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Conference Proceedings
"Microgrid Dispatch for Macrogrid Peak-Demand Mitigation." 2011 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2012. LBNL-81939..
"Modeling of Plug-in Electric Vehicles' Interactions with a Sustainable Community Grid in the Azores." 2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, August 12-17, 2012 2012. LBNL-81767..
"Multi-building microgrids for a distributed energy future in Portugal." International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE 2012 2012. LBNL-81766..
"Simulation of the GHG Abatement Potentials in the U.S. Building Sector by 2050." 29th USAEE/IAEE Annual North American Conference, October 14-16, 2010 2010. LBNL-4013E..
"Software-as-a-Service Optimised Scheduling of a Solar-Assisted HVAC System with Thermal Storage." 3rd International Conference on Microgeneration and Related Technologies 2013. LBNL-6127E..
"Spot Pricing of Electricity and Ancillary Services in a Competitive California Market." Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2001: 10..
"Thermal Energy Storage for Electricity Peak-demand Mitigation: A Solution in Developing and Developed World Alike." ECEEE 2013 Summer Study 3–8 June 2013, Belambra Les Criques, France 2013. LBNL-6308E..
Journal Article
"An Analysis of the DER Adoption Climate in Japan Using Optimization Results for Prototype Buildings with U.S. Comparisons." Energy and Buildings Journal Vol. 38.Issue 12 (2006) 10. LBNL-60594..
"Applications of Optimal Building Energy System Selection and Operation." Institution of Mechanical Engineers Journal of Power and Energy Special Issue (2013). LBNL-6302E..
"Assessment of Combined Heat and Power System "Premium Power" Applications in California." International Journal of Distributed Energy Resources 6.2 (2010) 131-147. LBNL-3565E..
"Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Optimal DER Technology Investment and Energy Management in Zero-Net-Energy Buildings." European Transactions on Electrical Power 21.2 (2010) 1291-1309. LBNL-2692E..
"The CO2 Reduction Potential of Combined Heat and Power in California's Commercial Buildings." Clean Tech Law & Business Journal (2010) 16. LBNL-2850E..
"Dezentrale Energieversorgung mit Speichertechnologien." Energy Journal of the Austrian Energy Agency Numbers 2 & 3 (2008)..
"An Economic Analysis of Used Electric Vehicle Batteries Integrated into Commercial Building Microgrids." IEEE Trans. on Smart Grid 3 (2012)..
"Effects of a CarbonTax on Microgrid Combined Heat and Power Adoption." Journal of Energy EngineeringAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 131 (2005) 2-25..
"Electric Storage in California's Commercial Buildings." Applied Energy Journal (2013). LBNL-6071E..
"Integrated control of dynamic facades and distributed energy resources for energy cost minimization in commercial buildings." Solar Energy 122 (2015) 1384–1397. LBNL-1003927..
"Japan's Energy Outlook for 2050 with Stochastic Sectoral Modeling." IEEJ Energy Journal of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan 4 (2009)..
"Japan's Long-term Energy Demand and Supply Scenario to 2050 - Estimation for the Potential of Massive CO2 Mitigation." IEEJ Energy Journal of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan 4 (2009). LBNL-3849E..
"A Larger Role for Microgrids: Are Microgrids a Viable Paradigm for Electricity Supply Expansion?." IEEE Power & Energy Magazine May/June (2008) 5..
"Microgrid Reliability Modeling and Battery Scheduling Using Stochastic Linear Programming." Journal of Electric Power Systems Research 103 (2013) 61-69. LBNL-6309E..
"Microgrids: An Overview of Ongoing Research, Development, and Demonstration Projects." IEEE Power & Energy Magazine July/August (2007) 19. LBNL-62937..
"Modeling of Thermal Storage Systems in MILP Distributed Energy Resource Models." Applied Energy 137 (2014) 782-792. LBNL-6757E..
"Optimal Deployment of Thermal Energy Storage Under Diverse Economic and Climate Conditions." Applied Energy 119 (2014) 488-496. LBNL-6645E..


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New App Shows You Where You Rank On the 'Ugly Meter'
Everyone is curious as to whether the world considers them "hot" or "not." A new app takes that curiosity to the next level by removing the subjectivity from rating attractiveness, but just how accurate is it?
The program scans your face's structure and pumps out a score based on the output map. So, someone like Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan – who has been tabbed as the most symmetrical signal caller in the NFL – would theoretically rank high (which would mean he's NOT ugly despite the implication).
As the creator of Dapper Gentlemen's 'Ugly Meter' app puts it, "everybody is interested in vanity and they like to know where they rank." Tell that to Susan Boyle. Anyway, he claims the groundbreaking program was #1 for three weeks in China. We could insert an abhorrently racist joke here but we'll wait for Daniel Tosh to do it justice.
According to the description on iTunes, the app's been featured by Howard Stern, Kelly Ripa, Jay Leno, CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, the Today Show, and the Daily Show. But, so far, the reviews are fairly negative. One user reports that he/she used the Ugly Meter on his/her cereal and furniture with varying results. Maybe that's something the development team can work on for the 2.0 version?
They're also offering a prize to the ugliest user. Who said your looks wouldn't get you anywhere?

subset: commoncrawl


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Quick Solutions to Common Skin Problems
Conceal Breakouts
Step 1: Use a concealer formulated both to cover and to treat blemishes. "You want something drier than an undereye concealer, which is usually quite creamy," says Jose Parron, director of the Image Studio at Barneys New York. A treatment concealer or an oil-free stick foundation will stay on the trouble spot without migrating.
Step 2: Whether you use your finger or a concealer brush, the key is concentrating the pigment right on the pimple. "Gently tap the product onto the blemish," says Raychel Wade, owner of Cheek to Chic, a New York City–based makeup consulting service. "If you wipe or rub it on, you won't get the concealer where it needs to be."
Step 3: Use a sponge to dab a tiny bit of powder (in a moisture-rich formula) onto the spot you're trying to hide. Follow this with a light dusting of powder over the entire face to set your makeup.
RS pick: Lancôme Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup ($38, lancome.com).
Even Out Skin Tone
Step 1: Apply foundation over the whole face, then treat the dark patches with a full-coverage concealer. Products with sufficient pigment for this purpose will have a thick consistency and will usually be labeled as providing medium, full, or heavy coverage. Warm the concealer in the palm of your hand to make it creamier and easier to apply, then blend it over the trouble zones using a dry sponge (a damp sponge will dilute the pigment too much).
Step 2: Setting the makeup with powder will help it last.
RS picks: L'Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Concealer ($9.50 at drugstores); Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer ($24, dermablend.com).
Soften Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Step 1: Since makeup that's too heavy can build up and cake in fine lines, apply a light layer of a sheer foundation. Choose one labeled as "moisturizing" if you have dry skin, or one that is silicone-based (you'll see silica in the ingredient list) if your complexion is slightly oily. Look for products that claim to have light-reflecting properties, which will give your skin a subtle glow. But you don't want all-out shininess. Too much shimmer can accentuate lines, especially around the eyes, warns Los Angeles makeup artist Heather Currie.
Step 2: Add concealer, but only on the dark areas under the eyes. Areas of the face where skin tends to be driest―around the outsides of the eyes, for example―are where makeup is most likely to highlight lines. To increase the sheerness of the concealer, mix it with a pea-size amount of eye cream before gently tapping it on with your finger, says Vaughn.
RS picks: CoverGirl Advanced Radiance Age Defying Liquid Makeup ($10 at drugstores); Prescriptives Flawless Skin Total Protection Makeup ($42, prescriptives.com); Revlon Color-Stay Under Eye Concealer SPF 15 ($10 at drugstores).
Diminish Redness
Step 1: Women with light or medium skin, who are especially prone to redness, can use a color-correcting concealer on such prominent areas as the chin and nose. Typically tinted green (a color that counteracts the red), these products restore skin to a neutral tone, explains Vaughn. If the product is thick, make it blend more easily by applying it over a lightweight moisturizer―look for those formulated for sensitive skin or labeled "hypoallergenic"―and spreading it gently with your ring finger or a sponge.
Step 2: Finish with a light foundation or a tinted moisturizer over the entire face. "Applying to much foundation can cause even darker blotches on the skin," says Vaughn. A light layer of subtle makeup will veil the redness and make you look as if you have a healthy, rosy glow.
RS picks: Almay Smart Shade Makeup SPF 15 ($13.50 at drugstores); Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup ($25, clinique.com).


