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Looking Back on 8 Seasons That Built Greatness
It's been a day since the Norfolk Admirals hoisted the Calder Cup for the first time. The amazing thing about championships is that they're a shared milestone in the lives of, really, thousands, between the players, coaches, staff, and fans. Those journeys often contain compelling stories that make the triumph worth that journey. For Jon Cooper, it was about closing down his law practice to coach his way from Michigan high school hockey, to the USHL to working with Hockey USA, to a 2 season sprint to glory in the AHL. For Cory Conacher, it was about not being drafted and playing hockey at off-the-beaten path Canisius, dealing with diabetes, and earning an NHL contract in March of an MVP season before posting 4 assists in the championship clinching Calder Cup Finals game.
The stories of the players and the coaches are the ones we'll read about in the coming months and years, and they should be. When the Lightning made their Stanley Cup run in 2003-2004 and were playing the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, John Tortorella refused to fire back at Ken Hithcock's remarks about "Italians from Boston," because Torts rightfully understood, "It's about the athletes." Ultimately, they're the ones who score the goals and make the saves. They sacrifice their bodies and take the stitches and they take the slings and arrows if they lose. Ultimately, it's their moment, and to a lesser extent the moments of their families who supported them in the journey up to those moments. The hockey moms and dads who woke up at 6:00 am to drive their kids to games. Scratching together money for skates and ridiculously expensive composite sticks. The wives and significant others who live with the players and coaches through the disappointments and the frustrations, and live in fear of moments when things can go wrong, like when slap shots can hit a man in the ear at 90 miles an hour, similar to what happened to Scott Jackson.
Less compelling, perhaps, is the story of an organization, but, these are stories can be worth telling, too... especially in this case. We started beta testing Bolt Prospects in 2004-2005, one year after the Lightning's Cup win, in the heart of the NHL lockout. That year was also the first year since the Detroit Vipers of the IHL folded after the 2000-2001 season that the Lightning had a full-time minor league affiliate: the Springfield Falcons. Absent a full-time affiliate, it became clear the Lightning would struggle to maintain their spot on top of the hockey mountain, because split affiliates would not give prime ice time and coaching help to another organization's players. That problem prompted the start of an 8 year process for the Lightning that ended in building what must be considered the sport's preeminent developmental apparatus with the Norfolk Admirals' Calder Cup championship and the Florida Everblades' Kelly Cup Championship.
Recognizing the Lightning's dilemma, then General Manager Jay Feaster, who now directs the Calgary Flames, convinced Bill Davidson's ownership group it was time for the team to ice and control a full minor league team. Tampa Bay's affiliation with the Springfield Falcons lasted 3 painful seasons, in which the club won only a combined 80 games. Dirk Graham and a coaching staff that included 2003-2004 Cup champion Darren Rumble iced teams for 2 seasons filled with an unfortunate mix of raw rookies, minor league free agent mercenaries, and professional and amateur tryouts. Those two teams won 24 and 28 games, respectively, before Graham was replaced with former Islanders coach Steve Stirling for the 3rd and final season in Springfield. That team again managed just 28 wins before the Springfield and Tampa Bay decided to part ways. Tampa Bay headed to Norfolk.
The first edition of the Lightning's Admirals were a poor substitute for the previous Blackhawks-Admirals affiliation that produced some of the AHL's most explosive offensive teams, but never made it out of the first round of the playoffs. Stirling was quietly shuffled to Assistant Coach status behind Rumble, but the composition of the team and the results remained similar. Through 4 years, the affiliation had yielded some NHLers for the Lightning like Ryan Craig, Evgeny Artyukhin, and Paul Ranger. But, most of the other prospects were struggling to grow in a losing environment. Truth be told, the Lightning probably ruined more prospects than they developed in those first 4 seasons as they attempted to create a culture of winning and lay the foundation for future successes.
That offseason, before the passing of Bill Davidson, the Lightning were sold to an ownership group led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie. GM Jay Feaster was pushed aside shortly after the NHL Draft in the summer of 2008 in favor of agent Brian Lawton. After lobbying hard for the job, Darren Rumble took over the team, officially, in 2008-2009. For the first time the Lightning's affiliate showed signs of significant progress. The team climbed to 33 wins on the backs of veterans like Brandon Segal, emerging youngsters like Justin Keller and Blair Jones, and surprising Paul Szczechura, who was an unknown quantity secured for future considerations. Heading into 2009-2010, the playoffs seemed like a real possibility. Through the first half of the year, though, the Admirals failed to meet expectations and Rumble was dismissed after posting a 17-23-2 mark that year. Assistant GM Tom Kurvers installed college teammate Jim Johnson as Head Coach, and Johnson posted a remarkable 15-5-0 record, including a then-Admirals record win streak. Unfortunately, internal politics in Tampa Bay led to Johnson's promotion as an Assistant Coach, and the Admirals struggled with a .500 record down the stretch under Strength and Conditioning Coach turned Interim Head Coach Leigh Mendelson. Johnson returned before the end of the year, but Norfolk still missed the postseason by a painful 2 points, as Bridgeport made the playoffs via the AHL's divisional crossover rule. Norfolk's 39-35-3-3 record was the first winning record a Lightning affiliate had posted since before the Detroit Vipers, made possible by a mix of veterans like Craig and Adam Hall and rookies Dana Tyrell and Dustin Tokarski. But, that was little consolation for an Admirals fan base that likely lost out on the playoffs because of the bizarre standoff between Brian Lawton and then-Lightning coach Rick Tocchet.
In the summer of 2010, the Lightning were sold to Jeff Vinik, who hired NHL Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman as General Manager and Hamilton Bulldogs coach Guy Boucher as Head Coach. With Boucher's ties, the Lightning subsequently hired Bulldogs GM Julien BriseBois as Assistant GM. Yzerman and advisor Pat Verbeek then concluded their coaching search by selecting Jon Cooper, who they knew of from Cooper's time coaching high school hockey in Michigan and who had just won a USHL championship with the Green Bay Gamblers. The corner was turned in 2009-2010, and in 2010-2011, Cooper hit the accelerator. Although they finished with the same 39 wins as the previous season, they had 9 more OTL points. A balanced group of veterans and youngsters advanced to the postseason to face Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the first round, but found themselves depleted by injuries and callups. The team lost their opening round series in 6 games, leaving the Admirals AHL team still without an Eastern Conference Quarterfinals victory since they joined the league. In 2011-2012, the Admirals went with a decidedly younger roster, filled with rookie draftees and high-end undrafted free agents like Tyler Johnson that had been stars in the junior ranks. Through the mid-season, Norfolk had established themselves as the most potent offensive team in the league, but a BriseBois engineered trade for Mike Kostka and Evan Oberg helped shore up the team's defense. On the day of the Super Bowl in February, the Admirals lost, ironically, to the Springfield Falcons. They would not lose another game until May, and just 3 games, in all, the rest of the year.
I'm an architect in my day job, and people ask me from time to time why the hell I spend so much of my free time writing about minor league hockey. Bolt Prospects "went live" in the 2005-2006 season, and over the course of the last 7 seasons I have written approximately 580 game stories about the Lightning's AHL affiliates in Springfield and Norfolk. That's a lot of typing.
