text: We've reached the halfway point of 2012 – high time to look back on how the smartphone space has progressed so far this year. Here, you'll find the year's most notable, most interesting smartphone releases – our favorites, as well as the devices that turned our heads or made us scratch our chins. As has historically been the case, enhancements to mobile operating systems have made just as big of an impact on mobile computing as the arrival of the devices themselves. Ice Cream Sandwich – a release that many (including us) see as the first version of Google's mobile OS to display serious mojo – now powers all the top-tier phones. And Google has already debuted Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which will start arriving on devices in the coming months. Microsoft is buzzing: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is showing up in flagships and budget phones alike, and it will see another bump for Microsoft's mobile OS when Windows Phone 8 arrives in October. Meanwhile, Apple's iOS 6 is widely expected to rear its head this fall, along with a new iPhone. Even with much of the action still labeled "coming soon," 2012 has seen its share of innovative and forward-thinking smartphones. Here are the biggest newsmakers of the year, so far. Photo: The HTC One X (left) and the HTC Evo 4G LTE, two of the biggest releases this year. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredHTC One X The HTC One X is one of the best smartphones on the market, and the best Android phone you can buy right now, period. It's fast, it's gorgeous, it's lightweight and it has a stellar battery that lasts all day. The camera is also outstanding – the best I've seen on an Android phone, though it falls just short of the camera on the iPhone 4S. It's a handset worthy of being a flagship device for both HTC and AT&T. In fact, the one thing I really don't like about the One X is its exclusivity to AT&T, the only carrier that sells the phone in the U.S. It's a shame this exact same phone isn't available on T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon. The Sprint version, the Evo 4G LTE, is very close, but Sprint's 4G network isn't widely distributed enough to make it an attractive buy, and the T-Mobile version, the One S, has a weaker screen. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredSamsung Galaxy S III The Galaxy S III (available for $200 on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S. Cellular) is Samsung's most ambitious smartphone yet, and it serves as a testament to the company's growing stature as a premium handset maker. However, the S III isn't quite an iPhone killer, nor does it dethrone the One X as the best Android handset. While it's a fine smartphone, it's not the unqualified success it aspires to be, and it's regrettably held back by software that never works as well or as easily as it should. The hardware is great, though – you get Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a massive, 4.8-inch, 1280 x 720 pixel, Super HD AMOLED display. The screen is sharp and bright, but the colors feel a bit over-amped. The phone 0.34 inches thick and weighs just 4.7 ounces, and a thin bezel around the display keeps the body from feeling oversized. But the software is iffy. The voice-recognition system, S Voice, doesn't work that well. The built-in file sharing features are cludgy and counterintuitive, and they require your friends to own Samsung Galaxy S III phones to work properly – even though Android has its own similar sharing features that let you use a mix of devices. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles Read the full review. Photo by Peter McCollough/WiredNokia Lumia 900 Rather than build a specced-out superphone for early adopters, Microsoft and Nokia have decided (wisely), to focus their Windows Phone endeavors on a different audience – the booming ranks of first-time smartphone buyers just entering the market, and the millions of us looking for a solid smartphone at a budget-friendly price. The Lumia 900 runs on AT&T's fast 4G LTE network. It has a lively, user-friendly operating system. And it's only $100 with a two-year AT&T contract, a price that betters other flagship handsets by at least half. The 900 shares the same bold polycarbonate shell as its smaller cousin the Lumia 800, but in a larger 4.3-inch package. The bright 800×480 AMOLED screen isn't as pixel-packed as a Retina display or one of Samsung's stunners, though the only time the Nokia 900's resolution really showed its weakness was in watching streaming video. I've never handled a Windows Phone Mango device that wasn't pleasantly zippy and responsive, and the Lumia 900 is no exception. The phone's 1.4GHz processor keeps games and videos humming, and the system doesn't seem to be slowed by multi-tasking apps. Subtle animations appear at every turn: things like text folding into or away from the screen when you tap a link or navigate to a different feature, or a springy physicality when you flick to the end of a list. –Christina Bonnington Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredSamsung Galaxy Note On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Note is rich with top-of-the-line features: 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of internal storage and an 8-megapixel camera, all tied to AT&T's speedy 4G LTE network. It also comes with a stylus (Samsung calls it the S Pen) that can be used in conjunction with some smart, system-wide apps. But see the Note in the flesh and you'll notice one thing above all else: its massive 5.3-inch display. The screen is positively gigantic. Comically huge to the point of shame. Closer to a tablet than a phone, the Note dwarfs the iPhones and Droids around it. Hold it up to your face to make a call and everyone around you laughs. Seriously, it never gets old. It's not all punchlines, though. Watching videos and playing games are amazing experiences, and it's more comfortable to read web pages and e-books on the Note than on any other phone I've tested. The large, bright, HD Super AMOLED screen requires more power to run, but since the phone is bigger, Samsung could slip in a beefier 2,500mAh battery battery. But it's just too big. The Galaxy Note's girth makes it tough to carry in your front pocket comfortably while walking around or riding a bike. Stick it in your back pocket, and its bulkiness requires you to take it out when you sit down. Will I have to resort to a man-purse? --Michael Calore Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredHTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE The newest Droid Incredible is a phone with one foot stuck in the past. Interior components like the processor and camera are stellar, and they're on-par with other $200 smartphones on the market right now. But the smaller, 4-inch display isn't a true HD screen. And the design, dominated by a stubby and chunky chassis, feels like it was drawn up a few years ago when the Droid brand was first launched. I applaud HTC and Verizon (the new Incredible, like its namesakes, is a Verizon exclusive) for having the stones to offer a new 4-inch Android smartphone. The world needs more smaller smartphones, honestly. The Samsung Galaxy S III, with its 4.8-inch screen, is damn near impossible to use with one hand. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE, meanwhile, is a breeze to use single-handedly. The super LCD display looks sharp, detailed and flatly better than any other screen I've seen with a 960×540 "qHD" resolution. But at this point, the standard on phones at this price range is to offer an actual HD screen, not a fake HD screen. I'm talking at least 720p, not 540p. It's not good enough. And while it looks good, 720p would look better. On paper at least, the CPU is also lagging. It's a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, while HTC's other big-name phones -- the One S, One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE – all pack 1.5-GHz dual-core Qualcomm CPUs. However, the Droid had plenty of horsepower to take on the daily tasks I threw at it: multitasking apps, web browsing in Chrome, games and streaming videos. HTC's Sense 4 wrapper over the top of Ice Cream Sandwich ran smoothly, and HTC's skin remains one of the best alternatives to stock Android. So while the new Droid Incredible may be slightly slower than HTC's other flagships, it's an unquestionably capable and speedy phone, and a good place to look if you don't want a giant screen. Just don't expect the design – a simple update to an aging formula – to wow you. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredHTC Evo 4G LTE Is the HTC One X by any other name just as sweet? In the case of the HTC Evo 4G LTE, no, not quite. But almost. The One X is our current pick as the best overall Android phone on the market right now. And HTC's Evo 4G LTE is essentially the same phone as the One X, as far as the guts and the display. But the two phones are not equals. Some small differences in styling and materials are apparent, but the biggest difference is invisible – the Evo's 4G LTE status. Sprint's 4G LTE network isn't up and running anywhere other than a handful of test markets: Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio. For now, that means the new Evo is essentially a 3G phone outside of six cities. While Sprint's 3G network offers great service and the Evo never felt slow, the Evo 4G LTE doesn't yet live up to the 4G LTE part of its name. Otherwise, it's great. It has one of the best displays and cameras out there, and it is blessed with beastly power and speed. HTC's Sense 4 interface isn't as good as stock Android, but it's the best alternative. Bonus: It has a built-in kickstand. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredMotorola Droid Razr Maxx With the Droid Razr Maxx's supercharged battery, Motorola goes a long way toward solving what is arguably the biggest issue in mobile devices today: longevity. It packs a huge 3,300 mAh cell that makes for a seriously plus-sized phone. But the extra junk in the trunk comes with a payoff – a purported 21 hours of talk time and over 350 hours on standby. The phone stood up to Moto's claims, serving up 12 hours of continuous YouTube video playback – more grueling than voice calls – in my testing before running out of steam. And on a full charge under regular-use conditions (the occasional call or three, light web browsing, playing around with an app here and there), I literally went for three whole days without having to plug it in. This longevity is only compounded by Moto's Smart Actions management system, the company's ingenious software-based approach for tracking and adjusting feature usage and energy consumption. It switches certain functions on and off automatically when the phone's sensors detect a specific set of user-defined conditions. Pretty nifty stuff. –Mike Isaac Read the full review. Photo by Jim Merithew/WiredSamsung Focus 2 Nokia has committed wholly to the Windows Phone platform with its flagship Lumia line, but it isn't the only manufacturer investing in Microsoft's mobile OS. Samsung's Focus 2 is the company's fourth Windows Phone device, and it's a smartphone worth your attention. Best of all, it's a really good deal. At $50 with a two-year AT&T contract, the Focus 2 is only half the price of the Lumia 900, and a third of the cost of HTC's Titan II, even though all three phones run on the same AT&T 4G LTE network. And since the Windows Phone platform is consistent across the devices – you'll see a few pre-loaded manufacturer and carrier apps, but not much else – you're not sacrificing much software experience with the low price tag. The Samsung Focus 2 was just as quick and responsive as any other Windows Phone Mango device I've used. It has just 8GB of storage, a single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 1.4GHz processor and no MicroSD card slot. But the Samsung Focus 2 gets you access to AT&T's 4G LTE in a compact and cheap device that's plenty capable. –Alexandra Chang Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/WiredHuawei Mercury If you already have an iPhone, a Galaxy Nexus or some other head-of-the-class smartphone in your pocket, the Huawei Mercury isn't the phone for you. But if you're upgrading from a feature phone, or if you're loath to sign a two-year contract and would prefer a pay-as-you-go plan, it's likely the perfect phone for you. Huawei's handset – available on Cricket's smartphone plans, which start at $55 per month with no contract – is a mid-level Android device that makes a great first smartphone, and it performs solidly enough even though it lacks the specs and polish of the latest top-tier hardware. Besides, any shortcomings are easily overlooked if you're in the pay-as-you-go club and you're craving a modern Android experience. The Mercury (also known as the Huawei Honor and Huawei Glory elsewhere) is a little bit wider and slightly thicker than the average Android. The build is mostly plastic and the quality of the case is kind of cheap-feeling. The touchscreen is nice, though – a 4-inch Gorilla Glass panel that's durable and scratch-resistant. The display is also bright and relatively clear, with a FWVGA 854×480 pixel resolution screen that can display 16 million colors. –Maurizio Pesce Read the full review. Photo by Maurizio Pesce/WiredNokia Lumia 710 Aside from being a 4G phone, most of the Lumia 710's specs lean towards "good enough." But at $50, and with the ability to pair it with a low-cost data plan from T-Mobile, it's cheap enough that even those living paycheck-to-paycheck wouldn't bat an eye. Windows Phone Mango seems like a lightweight OS compared to something like an HTC Sense-skinned Android. Why do I say that? The 710 runs on merely a single-core 1400 MHz Qualcomm processor with 512 MB of SDRAM, and yet the experience is quite smooth – just as you'd expect it would run on stronger hardware. The 710's 3.7-inch, 800×480 resolution ClearBlack LCD display isn't as bright as that of its big sisters, the Lumia 800 and 900. But unless you held the two Nokias side by side, you wouldn't really feel like you're missing anything. Colors are rich and images are sharp, but there just isn't that Pow! you get from something like a Super AMOLED screen. –Christina Bonnington Read the full review. Photo by Jon Snyder/WiredNokia 808 PureView There is nothing compelling about the 808 PureView's software -- it runs Symbian, Nokia's outdated operating system that the company is leaving behind in favor of Windows Phone. Rather, this phone is notable because of one feature, and one feature alone: the on-board 41-megapixel camera. Most highest-end smartphones have 8-megapixel cameras. Compared to those cameras, a 41-megapixel camera sensor seems totally over-the-top and unnecessary. But what Nokia has developed with its homegrown PureView imaging technology is, by far, the best camera I've seen on a smartphone. That doesn't mean the 808 PureView a good phone. It's actually a pretty terrible phone with an outstanding camera. You should only consider buying the 808 PureView if you really love mobile phone photography. Even then, you're probably better off waiting until Nokia's PureView technology comes paired with a better OS, like Windows Phone (which should happen "very soon"). Also consider that, in the U.S., the phone is currently only available as an unlocked device for AT&T and T-Mobile networks at the high, unsubsidized price of $700. –Alexandra Chang Read the full review. Photo by Ariel Zambelich/Wired


