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Welcome to the Richboro Outdoor Guide! On these pages we celebrate the natural beauty of our region, with its fabulous collection of parks, trails, waterways, and natural history.
Is camping your thing? Check out our list of Campgrounds in the area.
Be sure to visit our Covered Bridges page which includes an interactive map of our beautiful and historic bridges.
If you are a fan of butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, or dragonflies, visit
The Butterfly Website, The Hummingbird Website, and The Dragonfly Website
Find a local trail in the Bucks County area and enjoy the great outdoors.
We are so fortunate to have some great nature centers in and around Richboro!

subset: commoncrawl


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Last week we started the contest "Submit Your Love Letter to Win a Leuchtturm Planner!" and we received some great entries! Below are the 4 winners of the Leuchtturm1917 Weekly Planners. Thanks to everyone who entered! Click here to read all the entries (in the comments).
Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway(s) and spread the word! We've got loads more giveaways, articles, tips & tricks, etc. on the way, so check back frequently. To keep in the loop, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our RSS feed, and/or sign up for our weekly newsletter.
If you have any ideas or feedback, definitely let us know in a comment on this blog, or you can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com!


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EQUINOX (Criterion)
In selecting our choice for VW's Favorite DVD of 2006, we limited the contenders to only those titles which made our contributors' Top 10 lists -- no Honorable Mentions, no also-rans; only those discs that, in our estimation, were the creamiest of the crop. Criterion's EQUINOX was the only title to appear on three different primary lists, followed by Sony's THE PASSENGER, Paramount's THE CONFORMIST and 1900, and Criterion's THE COMPLETE MR. ARKADIN, each of which scored twice.
And now, as promised, my own personal selections...
TIM LUCAS (Editor's Choice):
As always, it seems to me that the challenge of preparing any list of this sort is fighting the impulse to simply pick the 10 best Criterion titles -- which I don't think would be as "simple" as all that -- as they continue to move from strength to strength. 2006 was certainly one of the label's banner years. It was also a year of immense volume, and I apologize in advance to those labels whose outstanding product I may have missed or misfiled in memory.
Jean-Claude Brialy admires Laurence de Monaghan in CLAIRE'S KNEE, one of the highlights of Criterion's ERIC ROHMER - SIX MORAL TALES.
1. ERIC ROHMER - SIX MORAL TALES (Criterion)
Criterion outdid themselves with this long-awaited but deeply satisfying presentation of my favorite film series -- a feast for the spirit and the senses. Each film has been utterly rejuvenated over the previous Fox Lorber transfers and complemented with marvelous, thoughtfully chosen extras. My full review of the set appeared in the October 2006 issue of SIGHT & SOUND and can be read here.
2. NORMAN McLAREN: THE MASTERS EDITION (Home Vision)
Don't know anything about Norman McLaren? Neither did I, and perhaps that's the best way to delve into the deep end of this endlessly rich assortment of his work in short form cinema. I'm still in the process of exploring and savoring this set, but animation and experimental film buffs will find that it rewards its purchase almost immediately with its unique and enchanting way of looking at life and art. McLaren (1914-87) was a Scottish-born, Canada-based animator who created a good deal of work with the "camera-less" technique of using strips of film as a direct sketchpad, even drawing in the soundtracks by hand. To watch these films is to sit in admiration of a boundless visual imagination and creative spirit that excites as it entertains. Seven elegantly packaged discs containing 58 short films, assorted documentaries and interviews, audio commentaries, tests, outtakes... a person could conceivably spend an entire year reaping the dividends of this collection. If your collection includes the likes of Ladislas Starevich and Stan Brakhage, this heroic release sits quite nicely between them.
3. THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VÉRONIQUE (Criterion)
Each passing year seems to further reveal this exquisite film as Krzysztof Kieslowski's finest achievement, and the greatest argument to date has been the film's belated arrival on DVD. The French label MK2 beat Criterion to the punch with their ravishing import release of this title, which included as a special limited edition incentive an actual strip of 35mm film; the exact same material was issued in the UK by Artificial Eye. However, Criterion improved on the MK2/Artificial Eye transfer in ways that are subtle, but significant enough to keep the imports on permanent ice. Additional extras further seal the deal, including a delicious book of essays and one of the year's best audio commentaries by Annette Insdorf.
On the one hand, this is an infuriating release because it's a triple dip released at a time when video consumers know that the HD release of all this material is just around the corner (and has already been shown on HDNET). On the other hand, the films have never looked so handsome or sounded so smashing on disc (new 5.1 remixes), and each film is now accompanied by its own second disc of supplementary materials, new ones (including a CBC interview with Ian Fleming and a radio dialogue between Fleming and Raymond Chandler) along with a balance of materials carried over from previous issues, as well as some premiering audio commentaries.
5. THE PASSENGER (Sony)
Thanks to this low-profile DVD release, 2006 was the year I finally caught up with this 1975 film by Michelangelo Antonioni, and it proved one of the year's most absorbing viewing experiences, and undoubtedly the most haunting. There is a formal perfection about the film, an ambition, a deliberate reach for greatness, that may or may not work against it; I'm still undecided. Yet I still marvel at the closing scene -- as I seem to do with all Antonioni. And how many DVDs can boast a Jack Nicholson audio commentary? Happily, it's a good listen and not one of those "I can't talk, I'm watching the movie" tracks that so many actors deliver, and the second commentary by journalist Aurora Irvine and screenwriter Mark Peploe is also rewarding.
6. BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (20th Century Fox)
This two-disc set is, at once, the perfect presentation of the film, a pitch-perfect tribute to the film, an audio commentary education, and a party on a platter. I've written about this disc at length at an earlier date on this blog, so do a Blogger Search or Google Search and track it down, in case you missed it.
7. MORE SILLY SYMPHONIES 1929-38 (Walt Disney)
I've only been dipping into this new "Walt Disney Treasures" release for the past couple of days, but I'm convinced it belongs here. The two-disc set is evenly divided between black-and-white and Technicolor cartoons and, watched in chronologic order, one can see the evolution of the Disney school of animation in a nutshell (or a tin can); one can even see major Disney characters like PINOCCHIO's Figaro in embryo. Long unseen shorts like "Hell's Bells" and "The Goddess of Spring" are important additions to our fund of animated fantasy, and the inclusion of uncut cartoons like "Cannibal Capers" (included with two different endings) and "Mother Goose Goes Hollywood" make this release particularly commendable as a triumph of restoration.
8. THE CONFORMIST and 1900 (Paramount)
The best of director Bernardo Bertollucci AND cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (not to mention actress Dominique Sanda, the Garbo of the 1970s), brought to DVD in presentations that are not only pictorially splendid, but substantially more complete than they were ever shown in American theaters. These are classic films made with what might be termed contemporary classical craftsmanship, and though the subject matter is relentlessly realistic and historical, Storaro's peerless eye infuses both films with elements of the fantastic. Paramount has gifted both films with a good deal of supplemental respect, proof of the esteem in which these films are held by the film industry, though they are no longer well known by the public at large.
9. THE COMPLETE MR. ARKADIN (Criterion)
Here, Orson Welles' most intoxicatingly oblique, incomplete, infuriating jigsaw is viewed every way except upside down through a glass of water. The Corinth Video version of MR. ARKADIN, the CONFIDENTIAL REPORT version, and a remarkable DVD-exclusive "Comprehensive Version" are collected on three discs, along with a new paperback of the film's novelization, expert commentaries (arguably the year's best) and interviews, and the three episodes of the radio show THE LIVES OF HARRY LIME that later mutated into the film's basis. The set plays like a feature film adaptation of my own MR. ARKADIN reconstructive articles for VIDEO WATCHDOG, only much more definitive.
10. EQUINOX (Criterion)
Not just a film, but an engrossing, multi-chaptered lesson in grassroots independent film production, deal-making, and the retooling of an elaborate home movie into a full-fledged theatrical feature. The theatrical, polished EQUINOX is somehow less impressive than the film in its original, roughly-hewn state, which MONSTER KID HOME MOVIES producer Joe Busam calls "the moat impressive 'monster kid home movie' I've ever seen." That the young collaborators behind this movie grew up to become the likes of Jim Danforth, Dennis Muren and David Allen makes the material that much more compelling, and the extras explore their creative genius to even greater lengths. Allen's fairy tale short THE MAGIC TREASURE is particularly appealing. Hands down, the most exciting and generous monster-themed release of the year.
CLOSE, BUT HAVE A CIGAR (in no particular order):
THE LOONEY TUNES GOLDEN COLLECTION, VOLUME 4 (Warner)
We're getting past the creamiest cream of the crop, but it's still a wealth of laughs and grace notes, delivered with eye-popping color and a delightful bounty of extras.
MASTERS OF HORROR COLLECTION (Anchor Bay)
The Showtime series' first season had a handful of gems -- Joe Dante's "Homecoming", Takashi Miike's "Imprint", Stuart Gordon's "Dreams in the Witch-House", Dario Argento's "Jenifer" and Larry Cohen's "Pick Me Up" are particularly worth acquiring -- but horror buffs with deep pockets and a deep fascination with the challenges of genre adaptation and short form filmmaking will find any and all of these individual sets rewarding on some level. The extras are more valuable than the main features on half or more of these titles.
THE ULTIMATE SUPERMAN COLLECTION (Warner)
Sorry, Richard Donner, but your "Director's Cut" of SUPERMAN II is kind of a lox, despite a couple of interesting additions and fresh footage of Marlon Brando, Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman, to name a few. That said, this mammoth 14-disc set -- in a tin-encased lenticular slipcase -- includes all of the Superman features made to date (including 1950's SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN) and there are some fans, like myself, who would consider the set's (finally!) perfect and glorious transfers of the original Fleischer cartoons adequate compensation for its asking price. I've seen all the previously issued Fleischer cartoon collections, and believe me, you haven't seen the Fleischer SUPERMAN cartoons till you've seen them here -- given the same lustre as Warner's LOONEY TUNES sets.
V FOR VENDETTA (Warner, pictured)
CASINO ROYALE came close but, ultimately, this was the most impressive major studio production I saw in 2006 - a majestically realized adaptation of the Alan Moore/David Lloyd graphic novel. Available in standard "fullscreen," widescreen single, widescreen two-disc, widescreen two-disc with Guy Fawkes mask, and HD editions.
PANDORA'S BOX (Criterion)
