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Welcome, we are Aquatec - Water Purification Specialists
Aquatec will provide you with a scientifically advanced water purification process that is unique to the brand, with the technically engineered ability to purify your drinking, cooking and even household water to degrees only dreamt of by your supply company.
Call 0117 9109988
Put your water to the test today
Poor Quality Water Softeners Cause Problems
Water softeners can be the solution to all your hard water problems – including limescale – but skimping on the product choice could have bad results.
The internet is full of stories of customers complaining about the wastage of water that occurs through a poor quality water softening system, especially if it is leaking. The more water that is wasted the more often they have to request salt and it is well known that cheaper water softeners will use twice as much salt, doubling your maintenance costs. Furthermore if you install a good quality water system properly, this will halve the amount of potential leaks that you get.
So when you come to making this important purchase don't skimp on quality. The Aquatec softening system can also purify your water, making it clean and soft to drink, wash your clothes in or cook your food. Studies have shown that Aquatec systems reduce your energy bills on average by 40%, because soft, pure water, works harder in the home and treats your home appliances better. In fact we can guarantee to descale your kettle in a matter of weeks and give the same benefits to your plumbing, washing machines and dishwashers. If you want to know more about the science, and have a free product demonstration in your home. Contact us today.
Bristol Water Secures Investment to Improve Water Supplies
Bristol Water has secured long term investment for its programme to improve the water supply to local consumers.
After receiving Ł50m from HSBC's South West corporate banking team, Bristol Water will go ahead with the finance of its Ł260m five-year capital investment programme.
Bristol Water's capital investment programme was started in 2010 to protect and improve the water supply for customers.
The money will go towards meeting an increased demand for a pure water supply from the rising local population. This includes installing 8km of water mains and a new pumping station to protect water supplies to 185,000 customers in Bristol.
Bristol Water supplies water to a huge demographic across Bristol, Somerset and Gloucestershire and their costs as a company have more than doubled over the last year.
Money will also go towards increasing meter facilities across the region, reducing leaks by 10% and modernising some of the company's largest pumping stations.
The Bristol Water finance director, Miquel Anglada, said: "This significant investment programme allows us to make essential improvements for customers, so we can continue to deliver high-quality drinking water and meet growing demand in the Bristol region."
Meanwhile Bristol Water has begun surveying work on Cheddar reservoir to meet the demands of a growing population. The company will be finding out more information about the geology of the site to help them prepare a design. The eight-week survey will be followed by public consultation on the scheme in 2013.
UK homeowners are increasingly choosing water purification to guarantee the purity of their water
There are a number of different ways to control the quality of your water, including softening the water to prevent limescale and removing contaminants and minerals.
There are four main methods of purifying water - Reverse Osmosis, Microfiltration, using an Activated Carbon Filter and Distillation.
- Microfiltration can be used to remove some bacteria and large pathogens, but not all of them.
- Activated carbon filtration reduces unwanted taste, odour and low concentrations of organic chemicals.
- Reverse osmosis is best known for its use in water desalinization projects, and can also reduce chemicals associated with unwanted colour and taste.
- Distillation effectively removes inorganic contaminants from water. Since distilled water has no minerals, some people claim that distilled water has a sweet or 'flat' taste.
However at Aquatec we use a unique process to filter the incoming mains water supply at a micron level to remove all of the larger particles of dirt and heavy metals.
Our advanced electrolytic media nano scale formulation uses redox (reduction/oxidation) to remove 98% of all harmful organic and inorganic compounds including chlorine, lead, mercury, iron and hydrogen sulphide.
But this is just one of eight stages which make sure that your water is completely pure by the time that it gets into your glass.
Once it has gone through an intensive water purification process. At stage 8 this includes the drinking water post filter media which removes any unwanted tastes and odours to produce purified water.
Finally Aquatec water purification systems have health benefits because they put back in the naturally occurring electrolytes that other systems remove. To guarantee the purity of your home water supply contact Aquatec Bristol today and book your free water quality test.
