text:
CHRLS Alumna Gives Back With Case Scenario
Alumni of the MA-HRIR program at the Carlson School of Management give back to their alma mater in a variety of ways.
Alumni of the MA-HRIR program at the Carlson School of Management give back to their alma mater in a variety of ways. Some volunteer on committees and task forces; others serve as mentors; still others support student fellowships.
Nicole Luniewski, '10 MA-HRIR, People and Organizational Capability Consultant at Microsoft, helped give first-year students real-world experience with a Microsoft Business Case Scenario.
The case scenario, led by Luniewski in conjunction with Professors Colleen Manchester and Theresa Glomb, taught students about talent development of key talent in sales, marketing and Services Group at Microsoft.
"Partnering with a company exposes students to real business issues that are fraught with ambiguity, uncertainty, and influence, and is the ultimate way to hone the tools they have been learning," said Manchester, who teaches "Using Data and Metrics in HRIR".
The students were given a background on how Microsoft thinks about Talent Management of employees with the ability, commitment, and aspiration for future leadership roles in the company and were then asked to provide insight to the situation.
"It was a fantastic experience to have a fresh set of intelligent and eager students focused on some talent management activities we are working on," Luniewski said.
Luniewski said the experience with the Microsoft Business Case Scenario is one many students will encounter in their internships and careers.
"[In HR] You are given a problem, a limited amount of time to solve, and not the exact information you might want, but still need to come prepared to your leadership to propose ideas and solutions," she said.
Glomb, who teaches "Staffing, Training and Development," believes case studies such as the Microsoft Business Case Scenario are the best way to gain real-world experience.
"Analyzing HR situations is complex and there is really no better way to develop these skills than by thinking about real organizational problems," Glomb said. "Nicole really brought the issues to life in her presentation and discussion with our students."


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Saturday, October 14, 2006
We Didn't Know He Was Here, Or We'd Have Asked
Not that he was saying anything about the news.
We find out from the Akron Beacon Journal's Rich Heldenfels that Air America midday host Al Franken was actually in Akron on Friday, at an event at the University of Akron to support Democratic candidates.
Franken didn't comment on the bankruptcy of the radio network that's had much trouble paying him over the past two plus years, saying he'd hold off commenting until Monday due to the fact he's traveling.
Heldenfels also talks to Tom Embrescia, who OMW pointed out Friday as a creditor in the AAR bankruptcy filing.
The former local radio owner (WWWE, WDOK) says his percentage share of the network is in the "low single digits".
Though he thought the idea of a progressive talk network was a "good radio idea", like just about everyone else with background in radio instead of left-leaning politics, Embrescia tells the Beacon Journal that Air America's plan "had not been well executed".
Talk about your understatement of the year.
At times, the liberal talk network has been a classic case of "how not to run a radio network", with a bloated staff (how many commercial talk radio shows have a staff of WRITERS?) and little idea how to handle the nuts and bolts of a radio operation.
Air America also has, in its 2-plus year history, pretty much directly ignored most of the advice radio professionals have given it, including advice from those radio pros actually working for the company.
And it's always felt more like a political operation than a radio one, and that hasn't changed. In its press release about the bankruptcy, Air America notes the importance of being on the air in the upcoming election season, as new CEO Scott Elberg points out:
"Staying on the air is crucial for the Network's primary ratings period as well as for the country which is facing its most important mid-term election in recent history."
From elsewhere in the land of progressive talk, Jones Radio's Ed Schultz put out a statement noting his show's independence from Air America. And according to this blog entry by Joe Gandelman at "The Moderate Voice", Schultz had Product 1st co-owner Stu Krane to talk about it on Friday. Gandelman writes:
They want to produce a show that's good radio, good entertainment, that gets listeners and makes money.
Krane is half of the group which owns the Schultz show - the other half being suburban Cincinnati's Randy Michaels.
The Beacon's Heldenfels also - as we did yesterday - quotes WARF/1350 "Radio Free Ohio" operations manager Keith Kennedy's online statement on the current status of the Air America network and the network's local affiliate.
A sidebar: Heldenfels now is credited as the "popular culture" writer for the paper, a beat which continues to include television. He'll eventually be taking over movies from departing critic George Thomas, and it appears radio is also in his beat mix now.
We don't know if Mr. Heldenfels reads OMW, as Mr. Thomas does.
But as he starts using his first name Rich on his byline, we remind him that radio stations do not have to physically move to their exact communities of license. So, don't call up city officials in Stow and ask them how they feel about WWVA/1170 Wheeling WV not camping out in the Akron suburb.
(OK, Denise Grollmus, we promise that'll be the LAST joke about that article!)
16 comments:
WARF...which ought to be re-named "BARF"...completely ruined the 1350-AM and lost my listenership when it left FOX Sports for this radical, mean-spirited crap they call Liberal Talk. The hosts are so arrogant and anti-Bush, anti-American (frankly), that it's IMPOSSIBLE to listen to it. This was a HUGGGGEEE mistake in programming.
I suggest they try to pick up the ESPN sports-talk and get back to something people in NE Ohio actually care about hearing: quality sports and LOCAL sports.
Rush Limbaugh is an anomaly (though I don't listen to his schtick either). We don't need this left-wing crapola ruining a valuable station. Please take note, station owner/manager, and DO THE RIGHT THING. FIX THIS!
I find it comical that when someone doesn't like the new format of a format change it is a "HUGGGEEE mistake in programming."
OK, if you want anti-Clinton pro-Bush talk listen to WHLO. If you want anti-Bush and anti-war talk you go to WARF.
I happen to listen to 1350 nearly all the time but I wouldn't rail against 640 because they are "hate radio filled with bigots, pro-killing our children in an illegal war, pro protecting pedophiles and crooks like Bob Ney."
There's a place for both formats. Besides Jim Rome, 1350 hasn't had a good number since it was country.
It's so remarkably easy to dislike the current President that it should have been like shooting fish in a barrel for AAR.
The problem is, the shows suck. Ed Schultz (not AAR) and Randi Rhodes are the only hosts in the genre that seem to get it. Even (let me see if I can get this right) radical, mean-spirited, arrogant, anti-American (frankly) as Rush Limbaugh is, he at least gets that it's about entertainment first and everything else second. Once AAR figures that out and stops preaching, they can maybe turn this sinking ship around.
As a card-carrying pinko Commie myself, I'm not holding my breath.
Boy, the liberal left is just as arrogant, stubborn and misguided HERE in their defensive answers.
How do you make divisive politics "entertaining?" If it were such a popular genre, we'd see it on network TV, instead of fringe little-watch cable. Wouldn't you LOVE to know how many advertisers are actually purchasing time on this kooky format? Two minutes of Rhandi Rhodes is about all of the dumb-quotient I can stomach before losing my lunch. Just atrocious.
For the last time:
liberal radio fails because AMERICANS HATE LIBERALISM.
Liberals are dangerous, subversive people, and most mainstream Americans know it.
Face it, guys like Rush, Hannity, and Savage succeed nationally, and even the local conservative hosts around the nation, because most people know that even when the hosts are wrong, they have the nation's best interest at heart.
The liberals have nothing but verbal flame-throwing at heart, with no plans to help the nation...only plans to advance their personal power agendas.
Need proof? More liberals actually listen to Limbaugh than they EVER do to AAR.
Americans fear liberalism, and they have spoken by forcing AAR to bottom out after just 2 short years.
Thank God.
- newsnomore said...
I don't think you have to be a liberal to like listening to a liberal format.
Same for conservatives.
I believe these left and right radio stations are adding to the division of America.
There is nothing a liberal host will credit a conservative for doing and vise versa.
They say the things they do because it keeps them in business to make money. That is their real agenda...and to hell with what's good for America.
Personally, I listen to both WHLO and 1350...not because I agree with the host, but because I find it interesting to listen too...sometimes.
As for 1350, I just get tired of the bitching. And even though they don't agree with the president, they shouldn't say some of the things about him that they do.
Salute the rank, not the man and have a little respect for the office.
- Ohio Media Watch said...
And with newsnomore's excellent comments, we'll warn that this item will be closed for comments soon.
OMW is not only not a message board, but we do not have the time to police the comments here. We are also not a place for left vs. right political discussion and posturing. There are roughly 8 billion other places on the Internet that cater to that kind of discussion.
Long-time OMW readers know that your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) is a long-time talk radio fan - going back to a very young age - but we've been listening less and less to all flavors of political talk radio these days.
We'll leave the comments open for a while, and close this one later tonight, only because we'd like to hear from others who are feeling the same...and what solution that you feel stations should employ to keep talk radio "alive".
Rolling Stone did a story prior to the launch of Air America a couple of years ago..Franken was talking about how somebody at Minnesota Public Radio was brought in to ''teach him how to do radio''..
I remember throwing the magazine to the floor and laughing for several minutes..I knew then that Air America was destined for failure..
Franken is a smart, engaging guy..but to try to teach somebody how to do talk radio in a few months, and then throwing them to the wolves, was wrong from the beginning..
Air America also has some of the worst sticks to broadcast on in just about every market its in..1350 has virtually no night time coverage outside of Akron..and the story is repeated in a number of markets..
With hindsight being 20/20, Air America would have been better off starting small..internet only until everybody got the hang of whatever it is they were trying to do, then a slow rollout across the country, market by market..as the buzz took over..
Limbuagh had the advantage of doing talk radio for several years, honing his act in Sacramento before heading to NYC and syndication..he brought along a generation of talk talent--Savage, Hannity, O'Riley--along with him.
Liberal talk radio has never had that man or woman to carry the format while other talent could be developed and rolled out over time..in Blue State markets, especially Portland, L-A and S-F it does relatively well..outside that geographic area--not so well..
But Right leanding talk radio is starting to lose its buzz as well..Limbaugh's numbers have been down across the board for several years now..while Savage does well as a strong right leaning critic of the current Administration..
Let's see, for the most part there is political talk radio, sports talk radio and hot talk radio. Could human interest-topic talk radio make it as a 24/7 format? I hear that Dr. Laura Schlessinger's ratings have been going up a bit recently. As for successful political talk, it seems to me that you can't be angry all or most of the time. That doesn't lend itself to good entertainment. That's one of the failings of Air America/much liberal talk. The woman on 1350 AM Monday-Friday after 6:00pm is a good example of this. Very annoying.
I live in Cleveland and listen to 1350 almost every night for the lionel show. I have no trouble picking up the station.
Long live Rush Limbaugh!!!
- Ohio Media Watch said...
1350's pattern shoots a lobe directly towards Cleveland at the expense of some east/west coverage. Though the pattern is the same day and night, for whatever reason (other station interference, etc.) it seems worse at night.
We were not far from Akron's Wallhaven area the other night, and 1350 sounded like a distant station. A few miles further east, and it boomed.
And last call for comments on this item...
so many AM stations have "bad" signals because their antenna systems, especially the ground-radials, have deteriorated and owners haven't fixed them.
that's why folks remember that WSLR or WAKR or WHLO seemed to sound better years ago. They did, when they were operating up to spec.
now, it's expensive to redo an antenna farm and re-install the ground systems, which, at best, have a 20 year lifespan in this climate.
an exception is 850,which was re-done by the former local owners just before the station flipping that became WKNR. They have the best signal they possibly can, given their license restrictions.
I seem to see too many last calls...
Nonetheless I am always disappointed when I see people post based on their personal political beliefs rather then discuss radio.
Come on...BARF radio? I think Clear Channel offering different viewpoints on theirr two talk stations is great. They are good alternatives to WNIR and WTAM.
I listen to 1350 quite a bit. I don't love every show and certainly think some hosts are better then others. But they all have entertainment qualities of they woouldn't be on the air.
let's debate radio, not your individual (and sometimes scary) beliefs on this board.
Conservative radio has had 15 year to build an audience. Even Rush started out on small stations and took years to catch on.
Name any conservative talk NETWORKs that are rolling in cash. Individual shows maybe, but no NETWORKs. IN fact, there aren't even any general talk radio NETWORKS that are successful right now.
Not since ABC TalkRadio, and NBC's TalkNet in the 70s and 80s.
- Ohio Media Watch said...
Sorry about that wait for the topic to close. We were away from our trusty keyboard...