The definitive presentation of the G. W. Pabst classic, which looks cleaner and more complete than ever before, and is presented with a choice of three different musical accompaniments (one by Peer Raben, who scored Fassbinder's BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ). There are some engrossing supplementary programs devoted to Pabst and Louise Brooks, and it's all handsomely packaged with a book of some new and all the relevant essays -- and my copy arrived in the mail on the day of Brooksie's centenary. DVD Savant Glenn Erickson has chosen this as the most impressive DVD of the year, and I can see his point... but I was frankly a bit put off by the audio commentary, which more often than not I found uninvitingly academic.
MAREBITO (Tartan)
Of all the new horror films I saw this year, this was by far the most effective. Shot on the cheap by Takashi Shimizu between JU-ON assignments, it tackles nothing less than the subject of people's attractions to what they fear and taps into areas of horror that seem both primal and advanced.
ICONS OF HORROR: BORIS KARLOFF (Sony)
Worth acquiring, if only for Roy William Neill's extraordinary THE BLACK ROOM (1935); it's Karloff's DEAD RINGERS, as he plays twin brothers -- one murderous, one innocent -- and gives three astounding performances, one as the murderer posing as his own dead brother. A marvel of trick photography, as well. Also includes THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG, BEFORE I HANG and THE BOOGIE MAN WILL GET YOU.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (New Line)
David Cronenberg's best film since DEAD RINGERS (1988), brought to disc with interesting extras and one of the director's customarily intelligent, informative and well-spoken audio commentaries.
WRITER OF O (Zeitgeist Films)
Pola Rapaport's exploration of STORY OF O author Pauline Réàge, part documentary, part docudrama, part first-person confession. A rewarding examination of literature at its most courageous, and a moving study of the purpose and process of writing fiction.
THE MAGUS (20th Century Fox)
The film, based on the best-seller by John Fowles, is a bit of a misfire but it's a damnably interesting one and a pleasure to finally see in its original scope ratio. Without delving into the story, suffice to say that it belongs on the shelf with mind-game movies like PERFORMANCE, THE STUNT MAN, and THE GAME. A very nice bonus is a 20-some-minutes profile of author Fowles, with candid input from friends and his step-daughter.
PETULIA (Warner)
One of the great American films of the 1960s, Richard Lester's satirical portrait of middle-aged romance with a kooky member of the Pepsi generation is close to a career best for nearly all its participants, from George C. Scott and Julie Christie to cameraman Nicolas Roeg and composer John Barry (one of his finest non-007 scores). It also had the good fortune to be filmed in San Francisco while its psychedelic music scene was in full bloom, and offers mesmerizing glimpses of The Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company (with Janis Joplin). Edited by Antony Gibbs, whose trademark time-fracturing style later resurfaced in Roeg's PERFORMANCE and WALKABOUT.
KING KONG - DELUXE EXTENDED EDITION (Universal), GOJIRA (Classic Media), I WAS A TEENAGE MOVIE MAKER - DON GLUT'S AMATEUR MOVIES (Cinema Epoch), JIGOKU (Criterion) and THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (Criterion) -- all likely contenders for my lists, which I haven't been able to screen as yet.
ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL (Sony); WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN THREE ACTS (HBO - like the Umlands, based on the broadcast, as I haven't seen the DVD); ANDY WARHOL - A DOCUMENTARY FILM (PBS); NAKED CITY - SETS 1, 2 and 3 and LANCELOT LINK: SECRET CHIMP (Image Entertainment); PERRY MASON: SEASON 1, VOLUME 1 (CBS Video); THE WILD WILD WEST: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (CBS Video); THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE - ULTIMATE EDITION, VIOLENT MIDNIGHT and HORROR OF PARTY BEACH/THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE (Dark Sky Films); DUST DEVIL (Subversive Cinema); BLACK CHRISTMAS (Critical Mass); Michele Soavi's CEMETERY MAN (20th Century Fox), UNO BIANCA and ST. FRANCIS (both NoShame Films); BLACK PIT OF DR. M (Casa Negra); THE BRAINIAC (Casa Negra); THE TARZAN COLLECTION, VOLUME 2 (Warner); HENRI LANGLOIS: PHANTOM OF THE CINÉMATHEQUE (Kino on Video); MACUMBA SEXUAL (Severin Films); ABIGAIL LESLIE IS BACK IN TOWN and LAURA'S TOYS (Retro-Seduction Cinema); and THE ZACHERLEY ARCHIVES (Zacktapes/PS Productions), a wonderful compendium of all the surviving kinescopes of John Zacherle's telecasts -- and more -- which actually came out late last year, but which escaped my notice till 2006.
1. THE ATROCITY EXHIBITION (Reel 23, Dutch, pictured)
The most visionary new film I saw in 2006. A staggeringly dead-on adaptation of J. G. Ballard's non-narrative novel of a doctor's nervous breakdown and the doors of perception it opens for him and others. Although Jonathan Weiss's independently-produced film was first completed circa 2000, it had to wait until this year, and this import DVD, for its first significant distribution. It may not be for everyone, but for science fiction cinema it represents a quantum leap.
2. LOUIS MALLE COLLECTION, VOLUMES 1 & 2 (Optimum, UK)
Criterion released their own Louis Malle box set this year, 3 BY LOUIS MALLE, as well as a stand-alone release of his dazzling debut, ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (a thriller with a score by Miles Davis). Here they were beaten at their own game by two box sets from Optimum, which include several key titles not yet available in the States in any form -- notably LES AMANTS/THE LOVERS (1958, VOL 1), featuring Jeanne Moreau at her sexiest; ZAZIE DANS LE MÉTRO (1960, VOL 1), the zany kaleidoscope of a movie that arguably launched what we now know as "the Sixties"; LE FEU FOLLET (1963, VOL 1), a gripping study of post-detox depression with a great performance by Maurice Ronet; and the erotic Freudian dreamscape BLACK MOON (1975, VOL 2).
3. FANTOMAS (Artificial Eye, UK)
All five of Louis Feuillade's feature-length silent serials based on the exploits of Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain's masked genius of crime -- available for the first time with English intertitles, and an introduction by VW's own Kim Newman.
4. IKARIE XB-1 (Filmexport, Czech)
Just about the last thing I ever expected to find on DVD: the original Czechoslovakian film that was the basis of the AIP import curiosity VOYAGE TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE. One wishes, for reference's sake, that both versions had been included in full, but only the opening and closing titles of the AIP version are included -- but to have the original film in its intended form, in 16:9 widescreen with English subtitles... this alone previously seemed too much to hope for.
5. TALES OF THE FOUR SEASONS (Artificial Eye, UK)
Eric Rohmer's most recent sequence of films -- A TALE OF SPRINGTIME (1989), A WINTER'S TALE (1992), A SUMMER'S TALE (1996) and AN AUTUMN TALE (1998) -- are here collected in a handsome set, festooned with director interviews and trailers. The films themselves are not as essential as Rohmer's earlier work, but the master's touch -- his appreciation of the magic that arbitrarily springs to life between two people -- remains deft and unmistakable. An essential companion piece to Criterion's SIX MORAL TALES set.
6. THE GRAHAM GREENE COLLECTION (Optimum, UK)
This box set collects four films based on the work of British author Graham Greene, two of which (THE THIRD MAN and THE FALLEN IDOL) are somewhat better served by their Criterion editions. Where this set becomes essential is in its presentation of the shattering BRIGHTON ROCK (US: YOUNG SCARFACE, with Richard Attenborough as one of the iciest crooks you'll ever meet onscreen) and THE HEART OF THE MATTER (1953), which allows the set to bookend with an outstanding lead performance by THIRD MAN supporting player Trevor Howard. British filmmaking at its finest, from first disc to last.
7. PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (Gaumont, France)
This two-disc set is analogous to 20th Century Fox's BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS: it takes one of the great cult movies of our time, gives it a definitive presentation, and assembles its cast to pay festive tribute to it over the length of a second disc. Includes a 5.1 audio remix of the feature that raises the goosebumps.
8. DIE RACHE DER WIKINGER / ERIK THE CONQUEROR (Colosseo Film/Elite, Germany)
This disc, the first-ever digital presentation of Mario Bava's 1961 Viking adventure, represents the first time it has been widely available for viewing in its original ratio and color values in 45 years. One of those films that can't be properly appreciated in a faded, cropped print, this is a prolonged wow of the senses -- a worthy companion piece to your copy of Fantoma's HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD. Sweetening the pot is an hour-long documentary focusing on Bava as a special effects master, which offers generous footage from Bava's only two known television interviews with an English subtitles option.
9. DIE STUNDE DER GRAUSAMEN LEICHEN / HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE (Anolis, Germany)
A gorgeous thing. This limited edition import (3000 copies) is packaged in a kind of hardcover book and, after enjoying its contents, you start agonizing about the wait you'll have to endure before you can fill a whole shelf with other titles in this series. (I hope there will be more.) Directed by Javier Aguirre, THE HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE is rightly celebrated as one of Paul Naschy's best performances and one of his most interesting romantic variations on a theme. Warning: Animal lovers (even rat haters) may take exception to scenes involving the immolation of live rats. Includes Naschy's first audio commentary (in Spanish, with English subtitles) and a 34-page color booklet of illustrated essays by Naschy authorities Mirek Lipinski and Christian Kessler.
10. EXTERMINATING ANGEL (Arrow Films, UK)
At long last, a better-than-watchable presentation of one of Luís Buñuel's most delirious films -- the one about the dinner party that refuses to break up and gradually devolves into barbarism. No frills, but this movie doesn't need them; it's enough to finally see everything that's going on.
And last but not least...
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, THE COMPLETE THIRD AND FOURTH SEASONS and THE COMPLETE FIFTH AND SIXTH SEASONS (Warner)
Restoration-wise, the buzz on the street this year is the outstanding job done for MGM's JAMES BOND ULTIMATE EDITIONs. Truth is, the Bond films have always looked good on DVD, even if some of the minor details pertaining to the original release prints have only been properly replicated in this latest round. But in simple terms of comparing things, as they used to look, to how they look now on DVD, the most enormous and gratifying improvement is to be found in the color episodes of the 1950s TV syndication series THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.
These color episodes were originally broadcast in black-and-white, and when they were syndicated to stations in color in the mid-to-late Sixties, they were saddled with cheap color processing that gave them an ugly, porridgey look that got ten times worse whenever one scene was about to dissolve into the next. Fans assumed that the show must have been filmed with some kind of chintzy '50s color process, doomed to quick and smudgy fading, but Eureka! On DVD, these color episodes now evince a bold color design and sharp detail that's gone unsuspected for the past 50+ years. Yes, these later episodes can be juvenile and silly at times -- but have you read a '50s Superman comic recently? The beefed-up color makes sense of these later episodes by reminding us that they were intended to be DC comic book stories of the period brought to life. Consequently, the restoration compels us to reassess the work at hand and regard the series, as a whole, as a greater all-around success.


