text:
This post recaps my month: my personal life, all the books I've read & bought, movies and TV shows I've seen and links to posts that interest me.
January 4th was the first day at my job and I am LOVING it. It is a great feeling to realize that my 4 years of study paid off. My colleagues are great and they already trust me with a lot of work, so I'm really in the right spot. I've been exhausted though, because I learn new information every day and it sucks the energy out of me. (Worth it!)
We also moved into our new place. We did the big move on Saturday January 2nd and things are coming together now. We had a lot of trouble with gass and electricity, but that worked out. We also had to fix a leaking pipe and we went through some internet drama, but we are together and it's starting to feel like home. Just a few boxes left. I will post some picture when it's all done!
My shelves are entirely done and I can finally showcase my collection in the way they deserve it. I donated around 250 books (crazy, right?) and it was hard in the beginning, but I'm really happy I did it. More space for all the new books I got, hehe.
There was a book club meeting and we had our Secret Santa exchange. Everyone was happy with their gifts, we had great food and a good service. We also had a second book club where we ate sushi, yum.
We celebrated the 55 years of happy marriage from my grandmother and grandfather by going out for dinner. It was fun hanging out with the family and yummy food! It is adorable to see those two together, still in love.
But one of the best things I did this month was definitely the Beauty and the beast musical. I think you all know by now that I have an undying love for Disney and that I'm the biggest fan of Beauty and the beast. I saw the production from 2005 and comparing them, I think I like this one a little better except for Belle. Gaston and the Beast were a-ha-mazing. I loved the decor and the music gave me tingles. It was fun hanging out with our group of eight and it was a night I will not forget and I got some goodies to remind myself of it (mug, notebook, t-shirt, tote bag and book with photographs)
Monthly recap January '16 | Moving & Beauty and the beast.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
36 comments
TTT | 2015 releases I meant to read (but didn't)
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Hosted by: The broke and the bookish.
Sabaa Tahir – An ember in the ashes.
This book was really hyped up, but then the negative reviews started to pour in on my feed and I lost track of it. I might pick it up anyway, but it's not high on my priority list anymore.
Marie Rutkoski – The winner's crime.
I have no excuses for this one. I definitely need to get a copy and read it.
Julie Kagawa – Iron warrior.
I simply forgot this book was released this year. Definitely a book I want to read any time soon.
18 comments
Labels: Feature, Top 10 Tuesday
Review 250. Juliet Marillier – Dreamer's pool.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Title: Dreamer's pool.
Author: Juliet Marillier.
Pages: 434.
Published: November 4th 2014 by Roc Hardcover
Sort: Blackthorn & Grim #1.
This book tells the story of three different point of views: Blackthorn, Grim and Oran. Their separate stories come together to craft an interesting plot that hold few surprising twists; but it managed to hook me to the story nevertheless.
Author: Juliet Marillier.
Pages: 434.
Published: November 4th 2014 by Roc Hardcover
Sort: Blackthorn & Grim #1.
In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais. He knows her only from a portrait and sweetly poetic correspondence that have convinced him Flidais is his destined true love. But Oran discovers letters can lie. For although his intended exactly resembles her portrait, her brutality upon arrival proves she is nothing like the sensitive woman of the letters. With the strategic marriage imminent, Oran sees no way out of his dilemma. Word has spread that Blackthorn possesses a remarkable gift for solving knotty problems, so the prince asks her for help. To save Oran from his treacherous nuptials, Blackthorn and Grim will need all their resources: courage, ingenuity, leaps of deduction, and more than a little magic.
People who follow me for a long time might get tired of this, but I'm going to repeat it again: I love Marillier and she's one of my favorite authors. Her books always have something magical to me and while this first book didn't live up to Daughter of the forest, I really enjoyed it and I'm impatiently waiting for the sequels.
20 comments
Love-a-thon sign-up post '16.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Hello, friends! It is with great pleasure that I can announced that the sign-ups for the 2016 Love-a-Thon are officially open today. I'm really excited about this year's event. Last year I was a participant and this year I am one of the co-hosts together with Cee of The Novel Hermit, Hazel of Stay Bookish and Alexa from Alexa loves books. We've got plenty of fun things in store that will challenge your creativity and foster positivity and friendship in the book communities – on blogs, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. I hope that you're ready to get in on sharing the love with us this year, whether you're an event veteran or newbie!
The Love-a-Thon is an event dedicated to spreading positivity and love. It's time dedicated to visiting other bloggers/Instagrammers/BookTubers, leaving a comment or two, making new friends and fostering positivity among the members of our amazing community. As in the previous years, the event will include mini challenges, Twitter chats and giveaways galore! The full schedule will be sent to you when you've signed up, so you can start preparing your posts.
We're really looking forward to seeing everyone participate in sharing love, encouragement and inspiration all over the bookish communities on the blogosphere, Instagram and YouTube! And, of course, we hope everyone will have fun. If you're interested in participating, please fill in the sign-up form below. Once that's done, you can consider yourself an official #LoveAThon participant!
FAQWho can participate in the Love-a-Thon?
All book bloggers, Bookstagrammers, BookTubers, authors and publishers are welcome to jump in! We have challenges spanning three different platforms (blogs, YouTube & Instagram), and you can participate as much or as little as you'd like. (Everyone is invited to join in on the Twitter chats though!)
When is the Love-a-Thon happening?
We're going to be maintaining the two day schedule, with the event taking place from February 20, 12:00AM EST to February 22, 12:00AM EST.
How can I sign up?
All you need to do is fill out the form below! You can grab the banner up top to share on your sidebar or your social media platform of choice. Sign-ups will be open up until February 20, though it's recommended that you sign up early so that you receive the schedule and can plan out what you want to participate in!
How can I help?
There are two ways you can choose to help. First, you can help us spread the word! Last year's number of participants was above and beyond anything I could have imagined. I'm hoping thereare even more of us this time! Second, you can donate to the giveaways! If you want to donate ANYTHING – books, swag, services – towards the mini-challenge giveaways or the big giveaway at the end, please email firstname.lastname@example.com with details.
Use the official hashtag (#LoveAThon) when tweeting about the event. I'll be checking on it every now and then, so use it if you want me to see your tweets!
Questions, comments, concerns or suggestions?
If you have any other concerns that were not answered here, feel free to send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com or to tweet any of us (@alexalovesbooks • @thenovelhermit • @staybookish • @dailyprophecy).
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up to participate in the 2016 Love-a-Thon today! If you do sign up, please know that we are so grateful and so excited to have you joining us this year. This community is really wonderful, and constantly growing, and is made up of such unique individuals. It's truly awesome to be able to celebrate it, and to celebrate each other too!
5 comments
Let it go | Fairytale edition.
Friday, January 15, 2016
John Connolly – The book of lost things.
RATING: 5 out of 5.
This book was fantastic and I highly recommend it to everyone. Such a gorgeous writing-style. It sucked me in from the beginning and it blew me away with some of its wisdom and word choices. I already shared one of his quotes in one of my monthly recaps, so here is another one:
"Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath a blanket, books had no real existence in our world. Like seeds in the beak of a bird waiting to fall to earth, or the notes of a song laid out on a sheet, yearning for an instrument to bring their music into being. they lie dormant hoping for the chance to emerge.They want us to give them life."
The author made it really easy to connect with the young boy David, which is not an easy task. There was not a moment where I felt the voice was too young or too old; it was simply perfect.
The subtle use of the fairytales and how they are not the perfect happily-ever-after characters, the emotions throughout the story, the character development; I loved it all. David misses his mother and he has a hard time accepting the fact that his father has a new woman in his life; and that he has a little brother. His behaviour felt realistic and I liked the aspect of his family and how he slowly starts to accept his new life.
Gah, this is one of those books I want to reread very soon.
Margaret Peterson Haddix – Just Ella.
RATING: 2 out of 5.
I started this book with high hopes, but it turned out to be a disappointment. The author managed to use a creative spin on the original tale, but that's pretty much all I liked about it. The tale of Cinderella and the fairy godmother turned out to be a simple gossip; Ella's real story is less magical. That was interesting – and also the way her happily-ever-after evolves was a nice addition.
Ella was okay. I had a feeling I SHOULD have loved her, but in the end I didn't. She stands up for herself, she manages to escape out of prison and in the end she realizes there is no such thing as love-at-first-sight, so she had all the right aspects to turn into a great heroin. She just felt too flat and I had no connection whatsoever.
Brianna Shrum – Never Never.
RATING: 3 out of 5. I received an eARC from the publisher on Netgalley.
I've always had my doubts about Peter and a feeling there was more to Hook than the information we've been given. This is one of those books that made me feel sorry for Hook. James is an innocent boy who wants nothing more than growing up. One day he meets Peter and the boy promises him that he can take him to Neverland for a vacation. Instead, James is dumped there with no way to return to his old life. He turns bitter and starts to see Peter for the hateful, childish boy he is. We also see glimpses of Wendy and Tiger Lily. This book went on for too long; there are many repetition and it started to get boring, but the ending was worth it.
Have you read any of these books? Interested in one of them?
27 comments
Labels: 2 hearts, 3 hearts, 5 hearts, Fairytales, Favorites, Feature, Let it go, Retellings, Review, Review copy
Review 249. Leigh Bardugo – Six of crows.
Tuesday, January 05, 2016
Title: Six of crows.
Author: Leigh Bardugo.
Pages: 465
Published: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co.
Sort: Part one of Six of crows.
Review Shadow and Bone.
Review Siege and Storm.
Review Ruin and Rising.
This book is set in the same world as the Grisha trilogy. This could have turned out as a lazy way to skip all the word-building, but Leigh brings amazing new details to her world and perfectioned it. This book actually makes me want to reread the Grisha trilogy again. I was a big fan of Shadow and Bone, loved Siege and Storm, but was disappointed by Ruin and Rising. She made me fall in love with her world all over again and it was great to find out that Six of Crows is set in The Netherlands!
This is definitely my favorite work by Leigh so far, because it has everything I was looking for. This is one of those books that I will reread often.
Author: Leigh Bardugo.
Pages: 465
Published: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co.
Sort: Part one of Six of crows.
Review Shadow and Bone.
Review Siege and Storm.
Review Ruin and Rising.
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.
This is definitely my favorite work by Leigh so far, because it has everything I was looking for. This is one of those books that I will reread often.
32 comments
Labels: 5.5 hearts, Fantasy, Favorites, Review
Retelling January '16 | Recap of 2015.
Friday, January 01, 2016
First off, if you haven't signed up for this challenge, you can until February 1st. Go to the introduction post with the master sign-up linky.
Other technical details: don't forget to tweet and Instagram with the hash-tag #fairytaleRC.
Can you believe it's already 2016 and that we are starting a new, clean sheet? Let's keep those fairytale retellings coming! I hope you are all ready to get some reading done (let me know in the comments which level you are aiming for and what your first book might be.) At the end of this post you can put links to your challenge page/post and every review you post on your blog. Please make this easy to navigate by putting it like this:
UPDATE @ your name/blog name. This is your master post, like your challenge page.
REVIEW – book title @ your name/blog name.
I am SO excited you guys! There was a moment where I wasn't sure if I wanted to host the challenge again. It's quite time consuming and I wasn't sure if I had enough ideas, but then I had a moment of inspiration and I wrote down tons of ideas for the monthly posts. It's a shame I didn't receive many feedback on my November 2015 post, but I got a few new ideas from people and I will work with it.
I thought this would be a good time to recap the Fairytale challenge from 2015 and to give you a little view of what you can expect from 2016.
Sign-up post, where 142 participants joined.
January | Fairytale beginnings.
February | Quiz to find out your ending.
March | Discussion: are fairytales over?
April | Uprooted giveaway.
May | My ideas for fairytale retellings.
June | Favorite villains.
July | Dressing up.
August | Fairytale recommendations.
September | In defence of Disney princesses.
October | True stories.
November | Feedback.
December | Bingo card.
The bingo card was posted December 2015, but you have the chance until March 1st to finish the card. This will give you an extra entry in the giveaway I will host in December, so make sure you place the card somewhere on your social media, so I can find it back as prove. Here is the card again:
One square is enough to qualify for the extra points in the giveaway!
What can you expect from this challenge in 2016?
I am planning to integrate Youtube and/or Instagram into the challenge. I have a puzzle, a new quiz, discussion posts, information and hopefully a few more challenges. I'm also going to place a bigger focus on other retellings than fairytales, to make sure this challenge is suited for everyone! I'm also using at least one guest post, so I think we are up to some fun posts!
If there is something you really want to see, let me know!
26 comments
Labels: Challenge, Fairytales, Feature
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text: Graded VG 40 by SGC. 1895 N300 Mayo's Cut Plug of Hall of Famer Kid Nichols. A very attractive example of one of Nichols' most impressive cards. Sharp-looking card with an outstanding image and perfect clarity, and centered 15/85 left to right. Perfectly clean on the back. This card has been downgraded due to a single crease and just some light edge and corner wear as is almost always the case with Mayos due to their condition-sensitive flush-to-the-border design. This is also a fascinating card since it was issued several years after Nichols finished the 1889 season with Omaha, and signed with Boston in 1890. There were not yet any photographs of Nichols in a Boston uniform available, so Mayo took a photo of Nichols in his Omaha uniform and had the art department add "Boston" onto his uniform. On close examination of the photograph this is easily seen, giving the card an added dimension of interest and appeal. The Mayo set includes many of the most striking portrait cards of many very significant players. This is a very attractive example of one of Nichols' most impressive cards, and one of the most desirable Hall of Famers in the Mayo's series. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000/$2,000+. SOLD FOR $1,778