I do it because it was always obvious that this team was building up to something. They never took a step backward, in terms of wins, in their 8 seasons, moving from 24 wins, to 28 two straight years, to 29 wins, to 33, to 39 two straight years, to 55 and the Calder Cup this year. It took longer than I had anticipated at the beginning, and those first 4 seasons of the process were more painful than I could have imagined. But, there's a lot to be said for how satisfying it is to stick with something, long-term, and seeing it through. As I've argued before, that's the whole story of the Lightning franchise, after all. It's a franchise where people of good conscience stuck with it even against adversity and long odds. The same was true in the building of the Lightning's minor league system.
You see, building an organization is a lot like building a building. After the first shovels get put in the ground, there's a phase in the construction of the project where all you have is a muddy, ugly hole in the ground, while the foundations get built and everything gets tied into the utilities and all the other groundwork gets laid. It doesn't look anything like what you designed, at that point. It really does, literally, look like a muddy, ugly hole in the ground. Unfortunately for the fans in the first 3 years in Springfield and the 1st year in Norfolk, those season were the muddy, ugly hole in the ground.
The next phase in the project is when the structure starts to go up, and the project starts to take on the shape of what you planned. The walls go up. The roof trusses go on. It begins to look like a building. This is one of the most exciting times in a project, because it's really the first time what you envisioned starts to become tangible. The time under Rumble that culminated with Jim Johnson's terrific, but short-lived, run with the team is analogous to that. My only regret is the in-fighting in Tampa Bay that robbed us of the payoff of Johnson taking his team into the postseason.
The next phase is the most nerve-wracking one of the process, actually. It's when they start putting the finishes on the building. The paint goes on. The light fixtures go up. In the grand scheme of things, the last 5% is meaningless in terms of budget and the overall form of the building, but it's those finishing touches that can make a good project feel like a mediocre one, or elevate it into a special one. No one wants to spend the time it takes to design and build a building and have it turn out mediocre. Likewise, no one wanted to spend almost a decade building a minor league development system only to have it turn out mediocre.
Last year, at this time, we were in that nerve-wracking phase. The culture had been developed in Norfolk and the real question was whether the team was going to be a mediocre one that got bounced in the first round of the playoffs every year or that finally would surpass Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey in the division and become an elite team. Julien BriseBois picked the right light fixtures and door hardware. Jon Cooper put on just the right shade of paint. The house that was built by many, many hands over 8 seasons turned out better than any of us could have imagined. That last 5% put it over the top.
None of it was built overnight, though. The current Admirals players, coaches, and staff will get the bulk of the credit, and rightfully so, but I feel it's right to carve out one small moment here where I salute everyone who, over the last 8 seasons, helped build this minor league organization into the strongest one in hockey. To former GM Jay Feaster, who convinced PS&E to have a full affiliate and who, with the help of ex-Head Scout Jake Goertzen and his team, drafted players like Admirals all-time scorer Blair Jones and Calder Cup winners like Alex Killorn and Tokarski. To former coaches Dirk Graham, Steve Stirling, and Darren Rumble, and to former Admirals GM Claude Loiselle who slowly started to craft chicken crap into chicken soup. To players like Jonathan Boutin and Mike Egener, who probably deserved a lot better in those early years. The Lightning sacrificed a lot of good young talent to build up their development system up to this point. I just wish there were a way for Boutin and Egener and all the other young players to get the chance to start all over again with the system built up the way it is now.
To Brian Lawton, who is easy to paint as a villain, but who hired Jim Hammett and Darryl Plandowski, and who drafted the likes of Richard Panik, Radko Gudas, and Jaroslav Janus, and who brought in Tom Kurvers and Jim Johnson. And, of course, there is much praise to be given to Steve Yzerman and Julien BriseBois for the hiring of Jon Cooper and the signing of undrafted star players like Conacher and Johnson.
To the dozens of other players who have come and gone. The veterans like Norm Milley and Zenon Konopka. The longshots who made something of themselves like David Spina, Ryan Vesce, and Rob Klinkhammer. The prospects like Gerard Dicaire and Darren Reid. Radek Smolenak and Johan Harju.
To the fans of the Springfield Falcons, who endured 3 years of our muddy, ugly, hole in the ground while the foundation of today's success was being laid. To the fans of the Norfolk Admirals, who went from perennial playoff team to last place, to having postseason hopes evaporate because of internal politics somewhere in Central Florida. I suspect it was all worth it, though. Even to the far flung ECHL hockey outposts, past and present, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Augusta, Georgia, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Estero, Florida.
The challenge changes from here on out. The Lightning now have to work to maintain what they've built. The culture of their minor league system and the high standards set by this year's Norfolk Admirals and Florida Everblades cannot be allowed to fall off. That's a task that's every bit as challenging as making it to the mountaintop in the first place. But the future looks bright, and it's a good problem to have, n'est-ce pas?
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It's Blog Action Day again. This year, the theme is Poverty.
Earlier this year, I collected interesting names from microfinance organization Kiva. For today's post, I did the same thing–but this time I concentrated on a few of the world's poorest countries:
|Afflèhoun, Aïchatou, Allodjessi, Chakiratou, Djémilath, Djidjoho, Kingniké, Kotchire, Mahougnon, Missèbo, Moulikatou, Roukiyatou
|Chinoye, Dasola, Ejime, Jemilatu, Modupe, Musilimot, Olabisi, Olayinka, Oluwakemi, Omoyenmwen, Osamede, Rukayat
|Aramatoulaye, Astou, Codou, Diariatou, Diouma, Fatou, Fatoumata, Gnima, Maimouna, Ndèye, Ngone, Tiguida
|Sierra Leone
|Adama, Demoh, Ferembe, Hassanatu, Isatu, Kadiatu, Kankoh, Lamrana, Mariatu, Salamatu, Wankaia, Yorobailo
|Mashavu, Mkasi, Mtumwa, Mwanajuma, Mwanakhamis, Ndeshifose, Ndetomariswa, Nihifadhi, Rehema, Riziki, Tetwas, Zainab
All of the names above belong to entrepreneurs whose loans were funded not by banks, but by individuals like you and me. (That's the whole idea behind microfinance.)
Want to get involved? Well…you can't. Not right now, at least:
Thanks Kiva Lenders! You've funded EVERY loan on the site!!
To date, Kiva has enabled lenders to send $46,096,385 to the working poor around the world.
According to Kiva, all of the loans to date "have been fully funded"–which is fantastic news! They are working to approve new loan applications every day, though, so keep checking back for the latest updates…
P.S. The theme for last year was the Environment.

subset: commoncrawl


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Resveratrol is a polyphenol naturally found in the skin of red grapes, certain berries, and other plants. Scientific studies have shown that Resveratrol supports healthy cardiovascular function. Resveratrol, especially when combined with other polyphenols, is known for it's anti-aging effects, as well as for its ability to support a healthy inflammatory response. NOW® Natural Resveratrol contains a comprehensive blend of polyphenols, including natural resveratrol and proanthocyanins (OPC's from grape seed), plus catechins (green tea extract) for powerful cardiovascular protection.