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Kurt Nimmo
April 1, 2010
It is hardly surprising "anarchists" (now synonymous in many instances with government agents provocateurs) are calling for "crashing" Tea Party events. Government ops masquerading as anti-government activists often attack the real folks who oppose the government. Governments have run such false flag operations since time immemorial.
"On April 15th thousands of right-wingers will attend rallies in cities and towns across the United States," writes the admin of Infoshop News. "The organizers of this nationwide day of protest call it a tea party. This tea party movement that emerged only a year ago is a coalition of conservatives, anti-Semites, fascists, libertarians, racists, constitutionalists, militia men, gun freaks, homophobes, Ron Paul supporters, Alex Jones conspiracy types and American flag wavers." (Emphasis added.)
No, the Tea Party movement came into existence as the Boston Tea Party in December of 2008, not that we should expect a suspicious gaggle of "anarchists" to get the facts straight, especially if the facts do not fit in the narrow confines of their ideology.
"The Libertarian Party of Illinois got the idea to hold an April 15, 2009 anti-tax 'Boston Tea Party' in Chicago way back in December of 2008. On February 10, 2009 they started a Facebook page and began promoting the website throughout the Illinois media," writes Donny Ferguson of the Libertarian National Committee. "Of course, for the Libertarian Party every day is a Tea Party. We've been the only consistently pro-taxpayer party since our founding over 30 years ago."
Apparently the bizarro world of corporate media dominated political propaganda has infected the "anarchists" (at least the Infoshop variety) who now sound like Democrats. Once upon a time, anarchism was a political philosophy that stood in opposition to government.
The term anarchism derives from the Greek anarchos, meaning "without rulers." But apparently the Infoshop strain of anarchist has deviated from the original definition — they now appear to be indistinguishable from state-loving "progressives" who also consider Libertarian Tea Party activists "anti-Semites, fascists, libertarians, racists, constitutionalists, militia men, gun freaks, homophobes, Ron Paul supporters, Alex Jones conspiracy types and American flag wavers."
Note the pairing of "fascists" and "libertarians" in the above. Libertarians are the polar opposite of fascists. "All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state," said the grand daddy of fascism, Benito Mussolini. Does this sound like Libertarianism?
Anarchists were at the front in the battle against fascism in Spain. Italian anarchists played a key role in the anti-fascist organization Arditi del Popolo that went up against Mussolini's Blackshirts. But that was then and this is now. Now so-called anarchists specialize in making anti-war demonstrations look like a re-run of the Days of Rage in 1969. Anarchists think they are fighting the state by smashing windows at McDonalds and providing the corporate media with scary images of black-clad youths trashing bank lobbies.
Here is what the Infoshop News anarchists plan to do:
"Organize counter-protests against the tea party demonstrations, same time, same place. This is probably the best option. We need to get in the streets on April 15th and show the tea party movement that there are lots of people out there who oppose their agenda."
In other word, as state-sponsored "anarchists," the Infoshop News anarchists are opposed to protesting against and apparently support confiscatory taxation by the government. How they have deviated from their origins.
Is it possible they will be wearing their police issued storm trooper boots?
"Get individual tea party protesters to leave the right-wing and move to the left politically."
The truth comes out. The Infoshop anarchists identify with the so-called left dominated by corporate and bankster foundations and run in large part by George Soros. Is it possible Mr. Soros is an anarchist?
"Ignore the tea party movement. This is the worst option because without anyone opposing them they could easily gain power."
Please, statist anarchists — an oxymoron, but apparently not in bizarro world — ignore the Tea Party movement. Don't bother counter-demonstrating.
"If the tea party movement takes over this country they will really hurt poor people by getting rid of social programs like food stamps, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, student aid, free health care, etc," Infoshop News claims. "The tea party movement will say these programs must be gotten rid of because hard-working taxpayers cannot afford to pay for these things especially when the economy is in a depression."
Anarchists — originally against the state, now a tool of the foundation left — are calling for more government and more theft of tax payer money and wealth redistribution, that is to say stealing money from producers (not multinational corporations, but small business people). How is this anarchism? Obviously, it is in the political bizarro world constructed by the bankers and one-worlders where warped propaganda is disseminated by the funhouse mirror corporate media that distorts any significant political opposition. Infoshop News is merely doing its part.
It makes sense that anarchists, as stooges for the state (and actors in corporate media propaganda), now sound like apologists for government and have picked up Keith Olbermann's talking points. Like the Republican Tea Party, the anarchists were infiltrated and turned into a vehicle for making real activists look like violent clowns.
Anarchists are invariably deployed when real political protest arises. It will be no different on April 15 as the state continues its effort to discredit and marginalize all effective opposition.
This article was posted: Friday, April 2, 2010 at 4:53 am