subset: commoncrawl


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When we started Packergeeks, we intended to spend most of our time on the Packers but also to offer lots of commentary on broader NFL issues. Mostly for reasons of time, we haven't done as much of the latter. We'll do more of that going forward this year, and a lot of it next year.
So let me say this about today's Colts/Chargers game: It is one of the worst-officiated games I've seen in ages. Virtually all of the bad calls have gone against San Diego. One phantom pass interference call early in the fourth quarter was the kind of utterly baffling flag that will surely start conspiracy theorists tongues wagging. Does the NFL want to see a Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady AFC Championship? A holding call on San Diego immediately before halftime was at least suspect. It negated an interception return for a touchdown that would have put the Chargers up 14-10 going into halftime.
The Colts were the victim of one awful call, too, when officials ruled that Reggie Wayne stepped out before he crossed the goal line. They were wrong and the call was reversed on a challenge.
But as I say, the overwhelming numbers of bad calls have gone against the Chargers. I say this as someone who has many good friends that are Colts fans. Moreover, I think Phillip Rivers throws like a girl, whines like a bitch and generally sucks. Plus, I'd like to see Norv Turner fail, largely because his hiring was inexplicable. I'd like to see GM AJ Smith lose in the same round he did last year, which caused the Chargers to fire Marty Schottenheimer.
It's 21-17 now, Chargers. If they end up losing, the officials will have had a major role in the loss.
UPDATE: See here for a San Diego view of a potential Colts-Pats championship game.
UPDATE II: Chargers win 28-24. Gutty performance, as they won without Ladanian Tomlinson in the second half and with a hobbled Antonio Gates. (Others will point out that Phillip Rivers got hurt in the third quarter and did not return. I won't. His replacement, Billy Volek, is better.)


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Old-fashion candy sticks are the best go-to treat for anyone! Gilliam has produced a huge variety of fun and flavor in their famous candy sticks. Each stick has a unique flavor and color.


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Tuesday, January 22, 2013
9 comments:
- cieldequimper said...
Poor things...
About the compagnons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compagnons_du_Tour_de_France
- January 22, 2013 at 1:06 AM
- Lynette said...
I would have never supposed to find penguins among people like this, Bob.
- January 22, 2013 at 1:26 AM
- Olivier said...
superbe cette parade des pingouins, et voit que les enfants (et les parents) sont heureux.
Je voulais vous remercier, suite a la fin de la gréve de la poste d'Evry (ouf) j'ai eut le plaisir de recevoir votre cadeau NYC. Evidemment , vous remercierait Carolyn pour ce cadeau. Il m'a fait énormément plaisir. Je vais pouvoir frimer au réunion photo ;o))
- January 22, 2013 at 1:36 AM
- s.c said...
And nobody had a fish in hand?
- January 22, 2013 at 4:14 AM
- PerthDailyPhoto said...
Penguin on the run hey Bob!
- January 22, 2013 at 7:04 AM
- Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...
What a treat to walk among penguins without having to go to Antartica.
- January 22, 2013 at 8:50 AM
- Unknown said...
LOL at the first two sentences of your commentary! In Patagonia I've visited a huge colony (other species) on the nesting season, it was amazing how close you could get before beeing hit by a angry mother. :-)
- January 22, 2013 at 12:04 PM
- William Kendall said...
Great shots!
One of them is thinking, "where is that meddlesome flying rodent Batman?"
Somebody had to say it!
- January 22, 2013 at 2:50 PM
- Jack said...
It doesn't seem right to be trotting them down an American street.
- January 22, 2013 at 9:04 PM


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Pit Bull won.
hehe Now where the hell am I supposed to get a replacement stuffed Mako Shark??
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Pit Bull vs Shark
9 comments:
Here's Damien Hirst's fax number 0870 98463734.
- ERV said...
You're a bit of an ace on the doggie kind, so maybe you can help me with a speciation question. Are any types of dog speciated due to sterility yet (e.g. mules) or is it still at the practical stage - Danes and Pekes (eek!)?
Having an online spat with a Cretinist and want to nail this one down before addressing his question: "Please tell me why the monkeys should evolve to humans when they are optimal adapted to their environment?"
I know, I know - why bother? Well, I came over all didactic when I heard this: "Why black people have this crimped hairs but the monkey´s doesn´t have it?"
That'll teach me to go round spouting the Out of Africa hypothesis to idiots.
- ERV said...
Sterility? I dont think so-- but that question doesnt really relate to the 'monkey' human split.
'Monkey' is usually reserved to a specific branch of primates-- chimpanzees/gorillas/orangutans/us are apes.
"Please tell me why the monkeys should evolve to humans when they are optimal adapted to their environment?" is a silly question. First of all, 'monkeys' arent *optimal* for their environment. Theyre adequate. Adequate enough to reproduce and generate offspring.
So say they are 'adequate' for a 10 mile radius. What happens when there are too many monkeys for the food supply? All of a sudden, adequate isnt so adequate.
Oh yeah, I'm getting a LOT of silly questions!
The doggie issue came up because this particular Cretinist thinks 'survival of the fittest' implies that descendent species wipe out the precursors (as if always in direct competition). A confusion over population genetics, etc, but this chump insists that the coexistence of Pekinese dogs and wolves 'disproves' evolution since the 'weak' species is still around. Huh, saywat? Hence the 'why are there monkeys if they improved into humans?'.
So, I was trying to get him to grasp speciation events and the plasticity of the genome, but canis might have been a poor choice since dogs can interbreed (in the presence of stepladders) despite the enormous variety.
Macroevolution is the big sticking point. "A finch is still a finch". To him, all hominid intermediates have been 'exposed as fakes'. He might be accessing a Hyper-Bunkum Creationist website as his responses are often non sequitur. I'd love to know the URL - it must be a peach!
I'm trying him out on Just So Stories but he's finding it a stretch imagining something like an airbreathing fish could adapt to life on land and evolve into reptiles. He's gonna spew when I do whales!
But I'm making progress: although he denies that a fish can evolve into a reptile, at least he's getting his common ancestors worked out - a while back he would have asked how can a chicken become a elephant?
Creationism is my fave form of irrationalism, probably because the scale of self-deception is so vast. Baiting astrologers just can't compare.
Why is it so militant now? My theory is that Creationist apologetics is in its death throes due to the genome projects. The history of descent with modification is written in the genome so they need to get evolution out of schools NOW before every schoolkid in the country knows about the fused no.2 chromosome for chimps and humans. Don't even get me started on junk DNA common errors.
Gulp! I used the J-word - *hangs head in shame*!
- ERV said...
Aw maaaan! You dont happen to be near an 'Explore Evolution' exhibit, do you? They have a PERFECT example for this particular 'problem': diatoms.
Pool of water, one species of diatom.
Pool of water split into two pools of water-- diatoms diverged into two species of diatoms.
Two pools of water became one pool of water, two species of diatoms happily co-existed.
A diatom is a diatom.
When one of the diatoms is a cod, then we can talk.
Well, that's what I predict the response will be. Nice example though.
Of course, there's no fact checking going on on his side. I might as well tell him that scientists managed to evolve an aquatic dog with webbed paws and a blowhole by repeatedly dunking puppies in a swimming pool. Moby Dog.
- Bob O'Hara said...
Well, quantok - that would explain the shark diet.
It appears my monkey-sceptic Cretinist opponent has friends in high places. I found a reference to the New York Times coverage of ID :-
"there was a panel on the subject on Larry King Live, in which Larry asked the following question: "All right, hold on. Dr. Forrest, your concept of how can you out-and-out turn down creationism, since if evolution is true, why are there still monkeys?"
[Greetings From Idiot America. By Charles P. Pierce, as originally published in Esquire Magazine, 11/1/05]
Google it - nice article!