subset: commoncrawl


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- Home
- Captain Cook Cruises Captain Cook Cruises
- Murray Princess Murray Princess
- Murraylands and Wildlife Cruise Murraylands and Wildlife Cruise
Murraylands and Wildlife Cruise
7 nights on Murray Princess
Sailing Dates
Departs: Fri, Mar 22, 2019
Arrives: Fri, Mar 29, 2019
Ports of Call
At Sea.
Package Includes
- The Murraylands spectacular landscape of cliffs, gorges and bio-diverse wetlands
- Barossa Valley Tour
- Most tours
- Complimentary scenic coach transfers from Adelaide or car-parking in Mannum
- Guided nature walks & eco-tours
- Onboard presentations
- Daybreak photography
- Aboriginal Cultural Tour
- All meals
- Captain's Dinner
- Shipboard accommodation
- Use of spas & saunas
- Entertainment
- 24 hour self-service coffee bar.
Quick tips
Melanie - Cruise Specialist
"Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag so you don't have to wait for your luggage to be delivered to your cabin before you can slip into sandals, shorts and swimsuits. "
Terms and conditions for this cruise
$1980total per person Show cabin types
Inside CabinsInside cabins are located on the lower Chaffey Deck and open onto a wide inside passageway. Inside cabins...
$2775total per person Show cabin types
Outside CabinsOutside cabins are located on the Randell and Cadell Decks. Each outside cabin opens onto the outside deck...
$3330total per person Show cabin types
StateroomsOur spacious 6 staterooms are located on the Randell and Cadell Decks. Each stateroom offers a double bed...
Chaffey Deck
Randell Deck
Cadell Deck
Please note: All prices featured are per person (unless otherwise stated), and include non commission fares (taxes, fees and port expenses). Prices and availability are subject to change due to changes made by the Cruise Companies. Prices quoted are based on payments made via BPAY or bank transfer. Visa and Mastercard payments incur a 1.5% transaction fee.
Ports of Call
Day 1At Sea Depart: Wed, Nov 21, 2018 @ 18:18
Day 2At Sea
Sat, Mar 23, 2019
Day 3At Sea
Sun, Mar 24, 2019
Day 4At Sea
Mon, Mar 25, 2019
Day 5At Sea
Tue, Mar 26, 2019
Day 6At Sea
Wed, Mar 27, 2019
Day 7At Sea Arrive: Thu, Mar 28, 2019 @ 00:00
Onboard experience
Murray Princess Restaurants, Bars & Eateries
Stuart Dining Saloon
- Dining aboard Murray Princess includes delicious table d'hote menus, Captain's Dinner and buffet dining, with a special campfire barbecue (seven and four night cruises only). Breakfasts are buffet style. There is one sitting for all meals.
- Breakfast: 7.30am or 8am - 9am
- Lunch: 12noon or 12.30pm
- Dinner: 6.30pm or 7.00pm
Murray Princess Onboard Entertainment
Gift Shop
- The Gift Shop is located on Chaffey Deck and contains a selection of souvenirs, toiletries, film and hats.
- A selection of books is available for your reading pleasure in the upper level of the Paddlewheel lounge, kindly return or swap the books so that others can also enjoy them.
Bars and Lounges
Paddlewheel Lounge
Paddlewheel Lounge
The Paddlewheel Lounge offers a relaxed lounge area seating. The lounge is split over two levels of the Murray Princess, connected by a spiral staircase
Spas and Sauna
Spa & Sauna
- The spa and saunas are open for bookings between 9.00am and 9.00pm. Passengers under 16 years of age are not permitted without a supervising adult. Use of equipment is at own risk.
- If you wish to swim in the river please seek advise from one of our deck staff as to the easiest and safest method of doing so.
Ship info
Rates Include: * The Murraylands spectacular landscape of cliffs, gorges and bio-diverse wetlands * Most tours * Complimentary scenic coach transfers from Adelaide or car-parking in Mannum * Guided nature walks & eco-tours * Onboard presentations * Daybreak photography * Aboriginal Cultural Tour * All meals * Captain's Dinner * Shipboard accommodation * use of spas & saunas * entertainment * 24 hour self-service coffee bar. Prices exclude drinks, personal purchases, any optional tours and fuel surcharges.
- Vessel: Murray Princess
- Year:
- Beam: 49ft
- Cruising speed: 6kn
- Onboard Currency: AU Dollar
- Registry: Mannum
- Air Conditioning
- Free use of spas & saunas
- Guided nature walks & eco-tours
- Library
Murray Princess Deck Plans
Cruise code: CPTFR7N22MAR19
Cabins from*-
Bonus Offer
No obligations, no hard sell
Receive either a complimentary carpark at Mannum or a transfer to/from the Mercure Grosvenor Adelaide Hotel. Subject to availability and needs to be advised at time of booking.