South West Water Helps Businesses Save Money
South West water is passing on savings to their business customers with new water efficiency initiatives
They estimate that this new service has saved a staggering 1 million pounds on water bills and sewage bills for businesses in the South West of England.
There have also been environmental savings with a 15% reduction in the consumption of water since the South West Water's Source for Business advisory service launched last year.
Counties in the South West including Cornwall, Dorset, Devon and Somerset have got the most out of the water audits which were carried out on various businesses including restaurants, hotels and schools.
The head of business development for Source for Business, David Roberts, said: "It is a tremendous achievement and clearly demonstrates how making small changes to water efficiency across a business can really save money on the bottom line."
So local businesses may want to commission a comprehensive water efficiency audit to make the most of their water and reduce energy bills.
If you are a home owner and you want to save money on your water bills, contact Aquatec Bristol today to book a free water test. Our trained advisors can test the quality of the water in your home, and if you are suffering from hard water problems, suggest a home water purification system to suit your needs.
European Development Report on Sustainable Water Supplies
The recent drought in the UK has only served to further highlight the importance of finding sustainable ways to conserve water.
The European Development Report (EDR) deals with this important topic as managing water, and environmental energy, is an urgent concern.
As well as pricing natural resources correctly, creating inclusive land policies and effectively managing existing resources, it is necessary to effect a "radical reduction" in consumption among developed countries, according to the report.
This also includes making the rights to use a piece of land, and its water separate as they are different rights.
Furthermore legislation has to protect land rights as many tracts of land, especially in Africa, belong to people even though there are no title deeds.
This can only be done by a concerted attempt to coordinate the efforts of the private and public sectors across the EU in order to get together the necessary business, models, funding opportunities and infrastructure framework.
Meanwhile UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative to ensure universal access to water and other energy sources by 2030.
Leading Investors Attracted to Water Purification
A water purification company in Asia is drawing massive interest from investors.
Woongjin Coway is the leading water purifier company in South Korea and its forthcoming 30% sale has been watched closely by heavy hitters including Goldman Sachs, Siemens, Philips and a number private equity firms.
These investors and more see the appeal of a company with a strong presence in South East Asia and which is involved in a burgeoning industry, selling water purification equipment to local homes to ensure they have access to pure water.
Not only does Woongjin have a 15% operating profit margin, but it benefits from 13,000 sales agents who have an estimated 3.4 million households on their books.
Such a wide reach, approximately 20% of the South Korean consumer market, not only allows them to sell water purifiers but also cross sell other related products. Furthermore the company benefits from having excellent labour relations with its employees.
World Water Day
Tomorrow is World Water Day when we can stop and consider the importance of water and how to conserve water supplies for future generations.
The shocking fact remains that unclean water results in the death of 5,000 children a year globally, and one fifth of the world population has no access to clean water. While pure water is listed by the World Health Organisation as a basic human right, too many people around the globe are still forced to bath, cook with and drink unsanitary water. This is a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions.
In most parts of the Europe we don't even think about how lucky we are to be able to wash our hands, get clean water out of the tap at will or buy bottled water whenever we need it.
Since 1993, March 22 has been designated as World Water Day by the United Nations General Assembly. Today the
Pure Water for the World has been active since 1994 with volunteers in Central America deciding to help change the shocking living conditions of many locals. They installed solar water purification units, which were the best way to purify water in the villages, and helped to create a sanitation infrastructure. That emphasis on learning continues today as Pure Water for the World aims to teaches people about the importance of sanitizing water and related hygiene issues.
The organization is now focusing its efforts on Haiti, where 42% of residents can't access clean water, and Honduras where 50,000 of children die under the age of 5 die each year from unclean drinking water. The Dow Chemical Company has donated two water purification units to Haiti which will provide safe water to two hospitals - each unit provides an average of 15,000-20,000 gallons of water per day.
