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First, I'd like to apologize to Spork Report readers for letting this blog languish while I was deeply engaged in the controversy surrounding so-called "pink slime" (aka "lean finely textured beef," or LFTB). Comments and emails coming in on my main blog, The Lunch Tray, were so numerous that I simply could not keep up my Spork posts. For a comprehensive update on what has been going on with LFTB, here's a piece I wrote recently for the Guardian newspaper in the UK summarizing recent events.
Now I'd like to turn to a potentially exciting school food development here in Houston.
As Spork Report and Lunch Tray readers know, I've long been concerned about the quality of the so-called "a la carte" items sold by Houston ISD in its cafeterias and snack bar lines. These foods, sold in direct competition with the federally reimbursable meal, tend to be far lower in nutritional quality than the main meal. Think bright blue slushies, fried chips in gooey nacho sauce, Frito Pie, pizza slices, fried chicken sandwiches and ice cream.
At a time when one in three kids are overweight or obese it is, in my opinion, utterly irresponsible for the district itself to be serving these sorts of foods to our kids solely to turn a profit. And while it's true that in some (but most definitely not all) cases these foods are nutritionally tweaked a bit to make them "better for you," the district is still unwittingly sending our kids the message that eating these sorts of junk foods on a daily basis – as many HISD students do – is a perfectly fine dietary choice.
Then there is the entirely separate issue of the social stigma created when there are two lines in a school cafeteria, one for the nutritionally balanced school meal and one for a la carte. Because the latter line does not qualify for federal reimbursement, it's inevitable that poorer kids cannot partake of those "cooler" snack bar foods, a result which sometimes causes enough shame that kids would rather go hungry than be seen in (or even have their picture taken in) the "uncoool" food line. In a district in which over 80% of our kids qualify for free or reduced price lunch, this is no small concern.
Last year, the food/nutrition subcommittee of HISD's School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) (of which I am chairperson) decided to take a closer look at HISD's "a la carte" foods, as well as the other competitive food on HISD campuses brought in by parents and students as fundraisers. In February of this year we had the opportunity to present our views and recommendations at a Board Workshop, a presentation which seemed to have been well received.
Perhaps that is why last week, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, HISD Trustee Juliet Stipeche raised vocal objections to HISD/Armark's plan to purchase yet more of these sorts of junk foods for our children in the coming year. At a subsequent Board meeting last week, both Stipeche and trustee Anna Eastman voted against inclusion of these items in Aramark's budget. While the Board ultimately overrode their objections, the courageous, public stance of these two trustees against junk food in HISD's cafeterias was a very positive first step.
Equally encouraging is an editorial in today's Houston Chronicle in which the newspaper itself comes out strongly in favor of eliminating a la carte for both the nutritional and stigma reasons discussed here. Says the paper:
Why, in these cash-strapped days, would HISD spend so much money to put slushies in its cafeterias? Maybe it's because the school district expects to turn a profit. The cost of serving those a la carte foods in the school cafeteria is lower than the price that kids pay to buy them. It disturbs us that the school district has a built-in incentive to push junk food. . . .
Earlier this year*, San Francisco's school district voted to get rid of a la carte food service. We think Houston should do the same. The lunch options provided by a public school ought to be available to all its students. And they shouldn't include blue slushies.
Could the age of the HISD-sanctioned slushie-and-nachos lunch be coming to an end? Stay tuned.
* I believe San Francisco USD actually eliminated its a la carte lines in 2010.
[While I serve on HISD's Food Services Parent Advisory Committee and the district's School Health Advisory Council (SHAC), all views expressed here (and on The Lunch Tray) are entirely my own.]
Follow The Spork Report on Facebook, Twitter or on The Lunch Tray.


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blanket (someone or something) with (something)(redirected from blanketed us with)
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blanket (someone or something) with (something)
To cover with something. By the time I got to the beach, the kids had already blanketed grandpa with sand. The storm blanketed the mountaintops with snow, making it look like a scene from a painting.
See also: blanket
blanket someone or something with something
Fig. to cover someone or something with something. They blanketed the flames with a layer of foam. The children blanketed Jimmy with leaves and pretended he was lost.
See also: blanket

subset: commoncrawl


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You've already heard plenty about what smoking can do to your looks and your life. But have you ever stopped to really think about how much money gets burned up with each pack of cigarettes?
The average price for a pack of cigarettes (PDF, 57.91 KB) nationwide is around $5.50—more or less depending on the State you live in. The spending calculator lets you enter the number of packs smoked per week as well as the price per pack. Then, it calculates the monthly and yearly cost.
Let's say you smoke one pack a week at the average price of $5.50 per pack—that's $22 a month and $264 a year. If you smoke two packs a week, the numbers double—$44 a month and more than $500 a year! I'm sure you can think of better things to do with $500....
According to NIDA research, nicotine in cigarettes is addictive, and most people smoke tobacco regularly because they are addicted to nicotine. Once people get addicted, they need more and more of the drug to get the same effect. That means smoking leads to more smoking, which leads to more money for the cigarette companies and less for you—not to mention the hit on your health.
When you quit, treat yourself to a reward, and pay for it with the money you used to spend on cigarettes. To talk to someone about quitting, call the national toll-free number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
i just cant believe how people treat their body i mean like do you wanna die?
When I saw what smoking could really do to your life I knew that I was gonna quit. But at 1st I didnt know how. So than I found this website, and with the help of my friends and also family and most of all you guys help, I now save lots of money. I also have a better chance in life. Thank you so much!
Cigarette and other tobacco use leads to addiction. As tolerance develops, the body needs higher or more frequent doses to produce the same initial effects. Tobacco harms every organ in the body and has been conclusively linked to leukemia, cataracts, and pneumonia, and accounts for about one-third of all cancer deaths. For more information, visit https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/tobacco.
Hello, very helpful information. I do not think so many of the costs incurred to cigarettes, and I will think twice to buy cigarettes anymore [commercial link removed, per guidelines]
Cigarettes are awful. they had me addicted for 15 years before i switched to electronic cigarettes.
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Most people start smoking when they are in their teens - and then get addicted for the rest of their lives which are then affected really badly in many ways. Its good to know that some young people are clever enough to recognise the nasty trick that is being played on them and ditch the habit before the worst effects happen!
Cigarettes are bad
do you wannnna [expletive deleted] die? I didnnt think so! So thenn STOP smoking
My son was taught that smoking was totally acceptable while in rehab treatment. GO FIGURE? Why allow one addiction when doing so well fighting the other addictions? I don't get it.
@suetuff Agreed. NIDA researchers are working on testing therapies and medications to help people quit tobacco as well as other drugs simultaneously. Some studies show good results for people with more than type of substance use problem, legal or illegal. In addition, many treatment facilities are moving to a no-smoking policy.
Harmful effects of smoking:
1.nicotine and carbon monoxide when mixed increases the heart rate and blood pressure. This can be a cause of both heart attacks and stroke.
2.Tar coats the lungs a little like a fireplace gets coated with soot when used for a period of time. a pack a day smoker breathes in about a cup of tar each year. Lung cancer is caused by the tar in cigarette tobacco smoke.
3. Carbon Monoxide takes oxygen away from the muscles, brain and body tissue. After a period of time the airways swell up letting less air into the lungs.
For years the medical and scientific communities have been telling us just how horribly addicting nicotine is. Yet there is very strong evidence to the contrary. In fact, logic dictates that it is not possible for nicotine to be the real culprit in smoking addiction, since it can be completely removed from they body in 72 hours, yet the urge to smoke can remain for years.
There's no doubt that nicotine is a nasty and dangerous substance, but it's addictive qualities are very definitely disputable.
[commercial link removed, per guidelines]
I genuinely enjoy looking at on this site, it has great articles. [commercial link removed, per guidelines]
smoking is a popular thng today but does that mean its a good thing to do no as it says in the artical if you smoke one pack a week the total comes out to be $22 a month and $264 a year and you might be thinking wow that's a lot of smoking and money but it gets worse people that smoke 2 packs a week pay $44 a month and $500 a year. all of that money is being thrown away and so is your life. so DON'T START TODAY!!!!!!
Have you ever stopped to really think about how much money gets burned up with each pack of cigarettes? Smoking is terrible and can cause many deathly sicknesses. No one wants to end up suffering from cancer. People are wasting more and more of their money on cigarettes. At the average price of $5.50 per pack, that's $22 a month and $264 a year, smokers don't care about the price if they could afford a pack or not, they are addicted from all the nicotine. It's not worth the risks. I would think twice about smoking because you could waste your life.
I did the math a few years ago; my mother is a smoker, so to prove a point, I weighed on a scale how many grams a pack of her cigarettes. I then took the price, and compared it to the prices per gram of various precious metals on the market. Turns out her cigarettes were literally worth their weight in silver! Of course, my state has very high cigarette taxes so the price is well above average, and this comparison is no longer true since silver is much more expensive now, but the fact that cigarettes are even comparable in price to that metal is pretty astounding.
Instead of having a few ounces of silver at the end of the year to show for the spending, it all goes up in smoke instead.