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The team at INFINITI of Fort Wayne would like to welcome you to our dealership in Fort Wayne, where we're confident you'll find the vehicles you're looking for at a price you can afford. Come and check out our full selection of new INFINITI vehicles, or get a great deal on a reliable pre-owned model. No matter which vehicle you decide on, our professional finance team will help you get settled with a competitive financing or lease plan.
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DeKALB – Aldermanic candidates agreed with the DeKalb Area Rental Association that the city overreached on the funding and inspection mechanism of the new housing ordinances.
The candidates – Stephen Clark and Bill Finucane, for the 2nd Ward, and James Mitchell and Bob Snow, for the 4th Ward – expressed varying degrees of disagreement about the inspections, which are funded through fees paid by landlords.
"It's a big waste of time, and a big waste of effort," Mitchell said. "Having them inspected is one thing, but they shouldn't be tagged with a fee, but with a fine if there's something wrong."
The candidates for alderman and DeKalb mayor fielded questions from the landlord association at a private forum Wednesday night. The Daily Chronicle and other local media were invited to attend.
As landlords, their questions to the candidates focused on housing issues and economic development. The city's relationship with Northern Illinois University also was touched upon as well.
Sixth Ward Alderman Dave Baker was present, but declined to answer most of the questions because he is running unopposed.
In November, the DeKalb City Council approved a series of ordinances designed to improved the city's housing stock. Two of the key disagreements between the City Council and DARA were the fees and staffing levels to implement them.
The candidates also expressed cautious support for creating new tax increment financing districts, something the current City Council hired a firm to evaluate.
However, they differed on whether the special tax mechanism should be used as an incentive to lure private business to the area, as the City Council had done with a $900,000 loan to Olive Garden.
"If you have a business that says 'I can't come into DeKalb unless I get money,' I think that's a bad business model," Snow said. "But sometimes there are times we can help."
The prospect of the new Irongate subdivison – which will have more than 1,000 houses in it – also hung over the discussion. While Finucane and Snow expressed caution on going forward with developments like it, Mitchell was more critical of ShoDeen Construction, the developer behind Irongate.
"We have many, many homes that are empty. It's all around us. Why do we need your new development at Irongate?" Mitchell said.
Clark said he was fine with more housing developments, as long as the process was fair.
"So as long as we are fair with who's paying what, in a fair marketplace, if they can sell things, let them try to do that," Clark said.
The city's relationship with NIU was also referenced. Each of the candidates have or had some kind of NIU connection. Snow and Mitchell's involvement was limited to their student careers. Finucane is currently NIU's transportation manager, while Snow used to be the assistant to the dean of the NIU College of Law.
One landlord asked if they'd say no to the university on building new structures. Only Baker expressed a willingness to declare a moratorium on new university buildings.
Finucane defended the new residence hall, saying they are replacing beds, not adding them as the landlord suggested. Snow and Mitchell, and to a lesser extent Clark, said the university needs to limit itself in terms of construction, but did not offer any serious policy suggestions.


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by Lou Mancinelli
In 2010 more than 790,000 youths participated in Boy Scouts of America (BSA) programs across the nation. Of the former three Chestnut Hill BSA troops, only one, Troop 221, chartered out of the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, located at 8855 Germantown Ave., remains.
"In February, the boys in the troop sat down, and they came to the conclusion that they need to be more visible in the community to get more people to join their troop," said Scoutmaster Drew Brown
"We've been closeted away in the Presbyterian Church," said Brown, an 18-year Chestnut Hill resident with two sons in the troop. Brown himself became an Eagle Scout in 1968, and has been scoutmaster since last August. "We've been active in the world, but not so much in the community."
To change that, on Memorial Day Troop 221 members, dressed in their olive pants and khaki shirts adorned with their merit badges, walked alongside the honor guard as part of the Chestnut Hill Veterans of Foreign Wars commemoration. Before that, on Mother's Day, six of its 16 members handed out water at the finish line to participants in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Philadelphia breast cancer fundraiser.
The events were two chances where, otherwise, "there haven't been a whole lot of opportunities for us to be seen in uniform in the community being helpful," Brown said.
"Often, whenever we go out, we are one of the unique troops," said former Scoutmaster Bart Poindexter, who stayed on as scoutmaster for an additional two years after his son Bryant was too old to participate.
"We are unique because we are one of the most diverse groups in the Cradle of Liberty Council," he said, adding that a majority of the troops are homogenized versions of their communities.
Troop 221, ne noted, is as diverse as Northwest Philadelphia, with Jewish, Christian, vegan, Asian, white and black scouts, and more.
"It's something we embrace, applaud, and celebrate," Poindexter said.
It was 102 years ago, in 1909, when Chicago publisher William D. Boyce, a man born in Plum Township, Pa., in lost his way in a dense fog in London. A young boy helped guide Boyce but refused a tip. The boy explained that he was a scout and would not except a tip for doing a good act.
The act led to a meeting between Boyce and Robert Baden-Powell, the British founder of the Boy Scouts. Powell was a former lieutenant general in the British Army and had served in the Second Boer War in 1899 in South Africa. After the war, he returned to Britain and found young boys were reading his military manuals on stalking and survival in the wilderness.
Powell rewrote his material with non-military nature skills and called it "Scouting for Boys." Back in the states, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on Feb. 8, 1910, under the laws of Washington D.C.
Since then, millions of boys between the ages of 11 and 17 have climbed the ranks from Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout, and millions of more boys have been Cub Scouts, an organization for boys ages seven to 10. At the core of the Scout's mission, is the Scout Law, which says a scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
Troop 221 has done its best to uphold that law. In the past year it has produced four Eagle Scouts: Cameron Spiller, Blake Cooper, Todd Darby and Devon Honeyman.
An Eagle Scout is the highest rank in boy scouting. To become an Eagle Scout a boy must pass through the six ranks of Boy Scouts, earn 21 merit badges based on community service, wilderness and athletic skills, serve six months in a troop leadership position, plan, develop and commission a service project to benefit the community, participate in a Scoutmaster conference and complete a scout review.
Becoming an Eagle Scout is a task that requires devotion, dedication and strong character. Only 5 percent of Boy Scouts earn the rank each year. Of the 181 NASA astronauts who were scouts –57.4 percent of all astronauts – 39 were Eagle Scouts, according to the BSA website. In addition, one in four students at the Naval Academy participated in scouting as youths, and one in ten midshipmen are Eagle Scouts.
For 16-year-old Mt. Airy resident Cameron Spiller, a junior at Roman Catholic High School, Boy Scouts has been the thing that made him.
"They call it Boy Scouts," Spiller said, "but really it teaches you how to be a man. It teaches you how to be mentally awake and morally strong."
"I enjoy what [BSA] does," Poindexter said. "It trains young men to be leaders. When you have a 14-year-old kid, and you suddenly put him in charge of something important, like where are we going to pitch our tents, or how are we going to divide the labor – when you do it right, the end result is usually a well-run event or operation. And you have a young man who is proud of himself who can say, 'I did that.'"
Spiller joined Cub Scouts, against his wishes, as a 6-year-old first-grader. He liked it so much that he stayed and climbed the ranks to a Webelo, a Cub Scout's highest distinction before becoming a Boy Scout.
"I didn't want to do it at first," said Spiller, whose father signed him up as a Cub Scout. "When I did it, I learned to be a leader. I suddenly had all these people following me."
Last spring, Spiller collected more than 1,000 children's books and donated them to the Tabor House in Germantown for his Eagle Scout service project. His project assists children at Tabor who once were part of the state's adoption system, but who now are young parents in need of guidance and aid. Tabor House is a nonprofit child welfare agency that serves children, youths and families.
"A lot of kids nowadays grow up without books," Spiller said. "If people have more access to books, maybe they can have better success later in life, and jails will be less populated."
Troop 221 members also will volunteer in this summer's 24th Annual Run for the Hill of It, a fundraiser that benefits the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project (MCAP), which provides free legal representation to children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
The troop was formed in 1987 by a group of parents at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. It is a member of the Northern District of the Cradle of Liberty Council, a BSA administrative district with headquarters in Center City and Valley Forge.
For more information, call Troop 221 Scoutmaster Drew Brown at 215-685-6098. Troop 221 meets every Thursday, except in August, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave. Interested individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting. For more information about Tabor House, visit www.taborhouse.org.