text:
Bathroom window privacy ideas
bathroom window privacy ideas
Bathroom design, bathroom window privacy ideas, should combine beauty, compactness, and multifunctionality, and sometimes it is very difficult to achieve perfection. Even when the room is spacious.
Important: the key to a comfortable and beautiful bathroom window privacy ideas environment will depend on the correct location of objects, a combination of selected materials and ergonomic furniture distribution. So, bathroom window privacy ideas!
Space and comfort in the bathroom window privacy ideas
First of all, let us talk about the release of the area before creating a design project.
In the bathroom window privacy ideas, everyone wants to not only wash their hands or take a bath but also to relax in a pleasant atmosphere, forgetting about all the difficult minutes of the working day. That is why the arrangement of the bathroom window privacy ideas should have to complete relaxation. To achieve this effect, one should think not only about the selection of finishing materials, furniture, and bathroom but also about getting rid of unnecessary items.
What should be removed and what should be left in the bathroom window privacy ideas
To achieve maximum space, comfort and convenience in the bathroom window privacy ideasbathroom should be left only those items and accessories that are used every day. If this is not possible, all this should be hidden in a special invisible box. In the form of accessories of this nature should not be left in any case. So, bathroom window privacy ideas.


text:
Wilmington Police Dept. Lieutenant Yolanda R. Sparrow Graduates from FBI National Academyby GDN Shared Post October 23, 2010
Wilmington, NC – The Wilmington Police Department is proud to announce the graduation of Lieutenant Yolanda R. Sparrow from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Lt. Sparrow was selected among seven candidates from the State of North Carolina and 272 candidates representing 49 states in the US and District of Columbia, 26 international countries, five military organizations and four federal civilian organizations.
"What an amazing privilege it is to have been chosen for such an outstanding training program," says Sparrow. "As a youth, I would never have imagined that an African-American young lady such as myself from the inner-city of Wilmington, NC would make it this far. This truly proves that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to." Sparrow, a native of Wilmington, has been with the Wilmington Police Department since 1986. She entered the agency by way of the Summer Youth Program as a records clerk and gradually moved through the ranks to Lieutenant.
The FBI National Academy, internationally known for its academic excellence, is one of the most prestigious law enforcement programs in the world. Sparrow started the program on July 11 of this year and graduated on September 17. The ten-week course is designed to provide the candidates with intense leadership classes designed by the University of Virginia, the FBI Academy Instructional Staff, Special Agents and other staff members. All classes are geared toward preparation for current and future leadership in law enforcement around the world.
The course also is physically demanding. During the ten weeks Sparrow along with other classmates completed a rigorous training schedule, ran nearly 100 miles and completed 1000's of push-ups, all in an effort to prepare them physically and mentally for the challenge of leadership. "This was an amazing challenge for me, having sustained a traumatic injury two years ago, I was amazed at how quickly my mind, body, and soul adjusted to the intense work outs," says Sparrow.
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller was the principal speaker at the graduation ceremony.
The FBI National Academy was started in July of 1935. This year the Academy celebrates its' 75th Anniversary. http://www.fbi.gov/hq/td/academy/na/na.htm. Use this site to get some background on the FBINA.


text:
NAACP: Charges dropped against 50 protesters in NC
The North Carolina chapter of the NAACP says Wake County prosecutors have dismissed criminal charges against more than 50 people arrested last year while protesting at the state legislature.
NAACP President William Barber says lawyers representing protesters were told Wednesday that charges are being dropped against those arrested at the Moral Monday protest May 20. Barber says the cases were dismissed after two protesters tried Tuesday were acquitted by District Court Judge Joy Hamilton.
District Attorney Colon Willoughby did not know the total number of dismissals, but said his office plans to move forward with the remaining cases.
More than 930 people were arrested last year at protests over conservative legislation enacted by the Republican-led General Assembly. Barber said 31 defendants have been acquitted so far, with 26 found guilty.


text:
Amber Tamblyn and David Cross have finally made it official!
The longtime lovebirds swapped vows over the weekend, her rep confirms to E! News.
GMA weather anchor Sam Champion engaged!
U.S. & World
Filmmaker Lance Bangs broke news of the couple's nuptials when he shared an Instagram photo of the newlyweds slow dancing at their wedding with their arms wrapped around each other.
"Yo La Tengo playing Superchunk, Mission of Burma, and Pixies covers at David and Amber's wedding," Bangs wrote.
The 29-year-old Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants star and 48-year-old Arrested Development funnyman announced their engagement in August 2011 after dating for two years. (Last month, Tamblyn was one of the few close friends invited to Pants pal Blake Lively's wedding to Ryan Reynolds.)
This is the first marriage for both Tamblyn and Cross.
(Originally published Oct. 7, 2012, at 12:48 p.m. PT)


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Just feel like bring her out so i decided go home early after work.
After bath and dinner, i went out with my mom and the little one to Leisue Mall
Went to Popular to buy book for her and BEBE Home she grab a toy and don't let's go!
So i just buy for her and she look so happy! Weeweee
She holding her new toy from the shop till we reach home!
Happy girl...


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From WikiGallery
Souvenir de la Rotte, pres Rotterdam - Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - WikiGallery.org, the largest gallery in the world
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Souvenir de la Rotte, pres Rotterdam
by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
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Turkey shaped sandwiches don't have to be complicated at all. Actually, from a round sandwich, it's pretty easy to make a turkey! Just use your favorites to make feathers, faces and beaks, and voila! A turkey!
Mine from last year--the turkey is cut from cheeses, using a circle cutter and part of a duck cutter.
Multi-colored apple slices make cute turkey feathers in this bento from Bentology
From Our Lil' Kingdom, scalloped cheese slices poke out as the turkey feathers
From Cute Food for Kids, a simple turkey sandwich with cheese feathers and a bit of pepper and nori for accents.
From Crouching Mother, Hidden Toddler, this turkey has feathers made from multi-colored bell peppers, using a the ears on a bunny cookie cutter to shape them.
Want more Thanksgiving lunch inspiration?
Check out these Fun Thanksgiving Foods!


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RSBS Presents: Great Moments in Beer
Whether it's the crappiness of Old Style at a Cubs game or the deliciousness of Anchor Steam while watching the Giants, beer plays almost as integral a role in baseball as do the bat and ball. In fact, based on some of my experiences, maybe even a more integral role. It's a lot easier to sit through an hour long rain delay when you have a 16 oz. beer in the cupholder in front of you.
Over here at RSBS, we believe in the power of beer. Sometimes it's a Miller Lite while watching college football, sometimes it's the more refined tastes that come out of Michigan's own Bell's Brewery. In honor of all the goodness that beer has brought to our lives, we present our own great moments in beer.
June 4, 1974
Of course any list that celebrates the great moments in beer on a baseball blog has to include Cleveland's infamous 10 cent beer night. The plan was brilliant and the seats filled up. It's just that you can afford to drink a lot of beer when it's only 10 cents a cup. And when you're a baseball fan, your team stinks and you've had a lot of beer, well, things can get a little out of hand. It may not exactly be a positive moment in the history of beer but it definitely counts as a great moment.
In the middle of the first Bush presidency, America needed a pick-me-up. Luckily, beer was there to provide the bootstraps and the pull. In case you don't remember quite as vividly as my then 12-year old mind can still recall, 1991 was the year that Old Milwaukee introduced us to the Swedish Bikini Team. Ok, so they may not have actually been Swedish. And they may not have been an actual team. But that doesn't make the moment any less memorable. Relive it again.
August 12, 2009
Sometimes when your team stinks and they're getting pummeled once again, you feel the need to take things into your own hands. And who's there when you're looking for a sidekick? Why, it's our old buddy beer. Sure, Cubs fans aren't exactly known for being classy and this guy looks like a grade-A DB but it got the job done. I'm not condoning the act and I hope that karma took care of things but, I also bet Victorino thought twice the next time he went back for a fly ball in the Wrigley outfield.
September 15, 2010
However, one of the greatest moments in the history of beer took place only recently and it didn't happen on a baseball diamond. Just this month man took another step in the evolutionary process when he finally learned how to deep fry beer. Oh yes, you heard me right. A Texas chef finally perfected the process for deep frying beer and the results will be introduced sometime this month. I think we can all agree that having a beer to wash down a deep fried beer might just be the moment of perfection that causes the universe to fold up on itself. I'm willing to give it a try, though.
Welcome to October!