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They say never to mix business with pleasure, but it's hard not to in Massachusetts, where each of the four distinct seasons provides a unique backdrop for meetings and events. Have a meeting or conference to plan? Consider one of Massachusetts' many hotels, function facilities, and attractions that cater specifically to small meetings (fewer than 500 attendees), team-building, and incentive planning. When it's time to get down to business, this is the place to find the perfect meeting venues from Boston to Worcester and everywhere in between. And don't forget the "all work and no play" rule; come early or stay late to enjoy all that Massachusetts has to offer.
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Foodie Finds: It's all Here
Looking for fun things to do and see in Massachusetts?
Get some foodie finds ideas
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Sand Trap Mini Golf has re-opened under new management! Stop by for 18 holes of affordable family fun, and after you've... more+ 3 saves
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Foodie Finds: It's all Here
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Still looking for a place to stay for the inauguration? If you're the type to drop $50,000 on the hotel suite where Jennifer Lopez threw Marc Anthony's 41st birthday party, the Godfather 2 was filmed, and Marilyn Monroe slept off a long night of policy debates, then we've got the place for you—the "Extreme-Wow Suite" at Washington's W Hotel.
True, the 10th floor, five room "E-Wow" suite is not exactly in tune with the austere post-recession-and-fiscal-cliff atmosphere in DC at the moment. Nor is it a particularly democratic venue in which to mark the somber pageant that memorializes Americans' selection of one of their fellow citizens to lead them. But it does have panoramic Washington Monument, White House, Treasury Department and inauguration parade route views. And the luxury package includes a private nighttime limousine tour of the national monuments, a reserved table on the roof dining terrace, a post-inauguration en-suite brunch, and massages for two. To top it all off, the deal even comes with a $100,000 jewelry loaner from Washington's historic Connecticut Avenue jeweler, Tiny Jewel Box, where president Matthew Rosenheim will style you in whatever manner of inaugural fare you like. That includes classy options for men, such as a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch or vintage ruby-diamond-sapphire (read: red, white, and blue) cufflinks. For all you jewelry trivia fans, the Tiny Jewel Box designed the journal and pen that Michelle Obama presented to Laura Bush at the 2009 inauguration.
The hotel's owners are laying it on thick for a reason: a $91 million renovation shut the doors on Obama's first inauguration, so they're looking to make up for lost time. And the hotel does hold a trove of DC history. The building housed the DC stock exchange at the turn-of-the-century. Every Thanksgiving, the Presidentially-pardoned turkeys spend two nights in the hotel before their rendezvous at the Oval Office. Even the elevator ceiling lights are patterned after the constellations above Washington on July 4, 1776.
For now, no one's biting. Turnout for this year's inauguration is expected to be only 600,000 to 800,000, less than half last time's 1.8 million. "This inauguration from the hotel industry perspective is a little slower than a normal second term inauguration," notes W general manager Edward Baten. And if $50,000 is too much, there's always the much more restrained and democratic $10,000 "Wow Suite" option. Of course, it's less Extreme.


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Service provider
Menlo Park, California, United States
- Overview
- Team
- Activities
- Documents
Founded in 2006 by software engineers and search marketers, Kenshoo is a global innovator in search engine marketing technology with extensive industry knowledge. Kenshoo's flagship product, KENSHOO SEARCH™, is an end-to-end Search Engine Management platform, which automates the process of building and optimizing cross channel search campaigns. The platform offers advanced features such as bid management, tracking, a unified dashboard and many more.
Kenshoo understands online retail and has several clients in the top 500 of Online Retailers. We work hard to integrate inventory and consumer websites with the Kenshoo platform to enable retailers to build automated highly relevant online advertising campaigns.
KENSHOO SEARCH was built on Kenshoo's unique Quality Management™ methodology. Quality Management is a holistic approach to search marketing that automates most of the labor intensive search marketing operations and gives search markets a wide array of features in a natural workflow for greatest ease of use.
Kenshoo Inc. is funded by Sequoia Capital and has an impressive roster of clients. Currently KENSHOO SEARCHTM is being used around the world by such companies as Ogilvy UK, HitWise in Australia, iREP Japan, and Zappos in the U.S.


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The Sony Alpha NEX-3 is the not-so-identical twin of the Sony Alpha NEX-5. There are cosmetic as well as technical differences, but the first thing to understand is the similarity. Importantly, both feature the same E-mount and will accept the same lenses and both feature the 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, so they both have the same imaging system.
The differences then, lie in video capture and design. The NEX-3 offers 720p HD video capture to the NEX-5's 1080i and the design and build - although recognisably similar - has a softer, plastic, finish. The NEX-5 is the better looking camera in our minds, but whether that sharper finish is worth the £120 price difference will be down to how flush you're feeling.
In practical terms the millimetres of difference (117.2 x 62.6 x 33.4mm for the NEX-3 vs 110.8 x 58.8 x 38.2mm for the NEX-5) make little different to pocketability. The NEX-5 might be the smallest interchangeable lens camera of this type (at launch) but the real dimensions of the camera are dictated by the attached lens, rather than the camera body itself.
Slim it may be, but even with the compact 16mm F/2.8 pancake lens, you are still looking at slipping it into a jacket pocket rather than into your jeans so in those respects the size doesn't make it a huge winner over the likes of the Olympus E-PL1 or the Samsung NX10; the Olympus, at least, has a locking zoom lens which folds in to a more compact bundle.
It does offer you a distinct size advantage over a typical DSLR, but once you attach the 18-55 lens in the dual kit bundle we reviewed, you'll be carrying it on the strap most of the time anyway, at which point you'll be left with a device of not too dissimilar size, but lacking the full whack of features a DSLR will give you.
The plastic body lacks the premium finish you'll pay for on the NEX-5, but it seems sturdy enough. A bulge on the right end of the camera provides some scope for a good grip, although we found the strap attachment point was in the way when gripping the camera securely and the scrap often fell over the screen when shooting in portrait. The bulge also houses the battery (good for 330 images) and the memory card, accepting the typical SD/SDHC/SDXC cards as well as Sony's own MemoryStick variety.
One of the distinctive features of the NEX cameras is the vari-angle display on the back. Measuring 2.7 inches on the diagonal, it has a high 921k-dot resolution, so is ably equipped for composing and previewing shots, as well as navigating the graphically-rich menu system. One advantage the high resolution offers is the ability to render fine text, which means the display isn't necessarily as cluttered as it might be.
The vari-angle works in two ways, folding down from the top - to facilitate shots from a high angle, like over the heads of a crowd - as well as folding up from the bottom to aid in the composition of those awkward low shots. Some screens, like those on Panasonic's G series cameras, will fold away for protection, but in the absence of a viewfinder, that isn't a practical option on the NEX-3. The screen is unfortunately not the best equipped to deal with bright conditions because it is prone to reflections and it also gets incredibly smeary: you'll be spending a good deal of your time polishing the thing up again.
The controls are reasonably conventional at first glance, with the on/off switch encircling the shutter button next to a playback button on the top of the camera. The back of the camera offers a rotating four-way controller with shortcut controls for info displayed on the screen, flash, drive mode (including self timer) and exposure compensation.
An instant movie record button sits on rear edge, falling easily under the thumb, ready to record MPEG4 video in a flash. Two additional buttons sit above and below the circular controller. Both are unlabelled as their function changes as you use the camera. It is here that the NEX-3 puts the screen to use, presenting options on the screen for you to enact using the corresponding buttons.
The most significant of these is the shoot mode dial, which is on-screen, rather than being physical. There is an advantage here: Sony can offer an entirely new shooting mode via a firmware upgrade which they did with the 3D panorama option. The firmware upgrader is straightforward enough to run, but there is currently no Mac support - it is PC only.
The mode dial presents what you'd expect to find on a DSLR, so you have common program, aperture, shutter, and manual modes. These are joined by an intelligent Auto mode, 8 scene modes, and anti-blur mode and finally the two sweep panorama modes, in 2D and 3D. We've seen the 3D panorama in action and it looks like a lot of fun, but you'll need to be able to view the resultant MPO file to get anything from it. For this you'll need a 3D display, like one of Sony's Bravias. You'll be able to play the 3D file from the camera on your TV via the HDMI (a future update to the PS3 will also mean you'll be able to view it via the card reader, if your model has one).
The great thing about the menus is that the background picture changes as you rotate the virtual dial, displaying a background image fitting to the shooting mode. This carries through to the scene modes too, so you have a representation of night portrait and macro, for example, if you were in any doubt, which is great for novice photographers.
But step beyond the requirements of picking a shooting mode and things start to become much more fiddly. Changing the settings in the PASM modes means re-entering the menus and cruising around. Even with some familiarity with the layout, it's too time consuming to be practical. Trying to balance ISO and shutter speed in a handheld indoor shot? You'll be diving in and out of the menu so much, you'll get sick of it. Also, because the function of the buttons changes there is little feeling of consistency, so it isn't always entirely natural to control.
In that sense, then, the NEX-3 could benefit from easier shortcut controls for some of the advanced shooting modes that it offers. As a hybrid model for those who want a little more than a compact camera, the approachable menu with guidance and illustrations may appeal, but as a DSLR user looking for something more compact, the NEX-3 doesn't represent the best option for us.
But there is stacks of technology packed into the NEX-3 as there is on all Sony cameras. You get the regular offerings of face detection as well as Sony's smile shutter. You also get an Auto HDR offering which looks to preserve both shadow and highlight detail by taking three successive shots and merging them together. It works to an extent, but we found that we achieved better results using the D-Range Optimiser on the RAW file in Sony's Image Data Converter software.
You also get an ISO range that runs from 200 up to 12800. Sony has said that the ISO doesn't go lower because is doesn't need too. A bold claim, but one that is backed by impressive noise control as the ISO rises. You don't get the full advantage of the ISO range in iAuto, but in the manual modes, we found that shots at ISO 3200 were usable, where many from rival cameras aren't. It's a bitter irony that that impressive performance is more difficult to get to than it should be.
Some of the svelte dimensions are achieved by removing some of the core elements you'd expect from a camera. Rather like the first Micro Four Thirds E-P1 from Olympus, you won't find a viewfinder or flash onboard. The only viewfinder is an optional accessory, but the flash was bundled in the box. This screws onto the top of the camera, using the accessory slot and essentially meaning you can't attach anything else.
The flash itself, once in place, is rather neat. It flips up and down to activate it, but it doesn't have a great deal of height and, sitting right over the lens, it will cast shadows on the subject if you aren't careful and a flash extender (riser) is also available to help avoid this problem. Once we'd put it in place, in lieu of any other accessories, it stayed put for the duration of our time with the camera.
We found that the NEX-3 produced excellent images, although the iAuto (and in fact the JPEG shooting) doesn't get the best out the camera. Dive into the RAW shooting and you can eek a lot of extra detail out of the camera that the JPEG compression loses. Fortunately Sony bundle their RAW (ARW) processing software for both PC and Mac, so if you find that JPEG doesn't deliver the results you want, it is fairly straightforward with the RAW files.
There is a tendency to overexpose and oversaturate the reds, which does bring vibrancy to some shots, but we found it occasionally gave results we weren't quite expecting. A range of shooting styles can be applied and although there is no custom setting, you can change the settings of individual modes to get closer to the image look that you want. Exposure compensation, sadly, can't be applied in iAuto.
Focusing is generally swift, although we did find it sometimes picking the wrong focal point. Various focal modes are available, but once you find yourself with the wrong focal point selected, you'll have to dive around the menus again to change any of the settings. Even switching to manual focus involves 5 presses, where for many DSLRs it's just a switch on the lens.
Video shooting of course is the other big change from the NEX-5 and the quality of the 720p footage is good, but not quite as sharp due to the drop in resolution. The video autofocusing works after a fashion, but without a dedicated video settings menu or place on the mode dial, you never really feel you have that much control. Many of the still shooting options are picked up by the video as soon as you punch the button, so if you are in the middle of taking a black and white portrait shot and see something exciting so punch the video button, you'll find you have black and white video too. The frame rate came in consistently at around 30fps and on the top of the camera are stereo mics for your audio. There is an accessory mic which you'll want if you plan on doing any serious audio work as we found the mics were blown away on a windy day.
The dual lens kit we reviewed offers two lenses. The 16mm F/2.8 offers a nice compact option for general shooting, with the F/2.8 going some way to offering you a fast lens for better low light performance. The 18-55 zoom benefits from optical image stabilisation as the NEX-3 doesn't offer in-body stabilisation. The bundled lens hood will fit on both lenses and interestingly there are accessory adapters available for the 16mm lens to convert it into a wide-angle or fisheye lens. The metal bodies of the lenses gives them a premium feel, but the zoom lens offers very little differentiation between the focusing ring and the zoom ring, and we often found ourselves twisting the wrong parts when trying to hurriedly grab a shot.
For all the great advantages that the NEX-3 offers, there is always something that detracts. Great results from advanced shooting are obstructed by the controls. For all the work to shrink the camera in all directions, the lens still governs the pocketability of the NEX-3.
But the biggest thing we found with the NEX-3 was that it didn't quite make this reviewer as excited as something like the Samsung NX10 or Olympus E-PL1. Whilst the NEX-3 is packed with technology, it doesn't have the same sense of fun that some rivals do.
There is no doubting that the NEX-3 is a very capable hybrid camera and if you love the NEX-5, then the NEX-3 offers a more affordable route to much of the same goodness. But we can't help feeling these current NEX models are going to be subjected to Marmite syndrome. Some will love the Sony approach, and some will find it doesn't hit the mark.