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IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene 2016 Cycling Shorts - Men's
Out of stock
IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene 2016 Cycling Shorts - Men's
Hit the road in the IRONMAN® Coeur d'Alene Cycling Shorts by ZOOT. It's the perfect fit for your weekly ride. Sublimated Italian fabric ensures the very best in moisture management, Comfort and Durability PLEASE NOTE: THIS ITEM RUNS APPROXIMATELY A SIZE SMALL ;UPF 50+ Sun protection ;TMF multi density chamois with bioactive fabric technology for medium to long distance comfort, inside draw cord at waist for secure fit. ;Exclusive Italian gripper provides breathable, secure compression to keep leg hem in place ;Flatlock stitch construction ensures next to skin comfort and minimizes chafing ;Do not iron, Do not bleach, For specific care instructions please reference the ZOOT care tag on garment.
|IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene 2016 Cycling Shorts - Men's


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(Phoenix, Ariz. – January 27, 2004) Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard today warned consumers to be aware of an upsurge of e-mail scams, commonly known as "phishing" or "carding." These e-mail messages appear to be from banks, governmental agencies, financial institutions, business firms such as PayPal®, eBay® or other Internet commerce transaction sites. The e-mail messages look official because they include official-looking logos.
The e-mail will advise the recipient that something is wrong with their account, and that the victim should click on a link to "verify" personal and financial information. (Attached is an example of a phishing email sent to an employee with the Attorney General's Office).
By using the link provided inside the e-mail, the consumer will be diverted to a phony Internet Web site that appears to be an official site for the institution. An "Online Validation" form will prompt a user to enter personal or financial information: name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver's license number, credit card numbers and expiration dates, and PIN or security codes. Sometimes the e-mails will threaten a consumer if he or she fails to respond.
"It is important to remember that these Internet sites, no matter how authentic they look, have nothing to do with a legitimate company," Goddard said. "No legitimate financial institution will send requests for personal financial data via email."
Many times consumers are asked to download forms or other information, which could contain "Trojan Horse" programs known as spyware that allows identity thieves to invade a victim's computer, giving access to personal information stored on the computer.
Many phishers are hard to trace since they have the ability to create and dismantle a phony Web site quickly. "The key to stopping phishers is prevention, keep consumers from being conned by their schemes in the first place," Goddard stated.
Goddard offered the following consumer tips to prevent identity theft:
- If you receive a "phishing" e-mail, NEVER reply or click onto the provided link. Legitimate businesses and governmental agencies never ask for this information via e-mails.
- Always be cautious whenever you open any attachment or download any file from an e-mail you receive, regardless of who sends it to you. Be sure to scan emails for viruses and spyware.
- NEVER provide personally information, such as Social Security numbers, financial or bank account information, to anyone you do not already know and trust. If you are concerned over any aspect of your financial account, call the organization named in the email directly by using a telephone number that you know is genuine.
- If you believe that you may have been taken in by a phishing scam, or that you are a victim of any Internet fraud, you may contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC), a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. Consumers can access the link and the mailing address through the Arizona Attorney General's Office at www.azag.gov.
Arizona consumers should also file a complaint online with the Arizona Attorney General's Office through the Internet by visiting www.azag.gov .


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| 15.6°C Belfast
Gary Barlow has revealed he is "absolutely thrilled" to receive an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List - and said he never dreamed he would receive one.
The Take That star's recognition comes just days after he put together the triumphant Diamond Jubilee concert for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. He is also at number one with his Jubilee anthem Sing, and appears to have become the "go to" pop star for royal occasions.
He said: "I'm absolutely thrilled and feel very privileged to be in the company of so many brilliant people who I know have received an OBE. Growing up I never dreamt that one day I'd be getting one myself. I enjoy every minute of the work I do, with a lot of it being a reward in itself, so for somebody to decide I should get recognised for that is just amazing."
He added: "My family are very proud."
X Factor judge Gary, 41, has been honoured for his services to the entertainment industry and to charity.
TV choirmaster Gareth Malone, who also performed at the Jubilee concert, was thrilled to be given an OBE.
He said: "Over the past ten years, encouraging people to sing has been a labour of love so it's wonderful to be recognised in this way."
Other musical recipients include There's Nothing Like This singer Omar, and Richard Stilgoe, who made his name for the clever ditties he composed on BBC1 shows Nationwide and That's Life.
Meanwhile, funnyman Armando Iannucci said he could not help but feel slightly "guilty" about accepting his OBE for services to broadcasting.
The Thick Of It Creator joked: "I just hope it's not an attempt by the Government to stop me because that's not going to happen."


text: More reader photos: Calgary pummelled by hailstones during summer stormReader photo, Tony Moti 08.13.2012My skylight was hit by hail, it's totally damaged, BBQ and table/chairs in backyard all got hit and have holes in them, my apple tree, she lost all apples fall on the ground.Reader photo / Tony MotiI collected hail as big as golf balls.Reader photo / Tony MotiI was caught out in the storm in Calgary last night. I was dodging almost baseball sized hail while I was trying to take pictures of the lightning. Here is a picture of the hail that I took when I was taking shelter under a wooden bridge along Memorial Drive. It had melted quite a bit by the time I took the picture.Reader photo / Charlotte BraggHere is the big ball of hail that pelted our windows. It's slightly bigger than a golf ball.Reader photo / CindyA severe thunderstorm hit northwest Calgary, dumping larger than golf ball sized hailstones in Edgemont. These hailstones were collected at 10:30 pm. on August 12, 2012.Reader photo / Jim LeGuillouxHail leaves a Calgary yard with the look of winter after Sunday night's hailstorm.Reader photo / Michelle BelsekGolf sized balls fell for 15 minutes producing dents in vehicles throughout the neighbourhood.Reader photo / JohnA line of huge hail.Reader photo / QuinnI'm a photographer and I caught this shot of lightning from last night's storm.Reader photo / Mikayla Doty,Last night's hail storm completely shattered the rear windshield of our car. Unbelievable.Reader photo / Theresa JangThe lightning from the storm on the 12th of August was some of the best I have seen since coming to Calgary. I got this shot from my garage in New Brighton, looking eastward, around 11pm on Sunday night.Reader photo / Harry TuckerMore shots from Harry Tucker of lightning in New Brighton, looking eastward, around 11 p.m. on Sunday night.Reader photos / Harry TuckerMore shots from Harry Tucker of lightning in New Brighton, looking eastward, around 11 p.m. on Sunday night.Reader photo / Harry TuckerLeaves litter the ground after hailstorm strips trees in Inglewood.Reader photo / Scott LoweOne hail of a night cap.Reader photo / David FridCrescent Heights Calgary, approximately 10:20 pm. Picked these up from Rotary Park after the initial barrage of hail.Reader photo / Steven RiegertHere are some hailstones from the hailstorm last night.Reader photo / Catherine BromheadHailstones from the storm that swept through Calgary on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012.Reader photo / LesSample of a hailstone after Sunday night's storm in Calgary.Reader photo / NatalieShareAdjustCommentPrint xShareMore reader photos: Calgary pummelled by hailstones during summer storm Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Linkedin


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[Botswana Daily News] Gaborone -Moody s Investors Service, in the latest out of calendar review of the credit ratings, affirmed Botswana s rating of A2 for long term bonds denominated in both domestic and foreign currency, and changed the outlook from stable to negative.
Saturday 11 July 2020
allafrica - 1 month ago
Botswana: Moody s Affirms Botswana A2 Rating
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A lovely and useful souvenier of your trip to Scotland.
The Forth Bridges Ball Point Pen has a choice of four colours ( Red, Black, Blue & Green).
Approximate size: 15cm x 1.5cm
Material: Plastic
All items come with manufacturers warranty. Please see any enclosed documentation regarding the manufacturer's warranty terms & conditions.
Candle Safety
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How does the African American experience intersect with solving the severe lack of diversity in the technology sector? Anjuan Simmons explores the answer to this question in Minority Tech: Journaling Through Blackness and Technology. The book is an essay anthology of the author's online and print works organized around the themes of Blackness, technology, diversity, and our collective humanity.
Using logic, humor, and an unflinching willingness to engage in tough conversations about race in America, Anjuan tackles perceptions of Blackness in America, the need for a Code of Conduct for Black men, the value of affirmative action, the impact of the first African American to ascend to the White House on the Black psyche, and other relevant topics.
Whether the reader is Black, Latino, female, disabled, or a member of other underrepresented groups in technology, Minority Tech will serve as a familiar account of what it's like to differ from the majority demographic in technology. However, the author makes the case that a career in technology is worth any discomfort felt by minorities, and, furthermore, getting more minorities into technology fields is crucial to the economic success of historically disadvantaged groups.


text: New Publication From The Amsterdam Tattoo Museum: Mother Mothers have always been a popular theme in the world of tattoos, and the first tattoo a young man gets is often associated with this theme, not least because of the ruckus he will avoid when returning home with it. At first most mothers become angry at such an impulsive deed, but once she realises that this is an indelible display of unconditional love for her and that it will be visible to all for all time, all her heart can do is melt... Nowadays, a truly 'modern' mother sometimes accompanies her son to the tattoo parlour and witnesses how the representation of her son's love for her takes shape. Sometimes this doesn't happen, because she has already passed away. A tattoo with the word 'mother' occasionally even colored with her ashes, can make such a great loss more bearable. The tattoo is part of the mourning process; it provides comfort and nurtures acceptance. The pain is boldly endured, a tear or two might roll down his cheeks, but bargaining about the price is considered bad form. In this book the most beautiful Mother-tattoos from the Schiffmacher Collection are collected. A special gift book for mother, that can be as well an inspiration for how one can wear the love for the sweetest girl he ever kissed on his skin forever. Mother 120 unique tattoo images hand-picked from the Schiffmacher Collection Author Henk Schiffmacher ISBN 9789491394027 Language English and Dutch Binding Hardcover Pages 128 Published 2012 Price € 12,50 More information about the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum can also be found on www.amsterdamtattoomuseum.com.