subset: commoncrawl


text:
There's a hot, new movement in Republican circles.
It's an effort to change how electoral votes are allocated in swing states and states that recently have been swing states.
And the fact that it's being seriously considered suggests that they don't think they can win those states in future presidential races.
There are discussions about adopting the Maine/Nebraska model, in which the candidate winning the most votes in a congressional district wins an electoral vote for that district and then the candidate who wins the most votes in the state wins two electoral votes.
One variant is to have electoral votes awarded one-by-one to the winner of congressional districts but then an additional two electoral votes go to the candidate who won the most congressional districts in the state.
Either of these schemes would benefit Republicans – quite a lot
In 2012, if such a system was in place nationwide, Romney would have won, despite receiving 5 million fewer votes than Obama.
That's right, even with getting but 47% of the vote to Obama's 51%, Romney would have been elected president.
And, if this was done just in key swing states now controlled at the state level by Republicans, the 2012 race would have been much closer. As for 2016, this system would vastly increase the probability that a Republican could capture the White House while losing the popular vote.
The major reason is the gerrymandering that was done after the 2010 elections.
As Alan Abramowitz explains regarding Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin:
If these six battleground states were to adopt the congressional district method of awarding electoral votes, it would not guarantee a Republican victory in the 2016 presidential election but it would make such a victory much more likely. That's because the congressional district lines in these states were gerrymandered by Republican legislatures following the 2010 census to give their party a huge advantage. As a result, even though Obama carried all six states in 2012, it appears that Romney carried 61 House districts in these states to only 33 for Obama. Romney appears to have carried 16 of 27 House districts in Florida, 9 of 14 House districts in Michigan, 12 of 16 House districts in Ohio, 12 of 18 House districts in Pennsylvania, 7 of 11 House districts in Virginia and 5 of 8 House districts in Wisconsin.
Each is a state in which Obama got quite a lot more votes than Romney. Yet Romney would have won a substantial majority of the electoral votes, since he carried so many more congressional districts.
Some Michigan Republicans had thought of doing this before 2012, but they didn't pursue it then because they thought it could hurt Romney. As one state legislator said, "It got no traction last year. There were people convinced Romney was going to win and this might take (electoral) votes from him."
If it's ok in Maine, why not elsewhere?
First, while Maine has a system for dividing electoral votes, there hasn't been the history of gerrymandering that exists elsewhere and there are only two congressional districts.
Thus it's very unlikely that Maine could end up in a situation where most people vote for one candidate but another wins most electoral votes. (Actually, with only two congressional districts, an electoral vote-popular vote mismatch would be impossible. The state-wide winner gets two electoral votes and would surely win one of the two districts.)
Second, the distribution of populations in these swing states and the intense gerrymandering make it very possible that the candidate who wins the most electoral votes loses the popular vote.
Michigan is a good example. Obama won the state with a 10% margin in the popular vote and with a lead of over 450,000 votes. Yet under the proposed scheme, he would have won fewer electoral votes than Romney. That is fundamentally unfair and undemocratic.
Third, if electoral votes were awarded proportionally by population that would be fairer, but no one is suggesting this.
Congressional district electoral vote allocations likely won't mirror voter preferences. Instead, they'd reflect whatever state legislatures did to set the district lines for their party's political advantage.
However, as some have suggested, this system could end up hurting Republicans in unanticipated ways.
One is that any Republican governor adopting this in a swing state would face a big backlash when up for re-election in 2014. Imagine the Michigan incumbent supporting a system where the loser by ten percentage points would win most electoral votes. That would sting him, big time.
Another is that presidential campaigns would put a lot of focus on areas of the state which had gotten little before. Imagine the remarkable campaign organization Obama developed, aimed at swing congressional districts. That could have a major impact on congressional and state and local races.
So we'll see how far this goes.
Right now it gives off the whiff of desperation, as if those proposing it believe they are no longer competitive in the swing states.
Rather than playing with the rules of the game, perhaps Republicans could consider how they might appeal to and win the votes of most voters.
Additional note: That this is motivated solely by an attempt for partisan advantage can be seen in this comment by GOP Chair Reince Priebus: "I think it's something that a lot of states that have been consistently blue that are fully controlled red ought to be looking at." Priebus only wants such a system adopted in states that Democratic presidential candidates have won, which have Republican-controlled state governments.


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Commuter forecast, March 26, 2009
March 26, 2009
This morning's commute will be quiet, but a significant storm system is heading our way. We could see a wintry mix settling over us for the weekend. Delays at MCI are expected.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
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text:
As Slashdot reported Software Patent Reform Happening Now (17.06.11) and the "USPTO is inviting public comments to change the system".
Here is my public comment, I took the liberty of adapting some of my favourites lyrics for the occasion. Do sing along by all means!
Another big Bag of Hurt (part 2)
We don't need no software patents
We don't need no Jobs control
No unfree codec in the classroom
Lawyers, leave them kids alone
Hey! Steve! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another big Bag of Hurt.
All in all you're just another big Bag of Hurt.


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U-Boot Source Code
- The current source code is available through the git repository at git.denx.de.
- Released Versions (and some special snapshots) are available from the Amazon Cloud Drive and from the DENX FTP server
- Snapshots are available
using the clever "snapshot" feature of the git server
(see the "snapshot" link after all commit entries).
NOTE: even though the download will be a bzip2 compressed tarball, and the file on your disk will be named
"*.tar.bz2", you may find that it's actually not compressed at all. This is a "feature" of your web browser, and we cannot do anything to help it.
- www.denx.de also hosts the Custodian git trees
- CVS is no longer supported.
- The old project page at SourceForge is no longer used and dead.


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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Green Smoothie Cleanse -- Day 3
Day 3... which is actually day 1 of the beginning of ALL green smoothies, for all three meals, for three consecutive days. I transitioned into the 3 day green smoothie cleanse by going from one green smoothie meal to today, 3 smoothie meals.
I have to admit yesterday was harder than today. I like to chew and crunch and munch. So the lack of these comfortable motions of my mouth were really missed by yesterday afternoon. Was it hard today? Well, a little, but I kept telling myself, this is only for 3 days. You can do anything for 3 days! Today actually went quite smoothly (pardon the pun) as a matter of fact! ;-)
For the occasion my steadfast old trusty blender died. Yes, it died. Just when I needed it consistently for about 6 days! So while I couldn't buy a Vitamix, I was able to afford a nice Kitchenaid Blender. I am IN LOVE with my new blender! The shakes are VERY smooth, ice crushed perfectly, and it makes me one happy little smoothie maker! I decided to go with a Kitchenaid because I use a KA stand mixer that has lasted over 12 years, and it's still working like it's brand new! I have high hopes for the quality of this blender!
I think I have decided I'm not extremely fond of parsley in a smoothie. My morning breakfast smoothie had parsley and it was quite strong tasting. I still finished it, but decided I would use other greens for the rest of the day!
Tonight's smoothie has a little bit of protein, a few tablespoons of pineapple, and my favorite greens: spinach and kale. It has been very refreshing way to spend Sunday evening! If you try it tell me what you think!
Gentle Evening Smoothie
1/4 cup pineapple
1 Asian pear
handful of grapes
1 tablespoon gogi berries
2 tablespoons soaked almonds
1 1/2 cups spinach
1 1/2 cups kale
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 1/2 cups ice
1 1/2 cups water
* add stevia or agave nectar for additional sweetness
Place all in blender and pulse until smooth. Serve immediately.
Are you making smoothies? Do you enjoy them? What kinds of smoothies or shakes do you make in your blender? Share with me in the comments!
Until tomorrow!
6 comments:
- AnonymousApril 19, 2009 at 8:32 PM
You are rocking this! Inspiring to me that's for sure. Way to go Carrie. Have you got your husband to drink one yet?ReplyDelete
I like to cut up and freeze bananas for my smoothies. My usual smoothie is a handful of cut up frozen bananas, handful of organic baby spinach, 1/2 a cucumber, tablespoon of coconut oil and aloe vera jel and then a cup of water. I recently started adding the cucumber when I found out how important they are in making your body more alkaline.ReplyDelete
Thank you Meghan!!! ;-) I am really having fun! I think Saturday has been the hardest day for me so far! I'm hoping it will be a bit easier from here on out! I have so much more energy!! I think green smoothies will definitely be a part of our meal plans from here on out!ReplyDelete
LOL... I WISH I could convince hubby to try one! He hasn't been brave enough yet!! ;-)
CeCe -- Oh wow!! That smoothie sounds delicious!! I added cucumber to a smoothie I made today too! It was great!! Thank you for your recipe! i will definitely give it a try!! Sounds delicious! I actually have some aloe vera gel too! great idea to add it to a smoothie! thanks for sharing!!
Sorry to hear you didn't like parsley in your smoothies. My husband doesn't either. I think a vitamix might blend it up really nice.ReplyDelete
Your husband may like a tropical smoothie with pineapple, orange juice, mango, and banana and spinach as the green. So sweet! My youngest son loves them.
I have seen people stir a spoonful of dried coconut into their blended smoothie then they have something to chew on as they drink their smoothie.
Hi Sara -- Thanks so much for leaving me a comment!! I LOVE tropical smoothies! I'll definitely have to make michael one like that once I've finished the cleanse, which is focusing more on just greens a few fruits! Your tips on coconut is great! i love coconut in my smoothies!! I've been using fresh coconut from a coconut I cracked open on Friday!! YUM!! ;-) Thanks for sharing your great advice!!ReplyDelete
This is great! I love blended food like that and so does your body. Our digestive systems take what it needs and drops the rest with a lot more ease than conventional means. I'm proud of you! Remember to ease back to solids again or weight regain is inevitable.ReplyDelete
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License


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To be honest, this depressed me more than going 1-9 (though the Mets winning eased the sting).
Do Bingo and MMA really need different seating charts?
Dad, if you need the money, we've made almost $20 in ad revenues over the past two years alone. Please don't let this food-filled appearance turn into Mark Hamill's dinner theater Guys and Dolls.


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The season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars" is March 22, and the ABC show has yet to announce who will replace co-host Samantha Harris, who quit in January. According to US Weekly, producers are scrambling to find a new host, but there is a short-list.
"An insider says Melissa Rycroft, Vanessa Minnillo and Brooke Burke are contenders for the gig," reports the magazine. Another person who might have a shot is former contestant Kelly Osbourne.
Yet another option is reminiscent of what "American Idol" tried with its Paula Abdul seat prior to that show's Hollywood round: Us reports that a rotating guest host each week is a possibility, too.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Farrell, Bateman among Spirit Award presenters
The Film Independent Spirit Awards — often considered the more laid-back version of the Oscars, as it's traditionally held on the beach in Santa Monica a day prior — is going to look a little different this year.
To mark its 25th anniversary, the show moves out of the afternoon and into prime time and into more formal digs at the downtown L.A. Live entertainment complex.
The producers are saving the full lineup of presenters as a surprise, but I can tell you that Colin Farrell, Amy Ryan, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and David Spade are all going to be on hand to give out awards. The slate of nominees is exceedingly A-list: Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Helen Mirren, Gabourey Sidibe, Woody Harrelson and Mo'Nique are all contenders.
IFC airs the show live and uncut (in other words, anyone with a live mike and an inner Mariah Carey will have their comments broadcast with little chance of censorship) on Friday, March 5, at 11 p.m. ET. Look for yours truly somewhere in the crowd.
Still no Betty White on 'SNL'
To everyone out there campaigning to get Betty White on "Saturday Night Live," don't stop now. The lineup for the March shows is out, and no Golden Girls are on the schedule.
Zach Galifianakis will host for the first time on March 6, and Vampire Weekend will return for their second stint as musical guest. On March 13, Jude Law hosts, and the musical guest is Pearl Jam — it will be their fourth time on the show.
Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnbc.com. Follow Scoop on Twitter @courtneyatmsnbc.