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Alien Pot System - 8 Pot RDWC - 20L
32mm OD (overall diameter) pipework (manufacturers dimensions). At Hyjo we always measure pipework internally so this is actually 25mm Pipework
The Alien Recirculating Deep Water Culture systems are an innovative, heavy duty design for those wanting to grow fewer but larger plants.
By using the Alien RDWC hydroponic system you can optimise maximum growth potential due to the super oxygenated nutrient solution being constantly recirculated around the system by an inline pump. The inline pump creates a current which draws the solution through the pots both mixing and cooling the nutrients. This current also delivers the vital nutrients to the roots, optimising root health and increasing nutrient uptake efficiency.
Kit Includes:
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Wild hogs make impression on driver, car
Victor Espana probably won't forget his first drive on the Texas 130 toll road, but not because of its much-talked-about 85-mph speed limit.
He's more likely to remember the two feral hogs he slammed into with his mom's Chrysler 300 as he sped along the road in the middle of the night.
The collision, which didn't injure Espana but left the two hogs DOA, means his first trip on the country's fastest road might be his last.
"I'll be scared to use it again," said Espana, 19.
Collisions with feral hogs and other wild animals are common in the rural part of Central Texas.
While vehicles can hit animals on any road, Texas 130 is a brand new, wide, divided highway, connecting south Austin to Seguin, and all the small towns and hamlets in between.
For the first time, vehicles can travel at high speeds in an area where there used to be just smaller state highways and county farm-to-market roads.
Within hours of the road opening Wednesday afternoon, Lockhart police received a call about a vehicle that hit "a bunch of pigs" on a Texas 130 service road, south of town, around 9:30 p.m. The driver wasn't hurt.
Sometime later that evening, Lockhart resident Tommy Barron was driving on the road, five miles south of town, and spotted a pickup that had hit a deer at 85 mph. Again, the driver wasn't injured, but the deer was a goner.
"There wasn't nothing left of that deer; it was just hide," said Barron, who owns Johnny and Sons Paint and Body shop in Lockhart, where vehicles damaged by hogs and deer regularly get repaired.
About 2:30 a.m. Thursday, after Barron came across the deer accident, Espana encountered the hogs.
He said he was listening to the radio on this way home from his night-shift job at a San Antonio factory where he assembles car parts.
Normally, he takes Interstate 35 to Texas 80 to his home in tiny Martindale. But he decided to try out the new toll road.
"I heard it was the fastest way to get over there, so I took it," Espana said. "And then the pig came out."
Four of them, to be exact. He hit his brakes but it was too late. The Chrysler struck two of the hogs.
"It was like a big hit, and then bumps and then ... I just slid until the car came to a stop," Espana said.
That was about 300 feet from where he struck the swine. He was wearing a seatbelt. The damage to the front of the car was enough to require a tow truck.
Police have said another vehicle hit hogs around the same time as Espana, but that driver left the scene.
Safety experts have worried about the severity of accidents that could occur with the toll road's 85-mph limit.
But Espana said he was only going about 65 mph when he hit the hogs.
"I didn't really feel like going that fast," Espana said. "That's too fast for me."
Though he's lived all his life in Martindale and is accustomed to seeing dead hogs on the road, "it's never happened to me," he said.
Mike Gomez, who works as an estimator at Johnny and Sons Paint and Body, said he normally sees a "hog hit at least once a week," and that was before the toll road opened. Deer damage is even more common, especially during October, which is bow-hunting season.
Hogs are a hazard year-round, Gomez said.
But deer often won't get out of a vehicle's way, even if a driver honks. Hogs are smarter than deer, Gomez said, "believe it or not."
However, because they usually are black, low to the ground and scavenge for food in packs, it's often difficult to see them in time to avoid them, he said.
He advised drivers to watch out for hogs and deer at night. Both are nocturnal.
Lockhart police Capt. John Roescher said his officers took video of hogs on the road shortly before Texas 130 opened in order to document their nightly jaunts along the road. The video shows a pack of squat, dark hogs marching along the shoulder and scattering in the glare of a police light.
The captain hopes the animals will learn their lessons now that the road is finally open for business.
But Barron, at the paint and body shop, only expects the problem to get worse. "It's gonna be a sight to see, I'll tell you that," he said.


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In implementing its mission, the
Commission will have three primary goals. First, it will provide a
forum for dialogue, research, and education regarding the causes of
wrongful conviction. Second, it will suggest best practices for law
enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges that will
decrease the possibility of convicting an innocent person, thereby
helping to ensure the conviction only of the guilty. Third, the
Commission will serve as an effective mechanism to satisfy the
public's desire that something meaningful be done when cases of
wrongful conviction become known. This mechanism is intended to
operate as an alternative to the possibility of a reflexive response
culminating in a legislative mandate.
History and Purpose
The Connecticut Advisory Commission
on Wrongful Convictions was created by statute in 2003. The language
of the statute provides that the Commission shall have the power to
review "any case involving a wrongful conviction and recommend
reforms to lessen the likelihood of a similar wrongful conviction
occurring in the future."
Among the reasons for the creation of
the Commission was the case of a man wrongly incarcerated who came
before the legislature to seek relief. The legislature created the
Commission to investigate such cases to discover what went wrong and
suggest how the problems discovered can be addressed. The Commission
will allow the State to learn from and respond to a wrongful
conviction with expert investigation, careful consideration, and
targeted measures, thereby assuring the wrongly convicted and the
public that the State is doing everything in its power to reduce the
chance of another wrongful conviction.
Although there are few known cases of
wrongful conviction in Connecticut, recent nationwide data reveals
that innocent persons are convicted at a higher rate than previously
assumed. DNA analysis has shown that more than 140 innocent persons
have been wrongly convicted in the United States. In Illinois,
thirteen cases of wrongful conviction on death row led to a
moratorium on the death penalty.
The Connecticut legislature has
created the Commission, not only to address wrongful convictions
once they have occurred, but also to research and suggest practices
to prevent wrongful convictions from happening in the first place.
The primary objective of the
Connecticut Advisory Commission on Wrongful Convictions is to make
recommendations that will reduce or eliminate the possibility of the
conviction of an innocent person in the State of Connecticut. It is
anticipated that the Commission will fulfill this objective by
identifying the main causes of wrongful conviction, studying
existing research on these causes, commissioning additional research
as the Commission deems necessary, reviewing cases of wrongful
conviction, reviewing additional cases that will assist the
Commission in understanding the causes of wrongful conviction, and
recommending best practices to appropriate constituencies. By
examining the issue of wrongful convictions on a systemic level, the
Commission will serve as an alternative to a reflexive response if
and when an innocent person is found to have been wrongly convicted
in Connecticut. By reducing the possibility of a wrongful
conviction, the Commission's primary objective will also increase
the reliable conviction of the guilty and positively impact public
trust and confidence in the State's criminal justice system. In
addition, it is anticipated that implementing the Commission's
recommendations will decrease the overall cost of the prosecution,
trial, and appeal processes.