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Laurel's Kitchen Buttermilk Bread
I made another batch of 100% whole wheat buttermilk bread from Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book yesterday. This time I used freshly ground flour (hard red spring wheat) measured by weight, mixed all the ingredients except the butter for 2 minutes and then let the dough sit for 40 minutes in an attempt to hydrate the fresh ground flour a little bit. Next time I would attempt this without the salt added as per the various threads on this site regarding autloyse - but yesterday I didn't come up with the idea until after I'd already added everything.
After the 40 minute rest I mixed it for 4 more minutes on speed 4 on the KitchenAid and added the butter in cold, small, pieces as per the recipe. The butter didn't mix in very well so I moved the dough to the counter and kneaded the butter in for another minute or two, then let the dough sit in a covered bowl (in a cold oven with the lights on for warmth). I let it rise for 2 hours and 15 minutes, giving a stretch and fold every 45 minutes. Then divided it into two equal pieces, rounded them and let them sit for 15 minutes before forming them into pan loaves.
I let the loaves rise for 1 hour, then baked them in a pre-heated 350F convect oven for 35 minutes. They rose in the oven a little more and ended up the perfect size for sandwiches.
This bread is always delicious and my family loves its softness and flavour for sandwiches and toast. The fresh-baked heels are amazing and we usually snitch those from the sliced loaf before we freeze it - no one ever wants the heels for toast or sandwiches later anyway!


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Ashley bags Mark Wright
LONESOME jungle babe Ashley Roberts celebrated coming second on I'm a Celeb by hooking up with Mark Wright.
I think it's bed time for me now!! 7:16am here #ooops
The former Pussy-cat Doll got up close and personal with the hunk, who was runner-up last year.
Former TOWIE man Mark, 25, was flown Down Under to appear on spin-off show I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! NOW!
But it seems he may have got more than just a free trip to Australia after making a play for sexy American babe Ashley, 31.
They were spotted flirting with each other after meeting at the show's wrap party at the swanky Versace hotel on Australia's Gold Coast.
Ashley and Mark were seen slipping out of the party after just an hour.
Instead of drinking with the other stars of the show, including jungle queen Charlie Brooks, 31, they were later to be found knocking back shots at the hotel bar.
After a little while on their own the pair were joined by some pals and decided to go clubbing until the early hours.
Sexy Ashley had admitted she fancied show host Declan Donnelly, 37, but after a night on the tiles it seems Mark is more the man for her.
Ashley stunned fans by revealing how sexually frustrated she was in the jungle and could not wait to get out so she could do "something naughty".
And she certainly kept Mark up all night. He tweeted yesterday: "I think it's bed time for me now!! 7:16am here #ooops."
A show insider said: "Ashley came out of the jungle and was instantly on the prowl.
"She said she fancied Dec but it was Mark that caught her eye first. They seemed really into each other.
"They were really giggly and very touchy-feely. It was cute."
Ashley made no secret of the fact she was looking for a fella when she signed up to the show.
Before entering the jungle she said: "I'm a single lady and I like good-looking, fun men. I don't think I have a specific type.
"I just like confident guys with a good sense of humour.
"I like ambitious, driven men. I like all that good stuff and British accents are great!"


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Celent's new report on "Execution Quality in the NYSE Market," contributes to the sense that a once considerable gap between the top market centers and everybody else, in technology and expertise, has effectively disappeared.
The NYSE's top three market centers are Nasdaq MC, EDGX Exchange, and Barclays Capital. But as the report's author, Anshuman Jaswal, put it, the gap between those and the others is now "not substantial." This is good news, he also says: its disappearance will benefit customers.
Further (perhaps a related point) the share of two of those, Nasdaq MC and EDGX, has declined since November 2012. The market share of Barclays has grown, but so has the market share of Getco Securities, BATS Exchange, and NYSE Arca.
Two Axes of Excellence
Jaswal measured execution quality along two axes: speed and price. Speed is a straightforward measurement of the time between the placement of an order and its execution.
The metric for price (as en execution issue) is a bit trickier. In this report, Celent relies on the ratio of the effective spread on the one hand and the National Best Bid or Offer, that is, the quoted spread, on the other. What is the "effective spread"? Celent defines it as double the difference between the achieved price and the midpoint of NBBO. The report's Figure 2 gives a graphic sense of how this works:
Thus, given the metric used here, the lower the effective-to-quoted spread, the higher the quality of the execution.
Consider Speed
Taking the two axes of measurement as above: what can we say about the execution speed of the NYSE?
We can say, to begin with, that electronic order books are consistently faster than are specialists, and that market makers are consistently – across all order sizes – faster than either of the other two types of market center.
Also, Celent tells us, "The speed of execution has [over the last year] become slower overall for specialists but has become faster for market makers." For the EOBs, speed has improved for smaller order sizes but slowed for larger orders.
Firm by firm, the speediest executions for the most actively traded stocks come from BATS Y-Exchange, NSX, and Wells Fargo. For less actively traded stocks, the fastest executions come from BATS Exchange, Goldman Sachs, and the EDGX Exchange. NYFIX ConvergEx Millennium ATS and Getco Securities also perform well on execution speed across order types.
Turning to Price
The report says that some of the better performers on price are: Liquidnet, Wells Fargo, and NYFIX ConvergEx.
For large market and marketable limit orders for mid-active issues in particular the smallest e-to-q spread (and thus the best price execution) is that of Liquidnet, followed by Citigroup Global Markets and Instinet. The least impressive performance in this particular category was that of Nasdaq BX. The average spreads here are "similar to those seen in the last survey."
But if we combine all categories of order size and both of these axes of measurement, speed and price performance: who 'wins'? Who gets the best bang for the microsecond, so to speak?
BATS Exchange, NYSE Arca, NATS Y-Exchange and Goldman Sachs seem collectively to prevail, although Celent offers the sensible caveats about how "direct comparisons between very different market models … are sometimes fraught with difficulty."
The survey relied heavily on Rule 605 reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about the methods of the study is set out in the report's Table 4, reproduced below.
Market share
The report also considers the respective market shares of the three sorts of market center. The share of EOBs has declined to 56% after a recent peak of 58%. The market makers and specialists have each seen a slow increase in market share.


