text:
Mutually Assured Destruction, written by Peter Lefcourt and directed by Terri Hanauer, is a comedy of middle-aged sexual mores. The cartoon graphic on the poster is an homage to the 1970 Paul Mazursky movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, a spoof on the then-hip craze of wife swapping. This world premiere is produced by Racquel Lehrman and Theatre Planners at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles.
Gerald: Except in MAD, we don't have so much wife swapping as wife coveting. It's all (or mostly) in the mind. Specifically, it's in the mind of main character Arnie (Kip Gilman), who, like the real-life Peter Lefcourt, is tall, lanky, and glib. He starts right out, breaking the fourth wall, and explains the conceit of the title to the audience: It's all about relationship-crippling threats, like the Cold War, about the damage your perceived friends and enemies could do to your marriage based on the dirt they know or can make up, if given the slightest provocation.
Georja: "Mutually Assured Destruction" is a phrase that came out of the Cold War where no one would commit the first strike for fear of devastating retaliation. In this play, the author creates a scenario of adultery among a group of friends along with its ensuing multiple deceits and then goes to great lengths to squeeze it into the MAD framework. As an intellectual exercise, this is admirable. You can see the downright cleverness of this extended metaphor. (Lefcourt even goes so far as to name the characters after the prominent Russians, North Koreans and others involved in the Cold War.) But as far as willing suspension of disbelief required in the theater, it gets a little tricky.
Gerald: I am an admitted long-time fan of Peter Lefcourt's comic novels, but this is the first of his plays I've seen. I think it takes a lot of guts in this post-iPhone age to attempt literate, male-centered comedy. His The Woody, about Clintonesque sexual dalliance during a national electoral campaign, and The Deal, about a Hollywood movie in turnaround, are hysterical classics. I'd even hazard a guess that his Manhattan Beach Project was the inspiration for Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat, although I bet neither of them wants to talk about it.
Georja: This piece, with its bare stage and Gilman's folksy explanations to the audience, is like a series of comedy scenes done in a cabaret. The characters are sketchy and mostly defined by one attribute alone, especially the wives. The women included extremely devoted husband pleaser Myrna (Gwendolyn Druyor), Arnie's clueless non-questioning wife Carol (Gina Hecht) and cheating wife-slut Eve (Brynn Thayer). The men weren't much more developed, although the confidences of our narrator Arnie to the audience were incessant. He clued us in as to every motivation and its strategic impact.The only character I felt real empathy for was Herb (Stuart Pankin) - the deceived guy whose wife was screwing around. He was the only one who felt any pain – for about 15 minutes, and then he got over it. I found his performance to be hilarious and at the same time his acting truthful.
Gerald: On the night we attended MAD, the audience was a clone of the characters on the stage -- Westsiders, mostly over fifty. Lots of neighborhood jokes about La-La Land, including annoyance of driving to the valley and paranoia about going "west of Lincoln" because of pollution near the beach. The biggest laugh was when Eve and Carol compare notes on their TV reception. Carol and Arnie have DirecTV, and Eve and Murray (Bobby Costanzo) have Time Warner. It won't come as any news that the audience, like Eve, loves to hate Time Warner. Costanzo and Druyor also have some funny bits involving a workman's tool belt as the well-equipped Murray doubles back to "cheat" on his girlfriend with his wife.
Georja: Hanauer's direction was spot-on for the piece, and the actors did not miss a cue. Thayer was fun to watch prance about the stage. I especially enjoyed the peeling away of Druyor's scorned wife's character from a straight-laced woman to the sexiest one of all. It made one wonder why the husband needed to seek outside thrills. Michael Caldwell was fun in his multiple stints as waiter, barista, bikini waxer and butler. The audience enjoyed mostly the topical humor, and the deeper underlying implications were left unexplored. Many laughed and perhaps that was the purpose. But does it really have any resonance with the Cold War?
Gerald: This comedy of manners, witty and intellectually sharp as it is, lacks two things. First, there's not much physical comedy. Granted that Lefcourt, who has more than paid his dues on episodic TV, probably didn't want to lapse into flat-out sitcom. But Moliere would not have hesitated. Lucille Ball or Ernst Lubitsch would have had characters frantically running between bedrooms. There is one notable episode of simulated Tantric sex, and believe me you don't want to miss that. Second, there is no mention whatever of the younger generation. Everyone out there knows the Millennials would sooner kill their parents and grandparents so they can fix the world the older generation messed up (defeating the Nazis, starting and ending the Cold War, and inventing the Internet apparently don't count for much). And they certainly don't want to know anything about what happens in those crusty bedrooms. But those younger folks do occasionally buy theater tickets. Some of them are actually literate and might appreciate a good farce. But the cast is composed of three middle-aged couples and a multidimensional waiter. If any one of them has a son or a daughter, you wouldn't know it. Or a former marriage, even. They are all living the life north of Montana, and their biggest enemy is boredom. You won't need to go to the theater to get that revelation.
Georja Umano is an actress-comedienne and animal advocate.Gerald Everett Jones is the author of the Rollo Hemphill series of comic novels.
Photos by Ed Krieger
Mutually Assured Destruction by Peter Lefcourt
Produced by Racquel Lehrman and Theatre Planners at the Odyssey Theatre,
Odyssey Theatre
2055 South Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 477-2055
The World Premiere of Mutually Assured Destruction runs on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm through August 26, 2012.
Tickets are $25 at www.plays411.com/destruction or (323) 960-5772.