Specific Commission objectives
of Procedure
Study and Investigation:
Section 54-102g(a) of the general
statutes states that the Commission's membership shall consist of:
These individuals will bring to the
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Chief Court Administrator or other members of the Commission may
decide that the Commission would benefit from the representation of
another area of expertise either in general or in relation to a
specific area of discussion. In this case, the Chief Court
Administrator may at his or her discretion appoint further permanent
members of the Commission or invite guests to attend particular
meetings. Likewise, the Chief Court Administrator may, at the
initiative of Commission members or of the schools themselves,
appoint further representatives from educational institutions.
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Administrator, individual members of the Commission may rotate from
time to time as their roles within their organizations change, or as
they decide that a different designee or representative from their
organization would be a more suitable member. It is hoped,
nevertheless, that attendance at the meetings will be fairly
consistent over time so as to preserve institutional memory and aid
in the accomplishment of the Commission's objectives.
It is further hoped that, to the
extent possible, the members of the Commission will reflect the
racial, ethnic, geographical, municipal, and socioeconomic diversity
of the State, in part because some of its findings are likely to
concern the way these kinds of diversity may impact the possibility
of a wrongful conviction.
The Commission shall rely upon the
resources of existing criminal justice agencies, where appropriate,
to complete its work. Affiliated institutions of higher education
and law schools may pursue private and public grants to assist the
Commission in any research, study or investigation.
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Start/End 7 Aug 2020 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Duration 6 hours Location Woolston campus
Try a range of hands-on experiences in the plumbing industry and see if being a plumber is the right career for you.
This is an Experience Ara offering. At Experience Ara you will get a feel for tertiary-level study with hands-on junior and senior tasters, information sessions, and holiday workshops or earn some extra credits with our assessed STAR courses in a wide range of subjects. To see our full range of offerings or to register for a place, visit Experience Ara.
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Mekhi Phifer tied the knot over the weekend, marrying Reshelet Barnes at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., E! News reports.
See more celebrity wedding news
Phifer and Barnes were married on an outdoor terrace in front of 100 friends and family, E! reports. The ER alum wore a white suit and made an entrance to Stevie Wonder's "Rhythm of the Sky," according to the report.
It's the second marriage for Phifer, who was married to Malinda Williams from 1999 to 2003.


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Last Updated: Oct 04, 2016
Answers to some of your questions about text messaging on your Sonim XP Strike IS
What's the difference between text messaging and multimedia messaging?
A text message has a limit of 160 characters.
With multimedia messaging you can combine images, video, and audio with text in a single message.
Note: Other devices either split long texts into 160-character messages or convert them into a multimedia message. Multimedia messages require a data connection; text messages don't.
Send or receive a text message.
Why does the message say Draft next to it?
Your Sonim XP Strike IS saves a message that is composed but not sent as a draft. You can open and edit a draft or send it as is.
How do I send a group message?How to send a group message
Can I delete a text message?


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Dina Lohan -- Pleads NOT GUILTY To DWI
Dina Lohan Pleads NOT GUILTY To DWI
Dina Lohan just showed up in court in New York a few minutes ago and pleaded not guilty to drunk driving charges ... but she wasn't just allowed to go ... because the judge suspended her license.
Dina showed up with her attorney, Mark Heller -- the same guy Lindsay used -- who argued that Dina didn't have a criminal record ... and the judge released her without bail. Then they faced reporters outside the courthouse.
As we reported ... Dina was stopped for speeding on a Long Island highway earlier this month and cops say she blew a .20 on a breathalyzer. She was ticketed for DWI and speeding.
No license? No problem. Dina was driven away ... in a silver Rolls-Royce.
She'll be back in court Oct. 23.
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The DVR is a genius invention. Never miss anything again! Skip commercials! But you got all ambitious and recorded a bunch of "edumacational" stuff didn't you? Ambitions are good things, But you never watched it. No. You. Didn't.
Motorola just published a huge study about the way America watches television, and it's got some interesting data about the way we use our DVRs. Apparently, 41-percent of the stuff we record never gets watched, which is crazy because, apparently, 30-percent of all of the TV watched is recorded. So basically we're trigger happy—we're recording more than we could ever watch.
Do you actually watch the stuff on your DVR? Or do you let it fester? [Motorola via Multichannel News]


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SACRAMENTO, CA – Officials at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) plan to dedicate a new 151,000-square-foot recreation and wellness center on Sept. 2.
The new center, dubbed The WELL (Wellness, Education, Leisure, Lifestyle), combines health and fitness in one building. Recreation and fitness offerings will include four basketball courts, four racquetball courts, cardio and weight training, and bouldering and rock-climbing walls. In addition, the center will include primary and urgent care clinics, a pharmacy, retail optometry and a nutrition center.
The center is on track to achieve LEED Silver Certification for its energy-savings features. The entrance atrium has a 40-foot wide skylight made of a thermo-plastic material that helps regulate building temperature.
The WELL was paid for with a student fee approved by the students in a campus-wide referendum. No state funds were used. The facility will be available to current students, faculty and staff, as well as the recent alumni who paid the fee but graduated before the building's completion.


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Reg. Price: $425.00
Sale Price: $365.00
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Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Toll Free (USA & Canada) 1-866-260-2058
URL: https://www.gammonvillage.com/shop/itemdetail_print.cfm?pid=4811


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Just a reminder in case you missed it: the 2013 State of the Volunteer Travel Industry Survey is underway!
You can view the previous one here (opens in a new tab as a PDF), or on our Voluntourism Research page.
With this report, we want to continue our research to see how the field has expanded, shrunk, or changed. Your participation in this survey will give us an accurate pulse of the industry within the United States, and will help us as we move forward with research, best practices, and more.
All participants' information will be kept strictly confidential and only the results and a total list of companies that participated, will be produced—for free, and for all to see.
There are two ways to participate: wait until Alexia or I call and harass you, or just send me an email (email@example.com) with your answers. We'd much prefer an email, as this will help us keep a record of your responses—from you directly—so that nothing gets lost in the mix, and so that we're both completely on the same page about what you've reported.
Also let me know if you'd be willing to send the volunteer survey out among your networks, and I will send you a survey that is branded for your organization.
Criteria to qualify as an operator in this survey:
- Have a U.S. office
- Send U.S. volunteers abroad
- Not faith-based in any way
- Volunteers must pay for their placement
- Travelers work for more than four days of straight volunteering (e.g., cannot be an adventure travel placement with a volunteer component)
Questions for operators that meet the above criteria:
- To which countries do you currently send volunteers?
- What is the most popular activity for your volunteers? Building; Community Development; Conservation—Environmental, Wildlife, or Heritage; Scientific; Health Care; Skills Based Professional; Teaching; Other (please describe)
- How many volunteers did you send abroad in 2012?
- Do you expect to send more or less volunteers abroad in 2013 than you did in 2012?
- What is your return rate for volunteers?
Optional, if you have time:
- Do you feel the economy is affecting your business positively, negatively or unaffected? What, if anything, have you done to counteract the effects of the recession?
- Are there any valuable insights or lessons learned you would like to share with the industry?
- Which term do you most associate with your organization? Voluntourism, volunteer tourism, volunteer vacation, volunteer travel, volunteer abroad, or other?