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The Opening Ceremony for the 61st FIFA Congress took place at the Hallenstadion in Zurich today with speeches from high-profile figures from the worlds of politics and sport.
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter was the first to speak from the podium and said: "We live in a world where a lot of changes are taking place and we live in a world of troubles. Troubles which are being caused by natural disasters: in Haiti, in Chile, in Pakistan, in Australia, in New Zealand and Japan.
"I thought the football could make a difference thanks to the game's values of respect, fair play and discipline. But this does not seem to be the case; the footballing pyramid is shaking on its very foundations. However, football must be protected because it belongs to the fans, to the players and not to entities. The game belongs to everyone."
The evening began with a rendition of Franz Lambert's FIFA anthem and a parade of the flags representing the organisation's 208 member associations. Alan Sulc, a 21-year-old juggler from the Czech Republic then took to the stage. Melanie Winiger, a former Miss Switzerland acted as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
Football must be protected because it belongs to the fans, to the players and not to entities. The game belongs to everyone.
Following the FIFA President's address, Nicholas Senn then displayed his talents on the hammered dulcimer by playing a varied set of contemporary and classical tunes.
The Mayor of Zurich, Corine Mauch then took to the podium to address the Congress, saying: "I'm proud that Zurich has been the home of FIFA since 1932, as it makes our city the global capital of football. Zurich is a very international city with lots of nationalities and I think that compliments FIFA. Also FIFA's values in terms of discipline, solidarity and corporate social responsibility are shared with the city of Zurich."
The 1,200-strong audience were then entertained by a short ballet performance before President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge delivered a speech. "I'm pleased to be here for this gathering of the world's most popular sport, just as I was pleased to attend the excellent World Cup in Africa last year," he said.
"The hosts provided tremendous enthusiasm and a great organisation. For a long time now, the World Cup and the Olympics have had a synergy. The IOC and FIFA have learnt to organise events together. The 2014 World Cup will surely help the 2016 Olympic Games. It is imperative that FIFA and the IOC continue to work together. We've already had a great deal of cooperation for the good of sport: the fight against doping, the fight against illegal and irregular betting activities in the definition of the specificity of sport are just a handful of examples."
Multi-talented Jamaican-born artist Grace Jones then performed a 20 minute set, which included La Vie en Rose. Still fondly remembered for her role in the James Bond film A View To A Kill, she has also experienced success as a singer, actor and model.
President of the Swiss Confederation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, was invited on stage to deliver a speech. She said:
"What I like about football is the fact that it's a team sport, which relies on individuals. Nothing would be possible without the commitment of each and every member of the team. Football teaches you tolerance. Football is universal. Football is a common denominator worldwide. It unites. Without FIFA it would not be possible for football to be the global game which it is.
"I think your slogan: develop football, touch the world, build a better future is spot on. Your initiative, Win in Africa with Africa, helped the whole continent to benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup. You helped Palestine to have its own stadium and contributed in bringing harmony between Armenia and Turkey. FIFA is an example to many football fans and therefore it essential that you fight carefully against the troubles you're facing at the moment."
Jones's rendition of her most famous song: Slave to the Rhythm indicated that the Opening Ceremony was drawing to a close. The Congress proper begins at 9.30 CET on Wednesday. It will be streamed live on FIFA.com, as will the press conference which is due to be held afterwards.


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December 30th, 1991, fell on a Monday. It was day 364 of 1991. The decade was the 1990s.
28 years, 6 months and 2 days have passed since December 30th, 1991.
Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on December 30th, 1991:
What movie was on top of the box office?
The date is December 30th, 1991 and it's a Monday. Christmas Day of 1991 has just passed and many people are relaxing at home and enjoying the holiday season. In America, the song Black Or White by Michael Jackson is on top of the singles charts.
Over in the UK, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen is the number one hit song. George W. Bush Snr. is currently the President of the United States and the movie Hook is at the top of the Box Office. A rock subgenre called "Grunge" is starting to rise in popularity.
People are watching popular TV shows such as "Last of the Summer Wine", "The Golden Girls", "The Ren & Stimpy Show" and "Home Improvement". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Duck Hunt", "Street Fighter II: The World Warrior", "Battletoads" and "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Doogie Howser, M.D.", "Rosie and Jim" and "The Adventures of Pete & Pete".
Popular toys include the likes of "Transformers", "Micro Machines", "Jenga" and "Super Soaker (water gun)".
Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on December 30th, 1991.
Early 1990s fashion saw a continuation of the 1980s. Popular outfits included clothes such as coloured tights, denim overalls, black leather jackets with shoulder pads, neon coloured tops, flannel shirts, plaid skirts and ripped jeans.
During the start of the 1990s, most of the Western World was affected by a recession, which had been caused by a loss of consumer confidence and restrictive monetary policies by central banks. In 1991, the United Kingdom experienced rioting.
"Unforgettable" by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole would go on to win a Grammy for 1991's Song of the Year.
CNN founder Ted Turner was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1991. Turner was named as such because of CNN's coverage of Operation Desert Storm and the Gulf War.
"The Silence of the Lambs" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1991.
Movies released in 1991 included Terminator 2, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Beauty and the Beast, Hook, The Silence of the Lambs, The Addams Family, Cape Fear, Hot Shots!, Boyz n the Hood, Backdraft and Father of the Bride.
Popular music artists in 1991 included Bryan Adams, Boyz II Men, Ice T, R.E.M., Mariah Carey, Cher, Paula Abdul, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Cypress Hill, A Tribe Called Quest, Michael Jackson and Sting.
A rock subgenre called "Grunge" is starting to take off. During this period, Nirvana release their album "Nevermind" and Pearl Jam release their album "Ten".
On Christmas day in 1991, Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev stepped down.
Basic facts and information about this date:
Notable events that occurred around December 30th, 1991:
Zodiac & Birthstone information:
TV shows that you might have been watching around this time.
Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 1991.
"The Adventures of Tintin" - "Home Improvement" - "Darkwing Duck" - "Taz-Mania" - "Doug" - "Rugrats" - "The Ren & Stimpy Show" - "Dinosaurs" - "Clarissa Explains It All" - "The Adventures of Pete & Pete" - "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" - "Beverly Hills, 90210" - "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" - "Rosie and Jim" - "Blossom" - "The Simpsons" - "Doogie Howser, M.D." - "Saved by the Bell" - "Noozles" - "Roseanne" - "Garfield and Friends" - "Count Duckula" - "The Wonder Years" - "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" - "Fireman Sam" - "Full House" - "Adventures of the Little Koala" - "Married... with Children" - "The Real Ghostbusters" - "Pingu" - "Growing Pains" - "Thomas the Tank Engine" - "The Cosby Show" - "Muppet Babies" - "Danger Mouse" - "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"
Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 1991:
Celebrities and historical figures that were born on the 30th of December:
Weather information for December 30th, 1991:
Who was the US President on this particular date?
Interesting facts about conception dates.
Popular video games that you might have been playing around this time.
Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on December 30th, 1991.
Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to December 30th, 1991. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.
Here are some fun statistics about December 30th, 1991.
A list of random dates that you might be interested in:


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Category Archives: stuffed squirels
Squirrel Plush Stuffed Animals are educational learning fun
Everyone at one time or another has been fascinated watching a squirrel in the backyard or may in a park. Squirrels are known for ferreting away stores of nuts for times when food in not as plentiful. The persistence of squirrels to attain food is legendary. They will jump great distances, climb upside down, hang from one claw, balance themselves with uncanny ability usually all to achieve their goal of acquiring food. No matter how much food a squirrel acquires they seem never satisfied and they have been known to stuff their cheeks full of food. For these reasons Squirrels become a favorite animal for many people. Having a real squirrel is not a wise choice so the next best alternative is to have a squirrel plush stuffed animal. There are many beautiful and soft plush squirrel stuffed animals and all are soft, adorable and excellent for love. Plush squirrels come in gray and brown predominately but they have also been seen in black. Children of all ages can turn squirrel stuffed animals into companion friends that they can name, tell stories, and even tell secrets. They can take their pet squirrel plush stuffed animals with them on trips, to friends houses and of course with them to bedtime. Squirrel plush stuffed animals also have many other uses including education, school projects, club fund raising and even business. Teachers are often looking for teaching aides for capturing the attention of the children in their class. In studying animals that live in trees squirrels may be part of the discussion. Utilizing a stuffed squirrel in the discussion allows the children to see, feel and touch without the obvious danger of dealing with a real squirrel. Maybe a book at story time includes a squirrel or a squirrel is being used as an example of winter preparedness. Plush squirrels may also be used in school projects such as dioramas, presentations or school reports. For clubs squirrels may be used as a mascots for representation or morale. To raise money for the club squirrel stuffed animals could be used for fund raisers or for club party time decor. Businesses can even use stuffed squirrels to represent hard work and how getting ready for tough times not only applies to animals but also to business. Squirrels might be the next TV commercial star, they are universal in their appeal and familiarity.


