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Want to find a step aerobics class you can hit on your way home from the office? For the members of many fitness clubs today, there's an app for that.
Smartphones now make up almost 30 percent of all wireless phones in the United States, according to a Nielsen report, and researchers Gartner Inc. predict that the web-enabled phones will replace computers as most people's primary means of accessing the Internet by 2013. In response, forward-thinking companies are increasingly investing in making their brands accessible to smartphone users through mobile-friendly websites and mobile applications. And that includes many major fitness club industry players—24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Crunch and Gold's Gym, to name a few.
Most club apps offer at a minimum the basics that a member or prospective member would look for on the club's website, such as location information, class schedules and facility photos. But beyond that, the features and accessibility vary greatly, depending on each club's strategy in creating its app.
For Crunch Fitness, New York, an app was a must-have, says Christina DeGuardi, the company's vice president of marketing.
"Our member base is pretty young and savvy," DeGuardi says. "Their usage of our website is so high that we knew that an app was something that our members would appreciate and that could become part of their daily routine."
Crunch worked with IdeaWork Studios, the digital agency responsible for the crunch.com website, to create the mobile app, which launched in mid-January after around two months of development. The app is linked directly to the website, which means that when Crunch staff change a group exercise class time or a club's contact details on crunch.com using the company's content management system (CMS), it automatically is updated in the app, too.
Although anyone can download the free app, the user must enter a Crunch membership number to access its features. At press time, figures included 6,000 iPhone downloads and 4,000 Android phone downloads, meaning that more than 10 percent of all members downloaded the app within its first five weeks, DeGuardi says.
The app's most used features are a check-in function, which allows users to pull up a mobile membership card for reception staff to scan, and a class finder that lets members search by class name, instructor, time or location.
The app also has a version of the website's members-only iCrunch section, which users can personalize by setting their favorite classes, tracking their goals, and maintaining a photo log.
The app cannot be utilized by nonmembers, but DeGuardi says that it is still a useful recruitment tool for Crunch.
Members can choose the "shout your check-in" setting, which automatically updates their Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter accounts with their whereabouts when they arrive at a club. They also can use the app to send a two-week guest pass to a friend or post a referral as a link on their Facebook walls to offer a guest pass to all of their friends.
DeGuardi would not specify how much Crunch spent to develop the app, but says the range of pitches went from $40,000 up to $100,000.
"I can say that a lot of companies were coming back and saying that for the things we wanted to do, the development would be about $100,000—and we didn't even get close to that," she says.
Whatever the initial investment, DeGuardi says the app is producing returns via the referral feature and a specials section where the club offers discounts on merchandise and services.
Crunch already is working on phase two of the app, and DeGuardi hints that the next version may offer features for nonmembers.
"That's definitely on the radar for something we might want to do going forward," she says.
Gold's Gym International, Irving, TX, took a different tack when it launched its Spotter app last August, making almost all features relevant to nonmembers.
Spotter offers club and class locators for its members, but the majority of its features will appeal to anyone who wants to get or stay in shape. There is a goal countdown function, a calorie equator that calculates the time one would have to do a certain such activity to burn off a meal or snack choice, and a photo album that allows the user to load photos of themselves then see their fitness progress in a flipbook format. David Reiseman, vice president of communications at Gold's, says the company's aim was to go beyond the features they saw on other club apps and offer something more dynamic than club information.
"Our thinking was, if you're a member, this will be a great resource for you, and if you're not a member, it will help establish a new connection with our brand," Reiseman says. "Hopefully, that turns into them becoming a member, but even if it doesn't, if we're creating more fans or helping more people get results, then that to us is a success."
So far, the plan is working. Reiseman says that the more than 70,000 people who have downloaded the app since its launch about six months ago are "a healthy mix" of members and nonmembers.
That number should rise significantly when the app is rolled out for Android-based phones. (Phones running Google's platform are now outselling Apple's iPhone, according to Nielsen.)
The app was developed by New York-based mobile marketing firm Joule, and its mission to get nonmembers acquainted with the Gold's brand is part of the company's overarching Know Your Own Strength campaign, which Gold's launched in late 2008 with the help of its lead advertising agency, McKinney, Durham, NC.
Part of the Know Your Own Strength campaign is to get people to see and interact with Gold's in a new way," Reiseman says. "We've perhaps had a reputation in the past for being intimidating or hardcore—and while we're proud of our heritage, this new platform is more reflective of who we are as a brand today."
Today's Gold's is no longer the "mecca of bodybuilding" made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1970s but, as Reiseman points out, a full fitness experience with cardio cinemas and group exercise classes. However, he says that some things haven't changed.
"The Gold's Gym brand has always been a little irreverent and always had a little bit of an attitude, but in a fun way," Reiseman says. "And that's what we tried to express with the app through features like the motivation shaker."
That feature is one of the many that is relevant to nonmembers. When a user selects the app's motivator feature and shakes the phone, a motivational and usually funny statement pops up.
Shake it once and you get tough love: "You're worth it. Now act like it." Shake it again and it's a witty pep talk: "I might be just a dumb old cell phone, but I believe in you." And they're not just aimed at getting users into their nearest Gold's: "Call a friend. Invite them on a walk. If they can't make it, walk anyway."
The Spotter app has a link to a page on the Gold's website where users can request a 7-day guest pass, but otherwise it doesn't drive revenue in any direct way—users do not pay for the download, and it features neither third-party advertisements nor special promotions for members.
However, Reiseman is resolute that the app does contribute to the bottom line.
"It does it through retention, brand awareness, buzz," he says. "I can't share the benchmarks that we set internally, but I will say that it's exceeding all of our expectations."


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"We investigate the possible explanations for variations in aggregate levels of participation in large-scale political demonstrations. A simple public choice inspired model is applied to data derived from the annual May Day demonstrations of the Danish labor movement and socialist parties taking place in Copenhagen in the period 1980–2011. The most important explanatory variables are variations in the weather conditions and consumer confidence, while political and socio-economic conditions exhibit no robust effects. As such accidental or non-political factors may be much more important for collective political action than usually acknowledged and possibly make changes in aggregate levels of political support seem erratic and unpredictable."
En mere "populær" version optrådte for to år siden som kronik i Berlingske. På min gamle blog har redacteuren, den gode Christian Bjørnskov, været så flink at give den et par venlige ord med.

subset: commoncrawl


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New: Senior Power: "Old People Don't Read Books"
The Rippowam River rushed by at the foot of our dank street, or, depending on the season, gurgled its way to Long Island Sound. I would sit on the stone embankment overlooking the water, ignoring the garter snakes in the crevices. The Ferguson Public Library children's room was another 1932 shelter. Story hour was held in a separate room with a large picture window. I played stamping books, using a piece of black crayon stuck on the end of a protractor. It slipped off, jamming crayon into my palm, still imbedded there in a tattoo effect.
Saturday mornings, a few years later, I headed for the story hour in a corner of the Freeport Memorial Library's crowded basement workroom. I read all the twins books, written and illustrated by Lucy Fitch Perkins. Kit and Kat began as The Dutch Twins (1911), metamorphosed into Scottish, American, Belgian, Chinese, Colonial, Eskimo, Irish, Italian, and Japanese stories. Then came Helen Dore Boylston's Sue Barton, Nurse series –- senior nurse, staff nurse, visiting nurse. These books can be borrowed in your behalf from nearby libraries participating in the free Link system.
Seventy-three year old Gail Sheehy's books on life and the life cycle continue the theme of passages through life's stages. She refers to "Second Adulthood." Her 2006 book and CD, Sex and the Seasoned Woman: Pursuing the passionate life reveal a hidden cultural phenomenon: a surge of vitality in women's sex and love lives after age 50.
I first encountered Berkeley author Dorothy Bryant via her 1972 literary landmark. Ella Price's Journal is a novel in diary form of a woman who returns to school after 15 years of marriage and begins to see her carefully-structured world in an unexpected and unwelcome light. I asked Bryant about her current reading. Kay Ryan's The Best of It, New and Selected Poems. She prefers lesser known books recommended by friends, e.g. Judith Freeman's Red Water. Old movies on DVD satisfy the 'recreational urge.' When she knows what she wants, she requests it online and it is brought to South Branch public library. For browsing, she stops regularly at Central.
Best-selling Berkeley author Theodore Roszak was turned down by 20 major publishers, reports Avis Worthington. When he proposed his The Making of an Elder Culture; Reflections on the Future of America's Most Audacious Generation, they informed him, "Old people don't read books." It was published by New Society Publishers in 2009.
Ever noticed that the central character in many biographies and novels is influenced by a public library or library staff-member? -- Goodbye, Columbus --. The novel and motion picture of A tree grows in Brooklyn. -- Perhaps because children are central to Dear Miss Breed :True stories of the Japanese American incarceration during World War II … , it has generally been assigned to children's collections, but it is a book for everyone. (See July 31, 2007 BDPlanet.)
The 1956 motion picture, Storm Center (1956, 85m, Columbia Pictures), is about a small-town library administrator who refuses to withdraw a controversial book from the shelves. She is labeled a Communist by local politicians (City Council members…), loses her job, and becomes an outcast in the community. Bette Davis plays the doomed librarian. Banned Books Week in 2010 will be September 25−October 2. The World Catalog lists a Storm Center dvd distributed by Sony Pictures Television…
The word "FREE" in many USA libraries' names (Free Library of Philadelphia, Mono County Free Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore, etc.) is not mere happenstance. They were founded for the public, not as "subscription" libraries.
The University of California, Berkeley used to grant library circulation privileges to senior citizens. No longer. Governor Palin's dubious public library involvement is not surprising. Patrons' taxes contribute largely to American public libraries' budgets. A children's room has long been part of a public library's building and program, dating back to inception of the Carnegie libraries; YP (young people, teenagers) collections and activities were later introduced. Now, more than ever, elders are dependent on our free public libraries.
The Alameda County Library has created "Older Adult Services," a brochure highlighting current programs. Special library materials that may interest older adults, caregivers and others include large-print books, audio books and videos (standard, close-captioned and descriptive). Trained volunteers bring library materials to homebound persons. Generations On Line is an easy-to-use program designed to introduce seniors to the Internet and email with step-by-step directions, available at Alameda County Library locations.
It's a good thing. Berkeley Public Library's senior discount on overdue charges. So are the large-print collections of fiction (science fiction, mysteries,) nonfiction (biography, The Weekly New York Times,) and reference books (dictionaries, thesauri). They can be accessed using subject heading LARGE TYPE BOOKS. The BPL Outreach person is Colleen Fawley (510) 981-6160. I know from experience that she has magical insights into what subjects and books, magazines and nonprint media will interest someone who is briefly or indefinitely unable to get to the Library. She selects, delivers, and subsequently picks them up. Specific titles and subjects can be requested, and she will bring them to you soonest. Alas, "budgetary constraints" will likely shorten her hours.
I am weary of the media's representation of shush libraries, and of praise heaped on library architecture that has little to do with accessing books and information, and of bureaucrats' appointment of acceptable personalities to serve on library boards and to liaison with them.
For your consideration:
Berkeley Repertory Theatre package options include special discounts on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees for persons who are "at least 65".
When: Tuesday, April 20, 2010. 11 A.M.-noon
What: Director's Roundtable Discussion
Where: North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst@ MLK
Details: NBSC director Larry Taylor meets with seniors
For more info: (510) 981-5190
When: Wednesday, April 21, 2010. 1:30 P.M.
What: Berkeley Commission on Aging meeting.
Where: South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis @ Ashby
For more info: (510) 981-5170
Helen Rippier Wheeler can be reached at email@example.com
Please, no email attachments; use "Senior Power" for subject.