text:
ABBREVIATIONS:(Redirected from INITIALS.)
The oldest term for abbreviation,
Abbreviations really begin with the development of the Hebrew alphabet out of ideographic pictures. Hence, they must date from the earliest times. The modern letters were originally signs or symbols. After the symbols had become letters, representing not only concepts, but sounds, the names were, nevertheless, retained and transferred to the corresponding sounds. The time when that transfer took place is unknown; but it may be assumed that even for some time later ideograms for well-known words were still used. By analogy with those ideograms the use of conventional signs for frequently recurring words probably came into vogue, and this was the beginning of Abbreviations (compare Perles, "Analekten," p. 10). Abbreviations are found in Punic, Assyrian, and Minean inscriptions, and also in an Aramaic inscription of the year 526
Thus, on the Maccabean coins are found the Abbreviations א for "first year":
On the Maccabean coins there is no sign to denote abbreviation. This may be due to lack of space. However, such a practise is met with much later; compare the Bible fragments published by Neubauer ("Jew. Quart. Rev." vii. 363) and
Words are abbreviated in various ways. Distinction must be made chiefly between the abbreviation of a single word and that of more than one. Single words may be abbreviated in the following ways:
- (1)
V01p040063.jpg: When a single word consists of only two letters it is very rarely abbreviated; for example, V01p040064.jpg. When it consists of more than two letters, one or more of the final letters are dropped: for example, V01p040065.jpgor V01p040066.jpg= V01p040067.jpgor V01p040068.jpgor V01p040069.jpg= V01p040070.jpgor V01p040071.jpg. Words beginning with a preposition or conjunction or verbs in the imperfect can not be abbreviated to one letter: for example, V01p040072.jpg, V01p040073.jpgCompound names are treated sometimes as two words, and so abbreviated: for example, V01p040074.jpg= V01p040075.jpg.
- (2)
V01p040076.jpg: The middle of a word is omitted, both ends remaining: for example, V01p040077.jpg("Am. Jour. Semit. Lang." xv. 162); V01p040078.jpg(in the same place); V01p040079.jpg("Jew. Quart. Rev." xi. 646); V01p040080.jpg(in the same place). This mode of abbreviation is very rare.
- (3)
V01p040081.jpg: A middle letter stands for the whole word. Of this kind only one example is known, namely, V01p040082.jpg(compare Perles, op. cit. p. 16).
- (4)
V01p040083.jpg: The beginning of the word is omitted; for example, V01p040084.jpg("Am. Jour. Semit. Lang." xv. 162), V01p040085.jpgor V01p040086.jpgbefore family names; especially common in the Arabic period, but affected also by some modern writers.
- (5) The name of God is now usually written
V01p040087.jpg; but in antiquity it was written in a great many ways, too many to record here (see Tetragrammaton).When there are two or more words, the following modes of abbreviation prevail:
- (6)
V01p041001.jpg:(a) The initial letter of every word, whether it be a radical or a formative element or an inseparable particle, is retained—the rest is omitted; for example, V01p041002.jpg V01p041003.jpg. It is to be noticed, however, that, if the first word of the combination begins with an inseparable particle, such particle is not counted; for example, V01p041004.jpg= V01p041005.jpg. An exception to this rule is the article in combination beginning with V01p041006.jpgfor example, V01p041007.jpg V01p041008.jpg, and V01p041009.jpg, but more usually written V01p041010.jpg.(b) Two letters are retained of one or several words; for example, V01p041011.jpg V01p041012.jpg; V01p041013.jpg.(c) When the first or last word of the combination is short, it is sometimes retained in the abbreviation entire; for example, V01p041014.jpg; V01p041015.jpg.(d) When an abbreviation is formed of a larger complex of words the resulting lengthy abbreviation is rarely written in one group (for example, V01p041016.jpg), but is frequently broken up into two or more groups; for example, V01p041017.jpg= V01p041018.jpg= V01p041019.jpgThis splitting up into groups is at times guided by no principle (for example, V01p041020.jpg), but more frequently the tendency is apparent to form such groups as would make sense when read as entire words, or would represent a series of numbers, or would give a certain assonance; for instance, V01p041021.jpggives the words V01p041022.jpggives the words V01p041023.jpg V01p041024.jpggives the words V01p041025.jpg V01p041026.jpgyields an assonance when pronounced V01p041027.jpg(compare Pronunciation, below); V01p041028.jpggives the serial numbers 21, 22, 23.(e) In longer groups, particles and sometimes one or more whole words may be left unrepresented; for example, V01p041029.jpg V01p041030.jpg(Lowe, "A Fragment of the Talmud," fol. 1a, col. 1, 1. 21).(f) A species of Abbreviations consists in the use of the letters with numerical value. Such use goes back to antiquity, and was already known to the authors of the Biblical books (compare Holzinger to Gen. xiv. 14, and Bertholet to Ezek. iv. 5, in Marti's "Kurzer Hand-Kommentar zum Alten Testament"). On this use is also based the hermeneutic rule of Gematria. These letters with numerical value may be written by themselves, as, V01p041031.jpg= 310; V01p041032.jpg= 613; or together, with the Abbreviations of words, as, V01p041033.jpg V01p041034.jpgIt is further to be noticed that in modern times the use of V01p041035.jpgfor 15, 16 is avoided (such groups being part of the divine name) and V01p041036.jpgsubstituted in their stead. In some cases the numeral V01p041037.jpgis written V01p041038.jpgand pronounced V01p041039.jpgwith allusion to the meaning "alive," "living," which the word has in Hebrew.(g) V01p041040.jpg: Sometimes the final letters of several words are combined into a group. This, where the initials make no sense, is done for mnemotechnic purposes; for example, V01p041041.jpg V01p041042.jpg.(h) V01p041043.jpg: When quoting Scriptural passages, on account of religious scruples, only the first word is written out in full, the rest being given in Abbreviations. This mode is especially common among Karaitic authors (compare "Jew. Quart. Rev." vii. 363).(i) V01p041044.jpg: The mystic combination of letters, to which dynamic powers were attributed, dates from the early Gnosis, and was very common in the Middle Ages. This kind of abbreviation does not properly belong to our subject. On the origin of such V01p041045.jpg, compare Grätz, "Gnosticismus im Judenthum," p. 106, and V01p041046.jpg, viii. 90; see also the articles Cabala and Notarikon.
- (1) Owing to the fact that Abbreviations were frequently formed into groups which, when read as a word, gave a meaning and were used as a help to the memory in oral study, all kinds of Abbreviations, even such as have no meaning when taken as words, came in later times to be pronounced with supplied vowels; for example,
V01p041047.jpg(B. B. 46b), V01p041048.jpg(, vii. 96), V01p041049.jpg(ib. 98). This is especially common with names of authors and books; for example, V01p041050.jpg; Equally frequent is such pronunciation of numbers, especially of more than two places; for example, V01p041051.jpg.
- (2) Such pronounced Abbreviations are accepted in modern literature as real words, and even form derivatives. They are used both in prose and in poetry, and the abbreviation signs are not always written —a source of perplexity to the uninitiated. Compare
V01p041052.jpg, "the heresy of Shabbethai Ẓebi," from V01p041053.jpg, the initials of that name (Gottlober, "Toledot haḲabbalah," p. 11); V01p041054.jpg, "a poem the numerical value of whose letters in every line is equivalent to the date of the year in which it was composed" ( V01p041055.jpg, p. 30, note):618 = V01p041056.jpg618 = V01p041057.jpg618 = V01p041058.jpg618 = V01p041059.jpg(Gottlober, "Toledot ha-Ḳabbalah," p. 31). This poem yields the V01p041060.jpg, "the date of the year with the omission of the thousands." Hence, 618 = 5618 A.M. = 1858 B.C. (see also "Luaḥ Aḥiasaf," ii. 31; Dolitzky, "Shire Menahem," p. 105).
Abbreviations may be divided into general and special. To the latter class belong discretionary Abbreviations formed for special cases or by certain authors; while the general Abbreviations, through their connection with the history of culture and of literature, have become monuments of ideas and of sentiments, and have come to possess historic significance (compare Zunz, "Z. G." p. 450). The oldest regular uses of Abbreviations as found in the Talmud are:
- (1) The abbreviation of the name of God (see § (5), above).
- (2) As mnemonic signs, for a help to the memory in oral study. This latter kind of abbreviation was especially called
V01p042001.jpg(see Terminology, above). Instead of these V01p042002.jpgrepresenting words, they sometimes represent numbers (Mishnah, Men. xi. 4; see also R. Judah in Pesaḥ Haggadah and Sifre, V01p042003.jpg, 301). For the mnemonic signs of the Talmud, compare D. Pardo, "La-Menaẓeaḥ le-David," Salonica, 1765 or 1795; Pinner's introduction to his German translation of Berakot, p. 22; J. Brüll, "Doresh le-Zion" (Mnemotechnik of the Talmud), Vienna, 1864; F. Lebrecht in "Hebr.Bibl." vii. 99-102; also Rapoport in "Kerem Ḥemed," vi. 252.Especially numerous is this kind of Abbreviations in the Masoras and in grammatical literature. On the mnemonic signs in the Masoras, compare Frensdorff's glossary in his "Die Masora Magna"; on some of the mnemonic signs in grammar compare D. Rosin in "Jew. Quart. Rev." vi. 475-501. A complete list, both of Masoretical and grammatical mnemonic signs, will be found in the appendix to the writer's "Dictionary of Philological Terminology in Hebrew and Aramaic," now in preparation. Mnemonic signs are also commonly used in calendars.
- (3) In vituperative language Abbreviations are used for the purpose of euphemy (compare Meg. 25b;
V01p042004.jpgor V01p042005.jpg"the lewd woman").In later literature we find the frequent and habitual use of Abbreviations in the following cases:
- (4) In the standing formulas for blessing, wishing, praying, and imprecation, and in standing phrases concluding a composition, which formulas frequently consist of Biblical verses or phrases. This kind of sigla, having developed different characteristics according to various times and countries, since it was employed in epigraphs, documents, on tombstones, etc., has become an important part of Hebrew paleography. On this see Zunz, l.c.; Steinschneider in the "Jahresberichte der Geschichtswissenschaft," i. 43, ii. 59, v. 36; and the same, "Zur Literatur der Hebräischen Paläographie" in "Centralblatt für Bibliothekswissenschaft," 1887, pp. 158 et seq.
- (5) In the quotation of names and titles of authors and especially in the books or treatises and chapters of the Talmud titles. The titles of Hebrew books are, in a sense, proper names, usually consisting of a Biblical phrase of two words, whose initial letters are used in quoting them, even without mention of the author (see Titles).The names of authors consist mainly of their first names with the addition of
V01p042006.jpg"son of," followed by the name of their father. In the Middle Ages it became the custom to add to the name of every author the title V01p042007.jpg, abbreviated to V01p042008.jpg, and from this have arisen Abbreviations of the names of famous and popular authors; as V01p042009.jpgMoses Maimonides, V01p042010.jpgSolomon ben Isaac, etc. In some cases real family names have grown out of such or similar Abbreviations, especially in more modern times when the Jews were required by the various states to adopt them. Thus, the name "Brill" or "Brüll" is V01p042011.jpgBen Rabbi Judah Loeb ha-Levi; "Katz" is V01p042012.jpg; "Sack" is V01p042013.jpg; "Segal" is V01p042014.jpgIn Germany and in France it was customary in the Middle Ages to abbreviate names so as to form a word denoting some personal quality; as, V01p042015.jpg"head" for V01p042016.jpg. Lack of knowledge in such mattters has produced some very ridiculous misunderstandings. A list of such names is given by Steinschneider in the introduction to his "Catalogus Librorum Hebræorum in Bibliotheca Bodleiana" and in his "Hebräische Bibliographie," xvi. 6, xxi. 103. On the titles of Hebrew books compare Schechter, "Studies in Judaism," pp. 270-281.
- (6) In the technical expressions of various disciplines Abbreviations are frequently used according to the needs of the particular subject. They are, however, invariably made on one or other of the principles indicated above.
- The older literature on Abbreviations will be found enumerated in Wolf, Bibl. Hebr. ii. 574-590, iv. 250-267;
- H. J. Köcher, Nova Bibl. Hebr. ii. 136 et seq., Jena, 1782;
- Zunz, Z. G. p. 448;
- Steinschneider, Gab es Eine Hebr. Kurzschrift? p. 8 (this is a reprint from Archiv für Stenographie, 1887, Nos. 466 and 467);
- P. Perreau, 1700 Abbreviature e Sigle Ebraiche, Chaldaiche, Rabbiniche, Talmudiche . . . Autografia Edizione di 60 Esemplari, Parma, 1882, augmented under the title Oceano delle Abbreviature e Sigle Ebraiche, 1883, Autogr. 2a Edizione di 60 Esemplari Notevolmente Accresciuta;
- and an appendix to this, Appendice all' Oceano delle Abbreviature, 1884, Autogr. Ed. di 60 Esemplari (an exhaustive review of the last two works was published by D. Kaufmann in the Göttinger Gelehrte Anzeigen, 1884, pp. 749-755);
- Joseph Ezekiel,
V01p042017.jpgA Handbook of Hebrew Abbreviations with their Explanations in Hebrew and English, etc., Bombay, 1887;
- Philip Lederer, Hebräische und Chaldäische Abbreviaturen . . . ins Deutsche Übersetzt und Erläutert, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1894;
- G. H. Händler,
V01p042018.jpgLexikon der Abbreviaturen, Anhang zum Aramäisch-Neuhebräischen Wörterbuch von Gustaf H. Dalman, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1897(of which the author is now preparing a revised, separate edition);
- A. Bernstein, Sefer Roshe Tebot, London, 1896.
The fragments of two Bible manuscripts of Egyptian origin, which were discovered by Neubauer and deciphered by Friedländer, show a manner of writing in an abbreviated form hitherto unknown; another example was exhibited at the Oriental Congress at Rome, October, 1899, by Dr. C. D. Ginsburg. Only the first word of each verse is written out in full; of the remaining words only one letter (not necessarily the initial letter) is given. This method of abbreviation seems to be what the Talmud designates by the term
- Jew. Quart. Rev. iii. 363, 564-566.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Giveaway: Win A Copy of 'Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese'
Say cheese! We recommend, review, and eat a lot of cheese.
Get the Recipe
It's always exciting for us when a SE contributor gets a book deal. It's even more exciting when the book comes out full of chock-full delicious recipes, beautiful pictures, and useful, fun information. Serious Cheese columnist Stephanie Stiavetti's and collaborator Garret McCord's new book, Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese, accomplishes all that and more.
What's New On Serious Eats
Yes, the book is all about that comfort food classic, mac and cheese. But forget the version you knew as a kid—Melt is all about giving the dish a gourmet makeover, focusing on grown-up versions with artisanal cheese and a wide array of pastas. In true serious cheese style, it comes complete with a cheese compendium and resources for shopping, storing, cooking with, and presenting the many fine varieties featured in the book.
The chapters are organized by style, including creamy stovetop macs, hearty casseroles, refreshing salads, and even some desserts. Recipes range from a sweet-and-savory shell pasta with Point Reyes Original Blue, pecans, and figs to to rich fusilli with Brillat-Savarin ("the ice cream of cheese"), pears, fennel, and torn croissant topping. And while many are perfect for the chilly winter months ahead, there are lighter options for summer, too, like the rotini with Drunken Goat Cheese, edamame, and fennel.
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text:
THE RESET: March 1 spending cuts now seem likely
A month has passed since Congress and President Barack Obama narrowly averted a New Year's "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts. Another fiscal crisis is less than a month away. But while the earlier cliff drew mounting levels of fear and panic, the massive spending cuts due March 1 are being viewed with resignation by many lawmakers.
There no longer seems much doubt that the spending cuts, known in the nation's capital as "the sequester," will occur in some form.
The sides seem too far apart to find much common ground in a budget deal. So it's now mostly a matter of how - and if - the formula can be modified to safeguard national defense and/or attach some higher taxes.
"There is no doubt we need additional revenue, coupled with smart spending reductions, in order to bring down our deficit," Obama told CBS in a pre-Super Bowl interview Sunday.
He would close loopholes enjoyed mostly by the wealthy rather than further increase tax rates.
In a similar vein, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Democrats "without question" will demand more tax revenue if any attempt is made to alter the spending-cut formula. "There are a lot of tax loopholes that should be closed," he told ABC.
Many GOP lawmakers see the cuts as the surest way to reduce federal spending - but oppose pairing them with higher taxes.
The cuts are portrayed as across-the-board but would fall hardest on military programs since the sequester formula generally exempts "entitlement" payments such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and veterans' benefits.
They would follow an earlier round of deep Pentagon spending cuts.
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta argues it would be "shameful and irresponsible" for Congress to allow mandatory cuts that he says could jeopardize U.S. readiness. "In a world of responsible politics, it would not happen."
Obama agreed: "Washington cannot continually operate under a cloud of crisis."
Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tomraum