To be included in the report, we ask that you get back to us via email by this Friday, April 26. (Update: we've heard from those of you who'd like to send your answers along still–please send your surveys ASAP to firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll include you in the report!)
Thanks very much—we're looking forward to hearing what you have to say!


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Celebrate! 1200 and 2
1200th post
The (*chanimations "SurpriseCake!" was a gift along with loads of great things I will show you in the new year. This cute cupcake prop and hat come from Cupcakes & Poetry, a shop nearby and also a gift. My mouthwear was one of the Advent dollarbies from CONCRETE FLOWERS- and is entitled U GREEDY CHRISTMAS BITCH! I am so glad I had an occasion to use it.
Have a great celebration and I'll see you in the New Year!
Party Dress
Whether I dance and laugh gaily or stand at the edge of the revelry, the new year will arrive. It won't wait for my permission, and that is how it should be. Whatever unfolds, I will welcome it joyously -- because I feel beautiful.
Style Notes:
Hair: .:[ Tiny Bird ]:. Kissy Kissy - Ginger
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) dec VIP gift
Clothing: *Solange!* Holiday Dress - Black/Red (review copy)
Shoes: Studio SL, red sandal retro bright (NLA)
Accessories: DM Designs Gems 'n' Roses Necklace Red/Silver; [ANIMAH] cigarette holder
Poses by LAP and Luth
A New Year
A new decade is close at hand. It has been a good year for me in many ways. I have met many new people, had tons of great adventures and definitely improved my skills. All good. Grim Bros. sent out this clever steampunk hat to the group the other day. Some of my best memories of 2009 involve the STEAM hunt and my time in Arkham. It was fun to revisit some of my old haunts this morning as the year begins its journey from one year into another.
This is Steelhead City Port Harbor. The complex of Steelhead as grown greatly since I last visited and now encompasses six sims. Some are residential, some commercial. It is a bustling place. Even when it is empty of citizens, it pulses with activity.
A lot of bloggers have mentioned that they "borrow"/"steal"/"copy" my locales. They aren't mine of course. I just find them -- often by accident, sometimes by exploring and now and then from a Flickr photo. If I didn't want to share, I wouldn't. We can always use more beautiful photos! Let's just hope that there will be more wonderful places to see and photograph in the upcoming year.
Style Notes:
Hair: homemade hat hair.
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) dec VIP gift
Clothing: blakopal Desert Expedition Lady, MALT Shiney Leggings; INDI - Gloves black
Shoes: hoorenbeek : LE.LOOK! l'homme - Boots
Accessories: Grim Bros. : have a good time new year tophat; blakopal Desert Expedition Lady
Poses by LAP
Twilight Stillness
Another year is about to begin. Looking in my inventory, I've done a fairly good job of featuring new items that have caught my fancy this season -- all except for this luscious scarf from [LeeZu!]. It seems like it has been haunting me forever. I love it, but haven't had an occasion where an outfit called for it. So, today, I decided there was one simple way around that -- build an outfit starting with the scarf.
As seems to be happening a lot of late, my first plan failed. My second took a detour and here I am in the snowy twilight of a destroyed world. It is beautiful here. I never realized how lovely quiet decay can be.
Most of my outfit is lost in the shadows. Only the scarf is new however; the other items have been featured before.
As the water flows around my chilling ankles, I look toward a new year with new beginnings.
Visit Neptune Tokyo
Photos have not been edited. That is natural snow :D.
Style notes:
Hair: [V] Vignette Sophia Onyx (always free)
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) dec VIP gift
Clothing: Jeckalicious Leather Coat Nightwalk; MALT Shiny Leggings; SHIKI-Turtleneck (tinted black)
Shoes: -TESLA- Shiny Felicity Heel *Red*
Accessories: [LeeZu!] Miss Mara Scarf UNISEX /simple fire (group gift?); Jeckalicious Bloody Doll Gloves; Ear Candy ~ Red and Black Hoop Earring
City Life 'n Cameras
I took another trip to Old New York this morning. Comfy clothes and camera in hand I wandered until I found a decrepit food wagon.
Now I wouldn't want to actually EAT anything made in this din of grime, but it definitely had interesting photo opportunities.
I had fun with my new camera prop, just exploring the brightly lit streets.Yes, it is true. I am easily entertained :D.
Style Notes:
The tripod version includes a pose built into the tripod as well as a poseball for easy adjustment. The poseball is mod and visible - invisible by touch.
Windlight Settings 2009
As promised, I have grouped all my Windlight settings used in the Places posts in 2009 and put them in a zip file. You can download them here at MediaFire. There are 37 in all. Use them as a starting point to explore those Windlight sliders and have fun.
For more on installing the Windlight settings, see this post from the permanent links in the sidebar.
Dusky Monochrome
Plans change. I saw a photo on Fickr of a great monochromatic city which inspired me to make a completely black and gray outfit -- even skin and eyes. After many combinations I settled on this look, a mixture of new and old. Alas, when I tried teleporting to the site it was no longer in existence. So many lovely places are disappearing.
Outfit made, I decided that a new to me spot was definitely called for. I ended up at Black Maj, a place I had often admired in photographs but never visited. My completely monochromatic scheme took on dusky shades of gold, no matter how much I tweaked my Windlight settings. So shall it be! Change is good. Adapting is even better.
My skin was a review copy from the first of the Fall skin fairs. I love it with this shape. A whole new me that I haven't visited in awhile. An "alternate" me in some senses. She won't be around too long as I am more comfortable in my almost two year old shape, but she is quite lovely. And I can tuck her away for another day when I am feeling adventurous.
Photos taken at the edge of Black Taj.
Style notes:
Hair: Rock Candy *RC* Rockstar Hair
Skin - Shape: GeEs Design - Skin - Marlin Drow - 04 (review copy), Shape It Up! Lioness (review copy), Kunstkammer Surrealist Eyes - Black Darker (group gift)
Clothing: [ AYUMI ] Zippers - Black (new release - review copy), Celestia Studios Black Fishnet Tights, DCNY black gloves
Shoes: BAX Prestige Boots Black (these resized to larger calves beautifully!)
Accessories: :+*U&R*+: LE.LOOK! la femme - Earrings - Mazurka (color change)
Virtual Stars
Sometimes we have a great notion. And sometimes we will go to great lengths to bring it into reality. I bought this pose last evening at CnS e-motion. There was a small display of dollarbies on a pillar. Most of them were for couples, but this one intrigued me, and this early morning found me with an idea in my head.
Where the idea started and where it ended up were far from each other. The photo above is the result. Getting three gals together with the same outfit was a little tricky, but this great jumpsuit from R.icielli was a Vain holiday gift, so that was a good starting place. The Victoria set comes in a variety of great colors and all layers. I've featured it before, but it is worth a second look -- en masse.
That's me on the left. Difficult to tell? :D. My friend had the new Tuli skins, but unfortunately they didn't fit her well, and she is a bit shorter. So I sent her over my shape and a new Chic was born. I'm sure she will hurriedly get back to herself as soon as possible, but it was fun.