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Results 1 to 2 of 2
#1 "This is Not The Time To Have a New POTUS On 'Training Wheels'!"
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NATO-Russian naval controntation on tap in Black Sea!
confrontation in the Black Sea appeared days away on Tuesday, after American officials announced a US warship would attempt to enter a Georgian port controlled by Russian army and naval forces. US fleet elements will in coming weeks unload humanitarian aid in the Russia-controlled Georgian port Poti, US embassy spokesman Stephen Guice said in remarks widely reported by Georgian media. The American announcement setting the stage for a direct US-Russia naval confrontation came against a background of continuing high tensions in the region in the wake of the Russia-Georgia conflict and with both Russia and... '
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John McCain 2008 Launches New TV Ad: '3 A.M.'
ARLINGTON, Va.U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released its latest television ad, entitled "3 A.M." The ad highlights Hillary Clinton's serious questions about Barack Obama's lack of experience and judgment to handle an international crisis -- the "3 A.M. moment." The ad will air in key states.
VIEW THE AD HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yYlzX2ZOLM
Script For "3 A.M." (TV :30)
CLINTON AD: It's 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep.
Who do you want answering the phone?
ANNCR: Uncertainty. Dangerous aggression.
Rogue nations.
HILLARY CLINTON: I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House.
ANNCR: Hillary's right. John McCain for President.
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- Overall Length:5.25"
- Blade Length:2.25"
- Cutting Edge:2.00"
- Blade Thickness:0.05"
- Blade Material:Tru-Sharp
- Blade Style:Clip Point
- Blade Grind:Flat
- Finish:Polish
- Edge Type:Plain
- Handle Length:3.00"
- Handle Thickness:0.33"
- Handle Material:Corelon
- Color:Green, Red
- Bolster Material:Nickel Silver
- Frame/Liner:Brass
- Weight:1.00 oz.
- Knife Type:Manual
- Opener:Nail Nick
- Lock Type:Slip Joint
- Brand:Case
- Model:Texas Toothpick
- Model Number:S910096RF
- Country of Origin:USA
- Best Use:Everyday Carry
- Product Type:Knife
This Texas Toothpick model has a green and red Corelon handle and a stainless steel blade. Add a classic pocketknife to your collection with the Small Texas Toothpick from Case Knives. This model has a clip point blade with a nail nick opener. Nickel silver bolsters and a case shield logo finish off the collectible design.


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Belgium may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of bird watching tours. But despite the fact that this charming little country has much stronger associations with its medieval history and its production of delicious chocolate, it also has a fascinating array of avian life that makes bird watching tours to Belgium an excellent choice.
Birds of the Belgium Coast
The coastal area of Belgium is perhaps one of the best places to spot the migratory birds that come here in winter. The flat plains that border Holland, known as the Uitkerke Polders, coupled with the Zwin Nature Reserve, provide ideal conditions for the 30,000 Pink-Footed Geese, as well as the Great White-Fronted Geese that come to winter here. Interestingly, the Zwin Nature Reserve once connected the North Sea with Bruges, and it was only when a storm broke through the Flemish coast in 1134 that the current tidal channel was formed.
This tidal channel opened up a host of trading opportunities for Bruges and, as a result, the city flourished. Today it is unusable, however, because of the silting that has dammed up the waterway, but it is still a haven for birds, including Red-breasted Geese, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls in particular, and plenty of beautiful salt resistant flora as well.
Outside the wetland area, in the surrounding low-lying fields and meadows, sightings of Snow Buntings and Lapland Buntings both make an interesting addition to bird watching tours.
Birding in the South
The southern part of Belgium, the Ardennes, offers the birding enthusiast even more opportunities to get the binoculars out in the hopes of sighting some of the more unusual avian species. The stunning countryside of the south contrasts dramatically with the more industrial north, and those who visit are greeted with beautiful undulating hillsides, forests, and lush valleys that are conducive to the habitation of many species.
Bird watching tours often take in some of the lovely rivers and streams in the area, including the Ourthe and the Semois; here birders may expect to be graced by the presence of Raven, Black Storks and Dippers.
The Ardennes opens up a whole world of exciting nature watching opportunities, and the woodlands are home to Woodpeckers and the elusive Eagle Owl that can often be sighted here. Ever heard the unique call of the Grey-headed Woodpecker? In Hertogenwald visitors may be treated to an instance of the magical call before continuing on to Hautes Fagnes, an area of large open moorlands regularly interspersed with spruce forests. Birders can expect sightings of the Crested Tit, the Nutcracker and perhaps even the Black Grouse here.
Bird watching tours in Belgium offer so many opportunities for the avid birdwatcher; they can also spend time exploring the wonderful city of Bruges, a highlight on a trip to the country.


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By Jonnelle Marte
They're the 1% no one aspires to join: the small percentage of taxpayers who get audited by the IRS. But those worried about suffering the tax equivalent of a root canal may be in luck this year, experts say. Thanks to budget cuts, the chances of getting audited will be even slimmer than normal.
IRS audit rates for individuals fell last year by 5.3%, according to an analysis by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse released this week. The trend may continue this year, experts say, because of the federal spending cuts known as sequestration that are expected to leave the agency with fewer employees on hand this summer to conduct audits and track down tax cheats, among other actions. "If you have fewer bodies, you have fewer audits," says Kevin Brown, leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers's tax controversy and dispute resolution practice.
IRS employees are also warning that the cutbacks could hurt enforcement actions, according to a survey of government workers by the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents federal workers at the agency. Workers potentially face five to seven unpaid furlough days this summer, when the agency tends to conduct most of its audits, says Brown, a former acting IRS commissioner. The cuts would also come at a time when a hiring freeze prevents the agency from filling jobs. And that is on top of the cuts the agency has already experienced. The IRS started this year with 7,000 fewer full-time employees than it had at the end of 2010, with staffing for key enforcement positions down 6% in the past year, the agency said in a statement.
Of course, the improved odds don't mean tax cheats should run wild, pros say. The agency has adapted to its slimmer workforce by moving away from face to face audits and using more correspondence audits, which are conducted over the mail, the TRAC report noted, leading the number of correspondence audits to nearly triple over the past two decades. Most cases of underreported income are now spotted through software the IRS uses to match the income reported on tax returns with the information it receives on 1099s and other income documents.
Another reason why tax cheats shouldn't celebrate just yet: The prolonged enforcement action could mean that those people who do get hit with an audit and are found to owe money may face higher penalty and interest charges than they would have after a speedier audit, IRS employees said in the survey. If people's tax-filing errors go undetected because of fewer audits, they could end up making the same mistake in multiple years, potentially causing penalties and interest charges to pile up, says Brown.
Update: The IRS points out that the number of audits on large corporate tax returns remains high by historical standards, with more than 17% of large corporations being audited in 2012.


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Cold Prey
Dir. Roar Uthaug
AKA Fritt Vilt
A group of friends on a snowboarding excursion in deepest, darkest Jotunheimen are forced to seek refuge in a seemingly abandoned hotel in when one of them breaks their leg. While exploring the building they discover that the hotel was shut down in the Seventies after a series of mysterious disappearances, including that of the owner's young son. It soon becomes apparent to the group that they are not alone in the hotel; a mysterious psychopath begins to pick them off, one, by one, by one…
While the premise of this expertly crafted and smartly scripted Norwegian slasher flick seems to creak under the weight of its own cliché-ridden conventions, the execution of Cold Prey/Fritt Vilt (pardon the pun), is what is most surprising and unconventional and sets this film well apart from its myriad of lesser contemporaries. We open in typical slasher style, with the apparent death of a young boy at the hands of an unseen assailant in the midst of a blizzard. Skip forward twenty-odd years to present day and we're introduced to the main characters as they make their way through startlingly beautiful snow-covered landscapes on a snowboarding expedition. Of course, once they enter the hotel to seek refuge, this is where the slow-building sense of dread and isolation begins to build to an ever pleasing crescendo and events begin to turn increasingly bloody for our gang.
Supremely creepy atmosphere and location aside, Cold Prey also benefits from having a smart script that consistently subverts expectations. Yes, while it knows that we know the rules of slasher movies verbatim, it doesn't offer knowing, tongue-in-cheek smugness a la Kevin Williamson, instead, it opts to simply sidestep conventions slyly and play up to them before pulling out the proverbial rug, chucking in a few loving references to the likes of The Shining as it goes – without detracting from the story. The script actually credits the audience with a modicum of intelligence and reveals as much as it needs to as it goes along. In lesser films a flashback shot to Jannicke discovering a bullet while rummaging around in some drawers would be inserted into the narrative when she discovers a gun that isn't loaded…
What Cold Prey also does that is instantly refreshing, is present its audience with a group of well-rounded, likable characters. It benefits the film immensely that this lot actually seem to have a history, and unlike most slasher movie
When the group discover they are not alone at the hotel, they do everything they're supposed to: stick together, try to formulate a reasonable plan, arm themselves and support each other. Of course, this does no good, but at least it's refreshing to see characters use their heads for something other than decapitation gags in a slasher film. While we are given some basic information about the hotel, its previous inhabitants, bloody history and how the killer is connected to it (remember the pre-credits sequence?) – the screenplay (courtesy of Thomas Moldestad, Roar Uthaug and Martin Sundland) remains chilling in the simplicity of the killer's modus operandi, and rather echoes the terrifying anonymity of Michael Myers in the first Halloween. Consistently cranking up the tension, offering us an imposing, seemingly unstoppable killer and boasting an irresistible, resourceful and courageous final girl in Jannicke (admirably portrayed by Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) – Cold Prey is one of the most compelling, tightly-wound, suspenseful slashers in memory. A shining example of what a great slasher film can be.