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HUDSON — Solarize Shirley wrapped up on Nov. 4 with 13 local homeowners opting to install solar-energy systems under the state-sponsored program, according to Shirley Solar Coach Bryan Dumont.
Twelve solar electric and one solar hot water system were purchased at substantially discounted prices. Shirley achieved Tier 3 pricing out of a possible five tiers.
The new solar electric and hot water systems have a combined capacity of nearly 70,000 watts, and should generate approximately 70,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. That offsets 35 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The solar electric owners will save a total of more than $9,000 a year on their electric bills.
"Solarize is one state government program that has a direct, immediate and visible benefit on our citizens. Even though many roofs didn't work out due to shade or azimuth, several hundred people learned about solar energy through this program, and that's a real win," Dumont said.
"Had market conditions been more favorable, the numbers might have been even higher," said Mark Durrenberger, president of New England Clean Energy, the solar installer for Solarize Shirley. "The lease company we contracted with for our Solarize proposal backed out when SREC prices dropped. We were able to offer a Power Purchase Agreement alternative toward the end of the program, but the electricity savings weren't appealing enough to sway consumers. In the end, every Solarize system was purchased using savings or a bank loan," Durrenberger said.
"The town and people of Shirley, Bryan Dumont in particular, should be commended for their efforts in this program," he added.
Individuals, families and businesses who missed the program deadline but still are interested in solar should contact New England Clean Energy at 978-56-SOLAR or via www.NewEnglandCleanEnergy.com.
Solarize Massachusetts is administered by the Mass Clean Energy Center and the Department of Energy Resources.
New England Clean Energy is the only installer to participate in the Solarize Massachusetts program for two years, having served as installer for the town of Harvard, which was the most successful of the four pilot towns in 2011. The company has put more solar on Massachusetts homes than any other local company. New England Clean Energy designs, engineers and installs solar electric and solar hot water systems, as well as solar attic fans and solar parking lot lighting systems for homes and businesses. The company has installed more than 200 solar systems throughout Central Massachusetts since being founded in 2006. MassSolarInfo.com recently awarded the company five honors, including Highest Customer Satisfaction among Massachusetts solar installers. The company is based in Hudson.


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Sage My Nest ™ - Providing Ready-To-Give Sage Smudge Gift Kits For Every Occasion!
Not Your Typical Housewarming Gift! ™
All of our ritual cleansing kits include a hand-crafted sage 'smudge' stick, made of white sage. This herb, held sacred by many Native American cultures, is thought to have restorative powers and encourage positive energy. Our kits include everything you need to conduct your own sage cleansing ritual, also sometimes called a 'smudging' ceremony.
Due to the nature of the items we sell, please note that kit contents may vary slightly from photos. We make every effort to ensure the highest quality when packaging your purchases.
All of our kits are delivered 'ready-to-give'. Our housewarming kits are memorable and unique the Fresh Start Gift Kit is the ultimate breakup recovery gift! Just order, and give, and let the positive energy flow!*
Our room spray is made using pure essential oils - and all of our fragrances are light, refreshing, and natural.
We care about the environment! Whenever possible, Sage My Nest uses recycled post-consumer waste as package filler.
We're on Facebook! Like us to see new product updates: https://www.facebook.com/SageMyNest
*We are located in Denver, CO. Did you know that we offer Courier delivery service as a shipping option for orders over $60 within the Metro Denver area? Limits apply, email us to inquire. Orders are filled within 2 business days (usually faster) and courier time is 3 hours once picked up.


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Jensen Kirk (Jay.K)(Feat. Big Sean) - Paper Cha$er
The official music video for "Paper Cha$er" by Jensen Kirk (Jay.K) featuring Big Sean.
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Welcome to another of 'Joe's 3 C's'
In these posts I will try to bring you something Creative, Something Cool and something Commercial.
The format for these 3 things will vary, from images, videos and websites to unique applications, tips tricks and tutorials. Mostly print or 3D related but some things may be thrown in just because they ought to be shared (probably in the Cool part)!
There will be some terrible jokes thrown in at the end too!
Being a bit of a geek for all things design related, hopefully I'll be able to find some interesting bits and bobs to share with you!
Quote of the Day :
- Ronald Reagan. - American PresidentBefore I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.
Welcome to number 62 of Joe's 3 C's!
Easter has just flown by, hope you all had a nice break (if you got one at all!?).
Something Creative...
A while ago I wanted to create an image with a lot of depth by splitting layers of perspective onto different planes and printing onto multiple pieces of a clear material then stacking them to create a 3D effect.
I had a go on the LEF-20 printing onto 3 small sheets of acrylic, on both the front and back of each piece, then seperating them with a small gap (I only had blue-tac for this bit at the time!). You do not have to print direct (you could use an eco-solvent device and print onto a clear film), but it was easier and quicker for me to use a UV printer.
The 3 pieces
One of the pieces
View of the back of one of them with partial white layer
Here are some other examples that I've found:
Check out this amazing use of layers, this time with spray paint! This guy is incredible - Sofles.
If you like it check some of his other work and videos.
Something Cool...
Just a simple t-shirt design for the Cool section today...at a time where there seems to be a lot of hate in the world, why not make a visual stand against it!?
Something Commercial...
I came across a company in the States that do promotional bus wraps with a twist, that I think are super Creative, Cool and that have huge Commercial viability!
They are called Carisma and they mix wraps with 3D prints and illuminations to create stunning and eye-catching advertisements.
Check out one of their videos here
And a couple of images of some of their work:
That's all for this week's Joe's 3 C's!
Joe's chuckles...
The school called today and said "Your son has been telling lies in class today"
I Said " Well tell him he's bloody good at it...I don't have any kids!"


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If just TWO people read this all the way through, then it will be worth it...
how long have i been ****ing saying this stuff... and still nobody believes it... people i don't make this **** up, MS wants the world, wake up.
oh wait, i said MS it must be more bill bashing cause hes rich... you keep believing that, you couldn't understand this anyway, just go on with your life.
**** even if you don't believe it maybe you'll pay more attention to wats going on! even that would be worth the effort.