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A pan of warm muffins on the counter on a Saturday or Sunday morning makes my kitchen happy... Especially when there's a crumbly streusel topping, and the muffins are full of spices.
These muffins are a little unique, spiced with cardamom, nutmeg and a hint of ginger. There's crystallized (candied) ginger in the topping, too, and the unexpected mild heat of the ginger is a wake-up to the taste buds first thing in the morning.
I found the crystallized ginger at World Market, a store I'm tempted to visit every week, but have to limit myself to visiting just once every couple of months. Jamie might regret having introduced me to that store, since every time I walk in, I find something new and interesting that I just know wants to come home with me. Striped pasta, unique spices and exotic teas, cute little ramekins, baking dishes and utensils, pretty plates, bowls and table linens, rustic wine bottle racks... It's a good thing I'm limited by our cupboard space - there simply isn't room for anything else.
Some major things are changing at work, although I won't go into detail since I don't like talking about work in my blog posts. But I will say that I'm facing some big decisions, and while it's also an opportunity to try something new and possibly pursue something I'm more passionate about, it's also stressful and a little overwhelming. On a related note of pursuing my passion, I've been following the progress of the Cottage Food Law, which just passed in Colorado last month, now making it legal to operate a home-based food business. I would love to hear from any of you who have started your own food business, as I can use all the advice and insight that someone experienced in that area could offer me.
So these muffins are a comfort. We ate the muffins plain, just warm from the oven, but if you have to put something on them, a drizzle of honey might be just the thing.
Apple, Cardamom and Ginger Streusel Muffins
printable recipe
muffin batter:
- 2/3 cup grated apple (1 medium-large or 2 small apples)
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon crystallized or candied ginger, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray (the muffins will overflow to create muffin tops, so the spray will keep them from sticking where they spill over), then line the pan with 12 paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the grated apple, brown sugar, honey, oil, eggs, vanilla and yogurt until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.
Fill the muffin cups with the batter; they will be full, almost to the top. In a small bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients, using your fingers or a fork to mash the butter into the dry ingredients until moist and crumbly - I like my streusel topping a little more dry and crumbly, but if you like yours more moist and buttery, just increase the amount of butter. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter and gently press it into the batter.
Bake muffins for 18-22 minutes, until the topping is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Yields 12 muffins.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen


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Monday, February 16, 2009
Guest Room Makeover & Fun Idea #4
And just a fun idea: The little beige book on the nightstand? It is our guest book that we purchased after the room and bathroom were finished in November 2007 and ready to receive guests. We include a picture from each visit and the guest writes a little note. It is fun to look back on the fun visits from friends and loved ones.
14 comments:
- Jessica Jane said...
I love it! It looks fabulous. Who wouldn't love staying there? And I love the guestbook idea. That's one of my favorite things at a bed and breakfast.
- February 16, 2009 at 8:23 PM
- Nicole said...
It turned out soooo darling! I love the new room!! The only problem is that you did all your shopping at Target, instead of Walmart. {hehehe, wink,wink} =)
- February 16, 2009 at 9:07 PM
- April said...
That turned out AWESOME! Now we need to come and visit!
- February 16, 2009 at 9:21 PM
- Lorilee said...
It looks awesome Amber!! I love the calmness of it. Great job to you and your mom!!
- February 16, 2009 at 9:55 PM
- Sonja said...
You guys are AMAZING! It looks so nice and inviting. Your guests will feel so welcome! I think it is incredible that you spent less than $100.
The guest book is such a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing!
- February 16, 2009 at 10:31 PM
- Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...
I love Target and I love that you change things up. Just because it says one thing, doesn't mean you can't make it something else.
Oh - the guest book idea is awesome!
- February 16, 2009 at 11:30 PM
- The Bennett Bunch said...
That turned out beautiful!!!! What a great make over for an incredible price. I love Target!!!
- February 16, 2009 at 11:39 PM
- Ice Cream said...
Yowsa, yowsa! The room looks fabulous and the guest book idea is sheer genius!
- February 17, 2009 at 2:54 AM
- Heather said...
Gorgeous! I'm so impressed!
- February 17, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- Montay said...
I want that ! I have a guest room and I would love to have a guest book and fun bed set wanna come over??
- February 17, 2009 at 11:27 AM
LOVE IT!! Love it, love it, love it. Looks great, Amber! Can I come stay over? Never was $98.00 put to better use!
- February 17, 2009 at 11:34 AM
- Cammy Aller said...
Awesome!! I love it and I might use the idea of the guest book. We have many visitors so that would be fun to start! You are very talented with all your ideas and crafts!
- February 19, 2009 at 3:56 PM
- Our Complete Family said...
Wow~ a huge change and I love the results!
My Mom always had a guest book in their guest room, too, and it's still fun to go back and read the entries! Sadly, we don't have a guest room...but in our forever home when he retires we will for sure!
You Go Miss Crafty!
- February 19, 2009 at 9:48 PM
- Eloise said...
Oh my goodness, Amber - what a fantastic transformation! Your *new* guest room looks so inviting and pretty. I love your guest book idea too. Wish I'd started one a long time ago but maybe it's never too late?
- February 19, 2009 at 9:56 PM


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The DS1012G-SK is a starter kit containing the DS1012G (including its usual accessories, i.e. WiFi antenna, terminal block adapters, mounting kit and waterproof secondary cover kit), a U.S. power supply, a DB9F-to-DB9F null modem serial cable (for connection to PC), and a straight-through Ethernet cable.
The DS1012G-SK has all the features of the DS1002SK with the addition of WiFi capability. The wireless connectivity means that you can build fail-safe control systems that switch communication types automatically. For example, if Ethernet goes out, it can switch to WiFi.
The DS1012G is a 4-port programmable industrial controller designed primarily for serial-over-IP and serial control projects. It comes pre-loaded with a fully functional open-source serial-over-IP application.
The four ports of the DS1012G can be programmed for RS232, RS422 or RS485. Four terminal block adapters are included for you to use instead of the DB9 connectors built in.
A version of this controller kit with isolated ports is available the DS1013G-SK.
The DS1012G is programmable in Tibbo BASIC and/or Tibbo C which also provides a complete IDE for debugging. The functionality of the DS1012G is determined by whatever Tibbo BASIC/C application it is running. It is perfectly suited for work as an intelligent serial controller, a serial device server, or a serial communications gateway.
It requires 10-18V DC power, which can be provided through a 3.5mm coaxial jack (center positive) or a two-pole screw terminal. This kit's included power supply will plug into the coaxial jack.
View the TIDE, TiOS, Tibbo BASIC and Tibbo C Online Manual.
View Tibbo BASIC Introduction Videos.
View a video of the Serial-over-IP application showing WiFi support.
View a video of the Tibbo Connection Wizard showing how to create a Virtual Serial Port and link it with the Device Server.


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Oaths and Vows
John Calvin writes that if James' audience "observed faithfulness as they ought, in their words, there would have been no necessity of so many superfluous oaths." How trustworthy is your speech? Can people believe what you say? Do you see ...Read More
Suffering and Patience
James 5:11 concludes by reminding us that the Lord is compassionate and merciful. We can see this now but it will be even more evident to us at the last day. The vindication that we will experience and the compassion ...Read More
Be Patient
Presently, the people of God suffer under the rule of ungodly men. Yet, as we have read today, one day this will all be reversed. We must, therefore, wait patiently for this day, working to help spread the good news ...Read More
Rich Oppressors
Most wealthy Christians would probably not be guilty of withholding pay from their employees. However, there are many other ways in which wealth can be misused. For example, it is possible to sin by living to the full extent of ...Read More
Sins of Omission
When we confess our sins before the Lord, it is easy to remember our flagrant violations of His law. Harder to see, however, are those times when we have known what is right and yet have not done it. Perhaps ...Read More
If the Lord Wills
The call to recognize God's sovereign will over the future is incumbent upon the rich and poor alike. And though the statement "Lord willing" is not a magic phrase conveying absolute trust in God, it is often true that when ...Read More
One Law Giver
There is most certainly a place for evaluating the spiritual health of the members of our churches. However, this is to be done predominantly by the elders of the church in love and according to the standards of the Law. ...Read More
The Path to Exaltation
God promises to exalt us one day and make us to reign with Christ (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4). However, this exaltation does not come as the result of the exertion of our own power, but results from humility. Only ...Read More
Resist the Devil
All Christians can find at least one area in their lives in which they have sought to follow their own understanding instead of the standards of the Lord. God has promised to forgive us for this behavior if we would ...Read More
He Gives More Grace
If we were to take an honest look at our lives, we all could find times when we have made ourselves friends with the world. We have compromised God's principles for money, status, or power, choosing not to live according ...Read More