We tried to take pictures at Happy Mood, but the poseballs wouldn't rez even though rezzing is allowed, so I took a shot of the lovely night sky and put it on a prim in the studio.
Ah, the steps we go to for a pretty photo!
Our shoes are from Image Reflections from a hunt long ago. Last time I checked they were still available. Hair by Amacci and Calico Creations.
The pose ball set has no permissions. No mod, no copy, no transfer.
The New World
The New World is a richly detailed area that bills itself as the "SL First & Original Ancient Maya Civilization 16th Century RP Sim based loosely on "Apocalypto" and RL Facts". This is a strict RP sim which includes dressing for the role. As a visitor, of course you have no role, only a visitor tag.
It takes awhile to get to the Mayan area of the sim. You need to be properly attired, travel through the maze of shops to reach the tunnel with TP access, agree to the rules and THEN choose your destination. I suggest the city gates as the waterfall is far away from the major photo op areas and there is no flying or hopping. I walked through lots of trees and hills (yes through) to arrive at the pyramids. It was definitely worth it.
I will say that this sim has the very nicest visitor outfits that I have seen. The necklace is stunning and the outfit stylish in whatever world you may visit. The hair comes in the package and there is a set for men also. You can pick up a free bow and quiver set of weaponry at the entrance point. I did, but when I rezzed it, it updated and there were some techie messages, so I left it for later.
I tried a variety of skins on for this shoot and settled on the dark version of Tuli's new Eva skin. I am so happy she is including a dark tone this time around. While they are more difficult to photograph (for me anyway), they do lead to authenticity as well as choice. Both are good in my book.
This is the city proper. There are rentals for RP members here. I enjoyed the pyramid area the most. There is even a quest with puzzles to solve. I figured out the first test, but there are three before you reach your reward -- whatever that may be.
I wouldn't say this is an ideal photo op spot as you do need to stay in character clothing wise, but it is a lovely place to visit.
I used some of my existing Windlight settings. I have uploaded a large variety over the last months, so I am going to abandon that extra step at the end of the year. I do have plans to put them in a folder that can be download from Mediafire. Watch for a post on that sometimes soon.
On a ROLL!
We're back!
The feeds are full or wonderful, NEW, exciting posts with great photography and lots of style. I can't remember when I had so much fun gazing at the pretty pictures.
We all need breaks and this seems to have been a good one. Yeah!
Now I am off in search of some vista. I've got a need for some beautiful places.
THANK YOU fellow bloggers for making my morning.
Getting Away
Sometimes we just need to get away to a quiet place that is not our normal resting spot. I seem to have a lot of friends who have given up on their mainland parcels. They still have them; they are free 512s. But the servers are too slow or the skies are too crowded or the neighbors are too noisy -- or all of the above :D.
This is a boon for me as they let me play. And a little spot of beauty is a good thing whereever it may be. This is the Despite and Still medium sized garden from Pocket Gardens. I have blogged about these great ready made landscaping areas a few times, but always the smaller versions. Tonight I received a pack that included the larger sizes. The 3 x 5 version is my favorite. It comes with a menu to change the base color as well a the flowers. The wall prims you see in the background are included. It only took a few minutes to set everything up and I had a peaceful place amidst the crowded din :D.
There are plenty of posing spots. Just click and you have an instant photo op. I added my season changing trees from Herb's Garden. The space is still pretty empty but I have some prims to spare for another day.
Style notes:
Hair: Amacci Hair Adena ~ Dark Copper (from the freebie wall)
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) dec VIP gift
Clothing: KOSH- TAINTED HOODIE RED, INDI - Jeans black (from the Chad set)
Shoes: ::Duh!:: Black/Silver Slip-on Clogs
Accessories: RISING STAR - Nyx Earring - EP - (review copy)
It weighs in at a mere 12 prims plus one for the optional base. So much beauty for so little cost. I love the colors!
And in case you were wondering, I am on the SOM list *wink*.
Workin' It
There's nothing like a good workout at the end of the day. Stress, be gone! This new gym outfit from [AYUMI] is perfect for sweating off a few calories. It comes with sock, tee and super cute boy shorts that hug you SO well *wink*.
Hard to believe, but this was the first time I have changed colors on my MK Super Sneaks. It was easy and I'm coordinated. Yeah! I chose TRUTH's Amy Jane hair because I always like a headband at the gym.
So now I'm going to take a well deserved rest, grab a glass of wine and do another kind of relaxing.
Style notes:
Hair: >TRUTH< Amy Jane - Walnut-Java
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/br) dec VIP gift
Outfit: [ AYUMI ] Gym Class - Red (review copy)
Shoes: MK Fashion Sneaks Wedge Platform
Accessories: SLEEK water bottle
Three Things
There is a blogger challenge going around. I'm not exactly sure who came up with the idea of picking out three things (and ONLY three) that you can't live without. We HAVE to have skin on *wink*; The Labs won't let us go without, so that is actually two clothing or accessory items. I've felt a bit guilty for not blogging these last few days, even though the feeds have been quiet. Many of us are taking some time off. So here's a quick post. I didn't have to worry too much about color coordination :D.
Edit: I found the original challenge. It sort of morphed and I guess nakedness wasn't needed. Still this was a fun post. It's always a challenge to be both naked and PG for the feeds. And I already did my personal Top 10 a couple of weeks ago.
We have had so many lovely gifts this season it is difficult to come up with favorites. This darling "boy" hair from Amacci (Morgan) is pick one. It was near the landing point in a holiday box. Two female hairs are in the other two boxes. The cap is color change. The hair is one of my favorite RED colors. You won't miss me! If you TP over be sure and check the lucky chairs and the freebie hairs close by. And of course try out the new styles. You can never have enough hair.
My second pick is the new group gift from Tuli, Eva. This is a medium tone; one of many included in the pack. Find it in the group archives.
Some folks are just doing face shots with this challenge, but I am a brave gal. My third pick is my new camera. I had lots of fun making the camera, tripod and poses and you'll be seeing them in my posts now and then. Props are good! The camera and tripod above are linked and come with built in pose. I tried to keep the prims down as much as possible as I have used up most of my 937. Oh My! I made the hand held camera in several versions with both vanity and vista poses. If I have to pick between the two versions, I'll take the hand held as it is more versatile.
As a side note, this is the first time I tried the Emerald animation preview. It works great and definitely saves time going over to the beta grid to test for free. It does freeze you in a pose if you don't upload, but that isn't a biggie for me since it takes me many tries to get the pose just like it want it. So if you see me around and I am oddly frozen, I'm just working on additional poses :D.
Now I am off to take some vendor pictures for the cameras -- WITH clothes on :D.
Last Minute Holiday Fare
I wasn't planning to post today. Other projects were on my agenda. And then I ended up in this fantastic snow globe and I had to share.
And speaking of holiday gifts, If you haven't picked up your sculpty candy cane set from my PhotoGraphique shop (6 prims and free), then come on over. They have been very popular and I am happy to have played a small role in the gift giving.