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Want something really spicy? Combine Grill Friends Double Kabob Skewers and Ravensbark The Firehouse BBQ Sauce to make the perfect appetizer for parties, and family barbecues. The flavor combination is so good you'll have guests asking for more sauce for dipping!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Grill Time: 6-8 minutes
24 large raw shrimp
12 strips of thinly sliced bacon
1 large fresh lime
2 cups RavensBark BBQ Sauce – The Firehouse®
Shell and devein shrimp leaving tails on. Wrap each shrimp tightly with one half strip of bacon. Thread shrimp on each skewer so that they lay flat on their sides on the grill. Grill on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until bacon is cooked and shrimp are pink. Squeeze half the lime while on the grill. Remove shrimp to serving platter and squeeze over remaining lime. Brush with RavensBark BBQ Sauce – The Firehouse® .
Serves 4.
Ravens Bark hails from Houston, Texas, where barbecue is an art form. Ravens Bark BBQ Sauce was born from a corporate client who was impressed with a homemade BBQ sauce they tasted while having dinner with the Ravens Bark family and asked them to develop it for his customers. This request and a family recipe for homemade sauce became the inspiration for the original flavor, The General. We craft our sauce in small batches, to control quality and insure freshness. You can bet your boots that every bottle is fresh, balanced to perfection and will make you the neighborhood pit master. HFCS Free.


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Why do some children and adults get sick from these chemical contaminants and others do not? This is an important question that has to do with genes, chemical cocktails, and even possibly stress.
While I was researching my novel, I posed this question to John Peterson Myers, co-author of the pioneering and now classic, Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival? (an excellent expose on endocrine disruption). Pete replied, "An absolutely vital point is that not all people nor all animals respond in the same way. This is one place where inherited genetics comes into play. For example, work on organophosphate pesticides shows that there can be as much as a 40-fold difference in sensitivity." In short, our genes have a lot to do with our sensitivity to toxins, just like some people develop allergies while others don't.
But it's not just genes. A big factor is that while clinical studies are done with one chemical at a time, we are exposed to great chemical cocktails that can often exacerbate the effects and overwhelm our immune systems.
And even stress can have something to do with it. When tadpoles smell a newt—their traditional predator and a significant source of stress in the tadpole world—they were fifty times more likely to die than tadpoles swimming in uncontaminated water.
There is a silver lining I discovered in all the disturbing research I read. So many of these diseases that plague our children and ourselves are actually being caused by man-made chemicals. What this means is that they are not inevitable. They are in fact environmental illnesses that are preventable. Today's epidemics include hormone-related cancers such as breast and prostate cancer, autoimmune disorders, learning disabilities, autism, degenerative diseases, preterm birth, obesity and diabetes, asthma, and infertility. As we stop putting these endocrine disrupting chemicals and other toxins into our environment, we will be able to save millions of children—and adults—untold amounts of suffering.
Tomorrow, we'll explore how to live in a toxic world and some of the things that you can do to minimize the chances of your and everyone's children getting sick.
For more information about endocrine disruption, the research mentioned in this blog post, and about Doug's fact-based eco-thriller, Eye of the Whale, please visit www.DouglasCarltonAbrams.com.


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HARRISBURG, Pa. - Other members of Jerry Sandusky's family say they're standing by him after one of his adopted sons described to Oprah Winfrey allegations of sexual abuse by the former Penn State assistant football coach.
The family released a statement on Friday saying none of them ever saw abuse or any indication of inappropriate activity.
Matthew Sandusky said in Thursday's broadcast that his adopted father subjected him to a range of sexual abuse, including oral sex.
The statement is from Sandusky's wife, Dottie, and the couple's other five adopted children.
It says attacking Matthew will provoke him and they're worried about what he'll say about the family.
Jerry Sandusky is serving a prison term for sexual abuse of 10 boys. He has not been charged with abusing Matthew Sandusky.


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2 Chainz Robbed at Gunpoint in San Francisco
Yikes, 2 Chainz could be changing his name to No Chainz pretty soon after he was robbed at gunpoint in San Francisco!
The robbery went down in broad daylight at around 4:30 PM in San Francisco, and the rapper's wallet was stolen after shots were fired.
According to TMZ, it sounds like 2 Chainz might need to start bulking up his posse. The rapper was walking in the 800 block of Howard Street when a suspect fired his gun. Subsequently, his entourage of 14 reportedly, "ran away from the incident like cockroaches running from a flashlight." Man, 2 Chainz, maybe your biggest problem is your weak posse.
We're wondering if the assailant was known to the rapper as the responding cops said that 2 Chainz seemed like he wanted to take matters into his own hands and solve the issue. The police said the rapper was clearly the intended target judging by surveillance video and when you stand at 6'4", like the rapper does, it's a pretty hard target to miss.
The cops are still on the lookout for the perpetrator, but they better hope 2 Chainz doesn't get to them first!


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From Rwandan Genocide to Yale: Clemantine Wamariya's Remarkable Journey Oct. 23 - Presented by The Frank Islam Athenaeum Symposia.
Need to Know
It's Academic
NISOD Innovation Abstracts, An Educational Resource: Accelerating Academic Achievement: Paired Courses in Developmental Education
MC in the News
Award-winning Music Professor Dawn Avery Featured on Woman Around Town Website; "50 Shades of Red" Show This Saturday
Professional Development
Campus Sports News
Basketball "Midnight" Madness is This Thursday at 7 p.m. - Join Your Colleagues in the Rockville Gym as We Tip off the Season!
Community Engagement
MC Events
Arts at MC
Global Music Award Professor Dawn Avery Performing this Saturday on Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
"Junior Marvin's Force One" of "Bob Marley and The Wailers" at the Robert E Parilla Performing Arts Center
Employee Extras
MC Books & More
Category: Employee Extras
Published: 2014-10-15 00:00:01.000
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The crack coders assembled by the Cabinet Office have a new mission: making an iPad app for David Camerons.
The app will contain the latest figures on NHS waiting lists, crime, unemployment and other public sector data according to a report by The Times. It will also allow him to read Civil Service documents on the tablet and will pull in "real-time" information from Google and Twitter among other news sources. Advisers got the idea after a trip to the US.
But it seems it could take the gov coders three months to get it right. The app isn't expected to be ready till March according to the newspaper.
The Cabinet Office has been at the centre of the tech talent hire into government, announcing 28 new jobs and a £2m salary spend in October. Whitehall's new digital boss recently stated in a Digital by Default mission speech that making government web services sexy and "relentlessly" focused on users was a core priority.
So David Cameron can presumably expect a pretty exciting experience when he does get his hands on the app in 3 months time.
The app is likely to be made available more widely than just the prime minister and eventually be made publicly available. Minus the top-secret MI6 reports, buttons to launch nuclear missiles or have the SAS assassinate someone etc etc. ®


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A personalized messenger bag with smart design and style.
A two-tone color custom messenger bag with bold color accent.
ePromos is your best source for promotional products on the internet. We have one of the largest selections of promo items online - with over 15,000 products that can be custom imprinted with your company's logo by our Promotional Specialists. As one of the oldest and most experienced companies on the web, we'll wow you with our "Promo-Know-How"!


text: EURO QUARTZ GSR57 Sine Wave VCXOs 7 x 5 x1.8mm SMD Sine Wave VCXO FEATURES Sine Wave output VCXO Output 10k //10pF load, 1.0V p-p Harmonics < 25dBc Low current consumption OUTLINE & DIMENSIONS DESCRIPTION GSR57 sine wave VCXOs provide a true sine wave out output. The VCXOs are packaged in the industry-standard, 6 pad 7 x 5 x 1.8mm SMD package. The VCXO is produced to close tolerances and has low current consumption. SPECIFICATION Frequency Range: Input Voltage: Frequency Stability: Control Voltage Centre: Initial Frequency Accuracy: Control Voltage Range: Frequency Deviation Range: Output Wave Form: Output Level: Harmonics: Phase Noise: Current Consumption Supply = 2.8V: Supply = 3.3V: Supply = 5.0V: Start-up Time: Storage Temperature: Sub-Harmonics: Ageing: Enable/Disable: RoHS Status: 10.0MHz to 30.0MHz +2.8V, +3.3V±5% or +5.0VDC ±5% See table +2.5 VDC ±15ppm with Conrol V at +2.5VDC +0.5V to +4.5VDC ±100ppm typical* True Sine Wave 10k //10pF load, 1.0V p-p <-25dBc -130dBc/Hz at 1kHz offset 1.0mA 1.1mA 1.2mA 2.0ms typical -50° to +125°C None ±5ppm per year maximum Output is high impedance (disabled) when E/D pad/pin is taken LOW. Disable time is 150ns maximum Fully compliant * Wider pulling range available FREQUENCY STABILITY PART NUMBERING Example: Stability Code Stability ±ppm Temp. Range A 25 0°~+70°C B 50 0°~+70°C C 100 0°~+70°C D 25 -40°~+85°C E 50 -40°~+85°C F 100 -40°~+85°C If non-standard frequency stability is required Use 'I' followed by stability, i.e. I20 for ±20ppm 3GSR57-A-80N-25.000 Supply Voltage 3 = 3.3 Volts 5 = 5.0 Volts Series Designation GSR57 Frequency Stability See table Pull Range ±ppm Pull Range Code M = Maximum N = Minimum T = Typical Frequency MHz EUROQUARTZ LIMITED Blacknell Lane CREWKERNE Somerset UK TA18 7HE Tel: +44 (0)1460 230000 Fax: +44 (0)1460 230001 Email: [email protected] www.euroquartz.co.uk