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This time I got assigned Melissa's blog: A Fit and spicy Life. In here Melissa, tries to reconcile her love for good food with a healthy lifestyle made of stress-relieving cardio and weight-lifting sessions. Among the healthy and simple recipes Melissa proposes us, my eyes were caught by her Salmon with Pumpkin seeds pesto.
Pumpkin seeds are widely enjoyed both in Germany as back home in Sicily but I haven't cooked with them as yet.
As a kid, during our usual Sunday walk, we would always stop at the "calia e simenza" shop near the town cathedral. The neon lit, rustic stand was filled with baskets of dry fruits and freshly roasted nuts.
My all time favorite were the roasted chickpeas with their sandy texture and lovely crunch; I just shoveled them by the handful into my mouth. They were usually served in paper bag and dad would also buy some roasted pumpkin seeds as well as peanuts, but these both came with more work before I could eat them so I just left them to my parents.
Here in Germany I found them back.
The pumpkin seeds lace many of the succulent dark-bread loaves giving them a lovely crunch. My mother was also quite surprised in finding little bags of ready-shelled seeds in the grocery store shelves but this time I wasn't so lucky. I had to buy a bag of shell-on seeds since the shelled one were outrageously something like 3-times more expensive. I figured that, since I do like shelling pistachio nuts, I would also like doing it for them. Wroooong!!
The flesh-to-shell ratio of pistachios (as in every nut) is much larger! It took me almost 2 hours to shell 1/2cup worth of pumpkin seeds and no, I wasn't snacking on them in the meantime.
By the end my lips where swollen like a life-saving vest from all the salt on the shells. Worthless to say that it was well past dinner time and I had to fix something to quiet my rambling stomach while keeping still some space to taste the recipe I was supposed to prepare.
By the time I cooked it all and had it ready to shoot, it was past midnight...
The recipe I will propose you has been adapted from the original from "Bon Appetit". The original recipe was based on cilantro but since I do not really like it that much, I substituted it for flat-leaf parsley reckoning that its taste would go very well with salmon. Actually I wanted to use chervil for its light licorice taste but couldn't find any in the store and I only had dry tarragon home.
Honestly, in most of the pestos I have had, I rarely had found notes from the nuts used in them; and this time wasn't any different. I think that they provide mostly the bulk and baseline for the sauce flavor concealed under the herbs and garlic notes.
In my recipe I also left out the lime juice since I do not stand sour pestos (they remind me too much of the jarred version). Last but not least, I used Parmesan instead of only salt to flavour the sauce. How I served it to myself? With some rice tagliatelle dressed with a little pesto diluted in olive oil and some white beans.
Pumpkin seeds-Parsley pesto over pan fried salmon, rice tagliatelle and white beans (adapted from Bon Appetit )
Ingredients (serve 4):
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup parsley (about 5-6 stalks), chopped coarsely
- 1tsp coriander seeds, toasted and grinded
- 1/2 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
- 2tsp grated Parmesan, or to taste
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 4 medium salmon fillets
- Vegetable oil
- 4 bundles dry rice tagliatelle
- Vegetable stock, optional
- 1cup cooked white beans
For the pesto, gather all the dry ingredients and the olive oil in the bowl on a little food processor and pulse them till a coarse paste forms. Add the water little at a time to loosen up the pesto to the consistency you prefer. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
If using, bring the vegetable stock to a boil and pour it over the dry rice noodles; in alternative just use boiling water and salt to soak them.
Sprinkle the salmon fillets with a little salt on both sides and coat them lightly with vegetable oil. Warm up a skillet on medium fire and pan fry the salmon fillets on both sides, turning them over when the first side will have developed a nice crust. Set aside keeping them warm.
Pour a little water in the pan to loosen the juices, lower the fire and add the white beans to gently warm them up.
Drain well the rice noddle and dress them with some of the pesto, eventually loosened in some extra olive oil, add the beans and toss thoroughly.
Serve in deep bowls with the salmon fillets on top finishing by some of the pesto on the salmon.


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I've been getting so much positive mail from across this beautiful Sphere, I think it's making the Sun come out here in the Portland! Gracious thanks to all of you for all the kind words, the massive amount of creations you've used Fantasy Genesis to draw and paint, and the helpful suggestions for a more compact and digital game sheet.. Ask and ye shall receive.. a blank Game Sheet! If you've no way to copy the individual game sheets provided in the book, here's an 8.5x11 sheet with all the games and their rolls in one. Don't forget to visit my FaceBook page for more art and updates, and look for another slew of FG born madness from readers coming soon! Stay tuned.. =)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Fantasy Genesis Game Sheet
Posted by Chuck at 4:25 PM 0 comments Links to this post


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Penny Starr
CNS News
Feb 5, 2011
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano traveled to Dallas earlier this week to personally inspect the massive security operation surrounding the 45th Super Bowl game and to announce the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign.
"We are partnering this year with the NFL on our 'If You See Something, Say Something' campaign and launching that NFL partnership right here at the Super Bowl," Napolitano said during a press conference on Monday at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas where Sunday's game will be played.
"The idea is simple," Napolitano said. "We are simply asking the American people to be vigilant, recognizing that our security is a shared responsibility that all of us must participate in."
"If a fan at the Super Bowl or any other American at any other place sees something that is potentially dangerous, then say something about it to local law enforcement or someone in authority," Napolitano said.
Napolitano announced that DHS has trained some 1,200 stadium staffers as "first observers" and that cargo going into the venue also will be screened using "non-intrusive inspection equipment."
Our 4th of July Super Sale has been extended! Get double Patriot Points and free shipping on the hottest items!


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Buck 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum Fixed 10" Carbon Steel Blade, Micarta Handles - 3648
BU0060BKSBH: 060 Buck/Hood Hoodlum
Buck Knives
The Hoodlum is built to be the ultimate survival tool. Based on Ron Hood's design and built to Buck's quality standards, the Hoodlum helps ensure survival in extreme conditions. It is light enough to carry in a sheath, but heavy duty enough for any task out in the wilderness. The handle is built with a Shock Mitigation System (SMS) to reduce shock and wasted energy when chopping. It has a large finger choil for providing control while whittling or other detailed activities. A notch is cut into the blade spine for scoring bone, bending wire, removing pots from a camp fire, or other small tasks. Also, the Micarta® handles can be removed to create a spear by lashing a branch to the tang of the blade. There is an integrated hammer and lanyard hole in the butt of the handle and it comes with a M.O.L.L.E. compatible, heavy-duty nylon sheath. The Hoodlum will serve all your survival needs from protection to food prep while out in the wilderness.
Ron Hood - Wilderness Video Producer and Publisher
Ron Hood cultivated his early wilderness interests as a member of the Military Intelligence Community while in the Army Security Agency (ASA). Ron spent a year at a remote outpost in the Middle East and nearly 18 months on the ground in Vietnam. After his four years of military service he completed his MS and his doctoral studies and for over 20 years taught accredited classes in Wilderness Skills at UCLA, Cal State Northridge and Antelope Valley College. He also authored numerous articles for national magazines and published a Guidebook to the Sierra Nevada of California. Ron has spent much of his time practicing and studying skills with native populations around the world, most recently in Romania where he studied ancient bronze making and hiked the Carpathian mountains. Ron has been featured in dozens of TV programs including Backpacker Magazines "Anyplace Wild", Myth Busters, Ultimate Survival, Nickelodeon and Japanese Televisions NHK network as well as many others. Along with his wife Karen, Ron has produced 28 award winning survival training videos that are widely considered to be the best survival training aids in the world with tens of thousands of military and civilian customers located around the globe. Ron has solo trekked across the Andes as well as led two long term expeditions to reach, research and film the isolated Chapra/Candoshi tribes of Peru. Ron and Karen are the publishers of Survival Quarterly Magazine that specializes in all forms of survival and preparedness. Ron and his adventurous wife, Karen, have a 7-year-old son Jesse who shares their love of all things wild.
- PRO LEVEL: Taking a century's worth of knife craftsmanship to an unprecedented level, our Pro Level knives are designed and crafted to be used in the most demanding situations. Premium materials and revolutionary designs are combined with the highest quality American craftsmanship. The result is a superior knife that discerning users can rely on in any situation.
- Blade: 10.0" (25.5 cm), survival straight clip, 5160 steel with a powder coat finish for corrosion resistance
- Thickness: 0.220"
- Length: 15 1/2" (39.4 cm) overall
- Weight: 14.6 oz. (414.0 g), 22.0 oz. (624 g) carry weight
- Handle: Removable Black Linen Micarta® handle scales
- Sheath: Heavy-duty nylon, M.O.L.L.E. compatible with leg strap cord and front storage carry pouch
- Features: Handle SMS system, large forward finger choil, blade groove, hammer and lanyard hole
- Pro Level
- Made in USA


text:
CDB's publications and a selection of publications from other organizations dealing with development issues in China.
China Development Brief posts events related to the work of NGOs in China. Website visitors and organizationa can suggest events for consideration.
We seek qualified individuals to assist in translating and to serve as interns.
Qualified NGOs may also request membership,allowing them to create and maintain their own entry in our directory.
For questions about membership or any other matters and concerns,submit our general contact form.
You may also suggest NGOs to be included in our directory.
Promote your organization\'s events,open positions,and calls for proposal by submitting forms for our consideration.
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Natural Resources Defense Council
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Apr 30, 2018
Program Assistant, China Environmental Law & Governance Program
NRDC Beijing Office
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text:
By artist Brandi Milne.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Naughty Boy
By artist Brandi Milne.
4 comments:
- Sara said...
awwww, I LOVE this! Two loves in one" Disney AND Halloween! ...although I always found Pinocchio really annoying. *shrug*
- September 27, 2010 at 10:08 AM
- Rot said...
I'll confess that I have never been able to dig Disney characters.
Halloween and Disney.
I just think the two don't mix very well. The Disney Halloween parade gives me hives. The Haunted Mansion is GREAT though.
So I think it's some hangup I have with the classic Disney characters being in Halloween garb and whatnot.
- September 27, 2010 at 11:23 AM
- Sara said...
No Disney? WhatEVER. How can you not love Beauty and the Beast? And The Little Mermaid and Cinderella??!?! ;)
I agree that Disney and Halloween do NOT mix well(just see Disneyland Park right now, dressed up in a Halloween theme. It is so ugly.) But I am such a Disney freak! I love the pumpkin in this pic, which I don't think is in the original Pinocchio film.
It's funny. You totally did not put Disney in the tags. I noticed that. You Disney-hater.
- September 27, 2010 at 11:38 AM
- Rot said...
Whatever do you mean? ; )
It's there.
- September 27, 2010 at 11:42 AM