Edit: VERY sorry. The map seems to be having lots of problems of late copying to the clipboard. It just "doesn't". I am usually good at checking but missed this one. So SLURL to my shop is now correct. :(
Style Notes:
I put together my outfit last eve from some of my favorite gifts of the season as well as some closet basics. It started with the hair from Maitreya (Le Look group boards) and grew from there. With lots of layers it was a fun exercise. The LE LOOK items are still available I believe. Join the group; click on ALL the goodies for both men and women on the boards at the center of the sim.
Hair: Maitreya : LE.LOOK! la femme - Hair/ Hat - Coffee
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 5/br) dec VIP gift, WWI Snowflakes on my Lashes
Clothing: Fashion Nomad now :: Aleida :: (sadly leaving at the end of the month - sale in progress) *FN* Moroto Retro Spring Jacket - black dots, *Nuclear Boutique* Valentine's Pants (Black) NLA, *BOOM* Subtle Creek Hunt Tank, KOSH- CASSIOPEIA VEST WINE,
Shoes: [Decoy] Jully Boots - Cocoa
Accessories: miel : LE.LOOK! l'homme - Scarf, KOSH-HIBERNATION NECKLACE
Poses by LAP and Glitterati.
Snowy Daze
There is a winter festival going on at Drowsy. Lots of snowflakes and glow, reindeer and dogsleds. There is also a tall tree with dollarbies as decorations and a few free goodies in a small cabin. I donned my warmies and ventured over to see what I could see.
And if you haven't explored Drowsy, just make your way through the cave entrance, follow the path and get a glimpse of the area. My favorite spot is still the library.
Style notes:
Hair: sf design hat hair
Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 5/br) dec VIP gift
Clothing: .:MALT:. Fashions Sweater - Merry Xmas Gift 09 (part of a great gift pack out today), LE.LOOK! la femme - Leggings (current group gift)
Shoes: ::Duh!:: Snow Booties Tall Scarlett (review copy)
Accessories:.Acid & Mala Reaction gloves - DTCH, {Boutique} Plaid Shearling Hat (blogger group gift), Callie Cline stylish shut up! mouth wear (gift)
Poses: LAP
Posted by Chic Aeon in fashion shows, poses on Monday, December 21, 2009
The retailers of the VAIN group have been sending out presents and notecards with LM to presents all month. I have blogged a few and kept several for later. This jumpsuit is definitely one of my personal favorites. It is from RICIELLI who I am embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of. Oh my! Super cute and definitely sexy it comes with fantastic detailing.
My mirror and pose are from (*chanimations (adult sim). Two other poses are included as well as an outfit with dramatic boa. I love the detailing on the mirror.
I have a bit of an addendum here. In keeping with the vanity theme, Pulling Strings has some great Paparazzi poses out today for $1 -- FOR FOUR. They come in pose balls. You might want to get two sets so you can open one. I think I may go back :D. They are both fun and multipurpose.
And here is my mini rant. I tried to take these photos at VAIN. That was the logical place to shoot. After 10 minutes things had still not rezzed. This was not Vain's fault. I was at another mainland sim yesterday where it never loaded. We are talking 30 minutes, two tries and I crashed twice. I never crash like that. The new mainland with no folks is slooooooow and the old mainland is unbelievably bad lately. My sim seems to be pretty good but my estate owner reboots the sim three times a week on a schedule. Things are not good out there. We expect lag and problems when we TP into crowded areas, but when there are only a couple people in the sim? People will really start dumping or giving back mainland if this doesn't improve. I already know some folks who are waiting "just awhile longer" to see if it gets better. What's the point of having land you can't do anything on but wait for textures to rez?
But, a small glimmer of light appeared with the LL search system. Someone on the Vain group (ah a tie-in :D) was looking for a product and couldn't find it in the store. I suggested she try typing in the name of the product since she knew it. I read that there was a major improvement in search with a "go" button to take you to specific items. I hadn't tried it, but thought it might work for her. And woot, it did.
Noodles Anyone?
Just a quick post to report a friend's find. Right next door to RunoRuno is a little shop named Burned Rice. For a mere linden you get FOUR of these 2 prim sculpty noodle chairs with great pose and impressive shadow. Each chair has a different shadow so you can use the ones you need depending on your windows. They are also copy and mod. What a find! The are apparently left over from the Albero summer fair which was so laggy I never got anywhere. So for props or low prim housing needs, these are perfect. They reportedly rez quickly so that is a plus.
Also shown is the cute little skybox house from Amerie's Naughty. It is 10 x 10 with a window box with flowing rain. Very cute and easy to fill with great stuff on your 512 - 117 prim plot. It is no mod so the presents stay but they are festive along with the lights. The only thing Sami changed was to cover the skully rug with one of her own with help from Torley. The group gift should still be in the archives and I saw that it was also available at the shop.
That's the late night news. I loved this picture so wanted to share.
Oh, when I went over to RunoRuno I realized it was the very same shop -- in the same local that I had blogged LONG ago. It's always so nice to see designers making there way in the virtual world. Gold stars.
PS. The couch in the background is from Sway's Advent event. I have one too.
Wrapping Up
It has been a world wind day, but I've managed to finish the Down the Chimney Hunt as well as go through almost all the lovely gifts that keep coming my way. So here is a brief wrap up of things you know about already and hopefully some you don't.
You only have a FEW MORE HOURS (maybe a day) to get any DTCH items you missed.
The comfy chair is from ☀ Deco*licious ☀ (DTCH) and comes with table and books. The back is color change by menu (lots of choices) and the seat has a variety of poses. And it is low prim!
EDIT: / me embarrassed for not reading the notecard. Exhaustion might be the reason :D. The WHOLE chair changes color as long as you are not sitting in it. Woot!
Yeah! The fireplace and candles as you may remember are part of the DTCH prize from **Tryst - Furniture For Couples (previously featured). My top is from Tyranny Designs (DTCH) and comes with a optional trim scrunchy bottom.
My hair is just out from Alli&Ali. There are two colors of this out as gifts at the store, PLUS this one is available on an Xstreet promotion for $1. And you can send to a friend. Isn't that cool? Open this link in a new window and find it here.
I really like this hair. It comes with optional bangs (I chose eyelashes over bangs) and has a beautiful back fall. Perfect for period garb. The skin I am wearing came out as a gift from Tuli. I've been too busy to check the feeds today, but I am guessing most of you know about this. It is a preview of the new skin Eva (tone 3/br). If you missed the group post, find it in a pack of many tones in the group archives. It will not be in the mushroom. This is in some ways a fantasy skin. There is a pale green shade on the forehead in the Ice Princess style that is coming out a lot now for winter. The tint is hardly noticeable on the lighter shades but is more pronounced on the dark tones. While I am not terribly thrilled with the fantasy effect, I am VERY happy with the look of the skin. It is a bit like a cross between Hope and Bella. Lovely and soft, waiting for it to arrive will be difficult :D.
I am also wearing the Snow on my Lashes eyewear from WWI (DTCH previously featured). I do love these.
My leggings are from DUH! and my new ankle boots are today's gift from BAX on the Le Look board. I am so glad we can wear these five inch heels without tottering. Virtual land is a good place!
The piano is old and a friend's and not in any hunt, sorry.