text:
1. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Bangkok007 Apr 28, 2011 5:23 PM (in response to Galvman)
I won't bother purchasing this version..what? No CD burning? What a waste of a good piece of software with a good pedigree!...! Is there any other way to either export or burn a finished cd project?
2. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Synthdance May 2, 2011 6:36 AM (in response to Bangkok007)
I fully agree. Audition needs Red Book CD burning if it wants to be taken seriously. Even Wavelab Elements has this option. I repeat what I've said in Adobe Mac Beta forum - digital distribution of content is OK, but many of us still need to deliver replication ready material to be produced in CD pressing plant. To advise us that we should use another app just for this purpose is ridiculous to say the least...
And no, neither iTunes nor Finder can burn Red Book Compatible audio CD (in DAO mode). I think that in Windows 7 the situation is similar and that there is a necessity to use external software to do DAO burning.
Here is the thread regarding lack of this option in Audition Beta Mac forum:
3. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Steve C2 May 9, 2011 4:16 PM (in response to Bangkok007)
Hi Bangkok007,
This might be a little late, but you can try imgburn. First, you will need to, unless someone corrects me, "save selection as" if you have multiple songs in one audio clip. With imgburn, you first create a cue file and then burn your image to disk. If I upgrade to CS 5.5, this is probably the approach that I will take.
Hope this helps.
4. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5T3ee May 12, 2011 9:54 PM (in response to Galvman)
I just got CS5.5 I was expecting the CD Burning capabilities too. How do you have a major authoring/mixing software without a clear physical production option? I'm disappointed. The interface is pretty and I've got to try out the different tools that are there, but I need a good physical production method and was hoping to avoid having to create separate tracked WAVs to send to another burning software.
Wow... They really stripped down the functionality of this version compared with version 3. I've been using 1.5 and it seems like this may have been a bad purchase...
5. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Paul_Ferguson May 12, 2011 10:13 PM (in response to T3ee)
+1 for CD burning.
6. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5NikleiK Jun 13, 2011 4:22 AM (in response to Galvman)
I want to add that I am also very upset by this missing aspect of the Mac Audition software, which I did buy after having used the PC version for several years. To be clear: that's unacceptable !
7. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5dsm59 Jun 17, 2011 7:05 AM (in response to Galvman)
I will also throw my vote in to restore the CD burning feature in CS5.5.
I was completely caught off guard last night at a function where I had to edit and burn a music track. I searched far too long to locate the "missing" CD burning feature - I believed I was simply too stressed and I was unable to locate where they moved the CD burning entry point. I was astounded that I couldn't find it because it never entered my mind that it would have been removed....how can you remove a vital feature and sell the new version as an upgrade?!
Luckily, I still had (and will now NOT remove) Audition v3 from my PC and I was able to satisfy my client's need.
I like the speed of CS5.5, but having to keep both version of software on my PC does not make sense. This will slow me down as I now have to save numbers of tracks after working them in CS5.5 only to import/open them in v3 to burn CDs.
Shame on you Adobe for this serious omission! Please restore this important functionality ASAP.
Thank you,
8. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5richard_bowers Jun 27, 2011 8:44 AM (in response to Galvman)
I was aware that this feature was excluded from the beta version. I thought that was simply to limit the functionality in the test release. However, I was greatly disappointed to find it missing in the trial download of the commercial release. I was previously using an older version on Windows and wanted to migrate to Mac after purchasing a shiny macbook. In my workflow in my day job I had become accustomed to marking up long audio speech recordings with track markers and then burning direct to a CD master. Now, it seems, I'll have to export the track segments as fresh .wav files (ie. doubling disk space) then importing them into itunes (another copy made there?) and creating a playlist of them to render as a CD. If that's not enough of a pain, there's the reduced functionality to create varied CDs with, maybe, different or shared track arrangements and other tricks that made my life a lot easier in the old version. I often make CDs in English and Welsh and it was so much easier to manage the complexity of such projects when you could save track listings and not need to make duplicate copies of files everywhere. In short, Adobe, BRING BACK THE CD AUTHORING, PLEASE! The lack of it is the one thing that is holding me back from purchasing this otherwise superb product.
9. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5cdpressing34 Jul 17, 2011 2:57 PM (in response to Synthdance)
CD burning happens to be track at once instead of disc at once. This may make it okay for most, but not for producing masters for CD pressing plants. That needs disc at once. But hey, if the you would like one or two CDs to send to the folks, track at once might be fine, but it's nothing I've used for any professional application. This could be the reason why that it was removed in version 5.5?
Imgburn is the replacement for CD burning function. You initially produce a cue file and then burn your CD. It is a multi-step process, if you first need to save selections from your audio file as separate songs (because you no longer can work with track markers). Imgburn has got the potential to burn cds with reduced or no errors, according to some. There are a few Premier Pro users which use imgburn as opposed to the CD burning functionality built into Adobe Encore.
10. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5ryclark Jul 17, 2011 4:05 PM (in response to cdpressing34)
I don't believe that that is correct. I am sure that Audition 3.01 is capable of producing Disc at Once CDs. Also you don't need a multistep process to produce a CD from an Audition mastered audio file in ImgBurn. You just need the free Cuelist Tool to convert Audition's Track markers into a Cue list which ImgBurn can then use to burn your audio CD.
11. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5stevandupree Jul 22, 2011 10:26 PM (in response to Galvman)
I bought Audition CS5.5 after talking to the Adobe tech support who assured me that I could create CDs from Audition CS5.5!!!! Very disappointed!!!! I asked because I didn't see it on the webpage. Wow! I got hit really good with the shell game of your webpage and your phone tech support! Come on Adobe!!! Get real!!! Even your tech support can't believe that something major like that would be left out of the "New and Improved" MAC version!!!! Either they were uninformed or... well you fill in the blanks!!! You guys have got fix this!!!!
12. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5ryclark Jul 23, 2011 1:53 AM (in response to stevandupree)
The Mac version is certainly new but not yet improved. Since this is a completely new cross platform version rewritten from the ground up not all features from the PC version AA 3 have made it across. Hopefully CS 6 should have most things back and a lot more.
13. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Ron_Day Jul 25, 2011 1:02 AM (in response to stevandupree)
I'm very sorry to hear you were given the wrong information about CD Buring in Audition CS5.5. As you will read on many of the other forum threads here (and announcements on some of the Adobe informational web pages as well), Audition CS5.5 is mising some features you may be used to in earlier Windows versions. The short version of reasoning for this is simply, we built this version from the ground-up to be compliant with both Mac and Windows and time would not allow for all previous features to be re-implemented in this first version. The Audition team is still working hard on future versions of the cross-platform product, and we hope to add much more expected functionality as we move forward.
Here is our official Adobe help page which specifies some changes to our feature set as well as what is missing from the earlier Windows-only versions:
Agian, I am very sorry for the incorrect information given to you by support. If you want to pass on additional information regarding this matter, please send our product team a direct email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
14. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5SteveG(AudioMasters) Aug 4, 2011 1:30 PM (in response to cdpressing34)
cdpressing34 wrote:
CD burning happens to be track at once instead of disc at once. This may make it okay for most, but not for producing masters for CD pressing plants. That needs disc at once. But hey, if the you would like one or two CDs to send to the folks, track at once might be fine, but it's nothing I've used for any professional application. This could be the reason why that it was removed in version 5.5?
As far as Audition 3.0.1 is concerned that's completely and utterly wrong, as the post following observed. Audition 3.0.1 only writes disk-at-once. Primarily the reason for the original post was to include a link to the poster's site (not in my reply - I removed it), not to provide any useful information, obviously.
15. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Greg Parke Aug 8, 2011 7:49 AM (in response to Galvman)
Ditto to "bring back CD burning". At this point I'm forced to use a very old version rather than the new. This seems to be a common problem with software these days... eliminating useful features.
16. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5aloyisus54 Aug 16, 2011 1:58 PM (in response to Greg Parke)
As so many have already stated here, after years of using Audition, it was also a shock for me to discover that CD track markers and the CD burning capability altogether was removed from the new version! And on the FAQ page someone had the arrogance to say, "Other features, like CD burning, are not included because the majority of newly created content is distributed digitally, and inexpensive or free third-party CD burning tools, such as iTunes, are readily available." Wow.
First of all, it may be true that more content is being produced digitally and other CD burners are available, but many of us still produce commercial CDs for various markets (yes there is still a market for physical CDs) and have long depended on the ability to add track markers and burn CDs for clients directly from Audition. To remove this feature so casually and with such disregard for the needs of its long-term customers has really made me wonder about Adobe. For now, I'll need to stay with Audition 3 and just hope that this functionality is retored with version 6.
If not, I'll need to change to another program that allows this functionality as I can't imagine using iTunes or other such programs to burn professional quality CDs for mastering. Does anyone know if Adobe is listening to it's customers about this? I haven't heard anyone from Adobe actually say that the CD burning capability, with track markers, will be restored in version 6. So, if someone from Adobe development is reading this, I'm sure you have thousands of Audition customers who would like to know about this.
17. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5_durin_ Aug 16, 2011 2:08 PM (in response to aloyisus54)
Durin from the Audition development team here. I'm not able to confirm nor deny CD burning functionality in CS 6, I'll go on record that its absence is one of the most-missed features from Audition 3 and one of the most-requested features we receive. While there are executive-level decision makers that are calling for the demise of physical media, and Adobe is not the loudest voice by far on this issue, those of us doing the work and talking to our customers on a daily basis understand that CDs are still alive and kicking for at least a few more years.
18. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5jlummel Aug 16, 2011 5:37 PM (in response to _durin_)
I'd like to throw my 2 cents in and urge Adobe to add Redbook CD mastering/burning back into Audition. But not in CS6, rather as a update patch to CS5.5, since CS5.5 really should have shipped with it!!
19. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Galvman Sep 27, 2011 7:29 AM (in response to _durin_)
Currently I'm holding off upgrading because of the missing Redbook CD burning feature. I just upgraded my studio with a new Mac Pro and it sure would be nice to have Audition running on it. I started recording with Cool Edit Pro, then moved on to Audition many years back. Many of my clients walk out of my studio with a version of their song/songs on CD so they can work on solos or verses and such. The CD burning feature is a major sticking point for me in my studio. I now record with Pro Tools on the new Mac, but still edit, use noise reduction, and burn CDs with Audition on my old PC. Audition was still a major player for editing waveforms with it's scientific filters, noice reduction and restoration abilities. Other third party platforms knew this, such as Izoptope, picked up the ball and ran with new plugins with the same abilities. Yes I'd definitely think about restoring some of the missing features in an update patch if it could be done. I'm definitely a fan of Adobe Audition and sincerely hope for the best.
Gil Wayne
20. Re: Bring back Redbook CD burning for Audition CS5.5Jason_Graham Dec 31, 2011 8:49 PM (in response to Galvman)
I know you're tired of hearing this one, but this came as a huge disappointment. This has been the primary reason I used Audition in the first place allowing me to discover all of the other great stuff. But without it, I'm completely cornrered now on this project, and will have to export it over to a windows box somewhere. No version of Audition should ship without it. There is a dearth of software that has this feature, and none with this simplicity and convenience (in the same program that I mastered in (obviously I used the windows one for years. That feature was nailed on Windows, here's hoping you can get it into the Mac pronto. if you have a beta that has it, I would love to run it. (Hey, even an alpha ).


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Beige Book: U.S. Economic Outlook Brightens During Summer
Employers Still Citing Difficulty Finding Experienced Workers
The U.S. continued its run of solid-if-unremarkable growth during the summer, the Federal Reserve found in its latest survey of regional conditions that offered little to suggest the economy was either decelerating or overheating.
While Wednesday's report said more employers are voicing concerns about shortages of certain skilled workers, there were few signs of broad-based wage growth. The Labor Department is set to report job figures for August on Friday; net job growth has exceeded 200,000 for six straight months through...