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Bread machines
Hello im a new user just started making bread. Im a student and as part of our project we have been asked by a company called kenwood to improve and re-design a bread machine i was wondering if anyone had ever had any problems with a bread machine or has any tips or anything to do with them tbh would help. Any problems you could share would be a huge help thank you.


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INTERPOL Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Events 2013
The INTERPOL – UNEP conference, on 6 November 2013, brought together executive leaders from around the world to design a joint international strategy to tackle environmental crime.
Cooperation between intergovernmental organizations, as well as the environmental enforcement actions of focus for the international community in the coming years, were the main topics of discussion during the conference.
INTERPOL and UNEP recognize that only by working together, with common objectives, will we truly have an impact on the activities of the individuals, networks and companies that illegally exploit our shared environment, biodiversity and natural resources.
The ECEC meeting, from 7 to 8 November 2013, brought together executive leaders from around the world to design and develop strategies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our national and international responses to environmental compliance and enforcement.
The objectives of the meeting were to:
- Consider issues associated with communication and networking between governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector;
- Explore mechanisms to expedite the exchange and maximize the storage of data, information and intelligence for the benefit of the global law enforcement community;
- Enhance collaboration surrounding transnational investigations and operational actions.
Three Working Group meetings were held in parallel with the ECEC meeting:
- 24th Meeting of the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group
- 18th Meeting of the INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group
2nd Meeting of the INTERPOL Fisheries Crime Working Group
Final report
The working groups met to discuss current projects and plan future activities that will help tackle the threats facing their respective disciplines. They were then invited to present their recommendations for the consideration of the ECEC.
More broadly, the meetings considered a range of current and emerging threats being experienced around the world with regard to the environment, biodiversity and natural resources.
Crime Scene Investigation, Wildlife DNA & Other Forensic Tools
7 November 2013
Presentations on developments in DNA-related services and their application to wildlife law enforcement.
Organized Crime in the Waste Industry
7 November 2013
Countries were invited to present on experiences with organized crime in various waste streams. The development of a toolkit was explored to assist the global law enforcement community in identifying and effectively tackling organized crime in the waste sector.
Workshop on Fugitive Investigative Support and Operation INFRA-RED
8 November 2013
This workshop wasdesigned to introduce participants to fugitive investigative support tools and explore the possibility of using these tools to develop an environmental fugitive investigative support network. Operation Infra-Red (International Fugitive Round-up and Arrest – Red Notice) is an annual INTERPOL initiative to locate and arrest serious long-term international fugitives. Operation Infra-Red 2012 was launched on 14 May, and focuses on more than 500 fugitives wanted by 57 member countries.
Forest Law Enforcement Workshop
8 November 9.00-17.00
Forestry experts shared their experiences of forest crime and discussed global strategies to combat illegal logging and forest crime.
Each country's biodiversity and natural resources are an important part of its economic well-being and security, but are continuously threatened by overexploitation from criminal and unlawful elements. Consequently, INTERPOL and UNEP are working together to enhance environmental compliance and enforcement which will have a positive impact on these global concerns.
Together we acknowledge that, in order to maintain environmental security, we need to invest in current activities, develop innovative strategies and ensure their efficient implementation.
In 2012, during the 1st International Chiefs of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Summit, 230 delegates from 70 countries and international bodies recognized the need for the evolution of the existing INTERPOL Environmental Crime Committee in order to address these issues.
This newly structured committee, known as the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee (ECEC) will seek engagement from executive leaders for environmental compliance and enforcement and will work as a permanent INTERPOL environmental executive level steering committee.
- INTERPOL - UNEP International Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Conference Agenda
- 1st Executive ECEC Meeting – Provisional Agenda'
- 24th Meeting of the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group
- 18th Meeting of the INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group
- 2nd Meeting of the INTERPOL Fisheries Crime Working Group


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Historically, the Lady Bisons have not been a team with a great deal of offensive punch. Coach Jon Ireland thinks the offense will improve as the season continues, but right now defense is the key. The Lady Bisons will be tested for the third straight game on the road Friday night at 6 when they travel to Tennessee-Chattanooga.
The Lady Bisons beat Troy on the road Wednesday night 1-0 in a mud bath as the field was drenched from a pouring rain. The Lady Bisons are 2-1 heading into the game with Chattanooga, the first time in the history of the program that they have started with two wins in the first three games.
This is the third meeting between the lady Bisons and Chattanooga. The Lady Bisons won 1-0 at Chattanooga Sept. 14, 2007. They lost to Chattanooga at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex 3-1 Sept. 7 last season.
The Lady Bisons are depending heavily on freshmen on defense with Katie Wood, Kameron Stillwell, Ashley Duggins. Sophomore Kirsten Heikkinen also is on the back line, making the transition from midfielder
"I can't say enough about well we our defenders are doing," said Ireland. "One of the things you worry about the most is how quickly they will be able to communicate and play together.
"Overall, we have good speed at the back. We are stronger than we have ever been there without a doubt. Wood, Stillwell and Duggins come from very good club teams. It is not a huge jump up for them."
"Kameron is a tremendous defender," said Ireland. "She is a play we could put anywhere on the field. She is very versatile. She has very good speed and she uses her body so well that it is hard to get around her on the field.
"She is so athletic, so tenacious and so aggressive. She has the attitude that she is not going to get beat. She is a shutdown defender you can put on a forward and trust that she is not going to get beat."
Duggins made her college debut as a center back in the Troy game and appears to have found a home at that position.
"Ashley is one of the fastest players on our team," said Ireland. "She is also very technical. She has good skills and can also hit the ball. She has one of the best two shots on the team. If we need to get the ball cleared she has the ability to do it. Both she and Katie can really clear the ball."
Despite being a freshman Wood has started all three games and presents a calm and cool demeanor on the field.
"She is so composed that no matter what is going on she doesn't get stressed," said Ireland. "She seems very in control and in command. She is very sure-footed with either foot. She doesn't seem to miss the ball. She can clear the ball with her head or her feet.
"She reads the game very well. She is very smart."
Heikkinen is the veteran on the back line. She played last season as a midfielder.
"She can play anywhere on the field for us," said Ireland. "Her goal at midfield last season was to mark the other team's best center mid. She did real well with her defense last season."
Freshman goalkeepers Erin Zerio and Ally Marler have combined for two shutouts.
Chattanooga, 1-0, marks the second straight time the Lady Bisons have been the opponent in a home opener. Chattanooga defeated Tennessee tech 3-0 in Cookeville Aug. 28 to open the season.
"Chattanooga is very organized," said Ireland. "They are well-coached. They will be disciplined and they will be fit. They will know exactly what they want to do in terms of a game plan.
"They are a team that is going to play very hard. They are going to work and work. So if we don't match their energy we will be in trouble. "