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Wall Street Journal Report admits details Infowars warned of nine months ago
Steve Watson
Dec 14, 2012
Back in March Infowars noted that new guidelines put forth by the Obama administration will allow US spy agencies, under the umbrella of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), to keep records on innocent Americans without oversight for up to five years.
The rules on data retention were relaxed Following the 2009 Christmas day underpants bomber debacle. US representatives immediately called for the NCTC's authority to be expanded, saying that there was not enough communication between intelligence agencies.
We warned that changes in such rules would aid the already vast spying architecture that the federal government has aimed directly at the American people.
This week, a report in the Wall Street Journal issues the very same warning, noting that the NCTC can use the data it collates from every US intelligence agency's database, and analyze it to to predict possible criminal behavior of any U.S. citizen.
The WSJ report notes how a head "privacy officer" at the Department of Homeland Security explained to the Obama administration that the new privacy busting powers provided to the NCTC would bring about a "sea change".
From now on, citizens interacting with the federal government are subjected to a procedure where the first question asked is"Are they a terrorist?", according to the DHS official.
The ACLU has noted that NCTC is now capable of carrying out "massive, secretive data collection and mining of trillions of points of data" regarding U.S. citizens, and that "literally anything the government collects is fair game".
The ACLU also noted that these new powers are extremely disturbing, given that the NCTC also presides over government "kill lists", deciding which suspected terrorists are added to them via analyzing data through its "disposition matrix".
Writing in the London Guardian, Greg Greenwald recently noted "the NCTC — now vested with the power to determine the proper "disposition" of terrorist suspects — is the same agency that is at the center of the ubiquitous, unaccountable surveillance state aimed at American citizens."
The NCTC, made up of a combination of intelligence agencies and the Pentagon, was created in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and has drawn criticism ever since for infringement on the Fourth Amendment and basic privacy rights. It now has the ability to act as a central data point for all information on any American citizen submitted to any department of government, or procured by any intelligence agency.
Considering recent revelations that agencies such as the NSA and the CIA are vastly expanding their domestic spying operations the can only mean one thing – more Big Brother.
Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones' Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham in England.
This article was posted: Friday, December 14, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Tags: big brother


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Search Maps
MapMap of part of Essex, King and Queen, and King William Counties LC Land ownership maps, 1249 Relief shown by hachures. Shows the names of some residents. At head of title: Chief Engineers Office, D.N.V. Col. J.F. Gilmer Chf. Engr. Pen-and-ink on pencil grid. Imperfect: a large splash of ink in the upper left portion. LC Civil War maps (2nd ed.), H29 Available also through the Library of Congress web site as raster image.
- Contributor: Campbell, Albert H. (Albert Henry) - Gilmer, Jeremy Francis - Hotchkiss, Jedediah - Campbell, Albert H.
- Date: 1863


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Book Description:
When you think of number-crunching and spreadsheets, you think of Excel, right? After Word, it's the most popular program in the Microsoft Office suite. But if technical jargon isn't your first language, you may have found Excel just a teeny bit frustrating. It can be really hard to pick your way through the many features and make Excel do what you need for it to do.
Once you know how, you can use Excel to
- Create fill-in-the-blank forms
- Prepare expense reports and invoices
- Manage all sorts of data
- Keep sales and inventory records
- Analyze financial data and create forecasts
- Present information in charts and graphs
Excel 2003 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies tames the Excel monster. Nine minibooks break things down into manageable, logical sections covering the basics, worksheet design, formulas and functions, worksheet collaboration, charts and graphics, data management, data analysis, working on the Web, and tweaking Excel with a programming language called Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA. In the friendly, plain-English For Dummies style, this book makes it easy to find what you're looking for and get instructions for doing what you need to do. You'll be able to
- Find your way around Excel's menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes, and access online help
- Format a professional-looking spreadsheet that presents data the way you choose
- Edit an existing spreadsheet without disturbing its design or contents
- Build Excel formulas and use built-in functions to produce the calculations you want
- Share spreadsheet data with other people and programs, and collect comments
- Create great-looking charts and find out how to choose the right format to display your data effectively
- Use Excel to maintain large amounts of data, then filter the data to extract the information you need
- Publish spreadsheets and charts on the Web in HTML format
- Explore ways to customize Excel with VBA
Best of all, it's easy to find what you need in Excel 2003 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies. Before you know it, you'll discover you've developed a friendship with Excel that will make your life easier, boost your business, and impress your friends!


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Two Australian radio DJs posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles called a London hospital early Tuesday and fooled the staff into revealing details about Kate's condition.
The Duchess of Cambridge, formerly known as Kate Middleton, was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital Monday with "hyperemesis gravidarum," or acute morning sickness from her pregnancy, according to NBC News.
With a couple of fake British accents, Sydney's 2DayFM jockeys Mel Grieg and Michael Christian got past a hospital receptionist and were transferred to Kate's personal nurse, the BBC reported.
U.S. & World
"She's sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night," the nurse told the pranksters. "She's been given some fluids; she's stable at the moment."
"When is a good time to come and visit her because I'm the Queen and I need a lift down there," Grieg asks as Christian barks in the background, pretending to be a corgi.
"I would suggest any time after 9 o'clock would be suitable," the nurse says.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The DJs later apologized, and said the segment was done with the best intentions.
"We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well," Grieg and Christian told the BBC.
A hospital spokesman called the joke "foolish" and "deplorable," the BBC reported, and said the hospital is investigating its telephone protocols.
This isn't the first time prank callers infiltrated the royal family. In 1995 Canadian DJ Pierre Brassard, pretending to be Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, was put through to the Queen when she was at Buckingham Palace, according to the BBC.
After an extravagant royal wedding in April 2011 and months of pregnancy speculation, the St. James's Palace confirmed Monday that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting their first child, NBC News reported.
The Palace announced Tuesday that the Duchess will remain in the hospital, but that she is "continuing to feel better." Kate is thought to be less than 12 weeks pregnant, the BBC said.


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We used this crib for Liv and put it back together for baby #2 - it's mini size was perfect for our first place (when we had a really tiny one bedroom apartment) and worked out great! We transitioned Liv to her toddler bed around 18 months and she absolutely loves it. We got this one on sale and couldn't be happier with it - many of you even think the crib and toddler bed are a matching set!
Hopefully one day I'll have our whole place clean at once (in my dreams) and can take some semi-professional pics and do a real home tour before we move to Miami!


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We have written a Desktop Application (Library Management System) with C#.Net.
Due to a customer request, we need to convert it to a Web application and we are forced to use the JSP-Servlet approach.
I have some questions:
1. Is it possible in JSP-Servlet to connect to MS SQL database and use all its features (ex. Stored Procedures)
2. What is the best solution to provide the "Object-Relational Mapping" (convert queries to Objects and vice versa).
3. Do you suggest using EJB? why?
3.1. if the answer is positive, is it better to use "Container Managed Persistence" OR "Bean Managed Persistence"?? and Why?
Thanks in advance.


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"From the Hardcover edition.
"Cunningly panoramic…Doctorow has packed this tale with episodes of existential wonder that cpature the brothers in all their fascinating wackiness." —Elle
"Doctorow paints on a sweeping historical canvas, imagining the Collyer brothers as witness to the aspirations and transgressions of 20th century America; yet this book's most powerfully moving moments are the quiet ones, when the brothers relish a breath of cool morning air, and each other's tragically exclusive company." — O Magazine
"Doctorow works his usual magic in bringing history to life and larding it with disturbing implications…As with much of Doctorow's masterful fiction, Homer & Langley turns the American dream on its ear, offering us a glimpse of the dark side of our national–and personal–eccentricities." — BookPage
"Following the panoramic scope of The March, Doctorow creates a microcosmic and mythic tale of compulsion, alienation, and dark metamorphosis inspired by the famously eccentric Collyer brothers of New York City… Doctorow has Homer, who is blind, narrate with deadpan humor and spellbinding precision…Over the decades, people come and go–lovers, a gangster, a jazz musician, a flock of hippies, but finally Homer and Langley are irrevocably alone, prisoners in their fortress of rubbish, trapped in their warped form of brotherly love. Wizardly Doctorow presents an ingenious, haunting odyssey that unfolds within a labyrinth built out of the detritus of war and excess."
«–Booklist starred review «
"A sweeping masterpiece about the infamous New York hermits, the Collyer brothers…. Occasionally, outsiders wander through the house, exposing it as a living museum of artifacts, Americana, obscurity and simmering madness. Doctorow's achievement is in not undermining the dignity of two brothers who share a lush landscape built on imagination and incapacities. It's a feat of distillation, vision and sympathy."
«–Publishers Weekly starred review «


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Hi guys, I'm new here and haven't read the entire archive, so let me know if this has been covered elsewhere.
Recently I've been running across the argument that DNA is a real language and thus proves God's existence since only a mind can create language. It seems obvious to me that DNA could only be called a language in a colloquial sense. Languages are arbitrary; words mean what they do by convention. DNA is not arbitrary; ATCG are real molecules that will obey physics regardless of convention. Plus DNA doesn't contain abstract information. Am I missing something? Have you guys run across this before and how would you respond?


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Have Questions?
Contact Our Consumer Information Office
- e firstname.lastname@example.com
- p +1 734.418.6612
Toll Free USA
Stovetop Cookware for Home Use
There are many choices available today when shopping for stovetop cookware for home use. This cookware category includes metal cookware, sauté pans, skillets, griddles, grill pans and non-stick cookware intended for use on top of a residential stove.
Choosing a Product
Because of concerns about the quality and durability of home kitchen products like cookware, NSF International developed several protocols under the NSF Home Products Certification Program, including NSF Protocol P390: Stovetop Cookware for Home Use. Cookware certified under this protocol undergoes an extensive evaluation to verify manufacturer performance and label/packaging claims as well as material composition and construction. Certification also includes testing to verify the effectiveness of the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. Residential cookware certified to this protocol is eligible to display the NSF Certified for Home Use mark.
Cleaning Tips
Check your owner's manual for recommended cleaning instructions. If dishwasher safe, remove loose food items with a paper towel or other soft cloth and place in the dishwasher. If not, hand wash the cookware item in warm soapy water, rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean towel after each use. When storing, if you need to stack cookware, be sure to place a protective material between each pan to prevent scratching of protective or nonstick coatings.
Cooking With Stovetop Cookware
Before using new cookware for the first time, be sure to remove all packaging materials and non-permanent labels and thoroughly wash according to the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. Be sure to review usage instructions to make sure you are using the cookware properly. Do not place stovetop cookware in the oven unless it specifically states in the cookware's manual that it is safe to do so.