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Pul-e-Jawan is a peace initiative and a discussion forum covering India, Pakistan and Afghanistan peace and security issues. I learned about an event of the forum being organized by Bytes 4 All, an organization dedicated to internet freedom and online privacy in Pakistan, and had a chance to participate. The event that was held on April 11 and April 12, 2012 in Islamabad, covered various aspects of regional peace and security through the participation and opinions of the analyst-turned-Foreign Office advisor Mosharraf Zaidi, analyst and scholar Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa and the representatives of the independent US institutions monitoring aid in Pakistan including Nadia Naviwala of the US Institute of Peace, Danny Cutherell of Center for Global Development and Pakistani-American entrepreneur Awais Khan of American Pakistan Foundation. Indu Nepal briefly joined on live stream from Afghanistan to explain what the Pul-e-Jawan forum was about.
In one of the sessions, Pakistan's foreign policy strategy was discussed. The most important piece of information was the fact that Pakistan had started engaging with all the ethnic groups in Afghanistan instead of just Pashtuns. Some found it hard to believe but it nevertheless was something positive. Pakistan's approach of increasing trade with India and other nations was also discussed. A journalist from Waziristan asked about the compensation for the "Pakistani citizens" becoming victims of the war campaigns in the tribal areas from the Pakistani government. It was found that Pakistani government was largely clueless about the idea, let alone the thought of considering those casualties Pakistani citizens. Criticism of the alleged Saudi petrodollars funding terrorism was a positive. We also learned that people of Pakistan did not vote for internet freedom in 2008, causing a momentary outrage but life went on.
Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa's session was a candid discussion primarily about civil liberties and national security, also including the state of affairs of Pakistan vis-à-vis its neighbors and the war on terror. Most of the discussion revolved around the internal affairs of Pakistan, the role of the military establishment and religious extremism. She discussed how the perceived freedom of Pakistani media was an illusion and how the Pakistani political left has been eradicated out of existence. She talked about how she had been criticized for being anti-military and explained that criticizing military does not mean that you advocate putting it out of existence. The highest point of her talk was when she mentioned that she decided to return to Pakistan since the battle for better civil rights and democracy would be best fought from within the country. She considered the thinking ones a minority in the country and was not as enthusiastic about supporting civil liberties over national security as your average hawk would have thought.
To tell you the truth, I personally had very little interest in listening to the US officials because I am not really thrilled about the subject of aid anyway. It always sounds pretty meaningless to me in terms of politics, but if it can be of help for underprivileged people, great. Also because they would not have had answers to any of the questions that I wanted to ask from anyone coming with US aid proposals and it was therefore absolutely pointless to ask anything. However, a lot of participants were very interested in the discussion and contributed enthusiastically to it. I couldn't help but observe a few things which I am sure would be making US aid officials and the US government in general sick to their stomachs. I have noticed that some of the participants were literally crucifying the US for the uselessness of the aid initiatives due to the corruption in the Pakistani society and government and yet were complaining that not enough aid was being sent and not utilized on better projects. Now isn't that unreasonable? What the hell are they supposed to do?
A journalist from Waziristan was talking about the need for investment in the tribal areas as unemployment was turning young men to militancy and probably what we refer to as terrorism. Another friend asked them about the lack of US contribution to Baluchistan. While both the gentlemen were spot on and I cannot recall with certainty if the FATA journalist asked them this particular question, but to answer the general mindset, I cannot understand how aid in itself could end unemployment and create industries in the region, which was actually the aim of some of the questions put to those officials. Perhaps the gentleman from Waziristan was referring to direct foreign investment, so that is what he talked about, it only came as a feedback for the personnel on how aid was really changing their lives. I think this kind of demand should be forwarded to an official of the Government of Pakistan instead of aid monitoring officials. I think it is about time that Pakistanis should realize that it is economic growth instead of the US aid that could really get them anywhere, especially when it comes to earning respect among the nations of the world. At least it will keep their government from being obsessive-compulsive beggars.
The thing that I liked the most about the US officials session was their honesty about the aid process. They admitted that the government processes were slow on the both sides, referring to the Kerry-Lugar Bill, which is actually in jeopardy overPakistan's shady role in the Osama Ben Laden episode, but maybe not due to the dual nature of Pakistan-America relations. Though I do wonder how the military aid gets processed so quickly. They explained that if an NGO receives too much aid, it is most likely to go corrupt. Cutherell stated that aid will never solve Pakistan's issues and Pakistanis have to take control of the things themselves. Common sense will tell you that as well, but Pakistanis are hooked to any kind of aid anyway. Too lazy and incompetent to earn money themselves perhaps. Awais Khan was suggesting people to vote in a better way, at which point I was forced to unsuccessfully ask who we should vote for, since I really cannot make up my mind. That was the end of that.
On the second day, MP Bushra Gohar of the ANP spoke about the achievements of the women's caucus of parliamentarians for better legislation for women's rights and acting in a united manner beyond party lines. She started the presentation with an ode to the active social role played by Pakistani women in all fields of life with a sentimental montage repeatedly focusing on Benazir Bhutto's arrival in Pakistan after her self-imposed exile in 2007. The Tina Sani song was instantly criticized for its rather patriarchal lyrics, referring to the Anchal or the Chador, by the witty Tazeen who was interviewing Gohar, since all women do not wear it. Gohar apparently was one step ahead instantly explaining that she had the same problem and that the lyricist had also taken the criticism in a positive light. I personally found the lyrics overly sentimental and somewhat touching, but that's poetry. Maybe it was the montage. You can check the song and the video for yourself, not that it's important.
She pointed out how women parliamentarians took an initiative when they were left out of the Constitutional Standing Committee. The rest of the time was spent on defending the position of the Awami National Party on various fronts. She was asked why the tribal areas have been neglected by the ANP Government to which she responded that the FATA has been included in the KP province in the ANP constitution, apparently unlike the Pakistani constitution. She was spot on when she said that FATA has been reduced to a strategic space and its people strategic assets by the Pakistani states and should take a stand for their rights. In my opinion, that is where the polarized Pakistani nation is at one. She also mentioned that she had received death threats and acid attack threats from the Taliban for her views and even for her appearance and attire. Had the pleasure of briefly meeting her, a very intelligent and articulate woman. She is the kind of representative you would want to vote for any day, without getting impressed by her party much.
To my delight, and of everyone else's if I may take the liberty to say that, Nabiha Meher Sheikh took her time out to conduct an excellent workshop on Critical Thinking and Cognitive Biases. This was important because some of the participants were realizing what biases meant for the very first time, if I may not be considered too biased for stating that. After the initiation, the participants were divided in 5 groups, each required to present and justify a local example of Groupthink. A couple of groups gave the example of the 1971 war, one of the lawyers' movement and my group gave the example of Pakistani nationalists' criticism of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's Oscar winning documentary.
The stars of the show and the center of attention among participants remained to be two gentlemen from the beautiful tribal land of Waziristan, which has been abandoned by Pakistan ever since the independence. At least in my books. The radio journalists Ihsan Dawar and Umer Daraz Khan stole the show through their input about the situation in the tribal areas and bombarding all the speakers with stinging questions about the role of Pakistan in the tribal areas. They also gave a pretty hard time to the US officials and enjoyed a fair bit of preference as far as opportunities for questions were concerned, for which I admire the organizers. Gulalai Ismail was another prominent participant who gets my admiration for her Aware Girls project in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Participation of activists from the Hazara community and the Sindhi Hindu community was also something worth noticing and the event encompassed the diversity in Pakistan pretty well.
Before taking my leave of the event, I and my group proposed a new social media campaign idea which would involve online petition messages from the citizens of Pakistan and India to their governments for withdrawing troops from the Siachen glacier in order to end a pointless and bloody conflict, which was causing more deaths due to the horrific living conditions instead of the battle. The campaign is meant to go beyond just being an online petition, as it would constantly pursue the Siachen conflict, as it is often easily forgotten, and would remind India and Pakistan of what they are doing to their people.
All in all, it was a great experience and learned quite a bit from it and made a few friends. Other than that, still trying to develop something a bit more meaningful and constructive out of the experience at the Pul-e-Jawan forum.
Filed under: Commentary, Videos | Tagged: activism, Afghanistan, ANP, Awais Khan, civil liberties, Danny Cutherell, discussion, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, education, forum, India, Islamabad, legislation, Mosharraf Zaidi, MP Bushra Gohar, Nadia Naviwala, national security, Pakistan, Peace, politics, Pul-e-Jawan, Siachen, women's rights | 1 Comment »