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A Deregulation That Could Reduce Foreclosures
One of the obstacles to reducing mortgage foreclosures is that so many of the homes being foreclosured upon are not occupied by their owners. Approximately 20 percent of homes are vacant investor‐held properties, while according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition another 20 percent are occupied by renters.
Addressing the issue of renter occupied foreclosures has been one of the harder nuts to crack. We should have no sympathy for vacant homes purchased purely for speculative gain — the best course of action for those homes is foreclosure, or even better, speculators should be expected to continue paying those mortgages even in the face of losses. Where homes are currently rented however, it may be in the interest of both the bank and the renter to continue that relationship. Unfortunately, there is one larger barrier: the very same bank regulators who are pushing lenders not to foreclose.
As banks are not in the business of property management, their regulators strongly discourage banks from keeping foreclosured properties on their books. In fact bank regulations generally prohibit lenders from entering into long‐term leases with tenants. Legislation (HR 2529) introduced by Republican Gary Miller and Democrat Joe Donnelly would allow banks to do so for up to five years. While the bill is sure to have some flaws — it merits a closer look.
Although most banks are unlikely to want to become property managers, allowing some to do so, even on an interim basis could reduce both the unnecessary eviction of renters and foreclosures on rental properties. And unlike proposals that would force banks to make uneconomical modifications, or prohibit lenders from taking ownership of a renter‐occupied home, relaxing regulations governing bank management of foreclosured properties could keep some families in their homes without having to violate contracts or re‐distribute wealth.


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ORLANDO, Fla. – A film that was secretly shot inside Walt Disney World theme parks without the company's knowledge or permission will be shown in theaters and on-demand services this fall, according to a distribution company that plans to release the film.
[RELATED: Indie theme park films cast Disney, SeaWorld in poor light]
"Escape from Tomorrow" is a fictional story about a father who loses his job while on vacation with his family.
According to the filmmakers, the man's trip turns into a "nightmare of paranoid vision, bizarre encounters, and an obsessive pursuit of a pair of sexy teenage Parisians."
Filmmaker Randy Moore, who once attended Full Sail University in Winter Park, shot most of his movie inside Walt Disney World and Disneyland without obtaining permits or permission from Disney officials.
According to published interviews with the cast and crew, actors would read their scripts on iPads while communicating with the director over cell phones.
As filmmakers hid in the crowd with DSLR cameras like the kind used by many vacationers, the actors would recite their lines as they mingled with unsuspecting Disney employees and park visitors.
Disney officials have not commented on the film since it first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
The film's use of iconic Disney images, including the monorail, Epcot's Spaceship Earth attraction and costumed Disney characters, has prompted some to speculate that the film would never be released commercially due to concerns of trademark violation.
However, Producers Distribution Agency in New York announced it will be releasing the film in select cities on Oct. 11.
On that same day, "Escape from Tomorrow" will be available on-demand via services such iTunes, Amazon Instant Video and Sony PlayStation, according to a press release.
"I don't even know how it's possible. Can't Disney shut it down?" asked frequent Disney World guest Kristen Massaro.
Massaro is troubled that visitors like herself may appear in the movie without their knowledge.
"Everyone has a right to say whether or not they want to be included in something like this," said Massaro.


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In WoW, we have a high degree of something very similar Sovereign risk, especially around patches.
The current batch of gold bloggers are actually a fairly quietly spoken group. Players on Blizzard forums are slightly louder. WTF no EPIC gem in ore; JC tokens FFS; /prof quit; /gquit; /game quit
Or in other words:
Dear Blizzard
I have been dutifully stockpiling pyrite ore and jewelcrafter daily tokens on the expectation that you will give us Epic gems and Epic gem cuts from these, as part of patch 4.2; or at the latest, patch 4.3.
I am most disappointed that you have not followed your previous behaviour. With all due respect this has cost me a large amount of gold, and I will be now unable to reach the gold cap.
Please find attached a demand for profit owing to me that you have unjustifiably denied me as part of this change. If you do not comply, I will launch procedings in the appropriate and inappropriate forums.
Yours sincerely
One annoyed JC.
Blizzard's response : I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.
Sovereign risk; or the risk that blizzard will change the rules; or will not follow precedent is a fact of WoW. This risk is real, and needs to be taken into account when stockpiling for future changes.
To make matters even worse; Blizzard never promised JC's a gold mine; only our sense of entitlement. Ghostcrawler sometimes promises a pony, but even then it is a forward looking statement subject to change.
As much as WoLK had epic gems handed to JC's; we were also warned. Blizzard wants advanced toons to be responsible for advanced profits:
- Soulbound Chaos orbs
- (Originally) needed to do 1/2 of twilight highlands (i.e. be lvl 84.5) to get best crafting recipees, including the ability to level tradeskills to 525.
- Raiders as the source of updated recipees and BOEs.
As a gold maker; concentrate on the easy gold. I am still making a bundle on northrend gem cuts (rare and epic). When 4.3 drops; if you want to sell the newest cuts; go and raid.
Make sure your alchemists are lined up with mats for transmutes (there are new recipees). Also consider getting them raid ready (at least troll dungeon) in case the tranmute recipees turn out to be raid drops (unlikely but still possible). Organise this with not only your own toons, but also guildy toons. Make your networks now.
Me? I will continue reaping the profits of Northrend gems.
And finally, if you want to be up on the latest recipees : Go raid. I organise friday night only raids; I am going bald with the stress of putting them together; keeping everyone happy and moving, but we are raiding.