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Will snail slime smooth skin?
Q. Is it true that snail slime is found in many facial creams? If so, what are the benefits of snail slime?
A. We are constantly amazed at the ingenuity of skin-care manufacturers. Snail slime does indeed appear to be the latest exotic ingredient promoted for its healing and anti-aging properties.
Creams and lotions containing mucus derived from snails are said to be popular in Africa, Korea and South America. Such skin-care products are crawling into the American marketplace.
We could find no well-controlled studies supporting the benefits of snail slime for human skin, though of course it is essential for snails. The secretions contain hyaluronic acid and proteoglycans, popular ingredients you might find even in products that don't derive their allure from Helix aspersa, the common garden snail.
Q. I have been suffering with unbearable hip and knee joint pain. For the past several years, I have taken to using a cane. I finally went to the doctor after my sister-in-law mentioned that I walked like a person who needed a hip replacement. After reviewing X-rays, the orthopedic surgeon said I am a good candidate for both hip and knee replacements.
When I visited a friend in Florida recently, she pulled out a People's Pharmacy article about gin-soaked raisins and told me to try them. She had a batch made up already because she has started to get the same type of pain.
I began by taking nine raisins that night before going to bed. The next morning, I was shocked. I had no snap, crackle or pop! I could almost jump out of bed. That day I did not need a cane. I was surprised by my ability to walk up stairs and move around with little or no effort.
I don't know how it works, but I take nine raisins every night knowing that when I get up in the morning, I'll be able to move pain-free. It may not last forever, but for now it is great.
A. Your story is dramatic because you got such quick relief. Many readers report that it takes a month or even two before they notice the benefits of gin-soaked raisins. We do not know why they work either, but we include the recipe for this and many other remedies to alleviate joint pain in our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (66 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. AA-2, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoples
Q. I recently had a hysterectomy. My ovaries were left, but I have suffered from severe vaginal dryness.
I have tried almost every over-the-counter remedy available, including Sylk. What worked for me? After a shower, I apply coconut oil. It immediately melts into the tissues. Then I add aloe vera gel. Before bedtime, I go through the same routine.
I can't tell you what a relief it has been. No itching or sticky gels. It feels completely natural, not to mention it is a whole lot less expensive than commercial lubes.
A. Many other women have found that coconut oil works well as a personal lubricant. It is solid at room temperature, but melts readily at body temperature. We caution that some people may be allergic to aloe vera gel.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is "Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them."


text:
WOIO TV via AFP - Getty Images
Amanda Berry (right) was reunited with her sister on Monday after Berry and two other women were found alive in a house in Cleveland, Ohio.
"Help me, I'm Amanda Berry."
With one frantic 911 call on Monday evening, three women missing for years were found in a Cleveland house where they had been held against their will by three brothers, police in Ohio said.
"I've been kidnapped," Berry, who disappeared a decade ago, told the dispatcher. "I've been missing for 10 years and I'm out here. I'm free now."
Authorities heaped praise on Berry, now 27 and the mother of a 6-year-old.
"The real hero here is Amanda," said Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba.
Berry and two other women, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, went missing between 2000 and 2004 in separate incidents. The women were all between the ages of 14 and 20 when they vanished.
Neighbors and relatives celebrated the happy ending, but for some, the years had taken their toll. Berry's mother died in 2006, not knowing whether her daughter was alive or dead.
Three suspects are under arrest -- former school-bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, and his brothers Pedro, 54, and O'Neal, 50, Cleveland police said. A search warrant related to the arrest was executed by police at an address on Seymour Avenue in Cleveland, police said.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said at a Tuesday press conference that there are many unanswered questions: "Why were they taken, how they were taken and how they remained undetected in the city of Cleveland for all this time?"
The three women were taken to nearby Metro Health Medical hospital, along with Berry's child, officials said.
All three women were released from the hospital Tuesday morning, the hospital said in a statement, after reporting earlier in the morning that they had been in "fair condition."
"The nightmare is over," said Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Anthony. "These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin."
Amanda Berry, Georgina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were all kidnapped roughly ten years ago in the Cleveland area and were held captive in a home until yesterday when a neighbor heard Berry screaming for help. NBC's Kristen Dahlgren reports and former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt discusses the case.
The three disappearances had stumped police in Cleveland and shaken the community for years. Berry was reported missing on April 21, 2003 after she phoned her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at a fast food restaurant. About one year after that, 14-year-old DeJesus vanished while walking home from school.
Police said their records showed two visits to the home in recent years. In 2000, they responded to a call about a fight from Ariel Castro. In 2004, after Castro was accused of leaving a child on a bus, authorities went to the house but no one was home.
Authorities said they never stopped looking for the missing women, running down tips and even digging up two backyards. The break came when Berry summoned the courage to escape.
Neighbor Charles Ramsey said he was at home when he saw a man from across the street running to the house next door. When Ramsey went outside, he said, he saw a young woman who said she was trying to escape the house.
"This girl is kicking the door and screaming," Ramsey said. "She says, 'I've been kidnapped and I've been in this house a long time and I want to leave right now.'"
When the door would not open Ramsey helped kick it down, he said, then allowed Berry to call 911. The young woman carried her child through the broken door, and told Ramsey it belonged to her captor. It's unclear who is the child's father.
Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Ed Tomba discusses some of the details surrounding the case of three Ohio women, missing for nearly a decade, who were found alive after one of them escaped to call 911.
Police then entered the house and brought out DeJesus and Knight, according to Ramsey.
Police said they have not fully debriefed the victims.
"You can only imagine the scene last night at the hospital with the family and the friends...it was chaotic," Tomba said.
Shocked relatives could hardly believe that their missing family members had been found after so many years.
Michelle Knight's mother Barbara told The Plain Dealer newspaper that she prayed police had correctly identified her daughter.
"I'm praying that if it is her, she will come back with me so I can help her recover from what she has been through," the hopeful mother said. "So much has happened in these 10 years. She has a younger sister she still has not met. I missed her so much while she was gone."
Destiny Berry, cousin to Amanda, told WKYC: "I just want to see her; I just want to see what she looks like. I just want to hold her."
Destiny and her sister were best friends with Amanda before her disappearance. "We were so close, inseparable. And when she came up missing it killed us. Going 10 years without knowing what happened to her, not knowing anything tears us apart," she said.
Another of Berry's cousins, Tasheena Mitchell, told WKYC that she was "so excited."
The Cleveland Plain Dealer file
Amanda Berry (left) and Gina DeJesus (right) went missing about a decade ago.
"I thought about her every day. I prayed about her every night. I'm just so excited that we're here. And we're so close but so far away because they won't let us in," she said. "I knew that she would come one day. I just don't understand why it took so long. I'm just happy that she's here."
The DeJesus family continued to hold out hope, holding vigils for her. DeJesus' mother, Nancy Ruiz, told WKYC at one in April: "She's still out there, and we need to bring her home."
Earlier this year a prison inmate was sentenced for admitting he gave authorities fraudulent tips about Berry's remains.
Robert Wolford, who is serving time for killing a homeless man, told police the woman was buried under a Cleveland lot, which was then dug up by backhoes.
And two men arrested for questioning about DeJesus' disappearance were released in 2006 after police failed to find the woman's remains during a search of their house.
NBC News' Ian Johnston and John Newland and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Postdoctoral Associates
As employees, Postdoctoral Associates are eligible for various benefits which are described in further detail on the left.
The current Collective Agreement between the Public Service Alliance of Canada, representing Postdoctoral Associates provides options for a Health Care Spending Account, a Professional Expense Reimbursement Account, Optional Life Insurance, Dependent Life Insurance, Optional Accident Insurance and certain other benefits.
All new Postdoctoral Associates will be sent an information package concerning benefits program from Human Resources.
If you would like to discuss your options in detail with a Benefit and Pension Consultant, please contact the Western Human Resources Communication Centre at (519) 661-2194 or email email@example.com.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the plan descriptions here, your benefits and rights are governed by the Group Insurance Contracts of each plan.
Published on and maintained in Cascade CMS.