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On Monday, we, as a nation, again paused to remember the men and women Memorial Day is intended to honor - the members of our armed forces who died in service to their country.
Flags flew at half staff until noon, flowers and flags decorated grave sites and there were parades and services.
This is all to the good.
Memorial Day is a cherished tradition, one always marked here in veteran-heavy Lee County with strong attendance at services held annually.
But this year, Memorial Day also dawned in the midst of a national shame that includes the additional, needless deaths of veterans who died in the "friendly fire" of bureaucratic ineptitude and cover-up.
Let us also remember these men and women, including many World War II vets, who were denied access to the health care they were promised while Veterans Administration officials manipulated and falsified wait- time information related to the lack of timely care.
With 40 deaths thus far attributed to "death by delay" in Phoenix and a Dayton Daily News investigation reporting the systemwide tally may be as high as 1,100 from 2001 through the first half of last year, the number of VA facilities under investigation is now up to 26.
It is important to note that this is not a new issue nor were unacceptable wait times unknown within either the VA or the president's administration.
As the Seattle Times reports, the manipulation of wait-time data has been known since 2008. The Times also reports the falsification process actually caught a buzz phrase - "gaming strategies" - in 2010 and investigations confirmed again in 2012 that wait-time information that showed acceptable access to care was "unreliable."
Staff-level employees are on record as saying they were told to falsify records and were threatened with "repercussions" if they did not.
It is only now, May of 2014, that we have our commander-in-chief saying he's "madder than hell" and promising punishment for those responsible.
Yet at press time Eric Shinseki still held his job in the wake of what is euphemistically being called "systemic troubles."
Systemic troubles?
With both a body count and increasing reports of pain and suffering on the VA battlefield of neglect, you think?
Now, we do understand that the VA health system of some 1,700 hospitals and clinics is, at its heart, a solid and viable system that has done much good among the 80 million outpatients it serves.
We acknowledge reports that say its patient care rating among those who use the system is good, better than many private systems, and that this is due to the doctors, nurses and other care workers who provide hands-on treatment.
But to use President Obama's own words, we - and, we trust, most Americans - are "madder than hell" that treatment delays and the related records cover-up has been tolerated for so long and that veterans have died or suffered as a result.
It's a national disgrace.
- Citizen editorial


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Holding the opponent under 30% shooting? Check.
Forcing 25 turnovers? Check.
Allowing five points over the final 15 minutes of the first half? Check.
Sing it with Coach Murphy now:
From the first few games, it looks like Syracuse will win this season through defense first. They do have a number of guys who are capable of a scoring [...]


text:
SOURCE: First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc.
August 21, 2012 13:20 ET
Revenues Increase 21% From 2011, Growth Remains Positive for 2012
Revenues Increase 21% From 2011, Growth Remains Positive for 2012
KUNMING, CHINA--(Marketwire - Aug 21, 2012) - First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. (OTCBB: FCPG) ("First China" or the "Company"), a rapidly growing and technologically advanced pharmaceutical distribution company based in Yunnan, China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three-month period ended June 30, 2012.
Q2 Fiscal 2012 Highlights
First China is pleased to announce that it has achieved a new record high for second quarter sales. First China advises that its focus and investments towards expanding sales in Yunnan province has led to an increase of 21% in sales compared to the same period as last year. Sales for the second quarter of 2012 were $14.0 million compared to $11.6 million in 2011. Gross profit was up $124,394 from the same period in 2011 and income from operations was up 43% to $1.2 million, largely due to increased sales and a reduction in administrative expenses, some of which payment was deferred until Q3.
The Company posted income before tax of $2,580,854. The improved profitability is due to increased sales. In the current quarter the Company almost doubled the number of sales orders it processed compared to the same period as last year. The primary reasons attributed to the increase in sales orders were the expanded inventory selection and greater utilization of the Company's online internet fulfillment platform. The Company's expanded inventory selection includes sales of natural Chinese herbs to drug manufacturers, an initiative taken in the latter part of 2011. Greater utilization of our on internet fulfillment platform led to more frequent orders placed by customers. Both of these factors contributed to the overall sales growth for the current period.
The Company also changed the manner in which it accounts for the value-added tax (VAT) it pays. In the past the Company accrued VAT on all sales, including sales to VAT exempt Companies (Small Scale Taxpayer).This practice resulted in the Company accruing far more VAT than was actually due to the tax bureau. After several years of this accounting treatment a large VAT reserve was created. Initially, the Company decided to bring some of this reserve into income after approximately two years. Now, the Company only accrues for VAT due to taxpayers that are required to pay VAT and any reserve beyond what is due to the tax bureau is brought into income after the tax bureau has provided documentation indicating the Company is current with the VAT that it is required to pay. To portray accurate timing, the Company will be taking into income amounts over reserved from each quarter of the preceding fiscal year. For example, for Q2 2012, $941,692 in overstated VAT reserve from Q2 2011 has been taken into income.
The improvement in income is also attributed to Derivative Income of $538,467. The Derivative Income for the second quarter is a non cash increase to the income statement that is a result of the Black Scholes derivative valuation of the warrants issued by the Company in relation to the financing in April 2011. The valuation of these warrants is required by US GAAP and can produce either a non cash gain or loss; depending upon the fair market value of the common stock. This is a non cash transaction and does not adversely or positively affect the Company's working capital.
Business Outlook
The Company continues to have a positive outlook for the rest of 2012. However, the recent distribution of toxic gel caps in China by a handful of drug manufacturers in April significantly reduced the sale of pharmaceuticals in China in April through August.
See article: (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304299304577347563418936068.html).
The Company sees this as a short term problem in the market and will not adversely affect the long term growth of the pharmaceutical market in China. The Chinese government responded quickly to restore confidence in the drug manufacturing sector.
Policies introduced by the Chinese government to increase pharmaceutical spending on a per capital basis have squeezed the margins of pharmaceutical distributors. Small distributors are finding it difficult to remain in business, however the efficiencies of the Company's internet fulfillment platform continues to be a significant strategic advantage over the majority of our competitors. One of the key elements to the Company's success will be to raise additional capital in 2012, the bulk of which will be used to hold more inventory in order to meet customer demands. The Company is in the process of exploring both debt and equity options to raise capital to help fuel its growth.
"First China continues to experience significant growth due to increasing demand from existing and new customers. Our business model is strong and takes advantage of the government's policy to lower the cost of drugs. With additional capital our expanded product line and inventory holdings can fuel tremendous growth. We continue to work hard to satisfy our customer and shareholders," stated Mr. Wang, CEO of First China.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Further details of the Company's business, finances, appointments and agreements can be found as part of the Company's continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database.
About First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. (OTCBB: FCPG)
First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. aims to develop a high growth pharmaceutical distribution company generating significant revenue from the sale of healthcare products in China. As part of its business strategy, the Company has acquired the assets of Kun Ming Xin Yuan Tang Pharmacies Co. Ltd. (XYT), which includes a strategic advantage over its competitors as it is one of a handful of pharmaceutical distribution companies in Yunnan Province that has obtained government approval to market and fill orders using the internet. First China Pharmaceutical Group plans to continue the rapid growth of the company from its current position as a provider of approximately 7,100 drugs to more than 4,700 pharmacies, hospitals and clinics in China's Yunnan Province. For more information visit: www.firstchinapharma.com.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, treatment of VAT reserve, accrual of VAT, opportunities to expand sales and market share, Chinese government increasing pharmaceutical spending, sales strategy, need for capital, business outlook for 2012, Company growth and acquisition plans, and use of internet licenses. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc.
Zhen Jiang Wang
Chairman and CEO
Contact:Evergreen Investor Relations, Inc.
Phone: 1-888-518-3274
Email: email@example.com
Web: www.firstchinapharma.com
Contact:Evergreen Investor Relations, Inc.
Phone: 1-888-518-3274
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web: www.firstchinapharma.com
See all RSS Newsfeeds


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Lofty Buttermilk Pancakes, Honey Yogurt Parfaits, Avocado Breakfast Pizza & Savory Brown Rice Congee
If you're not craving a stack of syrupy buttermilk pancakes after this week-long ode to the breakfast table, then you might need to stare at this photo a little longer. But hey, if pancakes aren't your style, we also have warm breakfast pizzas topped with smashed avocados and sunny eggs, a savory vegetarian congee to satisfy morning cravings, and orange poppy seed muffins that you can grab on your way out the door. Need more ideas? Skim through all our recipes from the past week and find out what you'll be having for breakfast this weekend.
- Lofty Buttermilk Pancakes
- Honeyed Grapefruit Yogurt Parfait with Popped Amaranth
- Baked Ricotta Blintzes with Fresh Cherry Sauce
- Avocado and Egg Breakfast Pizza
- White Cosmo Cocktail
- Brown Rice Congee with Shiitake Mushrooms and Greens
- Orange Poppy Seed Muffins


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In November 2004, Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. filed a notice of intent to build a liquefied natural gas import facility at the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, and the application began winding through Oregon and federal agencies that had to approve it before building could begin, a process that continues today.
In the following years, environmental groups and other project detractors argued that the true intent of Jordan Cove's developers was to open an LNG export facility, not an import facility, owing to booming domestic natural gas production.
Bob Braddock, Jordan Cove's project manager, told The World, a Coos Bay newspaper, in March 2011 that the notion of Jordan Cove exporting LNG was "a stupid idea." But in September 2011 Braddock announced during a presentation before the Professional Engineers of Oregon that Jordan Cove had changed plans, and it would apply for a natural gas export permit from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Opponents of a proposed LNG station in the Atlantic Ocean 17 nautical miles southeast of Jones Beach, Port Ambrose, argue that its developers are now following a similar script.
Liberty Natural Gas, LLC applied in September 2012 to the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Maritime Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, for a deepwater port license to construct Port Ambrose.
According to Liberty's application, Port Ambrose would comprise a system of underwater buoys and pipelines, at which ships called "shuttle and regasification vessels" would dock to unload LNG from foreign shores.
The primary source of the LNG would be the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to Liberty's website. The natural gas delivered to Port Ambrose would be piped to Long Beach. A 21.7-mile pipeline would connect Port Ambrose to the existing Transco Lateral, which extends from south Texas to New Jersey and then runs undersea to Long Beach. The hookup point with the Transco Lateral would be 2.2 miles south of Atlantic Beach.