text:
Malik McDowell can attend Michigan State if parents won't sign
- McDowell announced his intention to sign with Michigan State on Wednesday
- His mother%2C Joya Crowe%2C did not attend the press conference and has not signed his letter of intent
- McDowell could still sign a Big Ten tender or enroll after the first day of the fall semester
EAST LANSING, Mich. — If Malik McDowell's father supports his son's decision to play at Michigan State, the addition of McDowell to the 2014 MSU recruiting class can be official right now if he chooses – even without a signed national letter of intent.
And if McDowell has no parental approval, but still wants to play for the Spartans, he can enroll and sign with MSU after one day of fall semester classes.
Nothing had changed in the McDowell saga as of Thursday afternoon – he announced his choice of Michigan State ahead of Ohio State and Florida State on Wednesday, but did not send in a signed letter of intent – but there is more clarity on his options from here.
Jennifer Smith, Michigan State's associate athletic director for compliance services, explained to the Detroit Free Press the ramifications for an athlete whose parents won't sign a national letter of intent. She did so in general terms, because it's an NCAA violation for her to speak publicly about unsigned prospects.
To summarize Smith's information and apply it to McDowell's case:
- If an athlete is under 21 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must sign his or her national letter of intent to make it official. There has been speculation that McDowell, 17, could sign without a parent once he is 18, but that's not true.
The age limit is the same on a Big Ten tender, 21. All Big Ten scholarship athletes must sign a tender in order to receive their financial aid.
- The NCAA also has a rule that the "custodial parent" must sign the national letter of intent, in the case of sole custody and not joint custody. McDowell's mother, Joya Crowe, reportedly has sole custody of him, which means she is the parent who must sign the national letter of intent.
However, a Big Ten tender only requires the signature of a parent. There is no language about a "custodial parent," Smith said.
This means Greg McDowell could sign a Big Ten tender along with his son and make his addition to the MSU class of 2014 official. Like Crowe, Greg McDowell has said publicly he does not want his son at MSU, but after Malik's announcement he said: "I feel good about the decision. My son, he stood up and said, 'Hey, this is where I want to be.' And despite my reservations and his mom's reservations, I fully support my son."
- So what's the difference between a national letter of intent and a Big Ten tender? Most athletes sign both. The national letter of intent "essentially stops other schools from recruiting a student athlete," Smith said.
That's because transfer penalties are in place as soon as it is signed. All football players who signed letters Wednesday would have to sit out a year if they decide to transfer to another school.
There is no such penalty for someone who just signs a Big Ten tender, unless they want to transfer within the Big Ten. So if McDowell enrolls at MSU with a signed Big Ten tender but not a signed letter of intent, he can decide to go to a school outside the Big Ten and do so without penalty – for the first year of school.
After spring semester of an athlete's freshman year, the national letter of intent no longer applies and NCAA transfer rules kick in, Smith said.
So McDowell would have more freedom to go elsewhere as a freshman, then be under the same rules as everyone else afterward.
- If it turns out McDowell can't get his mother to sign the letter of intent, or either parent to sign the Big Ten tender, he can still enroll at MSU. After one day of classes, a prospect is no longer considered a prospect, Smith said – he or she is considered a student-athlete.
So McDowell could sign the Big Ten tender after one day of classes and he would not need the signature of either parent.
But that would mean McDowell would have to pay out of his own pocket if he wanted to enroll in summer classes before his freshman season. Many incoming MSU freshmen take summer classes and take part in offseason workouts with the team.
MSU signed 20 players Wednesday and has a consensus top-25 class according to the major recruiting services. A signed letter of intent from a 21st player, junior college offensive lineman Miguel Machado, came in Thursday morning.
Machado is a 6-foot-6, 280-pound tackle from Pasadena (Calif.) City College who could compete for immediate time. MSU has another junior college offensive tackle committed, David Hedelin of San Francisco Community College, but the native of Sweden has not yet had his transfer cleared to sign a letter of intent.
McDowell's expected addition would make it a class of 23. He and Greg McDowell did not return calls Thursday and there was no word from their side on the next move.
This much is clear: It can happen at any time, without Crowe's signature.
Joe Rexrode also writes for the Detroit Free Press


text:
Who are you?
A 20-something ordinary girl who spends an extra ordinary amount of time dreaming :)
A girl who never gets it right, and never learns either.
Toughest girl I have ever known, who cries at the drop of a hat! :P
Unnatural obsession with cats and crayons.
Loves too soon, forgets too late. Says it too soon, regrets too late.
Often found dreaming about her imaginary Prince Charming, and his handmade warm coffee and goofy smile on a romantic rainy evening, as we watch LOTR together :)
P.S: .... and I did it! YAY! \m/
Now Playing: Hollaback Girl | Gwen Stefani


text:
Many of you already know of the special amulet rediscovered by Guru Lama from an old Tantric Scripture. He has first made this 20 years ago and has since made it several times. But this year, just a few months ago, because of some conflicting energies that we are experiencing from the last 3 months of the 2017 lunar year, and also because of the lack wealth luck, financial luck or money luck in 2018 as indicated in its bazi chart, Guru Lama has released the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet a few months ago, and more recently the Special Gold Piyao.
As of now there are people who has requested for the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet who claims to have experience some financial miracle already. However, I would like to hold off sharing their stories for a while until I'm positive that indeed they got the miracle from this powerful wealth amulet.
But today, I would like to share with you the wonderful story of a humble Sangha member of the temple where Guru Lama serves as the Abbott. Qai May Chin (QMC) is a 67 – year – old widow with 3 children. She is a Sangha member of the temple and she would always go there to help clean the temple, and she would sometimes cooks for the monks and the nuns.
Whenever Guru Lama and/or the other lamas and nuns will ask her about well – being, she would always just smile a sincere happy smile and say that 'Buddha is good.'
However, Guru Lama sense that she is having some problems but that she won't open up with him, and so Guru Lama instructed one of the nuns to inquire what she is really going through.
The nun whom Guru Lama instructed to inquire about QMC's well – being did inquire about and after much prodding she found out that QMC is having some financial problem because her children and grandchildren who all also goes to the temple once a week are all hardworking, but somehow they always are lacking. What is worrying her is that when something big happens like if they get sick they will not have enough money to pay hospital bills, and also she wouldn't want to be simply renting a small apartment unit for the rest of her life.
Guru Lama naturally took pity on her and decided to make the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet for her. And then wonderful things started to happen to her family. Although she is only working part time at that time, she notice that her children's and her older grandchildren's finances are getting better. Soon, the eldest was able to get an apartment for themselves, and then she was asked to stop working by her children. While they are not rich, they have enough to live comfortably.
QMC is now 83 – years – old and she still goes to the temple everyday. While she no longer cooks for them, she still insist on doing so work for the temple, like wiping images, or even simply cleaning table.
QMC profess that it is the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas thru the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet that she got some luck for her family.
You can read the following posts to know more about the Vaisravana _ Dzambhala Wealth Amulet:
- The Four Heavenly Kings: Getting to Know Four Powerful Buddhist Gods that Helps Bestwo Wealth, Success, Peace, and Protection.
- The Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet: An Introduction to A Very Powerful Wealth Amulet.
- The Creation of Wealth: Is Wanting to Get Wealthy A Sin and A Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet Miraculous Story Shared by My Guru Lama!
- Why "Creation of Wealth"?: Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet Is An Amulet That Creates Wealth for You and Other Questions, Answered.
- The Creation of Wealth (2): The Taiwanese Employee Devoid of Financial and Wealth Luck on Her Bazi Turned Into a Rich Entrepreneur (A Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet Miraculous Personal Testimony Shared by A Co – Sangha Member).
- The Creation of Wealth (3): The Illiterate Son Whose Only Wish Is For His Parents to Have a Good Life – Another Miraculous Story About the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet!
- The Creation of Wealth (4): After Several Failures and Disappointments a "Loser" Became One of the Richest Person in China.
For questions, comments, and suggestions please email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
I've been wanting to make cobbler for a while now after I had this glorious piece of peach cobbler at The Gypsy Den. This weird hot-in-the-middle-of February weather has permitted an abundance of berries at my local markets and at a great price too! I've been pretty busy with school and stress from upcoming midterms, but this recipe was so easy and quick that I decided to give it a go ahead.
I used a mixture of blueberries and boysenberries for my cobbler. But you could really try this recipe with tons of other types of fruit as well. I made a mini-cobbler just to make sure the recipe was blog worthy but I doubled the recipe for you all.
My cobbler turned out really well. The crust was nice and moist and crispy on the edges. Truthfully though, I think it could have done with a little less almond flavor or even none at all, since it kind of overcame the light flavor of the berries, but the scent from the almond was heavenly. Why wait for summer for this beauty when you can have it all right now? Flaky crust, warm juicy berries, cold creamy ice cream all swirling on your taste-buds... are you drooling yet?
Mixed Berry Almond Cobbler
Yields: 4-6 servings
You can find the original here, which I tweaked slightly.
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsn. all purpose flour
4 cups mixed berries (I used boysenberries and blueberries)*
1 tbsn. vanilla extract
1 tbsn. lemon juice
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
3-4 tbsn. almond paste, crumbled (depending on your preference to almond flavor)
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the berry mixture and toss well to coat. In another medium sized bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Next, add the whipping cream and almond extract, mix well but do not overmix! Next add the almond paste and incorporate well. Pour the berry mixture into a 9x9x2 inch pan, then pour the sticky dough mixture all along the top of the berries. If desired, you can add some crumbles of butter for some extra goodness. Pop into the oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream and enjoy!
* Try to avoid strawberries because they tend to be too watery for cobblers and make it soggy.
Allll mine!


text:
DWTS Brooke Burke-Charvet To Co-Host Miss America And Releasing Two New Fitness DVDs
Transforming soon on Las Vegas will be the most lovely women in America to compete for the title of "Miss America". As we reported to you earlier, Mark Ballas is set to judge. Today it was announced that Dancing With The Stars Brooke Burke will help co-host the event. Not only that, she is to release two new fitness DVDs. Here is more from Haute Living. You can read more on the show at the link. There is also a stunning photo to see of her.
Today, the Miss America Organization announced Brooke Burke-Charvet as the returning co-host for the 2012 Miss America Pageant. Brooke is the co-host of ABC's hit show "Dancing with the Stars" in March, having earned the coveted mirror ball trophy as season seven's champion with her professional dance partner, Derek Hough.
In January, she will release two new fitness DVDs, "Transform Your Body With Brooke Burke: Strengthen & Condition" and "Tone & Tighten," and her first book "The Naked Mom," will be released in paperback in February. With close to two million Twitter followers, Brooke has made a name for herself as a trusted resource in the world of motherhood and the social media network, motivating her to co-create the website ModernMom.com, an online community for "the woman behind the mom." As a pro blogger, Brooke offers an in-depth look into her personal life on the site, building upon her own powerful "Mommy" brand. As a successful entrepreneur, Brooke created the online store, BabooshBaby.com in 2007, featuring her popular post-pregnancy belly wraps, Tauts.