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Brian 'Head' Welch's Band, Love and Death Reissue 'Between Here & Lost' Features 3 New Tracks
Former Korn guitarist, Brian "Head" Welch's band, Love & Death, will be re-issuing their debut album Between Here & Lost as a deluxe edition coming to Tooth & Nail on September 17th.
The "Expanded Edition" will have three new tracks in addition to the 11 songs on the original release.
The band just released the video for the song "Meltdown," watch it here.
Love & Death is made up of Brian "Head" Welch (vocals), JR Bareis (lead guitar), Michael Valentine (bass), and Dan Johnson (drummer).
"Between Here & Lost" is a passionate foray into the powers of good and evil, and light and dark fighting over someone's life.
"This record was birthed from trials, tribulations, pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, and drama" said Welch in a press release. "However, we came out on top and the end result is a very real, raw & honest record. We are so stoked for people to hear it! From our opening song 'The Abandoning', to our cover of Devo's 'Whip it', to our collaboration with Mattie Montgomery from For Today on 'I W8 4 U', It's an exciting piece of art and the listener will feel the different range of emotions with the lyrics & melodies of each song."
Read CP review of album here.
Between Here & Lost (Expanded Edition) track listing:
1. The Abandoning
2. Whip It
3. Watching The Bottom Fall
4. By The Way...
5. Meltdown
6. My Disaster
7. I W8 4 U (Featuring Mattie Montgomery)
8. Fading Away
9. Paralyzed
10. Chemicals
11. Bruises
Bonus Tracks:
12. Empty
13. The Abandoning (Rauch Remix)
14. Meltdown (Rauch Remix)
Love & Death has been a band for almost five years. Welch formed the group after parting ways with Korn and becoming a Christian. He held open tryouts on YouTube and then assembled the band that way.
"I picked the guys and then had a jam session in Phoenix" said Welch in a release. "The current band has been together and touring for a while now and they are a big part of the new music and the future of Love & Death."
Love & Death will be touring with Korn and Asking Alexandria this fall, starting September 26th in Philadelphia, PA.
Tour Dates:
9/26 Philadelphia, PA The Electric Factory
9/27 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
9/28 Worcester, MA The Palladium
9/30 Toronto, Canada Sound Academy
10/1 Detroit, MI The Filmore
10/2 Chicago, IL The Riviera
10/3 Minneapolis, MN The Myth
10/10 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
Love & Death Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoveandDeathMusic
Love & Death Twitter: www.twitter.com/lovedeathmusic


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I just was released from the hospital after spending 33 days in for severe pains in my legs.
They found blood clots in both legs and tried to dissolve them. They only were able to help some so I now need to rest and hope that they can continue dissolving. The other prospects are not so good.


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Former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin went On The Record with Greta Van Susteren last night to discuss President Obama's State of the Union address and she did not hold back any punches:
Well, speaking of last night, that was a tough speech to sit through and try to stomach because the president is so off base in his ideas in how it is he believes government is going to create jobs. Obviously, government growth won't create any jobs. It's the private sector that can create the jobs. His theme last night in the State of the Union was the WTF, you know, "Winning the Future," and I thought OK, that acronym, spot on. There were a lot of WTF moments throughout that speech.
As Ed Morrissey – from Hot Air – points out, her comment refers to President Obama's argument that we have to "make sure we aren't buried under a mountain of debt." Sadly, it is clear the current administration has a really short memory, because our national debt has increased $3 trillion since President Obama stepped foot into the Oval Office. Palin's "WTF" comment was spot on!
Side-Note: I cannot wait for the liberal mainstream media to go absolutely bonkers over this sound bite.


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How much are you willing to pay for an iPhone game?
Would you pay 99 cents? How about $1.99? Do I hear $4.99 … maybe $9.99? Would you pay $20? What's that you say? You want your iPhone and iPod touch games for … free?
You know that adage; nothing in life is free? Turns out, that's not exactly true. Just check out Apple's App Store and you'll find thousands of games that cost exactly nothing … or pretty close to it.
The App Store — an online outlet for useful, entertaining and sometimes bizarre programs for the iDevices — has been live and kicking for nine months now, and as of last week consumers had already downloaded one billion apps from the store. Yes … one billion.
Of the more than 35,000 programs currently available, games make up the biggest category in the App Store. In fact, there are currently more than 9,000 of them to be had.
But if you look at the App Store's daily lists of the top 100 paid-for games, you'll notice something — on a typical day more than half of them cost $1.99 or less. And that doesn't count the more than 2,000 games you'll find for free.
The question then is: Do you get what you pay for? And is this kind of rock-bottom pricing good for gameplay and the future of Apple's new gaming handheld ? More importantly, which games are actually worth spending money on?
Steve Palley, founder of iDevice game-review site SlideToPlay.com and former Editorial Guru for Vivendi Games Mobile, believes this bottom-of-the-barrel pricing could be unhealthy for iPhone game developers and for game quality.
"It's going to be a problem in the long run, simply because it'll stunt the profit potential on these games," he says. "I think this has been disguised somewhat by the iPhone's tremendous organic growth, but eventually it'll turn the App Store into a slum full of lazy match-three clones."
Welcome to the slum
Palley makes a good point. Check out the App Store today and you'll find that many of the games are not worth the time it takes to download them. Lazy match-three clones, goofy gags that are amusing for five minutes — yes there are thousands of games in the App Store, but sometimes it feels like wading through an ocean of garbage.
Still, it seems App Store customers have grown used to paying pocket change for their games. Even a game like "Bejeweled 2" (the mother of all match-three games) started out at $9.99 in the App Store and is now on sale for $2.99.
Among those who make App Store games, "there's definitely been a race to the bottom in terms of pricing," says Andrew Stein, director of mobile business development at PopCap Games (the creator of "Bejeweled").
And that can mean developers have to walk a careful line. PopCap decided to price their latest iPhone game — "Bookworm" — at $4.99 instead of $9.99.
"We need to be cognizant of some of the competitive pressures, but at the same time our games offer huge value to the consumer," Stein says. "We're not interested in devaluing the brand by pricing it at 99 cents. It is a premium experience. We do invest a lot in our products. We take the time and do it right."
Palley has been an advocate of getting deeper and more complex games into the App Store — the kind of games that rival those on the Sony and Nintendo handhelds.
"We want better, more expensive games, but not enough people are willing to pay for them to make them profitable. It sucks," he wrote in a recent articleon SlideToPlay.com. "For now, the main use case for the majority of people who buy iPhone and iTouch games is the one-to-five minute 'gameplay snack.' They want novelties and amusements, not gameplay."
Getting what you pay for
Palley believes that if things are going to change for the better Apple needs to take more of a leadership role.
"It's basically adopted this laissez-faire attitude while this wonderful thing it's created is growing out of control," he says. "It's marketing the fact that you can play games on these devices rather heavily, but there's no discrimination or strategy behind the push, and it's failing to do many of the things that make gaming platforms successful: segment the market, set pricing expectations, coordinate marketing with publishers, and so on. Structurally, the App Store is still a mess, and the 'self-regulating' system Apple has set up doesn't really work."
But Gonzague de Vallois, Gameloft's senior vice president of publishing, says he believes the sales model works well.
"It's left up to the developer to determine how much they want to charge for their application. That sort of freedom really enables publishers to make a wide range of games that fit the specific price range they want to target," he says. "The fact that publishers can adapt pricing on a daily basis makes the store very reactive and dynamic. Consumers love this."
Gameloft recently launched the iPhone version of "Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles" for $9.99 — expensive for an App Store game these days.
De Vallois points out that Gameloft's highly-reviewed "Assassin's Creed" has been revamped especially for the iPhone and offers up to seven hours of play. (The 2008 Nintendo DS version offers the same play time at twice the price.) And so far, App Store customer's don't seem to mind the $9.99 price tag. That is, the game has been consistently listed among the top paid game apps.
But while "Assassin's Creed" is well worth the cha-ching, Palley says that price doesn't always reflect quality. He points to both "Silent Scope" and "Time Crisis" as good examples of App Store games likely to leave players yearning for their $5.99 back. At the same time, he says, there are plenty of amazing games for low-low prices.
De Vallois however believes customers need to understand that they often get what they pay for.
"If a game is priced at 99 cents … the game may be fun and light, but it's not going to be loaded with impressive audio and visual effects," he says. "The replay value will be limited. You are not going to experience that 'wow' factor. The iPhone is such a powerful gaming device that you are almost doing yourself a disservice by not trying out one of the higher end games ."
© 2013 NBCNews.com Reprints