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The minute Katelyn Hutchison gets home from school, she laces up her running shoes and jogs for a few miles to clear her head. After seven years in the classroom, she's learned she needs an outlet for the pressure that builds up during the day.
"Running gives me some time to myself to let go of whatever causes my stress that day," says Hutchison, a first-grade teacher from Illinois. "It's easy for teachers to carry our stress with us, whether we're worrying about a student or thinking about the million things we have to do. So I try to find a way to let those things go and not take them home with me."
Hutchison goes for a run; other educators may walk their dog, head to a yoga class, or maybe find a less healthy way to unwind–Chardonnay, anyone?
"To be honest, I often eat sweets, especially chocolate," admits Maria Schrenger, a teacher from Louisville, Kentucky.
But whatever the coping mechanism, every educator shares a need to decompress after spending another day in a demanding, pressure-cooker profession.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 75 percent of Americans say their jobs are stressful. But what a lot of educators experience isn't the everyday variety of workplace tension. It's nerve-jangling, sleep-robbing, heart-pounding stress that comes from all directions and can leave them constantly anxious and fatigued.
If the unruly students, uncooperative parents, and unsupportive administrators whom educators sometimes run into weren't stressful enough, they also grapple with budget cuts, ballooning class sizes, and a bone-deep exhaustion that comes from spending almost every evening and weekend grading and planning.
For most people, it could seem like too much. But educators aren't most people.
"Educators go into the profession because they care very deeply about the work they do and the results they strive to see in their students," says Nora Howley, manager of programs at NEA's Health Information Network. "When you care that deeply, you're going to feel it."
Katelyn Hutchison cares that deeply, and she doesn't want stress to interfere with her desire to help children learn.
"My students are the reason I'm there, and even on my most stressful days, they make it all worth it," she says. "In any career you choose in life there will be stress, it's a matter of how you handle it that makes all the difference."
It makes a big difference. Those who handle stress well can lessen the impact it has on their bodies. But those who struggle to manage their stress can experience serious health problems like heart disease.
That's why Nora Howley and the staff at NEA's HIN lead workshops for members called "Kill Stress Before it Kills You." The 90-minute session helps educators define stress, identify its causes, and figure out ways to manage it.
"We want to help educators understand that stress is doing harmful things to our bodies–that it has physical manifestations," says Howley. "But when you manage stress with exercise or relaxation techniques, it removes the negative impact stress has on the body, even though the stress itself doesn't go away."
And let's face it— stress isn't going anywhere. It's been plaguing us since the dawn of humankind. Stress is the body's response to danger or the fear of danger. But back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, what we feared were predators, like a saber-tooth tiger, not an overbearing principal or helicopter parent.
The stress response is designed to protect us, and when we experience stress our bodies go into fight or flight mode. When faced with a charging saber-tooth tiger, cave dwellers had three options: run for their lives, fight and kill the beast, or fight and be killed. Whatever the outcome, their stress was burned through their emergency response—as a result, prehistoric cave people didn't suffer from ulcers or take pills for high blood pressure.
Here in the 21st century, our stressors aren't as dangerous, but our responses to them—like a racing heart rate—are. We don't have to fight off tigers, but our bodies act as though we do when we experience stress.
The most common stressors that Howley hears from educators at her training sessions are a lack of support from parents and administrators, a lack of awareness of how very hard educators have to work, and a lack of respect from the public at large. On top of all of that, they feel they're being blamed for all the problems in education.
Atlas couldn't carry that much weight on his shoulders, but educators are walking around with it every day, and it starts to take a serious toll. Over time when high levels of stress aren't properly managed, the responses can range from anxiety disorders, migraines, and joint problems to heart disease and stroke.
So how does a stressed-out educator properly manage the day-to-day pressures of school life?
First, identify the stressor and determine if it's changeable, Howley advises. Are you stressed by the lack of communication in your grade-level team? Take a look at your schedule and set a time each day, or each week, for everyone to meet, even if it's only for 10 minutes.
Regular meetings with colleagues can also help reduce conflict by increasing communication and understanding. Meetings foster relationships and can create friendships—having a colleague to enjoy a coffee break with is an excellent way to relieve tension.
Communication with administrators is equally important, says Ted Warner, a special education and language arts teacher from Northampton, Virginia.
"Most of what worries us can be resolved if we sit down face-to-face with the people in charge," he says. "We obviously can't have a meeting every day with every administrator, but 'Can I sit down with you for ten minutes after fifth period?' will almost always get a yes. And, of course, armed with information, you'll feel better."
Educators should also determine if their stress is short term, like testing season, or long-term, like having your job performance evaluated by test scores. If it's short term, you know the level of stress will come down eventually, which makes it easier to manage. If it's long term, you need to work harder to find effective—and healthy—ways to cope.
The number one strategy for successfully alleviating stress is to exercise. Like cave people fighting or fleeing a saber-tooth tiger, we need to find a way to burn off stress.
"If you don't have a physical output for stress, it stays in the body, the symptoms don't go away, and they lead to more permanent health problems," says Howley.
If you're not a runner like Katelyn Hutchison, experiment with other forms of exercise. Try a Zumba or Karate class. Go for a bike ride, or at the very least, take a walk.
"If you're not doing two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, find at least one way to add more physical activity to your life," Howley recommends.
Schrenger, the chocolate-loving educator from Louisville, gained 15 pounds last school year because of stress—much of it related to the new Common Core standards and losing her teaching assistant to budget cuts.
"I teach first grade and am often there 12 to 13 hours a day, and I take work home, too," she says. "The best thing I do for stress is to go for five- to six-mile walks with a friend and work out at the gym. These two activities help me shed stress and anger and help me feel stronger."
When you start to feel stressed during the school day, it's also important to find time for a break, says Howley. Take a walk around the building. Join a game with students on the playground. Or practice relaxation exercises with your class.
She also recommends meditation and relaxation exercises (see sidebar) to minimize stress for those who are unable to be more physically active. Proper breathing from the diaphragm and visualization are proven ways to reduce heart rate and ease stress symptoms.
Relaxation Exercise—Take a Mini-Break with this
Deep Breathing Exercise.
Sit in a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor.
Begin with deep breathing.
Close your eyes and attend to your breath.
Relax your upper body and shoulders.
Take two deep, continuous breaths, as if you were filling a balloon.
When you exhale, the balloon deflates.
As you breathe in and out repeat a calming word, like peace or serenity.
Repeat breath and calming word several times.
Open your eyes when you begin to feel calmer.
"Finally, we want to emphasize the importance of plain old fun," Howley says. "Everyone needs to find time for fun, whether it's enjoying free time with family and friends, going to the movies, watching or playing sports or participating in your favorite hobby."
Maria Schrenger goes to a comedy club because "great laughs are like therapy."
The most important strategy of all is to remember to keep things in perspective. You know you're going to have problem kids and students who struggle, and sometimes you won't be able to give all of your students the attention they need.
But even when you're stretched too thin, and it seems like you'll never get out from under, something magical happens that makes it all worthwhile.
Back in Katelyn Hutchison's class in Illinois, a student struggled with reading but eventually overcame the obstacles to become a competent reader. Hutchison wrote him a note to tell him how proud she was of his hard work, and when she handed it to him, she asked if he wanted help reading it.
"No, I can read it!" he told her. He then proceeded to read it aloud without stumbling once.
"Those are the moments that remind me of why I became a teacher," she says.
See Also:
Surviving Teacher Burnout
How Bad Education Policies Demoralize Teachers


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Public Company Information:
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Charles Schwab Corporation released its Monthly Market Activity Report today. Company highlights for the month of July 2011 include:
- Net new assets brought to the company by new and existing clients in July 2011 totaled $9.9 billion, including a $4.8 billion inflow related to a mutual fund clearing services client.
- Total client assets were $1.65 trillion as of month-end July, up 16% from July 2010 and flat from June 2011.
- Client daily average trades were 404.1 thousand in July 2011, up 11% from July 2010 and up 11% from June 2011. July 2011 trading activity was elevated by a seasonal rise in Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® transactions.
The SMART report can be viewed with its accompanying 12-month data at www.aboutschwab.com/investor_relations/financial_reports/
About Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is a leading provider of financial services, with more than 300 offices and 8.2 million client brokerage accounts, 1.44 million corporate retirement plan participants, 754,000 banking accounts, and $1.65 trillion in client assets. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through Schwab Advisor Services. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender), provides banking and mortgage services and products. More information is available at www.schwab.com and www.aboutschwab.com.
Charles Schwab
Greg Gable, 415-667-0473
Charles Schwab
Rich Fowler, 415-667-1841


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All engineers think they know the truth about embedded product development. It's hard. It's time-consuming. It's expensive.
But that's only part of it. Unfortunately, the hard truth about embedded development needs to absorbed, not intellectually, but viscerally, through late-night work sessions, missed deadlines, and lost sleep. And the hard truth is this: Embedded development is big and slippery, easy to underestimate, and costly enough to break the budgets of the uninitiated.
Experienced embedded developers and consultants know this. They've seen teams work for years on embedded projects that were supposed to take months. They've seen development costs balloon by factors of 10 or more. They've seen whole departments give up on embedded projects that grew to encompass 40 or more engineers and software developers.
"I saw one company that was five years late and $40 million into their design, using a home-brewed operating system and an elaborate new programming language, and I had to recommend that they cancel the project," Jack Ganssle, an embedded consultant and founder of the Ganssle Group, told us. "And when I made that recommendation, the engineers were almost giddy. Their frustration level was so high that they were hoping to hear something like that." Ultimately, the company took Ganssle's advice and threw out the project.
War stories like this one are common, largely because embedded development is filled with pitfalls that confound even the best engineers. And that's especially true for mechanical engineers, who are coming late to the embedded world and often don't have a scrap of programming experience to fall back on.