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Winchester 25 Winchester Super Short Mag 85 Grain Supreme Ballistic Silvert
Winchester provides several styles to match your shooting needs. The Fail Safe delivers unique bullet expansion, deep penetration and consistent performance. Ballistic Silvertips combines proven Nosler Ballistic Tips with a patented Winchester Lubalox coating for the ultimate in extreme range performance. The Accubond CT is a polycarbonate tipped bullet with a heavy tapered jacket bonded to a lead alloy core for controlled expansion and high weight retention. Also has a Boattail base and a Lubalox coating.
SPECIFICATIONS:Mfg Item Num: SBST25WSS Category: AMMO CENTERFIRE Caliber :25 WSSMBullet Type :Ballistic SilvertipBullet Weight :85 GRMuzzle Energy :2273 ft lbsMuzzle Velocity :3470 fpsRounds/box :20 Rounds Per Box, 10 Boxes Per Case


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(Beautiful Nia's a braniac)
Where She's From: Nia was born in Detroit, MI, but "raised all over,� as she puts it to The Black Star News. "I grew up in Hadesburg, Mississippi, Flint, Detroit, and Ann Arbor MI, and New Hampshire,� she laughs. "No my dad was not in the army, he was an electrical engineer so when daddy got a promotion we moved.�
She insists she wasn't traumatized even though she attended nine elementary schools. "So adjusting to the modeling world was very easy for me because I'm used to being a gypsy, a nomad since childhood,� she says.
Nia was raised by a single parent really—her parents divorced when she was very young so her mother did the raising. "With the help of my grandmother, I learned a lot from these two powerful women. My mom told me that 'what's yours cannot be denied, so no need to stress.' Grandma says, 'why you so concerned with what has not happened yet?' Like the future can't carry itself without you worrying about it. Words to live by.�
After high school in Michigan, Nia attended the University of Michigan at AnnArbor. "I started out in the chemical engineering program, like father, and then I switched to economics and sociology,� she says.
Where She's At: "I am not supermodel status yet but I definitely have accomplished a lot at this stage,� Nia says. "I am a working girl in the business. My career started in the Big Apple! The source magazine from New York was traveling around college campus doing runway contests. Out of 300 people who tried out, I was picked to be in the show and then I won. Unbeknownst to me, I won an all expense paid trip to New York City and to be in the magazine. I've been here every since.�
Where She's Heading: She's now eyeing projects such as make up campaigns. "Something like L'Oreal, Maybeline, Cover girl, Black opal, somebody!� she says. "Makeup campaign for a few years, do a spike lee joint—I'm really into independent films and have my own show. I have a lot to say! I have big lungs in this little body.�
She says the biggest challenges in this business are the occasional negative thoughts from time to time: "What you put out into the universe comes back, it's the laws of attraction—The only one stopping me is me. Keeping in mind that thoughts are powerful, so make sure everyone is positive. That is a challenge in this business when you can get side tracked or tempted by other peoples' careers. Just keeping my eye on the prize—You only live once, so make it count!�
She's most proud thus far of gracing the covers of Caras, a Puerto Rican magazine and L'Oreal Paris for South African Fashion week magazine. She's also been in several national and international magazines and on billdboards around New York City, and in stores and on buses. "I'm also in the new Denzel Washington movie, American Gangstar, and have my own men and women's T-shirt clothing line in major boutiques around New York,� adds the tireless entrepreneur.
"Combining beauty and brainpower is important to me because I believe it's necessary to show depth,� Nia continues. "The main reason is I was raised to be a thinker, ask questions, think outside the box—the rest, I consider a blessing by God and good genetics. Might as well put it to good use.�
She maintains her beauty with Palmers coco butter and with shea butter. "I buy the shea butter off the African vendors in Harlem. Where makeup is concerned, I don't wear much of it unless I'm working. Other than that, I buy brands from CVS or Rite Aid, like Black Opal, Iman, and Black Radiance. They have great colors for women of color and trust that they use the same chemist as MAC makeup.�
She's a smart shopper. "I am vintage shop crazy! Love going to vintage stores for clothes and shoes. If I see something I like there and it's too big or what not, then I reconstruct it to my creation,� she says.
Nia's Secrets Of Success: "I am not competitive with any other girl in this business. I worry and focus about me only. I don't spend time wanting what other people have—what's mine is mine, no need to stress. I figure there is no real competition anyway because there is only one me. If you want Nia then, you want Nia no one else can be that.�
Nia's All Time Three Favorite Films: "Color purple, Claudine, and Scarface.�
Nia's All Time Three Favorite Books: "Pimp, Elaine Brown's 'Taste Of Power,' and Clan Of The Cave Bear.�
The First Three Things Nia Would Do As President: "I would definitely make education free, everyone would have medical health coverage and I would install mandatory Military draft for repeat sex offenders, child abusers and molesters, and women beaters--Since they want to prey on someone weaker, put them on front line in a horrific war and see what happens.�
For more on this brainy model and business woman please visit  http://www.myspace.com/isonkeehÂ
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December 05, 2013
By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the NNPA from The Miami Times
Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, 49, is one half of the legendary rap duo Mobb Deep — Havoc being his equally-talented partner behind the mic. But one of the things you realize when sitting down with Prodigy is that he is not the stereotypical rap star. His grandmother, Bernice Johnson, who he says taught him about the world of business and a lot more, was the founder of her own dance studio in Queens, rising just behind the iconic Alvin Ailey in terms of success. grandfather, Budd Johnson and his uncle, Keg Johnson, were both stars in the bebop jazz era — his mother, Fatima Frances Collins, was a member of The Crystals — one of the defining acts of the girl group ear in the early 60s. And it is reported that he is the great-great-grandson of the founder of Morehouse College.
So with such a lineage, music and intellectual thought were clearly part of his DNA. But what's Prodigy doing these days and how's life now that he's served his time associated with a gun-possession charge?
"I'm here in Miami to promote my series of novellas, the first one entitled 'H.N.I.C.,'" he said. "I took some of my friends from Brooklyn and made a fiction story about us. It was originally a movie script and I plan to make it into an independent film with me in front of the camera. I've wanted to get into Hollywood but it's still very tough and so I'm doing to do my own thing."
Prodigy's musical career and the beef between rappers from the East Coast and the West Coast is well chronicled. But how does he compare old school rap to those who are entering the industry today.
"We had something special going on back in the early 90s and from my perspective, it was a defining moment in terms of hip hop," he said. "We created a new sound — New York hip hop and I came up with folks like P. Diddy, Wu-Tang Clan and Nas. It was truly a golden era — one in which we were laying down substantive lyrics. It was a dangerous world too and I'm glad to say that New York City, at least, is a far safer place today than it was back then."
He says that his lyrics and his life were equally impacted by his health — he has dealt with sickle cell anemia since childhood.
"My belief and relationship to God were instrumental in my living beyond 40 — that's the estimated lifespan for a person with the disease," he said. "But also, being in New York and exposed to KRS-One, the Five-Percent Nation and the 120 Lessons made me want to learn about our history and expand my mind. We need more people to bring that kind of thing to the table. You see it's not just about partying, sex and spending money.
There was a rage within us back in those days and you can hear it in my lyrics and even those of Tupac. I've written my memoirs and now I'm writing fiction that has really allowed me to use my imagination.
My hope is that novellas like mine will inspire youth to want to read more. I didn't read when I was growing up. I just want to write things that interest them and teach them about the ups and downs of life."


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Betty White may have called the Facebook army who drafted her onto "Saturday Night Live" losers, but they're not taking it personally.
Emboldened by the their SNL victory and even reveling in her heckling, Facebook types are now calling for the 88-year-old Golden Girl to host the Oscars. Some 43,000 have already expressed their support through the social media site.
In a stroke of viral genius, the 'Getting White to Host the Academy Awards' page has hit the Internet with head-turning momentum. And can you blame the "geeks" --as White called them during her fantastic SNL promo?
The White SNL appearance was the greatest act of entertainment democracy we've seen in years and was the rare "SNL" show that rose to the occasion of a truly great guest. Every skit had at least one laugh which centered around the beloved comedian.
She danced, made dirty jokes and pretty much insulted every race on God's green Earth all with that twinkle in her eye. Ratings numbers went through the roof. Could she not bring that same magic to the Oscars?
Oscar night is similar to SNL in that it's an institution which rarely lives up to its own massive reputation. Everyone can't wait to see it and then spends the next week complaining about the show around the office water cooler. White could ensure that it matches the hype. Critics would be run out of town.
And all the stars from Sandra Bullock to George Clooney would be in on the joke. At the Screen Actors Guild awards this year White pretty much stole the spotlight without even really trying as Hollywood icons tripped over themselves trying to get in on the joke. There's still plenty of love here.
The seemingly knee-jerk idea actually makes a lot of sense. But even if it never gets any further than Facebook, it's a worth watching a joke that hasn't grown old yet.