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GBR BOA Olympic Parade in London
LONDON ? OCTOBER 18: Athlete Kelly Holmes shows her two gold medals to the crowd as members of the British Olympic and Paralympic athletes are congratulated by well wishers on October 18 2004, on route in central London, England. The Parade of Heroes features the Olympic and Paralympic medalists who returned home from the Athens Olympic games 2004 with 30 medals, nine of them being gold. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kelly Holmes


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Today, the Great Dismal Swamp is a 111,000-acre federal wildlife preserve straddling the Virginia-North Carolina border, providing sanctuary for 200 species of birds and myriad other creatures.
But from the 17th through the 19th centuries, its thick, murky woods and forbidding quagmires served as another kind of refuge – for thousands of escaped slaves, displaced Native Americans, and exiles of various sorts in search of a safe hiding place.
"Indigenous Americans settled the swamp after colonial occupation of their traditional lands," beginning in the early 1600s, says archaeologist Daniel O. Sayers of American University. Less than a century later, they were joined by African Americans who "were becoming the primary source of labor in the region through enslavement systems. Thousands resisted such horrible conditions by permanently relocating to the Great Dismal Swamp. These defiant people, known as maroons throughout the literature on the African Diaspora, formed permanent, multi-generational communities in the swamp, probably mixing with Indigenous Americans."
Until very recently, however, physical evidence of those communities was extremely limited. Now a group of researchers led by Sayers is conducting the first extensive archaeological survey and excavation project to focus on the Great Dismal. As of mid-2012, Sayers' team has uncovered seven confirmed archaeological sites (and two more probable sites) ranging in size from one acre to 40 acres, with materials dating from 5,000 years ago to the early 20th century.
During the 2012 dig, researchers concentrated on an 18' X 18' section of dark-stained ground with "post molds" that once may have held supporting timbers for a building that does not seem to have been a residence.. The area contains "a lot of lead shot and tips of gun flints" that suggest that it may have been some kind of a defensive structure, said Sayers. It is on the highest point in the Dismal and is very different than anything else found in 10 years of excavations.
The swamp dwellers "did not have a lot of stuff," he said, and when they did acquire material culture, they would reuse until it had nearly disintegrated. Of 2,500 "artifacts" found in seven weeks of excavation in 2012, at least 90 percent of them would fall through a mesh sheet with 1/4 inch holes, he said. Even so, each of the thousands of artifacts discovered so far adds a bit more to the emerging chronicle of an area that was rich in local reputation and legend* long before Harriet Beecher Stowe made it widely known in her second novel, Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (1856).
But regional notoriety is not the same as historical understanding, which is why Sayers has been researching the swamp for ten years and in 2010 received an NEH grant for the work through 2013.
"While the bare contours of the social and economic history of the swamp is grasped by scholars," he explains, "the details and many key aspects of the world inside the swamp between 1607 and 1860 remain largely unknown because so little was written about what happened in that morass over those centuries."
The first substantial account dates from 1665 when William Drummond, colonial governor of what is now North Carolina, got lost while hunting and accidentally discovered, near the center of the swamp, the 3,100-acre lake that now bears his name.
In 1728, William Byrd II surveyed the Dismal (noting "the everlasting shade occationd by the thick shrubbs and bushes, so that the friendly beams of the sun can never penetrate") and proposed draining the swamp to uncover what "will be the fittest soil in the world for the producing of hemp." That project never materialized, but by 1730 the Dismal's abundant cypress and cedar trees were supplying timbers for shipbuilding and shingles for construction.
In 1763, George Washington visited the swamp and saw considerable potential for lumber and farming if the land could be drained. He and some other Virginians formed the Great Dismal Swamp Land Company and began digging a canal (now designated Washington Ditch) to float out the harvest. Eventually, they abandoned the idea of draining the swamp. But commercial interest in the Dismal remained high.
"After 1800," Sayers says, "corporations had parceled the swamp into private landholdings and begun the process of canal excavation and lumbering the swamp for its cypress and cedar trees.
"Enslaved workers by the thousands were brought in to perform the onerous and dangerous labor for the companies--by the 1830s tens of miles of canals had been excavated, numerous settlements of African American laborers dotted the canal corridors, and boats and barges carrying goods and people from the world outside the swamp ran up and down the canals year round."
Sayers' work has uncovered evidence spanning centuries. "Artifacts associated with resistance communities include munitions (lead shot and gunflints), reused and modified pre-contact stone tools, small quantities of mass-produced materials (such as white clay tobacco pipe fragments), iron ornaments, and burnt clay left over from cabin chinking and controlled fire use."
In addition to the artifacts, he says, "we have also recorded over 500 'cultural features' through excavation and survey, most of which date to the 1600 to 1860 period. This number includes the remnant soils of several cabin footprints, fire pits, soil stains from individual posts placed in the ground, refuse dumping pits, and many with undetermined functions."
Jane Aikin, director of NEH's Division of Research Programs, which funds Sayers' work, says that "most recently the focus of this project has been on three questions: Did development of parts of the swamp result in decreases in size, or even disintegration of the communities? How did 19th-century development affect the trade relations of the community members? And were the communities' survival practices, such as obtaining food, also affected?"
Sayers expects that the answers to those and other questions will change the way the nation regards the Dismal and its role in the mid-Atlantic. "This project is generating new informed knowledge that is helping to bring this hidden history into the purview of the public and scholarly discussions in the United States and and beyond."
* The Dismal even had its own ghost story, encapsulated in Thomas Moore's 1806 poem "A Ballad: The Lake of the Dismal Swamp" – the tale of a lovelorn Indian man who fought his way
Through tangled juniper, beds of reeds
Through many a fen where the serpent feeds,
And man never trod before.
all in order to join his deceased love, whose spirit dwells in the swamp
Where, all night long, by a fire-fly lamp,
She paddles her white canoe.
The folktale was probably inspired by foxfire glimmers.


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Day of Rest
Posted by antithesis Monday, March 4, 2013 at 10:31 PM
My friend and fitness inspiration told me I need two rest days. I did not factor this into my plan. I complained to my boyfriend of leg soreness and he is requesting I work a different muscle group. That means skipping my DVD for the day. I think I can live with skipping my DVD and giving my legs a rest but I can't tolerate a full rest day. Not this early in the game. I'm too likely to stop and not start again. Time to investigate what I might do tomorrow.
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CCTV systems, sales grow on-line.
CCTV systems for domestic installations are becoming more and more popular as people realize the added security it can bring to your home. DIY CCTV solutions are now popping up everywhere and no more so than in the UK. Gone are the days when CCTV installations are done exclusively by security professionals. Now because of clever design and good information anyone… Continue reading


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Madalena Deep Medium Serving Platter - Sale 40%
Arctic blue reactive glaze and naturally occurring speckles.
Medium, deep size. Perfect for salads, pasta or stew. Oven safe so can be used for baking and serving.
Check out the rest of the Madalena collection too!Material: Stoneware | Dimensions: 24 cm x 16 cm x 7 cm | Colour and glaze applied by hand
- Microwave safe
- Dishwasher safe
- Oven safe
- Irregularities in colour and glaze are typical due to the handcrafted nature of our stoneware products
Important Covid-19 information
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Health and safety of our tiny team comes first and we have built a new shipping process to protect our people and resolve issues we faced with our warehouse and courier companies.
We hope you still feel like buying some beautiful pieces as your support is lifeblood for us!
We cannot say a big enough THANK YOU for helping a tiny business during the crisis, it means the world!
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With Love, Cerami
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Photo Credit: Amanda Bynes' picture is courtesy of go4celebrity. Photographic illustrations of Amanda Bynes 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 Amanda Bynes is derived from astrological interpretation of Amanda Bynes' date, time, and place of birth.