text:
Facility Managers
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Healthcare organizations are under extreme pressure to reduce costs, writes CBRE Healthcare's Lor...read more
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The combination expands Haskell's geographic presence by adding FreemanWhite's offices in Chicago...read more
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The library's new home will be a completely new building in Jerusalem, and will combine the funct...read more
The hotel construction pipeline hit a five-year high in the third quarter, clocking in at 3,516 p...read more


text:
Organized by: Ryan Mullins
This multi-day winter hike was intended for the Allegheny Front Trail, but due to many cancelations the day of the trip was shortened to a single overnight near wolf rocks. The trail was covered with a few inches of snow with deeper sections around a foot. The AFT, as always, was a pleasant hike. A miscommunication resulted in one member not having a sleeping bag for the 5 degree weather. All the extra gear was given to this participant, however the night proved too cold and two members were forced to share a sleeping bag. The AFT still stands as one of the best trails around, even in the dead of winter.
Members in Attendance:
- Ryan Mullins
- Dan Trew
- Ben Hardwick
- Scott Teal


text:
function get_employees (p_deptno in number) return sys_refcursor as l_returnvalue sys_refcursor; begin open l_returnvalue for select empno, ename, job, sal from emp where deptno = p_deptno; return l_returnvalue; end get_employees;
The client (an application written in Java, .NET, PHP, etc.) can call your API and process the returned REF Cursor just as if it was a normal result set from a SQL query. The benefits are legion. The client no longer needs to contain embedded SQL statements, or indeed know anything about the actual database structure and query text. Privileges on the underlying tables can be revoked. The API can be shared and reused among different clients, whether they are written in Java, .NET, or any number of other languages.
That is, unless your client is Oracle Application Express (Apex). Apex unfortunately lacks the ability to process REF Cursors, or, more accurately, you cannot create report regions in Apex based on REF Cursors. For standard reports, you have to either embed the SQL statement in the region definition, or return the SQL text string from a function (and hope that the string you built is valid SQL when it gets executed). For interactive reports, only embedded SQL statements are supported.
I dislike having to scatter literal SQL statements all around my Apex applications, and not be able to take advantage of a package-based, shared and reusable PL/SQL API to encapsulate queries. I submitted a feature request to the Apex team back in 2007, asking for the ability to base report regions on REF Cursors, but so far this has not been implemented.
The problem, as far as I know, is that Apex uses (and must use) DBMS_SQL to "describe" a SQL statement in order to get the metadata (column names, data types, etc.) for a report region. But not until Oracle 11g did DBMS_SQL include a function (TO_CURSOR_NUMBER) that allows you to convert a REF Cursor into a DBMS_SQL cursor handle. So, as long as the minimum supported database version for Apex is Oracle 10g, support for REF Cursors is unlikely to be implemented.
In the meantime, there are a couple of alternatives:
Option 1: Pipelined functions
It's possible to encapsulate your queries behind a PL/SQL API by using pipelined functions. For example, the above example could be rewritten as...
create type t_employee as object ( empno number(4), ename varchar2(10), job varchar2(9), sal number ); create type t_employee_tab as table of t_employee; function get_employees (p_deptno in number) return t_employee_tab pipelined as begin for l_rec in (select empno, ename, job, sal from emp where deptno = p_deptno) loop pipe row (t_employee (l_rec.empno, l_rec.ename, l_rec.job, l_rec.sal)); end loop; return; end get_employees;
And used from Apex (in a report region) via the TABLE statement:
select * from table(employee_pkg.get_employees (:p1_deptno))
Option 2: XML from REF Cursor
The DBMS_XMLGEN package can generate XML based on a REF Cursor. While this does not "describe" the REF Cursor per se, it does give us a way (from PL/SQL) to find the column names of an arbitrary REF Cursor query, and perhaps infer the data types from the data itself. A couple of blog posts from Tom Kyte explain how this can be used to generate HTML based on a REF Cursor.
So back to Apex, you could generate a "report" based on a PL/SQL region with code similar to this:
declare l_clob clob; l_rc sys_refcursor; begin l_rc := get_employees (:p1_deptno); l_clob := fncRefCursor2HTML (l_rc); htp_print_clob (l_clob); end;
It would also be possible to pass your own XLST stylesheet into the conversion function (perhaps an Apex report region template fetched from the Apex data dictionary?) to control the appearance of the report.
I put "report" in quotes above, because until the Apex team implements report regions based on REF Cursors, you will miss all the nice built-in features of standard (and interactive) reports, such as sorting, paging, column formatting, linking, etc.
Option 3: JSON from REF Cursor
Bear with me, I am finally getting to the point of this blog post.
JSON is cool, too, just like REF Cursors. It's the fat-free alternative to XML, and JSON data is really easy to work with in Javascript.
For triple coolness, I want to use an API based on REF Cursors in PL/SQL, client-side data manipulation based on JSON, and Apex to glue the two together.
What I need is the ability to generate JSON based on a REF Cursor.
Apex does include a few JSON-related procedures in the APEX_UTIL package, including JSON_FROM_SQL. Although this procedure does support bind variables, it cannot generate JSON from a REF Cursor. (Also, the fact that is is a procedure rather than a function makes it less flexible than it could be. Dear Apex Team, can we please have overloaded (function) versions of these JSON procedures?)
REF Cursor to JSON: The (10g) solution
So I came up with this solution: Use DBMS_XMLGEN to generate XML based on a REF Cursor, and then transform the XML into JSON by using an XSLT stylesheet.
Note: As mentioned above, in Oracle 11g you can use DBMS_SQL to describe a REF Cursor, so you could write your own function to generate JSON from a REF Cursor, without going through XML first. (And perhaps in Oracle 12g the powers that be at Redwood Shores will provide us with a built-in DBMS_JSON package that can both generate and parse JSON?)
In the meantime, for Oracle 10g, I created the JSON_UTIL_PKG package.
Here is the code for the REF_CURSOR_TO_JSON function:
function ref_cursor_to_json (p_ref_cursor in sys_refcursor, p_max_rows in number := null, p_skip_rows in number := null) return clob as l_ctx dbms_xmlgen.ctxhandle; l_num_rows pls_integer; l_xml xmltype; l_json xmltype; l_returnvalue clob; begin /* Purpose: generate JSON from REF Cursor Remarks: Who Date Description ------ ---------- ------------------------------------- MBR 30.01.2010 Created */ l_ctx := dbms_xmlgen.newcontext (p_ref_cursor); dbms_xmlgen.setnullhandling (l_ctx, dbms_xmlgen.empty_tag); -- for pagination if p_max_rows is not null then dbms_xmlgen.setmaxrows (l_ctx, p_max_rows); end if; if p_skip_rows is not null then dbms_xmlgen.setskiprows (l_ctx, p_skip_rows); end if; -- get the XML content l_xml := dbms_xmlgen.getxmltype (l_ctx, dbms_xmlgen.none); l_num_rows := dbms_xmlgen.getnumrowsprocessed (l_ctx); dbms_xmlgen.closecontext (l_ctx); close p_ref_cursor; if l_num_rows > 0 then -- perform the XSL transformation l_json := l_xml.transform (xmltype(get_xml_to_json_stylesheet)); l_returnvalue := l_json.getclobval(); else l_returnvalue := g_json_null_object; end if; l_returnvalue := dbms_xmlgen.convert (l_returnvalue, dbms_xmlgen.entity_decode); return l_returnvalue; end ref_cursor_to_json;
Examples of usage
Get a small dataset
declare l_clob clob; l_cursor sys_refcursor; begin l_cursor := employee_pkg.get_employees (10); l_clob := json_util_pkg.ref_cursor_to_json (l_cursor); dbms_output.put_line (substr(l_clob, 1, 200)); end; {"ROWSET":[{"EMPNO":7782,"ENAME":"CLARK","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"09.06.1981","SAL":2450,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10},{"EMPNO":7839,"ENAME":"KING","JOB":"PRESIDENT","MGR":null,"HIREDATE":"31.01.2005","SAL":5000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10},{"EMPNO":7934,"ENAME":"MILLER","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7782,"HIREDATE":"23.01.1982","SAL":1300,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10}]}
A large dataset, with paging
declare l_clob clob; l_cursor sys_refcursor; begin l_cursor := test_pkg.get_all_objects; l_clob := json_util_pkg.ref_cursor_to_json (l_cursor, p_max_rows => 3, p_skip_rows => 5000); dbms_output.put_line (substr(l_clob, 1, 1000)); end; {"ROWSET":[{"OBJECT_ID":5660,"OBJECT_NAME":"LOGMNRT_SEED$","OBJECT_TYPE":"TABLE","LAST_DDL_TIME":"07.02.2006"},{"OBJECT_ID":5661,"OBJECT_NAME":"LOGMNRT_MDDL$","OBJECT_TYPE":"TABLE","LAST_DDL_TIME":"07.02.2006"},{"OBJECT_ID":5662,"OBJECT_NAME":"LOGMNRT_MDDL$_PK","OBJECT_TYPE":"INDEX","LAST_DDL_TIME":"07.02.2006"}]}
It works with nested datasets, too.. !
select d.deptno, d.dname, cursor (select e.* from emp e where e.deptno = d.deptno) as the_emps from dept d declare l_json clob; begin l_json := json_util_pkg.sql_to_json ('select d.deptno, d.dname, cursor (select e.* from emp e where e.deptno = d.deptno) as the_emps from dept d'); dbms_output.put_line (substr(l_json, 1, 10000)); end; {"ROWSET":[{"DEPTNO":10,"DNAME":"ACCOUNTING", "THE_EMPS":[{"EMPNO":7782,"ENAME":"CLARK","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"09.06.1981","SAL":2450,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10}, {"EMPNO":7839,"ENAME":"KING","JOB":"PRESIDENT","MGR":null,"HIREDATE":"31.01.2005","SAL":5000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10}, {"EMPNO":7934,"ENAME":"MILLER","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7782,"HIREDATE":"23.01.1982","SAL":1300,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10}]}, {"DEPTNO":20,"DNAME":"RESEARCH", "THE_EMPS":[{"EMPNO":7369,"ENAME":"SMITH","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"17.12.1980","SAL":880,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":7566,"ENAME":"JONES","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"02.04.1981","SAL":2975,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":7788,"ENAME":"SCOTT","JOB":"ANALYST","MGR":7566,"HIREDATE":"09.12.1982","SAL":3000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":7876,"ENAME":"ADAMS","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7788,"HIREDATE":"12.01.1983","SAL":1100,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":7902,"ENAME":"FORD","JOB":"ANALYST","MGR":7566,"HIREDATE":"03.12.1981","SAL":3000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":9999,"ENAME":"BRATEN","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"05.05.2009","SAL":1000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}, {"EMPNO":9998,"ENAME":"DOE","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"25.04.2009","SAL":500,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}]}, {"DEPTNO":30,"DNAME":"SALES", "THE_EMPS":[{"EMPNO":7499,"ENAME":"ALLEN","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"20.02.1981","SAL":1600,"COMM":300,"DEPTNO":30}, {"EMPNO":7521,"ENAME":"WARD","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"22.02.1981","SAL":3200,"COMM":500,"DEPTNO":30}, {"EMPNO":7654,"ENAME":"MARTIN","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"28.09.1981","SAL":1250,"COMM":1400,"DEPTNO":30}, {"EMPNO":7698,"ENAME":"BLAKE","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"01.05.1981","SAL":2850,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":30}, {"EMPNO":7844,"ENAME":"TURNER","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"08.09.1981","SAL":1500,"COMM":0,"DEPTNO":30}, {"EMPNO":7900,"ENAME":"JAMES","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7788,"HIREDATE":"03.12.1981","SAL":950,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":30}]}, {"DEPTNO":40,"DNAME":"OPERATIONS", "THE_EMPS":null}]}
Passing a REF Cursor directly to the function call by using the CURSOR function:
select json_util_pkg.ref_cursor_to_json(cursor(select * from emp)) from dual {"ROWSET":[{"EMPNO":7369,"ENAME":"SMITH","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"17.12.1980","SAL":880,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":7499,"ENAME":"ALLEN","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"20.02.1981","SAL":1600,"COMM":300,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7521,"ENAME":"WARD","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"22.02.1981","SAL":3200,"COMM":500,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7566,"ENAME":"JONES","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"02.04.1981","SAL":2975,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":7654,"ENAME":"MARTIN","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"28.09.1981","SAL":1250,"COMM":1400,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7698,"ENAME":"BLAKE","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"01.05.1981","SAL":2850,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7782,"ENAME":"CLARK","JOB":"MANAGER","MGR":7839,"HIREDATE":"09.06.1981","SAL":2450,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10},{"EMPNO":7788,"ENAME":"SCOTT","JOB":"ANALYST","MGR":7566,"HIREDATE":"09.12.1982","SAL":3000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":7839,"ENAME":"KING","JOB":"PRESIDENT","MGR":null,"HIREDATE":"31.01.2005","SAL":5000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10},{"EMPNO":7844,"ENAME":"TURNER","JOB":"SALESMAN","MGR":7698,"HIREDATE":"08.09.1981","SAL":1500,"COMM":0,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7876,"ENAME":"ADAMS","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7788,"HIREDATE":"12.01.1983","SAL":1100,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":7900,"ENAME":"JAMES","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7788,"HIREDATE":"03.12.1981","SAL":950,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":30},{"EMPNO":7902,"ENAME":"FORD","JOB":"ANALYST","MGR":7566,"HIREDATE":"03.12.1981","SAL":3000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":7934,"ENAME":"MILLERø","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7782,"HIREDATE":"23.01.1982","SAL":1300,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":10},{"EMPNO":9999,"ENAME":"BRATEN","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"05.05.2009","SAL":1000,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20},{"EMPNO":9998,"ENAME":"DOE","JOB":"CLERK","MGR":7902,"HIREDATE":"25.04.2009","SAL":500,"COMM":null,"DEPTNO":20}]}
Download the package
Update 12.02.2011: This package can now be downloaded as part of the Alexandria library for PL/SQL.
Note that to compile the packages you need the following SQL type defined in your schema:
create type t_str_array as table of varchar2(4000); /