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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) had no problem turning water into wine, but turning a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jew into a staunch Zionist is quite another story. For many streams of Haredi Judaism, Zionism is a dirty word, and last week's Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Independence Day) was just another bad day. But such was no longer the case for Chava (not her real name), a 23-year-old Haradi Jewess who recently accepted Yeshua as Messiah.
"This was my first Yom Ha'Atzmaut," says Chava. "In our family, we were forbidden to even mention it. We were told by our parents to close the shutters so that we could not see what the abominable Goyim (derogatory word for Gentiles) were doing in the streets. We call it 'Tzibele' (onion) day in Yiddish." For many Haredi Jews, Yom Ha'Azmaut is foul, dirty and pagan.
"We hated Israel," Chava admits. "Our parents did not want us to be Israeli at all. My father wanted to take us all to America."
Now a believer in Yeshua, all of that changed for Chava forever. "When I heard the siren sound in memorial for the fallen soldiers who had given their lives for this nation, I stood up, and my heart stood still," she said. "I understood for the first time how much the people of Israel, my people, had sacrificed to bring us back to this land and make a nation and a home for us, the Jewish people."
Chava feels embarrassed that her whole life she never honored the brave men and woman who had given their lives to secure a homeland for the Jewish people. She admits that she even despised and hated them. "I give thanks to Yeshua who opened my eyes. He has given me a right spirit and a whole new understanding," she says.
In Israel, Memorial Day flows directly into the Yom Ha'Azamut celebrations. Independence can only be celebrated while remembering those who have gave their lives to make it happen, while the joy of nationhood can sweeten some of the painful memories of those who have fallen.
"I understand now how important it is to show respect and honor for the people of this land who have sacrificed so much for me, for my family and for Jewish people around the world," says Chava about her first Memorial Day and Yom Ha'Atzmaut.
"I feel proud to be an Israeli now," she says. "I am glad that I can live here and be a part of our people. God loves our people, all of our people, secular, religious, Arab and Jew. He loves us all," she smiles.
PHOTO: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish anti-Zionists burn Israeli flags as the rest of the country celebrates Independence Day.
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amshil needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 78 designs submitted by 30 freelance designers.
We own a driver update program that scans your computer for outdated drivers and automatically downloads and updates missing and out of date drivers on your PC.
This can quickly fix device related PC errors and boost PC performance.
Our target audience are people who are looking for a fast and easy way to update their drivers without having to arduously search for the latest drivers on manufacture sites one by one.
Also, people who have device driver related computer errors, who are looking for a solution. We can help them.
Must be original logo (we will NOT accept logos from templates or automated programs).
Want professional iconic logo around our product name : DriverBoost
Be creative.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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'Facebook Phone' is Here, and More
What's News: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduces Facebook Home app and launches a new smartphone with HTC. Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy signs sweeping gun-control bill into law. State gas taxes head higher. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... today we're finally going to talk about the say so far ... this here well sort of this is what's news I'm WS J lifetime Thailand Co ... Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company is not building an actual phone the family of apps ... the company and a link Facebook court today ... it's a more sophisticated new interface of its social network that displacing integrates face of content ... on the home screen and an Android phone ... the Facebook all that can be downloaded from the Google Play store and will be available to Android smartphones and April twelve ... HTC is also wanting a phone with Facebook called the HTC first that will cost ninety nine dollars and ninety nine cents ... and the Nikkei TNT LTE network ... and Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy signs in a sweeping bill on gun control mental health and school safety into law ... the move comes more than three months after a deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut ... the new law requires background checks on all firearms purchases ... bans the sale ammunition magazines with more than ten rounds and also provide additional training for teachers ... counselors and school nurses to identify mental illnesses students ... and respond to psychiatric emergencies ... and the cost of a commute is getting more expensive gas taxes are heading higher as the top high gas taxes ... and other fees to fund road repairs and maintenance ... seventeen states have recently and act different thinking about teaching the gas taxes according to the National Conference of State legislatures ... will keep the present all the latest news about Mr upbeat and what's his aunt WS J live ...


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July 06, 2018
Events happening today
13 April 2018 12 July 2018New idea contest on Desall.com: Manifattura Falomo and Desall invite you to design a new system to help consumers choose the most suitable mattress according to their needs inside the points of sale.
Manifattura Falomo invites you to design a new system for enabling the final user to choose the most appropriate mattress according to her/his need, based on two parameters, the body shape and the sleeping position (on the back, on the stomach, on the side).
For more info: http://bit.ly/PickYourSleep
Competitions & Events 0 Comments
05 July 2018 18 October 2018IGPDecaux and Desall invite you to propose new names for a series of advertising products sold by the company, classified by category according to the area they target.
In particular, they are looking for a new set of names to identify their own products dedicated to communication and advertising (surface transportation, urban furnishing, subway, etc.), suggesting intuitive, self-explanatory names, easy to remember and to communicate to their own clients.
For all the details, you are required to download the Material files available on the contest page.
Read all info about the contest at the official page on http://bit.ly/IGPDecauxContest
Deadline for submissions: 18th October 2018
Awards: €4000
Participation is free of charge and open to all creative people (at least 18 years old).
Competitions & Events 0 Comments
14 June 2018 07:00 AM 13 September 2018 11:59 AMSIDA, the Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association, and Desall.com, invite the international community of designers to design the official gadget/souvenir for all the attendees of the Shenzhen International Industrial Design Fair 2018.
This partnership between SIDA and Desall will give the chance to all participants to get in touch with the "Silicon Valley of hardware" - as Shenzhen is often dubbed - and will provide an exclusive opportunity to take part in the largest Industrial Design event in all Asia. The winners will be invited to showcase their works at the event with a free booth, free advertising and other services specified in the brief, equal to about EUR 11,000. The official award ceremony will take place in Shenzhen on the night of November 05th. All travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the organisation.
The theme of this-year edition of the fair, "Design drives [knowledge] drives design", will also represent the topic of the award. Participants are thus invited to leverage on the great technological expertise and consumers products tradition of the area and design an electronic gadget/souvenir that will be produced in time for the fair and offered to all attendees, as a portable and easy to carry item for frequent travellers.
All projects will be evaluated by a jury consisting of high-level representatives of SIDA and Desall according to several criteria as specified in detail in the brief.
Participation is free of charge and open to any age or nationality.
Deadline for submissions: September 13th, 2018
Official award page: https://desall.com/Contest/SZIDF-2018-Gadget-Design-Award/Brief
Competitions & Events 0 Comments


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Interested in Language
Dear All:
I have seen this post where a member asked for help to distinguish between "personality" and "character".
So here are my questions:
Do we really have to know how they are defined?
Or do we just need to know how they are used?
If you are not a techer, then I guess you shouldn't worry about the first one.
If you are a teacher, then maybe you want to give sample sentences to help your students to grasp the nuances of some very abstract adjectives rather than going for their obscure dictionary definitions.
So here is my suggestion: if you have trouble distinguishing between similar adjectives, you go collect as many sample sentences as possible from dictionaries. If that doesn't suffice, then come here to demand more examples from our kind and helpful native speakers.
In this way, I believe you will eventually get it
How does that sound?
Last edited by LeTyan; 29-Dec-2012 at 02:56.


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Browse our complete inventory of new 2018 - 2019 Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, FIAT, and Dodge cars in the Ontario, Fontana, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Rancho Cucamonga areas. We are committed to offering you a variety of vehicles that suit your lifestyle and budget. Our sales team has the expertise to help you find a new 2018 or 2019 Jeep Cherokee, Wrangler, Ram 1500, 2500, Dodge Challenger, Durango, Chrysler 200, Pacifica, FIAT 500e, and many more models. Get behind the wheel of a new car, truck or SUV by visiting our greater Ontario car dealership located at 1202 Auto Center Drive in Ontario, CA. Want to do more research? Check out our Vehicle Showroom and Research Center to learn more about the vehicle you are interested in.
We are the greater Ontario Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, FIAT, and Dodge dealership where customer satisfaction is the top priority. People visit Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram FIAT of Ontario because they can consistently expect outstanding services from our new and used car dealership. We hope to have the opportunity to earn your business and invite you to visit us in person at 1202 Auto Center Drive.
*All prices plus government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document processing charge, any electronic filing charge and any emission testing charge) While every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained on these pages. Please verify any information in question with our store.
* MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle. It does not include any taxes, fees or other charges. Pricing and availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including options, dealer, specials, fees, and financing qualifications. Consult your dealer for actual price and complete details. Vehicles shown may have optional equipment at additional cost.
* The estimated selling price that appears after calculating dealer offers is for informational purposes, only. You may not qualify for the offers, incentives, discounts, or financing. Offers, incentives, discounts, or financing are subject to expiration and other restrictions. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, incentive offerings, current pricing and credit worthiness.
* In transit means that vehicles have been built, but have not yet arrived at your dealer. Images shown may not necessarily represent identical vehicles in transit to your dealership. See your dealer for actual price, payments and complete details.


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I am so blessed to have him in my life.
When I am overwhelmed with school he is supporting and understanding.
He prays for me, encourages me, and has more faith in me than I have in myself.
My successes are because of him.
I pray that I can be a wife that is supporting.
I pray that I can be a wife that is understanding of what the Army calls him to do.
(Even if that means he is miles away from home and in danger.)
I pray that I am encouraging in all of his aspirations.
And I pray that he always knows I believe in him.
But mostly, I pray that I can become the wife he deserves.