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This article was originally written in English. Text in other languages is provided via machine translation.
Recently, at Adobe's developer conference Adobe MAX 2011 in Los Angeles, representatives of Adobe Globalization group had the opportunity to present – for the first time publicly – how we are envisioning the deployment of localized resources (texts, user interface strings) to mobile applications in the field.
In their presentation "Dynamic Language Delivery for mobile applications" (here as an Adobe MAX video), Daniel Nay, engineering manager, and Dirk Meyer, product manager, demonstrated how language updates or entirely new languages, can be delivered to applications on mobile devices in a matter of seconds. (In the presentation video, you can find demo sequences at 7:00 and 35:50 on the timeline.)
Localization Of Mobile Applications
Like in all other areas of software creation, the development of mobile applications, too, is increasingly applying "agile development" principles: Short "sprints" are helping to implement specific features in a targeted fashion and to deliver them into the hands of users and customers faster, compared to desktop software products. At the same time, and as a consequence of the new development paradigm, the time between the frequent "pushes" of new product versions become shorter and is often measured only in weeks. As a consequence, an end-user is receiving updated product versions more frequently. Fortunately, their installation only takes a minute or less, and (most important for some!) they can be skipped, if they don't seem attractive or if there is no time for the update.
Dynamic Language Delivery (DLD): Localization's answer to agile development
In the world of short development cycles and frequent updates, the differences between versions of a mobile application often consist only of a single feature, or some fixes for software bugs. Accordingly, from a localization perspective, the delta between the localized strings from one version to the next, is often only a small one. There might even be cases, where it is merely a fix for a localized string that constitutes an update. In situations like that, it may look a bit out of proportion to initiate a complete localization cycle for such a small change. Because no matter whether changes are big or small, translators, build engineers and testers, all have to follow a complex workflow with many mutual dependencies before the product finally can reach the app(lication) "stores" or the "markets". Starting such a powerful machinery, designed to flawlessly localize the most complex desktop applications, for only small changes, and doing so even more frequently than in the "non-agile" past? Again, a bit out of proportion, it seems …
Here now, DLD provides a new way to deploy language resources, like user interface strings or other texts used in an application. And it does so without hindering the fast and agile engineering workflows and without slowing down the subsequent application delivery. Instead, DLD workflows are designed to match agile development cycles, including rapid and frequent deliveries to end-users. DLD enables the testing of improvements and modifications instantly, and allows for approved deliveries to be performed in real-time, be it in staging or production environments.
Principles Of DLD
DLD technology effectively decouples the delivery of the the mobile core application (plus one or more core languages) from the deployment of subsequent language deliveries (like UI string fixes or new languages). It does so by using two completely independent avenues to get those resources to a customer. Here is how …
DLD enablement & deployment
First of all, a DLD-enabled core application takes the usual route and reaches the customer as a fully tested and functional product through being downloaded from a website, "store", or "market". DLD-enabled means that an application should integrate a DLD library to perform DLD-related tasks (this integration is very lean and can often be achieved with a single line of code). The other requirement for an application to be prepared for DLD is that it should be architected in a "world-ready" fashion: Strings should be replaceable, variable interface string lengths should be possible through dynamic UI layout capabilities, and more. The good news here: It is already an accepted best practice to write any software – no matter whether it supports DLD or not – in a "world-ready" way so that it supports internationalization features and easy localizability.
If, at a later point in time, new or updated text strings or a new language altogether need to be delivered, a second deployment path through the "localization cloud" will be used, completely independent from the application deployment avenue. The localization deliveries will be held available on servers, queried by the application from time to time for language updates. The frequency of these queries can be set with the help of preferences in the application and, of course, a user should always be able to opt-out of this functionality completely.
Customizing multilingual applications in user-friendly ways
In addition to non-intrusive, instant language updates and the option to add new languages when an application is already in the hands of users, there are more ways how we can see DLD supporting new features of multilingual mobile software.
For example, if an application does not come in the language preferred by the user, DLD functionality can be used to check whether this language might be available from the "localization cloud". More intelligent applications might actually notice that among its current languages there is none matching the (user-preferred) system language … and trigger an alert to download a "language pack" in the system language, if it is available. Thus, DLD can be used to improve a multilingual user experience, where languages and language updates are available at any time: For those, the need to locate, download or install a complete application bundle does not exist anymore.
Finally, it is important to note (the presentation video shows this), that the language updates are available in the running application right away, without having to restart or perform another type of user action: new resources are loaded in the background and appear seamlessly, once they have been downloaded and integrated.
DLD's Benefits
In summary, DLD comes with a number of benefits for consumers of mobile applications:
- "Instant, real-time" delivery and integration of localization updates and fixes for mobile applications in the field.
- Language updates can be configured per user preferences, ranging from completely "transparent" to "fully informed".
- Additional languages desired by a user after an application install, can be added on demand, without having to download and install another complete application package.
- Missing languages complementing a local device environment, for example, after switching the system language, can be discovered and installed if the user so desires.
Moreover, software development teams are also among those that save time and effort through DLD technology:
- DLD library integration is "minimally invasive" (often, only a single line of code is required).
- Leveraging the localization cloud, "world-ready" applications will be able to receive language updates whenever they become available during the development process.
- DLD separates application development from localization workflows. By doing so, it removes many process and scheduling dependencies between the two.
- Development work can continue until late in the cycle and for as long as the application maintains a state ready to receive strings of multiple languages with different properties.
- Development work can continue until overarching milestones are requiring it to get ready for the push live. A user interface does not have to be "frozen" with the arrival of localization resources.
- Testing work becomes more efficient and will not be accompanied anymore by repetitive tasks of building and installing the application, before testing it for every language or localization fix. Instead, as long as language fixes are involved, they can be delivered to the application instantly and the testers can verify their integration into the application without delay.
In Short …
DLD is the first workflow allowing for immediate, dynamic, and on-demand localization of an application during post-development states. This is possible through making localized resources available as updates, without the need to re-deploy combined application-language packages as a whole.
Among the advantages of the DLD approach, an almost instant "time-to-market/user" and a much simplified development/localization interplay, are probably the two most valuable ones. From many angles and perspectives, DLD is a fast and resource-saving way to perform localization deployment for mobile applications running on a variety of devices.
Expect to see it in your favorite Adobe mobile application at some point in the (near?) future.


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Nickelback 'Burn It To The Ground' on Jimmy Kimmel Live
So after much fanfare leading up to Nickelback's performance during the halftime show during yesterday's Thanksgiving Day Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers match-up, including their own self-deprecating take at it on Funny or Die, the band took to the field in fine form.
They performed their new single, 'When We Stand Together,' on Ford Field alongside backup dancers and a marching band.
To warm up for their big NFL gig, Nickelback stopped by 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' to perform a few songs.
Nickelback played 'Burn It to the Ground' on the show and came equipped with all of the trappings of their live show including plenty of pyrotechnics.
'Burn It to the Ground' is off of the band's 2008 release, 'Dark Horse.' Watch the video below!


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Partner with BC's original travel and tourism website to reach your target audience at a time when they are actively researching and planning a last minute getaway, family vacation or business trip in British Columbia.
Travel.bc.ca is consistently ranked in the Top 3 on Google for literally thousands of popular search terms. Here are some of the more popular ones we are found under: (click on the links below to see for yourself)
© 2017 Travel.bc.ca Online Inc.


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Treat Your Sweetheart to a Delicious Date at a Famous Candy Shop
By Hayley Matthews
Published May 1, 2019 - DatingNews.com
The Scoop: Couples looking for a sweet place to enjoy some time together can stroll over to River Street Sweets for a decadent date. With its original shop in Savannah, Georgia, and locations throughout the United States, each River Street Sweets shop has nearly every candy imaginable -- from classic lollies to its World Famous Pralines®. You and your sweetheart can fill up a bag of mix-and-match delicacies and enjoy treats throughout the day or evening. You may even witness a proposal that starts with a question written in chocolate on one of the shop's popular truffles or Chocolate Bear Claws®. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
UPS Ground Shipping is just $8.95 per address, regardless of what you send. All Military addresses (APO, FPO etc.) receive Free Ground Shipping automatically as we strive to support our hard working troops.
Do Not Include Weekends or Holidays. All packages are shipped from River Street Sweets in Savannah, Georgia. If you would like your order to be delivered via Express, we use UPS. The Express Delivery Charges are paid in addition to the standard charges and are PER ITEM that the upgrade is applied to.
2 Business Day Service - Add $10 per item 1 Business Day Service - Add $19.95 per item **AK and HI Add $10.00 per item and cannot be upgraded to express
Special shipping and handling will be required for all chocolate shipments May through September and will be an additional $6 per address. Shipping is restricted to Monday - Thursday to avoid weekend transit. Please call 1-800-793-3876 or view our Warm Weather Shipping Policy page for more information.
Some of our items are more delicate than others. For this reason, our site will automatically adjust the shipping method for these items. In the event that additional adjustments are needed, we will reach out to you personally to verify the details of the shipment. Please refer to the details below for specific items.
Layer cakes, pound cakes and pies: When the temperatures in our area exceed a certain threshold, our layer cakes, cheesecakes and iced cake samplers will require an express upgrade for an additional charge. During the rest of the year, these items ship via a Bakery Express upgrade as needed for the destination, and may arrive separately from the rest of your order. Layer cakes and pies ship inside a specially made shipping cooler with dry ice. Please follow the unpacking instructions provided with these deliveries for proper handling. We do not allow Layer Cakes to be in transit over a weekend so please select a ship date that falls Monday – Thursday or we may need to ship the following Monday. Thursday ship dates will require Next Day Air for delivery on Friday year round.
Apples: From May - end of September, all Apple orders are automatically upgraded to Express due to perishability and will ship separately from the rest of your order in specially made coolers. In the fall and winter, apples can ship ground. Apples cannot ship to PO boxes, Military addresses, Alaska, and Hawaii
Some of our items are not able to be shipped to military or non continental addresses due to their perish-ability. These include Cakes, Pies and Apples. We would be happy to assist in choosing the right gift for your destination so that it arrives in perfect condition. Call our Gift Specialist at 1-800-793-3876 for a one-on-one consultation of the best options for your gift selection to these address types.
Ground Shipping Times are estimates, not guaranteed, Inclement weather, natural disasters and other unforeseen delays rarely occur, but can affect your delivery time frame. All packages are shipped from River Street Sweets in Savannah, Georgia. The number of days indicated are "business days" (Monday - Friday).
Some people call them Turtles but it's all about the caramel in our handmade, creamy Chocolate Bear Claws.
Our Cakes are handmade, just like you would at home and our Caramel Layer Cake is a Southern Staple for your desert table
We've been making Birthday's sweet for over 40 years. Trust us to help make your gifts the hit of the party this year too!