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Exhale, Martin Combat Boots for Women
Regular price $75.00
These Martin style combat boots are not only stylish, but also super comfortable! Enjoy every step, these are real statement pieces.
Classic combat style boots customized with an excellent quality all-over art print featuring one of my alcohol ink or watercolor paintings.
Durable nylon-canvas material. Black PU sole with ribbed mid sole. Contrast single-welt stitching. Black rear pull-loop. Breathable foam insole, anti-heat, anti-moisture.
These boots are custom manufactured and printed for you at the time of your order. Although they are coming from Hongkong, the quality is outstanding. Printing and processing time is 2-4 business days, but please take in consideration that shipping can take an additional 3 weeks.


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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Quote from: StanRohrer on February 22, 2012, 18:03Sometimes I wonder if we are looking at this wrong. Do they boost some segment of the library?I'm thinking it's more of a constant shuffle to give sellable files an opportunity to rise up.
Sometimes I wonder if we are looking at this wrong. Do they boost some segment of the library?
Well I think this version is very strongly favouring old content once again.
The upside is that the ingested stuff like Ed and CSA are no longer dominating searches.
My sales are almost dead the last 3 days
When you look at the files in the queue - 32,812
Yes, plenty of DLs since the latest change.
Quote from: lagereek on February 24, 2012, 09:07Yes, plenty of DLs since the latest change.Yep, my old popular files are selling again. I don't mind giving the oldies a new chance from time to time.
Well it seems as if the Wizards of the best match listen to everyone. Lobo posted this about an hour ago.The current sort wasn't exactly what we had in mind this time around so we can expect things to be dialed back over the weekend.
Actually this is even more worrisome. It is an admission that they don't have a clue what they are doing. The whole site seems to be experiencing some major disfunctionality right now. The stats haven't been updated since the 19th. Indexing of files is taking at least three days. The editorial queue is barely crawling while the creative queue is popping them out in three to six hours. (not much good since they won't appear in search till three days later and then be buried deep in best match). No one knows what is going on with the PP program or when we will get January's payout.
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Hi I have stored no. of seconds from 1970 in number datatype on a table and I need to access this number and display it in Date format mm/dd/yyyy using PL/SQL.
Can anyone help?
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Category Archives: Fans vs Paparazzi
Fans vs Paparazzi
Rob Pattinson – Pattinson's Fans Protect Him From Paparazzi
ROBERT PATTINSON's fans came to his rescue on the set of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS – they forced the paparazzi to stop snapping the star as he shot dangerous scenes with REESE WITHERSPOON.
The Brit plays a circus worker in the new movie, and found himself filming with a variety of animals throughout the shoot.
Snappers frequently descended on the California set to try and catch Pattinson and Witherspoon at work, and at one stage they were distracting the pair during a scene – but the Twilight star's waiting fans saved the day.
He tells Telepoche magazine, "(The funniest fan experience) happened while I was filming Water for Elephants in which my partner is Reese Witherspoon. We had a scene with elephants but there were so many paparazzi around that it was scaring the animals and it was impossible to film.
"Out of the blue, fans, that were waiting for autographs, had enough and circled around the paparazzi. Teens made big guys run away. It was unreal! I was pleased."


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Car Q&A: I live in Cape Coral, Fla., and own a 2007 Black Mercedes S Class. I always hand wash the car. I get water spots every time I wash it. I have to dry the car after every wash and use a spray wax to get rid of the water spots. Do you know any way to eliminate the water spots?
Question: I live in Cape Coral, Fla., and own a 2007 Black Mercedes S Class. I always hand wash the car. I get water spots every time I wash it. I have to dry the car after every wash and use a spray wax to get rid of the water spots. Do you know any way to eliminate the water spots?
Answer: Here in New England we have similar problems with water spotting. Hard water, chemically treated water and some car wash soaps can cause this problem. I use a soap called Ice Car Wash by Turtle Wax and other products in the Ice line of car cleaners. Turtle Wax Clear Ice car wash soap did the trick for me. When rinsing the soap off the car, remove the spray nozzle. This will eliminate air in the water stream. You should also chamois or towel dry the car. For a final touch, try Ice synthetic spray detailer. This will eliminate any white residue on the car. For more product information, call Turtle Wax directly at 800-Turtlewax.
Question: I am on the fence about buying a 2009 Infinity M35 sedan rear wheel drive. I live in New York, and, as you know, we do get plowable snow during the winter. I like everything about the car except its rear wheel drive, but I do not want the expense of an all-wheel drive car. What are your thoughts?
Answer: I spent a week in good weather in the M35 sedan and thought it is a very well thought out four-door sedan. Everything about the car was planned with the driver in mind. As for the winter driving concern, I hear this often in Boston. The solution is simple, and we do this on 90 percent of rear wheel drive cars: Replace the stock tires and wheels with an after market set of snow tires and alloy wheels. You do not have to buy expensive speed rated ice-snow tires. In fact, the rim size can be smaller, as long as the overall tire diameter is within a quarter inch of the original. Before anyone starts sending me criticism on this answer, save it for someone else. Remember: I practice what I write and have the best interest of my readers and customers in mind. If some thing works for me, I will write about it.Question: Last October, I purchased a 2008 Chevrolet Impala with 43,000 miles. The factory remote car starter worked intermittently. The dealer replaced a hood latch switch, and that took care of the problem for a short while. Do you have any ideas about what might cause the problem?
Answer: You are not the first owner to have problems with the factory remote engine starter. The factory remote car starter has many built-in safety default systems. Most of the time, remote engine start failures are happen in cold weather, when you need them most. I have seen both hood and door latch switch faults. On some occasions, the computer can store a fault code of the event that causes the remote start not to work. In some cases, actually removing the computer and putting it in the freezer to simulate the cold temperature helps to identify the problem.
Question: Does an engine use more fuel idling for 10-15 minutes or shutting it off and restarting the engine?
Answer: Shutting the engine off will save gasoline versus letting the engine idle.
Question: I own a 2008 Honda CRV all-wheel drive with 2,300 miles. The owner's manual says to change the oil and filter when car computer illuminates the light on the dash, or once a year. On different Web sites, the talk is to change the oil and filter at 6,000 to 11,000 mile intervals. Do manufacturers use break-in oil that should be changed at 2,000-3,000 miles? What about and synthetic mineral oil mixture?
Answer: Today's vehicles, combined with today's engine oils, have various required oil change intervals. Some vehicles are at one year or 20,000 miles; some have computer based monitor activated dash lights to let the driver know when the time is due. I personally would not go beyond six months on vehicles that have an annual recommended oil change interval. Synthetic oil is used on a lot of vehicles that have an annual interval. As for a mixture of synthetic and mineral oil called synthetic blend, I use and recommend it over base mineral based oil.Question: We own a 2002 Buick LeSabre with 121,000 miles. There is a rumble feeling, similar to driving over a rumble strip, when accelerating from a stop rapidly and turning. Also, the gas gauge does not work below the halfway level. Do you have any thoughts about these issues?
Answer: The rumble feeling could be a worn front drive axle joint. When worn, outer joints emit a clicking sound when turning, and the inner joint creates a rumble feeling. Most gas reading failures are caused by either the sender in the tank or the dash gauge in the dash cluster. A few simple tests will reveal the fault. Some vehicles can be tested with a factory scan tool.Question: I own a 2002 Toyota 4Runner with 67,000 miles. This past winter, I did not get the oil changed and drove 7,000 miles. The technician said the oil that drained out was very dirty, and I should have an engine crankcase flush performed. What do you think?
Answer: I would suggest a second opinion. You can buy a can of engine oil flush from any auto parts store for around $5. This flush chemical is made up of some petroleum based products and some lubrication. This product is put in the engine crankcase a few minutes before the oil is changed. Engine oil should always be warm when drained, never cold. I do not recommend flushing the crankcase with any type of engine flush machine. I would recommend having the oil and filter changed twice with in 90 days. This will help clean any old sludge out of the engine.Junior Damato writes weekly about cars. You can send questions to him care of the Old Colony Memorial, 182 Standish Ave., Plymouth, MA 02360.