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|View Poll Results: Shakugan no Shana III - Episode 24 Rating
|Perfect 10
|9 out of 10 : Excellent
|8 out of 10 : Very Good
|7 out of 10 : Good
|6 out of 10 : Average
|5 out of 10 : Below Average
|4 out of 10 : Poor
|3 out of 10 : Bad
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad
|1 out of 10 : Painful
|Voters: 149. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2012-03-25, 09:42
|Link #61
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 30
During this battle there was a blue aura around Yuji a few times. So I guess that the colour of Yuji's own flame is blue. Now that the Silver and SnH are gone, we can finally see his own flame.
The fuzetsu that SnH/Yuji cast a few episode back remained black though after SnH left Yuji. I guess that the colour didn't change because the spell had already been casted. It's not a spell you have to keep pouring new PoE in. Either that, or they forgot to change it.
Also, he wasn't given an existence because of the spell Grammatica. Grammatica is Yuji's own spell (his barrier, super speed, etc). Spiral Organ probably used something we haven't seen before to make Yuji a real existence.
I don't think it's ever mentioned that all traces of your existence will be erased from earch when you go to Xanadu. Yuji was forgotten, because he willingly gave up his own existence when merging with SnH. Even after separating with SnH his existence supposedly didn't return. Maybe because the Yuji after separating with SnH is seen as a completely new existence. The only ones in this world who will remember Yuji are Kazumi, Margery, Eita, Satou and the flame haze/tomogara who know about him.
Wilhelmina went in order to raise the heir of the two worlds, Justus, there.
The 1200 flame haze went to Xanadu in order to make sure the tomogara won't disrupt the balance there.
Also remember that everyone, including the flame haze, were forced to hear Shaher's words. Some of the lines she said:
'with nothing to guard it, it will quickly disappear'
'However this new land you're creating...you are unknowingly headed to an end'.
'With new hopes, journey onwards to a new world. Plunge yourself in the rift along with the heir of the two worlds.'
'Seek it. A new being. Accept the new being.'
Since these words don't bode too wel, this is another good reason for them to go.
And yes, the humans are copied as well. It's a perfect copy of this world after all. Just Misaki City and everyone who was in Misaki City at the time of the creation weren't copied.
Last edited by Deathscyther; 2012-03-25 at 11:32.
|2012-03-25, 09:45
|Link #62
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Non-management 97th world
final episode was well done, the final fight between Yuji and Shana kind of funny in some way, i mean full of emotion of love. Most important one is the KISS, finally after so many episode.
salute to Sydonay and maybe this is what he want? met with Hecate in the end.
Usually many series always end up with something missing in the ending yet i don't feel this in Shana F and it is just beautiful. Great job JC Staff, and great job to the author.
Happy to see this is the end but well I do feel sad and I will miss it (maybe time continue back with the novel ^^).
Thank for the great series adaption from JC Staff, Yashichiro Takahashi, and Noizi Ito. and thank you the song writer, singer and etc.
some question at the end:
- at the end, Shana and Alastor said Yuji is not a touch anymore but a human again? is that mean he will die early than Shana?
- the spiral king? so young and WHAT? a girl?
|2012-03-25, 10:04
|Link #63
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In my room
The final ending gives you satisfying feeling and a conclusive one that makes you feel that "right, this is the proper way to end it" or rather "this is how it should end" but maybe someone an word it better but it just felt right.
And really. I was in constant disappointment on JC staff and I'm looking at you ZnT (the horrors) but at least I get a great ending for Shana.
|2012-03-25, 10:21
|Link #64
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
I think Yuji's flame should be pale white since the one who devour his existence is Friagne.
|2012-03-25, 10:22
|Link #65
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
|2012-03-25, 11:30
|Link #67
A well praise ending for Shakugan no Shana... truly a "moving" ending.... It really touched me... to the point it nearly made me cry... such a wonderful ending sealed with a kiss.... truly be one of the best animes of all time...
|2012-03-25, 12:39
|Link #69
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 30
I also think that the blue flame that Yuji showed this episode was a much darker shade of blue than the blue that's used for torches.
Spoiler for Colour of the flame of a torch:
Spoiler for Colour of Yuji's flame:
The colour of the flames one uses in battle is different for every person (Shana - crimson; Margery - purple/dark blue; Wilhelmina - pinkish; Pheles - amber; Friagne - white). This is the case with flame haze and tomogara, so why not torches?
I guess it is possible that all torches have the same colour, but I guess we can't really know for sure since we can't compare Yuji with anyone else. I don't know any other torch who fought using his flames. Tenmoku Ikko only used it's sword and I've never seen Johan fight.
For now, I'll just believe that this is Yuji's own colour.
Spiral Organ said that he'd do something about his worn-out body when he cast the spell on Azure, right? The body of a torch is made out of PoE. His torch body was probably damaged by the merge with SnH and the the Reiji Maigo (since it had to restore way too much PoE at midnight for the creation of Xanadu). So I think that Spiral Organ made a 'real' body for Yuji somehow. Since the body of a torch is made out of PoE, Yuji had to worry about his PoE running out every day. Without PoE he'd disappear. But if he were to get a 'real' body he wouldn't have to worry about this anymore.
I have a feeling that it's something akin to when Yuji was the substitute body of SnH. He has a real body (he could bleed, something he couldn't do as a torch), he doesn't have to worry about disappearing, but he's not alive.
Last edited by Deathscyther; 2012-03-25 at 14:53.
|2012-03-25, 15:43
|Link #72
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: U.S.
This was a great ending. I didn't think the first two seasons were good, but this season was good from beginning to end. The thing I liked about this ending was that there was closure w/ Yuji and Shana; they finally acted mature and confessed to one another, haha. Good series!
|2012-03-25, 16:05
|Link #74
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Australia
Thank you Yashichiro Takahashi.
Thank you Noizi Ito.
Thank you JC Staff.
I've been having a great time in recent years.
Unfortunately I couldn't give a perfect 10 I got lost a bit during the whole war stuff, far more so than the whole Konoe Fumina thing. Maybe in the novels (can't read Japanese unfortunately) all these side-stories were great with the detail, but I got lost as the TV series normally focuses on Shana and Yuji growing together, which got forgotten.
With that ignored tho, thanks again! It's been inspirational to follow.
I guess it's time to finally leave this channel then too. So long everyone!
|2012-03-25, 16:34
|Link #75
We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Discord
Age: 30
However this only comes from having a reasonable adaptation, ZnT on the other hand... That is well beyond being able to do justice to it's fans
|2012-03-25, 16:38
|Link #76
A true 灼眼のシャナ Shanite. :D
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ... DON'T BE A STALKER! ... ⊂((・⊥・))⊃
So I finally got to watch the subbed version and I'd like to say I'm glad I chose this series as my #1 of my entire "library".
Although I feel like an a** for posting another review, I loved:
- How Wilhelmina got so emotional and was also chosen to care for Justus (the Engaged Link's offspring)
- Lamies (or Leanan-Sidhe) got to finally get her lost treasure
- How Margery and Syndonay gave it their all when fighting in an epic final battle
& especially,
- Shana and Yuji's battle, confessions, and kiss. That was beautiful
I'm gonna miss this series in every way. Unlike other animes who chose to put fillers, too many side stories, or "characters" who no one will remember [*cough* Naruto and Bleach *cough* ],
Shakugan No Shana doesn't do that.
Like I said in my original review for the RAW version, I cried at the ending (again) when I realized the season was over.
Even if I watch other series, 灼眼のシャナ will still always remain my favorite above them all.
But just a few questions though:
- Even though Snake of Festival left Yuji and Yuji gained Grammatica, wouldn't he be able to almost recreate SoF's Dragontail, Black Flame Shooting powers, etc.?
(Cause if I remember, Grammatica can be transformed into any multiple Unrestricted Spells he wants it to be)
- What was the name of the song that played at the end?
(I really want it to complete my playlist of the entire 灼眼のシャナ OST on my iPod. xD)
- I found this series when I was "anime surfing" on random sites and stumbled upon this. Best thing to ever happen
|2012-03-25, 17:31
|Link #77
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 30
Yuji can't use the black flames since the black flame belongs to SnH. He can shoot flames of his own colour though. Remember how he was able to shoot silver flames back in season 2?
Grammatica is quite mysterious though. He's able to use it as a barrier and for super speed. I guess he'll find many other ways to use it for along the way.
|2012-03-25, 17:33
|Link #78
Senior Member
That was a very well-done ending.
I won't lie. Some of the explanations and in-universe mechanics of this episode escaped me, as they also have in some recent episodes. There were some elements that I didn't quite get.
But this ending soars spectacularly strong in one key area: Much unlike the Guilty Crown ending, the Shana III ending implicitly knows what its viewers want at a basic emotional level, and it delivers in flying colors. The emotional payoff here is simply huge, and it makes for a rewarding conclusion to a truly epic anime series.
There's certain minor things that perhaps can be nitpicked over, but the overall "big picture" execution of this episode and series is good enough that it's very hard to care about those. The final painting is gloriously gorgeous, and that's what counts the most.
But aside from the emotional payoff of this episode (including the Yuji/Shana kiss, of course), there was one key element this episode had that, for me, makes this ending not only very good or excellent, but an actual masterpiece. And that was the decidedly unexpected salvation of Yukari Hirai.
I never expected in a million years that we would see that. I myself had almost forgotten all about her. I honestly had forgotten the fact that Shana was technically impersonating her. But Yashichiro Takahashi, to his credit, remembered it. This is truly the sign of great writing. At this point in a very long overarching narrative, to remember a character and detail that was once important (a catalyst of sorts for Yuji, in fact) but was now seemingly lost in the mists of time, is truly impressive.
It so marvelously brings the Shana series full circle in a decidedly uplifting way, as though it was wrapped in a nice package and bow, and given as a gift for a heartwarming occasion.
What happened to Yukari was so dark, so troubling, that it made the very first two Shana episodes a bit hard for me to watch. And so this narrative reaches back, into the most personalized example of the horrors brought about by the Flame Haze/denizen system, to put the enchanting final note on Yuji's decisive victory over that horrible system.
Why did Yuji do this? He did it not only to help ensure that there would be no more Yukari's, but also to ensure that Yukari herself would be saved. And he also did it for Shana's sake, of course.
Magnificent ending, that I couldn't ask for anything more from. In addition to what I've wrote, the action scenes made for a great watch, and had at least decent character motivations behind them.
10/10 for Shana Episode 24.
|2012-03-25, 17:50
|Link #79
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Great ending I'm so happy for Yuuji and shana
SnS forever!!
Thank you Yashichiro Takahashi, Noizi Ito and JC staff
Too many emotions...
|2012-03-25, 17:56
|Link #80
Designated facepalmer
Join Date: Apr 2011
So, Pheles and Johan are entrusting their kid to Wilhelmenia? I hope Wilhelmenia feeds that kid more than she fed Shana...
I jest. The plot still doesn't make much sense, but at the very least they wrapped things up. Also, Yuji gets a second chance and is human again, not just a torch. And while he didn't just roar out "I AM A MAN!" at least he gets another chance to really be alive, and not just a torch anymore.
In short, did the Flame Hazes' battle really mean anything. Seems like no. But the series is wrapped up, the war is over, Shana and Yuji are finally "together" together, and Hirai is back. The only loser is Kazumi. Yuji is gone, and Ike prolly will get with Hirai. Sucks to be her.
Overall: 7/10 for the series. Still doesn't make sense, but at least it was entertaining and provided closure.
|Thread Tools