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Warner Bros. Buys Story That Was Written In The Reddit Comments; Then Tells Author To Stop Redditing
from the wb,-you're-doing-it-wrong deptHere's a story that starts out great... but then gets annoying towards the end.
I know we've got many Redditors here, but for those who don't spend time there, they might find this story interesting. We keep hearing stories these days about how the big movie studios are afraid to try anything particularly original when it comes to greenlighting movies -- preferring these days to do remakes, adaptations or sequels, knowing that they all bring in a guaranteed audience of some kind. So it's interesting to see (as sent in by Aaron DeOliveira) that Warner Bros. "aggressively" went after and bought the rights to a story that was written in the comments of Reddit. It started when a Reddit user asked if a modern US Marine infantry battalion could wipe out the entire Roman Empire given the modern technology they would have.
Reddit user Prufrock451, who is more commonly known as James Erwin (and is apparently an author and a "two-time Jeopardy winner") jumped at the opportunity to dash off a bit of fiction describing "day 1" of such a modern military unit being transported to the Roman Empire. And the Redditors liked it. Big time. They encouraged, nay demanded, that he write more. So he wrote some more, and an entire Subreddit was created, called Rome Sweet Rome, with plenty of people contributing additional ideas, including graphics and a hypothetical movie poster.
And late last week, the news came out that Warner Bros. had purchased the movie rights. Of course, there's a long way from buying the rights to actually having a movie made. I know folks who have sold movie rights only to see them languish for ages with nothing ever happening. Still, whole thing from comment to movie deal? A little over a month. When I read all that, I thought about how cool a move this was, and how it was nice to see Warner Bros. apparently being progressive on such a deal and realizing the value not just of the story but the wider Reddit community.
But then I read a little more. In an interview with Erwin on ScreenRant, Erwin admits that now that a deal has been signed he has to stop participating in the subreddit because everyone's "lawyered-up" and worried about "locked-down IP rights."
Unfortunately, I have not been able to spend time on Reddit. This is not because I think I�m too big for my britches now. The Internet is a chaotic, give-and-take place � and that creates nightmares for a lawyered-up industry based on locked-down IP rights. In a perfect world, I would be in that subreddit every day � but that�s not what�s best for the project. I want this to succeed, and that unfortunately meant going dark for a while. I hope the folks in the RomeSweetRome subreddit see this little mash note. I miss em.Ah, what a shame. What could have been a fun, collaborative process that really involved and built on the community -- who would have loved it -- instead becomes a lame "lawyered-up" situation with "locked-down IP rights." Sorry, WB, but you missed the whole point.
Filed Under: comments, james erwin, movie, reddit, rome sweet rome
Companies: warner bros.


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MUD(redirected from muddy)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Idioms, Wikipedia.
a fine-grained soft wet deposit that occurs on the ground after rain, at the bottom of ponds, lakes, etc.
What does it mean when you dream about mud?
Plans or conditions are obscured by the "muddy waters" of emotional indecision. Solutions or new directions may become clear by washing away mud from shoes or a roadway.
An unindurated mixture of clay and silt with water; it is slimy with a consistency varying from that of a semifluid to that of a soft and plastic sediment.
The silt plus clay portion of a sedimentary rock.
A mixture of soil with sufficient water to make it soft.
Multi-User Dimension or "Multi-User Domain". Originally "Multi-User Dungeon".
MUD(MultiUser Dungeon, MultiUser Dimension, MultiUser Dialogue) Interactive games played by several people at a time on the Internet. Originally dungeons and dragon games with demons, elves and magicians, MUDs have been created for science fiction themes, cartoon characters and other types of games. MUDs have also evolved into 3D virtual reality sites.
There are many variations and permutations of MUDs. MOOs are object-oriented MUDs, and MUSEs (Multiuser Shared Environments) are generally designed for elementary and secondary students. A MUSH (MultiUser Shared Hallucination) allows new rooms and situations to be created. A MUCK (MultiUser Chat Kingdom) is a text-based MUD system similar to MUSH, and there is yet another MUCK (MultiUser Construction Kit), heavy on fantasy and myth. See avatar and VRML.


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Post: Macaw birds ready for a happy home
Posted by sandra on 3/11/13
These Macaw species are not only wonderful as pets, but make
great show
birds. This Macaw calls are loud, but for some pet macaws
this can transfer
nicely into the ability to speak. Besides being highly
intelligent, these
Macaws have outgoing personalities and are very social. They
adapt quickly
to their cage and playpen, or aviary, and are quite playful.
personality is such that they will form a close, loving bond
with their
keeper, and become a life-long companion. pls if u got
anything to ask or
know about these my wonderful birds, do not hesitate to
inquire from me.
Posts on this thread, including this one
Macaw birds ready for a happy home, 3/11/13, by sandra. Re: Macaw birds ready for a happy home, 3/24/13, by Kim.


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Adrees Latif / Reuters
Morning commuters are silhouetted as they walk through the main concourse of the Grand Central Terminal, in New York on March 5, 2012.
By A. Pawlowski, NBC News contributor
Before airports started transporting – and frustrating – travelers on a massive scale, there was New York's Grand Central Terminal.
Friday marks 100 years since the first set of keys was handed to the terminal's station master, with the first train leaving just after midnight on the following day. Shuttling millions of commuters since, the terminal – with its vast spaces and lovely architecture – has become a destination in itself.
Through the hustle and bustle of Grand Central, a voice at its center helps guide passengers to their destinations. After 40 years with the MTA, Jake Kaloidas will retire just as the station marks its 100 years. Produced by John Makely, additional footage by Natalia Jimenez.
The city is celebrating the big birthday with a public rededication ceremony, live performances and the opening of the "Grand by Design" exhibit.
"I love, love, love Grand Central Terminal," said Justin Ferate, a historian and longtime New York tour guide. "It's truly one of the greatest buildings in this country if not the world."
Ferate often instructs visitors to pick their favorite airport and then picture going there twice a day, five days a week for decades. He then asks: How many people are feeling warm, fuzzy thoughts? Not many raise their hands, but it's different with Grand Central, which regular commuters actually like, he said.
Hal Morey / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1930s: Beams of sunlight stream through the windows at Grand Central Terminal, in New York City.
"Grand Central is a major icon in the city," added Anthony Robins, author of "Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark."
"(It) just has this breadth and scale and sense of grandeur that you can't be in that part of town and not notice it."
NBC News asked Ferate and Robins to share some insider facts about the iconic building.
Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images
With hundreds of people moving through each day, Grand Central Terminal turns 100 on Feb. 2, 2013, and remains one of the most visited icons of New York City.
Don't call it Grand Central Station: This is actually the third Grand Central on the site. The original was Grand Central Depot, completed in 1871, and then rebuilt as Grand Central Station in 1899-1900, Robins said. Grand Central Terminal was opened in 1913 and that is the correct way to refer to the landmark.
Today, Grand Central Station is the name of the on-site post office, but not the famous building. "I always say, if you call it Grand Central Station, then everyone knows you're a tourist," Ferate said.
The Main Concourse is laid out in "human ratios:" Each block of stone that makes up the floor is one walking step wide and one running step long, and each is a slightly different color, Ferate said. When you're sprinting to catch the train it's like running across a checker board based on your anatomy, so you don't hit anybody, he added. In fact, Grand Central is designed to accommodate the human form, so everything is waist level and elbow level to ease the travel experience.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
People walk through Grand Central Terminal as others gather in the Apple store on the day before the famed Manhattan transit hub turns 100 years old on Jan. 31, in New York City.
Try out the whispering gallery: If two people stand in the diagonal corners of the square foyer in front the Grand Central Oyster Bar and whisper, the sound carries across the arched ceiling. The effect is similar inside the eatery, so Ferate advised against going there for "illicit love." "You can listen into the conversation taking place in another part of the restaurant," he warned. "If you're messing around, chances are pretty good you're going to get caught."
A giant missile once stood in the Main Concourse: A 63-foot tall, 5-ton Redstone rocket was displayed at Grand Central in 1957 as Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union mounted. But it wasn't unusual to see such a spectacle inside the landmark. "They had exhibits of all kinds at all times in Grand Central because it's the great big public space that everybody knew," Robins said.
Brendan McDermid / Reuters
The 59 stars shine as part of the backwards-painted zodiac set in gold leaf constellations span the ceiling of the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal in New York, on Jan. 25.
Look for odd mementos in the ceiling: Grand Central Terminal is known for its "constellation ceiling" depicting a starry sky and signs of the zodiac. But sharp-eyed visitors may some unusual extras, such as the small hole where the stabilizing cable was dropped to secure the above-mentioned rocket, Ferate said.
The ceiling also sports a dark spot -- a small portion of grime that was intentionally left untouched after a thorough cleaning in the 1990s, he added. The stain turned out to be caused by cigarette smoke.
Go there for the shopping: "Grand Central has been made into a vast new destination for New Yorkers. So most of the people in the terminal at any given moment are probably not going to a train, they're in to shop, to buy food, to go to a restaurant, to go to the Apple store," Robins said.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
People are blurred in a long exposure as they walk through Grand Central Terminal on the day before the famed Manhattan transit hub turns 100 years old, on Jan. 31, in New York City.
Related links:


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NOTICE: Many events listed here have been canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency. It is best to call ahead or check with organizer's websites to verify the status of any local event.
Urrea de Gaén, in the province of Teruel, is one of the nine villages that make up the Route of the Tambor and the Bombo (drums).
During the Easter week celebrations, the sound of drums can be heard in every corner of these villages in the south of the Aragón Region. The most long-awaited moment of the celebration in Urrea de Gaén is the "rompida de la hora" (breaking of the hour), at midnight of Maundy Thursday/Good Friday. Hundreds of these drums come together and, at midnight, they begin to beat in unison, filling the night with an incredible sound. These instruments continue to play non-stop until Saturday afternoon. Before then, at 11am on Good Friday, the Bajada de las Imágenes procession takes place in the streets of the village. The most important procession, however, can be seen that same day at dusk – the Santo Entierro procession. It runs through the narrow village streets and a feeling of sadness for Christ's death mixes with the sound of beating drums.
Easter week is one of the most heartfelt and deep-rooted fiestas celebrated in Spain. This commemoration has centuries of history and tradition, remembering the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The streets of the majority of Spain's cities, towns and villages become the stage for religious fervour and devotion, combining grief and meditation in memory of Christ's death. Music, art and colour come together in magical processions - solemn parades in which crowds of people accompany religious images on their route through the streets.
Categories: Holiday
Hotels and Airbnbs near Easter week in Urrea de Gaén. Book your stay now!
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Gaming win up marginally in October
Faced with a difficult comparison from the same month a year ago, gaming win still managed a near 2 percent increase in October.Gaming Control Board Analyst Mike Lawton said not only were there two less weekend days this October, the win increase a year ago was 8.1 percent.Total statewide win was just over $978.8 million.The Carson Valley Area, which includes the capital and valley casinos of Douglas County, didn't fare as well, posting a 5.5 percent decrease in win to $7.96 million. In large part because of the two fewer weekend days, Lawton said the problem was simply lower volume of play. But he said both statewide and in local markets including the capital, a very poor showing by sportsbooks contributed to the loss.Statewide, sportsbooks posted a 79 percent decrease in win to just $6.7 million. While volume of play was marginally up, he said casino officials told him they lost over $6 million on football bets as most favorites covered the spread.Game and table win was off statewide by 5.5 percent, again because of a very difficult comparison with October 2011.The one bright spot in those numbers, Lawton said, was the $50.8 million in winnings from the state's roulette tables — an all-time high and an increase of 174 percent over the same month last year. The previous record for that game was $38.3 million in December 2007.Baccarat win was off by some 18 percent compared to a year ago, adding just $129.5 million to the pot.To measure the impact of that game, total October win without Baccarat would have been 5.8 percent up from the previous year instead of 1.88 percent.Of the Western Nevada markets, only Stateline and Churchill County were up in October.Stateline casinos were up by just under a percent to $15.56 million.Churchill County's 11 non-restricted locations reported a 4.89 percent increase to $1.8 million.North Shore casinos at Tahoe reported a 22.5 percent decrease in win to $1.65 million. That ends four straight months of increases by North Shore casinos. Washoe County was down 7 percent overall to $59 million.Slots raked in a total of $614 million on $8.9 billion in total play. That is $39.5 million more than a year ago. But Lawton said a significant share of the increase should be attributed to the fact that September ended on a weekend and, therefore, some of that month's slot winnings were reported in the first week of October.AreaOctober WinPercentage ChangeStatewide$978.8 million1.88%Carson Valley$7.96 million-5.51%South Shore$15.86 million0.77%North Shore$1.65 million-22.48%Washoe County$59.02 million-7.09%Reno$42.67 million-6.92%Clark County$859.88 million2.79%The Strip$580.7 million3.6%


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Professional Relations Committee
The purpose of the Professional Relations Committee is to preserve an environment that encourages the pursuit of knowledge and understanding while maintaining high professional and ethical standards. The committee will provide a safe, confidential environment for faculty to express their concerns and will be a resource on issues regarding ethics and standards. The committee will make every effort to assist faculty in resolving non-contractual, work-related issues identified as ethical and/or professional in nature.


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by Paige Donner
Cake-free and doll perfect. That's you, right ? Of course it is ! And if you feel you need just a tiny little nudge of help in getting there, look no further than Couvrance, the clean pure makeup by Avène, and its line of complexion correcters and foundations.
Couvrance is based on the premise that a woman's skin is one of her most sensitive and prescious organs. Hence, tender loving care are the operating words here for this line of medical makeup.
The other philosophy is to use the correcter sticks that come in Coral, Yellow and Green to neutralize those small flaws, bags under the eyes and tiny blemishes. Once these small imperfections are made invisible through the delicate application of counter-balancing correcters, a light sheen of Couvrance Compact Foundation Creams can be applied to achieve that flawless Big Screen finish.
Since Valentine's Day this year is yet again smack dab in the middle of Awards Season, here are some tips that will keep you looking your fresh, radiant and thoroughly seductive self, whatever the occasion :
Dark Circles Under The Eyes
First – and always – thoroughly moisturize under the eye before applying complexion correcters.
For brown undereye circles – Use the coral concealer stick which works for darker skin, the type of skin that tends toward brown undereye circles. The Couvrance Coral Concealer stick creates a very luminous and natural anti-dullness effect.
For blue undereye circles – The Couvrance Yellow Concealer stick works wonders in neutralising the appearance of blue undereye circles.
More Tips on the Concealer Sticks:
Green – neutralises redness, spots, small blemishes
Yellow – neutralises bruises and dark spots
Coral – neutralises brown spots, melasma
Technique « Since your small imperfections have now been neutralised, there's no need to apply coat after coat of foundation. Instead focus on texture and application techniques, with the desired results in mind. »
Use a brush to apply the Couvrance Fluid Foundation Corrector. This will achieve the appearance of a flawless complexion by casting a veil over your skin. If your complexion tends towards the grey or dull (such as during winter months!), choose a shade with a hint of pink to freshen up your complexion. Choosing a shade that is slightly ligher than your skin tone can help your face appear younger. (Darker shades tend to add years.)
Now, for the finishing touches, you can actually « draw » on your face with the Couvrance Concealer Pen.
These work by applying them to your face after your foundation (to avoid running). The areas of application are on these points : the forehead, nasolabial folds, tip of the nose, corners of the mouth, hollow of the chin.
This adds contour and illumination to your face.
Last step – Mattify your makeup with a dusting of the Couvrance Mosaic Powders. *Hint – these can be used as an eye makeup palette as well.
Whether you set your makeup with the translucent Mosaic Powder, the Radiance or the Bronzer, each are sure to have your makeup lasting all night long and a quick re-dusting of the Mosaic Powder in its slim white compact case during the evening, or any time, will keep your face shine-free.
Nooowww you're ready for your Big Screen close-up, you doll, you !
*Couvrance are high-tolerance formulas designed for sensitive skin types. They contain no preservatives, no fragrances and are hypoallergenic. They do not smear ; they offer UV protection and are resistant to water and perspiration.


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You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'beer' category.
Remember the guys from those infamous Budweiser commercials saying "Wassup" more times than we EVER wanted to hear? Well here they are facing the unpleasant "Wassup" realities in 2008. This is truly a fantastic video–kudos to 60frames! Vote, people, vote!
And for those who missed the Wassup guys the first go-round (yes, it WAS that annoying ;)), here ya go.


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Plan & Benefits Overview
test link
Texas CHIP Plan
Community participates in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including CHIP Perinatal (CHIP-P). CHIP is a health insurance plan for children under the age of 19 and is designed for families who earn too much money to qualify for Texas Medicaid programs, yet cannot afford to buy private insurance. CHIP-P provides prenatal care for the unborn children of low-income women who do not qualify for Medicaid. More
Texas STAR Plan
Community participates in the State of Texas Access Reform (STAR) Managed Care Program (Medicaid). As a part of Medicaid, Community provides both Children's Medicaid and Medicaid for Pregnant Women. These programs are at no cost to U.S. residents who cannot afford health insurance. More
Marketplace Plans
Community proudly offers individual health insurance in the new Health Insurance Marketplace. With a range of plan options to fit any budget, and a network of doctors you can trust, like Kelsey-Seybold Clinic and Memorial Hermann, Community makes it easy to get the care you need and deserve. More
Which Plan Is Right For You?
Not sure which plan is right for you? We can help you decide.