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It's bad enough that California's leaders, facing a big budget and governance crisis, are fashioning a very small budget deal that, by all accounts, won't address the state's fundamental problems. The deal reportedly includes a new spending limit (for a state choking on spending mandates and limits), pension reform (that doesn't address the state's problem of retirement security), and temporary and tiny extensions of taxes -- 1 percent on sales and income -- that merely kick the budget can five years down the road.
But now comes word that even this very modest deal can't be completed -- because of a dispute over three months of those temporary taxes. The small may be undone by the smaller.
Here's the specific problem: Gov. Brown and the Demorats want to keep higher taxes on sales and vehicles fees in place for the three months between the start of the new budget year -- July 1 -- and an expected fall special election, when voters will decide whether to keep the taxes. Under that scenario, Brown would be able to argue to voters that he's not asking them to increase taxes -- he's merely asking them to preserve the status quo on taxes.
U.S. & World
Republicans don't want to provide Brown that extension for a similiar reason. They want voters to defeat the taxes and it would be easier to do that if the tax rates drop on July 1, so that voters in the fall will be voting on an honest-to-goodness tax increase. The handful of GOP legislators amenable to any deal with Brown also are wary of voting for any kind of tax increase; it's hard enough to convince them just to give voters a chance to vote on the temporary tax extensions.
On one level, it's very hard to care about any of this. California will be broken fiscally whether a deal is made or not. On another level, however, a faiure to secure tax extensions will, at the very least, hasten greater cuts to important programs, most notably in education.


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1. What type of subfloor is needed? A minimum thickness of 5/8″ plywood or 3/4″ OSB is r
As a home owner you should put a lot of thought into choosing the right floor covering s
General maintenance Sweep the floor with an anti-static dust control mop. This picks up


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A recent survey found the average person uses some form of technology for almost half of their waking hours. But some technology may be affecting your health, in some sneaky ways.
Is there a high-tech this or a brand new that, you can't live without? Some of those must-have items could be hurting you.
First, too many Facebook friends may bot be such a good thing. A study from the University of Houston found that time spent on Facebook is linked to symptoms of depression. Try spending more time with friends face-to-face since social ties have shown to improve health.
Second, watching television or going online at night can make you lose valuable sleep time. The glowing screens emit a blue light that suppresses melatonin, the hormone that regulates your body clock. Turn off the TV and laptop 30 minutes before going to bed to sleep easier.
Finally, cell phones could raise your risk of getting sick. A Turkish study found bacteria on 95 percent of health care workers' phones. And some of that were "super bugs," meaning they are resistant to antibiotics.


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Rev. Jesse Jackson is standing by his son.
A day after former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. admitted in federal court to spending $750,000 of campaign funds for personal use, Rev. Jackson told MSNBC he's proud of the ex-congressman for accepting responsibility.
"I was so proud of him being forthright and truthful," Jackson said, "accepting responsibility for his actions and willing to accept the consequences of those actions. That is the dignity he embraces, and I support him in those efforts."
He described his son's struggle with bipolar disorder as a "long ordeal" and said hearing guilty pleas from his son and daughter-in-law made for "a very sad day."
Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, mail fraud and making false statements. His wife, Sandi Jackson, pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to claim about $600,000 on her income tax returns between 2005 and 2011.
Prosecutors said the couple's expenditures ran the gamut from a $4,000 cruise and $16,058.91 in gym expenses to a $4,000 Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen guitar and $14,513.42 in dry cleaning expenses.
Rev. Jackson said his son is still dealing with the effects of bipolar disorder and admitted his supporters and family missed the signs.
"We missed that. He kept serving his constituency well in Congress and kept relating to his family very well," he said.
Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sandi Jackson are scheduled to be sentenced this summer. They could receive up to five years and three years, respectively, for the admitted misconduct.
Rev. Jesse Jackson is standing by his son.


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I posted this list on the FaceBook Time Guitar Fan Club, but it should be on this forum as well.
Here is a sales list found in my basement. This was marked as a 'June' Sale. I figure this was an inventory from 1986.
I have added what we already know for serial numbers as of Sept 2009.
Here's a link to the PDF.


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When I was 22, my boyfriend "Jim" asked me to take a little exercise class with him at the local junior college. At the time, I had no idea that this simple request would mean so much to me 28 years later.
I still can't figure out what possessed me to agree to accompany Jim. He must have been really special to me, because back then I hated exercising. In fact, my most recent exercise experience had been almost flunking P.E. class in high school.
In the early 1980s when I first stepped into the gym at Skyline College in San Bruno, little was known about the true long-term benefits of exercise. The idea of having a regular workout schedule was just becoming popular, thanks to the jogging and aerobics crazes.
I remember giving Jim a warning on that first fateful night: "OK, here we are, but I am not running." Then the teacher introduced himself. "I'm Skyline's track coach," he said. "We'll start every class with some stretching and then a 30-minute run."
You'd have to ask Jim, but I can only imagine that upon hearing the words "30-minute run," I must have shot him quite a look. I'll bet I could have breathed fire. Had we not come in one car, I am sure I would have dropped the class on the spot.
Instead, I stayed and participated. That first night our teacher took us down to the track. It took me 12 minutes to run one mile. Today, I can walk a mile in less than 12 minutes. When we got home that night, I all but crawled into the house, I hurt so bad. I had never experienced pain like that. Was this pain even safe?
Amazingly, I returned for the second class, then the third class, and for several semesters after that. Eventually I took up running on the nights we didn't have class. I managed to get below an eight-minute mile, along with being able to run for an hour without being reduced to crawling at the end. I was astonished at how great running made me look and that I was even able to eat a little more without risking weight gain.
I broke up with Jim long ago, but my workout relationship is still solid nearly 30 years later. It's like brushing my teeth — I just do it. I rotate between several different types of exercise to keep things fresh, such as cycling, weights, kickboxing and boot camp classes. Although I had to give up running 12 years ago to save my knees, I'll always be grateful to it for giving me my start.
Now, after almost three decades of consistent exercise, all these years of working out means that at 50 I am blessed with a great body and tremendous stamina, not to mention a strong heart and lungs.
Who knew that a little night class at a junior college would end up being my fountain of youth?
Eberhardt is a writer and salesperson who lives in Studio City.
My Turn is a forum for readers to recount an experience related to health or fitness. Submissions should be 500 words or fewer, are subject to editing and condensation and become the property of The Times. Email firstname.lastname@example.com. Read more at latimes.com/myturn.
When I was 22, my boyfriend "Jim" asked me to take a little exercise class with him at the local junior college. At the time, I had no idea that this simple request would mean so much to me 28 years later.


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Welcome to National Air Warehouse
SALE Limited Time Flash Sale! - Get 10% OFF All Goodman Products- Use Code GOOD10 During Checkout SALE
Model # GPG1424060M41
Availability: In stock
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Features• 10 year warranty on parts & compressor• 20 year warranty on heat exchanger• High efficiency compressor with internal relief valve• Aluminum tube condensing coil with aluminum fins• Multi-speed ECM blower motor• Self-diagnostic blower operation & safety circuits• All aluminum evaporator coil• Designed for horizontal discharge or downflow applications• Applicable for ground-level or rooftop mount• Converts from natural gas to propane (LP) gas• Unit pre-charged with R-410A refrigerant• Complies with California low NOx emission standards
Product SpecificationsDimensions: H34 3/4" x W47" x D51"Volts: 208/240Phase: 1Hertz: 60EER: 11.0
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Kris Kross
"Nothing sounds more delightful then a couple of 12 year olds singing about "doing it" all night"
"They combined Aerobics and Rap music"
"Kriss was like, ummm, cool n stuff, then like, he turned into a wuss"
Kriss Kross where a rap group that made you wanna jump. Formed by best friends Kriss Kobe, and Kross Bryant. They emerged in the midst of the early 90's with hit songs being heard on Ghetto Blasters everywhere with such titles as "Kriss Kross Will Make You Jump" and "Kriss Is Gonna Bitch Slap Yo Momma Ho While Kross Rapes Yo Sista's Toys". They had a success of 2 songs and then faded out of existence where they belonged.
XXX Tic Tac Toe[edit]
Kriss & Kross were exactly what was needed to be heard on the radio during the course of the dawning of the 1990's. Kids everywhere had been screaming out for a bunch of 12 year olds to sing about doing it all night long.
Kriss Kross broke new ground with their first single when they where only 8 years old, titled: "One Day I Will Be Tall Enough To Ride You, Baby". The smash hit was a global phenomenon that made over 12 cents for the adolescents. They received a Grammy Award for best new talent under the age of 10. Being as they where the only ones under ten, and the kid from Home Alone was not due to release his rap album till the following year, Kriss Kross enjoyed the award, when they received it the next morning, as they had to be in bed by 7:30pm the night of the award show.
Kriss Kross Will Make You, Jump Jump, Uh Huh, Uh Huh[edit]
The follow up album "When I'm allowed To Cross The Street On My Own, Imma Come Over And Give You Some Lovin' Girl" contained the smash hit single that every one remembers, even your mom, "Kriss Kross Will Make You... Jump". The title of the song was true to its words, as every teenager who heard the song on the radio for the 100th time that day would end up jumping off buildings or in-front of cars to get away from hearing the damn thing again.
End Of The Road For These Two[edit]
So whatever happened to Kriss and Kross? It's no big secret, they became teenagers, their balls dropped, and their voice changed into a couple of talentless hacks who couldn't write a decent song to save their sorry lives.... Yes, thats right! they changed their name to Boys II Men.
No one heard from Kriss or Kross every again, and the rest of the world lived happily ever after!