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Darden to slow down Olive Garden openings
Darden Restaurants is pulling back on price increases and the pace of new restaurant openings for its flagship Olive Garden chain, as the company works to update its struggling brands.
Darden will open about 15 new Olive Gardens annually for the next couple of years, down from the 36 per year that it had been opening. The number of new openings a year could fall even lower after 2014 if business conditions worsen, the company said Monday.
To focus on attracting more customers, Darden will also hold down price increases to about 1 percent at its three biggest chains, which include Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse. It had previously hiked prices by about 2 percent to 3 percent.
"The price premium attached to casual dining is getting tougher to justify," Drew Madsen, Darden's chief operating officer and president, said at the company's investor day. In years past, casual dining restaurants were seen as having superior service. But fast-food chains have since stepped up their offerings, making it harder to convince people to pay more for table-service.
Darden also said Monday that it expects its earnings per share in fiscal 2014 to range between a decline of 3 percent to growth of 3 percent when factoring in variables such as an increase in performance pay and costs associated with complying with new health care regulations. The higher performance pay is the result of lower sales targets for restaurant-level managers and other executives to reflect more realistic goals, given the results in recent years.
Not including those variables, the company said its earnings per share are expected to increase between 5 percent and 10 percent from this fiscal year.
After years of steady growth, casual dining restaurants have struggled as people pull back on spending and increasingly flock to less-expensive chains such as Chipotle and Panera. Darden said its customer traffic is down 7.7 percent since 2008.
Last week, the company warned that it expects its third-quarter profit to come in below Wall Street expectations and cut its outlook for the fiscal year.
Revenue at Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse locations open at least one year is expected to fall 4.5 percent in the quarter that ended Feb. 24, indicating recent menu and marketing revamps have yet to pay off.
CEO Clarence Otis said the first half of the fiscal third quarter was "encouraging" but higher payroll taxes and rising gas prices, along with severe winter weather, sent sales sliding in February. Darden Restaurants Inc. expects net income from continuing operations in December-February period will be $1 to $1.02 per share, below the $1.12 per share analysts had expected, according to FactSet.
For the fiscal year ending in May, Darden predicted revenue at restaurants open at least one year to rise 6 to 7 percent across its chains, with a drop of 1.5 to 2.5 percent for the division containing the Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse chains.
The company cut its outlook for fiscal 2013 earnings from continuing operations to $3.06 to $3.22 per share, from a December prediction of $3.29 to $3.49 per share. Analysts had expected $3.38 per share.
Darden, based in Orlando, Fla., has about 2,100 restaurants, including about 820 Olive Garden locations.
Its stock ended Monday down 98 cents, or 2 percent, at $45.25 amid a broad market downturn.


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[Global: Uganda Diaspora]
A major protest against the brutal rule of Gen. Yoweri Museveni in the East African country took place outside the House of Commons, the British Parliament, in London, last Friday.
The U.K., as with the U.S., are the major financial and military backers of the Ugandan regime.
The Friday Anti-Museveni protesters waved Ugandan flags. The protest included representatives from Uganda's major political parties, and supporters of FDC leader Dr. Kizza Besigye who is widely believed to have won the February elections. Dr. Besigye, who was in London, said that: "I support every individual who uses any means to demand for power."
"You're doing a very good job, and it is the right cause," said Dr. Besigye whilst responding to whether, he supports the UUPDF group that has been staging a weekly demonstration outside the British parliament since April this year. He added that: "This is not Besigye's problem. It is a problem of everybody. You need to be the agent for change."
In an interview with this newspaper, Dr. Besigye said that he, "cannot rule out the violent revolution."
"I can see change in the horizons. Change will come very soon, because people are very strong," said the former personal doctor of Museveni.
Dr. Besigye, has been tormented by Museveni's brutal forces since the February 18, presidential elections. He has been one of the main leaders of the Walk-to Work protests, organized by Activities for Change (A4C) which is meant to highlight the double –digit inflation and the rising cost of essential commodities.
The government claims, that the walk-to-work campaigns are aimed at toppling the regime or harming the economy of the country and it has since clamped down on the protests. Several arrests have previously been made and some of whom have been charged with treason charges. People have been shot and killed in earlier protests.
Gen. Museveni has also proposed to have the country's Constitution amended to deny bail and keep suspects arrested during protests in detention for at least 180 days. He also suggested that; there was a need to strengthen the law governing bail and he argued that protestors should not be granted bail in the same way like those committed murder, rapes of minors, economic sabotage and rioting.
Whilst majority of Ugandans live on less than $1 (£1.25) a day, President Museveni's kith and kin get medical treatment abroad, the protestors contend. They also allege that even when corrupt officials are implicated in a number of scandals, they are not prosecuted or reprimanded.
In recent weeks a member of Parliament in Uganda has charged that several senior government ministers --prime minister Amama Mbabazi, foreign minister Sam Kutesa, and interior minister Hillary Onek-- accepted about $25 million in bribes from foreign oil companies.
More than two-thirds of the population under the age of 24 suffer from 50 percent employment. "But when we talk or criticize this, it becomes a treasonable offense," one protestor and organizer, Moses Luzinda, said. "Together we fight against poverty, corruption and injustice," the protesters outside the UK Parliament said.
There were sporadic bursts of music amidst the speeches delivered by opposition politicians from UUPDF, DP, FDC, UPC, and other human rights activists.
"The regime is extensively weakened today and it's is only thriving on intimidations, bribing the people, coercion and force," added Luzinda, the Chairman of UUPDF a pressure group that has persistently been organizing the demos here in London.
"We've had enough of being left on the sidelines. Let Ugandans decide who will rule them in clean, fair elections," said Mr Luznda, adding that: "People shouldn't be deterred by the recent call by some clergymen." He was referring to a call by Uganda's Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga who called on Ugandans to shun protests because politicians use them to gain political capital at the expense of innocent civilians.
"These demonstrations will continue until the government and the president comes to a consensus with the people of Uganda," said Sarah Kamulali a prominent Ugandan.
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com and email@example.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact email@example.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
All content is copyright Black Star News © 2011. All rights reserved.


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Would you believe Justin Bieber's getting a little too personal with his Beliebers?
Well, the Federal Trade Commission does.
Warner Music-owned Artist Arena, which runs fan sites for the likes of the teen idol, his gal-pal Selena Gomez and fellow entertainers Rihanna and Demi Lovato, agreed to pay a $1 million fine on Wednesday to settle federal charges that it unlawfully gathered personal information from thousands of children.
U.S. & World
Justin Bieber throws up onstage, keeps rockin'
The FTC's complaint, which did not single out the artists themselves for wrongdoing, had accused Artist Arena of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (Coppa) by failing to obtain parental consent for those kids under the age of 13 who signed up for sites such as BieberFever.com, SelenaGomez.com and RihannaNow.com.
The settlement, which per the New York Times was announced Wednesday in New York, still requires a judge's approval.
As part of the agreement, the firm did not admit or deny guilt. But aside from paying the civil penalty, it agreed to delete all personal data it collected from the minors, display links to a federal website explaining children's privacy rules, and revamp its registration process.
We know tweens love Justin, but we just wanna know: What's the appeal?


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Monster Truck Radio Car 1/8 2.4Ghz Exceed RC Tectonic .21 Nitro Gas Powered RTR Remote Control 4WD Monster Truck Sava Blue RC Remote Control
1/8th Scale Nitro Monster Truck "Ready-to-Rock" out of the box!
The most popular 1/8 4 wheel drive monster truck in the world just got better! At each evolutionary step, the Tectonic Monster Truck has been improved upon to keep it at the peak of the RC monster truck field. So how do you make an? better? Extra speed, extra adjustability, extra toughness! The new Tectonic Monster Truck is packed with features that have been suggested by? owners: More room for the electronics, easier access to the differentials and transmission, and more suspension adjustability. The result is the best? ever.
With the new design 2.4Ghz remote
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This is the newest 1/8th scale 4-wheel drive off-road ready-to-run nitro monster truck from Exceed RC that is specially equipped with a .21 Japan engine and a Lexan body kit to resist high impact crashes. Different from other vehicles, this monster truck has a unique high climbing performance on stone pitted hill roads thanks to the larger wheels and high body levels. And with its large suspensions, high traction wheels and the powerful engine, this monster allows user to make many complicated operation and obtain great fun during running. THIS MONSTER RUNS OVER 80KPH OFF-ROAD ON NITRO-FUEL GAS!!! YOUR FRIENDS AND COMPETITORS WILL BE IN SHOCK AT BOTH THE PERFORMANCE AND THE PRICE OF THIS VEHICLE!
More Featured Items


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Upgrading Percona Monitoring Plugins for Cacti¶
Upgrading is normally a simple process. Before you begin, find the version of the templates and scripts that is currently installed. You can find this as a GPRINT item, as in the following screenshot:
This shows that the MySQL templates installed were generated from version 1.1.4 of the templates, against version 1.1.4 of the PHP script file.
Check the installed scripts for their version:
# grep ^.version /path/to/ss_get_mysql_stats.php
$version = "1.1.4";
To upgrade Percona Cacti scripts simply overwrite ss_get_*.php files from a new tarball or update the package:
yum update percona-cacti-templates
apt-get install percona-cacti-templates
Afterwards, re-import templates into Cacti using the web interface or from the command line, e.g.:
php /usr/share/cacti/cli/import_template.php --filename=/usr/share/cacti/resource/percona/templates/cacti_host_template_percona_gnu_linux_server_ht_0.8.6i-sver1.0.3.xml \
Then rebuild the poller cache under Cacti -> System Utilities.
If any special upgrade steps are necessary, the changelog will explain them.


