be cited for failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic.
State police were aided on the 8:10 p.m. accident scene by the Hustontown Volunteer Fire Co.
Car Strikes Tree
Pennsylvania State Police in McConnellsburg reported a Harrisonville area woman failed to notify them of a single vehicle accident on Wednesday, May 29, on Reunion Ground Road.
Police said Melissa N. Masters, 32, lost control of her eastbound 2005 Toyota Corolla at 8:30 a.m. The car travelled onto the berm where it struck a tree. The vehicle was disabled and required towing from the Licking Creek Township accident scene.
Masters was not wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries. State police were assisted on the scene by Remsburg Towing.
Vehicle Towed From Scene
A 2001 Ford Taurus SE was towed from an accident scene along North Hess Road last Wednesday, state police said.
Eighteen-year-old Hustontown area resident Rachel Allison Chagolla lost control of her car while rounding a right-hand curve in the Taylor Township roadway. Chagolla's car travelled through a fence and onto a soccer field belonging to the Forbes Road School District.
Chagolla, who was wearing a seat belt, was not injured. Her vehicle was removed from the scene by Tinman Towing.
Dumping Reported
Unknown individuals recently dumped a mattress, box spring, bookcase and multiple bags of garbage at the Crystal Spring rest area of Interstate 70. State police said the theft of services occurred between 4 p.m. on May 26 and 8 a.m. on May 27. Victim is PennDOT. Anyone with additional information pertinent to this case should call state police Trooper Piasecki at 717-485- 3131.
Cellphone Found
A cellphone was found at McDonald's restaurant in McConnellsburg at 6:50 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28. The owner is asked to contact the McConnellsburg state police barracks at 717-485-3131 with a description of the phone.
Hub Caps Missing
Four hub caps were stolen from 1478 Camp Ridge Road, Harrisonville, on Wednesday, May 29, state police reported. Victim is a 56-year-old male from Harrisonville. Anyone having further information concerning this case should immediately contact state police Trooper Watkins at 717-485-3131.
Burglary Reported
A 23-year- old McConnellsburg woman told state police investigators burglars removed numerous items from her home located at 432 Woodside Drive in Ayr Township. The break-in occurred between noon on May 4 and noon on June 3. Anyone having further information concerning this case should contact state police Trooper Piasecki at 717-485-3131.