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Extended Lincense
- I cannot update WP Bakery Visual Composer?
- We bought extended license for these plugins (VisualComposer and LayerSlider), and we can't give license code because of polity and terms of Theme Forest, because of that we included these plugins in our theme(you can find plugins in theme folder/plugins/ there is installation files of these plugins), also we will update these plugins to latest version with theme update so you just need to wait future theme update and there will be latest version of plugins if latest version exist. Then when you update theme you just need to go to your back-end Plugins and to deactivate/delete these plugin then you will get some notification to install necessary plugins to our theme, then just click to install/activate again these plugins and that was be all. If you don't get this notification to install necessary plugins, then just go to Plugins -> Add New -> Upload -> Find these plugins in our theme folder/plugins select one by one and click import/install. You can ignore messages about activation these plugins, you have/get inside Plugin settings.
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Margaret Cho's short, surprising stint on "Dancing With the Stars" ended with grace, class and, yes, tears. More tears.
We saw a lot of those during her three weeks on the show. But she gave her final sniffle when her "Copacabana" routine was panned by the judges and Cho's voting bloc didn't pick up the slack. Time to pack up the Kleenex boxes and head home.
There were a couple of amazing things about her ride. Notably, was how quickly the normally outrageous comic started to unload some of her personal baggage on the air. We're used to getting this in guarded, comic terms. But this was just really raw and really sudden.
In no time, we were getting weekly discussions on body issues, general insecurities and at least one breakdown per episode.
"I didn't realize I was going into therapy," Cho said in her farewell video. Neither did we.
But the other surprising aspect to it was that Cho survived -- even if it was only to week three. She looked like certain dance roadkill after the first week when she was tied at the bottom of the scoring table with the seemingly formidable David Hasselhoff and the Situation.
Even Cho said that the dancers were looking at her that week as she was about to get the boot, in one of the few moments where she was actually funny during her time on the show.
Somehow, she stayed dancing, while the Hoff got the shocking boot.
And Cho's jive the next week showed promise. There was a giddy moment where it appeared she would make a run for it. But in the end, her rainbow-adorned samba couldn't carry the day.
Cho gave one more sob, graciously thanked her partner, and departed.
Margaret Cho's National Therapy Sessions End on "Dancing"
Margaret Cho's short, surprising stint on "Dancing With the Stars" ended with grace, class and, yes, tears. More tears.


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First, please sorry my poor english.
Ok, i have Dangerous Rays 17a version. Windows 7 x64.
AMD Phenome 2 X4 965 / 16GB mem / Nvidia GTX 960
Game installed in to "D:\Games\Dangerous Rays"
%userprofile% = "C:\Users\shraibikus\"
My suggestions:
1) Please release bind mouse buttons in setting menu (my mouse with 5 buttons, but in D.R. i can`t use this);
2) option Invert mouse not working for me
3) little zoom on mouse2 (some like in quake: alias +zoom "fov 80";alias -zoom "fov 90";);
4) Q/E - lookout left/right ?
5) Use/Interact on one button (add interact in scroll menu when item grab?) ? Now is two different buttons (now by default: F - use, E - interact);
6) Toggle sprint by doubleclick button? (double W - sprint forward, W - just forward; Like ArmA games);
7) Interact with vertical ladders by USE key (by default - F, like in Underhell mod);
8) interact items lightning (or other marker) when "nogui 1";
9) hide weapon gui (right down) when "nogui 1";
10) last commands history in console (by keyboard up/down. Like quake-console? );
11) Autotype by TAB button in console (like quake-console );
12) Hide console by ESC button (now ESC - toggle main menu).
And thanks for Great game engine! Very well!
My some suggestions
Suggest and discuss new ideas for Dangerous Rays
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For the last two years, the Juniper Dog Lovers have organized meet-ups every day from 6 to 9 a.m. - before city leash requirements go into effect – and have since organized a Facebook page, solidified a friends group, and recently began a fundraiser to seed the trampled grass and give back to the park.
"A lot of us have been coming here since the 70's and 80's," said Dorothy Guagler, a founding member of the friends group. "We had a Facebook group and we just started talking and decided that the park needs help."
Together with numerous private donors like Harry's Paint and Hardware on Eliot Ave., the group has raised $900 to repair the 1,000-square-foot space through seeding and planting with the Parks Department.
"We're very grateful of the time that we have here and we just want to make sure that we maintain and update and incorporate some improvements to the park," Guagler said.
Bart Olszewski was one of nearly 20 Juniper Dog Lovers members to pitch in last weekend at the park cleanup and seeding project.
"Right now, we are just hoping the grass comes in nicely and that it will survive," Olszewski said. "And then in the fall we're going to move on to a different area."
Lisa Sanford, also a volunteer in the park cleanup effort, has brought her two-year-old puppy, Chelsea, to the park since she was just six weeks old and said she has watched her grow up together with the other dogs in the neighborhood.
"The dogs have friendships and the people here have friendships," Sanford said. "We can come out here and reach out to one another for support and it's a nice place to socialize. We bring our families up here and it's a great environment."
To join the group and help out with the park cleanup initiative, you can contact Bart Olszewski and the Juniper Dog Lovers at (917) 449-4101.


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An Outdoor Bohemian Wedding at Rockmill Brewery in Lancaster, Ohio
Allie Angerer (24 and a marketing manager) and Nick Buck (25 and a logistics manager) met through a ministry program at Ohio State University. The pair was immediately smitten with the scenic grounds of a former horse farm outside of Columbus. "It was exactly what I had imagined, with all the trees and its woodsy feel," Allie says. With the forest as their backdrop, the couple selected soft blooms, hanging plants and cantina lights to enhance the property's natural beauty. They said "I do" in front of an intricate, bohemian-inspired macramé curtain adorned with greenery. "It's now hanging above our bed," Allie says. The bride stayed true to her simple style with a tulle gown and lace topper, while the groom kept cool in a lightweight gray suit paired with a floral tie. The bride's friend and her wedding planner combined their calligraphy and watercolor talents to create a full suite of custom stationery. Instead of a traditional head table, Allie and Nick sat together with their immediate family during dinner. Neutral floral arrangements in brass vases kept the table décor light, while black candles added a hint of drama to the whitewashed tables. "I couldn't get married without serving tacos," Allie says of treating guests to a make-your-own taco bar. In keeping with the Mexican-inspired menu, guests enjoyed margaritas and churros with their choice of chocolate or caramel dipping sauces.
Wild Path
State & Arrow Design Co.
Taqueria Charritos Me...


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Game Freak
Game Freak is a Japanese video game developer that created the Pokémon games. They appear in every Pokémon Game. In Pokémon Black and White, some of the staff are in Castelia City, in the GAME FREAK building. Morimoto can be battled here once you beat the Main Quest. The sound directer in the building, once you defeat the Elite Four for the first time, will change the Castelia theme for the Team Rocket theme from HeartGold and SoulSilver versions. The Game Director will give you a diploma if you see all Pokémon.
|This article is a stub. Please help the Azurilland Wiki by editing it.


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LONGMONT — Longmont police on Wednesday arrested a known gang member who is wanted in California on a parole violation, according to reports.
Johnnie Murillo, 29, was book at the Boulder County Jail as a fugitive of justice and is awaiting extradition to California. According to police reports, he was wanted on a parole violation on an original charge of committing corporal injury to a spouse.
A member of the Longmont Gang and Crime Suppression Unit recognized Murillo as he traveled in the passenger of a truck. He called for another officer to assist and stopped the truck along Collyer Street just north of 17th Street on Wednesday afternoon. Officers ordered Murillo out of the truck and he complied.
Because of his affiliation with the Surenos, an "extremely violent" street gang "known to carry weapons," officers approached the stop with guns drawn, according to reports.


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Do Something
September 30th, 2012
You want to wake up and smell the coffee, but you forgot to buy the beans. You want to poor that glass half full, but got overdue milk for me. Don't just say things, so you can say things. Rather do things, so you can say things like: Who wants fresh milk in their coffee! Do you know what I mean?