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The American Water Works Association will conduct a webcast about the installation and maintenance of Polyethylene (PE) pipe on October 24, 2007 at 1PM Eastern Time.
For more information on the webcast and how to register, visit the AWWA website: https://www.awwa.org/Conferences/Content.cfm?ItemNumber=29971
Utility supervisors, operators, engineers and contractors are invited to log in to "PE Pipe in the Field" for a 1 ∏ hours webcast on the proper use of PE pipe. Topics include how to safely handle, transport, install and repair PE pipe. The speakers will be AWWA PE Pipe Committee members and authors of the AWWA manual M55: Design and Installation of Polyethylene Pipe: John Fishburne from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, Jim Craig of McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. and Bill Adams of WL Plastics Corporation.


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The term lumpenproletariat (trans. 'ragged proletariat' or 'lumpen masses') was introduced in The German Ideology by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to describe the lowest level of the proletariat, including vagrants, homeless, the unemployed, welfare recipients, and criminals. Other socialist terms for the homeless and unemployed are shiftless elements and social parasites.
According to Marx the lumpenproletariat would have little motive for taking part in revolution and would in fact wish to maintain their class structure, as they often depended on the higher classes. Marx thought of the lumpenproletariat as a counterrevolutionary threat to the idea of Marxist revolution.
In the Communist Manifesto, Marx said, "The 'dangerous class,' the social scum, that passively rotting mass thrown off by the lowest layers of the old society, may, here and there, be swept into the movement by a proletarian revolution; its conditions of life, however, prepare it far more for the part of a bribed tool of reactionary intrigue."
Peasants, on the other hand, were considered by Marx and Engels to be unqualified to be any social class because of their so-called fragmentation and ignorance.
Lumpenproletariat were often the target for arrest, detention, and forced labor in concentration camps set up by Vladimir Lenin shortly after the October Revolution in the newly created Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.


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Der Stadtrundgang auf Englisch zum Ausdrucken.
PDF-Datei, 1,31 MB
A walk through Gemünden a.Main
We begin our way by the Old Town in the Huttenschloss. The construction was established in 1711 by clerk Stern and went over later in the possession of the counts of Hutten, a high-powered Frankish nobility gender what her coat of arms above the main entrance reminds of.
Now we turn to the town, go about the old stone bridge which was established between 1598 and 1613 under the known Würzburger prince's bishop Julius Echter. The sandstone figure on the Brü-cke shows the Saint Johannes Nepomuk and is a copy whose original stands today in the passageway beside the town parish church.
With the excess of the old bridge we have crossed two water arms: The bigger one is the Frankish hall, unites with the sense, the smaller one a branch, called of the "Mühlgraben". Both flow after a little while into the Main. The house idyl along the Mühlgrabens is called small Venice. However, past it is with the idyl during the regular high water.
Now we cross the through road on the zebra crossing and stay a little bit on the small parking bay with the only preserved town gate, the Mühltorturm. Gemünden had in the group with the curtain wall, from the castle down in the Mühltor, down to the Mühlgraben, there along at the Main past which still to available round pileworks and from the second one again led just high to the castle, two town gates; unfortunately, the second one, the upper gate, does not stand any more. Probably, however, rests of the old curtain wall are received.
We go the narrow way compared with the Mühltorturm down to the Mühlgraben, here on the left further up to the mouth to the Main, past in the owl's tower, one of the round towers. Now the way leads a little piece mainaufwärts and you enjoy the bank scenery. If one looks up now to the castle, one clearly sees the remains of the curtain wall course. By the underpass it goes in the pedestrian crossing light about the B 26 - and who has exactly paid attention, has noted on the right side of the underpass the high water states with annual figures.
We reach the witch's tower and go on the left along the town wall up to the Amtsschreiber-Pförtchen which was higher up to the destruction one more floor. This is it one of originally two little gates which enabled probably above all to the skippers and fishermen to reach the Main also after closing the town gates.
If we run away by the Amtsschreiber-Pförtchen and head through the lane Kirch of the church, we win an impression as closely and winding the cultivation of the whole medieval city centre had been before the destruction.
In Obertorstrasse we can look at the a little preserved old half-timbered houses and stand before the town parish church Saint Peter and Paul. The war has left from the old Late-Gothic church only the foundation walls and the tower basement with the cross ribbed vault. Only a few unique pieces have survived.
Today thus the church presents itself after the reconstruction in 1948-1950 emphatically simply and one has tried above all inside warily a synthesis of old person and new. In the forehead front a representation of both cartridges Peter and Paul and a commemorative table is found on the left to the reconstruction. Below the clock an old, not dateable town coat of arms is to be seen an old, not dateable town coat arms.
The market well was created on the occasion of the first phase of the Old Town renewal, the encirclement of the well shows the coats of arms of the incorporated Gemündener parts of town, the middle column is formed with guild sign.
Now comfortably we come along on the way to the castle; besides, we cross the marketplace and begin the rise behind the castle cafe on the right side. Finally, come you are recompensed with a miraculous view in the Main valley. Before us rises the typical mountain cone of the Einmals on which a soldier's cemetery with a chapel is. Through the mountain a tunnel of the new quick route of the Federal Railroad leads. On this distance segment with the Main bridge, the biggest free-tense pre-stressed concrete-railway bridge without middle prop (84 m), the intercity express on his record journey 1988 achieved the top speed of 406.9 km/h.
The oldest owners of the scissors castle were the counts of Rieneck. When exactly the construction was, cannot be ascertained any more. The first documentary news falls the 13th century. Nevertheless, Si-cher is that Gemünden is substantially older, because one says that already Karl the tallness travelled by the fishing village at that time. The castle came in 1469 under bishop Rudolph von Scherenburg to the high-level pencil Wurzburg and was inhabited till the 18th century.
By the castle court you walk out on the castle way which leads you in a big curve over the school mountain again in the town down. He leads to us on the in 1984 planted vineyard of the city of Gemünden where the "Scherenberg" wine matures.
A detailed city guide you can get in the Tourist Information, Price: 1,00 Euro
For further information we stand to you with pleasure at the possession.
We wish you a rather nice stay.


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View My Gatlinburg Cabin Rental Blog
"Lots of Lovin" offers the ultimate in luxurious living in the Smoky Mountains. The Gatlinburg cabin available for rent features a large custom walk-in shower, Blu-Ray player, flat screen TV's, granite counters, custom cabinets, and an outdoor firepit! The cabin has a very private wooded feel with easy access to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge! This incredible property is just minutes to the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Community.
The Gatlinburg cabin, "Lots of Lovin" can be equally enjoyed as a honeymoon cabin or for a small family. The cabin even includes a kids playroom with chalk board, flat screen TV, and bean bag chairs for lots of fun!
Click the photos above to view more details and rent this spectacular mountain property! Please mention you found this property on my website if renting and you must mention the name of the cabin "Lots of Lovin"!
Looking for a private indoor pool cabin for that family getaway?
Try the incredible "Skinny Dippin "
This website has been designed to help locate your ideal and optimal luxury rental cabin in Gatlinburg. Efforts have been made to distinguish between different cabin rentals including those offering certain luxury amenities such as theater rooms, indoor pools, and luxury furnishings. In addition, there is a section detailing the amenities certain developments and resorts offer including community pools, clubhouses, and wedding chapels. Whether you are looking for a honeymoon cabin or a massive lodge for a family reunion or church group you can find the best rental cabins in Gatlinburg here! Also check out our private indoor pool cabin rental "Skinny Dippin".
Most photos of "Lots of Lovin" are from SugarMapleCabins.com and taken by Dean Brown.
Luxury Gatlinburg Cabins For Sale and Real Estate in the Smokies


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We offer a Free quote and UK design service, get in touch today.
As professional playground flooring and sports surfacing experts we have over 20 years in the industry and have come to be market leaders in the United Kingdom.
As professional playground flooring and sports surfacing experts we've over 20 years in the industry and have come to be market leaders within the United Kingdom.
We have experience within the construction, installation and maintenance of a number of all-weather pitch surfaces in Achnaha PH36 4 and can fit to match any size or needs. Our surfaces including artificial grass, porous macadam and polymeric rubber. We've made installations in a variety of organisation grounds, from gyms and leisure centres to schools and universities throughout the UK. We pride ourselves on providing excellent value products of the highest standard whatever your needs. Let us help you meet your budget yet ensure you have a long lasting product that makes a wonderful investment for your institution. Talk with us today and we can help you discover what the best surface is for your project.
All our surfaces are completely porous, which means they are suitable for use all year round, come rain or shine. Water drains not only through the surface itself but through the stone sub base, laid with specific gaps for this purpose.
We make sure our clients have the freedom they need to create a surfacing order that exactly matches their needs. Find out more about the variety of services available here http://www.playgroundflooring.org/highland/achnaha/ We can also lay surfaces adapted for sporting use including: rugby, football, hockey, netball or multi-sports.