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Comcast's Xfinity gets new name and features
PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has renamed its home security/home automation service, is about to add a new energy-management feature and has expanded the service to yet another market: Seattle.
Comcast's Xfinity Home Security service is now being called Xfinity Home to better reflect the fact that the service offers home automation in addition to security, the telecom announced Tuesday.
Jamila Patton, senior manager of corporate communications for Comcast, told Security Systems News that because "the service offers our customers so much more beyond the security piece … we just felt it was important to transition the name to reflect all the other features that are available."
The name change took place within the past month, Patton said, but it was revealed in the company's Feb. 28 announcement detailing some new features being added to Xfinity Home. Patton said Comcast's professionally monitored security option remains "a very important piece of this platform," but that the additional features further enhance it.
Among those features will be a new energy management service that "optimizes the heating and cooling patterns of a home," the company said. Comcast, which is based here, said it has entered into an agreement with EcoFactor, a provider of energy management solutions, to develop a new solution to integrate with the Xfinity platform. Launch details and pricing will be announced later this year, Comcast said.
The solution will utilize "EcoFactor's proprietary, cloud-based software … to give customers continuously evolving, personal 'smart home' energy plans," the release said.
Comcast said the EcoFactor solution "learns the unique heating and cooling patterns of a home and makes automatic and incremental adjustments to the thermostat based on real-time weather data, the thermal characteristics of the house and the temperature preferences of the occupants." The solution can reduce energy costs by up to 30 percent, the company said.
Comcast also announced Tuesday that four other new features are being added to Xfinity Home: an indoor/outdoor camera with night vision, a carbon monoxide sensor, a water/flood sensor for a basement or utility room, and in-wall lighting switches that can be controlled remotely with the Xfinity Home app.
A number of telecoms and cable companies launched home security/home automation offerings in 2011, including Verizon, Time Warner Cable, Frontier Communications, AT&T and Cox Communications.
Comcast was in the forefront, however, launching Xfinity Home Security in Houston in June 2010.
The company offers a Basic package, at $29.95 per month, and a Preferred option, at $39.95 per month. Monitoring is done by a UL-listed third-party central station, and Comcast's professional home security team does the installations, Patton said.
The company, with millions of customers nationwide, has so far made the product available in numerous major markets. Patton said that Xfinity Home was launched in Seattle on Feb. 28 and is also being offered in the following markets: Greater Philadelphia; Indianapolis; Denver; Jacksonville, Naples and Sarasota, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn.; parts of New Jersey and Delaware, and Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.
A launch is planned for Tucson, Ariz., sometime this year, and Patton said launches in other markets are also planned for 2012.
"Our customers love it," she said. "That's why we're continuing to launch in different markets."
Internet Cable Compaines
Have you ever asked a internet cable installer to see his / her low voltage certification? I have asked several cable installers over the years only to be directed back to the company, but they continue to install home or business security systems. How come every time I install a system in washington I have to purchase a low voltage permit and have it inspected and a sticker applied to the panel? On several occasions I have been called to a current clients home or business because their Security Alarm System or Medical Alert System (PERS) no longer communcates with the central station only to find out that they have had a bundled high speed internet service installed and the cable company has failed to connect the alarm system into this service. (Who's Liable in it fails)
The Security Alarm Industry has supported this for years now and are soon to find egg on their face, I started in this business in 1969 and am now 64 yrs. old and will no longer support std. communcations formats that involve high speed internet services, I only monitor systems thru GSM services now and in most cases for less than the money sucking cable compaines can.


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Hammer toe occurs when there is a shortening of the tendon that controls toe movement. This causes the middle joint of the toe to be bent upward and the outer joint downwards. The misshapen toe resembles a hammer. A hammer toe correction is done to correct a toe deformity called a hammer toe .
|Hammer toe
|Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Reasons for Procedure
A hammer toe correction is considered when:
- Other treatments have failed to bring about results.
- The affected toe is in an awkward position and is causing pain.
- The deformity makes walking difficult.
- The position of the toe causes breakdown of skin. This can increase the risk of developing a bone infection.
Possible Complications
Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have the correction, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Excessive swelling, although the toe will normally be swollen for 4-8 weeks following surgery
- Anesthesia-related problems
- Recurrence of hammer toe
- Nerve or blood vessel injury to the toe
Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
What to Expect
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor will likely do the following:
- Physical exam
- X-rays
Talk to your doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to 1 week before the procedure.
The day of the procedure:
- Arrange for a ride to and from the procedure.
- Arrange for help at home after the procedure.
- Wear comfortable clothing that is easy to remove.
Local anesthesia is often used. It will numb the area. Spinal anesthesia may also be used. This anesthesia will make your lower body numb.
Description of the Procedure
Several surgical options are available for hammer toe correction. Some corrections can be made with changes to soft tissue. Others need to be made to the bone or joint.
This is usually best in patients under 30, with limited toe deformity. A cut is made in the skin and the tendon is released. Sometimes it is reattached to a different area of the bone. The changes in soft tissue will allow the toe to relax and eliminate the deformity.
2 common methods of hammer toe correction on the bones themselves are joint arthroplasty and joint fusion. The type of procedure used depends on the deformity. A combination of procedures may be needed. In both cases, a cut in the skin is made over the toe joint.
During an arthroplasty, part of the bones on both sides of the middle toe joint may be removed. This will allow the toe to uncurl.
During a fusion, the ends of the toe bones are removed. The bones are then repositioned. The repositioning is usually held together with a pin placed within the bone. The pin may be removed after 3-4 weeks. Other changes to the anatomy of the foot due to the hammer toe may also be corrected at this time.
The incision will be closed with stitches. Dressings will be applied to hold the toe in proper position.
How Long Will It Take?
This depends on the procedure and the number of toes corrected.
Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during the surgery. You will be given medication to manage pain after the surgery.
Post-procedure Care
Right after the procedure, you will be in a recovery room where your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing will be monitored. Recovery may also include pain medications.
During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to reduce your chance of infection such as:
- Washing their hands
- Wearing gloves or masks
- Keeping your incisions covered
There are also steps you can take to reduce your chances of infection such as:
- Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and healthcare providers to do the same
- Reminding your healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks
- Not allowing others to touch your incisions
When you return home, take these steps:
- Use crutches or wear a special open-toed, wooden-soled shoe, as directed by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions.
The corrected toe may be slightly longer or shorter than before surgery. The toe will not move as much as a normal toe. Expect some swelling and redness, which may last for several months. Your dressing may need to be adjusted as swelling decreases. If it appears that the deformity may recur, your doctor may choose to continue with dressings for another 2-4 weeks.
Call Your Doctor
Contact your doctor if your recovery is not progressing as expected or you develop complications such as:
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the incision site
- Pain that you cannot control with the medications you have been given
In case of an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine http://www.sportsmed.org
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons http://orthoinfo.aaos.org
Canadian Podiatric Medical Association http://www.podiatrycanada.org
Health Canada http://www.canada.ca
Hammer toe. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00160. Updated September 2012. Accessed February 7, 2018.
6/2/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance https://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T905141/Treatment-for-tobacco-use : Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.e8.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
- Review Date: 03/2018
- Update Date: 03/01/2013


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Our First Volunteers Arrive in Kenya
The Projects Abroad team in Kenya are thrilled to have welcomed their first volunteers onto our Care project - Takuya Yamanaka from Japan and Victoria Strømsodd from Norway! Our Kenya Country Director, Karanja BK, has expressed great excitement about the future of our projects in Nakuru and is awaiting the arrival of our next volunteers with anticipation and open arms.
Kenya is Projects Abroad's newest destination and currently offers volunteers the opportunity to work on Care, Teaching and Medicine & Healthcare projects. Our placements are based in Nakuru, in the Great Rift Valley, 160km from Nairobi; from here you can explore Kenya - visit the famous pink flamingo lakes or join a once in a lifetime safari.
Find out more about the opportunities available in Kenya here.


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Monday, September 21, 2009
Honduras update
To my great dismay and even shame, her article also points out that the Obama administration persists in trying to pressure the Honduras government to reverse its decision despite its constitutionality. Earlier it suspended hundreds of millions of foreign aid, and now our State Department has revoked the visas of all 15 members of the Honduran Supreme Court.
Given Zelaya's known ties to Venezuela's Chavez, it seems clear to me that Obama is a better friend of Latin dictators than he is of Latin democracies.
7 comments:
- Paul said...
"..it seems clear to me that Obama is a better friend of Latin dictators than he is of Latin democracies."
This along with that thousand watt grin and bear hug he laid on Chavez a few months ago should lay any lingering doubt to rest. I remember all the scary smart "analysts" at the time declaring it as some diplomatic master-stroke by Obama. I saw it as a logical outcome for a community organizer who sat in Rev Wright's church for 20 yrs and palled around with guys like Bill Ayers.
- September 21, 2009 at 9:26 AM
- txsaddletramp said...
"There goes Obama, palling around with turrists agin!"
How tiresome. Here's a chart for you, Scott - gosh, what on earth happened during the reign of St. Ronald?
- September 21, 2009 at 12:54 PM
- Scott Grannis said...
Are you sure you want to open this can of worms?
To begin with, the chart is misleading. The debt held by the public reached a high of only 50% in the early 90s, not the 70% shown in the chart. The real burden of the debt should not include T-bonds held by social security and other government agencies.
Two, by far the major source of the increase in the debt/GPD ratio under Reagan/Bush was increased spending, which was controlled by a Democratic Congress.
Three, the major sources of the decline in debt/GDP under Clinton was cutbacks in military spending and the temporary revenue boom generated by the dot-com boom.
Four, Democrats spent decades wringing their hands over the Reagan, Bush, and Bush II budget deficits, yet now they aren't at all concerned that Obama's deficits are going to eclipse all of the others put together in fairly short order.
Five, Democrats always assume that fixing a deficit is as simple as raising tax rates, and that is the proper and moral thing to do. What they utterly fail to consider is that raising tax rates does not guarantee whatsoever that tax revenues will increase.
I could go on, but let me end by saying that not for a minute do I condone Republican deficits or spending practices. I think the whole climate of Washington is polluted and the country is in desperate need of rethinking the role of government spending and tax policy.
- September 21, 2009 at 1:38 PM
- ronrasch said...
Tragic that O favors socialist dictators over champions of democracy. Great posts Scott thanks much.
- September 21, 2009 at 5:36 PM
- HFT said...
Dear Leader almost makes me wish for the days of Jimmy Carter ... almost
.. seriously , Scott , great site , thanks for the interesting charts and analysis , appreciate all that you do
- September 21, 2009 at 6:48 PM
- Vespasianus said...
It is amazing and dismal the endless fascination of lefftish inteligentsia and politicians for tyrants such as Chávez, Castro or Almadineyahd. Our Prime Minister likes nothing more than a trip to these countries, but appraisal coming from the USA president makes thing far worse, and even dangerous for the whole Latin América, which have missed decades of economic and social growth because of this kind of people.
- September 22, 2009 at 12:03 AM
- Paul said...
Txsaddletramp ran out arguments real quick.
Big surprise.
- September 22, 2009 at 6:17 AM