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In 1994, the United States government launched an ambitious social experiment: Federal officials offered thousands of families who were receiving housing subsidies — and living in some of the nation's highest-crime neighborhoods — the opportunity to move away.
And so, housing vouchers in hand, about 5,000 American families in five cities — Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York — moved to nicer urban and suburban locales, looked for jobs, entered new schools, and renewed their lives, courtesy of the government's $80 million "Moving to Opportunity" (MTO) program.
However, geography is not destiny. The MTO experiment did not so much transform lives as produce unanticipated results: It helped girls more than boys, for instance. Parents enjoyed major drops in anxiety and depression — but not gains in incomes. All told, better surroundings appear valuable but not sufficient conditions for climbing out of poverty.
"Changing your neighborhood does not change your social world," says Xavier de Souza Briggs, an associate professor of sociology and urban planning at MIT. Now Briggs has co-authored a new book analyzing the program, Moving to Opportunity: The Story of an American Experiment to Fight Ghetto Poverty, along with Susan Popkin a senior fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, and John Goering, a professor at Baruch College in New York; the volume was published by Oxford University Press this spring.
Safer, not richer
MTO was constructed as a randomized scientific experiment. MTO families received housing vouchers while another set of people — the "control group" — remained in public housing. But as Briggs notes, the persistence of social networks was a powerful force shaping the lives of MTO families even after they left the inner city. Teenage boys often visited their old neighborhoods and fell back into gangs; needy relatives still weighed on the MTO families.
"Boys in particular remain embedded in wider networks and frequently can't free themselves from violence and drugs," explains Briggs, speaking from Washington, where he is currently working in the White House as associate director of the Office of Management and Budget. On the other hand, young women benefitted from a lessened danger of physical assault and sexual abuse. "It gives us reason to think the exposure of women to predatory behavior, and the resulting freedom from the fear of predation due to MTO, is very important," adds Briggs.
All told, MTO families moved into areas with a collective violent-crime rate that was just one-quarter of the rate in the urban neighborhoods they left behind. Yet as the book notes, four to seven years after MTO started, there were "no significant impacts on employment, earnings, or receipt of public assistance." Later evaluations of MTO did find some "modest" improvements. Working women under 33 who moved earned $33 more per week (showing the program's unequal gender effects). MTO adults who moved to suburban neighborhoods earned about $75 per week more.
But as the authors state, leaving crime-ridden areas "did not, in fact, mean relocating to a job-rich zone" for most MTO families, largely due to "backbreaking" rents in safer neighborhoods. Nationally, 6 million households spend more than half their income on rent or live in "severely substandard" housing, up from 3.6 million in 1978. In the case of MTO, the vouchers helped the families pay rent, but did not wholly subsidize rents. During a time period, after 1994, when housing prices rose dramatically in the metropolitan areas used in the experiment, many MTO families moved back to their old neighborhoods because they could not afford to live in thriving areas.
What is to be done?
Other researchers are impressed that Briggs, Popkin and Goering have turned the data-intensive project into a book-length narrative, which is based heavily on interviews they conducted with MTO participants. "It helps readers understand the problems of ghetto poverty, and tells the story of MTO, warts and all," says Margery Austin Turner, a vice president at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research center in Washington.
Turner, a former official in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (which oversaw MTO), acknowledges that relocation has not by itself been a panacea for poverty. But she defends MTO, calling it "a rigorous test of some hypotheses." The experiment, Turner says, was "a success because we've learned a tremendous amount from it about how complex the lives of low-income families are."
That complexity leaves Briggs and his colleagues contemplating a lengthy list of policy ideas to address urban poverty in the future, beyond housing. The parents in MTO were often under severe emotional stress; Briggs believes the implementation of universal health-care coverage in 2013 will help the poor get treatment for their mental-health problems.
Moreover, the MTO families were so preoccupied with safety, Briggs says, they also struggled to evaluate whether or not the schools in their new neighborhoods would be a good match for their children, something relatively low-cost initiatives might remedy. "People are often information-poor, not just money-poor," says Briggs. "We should try to coach people on assessing schools."
Similarly, Briggs adds, the poor urban parents in MTO needed better job-seeking skills. "Rich, poor, white, black, brown — all people have similar ideas about what it takes to get ahead," says Briggs. "But they differ in knowing about self-presentation, how to succeed in job interviews, how to go about networking. These are foreign ideas to many people."
"Moving to Opportunity" thus starts with housing, but ends with a broader focus. MTO's "costs and risks are low," the authors write. But as Briggs and his colleagues acknowledge, one tool for fighting poverty is not enough. In the future it will be necessary "to make relocation part of a larger recipe for getting ahead — for escaping poverty."


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The country's traditional attractions – Warsaw's lively old town and Kraków's gorgeous squares – are worthwhile stops, but it's easy to forget that there is another Poland, a genuine wilderness of high (and often snowbound) peaks, populated by lynx and bears. The Tatras Mountains are as beautiful as any national park in Europe, and their numerous trails – from vertiginous ridge-walks to forested rambles – are enormously popular with the locals, who troop here in their thousands in summer. The hamlet of Kuźnice, just south of the resort of Zakopane, has a cable car that climbs to almost 2000m above sea level (it feels a lot higher); from here, the very heart of the Tatras, marked trails for walkers of all abilities pick their way among the pinnacles.
Zakopane is around 3hr by train or bus from Kraków.
For hundreds more ultimate travel experiences, get Rough Guides' Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth


text: There is nothing better than an exquisite sideboard to give that divine touch to your home decor. We decided to bring an excellent selection of 8 most wanted exquisite sideboards just to inspire you. This unique and top 8 will bring you the most amazing and extraordinary sideboards that you will ever see. When you choose a sideboard, you have to pay attention to the quality, material and above all, if creates the atmosphere you want. Every detail is important and we are here to give the best design inspirations so we decided to make your life easier when you decide to choose a sideboard, we will present to you that quality and inspiration have no boundaries and you will fall in love with our selection!


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Crossfit is gaining popularity and with it, the use of kettlebells. These have been around for a while, by the way, but now that they're popular again, why stop at buying a simple ball-shaped one, when you can get yourself the Chimp Primal Bell from Onnit? It weighs 36lbs. (1 pood, for those of you who speak Crossfit-ese) and is made from "chip resistant iron." That just probably means it's made from iron, which tends to be more malleable and not chip in general, rather than some form of special iron that doesn't chip.
It's $86 for a kettlebell with some personality.
[ Product Page ] VIA [ GearCulture ]


text:
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Exclusive offers every day — up to 80% off!
Parents/adults only--we don't advertise to children.
Welcome Everyone! This site is the home of the Ohio Distinctive Software brand--unique products designed to educate, enhance, and entertain. Enjoy your visit.
For anyone seeking to "educate, enhance, and entertain" on a grand scale, we offer fantastic prices on wholesale software orders and private label software. Our products have been part of promotions and joint ventures with businesses in a variety of industries, everything from food companies and restaurants to healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, and educational institutions.
© Stan Apseloff


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It's that time again, kids. What time, you say? Time for another peek into the World of Snarkcraft Mailbag! I know you're excited, but try to pace yourself… this is just the first of many Mailbag entries to come for 2009!
Eva writes:
I'm a fellow blood elf priest (deep disc specced and loving it), and I was wondering what advice you would give to a newly 80 priest looking to start heroics. Right now I have about 1300 spell power, 14.5k hp, and 16k mana. My crit is only at 15%, so it could be better. And my mana regen is at 460 o5sr and 160 while casting (I had to sacrifice some while upgrading). What sort of base stats should I strive for before heading into heroics? Where do I need the most improvement?
Seri sez:
Heroics are intimidating. That's okay, they should be. The fact that so many people seem to be skipping normal mode to jump straight into Heroics now is kind of unsettling for some of us. It hits tanks and healers especially hard, as they are (IMO) the cornerstone of any instance group. An under-geared tank is difficult to heal, and an under-geared healer has difficulty healing an adequately-geared tank–much less an under-geared one.
Whether or not you're "ready" for Heroics is part gear, part skill and part attitude. If you are a seasoned and experienced healer from TBC, decked out in T6 combined with a few upgrades you picked up toward the end of your trip from 70 to 80 you are probably ready as long as you can walk the walk as well as talk the talk. But make no mistake… Heroics are hard and, no matter what your gear/skill level is when you first hit 80, they are going to challenge you.
Personally, I feel that Discipline priests have an easier time making it over the gear hurdle because so much of our healing is preventative and we have larger mana pools as well as Rapture to help us out on the regen front. With that said… I'm only 79 so I haven't healed a heroic yet, this is based soley on theory and observation.
The best I advice I can give you: Listen to Jov. She has some good tips and gear lists for you.
The second best advice I can give you: Update your gems & enchants. Seriously, if you're wearing some TBC gear that's still socketed with TBC epic gems and enchanted with TBC enchants it behooves you to upgrade them (even green Wrath gems are better than TBC epic gems). Sure, you want to replace these pieces (and soon) but if you're looking to step into heroics quickly you want to do as much as you can to be as ready as possible with the gear limitations you're dealing with. Spell power and regen are going to make or break you even if you do everything right, so maximize your potential. As a Disc priest you also need to think about crit, but focus on spell power and regen first.
Also, now that you're 80 it's also time to start thinking about factions so check out my World of Repgrind post if you haven't already. That will help you out on the gearing front as well as the item enchantment front.
Give 'em hell, tiger!
Jov sez:
Hrm, well it's a bit difficult. Much like in early TBC, heroics are difficult to work out a hard and fast "you must be this tall to ride" to give you. A fresh-faced healer who just dinged so recently they're still covered in glitter will do fine in a heroic that the rest of the group can handle. Likewise, no amount of T7 will compensate if you're in a pug full of tards.
Some guidelines, based on my experience as a fresh-80 with an overgeared group:
Aim for 1300-1500 spellpower, 150-200 IC Regen. Which end of the spectrum you need to be on will depend on the rest of the group.
Your crit is pretty average for a fresh-80. You have both more health and mana than I did starting. I had more spellpower and regen. There is NEVER enough regen. Please keep in mind I've been holy so don't have personal knowledge to how much Rapture makes up for, but throughout the blogs I've been reading as well as my own experience, it's regen which is the major determining factor as to what runs go well and which explode messily.
I don't have an armory link for you, so I don't really have a good idea of the gear you're in where I can point you at specific upgrades, but with some quick wowhead filtering, I can point you at some things to look at:
Blue armor drops from lv 77-80 regular instances, quest rewards, and faction rewards. Potential weapons.
Those don't have things like hit filtered out, mainly because the lists are fairly short to begin with. Keep in mind what you need to gear for (things which can up your spellpower, regen, and crit) and give those a try. Personally, I'm a much bigger fan of faction and quest rewards because I feel much more in control of them, plus finding high-level normal mode instances on my server is kind of difficult.
All that being said, are you ready for heroics? Maybe. Get some guildies together and give Utgarde Keep a poke. It's roughly as obnoxious for a fresh 80 on heroic as it is for a fresh 70 on normal (not heinous, at least until the last boss) and let us know how it goes!
Have a question or topic request for World of Snarkcraft? E-mail us!