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Florida Snake Identification Key
Pine Snake
Scientific name: Pituophis melanoleucus (DAUDIN 1803)
The following will separate the two Pine Snakes found in Florida. If you are unable to distinguish between them based on the characteristics in the key below, you probably can do so using the geographic location alone.
Select the box below that is the closest match to your snake:
Back is dark brown to black; in Florida it is found only west of the Escambia River in the panhandle.
Your snake could be a Black Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi.
Back is tan to rusty brown with distinct blotches; throughout the Florida peninsula and panhandle west to the Escambia River.
Your snake could be a Florida Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus.
I'd like to start over from the beginning
I'd like to try identifying my snake another way.
More resources:


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Of the three phone conversations with people at TelstraClear in the past two weeks, I've had three different answers. First time, I was told it was sorted. Sadly, no. Second time, I was told I should call back in a week. Third time, I was promised I would be called - nothing yet.
We are also moving house in a few weeks, and were planning to stay with same ISP primarily for convenience. We've been with TCL for a decade, most of that on In Home cable and the new house is also in an area where it is available - but this bill hassle is giving us second thoughts. At least we haven't been disconnected yet.


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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Emergency Chocolate
Shaky Transition
So for Christmas I wrapped up three bars of Bloomsberry & Co. chocolate. My sister the nurse got the Emergency Chocolate (she's been on this "Do. Not. Bring. Any. More. Sweets. Into. This. House." kick), so it seemed fitting. It's an Emergency, enjoy. Guido, the nephew in high school, got a bar of Instant Gratification, and my mother, the candyholic forever trying to cheat death by eating cereals that should come baled, got a 3.5 ounce bar of 100% Guilt Free Chocolate.
Other popular Bloomsberry titles include Eat Me, BoChox, and the undoubtedly popular Oral Pleasure (34% cocoa). Oral Pleasure says it's "For internal and external and internal and external use." Eewww. Bloomsberry & Co. is from New Zealand, where I guess they need a sense of humor.
My Trip To The ER
Convinced tainted cherries and a junk food jamboree were responsible for an Alien level belly ache, I toughed it out for two hours Sunday morning before slipping on my Crocs, making sure I had on clean underwear, and driving to my favorite ER. (This hospital serves Babcock ice cream and bakes the blueberries right into their pancakes.)
You could drop dead in triage, where they were more concerned about the parking lot than the doubled up rag that could barely lift her head to watch the Chargers at Colts in the waiting room. But once those sliding doors admitted you into the ER, it went from Kansas to Oz. The cable reception was good, the remote was within reach, and the drugs came quickly and often. I was optimistic despite being offered opiates like a tray of potato knishes. Or maybe because I was being offered opiates like a tray of potato knishes.
No one seemed too interested in my wax baggie of tainted cherries. They made me drink a pitcher of "contrast" and put me in this humming ring that reminded me of the Stargate bred with a copy machine.
I got laughs when I asked "Could I get meds-to-go so I can watch the last game at home?" I was being serious. Just before I went into surgery to get my appendix out I asked, "Are you sure it's not just a little gas?" Still not kidding.
It wasn't gas, and now I have an unreasonable fear of fresh fruit.
This counts as Day 11.
20 comments:
I didn't even get a chance to send you a get well card!ReplyDelete
The things one will do for opiates?
I wonder if there is a such thing as a belated "get well soon" card?
I guess iit would be like the "Got Milk" slogan?
"Got Well"?
I really do hope you're feelin better shug! Redneck huggs!!!!
OMG!!! Are you okay??? I had a near death experience two days ago too.ReplyDelete
I just hope you're okay. BTW, your writing always has me rolling on the floor with laughter. Your witty remarks and subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) sarcasm always have me laughing so hard. It felt kind of wrong to be laughing while reading this post. On one hand, there was concern for your health and on the other, there was laughter at the being interrupted by the ER staff while you tried to watch the playoffs...oh, and the rising to meet your maker! LOL! You are such a hoot! "Could I get meds-to-go so I can watch the last game at home?" LOL!
Damn that drug seeking behavior. I've seen too many episodes of House. I felt better after the first shot, Jamebo, thanks, hon.ReplyDelete
Hey Chrissy, what happened to you? You can't just say that and end your post with LOL. I guess I need to get my red belly over to your blog.ReplyDelete
I really was asking for a little something in a white paper bag to go when one of the nurses said: "I don't think you're going anywhere tonight."
Even the doctor said, "We're going to schedule you for surgery in a few hours. Unless you have an objection?"
OMG! I hope you're okay now! Are you okay???? Oh, as for me...some jerk-off ran me off the highway and I ended up in the ditch. The car was almost on its side so I couldn't get out on my own. It was pretty traumatic. The friggen' SOB didn't even look to see if I was alive. He just sped off! The roads were pretty messy and icy and he shouldn't have been driving that fast and taking up both lanes on the highway.ReplyDelete
Anyway, I'm fine...with the exception of neck and back pain! It could have been worse :)
C., I think of the Jimmy Buffet song "Were You Born An Asshole (or did you work at it your whole life") often when I'm driving. He could have killed you. My God, if you were almost on your side...don't want to think about it. Of course he didn't stop. Asshole.ReplyDelete
Better check out your neck and back. How did you get out of the ditch? Bet he was impaired.
Hey, Jeanna!ReplyDelete
Hubby, my cousin, my cousin's girlfriend, my dad and my uncle came on the scene about 30 mins after the accident. The tow truck came shortly after they arrived. My cousin got me out of the vehicle and we let the tow truck do all the other work.
SCARY! I still haven't gotten behind the wheel. Hubby's been driving me everywhere for the past two days. I know I have to get back in the driver's seat soon though. I will. I'm just a bit nervous.
You're right. The dude was nuckin' futs! I hope he doesn't hurt anyone else!
Did you use your cell? My cousin called from upside down in a car crash. They needed the jaws of life to get her out. Maybe you should program a non-emergency police number in there to report jag-offs who drive like that. I hate to think of someone getting away with inflicting that kind of damage.ReplyDelete
Have you gone to the doctor yet?
Yes, I did use my cell. I had two bars left on the battery and as soon as I finished talking to my mom and hubby, my battery died. I keep thinking that "This is one of the reasons I have a cell phone!!!"
Nah, I haven't gotten my neck and back checked out by the doc yet :( My friends and family have been bugging me to, but to be honest, I'm stubborn as hell and I'm scared of going to the hospital or the doctor's office! I know, it's a really stupid reason to not go. Maybe tomorrow...
P.S. I've been jones-ing for more candy updates! I'm doing a 7 day liver detox (yes...voluntarily! What am I thinking, right?). What better way to detox than to drool over all the candy and chocolate on your blog!?! ;)
Hey C., every time I walk out the door it seems I go under the knife. Got a nice little slice o' back out yesterday and it hurts to sit at a computer. Was going to do something on Packer pretzel balls, but the less said about them the better.ReplyDelete
Good luck on the the detox and get to a doc despite what I said.
You must have an angel on your shoulder, kiddo. Funny about the cell phone. Will drop by your blog soon. Right now I'm just...blaaaaahhhhhecccc.
Just checking in on you babe!
You doin' OK?
What's this about another "slice o' back"?
I swear.....you gals will do anything to lose weight? First you get your appendix removed and now they are taking slices out your backside?
Strangest weight loss program I ever heard of? LOL!!!
Hope all is well shug!!!!!
I wish they would take my backside with a heaping helping of gut. Just one of them hound dog tumors taken out by a slice happy Dr.ReplyDelete
But...ouch. And then those damn Packers.
So what is that poor pup spitting out on your blog? Teeth? Damn karate cats.
but *wah* I wanted to read about Packer Pretzel balls...ReplyDelete
I hope you're all right. Slices aren't good unless they're some kind of torte.
Maybe I'll get Clem to do a quickie. Torte, mmm. Yup, got word today it was okay. Just full of holes, but since I'm stocked up on pain pills not too bad.ReplyDelete
How you doin'?
Jeanna...How you doin'?ReplyDelete
I'm bestowing an award upon you. I think you may like this one. #1, it's quite fitting because your blog is one of my "daily doses" and #2, it's a candy theme! Yay!
Now, I must get some work done! LOL! Ciao, bella!
I'm better, thank you for asking. Chocolate always helps. And lots of chocolate helps a lot, lol.ReplyDelete
Wow...I'm glad you're alright and on the mend, sister. Jeeezoman. Send me your spare opiates, um k?ReplyDelete
Seriously though, you're a talented and hilarious writer. You need to get paid for your blogging. Or syndicated.
Well, MM, I'm out o opiates, but still have some happy pills. So. Very. Happy.ReplyDelete
Ha, yeah, I've been saying I should get paid for cracking myself up since I was 12.
Hope you get your camera out for the next two days of blizzard. You MUST have a venue to sell your most excellent stuff to the world!
...I thought you said something about breast reductions...???ReplyDelete
Love your blog - you one vellly funny lady!


text:
I'm developing an application using Silverlight 5, Visual Studio 2010 and VB.Net.
I've reached the stage where I have a requirement to read and write information to a Sharepoint Online list, but I'm really struggling to get my head round how I should do this.
There seem to be at couple least a couple of methods:
Using Lists.asmx - I have added this as a Service Reference, but it doesn't seems to have made available some methods (?) I would expect to see. i.e. intellisense sees lots of GetListItems* methods, but not plain old GetList. Where am I going wrong?
Alternatively, I think I can install the Silverlight Client Object for Sharepoint 2010 and use this? But again I'm not really sure where to start.
Can anybody advise me as to which way I should be leaning, and perhaps give me pointers to start me off.


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