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"Whole Bunches of Oats" sounds like something my dad would have bought at the dollar store when I asked him for Honey Bunches of Oats. I guess some people enjoyed those more than I did. I'll bet this lady never tried Pr'vate First Class Crunch. It is NOT a tattoo-worthy experience, I'll tell you that much.
- Reposted by


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Fifty years ago, on January 11, 1964, Luther Terry held a press conference to announce the results of the first Surgeon General's report on smoking and health, the most impactful public health document in history. The report laid to rest over a decade of debate about the health risks of smoking by definitively stating that smoking causes lung and laryngeal cancer in men, chronic bronchitis, and other diseases.
Research conducted by the American Cancer Society and other groups had already demonstrated the adverse health effects of smoking, but, until the Surgeon General's report, the tobacco industry had been successful in hiding the truth. The extraordinary methods used by the Surgeon General to ensure that the report was completely unbiased — including allowing the tobacco industry to veto nominees to serve on the panel — the thoroughness of the research, and the clarity of the conclusions, all led to one outcome: the end of the debate about the health risks of smoking and the launch of the true fight to end the use of tobacco products. The progress in the tobacco fight over the past 50 years represents one of the most successful, life-saving public health campaigns in our nation's history.
Learn more about the 50th anniversary of the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health:
The effects of tobacco control
Rates Drop for New Lung Cancer Cases in the US
The public health victories, and the challenges
Forty-three percent of Americans smoked prior to the Surgeon General's report; 18% smoke today. Smoking in airplanes, restaurants, and places of employment has largely disappeared. We're now fully aware of the addictive nature of the nicotine in tobacco products, and the importance of preventing and treating that addiction. Tobacco executives were eventually forced to admit, before Congress and the country, that they were long aware of the addictive nature of their products as well as the harmful health effects.
We've learned that raising the cost of a pack of cigarettes is the single most effective way to reduce the number of people who start using tobacco products and the most effective way to promote quitting. Tobacco tax increases have been implemented in many states. As of 2009, the FDA was granted the authority to regulate tobacco products, although the tobacco industry has placed substantial roadblocks in the path of effective FDA action. The United States is not alone. Smoking rates in most high-resource ("Western") nations like England, Canada, and Australia have substantially declined, comparable to the progress that we've seen. We've witnessed 50 years of amazing progress; we truly do have much to celebrate.
And much to lament. [more] Since January 11, 1964, we have seen dramatic shifts in the pattern of tobacco use. Prior to the report, smoking was a common practice among men in every walk of life, in every income bracket and profession. About half of physicians were smokers, as were about half the members of Luther Terry's panel. Following release of the report, smoking rates in college graduates began to fall to the relatively low rate of 7.5% we see today. A very different story emerges in looking at individuals with lower income and education. While the smoking rate 50 years ago in non-high school graduates was 45.5%, this rate has barely dropped; 36.7% of non-high school graduates still use tobacco, 29% more than the rate seen in college graduates. While smoking rates in men started to go down after the release of the report, smoking rates in women did not decline substantially until aggressive counter measures catalyzed a more rapid decline in smoking in women. Low-income populations have been specifically targeted by tobacco advertising, and smoking is more common in lower income communities.
Important shifts have occurred in tobacco use in various cultures. While about 19% of Caucasian and African Americans smoke, and few Hispanic women smoke, smoking rates in American Indians and Alaskan Natives are disturbingly high, at 31.5%. Lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals are much more likely to smoke than heterosexuals. And more than 35% of individuals who suffer from chronic mental illness use tobacco. This disenfranchised group is often overlooked when we define public health policy and interventions.
Fifty years after the Surgeon General's report, more than 440,000 tobacco-related deaths still occur in the United States every year. But that's not the whole story. While higher-resource nations have made substantial progress, the tobacco industry has increasingly recognized the opportunity to reap substantial profits by marketing tobacco use in middle- and low-income nations. Projections of the number of tobacco-related deaths that might occur in Africa over the next 15 years if we don't curb the growth of the tobacco industry there are staggering. Should the tobacco use epidemic continue at its current pace, the World Health Organization estimates that, by 2030, 80% of the 8,000,000 annual tobacco related deaths will occur in low- and middle-income nations. The battle to control tobacco must now be fought on many fronts, all around the world.
The danger of resting on one's laurels
In my view, the single greatest threat to the future control of tobacco is complacency. Despite great progress, the tobacco fight has not been won in this, or any country. The fact that populations with less political clout in our own country are now bearing a disproportionate share of suffering has contributed to a slowing of political action and blunting of our sense of urgency in the United States.
As chief cancer control officer at the American Cancer Society, I can assure you that we have not and will not succumb to complacency. In fact, we are going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Surgeon General's report the right way, by renewing our commitment to defeating the tobacco industry here and around the world. We are dedicating ourselves to bringing tobacco use rates to less than 10% as quickly as possible in the U.S., and partnering with our international partners to block what now appears to be inevitable tobacco use in lower-resource nations.
Fifty years later, Luther Terry's Surgeon General's report is a living, dynamic document, a continuous driver for change. We are going to build on our remarkable track record as leaders in the anti-tobacco fight to consolidate efforts within the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN), our non-profit, non-partisan advocacy agency, to become a center of anti-tobacco activism. Hand in hand with our many public health partners here and around the globe, on this 50th anniversary of the most influential public health report in history, we pledge a redoubling of our efforts to once and for all strive for the tobacco endgame to finish the fight against tobacco.
Dr. Wender is chief cancer control officer for the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Wender wants to acknowledge the following source: Warner KE. 50 years since the first surgeon general's report on smoking and health: A happy anniversary? Am J of Pub Health. Jan 2014;104(1):5-8