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UConn has imposed a five-year suspension on the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity for a hazing incident at a party in March, days after a sorority was suspended over the same incident.
The university announced the sanction on Monday, the second suspension of a Greek organization on campus in less than a week.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon was put on notice last month that the school's Community Standards panel was investigating an incident that took place on March 6 at the fraternity's off-campus house on Route 195.
The members of the fraternity are accused of forcing students to drink alcohol, act like animals and sizzle like bacon by lying on the floor and wiggling.
Members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority also took part in the alleged hazing at the same party, according to university officials. Last week, UConn suspended Kappa Kappa Gamma for four years.
The university began investigating the Greek organizations after a sophomore came forward to say she was forced into a night of heavy drinking and passed out.
Hillary Holt said she woke up in a hospital bed and was told she had a blood alcohol level of nearly three times the legal limit to drive.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is accused of endangering the health and safety of students and distributing alcohol to individuals under the age of 21.
UConn released a statement about its decision on Monday:
"Fraternities, sororities and other organizations play a vital and valuable role in the life of a great university -- by UConn will not accept hazing or harmful treatment of students by anyone, under any circumstances."
A spokesperson for the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter said the fraternity has a zero tolerance for hazing, but may appeal the length of the suspension.


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Our generous Sponsors and Benefactors support each competition by providing prize purse and operational funding as well as contributing mentorship and industry knowledge.
Alana Foundation is an independent philanthropic organisation founded in 2012 in the United States. The Foundation supports initiatives in the areas of environment, inclusive education and health scientific research through grants and co-funding partnerships. It also engages with networks and global movements in those areas.
Sponsor of the Rainforest XPRIZE
Alana Foundation
ANA is Japan's largest airline, and winner of multiple airline industry customer satisfaction awards. "Offering dreams and experiences to people around the world" is one of ANA's most powerful corporate mission statements. As ANA expands its global reach, literally connecting billions more people around the world, the employees and management of ANA are excited to pursue innovation and exploration that provides humanity a wider view of the world.
Sponsor of the ANA Avatar XPRIZE
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Title Philanthropists of the Anu & Naveen Jain Women's Safety XPRIZE
Anu and Naveen Jain
In 2015, the innovationXchange (iXc) at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was launched as part of the Australian Aid Program to address the growing need for innovative and transformative solutions for intractable problems facing people living in developing countries. The iXc aims to foster a culture of innovation in our aid program by harnessing new technologies, methodologies, and partnerships. It understands collaboration is pivotal, partnering with other government agencies, the private sector, NGOs, and academics to source new ideas for piloting and experimentation.
Each of the iXc's development portfolios – health and water, economic growth and humanitarian – challenge convention, seeking new ways to multiply the impact of Australian aid in the Indo-Pacific. The iXc has led a variety of open innovation processes to help improve humanitarian responses in the Pacific, aquaculture in the Indian Ocean, and food choices to reduce worsening malnutrition levels in our region. It is also initiating an ambitious social entrepreneurship and financing agenda to equip local innovators and entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, capital, and access to markets required to make their businesses viable, attractive to investment, and scalable.
With global partners the iXc supports an online platform to allow hundreds of organisations across the world to share information on innovations and seek finance for them where necessary. It will seek to invest in a range of debt, equity and grant funding initiatives that enable new technologies, behavioural science approaches, and business models to be explored. The iXc believes it is crucial for all contributors to share lessons learned on development innovations being trialled and will continue to seek opportunities to scale successful pilots.
For more information, you can visit: to https://innovationxchange.dfat.gov.au/
Sponsor of the Water Abundance XPRIZE powered by Tata Group and Australian Aid
Australian Aid
The Barbara Bush Foundation is the nation's leading advocate for family literacy. Founded by former First Lady Barbara Bush, the mission of the Foundation is to advocate for and establish literacy as a value in every home.
The goals of the Foundation are simple: We want children to start school ready to excel and help parents improve their literacy skills. Mrs. Bush's guiding belief was simple – if you helped a person learn to read, their opportunities in life were endless.
To learn more about the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's commitment to promote family literacy in homes across America, please visit www.BarbaraBush.org.
Sponsor of the Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Barbara Bush Foundation
COSIA (Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance) is an alliance of Canada's largest oil sands producers, collaborating on innovations to accelerate the pace of environmental performance improvement in Canada's oil sands. Since its formation in 2012, COSIA has shared 936 distinct environmental technologies and innovations that cost over $1.3 billion to develop. COSIA has some of the best minds on the planet working on technologies to enable the responsible and sustainable development of oil sands in the areas of water, land, tailings and greenhouse gases. For more information, please visit www.cosia.ca.
Title Sponsor of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE
COSIA (Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance)
Betsy and Dick DeVos are, respectively, chairman and president of the Windquest Group, an enterprise and investment management firm based in Michigan with diversified projects in technology, manufacturing, clean technology, and nonprofit solutions. Betsy is a national leader of school choice education reform. She was a presidential appointee to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and currently serves as a member of a number of local and national boards, including the American Federation for Children, ArtPrize, Kids Hope USA and the Foundation for Excellence in Education. Dick is the former president of Amway Corporation and the NBA's Orlando Magic. In addition to business roles, he is an active leader in a wide range of initiatives in his local community of West Michigan, including Grand Action Foundation and West Michigan Aviation Academy. Dick and Betsy have been married for over 30 years and have seven children and two granddaughters. The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation serves as a catalyst for partner organizations that position communities for growth and viability.
Benefactor of the Global Learning XPRIZE
Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation
Founded in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) has helped advance the literacy skills of over 6 million individuals and donated more than $100 million to nonprofit, library and school-based literacy programs. The Foundation's funding focuses on helping programs deliver quality literacy instruction and increasing access to literacy services. The DGLF believes learning to read is an investment that opens doorways for personal, professional and economic success. It is a gift that no one can take away – a gift that lasts a lifetime.
Presenting Sponsor of the Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Sponsors of the Archon Genomics XPRIZE
Dr. Stewart and Marilyn Blusson
Benefactor for Global Learning XPRIZE
Elon Musk
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit the Google website.
HeroX exists at the intersection of crowdsourcing, competition and collaboration, using each to drive positive change. HeroX is a platform where you can support a cause you believe in, help fund a prize, or post challenges to inspire others. We offer the tools to help spark brilliant new solutions and we spread the word to people passionate about change. For more information, visit HeroX.com.
Watson represents a new era in computing called cognitive computing, where systems understand the world the way humans do: through senses, learning, and experience. Watson continuously learns, gaining in value and knowledge over time, from previous interactions. With the help of Watson, organizations are leveraging cognitive computing to transform industries, help professionals do their jobs better, and solve important challenges.
To advance Watson, IBM has three dedicated business units: Watson, established for the development of cloud-delivered cognitive computing technologies that represent the commercialization of "artificial intelligence" or "AI" across a variety of industries; Watson Health, dedicated to improving the ability of doctors, researchers and insurers and other related health organizations to surface new insights from datato deliver personalized healthcare; and Watson IoT, focused on making sense of data embedded in more than 9 billion connected devices operating in the world today, which generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of new data daily.
For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/Watson and ibm.com/press/Watson.
Title Sponsor of the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE
IBM Watson
John Raymonds
Sponsor of The Future of Forests ImpactMap
Sponsor of The Future of Housing ImpactMap
Merkin Family Foundation
NRG is the leading integrated power company in the U.S., built on the strength of the nation's largest and most diverse competitive electric generation portfolio and leading retail electricity platform. A Fortune 200 company, NRG creates value through best in class operations, reliable and efficient electric generation, and a retail platform serving residential and commercial businesses. Working with electricity customers, large and small, we continually innovate, embrace and implement sustainable solutions for producing and managing energy. We aim to be pioneers in developing smarter energy choices and delivering exceptional service as our retail electricity providers serve almost 3 million residential and commercial customers throughout the country. More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy and @NRGMedia.
BONUS PRIZE SPONSOR: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a science-based federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce with regulatory, operational, and information service responsibilities with a presence in every state and our territories. NOAA's mission is to protect life and property and conserve and protect natural resources.
Bonus Prize Sponsor of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy organization that backs breakthrough social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity in America.
New Profit's investment strategy focuses on building a breakthrough portfolio to take on entrenched systemic challenges in America, particularly by driving resources and support to Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x social entrepreneurs who have unique proximity to solutions, but face stark racial funding disparities in philanthropy; investing in social entrepreneurs with new systems change models across a range of issues; and creating jobs and opportunity by funding Future of Work innovation.
New Profit's Future of Work Initiative is funded by Strada Education Network and the Walmart Foundation.
Sponsor of XPRIZE Rapid Reskilling
New Profit
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. Nokia's technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit the Nokia website.
Title Sponsor of the Nokia Sensing XCHALLENGE
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions to government and commercial customers worldwide, offering an extraordinary portfolio of capabilities and technologies for applications from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace.
Northrop Grumman
Progressive Insurance
Established in 2010 by Qualcomm Incorporated, the Qualcomm Foundation is dedicated to developing and strengthening communities worldwide. Specifically, the Qualcomm Foundation focuses it philanthropic efforts on helping create and sustain educated, healthy, culturally vibrant communities in regions around the globe. As sponsor of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE competition, the Qualcomm Foundation is proud to support the discovery of innovative mobile solutions that will contribute to the advancement of healthcare and diagnostics. For more information about the Qualcomm Foundation and Qualcomm Incorporated's global social responsibility programs, visit the Qualcomm website.
Title Sponsor of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE
Qualcomm Foundation
Scott Hassan
Shell has been a technology pioneer for more than 100 years, and has come up with many industry-transforming "firsts" to deliver energy its customers and partners need. Since 2007, Shell has spent more than $1 billion annually on research and development. In 2014, our research and development expenditures were $1.2 billion. Shell's technical and engineering staff amount to more than 43,000.
Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. For further information, visit www.shell.com.
Title Sponsor of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE
Strada Education Network is a national social impact organization dedicated to improving lives by forging clearer and more purposeful pathways between education and employment. Our approach combines research, public engagement, strategic philanthropy, mission-aligned investments, and a network of affiliate organizations. Together, we work to create a new learning ecosystem that better serves the millions of Americans seeking to complete postsecondary education and training, gain clear value from those experiences, and build meaningful careers. Learn more at stradaeducation.org.
Strada Education Network
Suzanne West
Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising over 100 independent operating companies. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities they serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust'.
There are 29 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of about $116 billion (as of March 31, 2016). Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communication and Indian Hotels.
In tandem with the increasing international footprint of Tata companies, the Tata brand is also gaining international recognition. Tata companies bring to their customers worldwide a whole host of reputed brands which touch their lives every day. Brand finance, a UK- based consultancy firm, has valued Tata's multi-brand portfolio at over $23 billion in 2016.
Tata companies are building multinational businesses that seek to differentiate themselves through customer-centric, innovation, entrepreneurship, trustworthiness and value-driven business operations, while balancing the interests of diverse stakeholders including shareholders, employees and civil society.
Ratan Tata, former Group Chairman, Tata group, is a true believer in India's potential to solve global problems at an exponential scale, with its abundance of intellectual prowess and tech-savvy minds. He has made a string of personal investments in new ventures which embody the creativity and innovation of young India.
Tata Group
Title Sponsors of the Ansari XPRIZE
The Ansari Family
The Schmidt Family Foundation
For over 30 years, Tony Robbins' passion has been helping people break through and take their lives to new levels — no matter how successful they already are — in the areas that matter most: their businesses, personal finance, intimate relationships, families, careers and health.
Tony has received honors from the United Nations, Forbes, Accenture, American Express and Harvard Business School. As a peak performance strategist, Tony has helped over 50 million people from more than 100 countries transform their lives through his live events, books, audio programs, health products and personal coaching. What began as Tony's individual effort to feed families in need has grown into the nonprofit Anthony Robbins Foundation, which provides assistance to underserved youth, low-income families, senior citizens and the homeless. The foundation's International Basket Brigade provides baskets of food and household items for an estimated two million people annually in countries all over the world.
The Tony Robbins Foundation
The Tony Robbins Foundation
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where our business has unique strengths, we work to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or find us on Twitter @walmartorg.
Vision Circle