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By Amy AbbotMeena and Ashish Mundle have been managing a successful franchise deli for nearly two decades. AtSchlotzky's Deli in Evansville, Indiana, the Mundles depend on their small staff working as a team, especially at the busiest times. At noon, sales people pick up catered lunches, office workers want a quick, healthy lunch, and some customers need a late breakfast of coffee and a to-die-for cinnamon roll.
With food costs on the rise and a sluggish economy, each link in the chain is incredibly important to this small business. At the busiest times, 12-year employee Shannon is a crucial link in the chain. Shannon, who has autism and limited communication, is responsible for weighing meat and preparing units for individual sandwiches or salads.
More than a decade ago, the local Community Job Link (CJL) approached Schlotsky's about hiring a person with autism. Part of the Evansville ARC family, Community Job Link is an employment service for people with disabilities. It serves more than 150 people annually, and also partners with more than 50 businesses.
Shannon had never worked outside the factory setting of ARC Industries—a division of Evansville ARC—and wanted a community job, remembers Meena Mundle. "Shannon is possibly our most productive employee, and her employment has been a great success for everyone concerned," she states.
Developing Long-term Employment
Thousands of people like Shannon on the autism spectrum need and want work. As the American work force ages, society will need them even more. So, are there lessons from Shannon's employment that can be learned and applied for others?
Cathy Pratt is the director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University in Bloomington, and an advocate for people on the autism spectrum. "We have to understand that it is not just about preparing the employee but preparing the employer," she explains. Pratt notes that employment situations are improving, as companies like Walgreens, Marriott and Lowe's offer opportunities for people with autism. "As a society, we just can't think of 'autism' jobs," says Pratt. "What skills will we need? And are we building cultures and climates that support our folks?" According to Pratt, the fundamental principles for sustaining successful, long-term employment for autistic adults include early preparation, long-term job coaching, the development of natural supports and coping strategies, and the creation of opportunities for vocational advancement/enhancement.
Early Preparation
All parents worry about a child's future. But for the parent of a child with autism, there are special fears and questions. Where will he live? Will he be able to work? What are his skills? What will happen to my child after I'm gone? Pratt believes that advance preparation is the key to a long-term vocational strategy for people with autism.
"What we in education are figuring out is how to guide families earlier for what individuals will need to prepare for long-term work," notes Pratt. "Generally, we begin to talk about that transition when an individual is 16 or 17." But this may not be early enough. Pratt explains that early preparation involves not only thinking about vocations, but individual behaviors that can affect a person in the work force. "Parents may want to start thinking even earlier about the behaviors and skills [their] son or daughter needs to function successfully at age 25. Are we excusing behaviors that will limit their options as adults?" Questions to ponder for a young person with autism include:
- What are his interests?
- How well can she communicate with others?
- Is he easily distracted from a task by noises or other people?
- Can she manage her temper?
- Does he know boundaries?
- How well does she adapt to change?
In partnership with Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation, the Indiana University Center is allied withProject Search, which places high school students in employment situations prior to leaving school. Pratt applaudes the efforts of partner businesses. "Corporations have people who are doing a fabulous job finding real work for people in real settings," she says, citing the example of an autistic adult working for a large hotel chain. Pratt quotes the employer as saying, "I would like to have a hundred of him. He doesn't get into social chitchat, he learns tasks easily and takes natural cues [regarding] taking breaks and lunch when scheduled, and he is probably more productive than his peers." Pratt adds, "It is wonderful to see that corporations understand that hiring folks with autism may bring them a really good employee."
Long-Term Coaching
Work issues for Shannon now are different from when she started at the deli. For Shannon's first year of employment, her job coach visited weekly and worked closely with Mary Bennett, Shannon's supervisor. Now employment specialist Barbara Gutiérrez-DeJarnett visits about twice a month. Meena Mundle remembers how important the first year of job coaching was for Shannon. Shannon's preferences and work styles needed to match the deli's needs. When Shannon started working, she had limited verbal skills. The job coach worked with the deli staff to better understand her nonverbal cues. Today Shannon is a pro at her job, and the role of her job coach has evolved into more of an advocate.
Teresa Grossi, the director of Indiana University's Center on Community Living and Careers, describes the job coach as having a vital double role, supporting both the employee and the employer. But Gossi notes that doing the research to create a good job match is essential to long-term success. "The initial functioning level of the employee is probably less important than finding and sustaining a good match," she says. The employee's strengths and gifts must be assessed, along with ascertaining the specific needs of the job.
"A job coach becomes an account manager for that employer," Gossi explains. "The job coach has to understand the language of business and not speak in human service and education jargon with the employer." Grossi gives an example of an employee who was distracted and stressed with noise in the workplace. The job coach worked with the employer to purchase noise-reducing headphones that solved the problem both for the employer and employee. In another example, Grossi notes that light placement might affect an employee's sensory challenges and subsequent behaviors. With the teamwork of the employer and the job coach, these issues can be found and resolved.
Natural Supports and Coping Strategies
In addition to on-site accommodations, it is important to consider the specifics of home and community life for adults with autism. About three years after Shannon started at the deli, she moved from a group home into supported community living, sharing an apartment with two other women. Her home environment is relevant to her work situation, as it is with all workers. For example, a change in the apartment such as a new roommate or new support staff member may foster a different mood in Shannon. Does this affect her work performance? Often supervisor Mary Barker is the first to notice, but can consult Guitierrez-DeJarnett to learn if the home environment is affecting Shannon's work performance.
Guitierrez-DeJarnett also helps Shannon with personal needs, such as choosing appropriate clothing for work. She considers whether Shannon's clothing continues to fit well, whether her uniform meets company standards, and if her shoes are too worn for work. While the job coaching role is markedly different from when Shannon started at the deli, Gutiérrez-DeJarnett believes it is critical to sustaining employment and to helping Shannon grow at work. All employees change in their jobs as years pass; Shannon is not an exception.
Pratt sees length and type of job coaching as dependent on individual needs. "We figure out that employment supports are suitable for a person with autism in the work setting. Then the person does OK, and we back off the supports and sometimes things fall apart. For some individuals, having a job coach for the short-term is OK. But for many individuals, having a job coach over time for troubleshooting is good," she notes.
Schlotzky's franchisee Meena Mundle credits both job coaches and Shannon's supervisor for helping Shannon maintain long-term employment. "Mary is always willing to take time with Shannon and provide direction," she says. "She knows when Shannon is sick or down, and she communicates well with her."
Vocational Advancement/Enhancement
Over the last decade, Shannon has been given more complex tasks, says Meena Mundle. Her communication skills have improved as well. "My business isn't here to babysit anybody. Shannon is not on my payroll as fluff. She is a valuable employee, and I cannot afford fluff," states Meena Mundle. Her husband concurs. "When you are in a franchise situation, everything is about consistency," adds Ashish Mundle, whom Shannon calls "Meena's husband" and not by his name. (This anecdote has become a joke between Shannon and Ashish Mundle.) "A difference in ounces on our meat servings can [fiscally] kill you or make you," he says.
The Mundles agree that Shannon's precision in weighing and packaging meat is critical to their business. When they moved to a new building a decade ago, the Mundles designed a less-exposed work station for Shannon that helps her focus, away from noise and distraction. Ashish Mundle, a former corporate finance manager, states that Shannon's presence is essential. "When she's not here, you can see that some things have not been done, and this is a problem."
Pratt urges caregivers and employers to set high expectations for persons with autism in the work place. "Sometimes we think persons with autism don't like change so we insist they do the same thing day in and day out. When negative behaviors occur, this may signal boredom for the person who doesn't communicate well … Routine and consistency are good, but we need to assure we have novelty and challenges so people don't lose engagement. A work environment is more than doing the task."
Grossi adds, "We have a high percentage of folks on the spectrum who are very capable of working more hours, and no one can argue the benefits … Career advancement for persons with autism in the work force depends on several variables. Do the support dollars follow the individual? Is the job coach checking with the employer regularly? What is the employee's level of satisfaction and productivity? Is it time for him to move on or up for career advancement? … We should always be assessing for career enhancement as well as wage enhancement."
"When we raise our expectations and give people with autism opportunities, the majority of people are able to fulfill these expectations," Grossi states. "Just because one individual with autism may not be successful, this doesn't mean others are not going to be successful. This is exactly the same with a typically-developing person. Making an appropriate job match and providing long-term supports is what any individual needs, regardless of ability."
Benefits of a Productive Employee
Hiring autistic adults can have far-reaching benefits. For persons with autism and related spectrum disabilities, the benefits include a sense of purpose, meaningful work, socialization, and a paycheck. For the employer, hiring a person with autism may mean getting an incredibly productive worker, someone who does the task given and more, and who often motivates colleagues to increase productivity. For society, the benefits are immense. More workers are needed as the work force ages. An inclusive society benefits everyone with more productive workers. People earning money contribute by purchasing consumer goods and paying taxes.
For employers Meena and Ashish Mundle, owning the deli is part of creating their "American Dream." In addition, their efforts in hiring and supporting Shannon, mean that her dreams of greater independence can become a reality. And having Shannon in the deli means customers can continue to enjoy the sandwiches they've been dreaming of. Everyone wins.
Source: Autism After 16
Filed under: General News | Tagged: autism, deli, employment, Evansville, sandwich, Schlotzsky's | Leave a comment »