PS. There is a really fun poseball set for a large group at
I have LOTS to do in Realityland tomorrow so there may or may not be a post. Have a great Sunday.


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After enjoying a big, three-day rally, oil tumbled Tuesday and several energy pros don't see things getting better anytime soon. ..
Its esteemed ministers don't seem to understand the most basic rules of economics. ..
U.S. stocks plummeted as continued signs of weakness in China and concerns about the Federal Reserve weighed heavily on investor sentiment. ..
The Federal Reserve will probably only gradually raise interest rates, irrespective of whether it decides to take the first step a few months earlier or later, a top U.S. cent ..
The U.S. auto industry powered ahead in August, topping sales estimates and shrugging off gyrating stock markets as consumers continued to show their penchant for pickup truck ..
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Welcome to Surgical Centers of El Paso
Your physician has scheduled your upcoming surgery at either our West side location (Surgical Center of El Paso) or our East side location (East El Paso Surgery Center).
Both Surgical Center's are freestanding ambulatory surgery centers offering a broad range of outpatient surgical procedures, giving the patient a high quality alternative to inpatient hospitalization.
Our comfortable outpatient setting enables you to return home on the same day to recuperate in familiar surroundings.
The Surgical Centers of El Paso offer physicians the opportunity to perform a wide variety of specialized procedures in an ambulatory care setting. As an HCA affliated facility we are dedicated to providing the highest level of care to our patients.
Every procedure performed in our facilities is carried out by a physician highly trained and credentialed for that particular procedure.
These Centers are Accredited by: Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
1815 N. Stanton St
El Paso, Tx 79902
915-533-8412 (main)
915-599-4141 (fax)
915-533-9386 (scheduling)
915-599-4435 (scheduling fax)
7835 Corral Dr
El Paso, Tx 79915
915-595-3353 (main)
915-599-4127 (fax)
915-533-5605 (scheduling)
915-599-4435 (scheduling fax)
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BRUSSELS (AP) — Greece secured a much-needed 6.8 billion euros ($8.7 billion) in rescue loans Monday after squeaking by an inspection from its international creditors, who are demanding it slash thousands of civil servant jobs and government spending.
Experts from the European Central Bank, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund said Greece's finances are improving, although they warned that it is making reforms too slowly and that the outlook for its economy, which has been in recession since 2007, remains uncertain.
But the so-called troika of creditors still recommended that the next loan payments be made, and the finance ministers from the 17 countries that use the euro agreed. Belgian Finance Minister Koen Geens said the loans would be divided into three groups and disbursed in July, August and October.
"Greece is getting on track," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said as he left the meeting in Brussels. "It is not easy for them."
After years of overspending, Greece nearly went bankrupt and is now surviving on rescue loans. To ensure that the government keeps up with the reforms it promised in exchange for 240 billion euros in bailout loans, its creditors turn over the funds slowly — and only after rigorous assessments of the country's progress.
Greece's creditors said the country's reform program remained "broadly in line" with projections. It also laid out the hope of a gradual return to growth next year.
However, it added that "the outlook remains uncertain." Greece has been hammered by a financial crisis since 2009 and is in the sixth year of a deep recession.
The troika said "policy implementation is behind in some areas" and that the Greek authorities have said they will do more to ensure delivery of the fiscal targets for 2013-14, noting in particular efforts to restrict overspending in the health sector.
"In short, it is time to step up the momentum of reform in Greece, support the return of confidence for the sake of sustainable growth and job creation," said the EU's monetary affairs commissioner, Olli Rehn.
Greece is stuck in a years-long recession and unemployment has spiraled to above 27 percent, in part because of the reforms and austerity measures it is implementing.
The troika said the government has also "committed to take steps to bring public administration reforms back on track," including reducing the number of civil servants, one of the measures that has been among the most contentious in Greece's reform program.
"Firing civil servants is always difficult, that is difficult in every country, certainly in such economic circumstances," said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who is head of the eurogroup meeting and Dutch finance minister.
The government must put 12,500 civil servants on administrative leave by the end of the year, with the possibility of dismissal. They include 2,200 school security personnel; 3,500 members of the Athens municipal police, which will then be disbanded and absorbed into Greece's police force; at least 2,000 local government employees; 1,500 teachers; and employees of various ministries.
They will be paid 75 percent of their normal salary and be subject to dismissal if they aren't transferred to other state agencies within eight months.
Municipal workers across the country went on strike to protest the plan, while the country's civil servants union, ADEDY, called a work stoppage from noon for all civil servants in the capital, Athens.
The austerity reforms agreed in return for the loans, have included big salary and pension cuts as well as repeated tax hikes.
Elena Becatoros from Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.


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Saw this today and thought would be good to share. Most educational materials are aimed at an 8th grade reading level, however this doesn't hold true for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Then to top it all off when patients hear about the problems and call their cardiologist, for the most part it seems to tick of the MD, because it takes up considerable amounts of their precious time to discuss. I brought up a recall alert once as a teaching opportunity, posted the notice, informed the clients to call their cardiologist and then got my rear end chewed off as the cardiology office didn't want to have to deal with it. They eventually drafted a letter of their own and sent to all pacemaker/ICD patients to notify them. What has been your experience?
Rochester and St Paul, MN – Those letters in which companies inform patients about "recalls" or "safety alerts" that involve their implanted pacemakers or defibrillators? They are written at such a complex level that they "may be incomprehensible for most patients," according to researchers who rated the readability of such letters from one device company [1].
In 2006, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) recommended that device manufacturers communicate with patients affected by their safety advisories with a letter that should also be posted on the company's website, observe Luke A Mueller (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN) and associates in their report published online January 2, 2013 Heart Rhythm.
But in their analysis of 25 such "Dear Patient" letters issued by Boston Scientific (including Guidant) from 2005 to 2011, their readability as measured by standard software was found to be at median grade level of 12.8, or college level in the US. Their reading levels were consistent over the six-year period.
None of the company letters, they note, met the National Working Group on Literacy and Health's recommendation of a fifth-grade level of readability for healthcare materials (p<0.001) or even the average US reading level corresponding to eighth grade (p<0.001). A sample letter devised by the HRS didn't fare much better, coming in at a 12.5-grade level.
According to Mueller et al, who note that "patients affected by [implantable-device] advisories may experience psychological distress" and that poor communication can make that distress worse, "Device manufacturers should ensure advisory letters are comprehensible to most patients. Such letters may serve as a springboard for clinician discussions with patients of all reading skill levels about advisories and help the clinicians discern whether patients understand the clinical implications of the advisories affecting them and correct misinformation."
|Neither lead author Mueller nor coauthor Abigale L Ottenberg (Mayo Clinic) had disclosures. Coauthor Dr Arjun Sharma is the senior medical director at Boston Scientific. Senior author Dr Paul S Mueller (Mayo Clinic) is a member of the Boston Scientific Patient Safety Advisory Board.
Readability of "Dear Patient" device advisory notification letters created by a device manufacturer


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Hand Sanitiser Gel 30ml - 10 Pack - 75% Alcohol
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Hand Sanitiser Gel 30ml - 10 Pack - 75% Alcohol
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