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1. Weekly tuition is due on Monday for the current week. Tuition is not reimbursed for holidays or sick days.
2. Check in/out daily. This is an official record of your child's attendance.
3. Check your family file folder in the front hallway daily.
4. Our Family Resource Specialist is available FREE to any family in our program. Feel free to stop in and see Zahira in our side office!
We want to wish everyone a Happy Birthday!
The Community Children's Center News
Groundhog Day
Tuesday, February 2nd It's Groundhog Day and what a great time to learn about our own shadows! We will be reading Moon Bear's Shadow by Frank Asch followed by extension activities.
Parent Workshop
Friday, February 10th Join us for a Parent Workshop to bring healthy foods and lifestyle ideas to our families. These 15 minute cycle workshops will be conducted from 5-6 pm in our front courtyard. We encourage all our parents to stop by and learn something new!
Happy Valentine's Day
Tuesday, February 14th Wear pink, purple or red to school today! Many classrooms will be having a Friendship party, please check your child's classroom door for the sign-up sheet.
What Random Act of Kindness will you do?
Friday, February 17th If you show a little kindness to others it will inspire people to practice kindness and to pass it on to others. Here are some ideas on how to be kind to others:
Wednesday, February 22nd Southern SnoBalls will be here! Don't forget your $2.00!!
Thursday, February 23rd Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers will be here at 10:30 am to educate our children about caring for our teeth!
Friday, February 24th Bike day! Parents please bring your child's bike and helmet to school.
"Everything we do improves the lives of children."
President's Day
Monday, February 20th Our center will be CLOSED for our Annual In-Service Day.
In honor of President's day we've put together few fun facts about presidents:
Have you checked out our website lately? CCSWFL has updated our look. Just visit: www.ccswfl.org
Another great way to stay connected is our Facebook page. Find our page, TheCommunityChildrensCenter, and LIKE it.
Child Care of Southwest Florida 6831 Palisades Park Ct. Suite 6 Fort Myers, Florida 33912 You received this email because your child is enrolled at one of the Child Care Centers of Southwest Florida. Our 6 locations: The Children's Learning Center at FSW | Joseph H. Messina Child Care Center | P.A. Geraci Development Center | The Community Children's Center | Children's Garden of LaBelle | Harlem Academy Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails


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Relationships with
Photo Credit: Beverly Aadland's picture is courtesy of Chris Brand's Diary. Photographic illustrations of Beverly Aadland are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately.
Disclaimer: This information about Beverly Aadland is derived from astrological interpretation of Beverly Aadland's date, time, and place of birth.


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Perfect for the classroom with built-in HEPA air filter to remove any ultra fine particles from printing with PLA or ABS.Read more
UP 3D printers use an Open Filament system providing you with the ability to print with nearly an unlimited range of materials.Get making
UP 3D printers are best for your schools classroom with a wide range of STEM and curriculum resources, free support and training.Learn more
A wide range of 3D Printers, materials, 3D scanners,3D pens, software, curriculum, consumables and much more.See our products
It is all about choice. The UP family of desktop printers feature Open Materials. That means no locked cartridge, keeping the choice in your hands. Our customers use ABS, PLA, wood, copper, bronze, nylon, carbon-fibre and more in their printers.
We don't just do desktop 3D printers. Our range includes industrial 3D printers, 3D scanners, software for creating 3D designs, 3D printing pens and all of the spares and accessories you could dream of.


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The next best thing to be wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. CS Lewis
There is no surer mark of a well-bred man or woman than proper and dignified conduct in public. The truly polite are always quiet, unobtrusive, considerate of others, and careful to avoid all manifestations of superiority or elegance. Twentieth Century Culture and Deportment, 1899


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Applebot is the web crawler for Apple. Products like Siri and Spotlight Suggestions use Applebot. It respects customary robots.txt rules and robots meta tags, and it originates in the 18.104.22.168 net block.
Identify Applebot
The user-agent string contains "Applebot" together with additional agent information. Here's an example:
Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_10_1) AppleWebKit/600.2.5 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/8.0.2 Safari/600.2.5 (Applebot/0.1)
Customize rules for Applebot
Applebot respects standard robots.txt directives that are targeted at Applebot. In this example, Applebot doesn't try to crawl documents that are under /private/ or /not-allowed/:
User-agent: Applebot # apple Disallow: /private/ # disallow this directory
User-agent: * # any robot Disallow: /not-allowed/ # disallow this directory
Applebot supports robots meta tags in HTML documents. To specify robots rules in meta tags, put the tags in the <head> section of the document, like this:
<html><head> <meta name="robots" content="noindex"/> ... </head> <body>...</body> </html>
Applebot also supports the following directives:
- noindex: Applebot won't index this page, and it won't appear in Spotlight or Siri Suggestions.
- nosnippet: Applebot won't generate a description or web answer for the page. Any suggestions to visit this URL will only include the page's title.
- nofollow: Applebot won't follow any links on the page.
- none: Applebot won't index, snippet or follow links on the page, as described above.
- all: Applebot provides the document for suggestions and snippets the contents so that a short description of the page can appear next to a representative image. Applebot may follow links on the page to provide more suggestions.
To put multiple directives in a single meta tag, use a comma-separated list or multiple meta tags. Here are some examples:
<meta name="robots" content="nosnippet, noindex">
<meta name="robots" content="noindex"> <meta name="robots" content="nosnippet">
Contact us
If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Looking for a house, room or apartment?
You're at the right place to find your house, room or apartment. We have multiple studio's and apartments for rent which are directly available. You do not have to register first, you can instantly react on all our offers. Our office will contact you to make an appointment for a viewing. No cure, no pay.
Housing your staff?
Looking for a suitable apartment for your staff? Wonen MVM has a large stock of luxury apartments in The Hague. Please let us know what you are looking for and we will find the right apartment for you. You can call us or send us an e-mail with you whishes (location, rentprice, interior etc..) and we will contact you!
Renting your house?
Looking for the right candidate for your apartment/studio/ect.? Wonen MVM is the perfect agency to help you find a reliable tenant. We will advertise for you, visit the apartment, screen the candidates and make the official contracts. Please contact us for more information about renting your house.
Wonen MVM Makelaars
Schiedamsedijk 64a
P.O. box 3011 EJ Rotterdam
Phone: 0031 (0) 10 436 26 05
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com