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Mr. Potter's Progeny
When public ire was roused against executive jets for Detroit automakers, luxury retreats for AIG clients and bonuses for bailed-out bankers, populist discontent made headlines. Now that Wall Street bankers, thanks to the Obama economic team, are back in the driver's seat, purveyors of conventional wisdom belittle populism as a distracting obstacle to economic recovery. It is as if in a sequel to "It's a Wonderful Life," Mr. Potter has once more repossessed Bedford Falls, and George Bailey has been locked up as a vagrant. The nation's top bankers and their new regulators don't understand that without a change of ethos-without conversion-there will be no long-term economic recovery.
Banking must turn back to old-fashioned George Bailey-type values before firm footings can be built for the new economy. Greed (desire for excessive rewards) must be replaced by an expectation of a fair return banking must serve the real economy of goods and services, not lead it, and short-term profitability produced by financial instruments of "brilliant" design must be checked by responsibility for consumers and the public good. Instead, while they continue to receive trillions from the Fed in quiet backdoor relief efforts, banks like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America want to return their TARP money to be free of government restrictions like limits on executive compensation. Already many large firms are setting aside for bonuses as much or more than they did in 2007. In the meantime, their lobbyists in Congress have defeated legislation that would have allowed judges to provide more favorable bankruptcy provisions for homeowners subject to foreclosure, and they threaten to block modest new limits on interest and fees for credit card usage. It is time to free George Bailey and spread the money around.
Whose Newman?
The Daily Telegraph of London reported last month that the Vatican has accepted the cure of a Massachusetts man who was "bent double," the result of a spinal stenosis, as a miracle attributable to the intercession of Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-90). Jack Sullivan, a Catholic deacon, later described to The Boston Globe his (literally) overnight cure. Sullivan's healing would fulfill the requirement for Newman's beatification.
Newman would make a fascinating and somewhat controversial saint. On the one hand, he is beloved by traditionalist Catholics for his elegant apologias for Catholicism. He is also admired by progressive Catholics for his ideas on the "development of doctrine" as well as his resistance to the ultramontane tendencies of his time. And, ironically, many Catholics suspicious of clericalism often quote this prince of the church who quipped of the laity, "The church would look foolish without them."
Last year church officials attempted to unearth Newman's remains in order to "translate" them to a place more appropriate for public veneration, but diggers found little left of the cardinal. The exhumation itself was controversial: Newman had explicitly asked to be buried next to his lifelong friend, Ambrose St. John. As a result, he is beloved among some gay Catholics as well, who (rightly or wrongly) claim him as one of their own.
Venerable John Henry Newman: favorite of traditionalists, progressives, anti-clericalists and gays. Perhaps the lack of bodily remains is a reminder that in death, as in life, the saint resists being held or possessed by any one group.
The Uses of Torture
When President Barack Obama made public Justice Department memos developed during the George W. Bush administration that sought to justify the use of harsh methods of interrogation for Al Qaeda suspects, he touched off another round of debate about the usefulness and morality of torture. The president quickly made clear that he had no intention of investigating or prosecuting those responsible for such memos. He did, however, cite Winston Churchill's insistence, at a time of great peril for Britain, that to compromise the nation's moral standards would, in effect, be a form of surrender to the enemy.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has already made it clear that he will not observe the discreet silence former administration officials have traditionally maintained. He called for an investigation into the efficacy of such interrogation techniques in support of his claim that in the "war on terror" moral scruples can be a dispensable luxury.
Veterans in the intelligence community, however, have challenged the reliability of information obtained from harsh interrogation. The prisoner under such pressure may simply tell questioners what he or she thinks they want to hear. A more skillful questioner will seek to establish a sympathetic bond with the prisoner, experts claim. The question of efficacy aside, however, when the questioner compromises his or her own integrity by resorting to dehumanizing techniques, the enemy has already achieved a different kind of victory.


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The population of Mexico has had 4 major periods of growth, they are:
- In the 1860's when Maximillian I invited a large group of German Jews to settle in Mexico.
- 1880's when Ashkenazic Jews fleeing places such as Russia and Romania arrived in Mexico.
- After the fall of the Ottoman Empire when Sephardic Jews began arriving from locations such as Turkey, Morocco, and France.
- Those fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe during World War II.
Today the Jewish population of Mexico is approaching 50,000 people, located mostly in Mexico City, but also places such as Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana. The community in Mexico City is home to over 30 synagogues, most of which are Orthodox.At this time the first records of the Jews of Mexico are being added to the Knowles Collection and will be available soon.


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(Reuters) - China's wildcard entrant Zhang Shuai entered her maiden WTA Tour singles final on Friday to set up a title clash with American qualifier Vania King in the Guangzhou Open.
Zhang, ranked 112th in the world, had an easy outing in the semi-final against Austria's Yvonne Meusburger and picked up her fourth straight-set win of the event with a 6-1 6-1 victory.
King, 124th in the rankings, rallied from a set down to beat the other Chinese Zheng Jie 3-6 7-5 6-3 in the $500,000 hard-court tournament, where none of the seeded players could make it to the last four.
Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John Mehaffey


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Obama and Democrats go big -- and score… Comparing the long health-care debate to the long Democratic presidential nomination fight… What worked for Obama and what didn't… Gotta give Nancy Pelosi her due… Boehner vs. Frum on the GOP's opposition… Breaking down last night's votes… The impact on the upcoming midterms… Few were happy with the abortion compromise with Stupak… And Hillary speaks to AIPAC this morning.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Going big: No Drama Obama has proved to provide nothing but drama. Late last night after hours of debate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic health-care legislation by a 219-212 vote, sending it to President Obama's desk for his signature. The House also passed a reconciliation bill with fixes to the legislation (as well as a student loan overhaul) by a 220-211 vote, which the Senate will take up this week. "We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things and tackling our biggest challenges," Obama said after the House passed both pieces of legislation, adding later: "This is what change looks like." Going big is consistent with his stated desire during the presidential campaign to change the trajectory of America (remember when he said he wanted to be more Reagan than Clinton during the primary campaign?) It also countered Sen. Lamar Alexander's argument at last month's bipartisan health summit that Congress doesn't do big well -- passing comprehensive health, energy, and immigration changes. "We don't do comprehensive well," he said back then. "Our country is too big, too complicated, too decentralized." And now we'll find out.
*** Shades of June 2008? Are we alone in seeing comparisons between the long health-care debate and the long Democratic nomination fight of 2008? Both were extended due to the opposition's political victories (Scott Brown's win vs. Hillary's wins in OH and PA). Both resulted in tough news cycles for Obama (the narrative about his disappointing first year in office vs. the Wright/"bitter"/"why has he been unable to seal the deal?" stories). Both saw a lot of overheated rhetoric (the Tea Party protests vs. the PUMA ones). And on both, Obama was ultimately victorious due to the math (the Dems' congressional majorities vs. the delegate count) and due to his perseverance to simply outlast his opponents. Ultimately, the long Democratic nomination made Obama a stronger general-election candidate, because it forced him to focus more on the economy, it gave him additional opportunities for one-on-one debates, and it ended up putting IN and NC in play. And that long fight also gave him the confidence that eventually he can wear down his opposition. That said: What lessons did he learn from the health debate?
*** What worked, what didn't: What DIDN'T prove to work for Obama and the Democrats was allowing the Senate (and especially the Senate Finance Committee) to take as long as it did; losing Olympia Snowe (and her public-option trigger); enabling process to dominate the debate; allowing much of the debate, for months, to center on the public option -- a topic Obama never discussed during the presidential campaign; and underestimating, early last year as the White House embarked on health care, how bad the economy turned out to be. But what DID work was going big rather than small; tying the fate of his presidency to the bill's success; holding that bipartisan health-care summit, which served to rally Democrats behind the legislation; trusting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to get 216 votes; becoming Candidate Obama again; and allowing Congress to steer much of the legislative work before taking control of the wheel. Indeed, his approach -- hands off at first, all hands on deck at the end -- worked.
*** Give Pelosi her due: Of course, last night's passage wasn't Obama's success alone. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her lieutenants were able to get the votes needed to pass the legislation -- something that many thought was unlikely after Scott Brown's win two months ago. As the New York Times wrote on Sunday in a piece detailing how Democrats saved health care after Massachusetts: "It is the story of how a struggling president partnered with a pair of experienced legislators -- Ms. Pelosi and, to a lesser extent, Mr. Reid -- to reach for a goal that Mr. Obama has often said had eluded his predecessors going back to Theodore Roosevelt. Their journey over the last two months, interviews with White House aides, lawmakers, outside advisers, lobbyists and political strategists show, involved tensions, resolve, political spadework -- and a little bit of luck." Also, the DNC's issue arm, OFA, also seemed to work closer to the "an intended" model than they have so far. As the Tea Party movement gained more prominence, the White House needed OFA to work and it appears, while not as prominent, it did. The biggest example may be the flips of No voters to Yes.
*** Boehner vs. Frum: As for the Republicans, House Minority Leader John Boehner gave a fiery speech before the votes, in which he argued that Democrats would pay a political price for passing the legislation. "Shame on us. Shame on this body. Shame on each and every one of you who substitutes your will and your desires above those of your fellow countrymen," he said. "If we pass this bill, there will be no turning back. It will be the last straw for the American people. In a democracy, you can only ignore the will of the people for so long and get away with it. If we defy the will of our fellow citizens and pass this bill, we will be held to account by those who have placed their trust in us." On the other hand, conservative writer David Frum contended that last night was the GOP's "most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s." His reason: "At the beginning of this process we made a strategic decision: unlike, say, Democrats in 2001 when President Bush proposed his first tax cut, we would make no deal with the administration. No negotiations, no compromise, nothing. We were going for all the marbles. This would be Obama's Waterloo -- just as healthcare was Clinton's in 1994… This time, when we went for all the marbles, we ended with none." This debate will dominate the conservative blogosphere. Check out today's DAILY RUNDOWN; former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist seems to walk the line of "they'll run on repeal" but doesn't seem enthusiastic that it's the right call.
*** Breaking down the vote(s): In last night's 219-212 vote approving the Senate health bill, 34 Democrats voted no, while no Republican voted yes. The 34 Dems voting no: Adler (NJ), Altmire (PA), Arcuri (NY), Barrow (GA), Berry (AR), Boren (OK), Boucher (VA), Bright (AL), Chandler (KY), Childers (MS), Davis (AL), Davis (TN), Edwards (TX), Herseth Sandlin (SD), Holden (MO), Kissell (NC), Kratovil (MD), Lipinski (IL), Lynch (MA), Marshall (GA), Matheson (UT), McIntyre (NC), McMahon (NY), Melancon (LA), Minnick (ID), Nye (VA), Peterson (MN), Ross (AR), Shuler (NC), Skelton (MO), Space (OH), Tanner (TN), Taylor (MS), and Teague (NM). The 220-211 vote approving the reconciliation fixes was pretty similar, but there were a few differences. Lynch (MA) and Lipinski (IL) voted FOR it, while Jim Cooper (TN) -- who voted for the Senate bill -- voted AGAINST the reconciliation bill.
*** The 2010 impact: Of course, last night's activity will certainly have an impact on the November midterm elections. One obvious person to watch is Indiana Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who voted "yes" and is now running for the Senate. Some other vulnerable House Dems who voted yes include John Boccieri (OH), Betsy Markey (CO), and Scott Murphy (NY) -- all three of whom voted "no" last year but switched their votes last night. Then again, there were vulnerable Dems who voted "no" who are still going to face tough GOP challenges: Frank Kratovil (MD), Zack Space (OH), and Harry Teague (NM).
*** You know what they say when no one is happy…: As it turned out, the agreement that the White House/Dem leaders reached with Bart Stupak on abortion yesterday made neither the pro-choice or anti-abortion interest groups happy. Said National Right to Life: "A lawmaker who votes for this bill is voting to require federal agencies to subsidize and administer health plans that will pay for elective abortion." The Susan B. Anthony List stripped Stupak of his "Defender of Life" award. On the other hand, pro-choice were angry – but Said NARAL: "On a day when Americans are expected to see passage of legislation that will make health care more affordable for more than 30 million citizens, it is deeply disappointing that Bart Stupak and other anti-choice politicians would demand the restatement of the Hyde amendment." Added Planned Parenthood: "We regret that a pro-choice president of a pro-choice nation was forced to sign an Executive Order that further codifies the proposed anti-choice language in the health care reform bill."
*** Besides health care…: In non-health care news today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses AIPAC at 9:00 am; other speakers include Steny Hoyer (D), Eric Cantor (R), Lindsey Graham (R), Chuck Schumer (D), and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Also today, Geithner speaks on financial reform at 4:30 pm ET before the American Enterprise Institute.
Countdown to IN, NC, and OH primaries: 43 days
Countdown to NE and WV primaries: 50 days
Countdown to AR, KY, OR and PA primaries: 57 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 225 days
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text: We are currently developing a user-friendly system to upload our playlists, so thanks for being patient! We intend to gradually move all our future playlists online. However, please note that some programs do not have playlists available, due to the nature of the program or otherwise, and should you have any inquiries, it would be best to contact the programmer during his/her show. Thank you for tuning in!