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By RAELYNN RICARTE
News staff writer
August 9, 2006
Horticulturalist Janet Turner faces a daunting task — she is training hundreds of pear trees how to grow on a trellis at the Mid-Columbia Agriculture Research and Extension Center.
"I do talk to the trees a lot. But as long as they don't answer I'm fine," she said on Tuesday's walk through the Competitive Orchard Systems 2015 plot.
In two years, Turner wants the 770 trees on the .85-acre experimental site ready for harvest. She is hopeful that laborers will be able to put away ladders and use a picking machine that can harvest from five to seven rows at a time.
Turner and Clark Seavert, superintendent of the research facilities operated by Oregon State University believe that a fruiting wall, as opposed to the sweeping canopy of a traditional tree, will provide farmers with at least a 15 percent return on their investment.
Turner said the challenge to creating a uniform wall of pears is that there is no dwarf root stock available at this time. She said apple trees have been easily converted into a hedge row because of the root stock options. Turner said cherry trees have also been difficult to control for a fruiting wall because of their vigorous growth.
A root stock is the "brain" that signals the tree about how big the fruit should be and influences other characteristics. Turner believes that a dwarf match for cherries and pears will eventually be cultivated.
"It's just a matter of time. We're starting a little late with this search. But the Hood River Valley is all about pears so it's time to start focusing on what we need," she said.
Ideally, said Turner, the trees pruned to be more like a cross between a shrub and a vine will be less costly to maintain. In addition to the convenience of harvest, she said water and fertilizer applications should be more efficient, and fewer chemicals are needed to control pests and disease.
Both Turner and Seavert also expect the hedge rows to yield mostly top grade fruit since the wind will not buffet branches. And lower limbs will not be shadowed by an umbrella of leaves.
"I'm basically making windows of opportunity for sunlight to come through," said Turner. "The goal is to build a structure for the best quality of fruit."
She acknowledges there is a long way to go before COS root stock is ready for delivery to local orchardists. Turner is still trying to figure out how to get branches no more than three inches above and one inch below the wires spaced 18 inches apart. She routinely walks through the rows snapping off competitors and tying suitable limbs in place. When there are no choices available, Turner will try scoring the trunk just above a branch to stop the flow of hormones that inhibit growth and encourage a new sprout.
Adding to the pressure of her job is the fact the trees are being encouraged to sprout six inches per week during the 16 weeks of the peak growing season.
"This is a little more intensive than we're used to," said Turner.
She said the norm is for the top of a pear tree to get 18 inches of new growth during the season. She will strive to hold each tree at 10 feet tall and four feet wide — with fruit production beginning in the third year.
"You want things on a very linear and very orderly basis to create a two-dimensional form," she said.
Turner is also studying how long it takes a bud stick that has been bench-grafted onto one of 428 different selections of Horner pear root stocks to develop a canopy. She wants to know if the engineered trees, which are cheaper to plant, can compete with a finished tree in fruition.
And then there is the study involved in placing aisles of trees closer together, and whether the fruiting wall works better for Bartlett, Bosc, Comice or Anjou varieties.
Turner even has a test variety from West Virginia thrown into the mix. The new pear stays fresher in cold storage and seems more resistant to fire blight, a destructive bacterial disease.
She said an OSU survey of 1,700 consumers determined the East Coast pear had a good taste and texture. And, since it is fairly small, Turner said that bodes well for a root stock that is adaptable to a fruiting wall.
"If it passes all the tests, we want to name it for the region. It could be used to fill the gap in other varieties and compete against southern hemisphere fruits," she said.
With farming production costs rising three to four percent a year, Turner said the research center is continually looking for ways to it make the industry more profitable.
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Store Return Policies
Published on By Louis DeNicola
Let's be honest: Some purchases and some gifts just cry out to be returned. Perhaps you discover a defect in the product or develop a case of buyer's remorse. Perhaps you receive a gift or give one that aims to please but doesn't. Most retailers maintain return policies to accommodate such situations and some are more understanding during the holiday season, when they institute special store return policies for items purchased in November and December. Every vendor adheres to its own set of rules, which makes the whole return thing quite complicated. Ever the frugal shopper's friend, Cheapism decided to pull together a consumer-friendly guide to the store return policies of 22 of the country's largest retailers.
Recent updates
We're currently updating this comprehensive guide to return policies at the country's largest retailers and adding even more stores. In the meantime, check out our lists of retailers with the most generous return and exchange policies, including familiar names like Nordstrom and Costco, and retailers that can be true grinches when it comes to returning and exchanging holiday gifts.
Our Picks
Zappos Return Policy
The Zappos return policy offers a full 365 days from the purchase date to return an item. Return shipping is free -- a rare treat in the retail marketplace.
JC Penney Return Policy
JC Penney's return policy is unbelievably straightforward. There's no deadline for making a return and you can exchange an item without a receipt or return it for a gift card. Although the retailer doesn't condone the practice, even items that have been worn can be returned as long as they appear new. Customers can call a 24/7 support line for help.
Kohl's Return Policy
The Kohl's no-questions-asked return policy sets no time limits but requires proof of purchase and says goods must be in new condition for a full refund. Credit card transactions can be traced back one year for customers lacking a receipt or invoice.
L.L. Bean Return Policy
The return policy at L.L. Bean is grounded in the company's 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. The return period is open-ended and no proof of purchase is required for a refund, exchange, or store credit.
Macy's Return Policy
Macy's, a retailer with a national and online presence, accepts returns for an unlimited time. Without proof of purchase, however, the company will refund the lowest retail price during the past 180 days.
Walmart Return Policy
A 90-day return period holds for most in-store and online purchases. The retailer does not require a receipt for returns made at a store, and if the item cost less than $25, you can turn it in for cash.
Amazon Return Policy
The standard Amazon return policy gives customers a 30-day window. In most product categories the customer is responsible for shipping charges, but select merchandise qualifies for free return shipping.
Bath & Body Works Return Policy
Bath & Body Works' return policy is backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, which means if you're not satisfied with a purchase you can return it to any location or by mail at any time.
Cabela's Return Policy
No matter when you buy something, the Cabela's return policy gives you 90 days to decide if you want to keep the item.
Foot Locker Return Policy
The Foot Locker return policy is relatively customer-friendly, with a 90-day window for a refund and 365 days for a gift card. Foot Locker also foots the bill for shipping if you exchange an online purchase within 30 days of receiving the order (but not if you return it).
Gap Return Policy
The Gap return policy gives you 45 days from the date of purchase to decide whether to keep the item or offload it and includes no reprieve for holiday purchases. Gap is one of the few retailers to offer free return shipping for online orders, with a pre-paid UPS label.
Victoria's Secret Return Policy
The Victoria's Secret return policy stands out because, unlike other retailers, it allows customers to return undergarments, the primary type of merchandise the store sells.
Overstock Return Policy
This online vendor issues only partial refunds for all open items, a policy that seems punitive compared with others that typically impose similar restrictions on only a select few product categories. Overstock gives holiday gift buyers and recipients a bit of breathing room by extending its standard 30-day return period into January 2014.
Guide to Retailers' Return Policies
We compared standard store return policies to those adopted during the 2013 holiday season and identified some standouts. Macy's and Kohl's, for example, win our favor for their lenient return rules all year. JC Penney and L.L. Bean likewise earn gold stars for their straightforward and open-ended store return policies regardless of the season. Online retailer Overstock sits at the bottom of the list due to tight restrictions on refunds in general and miserly rules for holiday purchases. This chart summarizes the data we gathered.
We were surprised to find that less than one-third of the retailers we researched offer extra time to return holiday gift purchases. And those that do -- Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Overstock, Sears, Target, and Walmart -- merely extend the regular return period, which often amounts to 30 days but may be as short as 14 days, into January.
Upon closer examination, however, it became clear that most store return policies are already more generous than the temporary holiday return rules instituted by a handful of vendors in our survey. Five stores on our list -- Bath & Body Works, JC Penney, Kohl's, L.L. Bean, and Macy's -- accept returns year-round for an unlimited period. Twelve retailers -- Cabela's, Foot Locker, Gap, Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe's, Sears, Target, Toys R Us, Victoria's Secret, Walmart, and Zappos -- keep the returns window open far longer than 30 days for many, if not all, items. (Some retailers have different store return policies for different merchandise, which is why Sears, Target, and Walmart show up in two of the groupings above.) GameStop maintains a strict and time-limited policy at all times and makes no allowances for 2013 holiday purchases.
Many of the store return policies we reviewed use similar language and outline very similar rules. Some common threads among retailers' standard return policies were easy to pick out. For example, for vendors with both an online and offline presence, returning items bought online to a storefront is generally hassle-free. If you send back an item, the retailer may not allow an exchange for a different product and typically will charge shipping costs against the refund unless the product arrives damaged or in error. A few vendors assess a flat return fee and fewer still (e.g., Foot Locker, if the return is made within 30 days, and Gap) cover the cost of return shipping.
We also found that retailers almost always issue refunds in the same form as the initial payment. In other words, if you paid with cash, you'll get cash back; if you paid with a gift card, you'll receive a new gift card; etc.
Store return policies also contain exceptions. Because of the ease with which someone can rip or install software and copy music, movies, and video games, or just use media for a few days (think ebooks), these items rarely can be returned, although defective copies can be exchanged. Similar store return policies typically prevail for collectibles, such as baseball cards and action figures, whose value drops precipitously once the packaging has been opened. Gift cards, personalized items, hazardous materials and firearms, grocery items, health care products, clearance merchandise, and the like almost never are accepted for return.
Note that most store return policies require a receipt or invoice for a refund. L.L. Bean is an exception to the rule, as is Walmart, where customers returning items in-store can get cash back for purchases under $25, no questions asked. Some retailers, including Best Buy, Cabela's, Bath & Body Works, and JC Penney, often ask for a photo ID when customers return items to brick-and-mortar locations so they can keep an eye out for abuses of their policies. Store return policies occasionally are more lenient when it comes to offering an exchange or granting store credit absent proof of purchase. Cabela's, Bath & Body Works, Kohl's, L.L. Bean, and Walmart, for example, allow this practice. With the proliferation of computerized sales systems, however, many retailers, including Home Depot, Kohl's, Lowe's, and Target, can retrieve past transactions within an allotted time frame if you present the credit card used for the original purchase (sometimes a phone number will do).
Gift recipients often must follow a slightly different set of store return policies. Upon request many vendors supply a gift receipt that must be presented when visiting the returns window, and gifts ordered online come with an invoice and/or packing slip. Returned gifts almost always qualify for store credit rather than a refund, and normal return shipping policies apply; Walmart offers pre-paid shipping only for a replacement if something is wrong with an item.
Always hold on to the original packaging (including the shipping box) regardless whether you bought the item or received it as a gift. And think twice before tearing the product packaging apart. Many retailers won't take back certain merchandise that's been opened, particularly media items (e.g., video games and music) and jewelry. Other retailers, such as Overstock, Toys R Us, and GameStop, reduce the refund or allow only an exchange for an identical item when the original packaging has been opened. Always, always read the fine print in any store return policy.
For a different take on holiday store return policies, Consumer World highlights changes from prior years for many major retailers.