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Mark Bucher, founder of BGR The Burger Joint, is fighting for asparagus' permanent existence at BGR's 19 locations.
Starting May 15, he has one month to successfully leverage in-store marketing and a Twitter campaign (#savetheasparagus) to keep asparagus on the menu, or come June 16, it will be a casualty of the french fry wars.
To boost his campaign, Bucher vowed to do something unheard of: remove french fries completely from kids' meals and replace them with asparagus spears.
"We decided to take it upon ourselves to force the issue a little bit," Bucher says. "Young kids can't say they don't like something until they try it."
He says he has heard absolutely no backlash about edging fries out of kids' meals; instead, the response has been positive.
At BGR, asparagus spears, dubbed the Green Standard, are grilled and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. But it is far outshined by its menu companions: the Gold Standard (regular fries), the Orange Standard (sweet potato fries), and onion rings.
"I think people like to say they eat healthy, but when given a choice, they tend to go toward the fry route or the onion ring route," Bucher says. "But people that eat [the asparagus] love it. I haven't met a kid yet that doesn't like it."
Given the perishable quality of asparagus and its languishing sales, however, Bucher says it was time to issue an ultimatum.
To raise awareness for the campaign, Bucher has in-store signage and a thermometer on the wall tracking sales, while the staff sports T-shirts sprawled with "Save the Asparagus." If the thermometer surpasses 100 servings in 30 days, Bucher will consider his crusade a success.
Asparagus has been on the menu since the first day BGR opened and Bucher's mother-in-law entered, skimmed the offerings, and demanded to know where the vegetables were.
"She goes, 'What's the rule? You've got to have something green with every meal. There's no green in here!'" Bucher says. "I said, 'Seriously?' So I scratched my head, going, 'This could be a nice way to do something healthier on the menu.' And then we came up with asparagus fries."
He says that whether asparagus reigns supreme or ultimately falls to the french fry regime, the goal of the campaign at the end of the day is to raise awareness.
"If one out of 10 kids tries it and likes it, I've accomplished my mission," he says.
By Sonya Chudgar


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Usually the bride chooses a unused wedding dresses. Preparing for a wedding on Christmas eve is a magical time in every girls life.
How to choose a style of unused wedding dresses?
For your wedding in winter may want to choose a unused wedding dresses. It can be a beautiful lace dress or even a simple wedding dress. Perhaps you will fit a romantic wedding dress or glamorous wedding dress. Or you prefer a wedding dress in ethnic style or a vintage dress in the style of the sixties. Also it can be quite modern style – sheath dress or short dress. Wedding dress with open back or V-neck will emphasize your feminine beauty. Perhaps some girls will choose for themselves on the day of the winter wedding pantsuit as the brides outfit.
unused wedding dresses – how to choose a color?
Wedding dress is traditionally white. Nowadays, the color of the unused wedding dresses dress can be any. Delicate wedding dress in shades of Nude will suit most brides. Wedding dress can also be blue or pink, red or black.
unused wedding dresses – how to choose accessories?
Wedding dress complete with accessories looks especially chic. You will be delightful if you will pick up accessories to a unused wedding dresses according to a shade of eyes, hair and tone of your skin.
How to choose wedding shoes for a unused wedding dresses?
Wedding shoes are selected for the unused wedding dresses. Shoes can complement a wedding dress or be an accent detail. You also need to consider the venue of the wedding.


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Since revamping this blog to focus on musical history, I have transitioned from the lengthier subjective essays (pre-June 2011 entries) to shorter, more objective pieces. One notable exception was my post "Marillion Misplaced Childhood Hits #1 in UK: June 29, 1985".
Like that album, Styx's The Grand Illusion works its way into the DMDB blog more because of my personal love of the album than its historical impact. The album certainly shows up on some best-of lists – it makes the Dave's Music Database lists for the top 1000 albums of all time and the top 100 classic rock albums. However, on a personal level, it was my favorite album of 1977 and one of my top ten albums of all time.
Click photo for more about the album.
I refer to The Grand Illusion as Styx's breakthrough album, but it was neither their debut nor first hit. The group had released four albums with indie label Wooden Nickel. However, they went largely unnoticed until "Lady", a song from 1973's Styx II, was belatedly picked up by radio and became a top ten hit in 1975. The group then signed with major label A&M. The next two albums, 1975's Equinox and 1976's Crystal Ball both landed top 40 hits with "Lorelei" (#27) and "Mademoiselle" (#36) respectively, but the albums didn't even crack the top 50.
Styx's seventh album changed everything. Fueled by second top ten hit "Come Sail Away", The Grand Illusion was a triple-platinum, top ten success which "led Styx steadfastly into the domain of AOR rock" MD and introduced them "to the gates of commercial stardom." MD
Follow-up single, "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", gave Styx its fifth top 40 hit and established them as one of rock's rare bands with more than one singer/songwriter. Dennis DeYoung wrote and sang "Lady" and "Come Sail Away" and later took "Babe" (the group's sole #1 hit), "The Best of Times", "Mr. Roboto", "Don't Let It End", and "Show Me the Way" to the top ten. With "Fooling Yourself", Tommy Shaw became a force as well. His pop success wasn't as pronounced as DeYoung's – his only top ten was "Too Much Time on My Hands" – but he helmed album-rock-friendly gems with "Fooling Yourself", "Crystal Ball", "Blue Collar Man", and "Renegade".
The Grand Illusion also gave guitarist James Young a vehicle to showcase his chops with the hard-charging "Miss America". That song and the title cut have since become staples at album-rock stations.
Granted, Styx has never been a critics' favorite. I am a firm believer, though, that personal taste should always be about what one likes just because one likes it. I argued this point in more depth in my June 27, 2010 blog entry/essay called, appropriately, "The Styx Defense". So go ahead and pull out the album again and listen to it without shame. I'm certainly playing it again for the umpteenth time.
Resources and Related Links:
- Styx's DMDB Encyclopedia entry
- DMDB 6/27/10 blog entry: "The Styx Defense"
- MD Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide
- JF Joe Fernbacher, Rolling Stone (11/3/77)
- WK Wikipedia


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Thousands of people on Saturday participated in a 5K run to benefit the victims' families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Hartford, Conn.
Participants held a moment of silence, followed by the sound of 26 bell tolls, before kicking off the run in Hartford Saturday morning. Nearly 15,000 people participated in the 5k that raised money for the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
"Today, they are going to surround that town of Sandy Hook with love and support," said Beth Shluger, director of the Hartford Marathon Foundation .
U.S. & World
Though thousands ran, many more from across the country wanted to show their support. The Hartford Marathon Foundation set up what's called a virtual run. People were able to donate and run from wherever they lived.
"We have runners in Omaha, Nebraska, Austin and San Francisco," said Shluger. "We have over a thousand virtual runners."
Event organizers expect to raise more than $400,000. The money will go to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
For more information about the race visit the Hartford Marathon Foundation Web page or the foundation's Facebook page.


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The Stephen Colbert of CBS' "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," which made its long-awaited debut Tuesday night, initially didn't seem all that different from the Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report".
The audience greeted him with chants of "Stee-ven! Stee-ven! Stee-ven!" He greeted the audience with a rallying cry of "Hello, Nation!" His red, white and blue Captain America shield adorned his new set, much like his old set.
Colbert sat at a desk and used a series of news clips to skewer Donald Trump – engaging in an imaginary conversation with the presidential wannabe while likening battling the temptation to make Trump jokes to the challenge of eating just one Oreo.
U.S. & World
"Oh, Donald I love you, too," an exasperated Colbert said through a mouthful of cookies. "But I think I'm going to hate myself in the morning."
But Colbert should wake up Wednesday morning feeling pretty good about the first pages of the next chapter in his late night TV comedy career. With the Trump bit, he started to shed his reactionary character – but not his talent as a master of comic reaction.
On "The Colbert Report," he simply would have used his blowhard conservative character to mock Trump under the guise of being a fan of the outspoken developer and former "Celebrity Apprentice" star. On Tuesday, we got to see more of the real Stephen Colbert as he exhibited a familiar comedic sensibility, but without the extra layer of artifice.
The broad smile Colbert flashed throughout his debut helped generate a buoyant atmosphere in the overhauled Ed Sullivan Theater. So did the infusion of infectious, high-energy music from the new "Late Show" house band, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, who offered a rollicking version of Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" with an all-star lineup led by Mavis Staples.
The upbeat approach also permeated Colbert's interview with George Clooney, who was one of the final guests of David Letterman's 22-year "Late Show" run. A series of clips for a fake Clooney movie about intrigue at the United Nations dominated the segment. The gag could have been lifted out of the playbook of Letterman, whom Colbert hailed near the top of the show as one of his comedy heroes.
Colbert set another kind of tone in his interview with GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush, deftly mixing jokes ("I used to play a narcissistic conservative pundit," he told Bush. "Now I'm just a narcissist.") with touches of serious conversation about family and rancorous partisanship ("We have to restore a degree of civility," Bush said). In the nights to come, Vice President Joe Biden, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer are slated to chat with Colbert.
The political slant – in both humor and guests – appears to be one way Colbert hopes to distinguish himself among competition that includes Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Larry Wilmore and Jimmy Fallon, who made two cameos on "The Late Show" Monday.
But, as previously noted, Colbert's bigger challenge remains distinguishing his new TV self from his old TV self. He showed Monday night that while he's leaving behind the character who once defined him, he's stilled propelled by the smart, fast and funny style that lifted him to one of late night television's biggest stages, where he put on an inaugural show worthy of chants of "Stee-ven! Stee-ven! Stee-ven!"
Jere Hester is Director of News Products and Projects at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter.
Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media


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Bottle palletising solution from Apex Automation and Robotics
APEX Automation and Robotics has just installed and commissioned an Automatic Palletiser for a major plastic manufacturer.
The Automatic Palletiser included conveyors for marshalling and orientating polyethylene bottles produced by a blow-moulding machine, then merging them into a single lane before they are collated for palletising.
A cardboard slip sheet is loaded between layers and the bottles are collated and stacked on the top of the sheet. When a layer is complete, a pallet lifter drops one bottle height for the next sheet to be loaded and the next layer of bottles to be stacked and so on.
This custom-designed pallet lifter drops the finished pallet all the way down to floor level so that it can be handled by a pallet jack without the need of a fork truck in the production area.
The system was controlled by a PLC with a HMI (Human Machine Interface) and has undergone a risk assessment in accordance to the requirements of AS4024-2006 Safety of Machinery. Safeguarding included a set of Cat 4 light curtains for easy access to the pallet for loading and unloading, and interlocked safety doors for access to the machine.
APEX Automation and Robotics provides factory automation systems for the plastic industry and other industry sectors. These projects are complete turnkey systems, developed from concept to mechanical and electrical design, programming, then built, tested, installed and commissioned by our team of engineers and technicians.