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I recently made my first AMV, and I was stuck with WMM in Vista, but I have some experience that may benefit others using WMM in general. Some/all of this may have already been posted here already, but I wasn't able to find it.
Exporting in the format you want! (kinda...)
We all know WMM output sucks, but you can bend it to your will using the Microsoft utility found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/pro ... rview.aspx
Looks like they changed it in the last couple weeks, but if you look to the lower right of the page you will see links to "Download Windows Media Encoder x86 Edition" and "Download Windows Media Encoder x64 Edition"
I've only used the x64 edition, but I would assume they both work about the same.
What it does and how to use it
The Windows Media Encoder will allow you to create output profiles for WMM. You can still only output to wmv (more on that later), but this lets you select the resolution, framerate, bitrate, and other details. It even lets you output uncompressed video and audio from WMM if you desire.
1. After installing the correct one for your system (x86 unless you know you're on x64), you go in and select "Custom Session" on the window that pops up. Click OK.
2. Click on the "Compression" tab, and you should see a button called "Edit" by the "Destination" drop down box. Click on that button.
3. Now you're at the screen where you can do what you want.
* Change the settings to your liking. I recommend setting resolution to whatever resolution all your clips are (we all know WMM prefers them all to be exactly the same)
* For lossless output, change the drop down boxes under "Codec" to "None (PCM)" for Audio and "Full frames (uncompressed)" for video.
4. Click on the other tab in this window (it will have a bitrate, 282 Kbps default). You can set your framerate here.
* I recommend setting this to 29.97. Now I don't know everything about WMM, but it seems to me it works with this frame rate internally anyway. Using source from FF9 (15 fps naturally), it let me time clips to about 1/30th of a second. I would personally recommend converting your frame rate to 29.97 with AviSynth before working with it in WMM. It just works better that way. (I welcome any advice/information regarding the internal framerate of WMM, I could be wrong).
5. Once you have the settings you want, go back to the "General" tab in this window. Be sure and name your profile here (this is the name that shows up in WMM). After that, click on "Export". Call the file whatever you like, I don't think it matters.
6. Once you have made the profile, put it in the right spot in your WMM directory. This is different for different versions.
* In Windows Vista (and I think also XP), it goes in the C:\Program Files\Movie Maker\Shared\Profiles directory. You may have to make the "Profiles" directory.
* In windows 7 64 bit, it goes in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\Video Profiles. Just take away the " (x86)" at the end for non-64 bit systems.
Congratulations! You can now output lossless from WMM.
As for converting your wmv to something more suitable, I'm not an expert, but Google "free wmv to avi converter". The first link as of this writing is the one I use, and it works great. Just make sure you keep the same frame rate, as it defaults to 23.97 every time you open it.
Version experience from WMM
I've never used WMM in XP, but I hear it's very unstable but more capable than later releases. I used the one in windows Vista 64 bit, and somehow it never crashed on me even a single time. Maybe I just got incredibly lucky, but w/e. Whereas the one provided in Vista will let you make a decent video if you try, the version in Windows 7 is a complete joke. There is NO timeline. Also, forget about using specific parts of the clips you made, as it seems to only let you edit clips start time (or maybe the interface is just so terrible that I haven't found it yet). The Windows Live movie maker you get for windows 7 is a waste of time. It *may* let you open your old project files and at least let you render a video from them, but then again it may decide to call your file corrupt even though it still works in an older version. I was unfortunate enough to switch operating systems in the middle of my first project, and I still have to have a Vista install to go back and edit it.
Thanks for reading. I hope I've helped others by posting this info, but forgive me if this is all well-known already.
Some helpful Information
For help and discussion concerning the Windows Movie Maker software.
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- Cannonaire
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 5:59 pm
- Status: OVERLOAD
- Location: Oregon
Some helpful Information
Think millionaire, but with cannons. || Resident Maaya Sakamoto fan.
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Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I can't believe it's the last day of 2009 already!? It's been a great year for me and I hope it's been wonderful for you, too! My best wishes to you all for the coming year. =)
I made this card using Sketch #7 from The Greeting Farm blog's " 12 Days of Sketches. Here is the sketch:
As you can see, I tweaked the sketch a bit by using the butterflies as the flowers on the side of the oval/Izzy. You know I love to give sketches a little "personal touch." =)
I used the adorable Izzy for this card. I think she has the prettiest eyes. I added some Glossy Accents on them to make them shine even more! =)
That's it for today. Please come back tomorrow for another edition of TESC sketch sample card. We took a week off and will be back tomorrow! =)
ingredients used:
cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Neenah Solar White
stamps: The Greeting Farm, Hero Arts (sentiment)
patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket
rubbon: Papertrey Ink
inks: Memento
punches: Martha Stewart
dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eight
other: Glossy Accents
Copics used:
skin tone: E11, E01, E000, E93
dress: YR18, YR12, YR000
jacket (?): E35, E33, E31
hat: E33, Y26, Y21, E39, E33, E31
hair: E09, E08, E97


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Alumni Benefit from NYC Program
New agreement benefits alumni, expands New York City program
Starting this spring, alumni will have a chance to stay in the heart of New York City at discounted rates. At the same time, the College will expand its Ithaca College New York City (ICNYC) program for current students.
Ithaca College has entered into an agreement that provides access to a first-class hotel in the financial district for alumni, parents of current students, students, faculty, and staff. Rates are typically 25 percent lower than at similar hotels in Manhattan. Those affiliated with the College will also be able to rent restaurants for special functions, including a rooftop restaurant with views of the 9/11 memorial reflecting pools.
The hotel is part of a group of four-star, membership-based facilities with boutique-like amenities in prime downtown locations owned by Club Quarters. The agreement is specifically for the Club Quarters World Trade Center location, though alumni and parents can also stay at Club Quarters locations around the country and abroad, including Philadelphia; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Boston; and London. To get the discount, call or visit the website and use the password, Ithaca. The agreement also includes a classroom and meeting space for students participating in ICNYC, which derives from one of the core initiatives of IC 20/20, the College's strategic plan.
Students participating in ICNYC gain hands-on experience through internships and take courses that draw on the resources offered in New York City.
This spring 22 students studied and worked in the Big Apple as part of the pilot program. Students from the Roy H. Park School of Communications and the School of Business interned at Saturday Night Live, Hearst Magazines, Nike, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Late Show with David Letterman, the City Parks Foundation, and others. They took courses such as Art & Architecture in NYC, where they went to museums across the city, and The Art and Science of Direct Marketing, taught by Michael Kaplan '85 at G2 Communications. They also took online courses toward their majors and met once a week for an internship seminar, where they had a chance to talk about the ups and downs of interning in New York City.
With the new agreement, students will be able to meet at the Club Quarters World Trade Center for classes, and some will have the option of staying in the hotel's extended-stay accommodations for an additional cost. The ICNYC program will expand next fall to include approximately 50 students from nine areas of study. The courses ordered in New York City each semester will vary to encourage students from a range of academic programs to participate. More information can be found at ithaca.edu/icnyc.
Andrew Steedman '13 participated in the pilot program and had a sports marketing internship with Madison Square Garden. While the media was all abuzz with Linsanity, he was this close to the Knicks point guard during pregame warm-ups.
"The best thing I've done in the city is take guests and clients onto the court during pregame Knicks warm-ups," Steedman said. "People are so excited to go courtside, so being able to give them that opportunity is pretty special to me. Plus, I'm gaining terrific insight into the world of sports marketing and meeting a ton of great people along the way."
If you are interested in offering an internship opportunity to a student in ICNYC, visit ithaca.edu/careers/connections, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
To book a room with Club Quarters, visit clubquarters.com or call 203-905-2100 and use the password, Ithaca. To find out about additional alumni benefits, visit ithaca.edu/alumni/benefits.