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[News] Yonhap News : Universal Ballet Principal Dancers Wedding
Published on Yonhap News : To view original Click here!
ó╣This article was written in Korean.
Universal Ballet's principal dancers, Hye-Min Hwang and Jae-Yong Ohm will be married tonight at the COEX Inter-Continental Hotel, Samsung-dong, Seoul.
The couple have had a ten year courtship and a tremendous run as best partners in various ballet works.
Also, the wedding of two active ballet star is a first for Korea.
©ŽUniversal Ballet (Photo by Stylebyluna & Migaro Studio)


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USCIS Application Support Center
Anthony J. Celebreeze Federal Building 1240 East 9th Street Room 1259
Cleveland, OH 44199
ASCs are located in specific places to accommodate customers located near them. Even though most ASCs provide the same services, if you need an ASC, please use the one nearest you.
M-F, 8am-4pm
Military personnel do not need an appointment. 9:00AM to 3:00PM, Monday through Friday
There is public parking available near the office.
please contact the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority at 216-621-9500.
This office is handicapped accessible.
The only after filing service that is provided by an ASC is fingerprinting. Fingerprinting services are by appointment only and are related to an application for an immigration benefit. You will be notified about an ASC appointment by mail. You should follow the instructions on the appointment notice to reschedule the appointment.
There are no direct filings of applications at an ASC.
If you believe there is a problem with a case that you filed, you have moved, or you are in need of other services, the National Customer Service Center offers a variety of Case Services for a case that is pending or completed.
You should call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283, during the hours we offer live assistance for information and assistance on Case Services.
Note: Application Support Centers do not directly provide Case Services assistance that is related to the status of applications or other associated services.


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Deep in the heart of the Gulf Savannah region of Far North Queensland is a hidden outback oasis - Cobbold Gorge. Only a six hour drive from Cairns and Townsville, you can immerse yourself in the natural wonder of a truly unique North Queensland outback holiday destination. Cobbold Gorge offers the ultimate holiday adventure with modern accommodation and recreational vehicle and caravan friendly camping facilities.
The guided tours have been tailored to bring the best of stunning scenery, diverse flora and fauna and rich cultural history. To protect this unique environment, access to Cobbold Gorge is by guided tour only.
Gorge Tour - Three hour tour includes a walk to the escarpment and over the new glass bridge followed by a boat cruise through the gorge, or try SUPing through Cobbold Gorge.
Ultimate Outback Adventure - This full day tour allows you to venture further into the sandstone escarpment, viewing towering sandstone arches and fossicking for agates. Learn about the history of the area, including a visit to the grave of pioneer John Corbett, before enjoying a relaxing boat cruise through Cobbold Gorge. Morning 'smoko' and lunch provided.
Scenic Helicopter Flights - 15 minute or 30 minute flights over Cobbold Gorge and Newcastle Ranges.
Due to COVID-19, please contact the business for the most up to date information regarding opening times and services.
A special extravaganza of highlights from towering sandstone arches, Adullams shelter, stone yard, agate fossicking, a visit to the grave of pioneer John Corbett and a boat cruise through the magnificent Cobbold Gorge. This tour has it all.
This tour requires a moderate level of fitness as includes lots of walking on un-level ground.
Don't forget to bring:
Hat and sunscreen
Covered walking shoes
Small bottle of water
Camera with plenty of available memory - you'll need it!
Access to Cobbold Gorge is by guided tour only. Please contact them to make a booking.
Simply Gorge-ous!
There's no better way to grasp the uniqueness of the narrow gorge with its majestic, 30-metre sheer walls than to get up-close-and-personal with it. A three hour boat cruise and tour of the gorge will be an unforgettable highlight of your trip to outback Queensland, Cape York or Savannah Way.
An informative insight to the geology of the rugged sandstone formations is provided during a guided bushwalk to the to the top of the escarpment learning about the fauna, flora and bush tucker along the way, then crossing over Australia's first fully glass bridge before. It's a relatively easy walk with the reward of a magnificent uninterrupted view below from the new Cobbold Gorge Glass Bridge.
Then cruise on custom-made, electric powered boats as they glide through the spectacularly sculpted gorge walls in almost eerie silence ensuring minimal disturbance to wildlife. There's every chance of seeing one of the large population of resident freshwater crocodiles.
Access to Cobbold Gorge is by guided tour only.
Walking in the footsteps of their cattle pioneers.
This tour is for group bookings only.
Ever wondered about life on working cattle station? There is no better opportunity to get a taste of outback Queensland than an insider's view of Robin Hood Station in the heart of the Gulf Savannah.
Robin Hood Station- supposedly named because it adjoined the Sherwood mining lease - is a 1284 square kilometre cattle grazing property run by third generation cattleman, Simon Terry and his wife, Gaye.
Visit the cattle yards, dams and outbuildings while your guide offers rare insights to the cattle grazing industry. You'll see firsthand the implications of today's management and future challenges for people who love their land and want to pass it onto the next generation of North Queensland cattlemen. Relax over a traditional, outback smoko before taking a relaxing cruise on the Kimberley Sue Dam.
A helicopter flight offers visitors the ultimate flexibility in exploring and discovering the features of Cobbold Gorge which are not accessible to the public any other way.
A scenic helicopter flight is a thrilling and unforgettable experience. There is simply no better way than from the air to appreciate the vastness and beauty of the Gulf Savannah region.
Standard options include 15 minute Sandstone Discovery tour over Cobbold Gorge; 30 minute Heli Property Tour over the cattle station and sandstone area; 60 minute Heli Sunset Picnic; or five-six hour Heli Fishing adventure.
Go gem fossicking at Agate Creek, explore the many hidden gorges or chasms or spirit away for a romantic picnic for two in the most stunning surrounds imaginable. Options for helicopter flights are limited only by your imagination and budget - you come up with the idea or destination and they'll negotiate a price!
Please contact Cobbold Gorge Tours as bookings for scenic helicopter tours are essential and subject to availability.
Experience a breathtaking adventure of Paddle Boarding whilst silently gliding through the narrows of Cobbold Gorge. A one hour guided tour allows you to take in the wonders of this geological masterpiece of ancient landscapes. Suitable for all abilities and fitness levels. Participants recommended age 12 years and above.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Bismark Bs-16 v4.1.0 VSTi WiN
Team ASSiGN | 20 January 2012 | 4.5 MB
bs-16 is a multitimbral software playback sampler for Steinberg VST 2.4, and Apple Audio Units plug-in format. You can play all SoundFont 2 files for Creative Sound Blaster series, and DLS (Downloadable Sounds) files on your host application. bs-16 supports Mac OS X and Windows.


text:
Possibly should have mentioned this before, but Souvenir Programme is back! It's going out at 6:30 on Tuesdays. The first three episodes are available here, and the next three will go up there too in due course.
Random thoughts on today's episode:
The Pachelbel sketches (One Hit Wonder and Loose Canon. I still give sketches names, even though only Ed and the cast ever see them) were written for Radio Three's anniversary last year, on the condition I was allowed to re-record them and use them in my show too. Susannah Pearse arranged and played the canon, of course, while I sat next to her, miming, and at one point helpfully knocking the music off the stand, as she played, live, on Radio Three... (For non-Brits: Radio Three is the big serious classical music station.)
I do genuinely own all those shirts, and that jumper I bought in the sixth form, which as one of the cast kindly pointed out to me means that it is older now than I was when I bought it. The pineapples on the pineapple shirt are subtler than the ones you're probably imagining.
The first policeman sketch was inspired by Line of Duty, which is why I asked Simon to do a Northern Irish accent, in honour of Adrian Dunbar.
Apparently, the reason we can get away with saying Coca-Cola is made of dissolved children's teeth is that, to prove it was defamatory, they would have to a) argue that a reasonable person might think it is, and b) reveal their secret recipe to prove it's not!
The parrots sketch came out of Silly Voices Day*, and was Lawry's idea. The Save the Children sketch last week did too - that one was inspired by a perfectly nice woman one of the cast once worked with, who had a witch-y voice. I want to say which member of cast, but perhaps I shouldn't, just in case...
(Just in case the woman somehow reads this and is offended, I mean. Not just in case she actually is a witch.)
|Ol' Vine Leaves, Baggy Grey, and Pineapples. See? Subtle.
*It occurs to me this could probably stand some elaboration. Every series we have a Silly Voices session about half way through the writing process, where Ed, the cast, and I get together, and I pitch half-formed sketches which I don't yet know how to make work; and also quite literally get everyone to do silly voices in case that inspires something, which it often does. Other sketches that began at Silly Voice Days include: Basking Sharks, Kirates, the family reunion one with everyone being older than the person before, the slow-talking emergency briefing one, and many more.


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Address: 468 Parkwood Road, Macgregor ACT 2615
Address: 1 Florey Drive, Macgregor ACT 2615
Address: , Latham ACT 2615
Address: Shepherds Lookout carpark, Holt ACT 2615
copyright © 2020 Accommodation Perth. All rights reserved.


text:
The Electrical Networking Fast Track program was designed to provide students with the skills needed to enter a new job field or advance in a current one. To receive a Certificate of Completion, students must complete the required courses with a "C" or better.
NOTE: Federal Financial Aid is not available for Fast Track programs.
NOTE: Students pursuing Fast Track certificates may need to satisfy course prerequisites which may include placement testing.


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cell adhesion molecule(redirected from N-CAM dysregulation and schizophrenia)
Also found in: Medical.
cell adhesion molecule[¦sel ad'hē·zhən ′mäl·ə·kyül]
(cell and molecular biology)
A class of membrane proteins comprising the outer surfaces of cell membranes in the developing nervous system that is thought to be intimately involved in guiding development during embryonic life. Abbreviated CAM.