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Weekend Recap: Frankie Says Relax
Hope you all had a great weekend. The weather in NY was amazing this weekend. We were in the mid 70s and we decided it was time to have a little fun.
Jon has been taking classes and jumping to become certified in sky diving. On Saturday he was doing his final jump with an instructor so we all went to support him!
Some of us went to just support and others went to....JUMP!
(Ximena decided today was the day to jump so she went for it along with Jon's pal Steve.)
Everyone came up and down in one piece:
We then hit the vineyards. You all know my mom loves the vino!
The men had some cigars:
Ximena had to have a little fun with the cigars as well:
We then tried to take some
They quickly turned to silly shots:
To the silliest shots of Jon and Steve holding hands thru the grapes. So sweet. :)
Empty glasses mean time to leave the vineyards:
On our way home from the vineyards we stopped at a family members summer home. Ximena had a bunch of fun on their dock.
It was a great day. We got home exhausted, but totally happy.
Sunday was a different story. After all of that relaxation the day before it was time for work, work and more work. While Jon worked on the lawn, I had my wallpaper installer working on one of our ceilings and I was busy trying to empty out my in-box.
As some of you may know this coming Tuesday a bunch of my favorite design bloggers are heading into the city to catch a taping of the Nate Berkus show! I decided to host a little cocktail party for afterwards and I was lucky enough to get help from the ladies of The Nest!
A sampling of their chic magazine covers:
Bloggers Sherry & John from Young House Love:
Bloggers Layla & Kevin from The Lettered Cottage:
Don't you think they need a Camila & Jon cover? (wink, wink Nest editors)
The rest of the day was spent in turbo finishing little projects all through out to get this house to get it ready in case of some of my out of town blogger friends decide to stop by!
What were you up to? Anyone been bitten by the sky diving bug like Jon?
Labels: weekend recap


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Visa for Castro's Daughter Marks Potential Shift in US Policy
The State Department has approved the visa of the Cuban head-of-state's daughter to attend a conference in San Francisco, marking a shift in Cuban relations, which have been stuck in neutral since last year.
Mariela Castro Espín, a prominent advocate for LGBT issues in Cuba, will visit San Francisco next week to give a conference paper at the Latin American Studies Association. The State Department would not comment on Castro Espín's visa, but Sen. Robert Menéndez (D-NJ) , who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the visa had been granted.
Extending a visa to a Cuban official of Castro's Espín's stature to visit the United States as a private citizen is a rare occurrence. While Castro Espín is a well known expert on LGBT issues, she is also Raul Castro's daughter and a government official who heads the Cuban National Center for Sex Education, or CENESEX.
"She's not just some Cuban academic," said Ted Henken, a professor at the City University of New York who studies Cuba and a member of the Latin American Studies Association. "She's part of the dynasty."
The visa approval drew criticism from Menéndez, a staunch opponent of the Castro government.
She's not just some academic, she's part of the dynasty
"Ms. Castro is a vociferous advocate of the regime and opponent of democracy, who has defended the regime's brutal repression of democracy activists," Sen. Robert Menéndez said in a statement. "Neither the United States government nor the Latin American Studies Association should be in the business of providing a totalitarian regime, like the one in Cuba, with a platform from which to espouse its twisted rhetoric."
Menéndez also questioned whether Castro Espín qualified for a visa under Presidential Proclamation 5377, which prohibits granting non-immigrant visas to Cuban Communist Party members.
The State Department would not comment directly on her case but a spokesman told Fox News Latino that there is no blanket restriction on visas for Cuban officials.
Allowing Castro Espín to visit the United States shows the Obama administration's interest in fostering a more open relationship, according to Chris Sabatini, policy director of the Americas Society.
"It's a huge change," Sabatini told Fox News Latino. "The U.S. government is clearly trying to demonstrate a new, more fluid relationship with some elements of the regime."
Relations with Cuba, defined by a half century of stunted diplomatic relations and a trade embargo, have thawed under President Barack Obama, who has relaxed travel restrictions for Cuban Americans and increased the amount of remittances Americans can send to the island. The sentencing of U.S. contractor Alan Gross to 15 years in prison on charges of violating Cuban sovereignty last year derailed further diplomatic opening, however.
Sabatini viewed American willingness to allow Castro Espín's visit a positive step, but said the U.S. government and civil society should press Cuba to loosen its own restrictions on allowing independent intellectuals to leave the country.
Cuba is one of the few countries that requires its citizens to solicit an exit visa to leave. The Castro government routinely denies such visas to independent intellectuals who criticize the government, like famed blogger Yoani Sánchez and economist Oscar Espinosa Chepe.
"I do think greater efforts should be placed on getting non-officials of any sort to be able to travel," Sabatini said. "There needs to be a certain amount of reciprocity."
Current U.S. travel policy toward Cuba is guided by the concept of "people-to-people" contacts, which aims to foster mutually beneficial contact between American and Cuban citizens.
An academic traveling to speak at a conference would ostensibly qualify, though the policy is not designed to accommodate high-ranking Communist officials like Castro Espín.
"She's going to give the party line," Sabatini said. "She's not a scholar going to give a paper."
Castro Espín's trip to the United States comes on the heels of a visit from the official historian of the city of Havana Eusebio Leal, who gave a talk at the New York Public Library on Tuesday.
For the Latin American Studies Association, or LASA, Cuban delegations have long been a point of contention with the U.S. government.
When the State Department denied visas to the Cuban conference delegation during the George W. Bush years, LASA voted to hold its conferences outside of the United States to avoid the problem. The organization has since lifted the policy.
"There's a whole book to be written about Cuba and LASA," said Henken, who is an active member of LASA's section on scholarly relations with Cuba. "I'm not sure how many people would read it, but there's a lot of intrigue."


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First off, Hollywood lied. Marriage isn't a magical and wonderful union between two people. It's messy, hard and emotionally challenging hard work. That is why I personally love marriage (and of course my wife). We need to move the away from the social paradigm where people expect marriages to be happy and constantly blissful and instead move towards the work of creating healthy marriages.
"40% Annoyed, 40% Happy, 20% Love = A Healthy Marriage " - http://t.co/Zdxdao4Paa
Via Brenda Elliott


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Sulli2008 needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 42 designs submitted by 13 freelance designers.
I am a psychologist working hard to bring psychology to the masses in a fun, innovative and informed way. I've created an iphone/ipad app that gives users the chance to experience high quality premarital education at their fingertips. The application is fun, but also educational and insightful.
-Engaged couples or people seriously considering marriage.
-Primarily women (but app icon needs to not turn men off)
I would like an icon designed that creatively captures the purpose of this app (premarital education) and the name (Couplet).
I want two apples to represent a couple. (The apples represent education)
One idea that I have:
-One big apple and one small, with the small one leaning against the big one. (See the image I talk about in the discussion comments)
What I want/like:
-Simple, modern, uncluttered designs that look cool
-It needs to be clear that the couple of apples are in love. But I don't want this to be over-the-top.
-Bold colors and interesting color combinations
What I don't want:
-Over the top "love" – like big hearts and kisses
- Pictures of people
Other information:
-Feel free to use shine and gloss (so that it looks like an iPhone app). But, the deliverable must not contain shine or gloss
-Attached image is for design inspiration only. Feel free to be as creative as you like.
Standard iOS sizes:
114x114 (high resolution)
And standard launch sizes:
640x960 (high resolution)
Other requirements:
-PNG format
-standard bit depth for icons and images is 24 bits, plus 8-bit alpha channel
-No alpha transparency
-90-degree corners
-No shine or gloss
-A background that doesn't disappear on the Home Screen


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Trying to play Quake III Arena with a controller sounds horrible, but we'll be trying it soon enough anyway. Bethesda Softworks has revealed that on Dec. 15 Quake Arena Arcade will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade. The rebuilt game, which was first announced more than three years ago, will have 30 classic maps, 12 new arenas for the 360, a new single-player campaign, six game modes, and support for up to 16 players at a time. Pricing will be announced soon.
Quake III Arena (1999) is one of the most influential PC games of all time, partially for its simple, online-focused gameplay, but mostly for its technology. For several years, the Quake III engine provided the backbone for major franchises like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, James Bond 007, Star Wars: Jedi Knights, Star Trek: Elite Force, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. In addition, countless unofficial mods and games were built on the engine, some of which were quite popular. For several years, Quake III likely had more people playing modded (modified) versions of the game than it did regular players.
Still, nothing beats getting railed in the head while rocket-jumping across space. It will be interesting to see what kind of single-player mode Bethesda adds to the game. The original did not have any noticeable single-player mode. It was part of a crop of games around its time that was played almost entirely online. Without the net, Quake III Arena was quite boring.
Are you excited to start fragging again? What's your favorite weapon and match type? I'm a railgun and Capture the Flag man, myself.


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Rigid Industries LED Lights and Accessories
State-of-the-art technology is what you expect from Rigid Industries LED lighting products. Light output is maximized per watt consumed making LED lights extremely efficient. Rigid has designed their lights to be nearly indestructible. The housing is designed to transfer the heat from the circuit board to prevent damage to the LED and surrounding components and preventing the overheating found in other brands.
If you're looking for a top-of-the-line product, Rigid Industries LED off-road lights will not only meet but exceed your expectations. Rigid is constantly testing their products for high performance and to ensure lighting standards are maximized.
All Rigid lighting products are designed, engineered and assembled in the US making this home-grown product even more desirable. Rigid provides various lighting choices to consider from the 60 degree spread of light to the spot's mile long beam.


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|START Conference Manager
ASIST 2012 Annual Meeting
Baltimore, MD, October 26-30, 2012
Understanding Information and Knowledge Sharing in Online Communities: Emerging Research Approaches
Hsin-liang Chen, Anatoliy Gruzd, Xiaozhong Liu and Eric Meyers
Tuesday, 8:30am
Social media have become an important component of contemporary information ecosystems. People use social media systems, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Tumblr to communicate ideas and information needs, seek advice and solve problems, show appreciation and disagreement with a person or issue. These tools facilitate the emergence of communities, often resembling the communities of practice that arise in workplaces and educational institutions, where a common interest, identity and set of norms and structures for communicating develop through interaction. But while it seems easy to "suck in" data streams from social media to understand online communities, making sense of the vast data sets has been challenging. The issues include not just the tools and methods for extracting and synthesizing large data sets like the Twitter Firehose, they also extend to the ethical and responsible use and reporting of this data for academic and commercial purposes. This panel will focus on methodological approaches and research strategies for the study of social media communities, in particular web 2.0 tools that play an important role in the North American cultural landscape. In exploring the challenges of working with social media data and online communities, this panel will pose and address a number of questions, including: • What philosophical approaches do we take to understanding online communities?