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Nokia has pushed a new video to their YouTube account demonstrating the strengths of their PureView camera found on the Lumia 925. But instead of just rattling off specs, they take the fight directly to Apple, challenging the notion that quantity does not equal quality by pitting it against the iPhone 5. While the video is sure to ruffle some feathers, it's a valid differentiator between the two phones and one worth highlighting to consumers.
The commercial shows various side by shots between the two devices for everyday events with users snapping away pics while a voice over talks about what makes the Lumia 925 so special. Highlighting such features as OIS (optical image stabilisation), sixth lens and PureView technology, which gets name-dropped, can go a long way towards building a brand name around this significant selling point for Nokia.
No word if this ad will actually air on TV, where it can have more of an impact for sales, though we're sure hoping it does. It's a good ad, even if it mimics Apple's commercials just a tad. Clearly Nokia has a lot riding on PureView for the Lumia brand. And with the 1020 getting a lot of attention, it's good to see them spreading that coverage towards their other devices as well as they deserve it.
Our sister site iMore will be doing a shootout with the Lumia 925 and iPhone 5 soon. We'll keep you posted on what they find.
Here's the iPhone 5 advertisement that Nokia were using for their own marketing video above:
Source: YouTube (1) (2), via: UKMobileReview; thanks, James, for the tip!


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Everyone out there who's had an attractive teacher will know the exquisite agony of unrequited lust for those men whom we'd like to fill more than our heads with knowledge. That's why movies like Teach My Cock from Next Door Studios are so much fun to watch. These students and teachers take their relationships to places where they aren't supposed to go, and we love going along for the ride as voyeurs.
Jake Davis is a dedicated piano student, but his teacher Alex Mecum says he needs to put more feeling into his playing. When Alex tries to loosen Jake up with a shoulder rub, Jake flees the house. Alex is pleasantly surprised when Jake still shows up for his next scheduled lesson despite the awkward way the last one ended. It turns out Jake understands that he's got a lot to learn about life so he can play with more emotion. Knowing that his student is putting a lot of trust in him, Alex takes things gently but firmly, using their physical passion as a teaching tool that also happens to be a lot of fun. There's just something hot about sex on a piano. This scene just goes to show that music and fucking really go together in perfect harmony.
Gabriel Cross is a brilliant international student with a hot nerd thing going on, and Professor Dean Phoenix is excited to host him in his home. For his part Gabriel is also hot for teacher, because Dean is a daddy whose looks equal his brains. After finding out the attraction is mutual, Gabriel sneaks into bed with the sleeping professor and wakes him up while wearing nothing but a smile. Gabriel learns quite a lot about anatomy with Dean's throbbing cock in his mouth and his tight young hole. Afterward, Dean is ready to let Gabriel extend the mentorship and Gabriel is thinking another semester abroad sounds like a great idea!
Mike Stone has offered extra, individual tutoring to his troubled student, Dakota Young. The only thing is, the one-on-one attention seems to be adding to Dakota's distraction. It soon emerges that Dakota's mind is wandering because of the bulge in Mr. Stone's crotchal region. Well, since Dakota has noticed, Mr. Stone might as well admit he's turned on by his student's body. It's a learning experience for Dakota in more ways than one, because he's never even touched another man's cock, let alone sucked one or felt the thrust of one in his asshole. Judging by the feverish way Dakota jerks a load out of himself, this is a lesson he won't forget!
Teach My Cock from Next Door Studios is perfect for anyone with student-teacher fantasies


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16 February 2012
The United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) will organize an informal briefing session for those delegates who participate in the Statistical Commission for the first time. This session will take place on Monday, 27 February 2012, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in Conference Room D of the Temporary North Lawn Building (TNLB). The purpose of this informal briefing is not only to inform new members about the functioning of the Commission procedures, but also to offer a first opportunity for networking with other Commission participants.
Delegates who intend to attend this briefing, please contact your Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York to make sure your official UN security pass for the Statistical Commission covers the period from Monday 27 February to Friday 2 March 2012.
For comments and queries: E-mail:firstname.lastname@example.com


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Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has announced plans to revise his country's famous pacifist constitutional provision, Article 9, which renounces "war as a sovereign right of the nation."
On the surface, Abe's proposal may seem merely symbolic, suggesting that he simply wants to add an explicit recognition of the country's right to military self-
defense. Since Japan has long maintained "self-defense" forces, the predictable expressions of concern in foreign capitals may seem overblown.
But this high-visibility change is only a small part of a sweeping constitutional revision proposed by Abe's resurgent Liberal Democratic Party. The proposed draft authorizes the parliament to declare a military emergency during which Cabinet decrees would have the force of law. It also rewrites a provision to eliminate the constitutional ban on military conscription.
The proposed revision radically redefines other basic commitments. Article 97 of the constitution now declares that "the fundamental human rights … guaranteed to the people of Japan are fruits of the age-old struggle of man to be free; they … are conferred upon this and future generations in trust, to be held for all time inviolate." The LDP would erase this statement of principle.