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Living business in Travel: Survival of the fittest
April 9, 2018
April 9, 2018
Travel incumbents face intense competitive threats. More than $100 billion is set to migrate from established players to new entrants in aviation, travel and tourism in the next decade, according to the World Economic Forum.1 Travel companies are not just selling seats and rooms; they are selling experiences to demanding customers who want their adventures in real time.
Accenture surveyed senior executives from 128 travel companies—airlines, hospitality and travel services—to understand how they are keeping pace with unprecedented competition.
Travel leaders agree that customer expectations are changing faster than ever, 87 percent of travel C-suite leaders surveyed believe that business reinvention is required to succeed. However, only 63 percent of their direct reports agree that past approaches are irrelevant today. This disconnect between leadership and management is a wake-up call.
The disconnect between leadership and management is a wake-up call. Success will only happen if all executives embrace the imperative to not only do things differently, but to do different things.
Industry growth is elusive and becoming harder to achieve. Naturally vulnerable to market cycles, travel is now at the mercy of endless disruptive forces, including:
Competition is intense, with new entrants—the ants and the wolves—disrupting the market.
Ants at the picnic
The ants are the mass of small, nimble players—like the low-cost carriers. What they lack in size, they make up for in tenacity.
Wolves at the door
The wolves are the big hitters like Uber, Airbnb, Google and Amazon. They are disrupting longstanding industry norms with category-redefining business models, tireless innovation and ground-breaking customer experiences.
This convergence of ants and wolves is creating a defining moment in travel. It's about fight or flight, sink or swim—live or die.
The travel C-Suite is under no illusion about what's at stake.
are more likely than their peers in other industries to view business reinvention as critical to success
think they should be more proactive in disrupting their own industry
Self-disruption requires blurring traditional industry lines and connecting to customers wherever they are on their travel journeys. It's about anticipating and curating real-time travel options that serve customers' wants, needs and whims—anytime, anywhere.
To survive in today's competitive market, travel companies must become living businesses. Instead of clinging to established ways of working, living businesses are built to embrace constant change. Their inherent ability to adapt is due to two fundamental characteristics—hyper-relevance and vitality.
Rooted in deep customer understanding, hyper-relevance is the ability to deliver hyper-personalized services that flex dynamically around travelers' real-time needs. Being hyper-relevant is getting harder. Sixty-three percent of travel executives saying it is now more difficult to gain customer loyalty than three years ago.
Instead of price, product, promotion and place, living businesses focus on what matters more to customers today.
The new formula for vitality: Hyper-relevance
Vitality is the organizational "architecture" that allows living businesses to break through ongoing shifts in customer expectations.
Our survey reveals that vitality is nuanced across different travel sectors. Hospitality performs best overall. However, while hospitality players believe that they understand their customers, they face challenges with rapid, agile design and scaling experiences. Airlines also believe that they understand their customers but find it difficult to optimize costs and be nimble in experience design.
A living business balances five vital signs to stay relevant
Future travel leaders will be those companies that deliver the real-time experiences travelers crave by investing in the organizational, technological and cultural enablers to make it happen as a living business. To achieve this, travel companies need to work on three core imperatives:
C-suite executives recognize the urgent need to become living businesses. To execute this vision, the first step is to now create a similar sense of urgency for action among the management team.
1 World Economic Forum, "Digital Transformation Initiative: Aviation, Travel and Tourism Industry," January 2017 at http://reports.weforum.org/digitaltransformation/ wp-content/blogs.dir/94/ mp/files/pages/files/wef-dti-aviation-traveland- tourism-white-paper.pdf


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A complete training system for Logic as well as an introduction to Programmable Logic Devices (PLD). This unique starter kit allows users to learn the principles, try out their code and program devices.
This programmer does not support AT22V10B devices as these are officially obsolete.
This package is used by universities and companies worldwide for training on basic logic and PLDs and configuration languages. It can also be used as a low-cost programming unit.


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Sometimes there is nothing more fun that pretending to be somewhere else or becoming someone else. Small children love to play pretend – it comes naturally. We have whole industries built on fantasy. Just look at Hollywood for a major example. Again, Halloween is one of the biggest party holidays of the year, because even the adults get to dress in costume. We, the people, love to play pretend.
Elegant and beautiful formal evenings are one of the perfect places for people to be able to become someone else in another place and another time. With a decade themed prom night, your evening can range from the truly glamorous of the 20s and 50s to the glittering glitz of the ridiculously fun 80s. All it takes is an imagination and a little bit of elbow grease. With some luck, the following ideas will get your started on the imagination end; this year's prom crew can provide the rest!
1920s Prom Theme
Known as the "Roaring Twenties" or the "Jazz Age," when we think 1920s, we often think of Bette Davis, flappers, speakeasies, and Greta Garbo, to name a few off the top. To create the look and feel of the 1920s without revisiting the popular Great Gatsby theme from 2012, turn the prom into a speakeasy. Start with some invitations with iconic Art Deco lettering to invite the juniors and seniors back to a particular moment in time, and make sure all the guests know the "secret entrance" code: knock twice, give a whistle, and then knock once more. "Park" a gangster car standee near the entrance for added back-alley authenticity.
For drinks, make sure the punch is a clear liquid – perhaps mix sprite with clear kool-aid – and instead of traditional cups, use coffee mugs! (Since alcohol was illegal then.) Set up plenty of fog machines, because a real speakeasy was sure to be filled with cigarette smoke.
To announce the prom court, instead of doing it in the traditional fashion, stage a "raid". Have the principal or whomever is going to announce to court come and "raid" the prom venue, complete with police sirens and everything. Once you have secured the attention of everyone in the room, announce the prom court!
Decorations can be simple, yet swanky. Black and gold satin and gossamer table linens, votive candles, and gobs of real looking strings of pearls on the table tops. For the photo standee, be sure to have fedoras and feather boas on stand-by to complete the point.
1950s Prom: At the Hop
Pink and black poodle skirts. Greasers and bomber jackets. Greased Lightnin'! And it is all going to happen at the hop! The 1950s was a time of hope and promise for the U.S. as soldiers returned from war and the war economy produced a time of prosperity that had been preciously unprecedented. Keep this feel good vibe in mind while planning a 1950s prom.
Be sure to have a juke box, or at least a cardboard reproduction. Keep the music themed to the 1950s, or use music from bands like Me First and the Gimme Gimme's, who do updated covers of classic tunes. This is definitely the time to be channeling Elvis Presley, milk shakes, and cat eye glasses.
Set .45s on every table in the form of centerpieces, of course. Have records whirling from the ceiling, as well.
Alternatively, this could also be a good decade to use to play off the popularity of the new film, "On the Road," featuring James Franco and Kristen Stewart. Beatniks, blues, wine, and social commentary could make for an interesting spin. Prom night attendees can even pose in the car from "On the Road!"
1960s Prom Theme
In contrast to the feel-good fifties, the 1960s was a time of turmoil and swift change. Playing on the art and ideas brought to the fore in San Francisco by the beatniks in the previous decade, protest slogans and peace signs are two prominent icons of this decade. Rainbows and flower power interspersed with some hand-made protest banners about Vietnam can set the stage here.
Use leis for favors at the door to give guests the look of flower children as they make their way through the beaded curtain. Face painting is always an option, and not as childish in the proper context. The music choices for the evening are varied, as the songs of the sixties remain some of the most popular music of all time. Create Haight and Ashbury street signs and hang faux-electric guitars on the wall. Scatter guitar picks at the tables, personalized with your prom info.
You could even make your prom into Woodstock, minus the illegal drugs, violence, and mayhem, of course. As any prom attendee would have obviously been too young to attend the ACTUAL Woodstock, the summer of '69 and the famous music festival remain an idyllic fantasy for many young people. Capture the moment in time with 1960s peace sign stand in to help guise the brilliantly bedecked teenagers in sixties garb for a photo op. All in all, being able to attend "Woodstock Prom: 2013" (through rose-colored lens, of course) could be the perfect magical evening.
1980s Prom: Studio 54
Many schools who choose to do an 80s prom theme go with neon, leg warmers, and feathered hair; more "Breakfast Club" than "Rent," if you will. Those proms can be fun and special, to be sure. This year, however, consider a spin on the 80s prom theme and consider styling the venue like an 80s nightclub. Dark lighting, a mirrored disco ball, and dancers in the background help create the illusion of the infamous New York nightclub, Studio 54.
Brick corrugated paper should line the walls, complimented by strategically placed reflective metallic curtains to help with the illusion of dark and depth. Place different lights, like LED balls, throughout the venue space to create an understated yet dynamic lighting effect.
Be sure to play some *timely* 80s rock and dance music to fit with your theme. Instead of setting up a typical drinks and snacks table, create a bar tableau. When each couple comes in, give them city favor bags with money clips and some fake cash to spend "at the bar" for their drinks at Studio 54.