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By name, it�s a museum. But for 80,000 students every year, it�s a classroom.
For more than a half century, �The Schiele� has been a place for learning, for experiencing first-hand the wonders of nature, science, history, technology, engineering, mathematics � for expanding the mind, no matter one�s age.
And for all of those 50-plus years, The Schiele Museum has enjoyed outstanding support from individuals and businesses in Gaston County and beyond.
Those supporters obviously recognize the museum�s long-standing commitment to excellence and the role it plays in defining the best of our city and our county.
This week, the Schiele advances its mission with the opening of the striking new Environmental Studies Center, a 7,700-square-foot addition that commands the attention of anyone traveling East Garrison Boulevard.
The center will offer students a gee-whiz look at the world they live in and teach them ways to conserve and sustain that world for the future.
All students won�t be those from school classrooms. The center includes a state-of-the-art kitchen where cooking classes will be offered to both youth and adults.
While the building will house classes, the structure itself is a learning tool � from its re-purposed floors that came from an old textile plant to its plant-growing �green roof.�
The idea for the Environmental Studies Center began to take shape four years ago when a group of long-time Schiele-backers took closer notice of the growing number of outdoor tents set up on museum grounds. The make-shift classrooms had become necessary to accommodate the swelling number of students coming to the Schiele.
These civic-minded supporters got to work and before long the money had been raised to pay for the $3.2 million addition.
They asked the city to chip in, and officials agreed, contributing three-quarters of a million from the ideal use of hotel-motel taxes that visitors pay when they visit our community
Without placing a burden on local taxpayers, the museum fund-raisers tapped foundations, individuals and businesses with local ties � and in short order they had succeeded in covering the project�s cost. What an accomplishment given the state of the local economy.
Gaston County is indeed fortunate that so many people and businesses have willingly shared their financial success by making the Schiele�s new Environmental Studies Center a reality. Their generosity enhances the quality of life for the thousands of students who visit the Schiele each year and for the families that come from North Carolina, South Carolina and beyond.
We applaud their selfless giving, along with those who have seen the benefit of this museum over its history and supported it with their gifts.
Congratulations to the Schiele upon the opening of the Environmental Studies Center. We join the many others who look forward to the exciting educational opportunities that it brings


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Just thought I'd throw up a quick post with showing the warbands that the Sensei will be fighting against at the weekend. Above is the finished warband of Vlag Half-Iron - Desecrater of Falx. Behind him are 4 renegade legionaires of unknown provenance, Farlg the Zoat and 8 traitors from the Serendite 65th.
I need to pack everything into a single backpack for the flight. This means figures, rules, scenery, dice, tape, clothes, toothbrush and underwear! Wish me luck!


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RACIAL EQUITY: It's Time to Step Up. We Need Your Help. Click Here.
Dean R. Dietrich
I heard that some lawyers who charge a minimum fee for representation are also claiming that the fee is nonrefundable. Is that permissible?
Lawyers certainly are allowed to charge a minimum fee or a flat fee for the services that they provide to clients. Many lawyers have changed to a flat fee for representation to give some certainty to clients regarding the cost of representation, but that does not mean that the lawyer automatically earns the minimum fee or flat fee at the start of the representation. Many lawyers also use the new procedures in the trust account rule, which allow a lawyer to place the minimum or flat fee in the lawyer's business account provided the lawyer follows several requirements, including agreeing with the client to arbitrate any fee dispute. This article will focus, however, on the minimum-fee issue only.
Lawyers are allowed to charge a minimum or flat fee for representation. Normally, the flat fee would cover all agreed-on aspects of the representation but would not cover any costs that might, but will not necessarily, be incurred, depending on the agreement with the client. The lawyer normally communicates the amount of the flat fee to the client either in a written fee agreement or a written letter. Whichever document is used should clearly describe the nature and scope of the representation so there is no confusion over exactly which legal services will be provided for the flat fee.
It is clear, however, that a minimum fee for representation cannot be deemed nonrefundable in the sense that the lawyer would never have to return the fee or a portion of the fee to the client regardless of how the representation ultimately is handled. Difficulties arise when the representation is terminated (usually by the client) before all anticipated services have been provided. When this occurs, the lawyer may be obligated to return a portion of the minimum or flat fee, because the lawyer has not provided all the services that were originally discussed and covered under the fee communication.
In these instances, a question arises whether the minimum fee charged by the attorney for the representation comports with SCR 20:1.5 of the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct, under which the fee charged by the lawyer must be reasonable. Several factors are to be considered in determining reasonableness, including the following:
If not all the services contemplated in the representation are provided, the client has a legal basis for expecting the refund of a portion of the fee charged by the lawyer. This is why it is inappropriate to consider a minimum or flat fee to be a nonrefundable fee. A recent decision by the Supreme Court of North Dakota supports this conclusion. In Disciplinary Board of Supreme Court v. Hoffman, 203 N.D. 137 (2013), a disciplinary proceeding against a lawyer, the court held the following:
com ddietrich ruderware Dean R. Dietrich, Marquette 1977, of Ruder Ware, Wausau, is past chair of the State Bar Professional Ethics Committee.
"Courts have discussed that while nonrefundable retainers may be permitted, there is also a general reasonableness standard, including a requirement that the total fee charged must be 'reasonable.' See Kentucky Bar Ass'n v. Earhart, 360 S.W.3d 241, 244 (Ky. 2012). Thus, even when a fee agreement is designated 'nonrefundable' and is reasonable at the time of entering the agreement, an attorney may be required to refund any advanced fee that has not been earned under Rule 1.16, incorporating the concept that the 'total' fee must still be reasonable. Id.
'In determining the "reasonableness" of a lawyer's fee, the factors mentioned in Rule 1.5(a) apply, and the lawyer has the responsibility to prove the "reasonableness" of the fee applying principles of equity and fairness. Although "reasonableness" at the time of contracting is relevant, consideration is also to be given to whether events occurred after the fee agreement was made which rendered the fee agreement fair at the time it was entered into, but unfair at the time of enforcement. See McKenzie Constr., Inc. v. Maynard, 758 F.2d 97 (3rd Cir. 1985). Hence, the client may be entitled to a return of some portion of the 'non-refundable' fee retainer upon the termination of the representation, depending upon all the circumstances; that is, the "reasonableness" of the fee.'
"Earhart, 360 S.W.3d at 244. See also In re Smith. 659 N.E.2d 896, 907 (Ill. 1995) (client may discharge lawyer at any time for any reason, and a lawyer is not entitled to the full amount of fees contractually agreed to following the discharge, but is only to be compensated on a quantum meruit basis for legal services actually performed on the client's behalf)."
In Wisconsin, lawyers should not use the word "nonrefundable" to describe fees because there are very few, if any, circumstances in which a lawyer could justify a fee being considered nonrefundable. Every situation must be evaluated on its specific circumstances, including the nature of the representation and the extent to which the representation has been provided.


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Never Let Me Go
Accepting a depressing destiny
Go to showtimes
Never Let Me Go is gorgeous. And depressing. It's exquisitely acted. And depressing. It's romantic, profound and superbly crafted, shot with the self-contained radiance of a snow globe. And it's depressing.
It's depressing if you've read the book, which I loved, and it's depressing if you haven't. If that doesn't persuade you, let me restate the point: IT'S DEPRESSING. So long as a print still exists somewhere of Requiem for a Dream, it is not the biggest downer ever made. But it comes close.
Directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) from a screenplay by Alex Garland (28 Days Later and The Beach, both movie and novel), Never Let Me Go is based on Kazuo Ishiguro's haunting 2005 novel about three dewy youths coming of age in an alternate Britain. It stars Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan as Ruth, Kathy and Tommy, graduates of a perfect, starchy English boarding school, the sort of place where lads and lasses do their lessons in gray woolen sweaters.
In 1978, the three youngsters (played, in flashbacks, by Ella Purnell, Isobel Meikle-Small and Charlie Rowe) form a triangle of friendship and nascent desire in a carefully ordered setting removed from the outside world. Their story is dystopian for one specific reason — a horror the book divulged, in snippets and jots, as we learned about Kathy's important work as a "carer." By contrast, the film blows much of the mystery early on, opening with a preface and a quick flash-forward to unspeakable sadness near the end. This one scene, with one sheet of Plexiglas, divides the fates of two important characters and quashes any chance of suspense. We know what's coming, and it's a bummer.
I'm guessing Garland took this dirgelike approach because it gets the sci-fi business out of the way, allowing the narrative to dwell on loftier matters: the brevity of life, the mistiness of lost dreams, the role of art in reflecting humanity. Viewers may (understandably) question why no one in this somber British other world tries to escape their circumstances, but destiny - and the will to accept it - are two of the film's more rarefied subjects. Graceful surrender is a tall order for actors of any age. Mulligan and Garfield, young stars with old souls, display a knowing sweetness that gives Never Let Me Go its broken heart.
In smaller parts, Charlotte Rampling shows up as the school's ramrod headmistress, and Sally Hawkins tamps down her Happy-Go-Lucky ebullience as a boarding school "guardian" who speaks hard truths to her roomful of charges. Also wafting through the halls: Nathalie Richard as "Madame," an enigmatic Frenchwoman who collects the children's artwork for a gallery of unknown location and purpose. Tommy has his theories, which he articulates in a scene that begins with hope, yields to disappointment and arrives, finally, at impossible pain. Garfield's lopsided grin reveals all we need to know about youth and innocence lost. If only the movie revealed less.