If you are concerned about the quality of your drinking water please contact Aquatec today and book a free water test. We have 18 years of experience in the water purification industry.
Water Purification becomes top priority in India
In a country where many people struggle to get access to clean water, water purification systems are an invaluable way to prevent disease at its source.
Recently a host of major Indian companies have seen investment from private equity sectors to create water purification plants that allow local people to access pure water.
The water filtration plants that are being set up in villages and allow for the filtration of 24,000-100,000 litres of water per day, removing harmful contaminants like nitrates, fluoride and arsenic, chloride for water supplies.
Although private companies are doing their best to deliver filtered water to the population, India needs to draw up a new national water policy and fast as the country's ability to deliver pure water too its people is becoming dangerously stressed.
Kuwait Builds Water Purification Plant
A water purification plant is being built in the oil rich nation of Kuwait with completion of the project scheduled for the end of next month.
The Kuwait National Petroleum Company is pumping 55 million Kuwaiti dollars into the project to create a water purifier solution for an industry that has a massive environmental impact.
In fact the Kuwait National Petroleum Company will spend around one fifth of its budget on eco-friendly projects, while also pushing through massive oil refinery projects.
The pure water project started at the Abdullah Port refinery and is in the initial operation stage. The completion date for the project should coincide with the new government coming into power. Having dedicated commercial water purification is vital as Kuwait is stepping up oil production from 936,000 barrels-a-day to 1.4 million barrels-a-day.
The Kuwaiti Oil Minister said that it was in the best interest of the country to make sure that these projects go through without a hitch. He also said they were a vital boost to the local economy and a source of job creation.
Drugs In Drinking Water, Swedish Study Shows
A study carried out in Sweden has identified high levels of pharmaceutical drugs in the country's drinking water.
More than 100 different types of drugs, including the anti-inflammatory substance diclofenac, had not been screened out of the water despite it going through waste water treatment plants.
Speaking on behalf of the EPA, Jan Christiansson said: "This is a wake-up call that this substance and several other pharmaceuticals are so difficult to break down."
Mr Christiansson added that wastewater plants need to do a better job of breaking down compounds so they don't jeopardize our health and environment via direct emissions or via sludge from wastewater treatment.
The study focused on the drug levels in drinking water, runoff water and even fish that had been caught in the wild. Of the seven samples of 10 perch, 23 different types of pharmaceutical drugs were identified.
Speaking for Umea University Jerker Fick said: "We're aware of the problem with diclofenac. The study shows further that there are other compounds than diclofenac that we should be monitoring and studying more closely."
Although some scientists say that the traces of such drugs are in too small a concentration to be harmful, we all take a risk by leaving water purification up to the relevant authorities. For guaranteed pure water in your home, consider buying an Aquatec water purification system which removes 98% of all harmful organic and inorganic compounds including lead, mercury, chlorine, iron and hydrogen sulphide.
How Hard Water Quickly Becomes A Major Problem.
Figures show that hard water and the resultant lime scale have a massive incremental increase in the amount of energy used by homes.
In fact for every millimetre of lime scale you can expect approximately a 10% increase in the amount of energy used, up from 10.6% energy increase for one millimetre of limescale to a 29.4% energy increase in limescale for 3 millimetres of limescale.
Limescale is caused by latent deposits of lime and chalk (which are made up of the chemical elements magnesium and calcium). Because limescale is quickly built up at the rate of 1.5 millimetres per year, this is a problem that rapidly escalates, rather than going away at any point.
Such shocking facts make it unsurprising that the UK government has singled out water treatment as a major way of saving the lifespan of home water purification systems. A new act released in April 2007 said that all boilers fitted in households must have water treatment beforehand.
Procter & Gamble Develops Lifesaving Water Purification Technology
US Water Treatment Systems Hit by Hackers
In what will no doubt be called a terrorist attack by America, hackers obtained secret password information and used it to turn a pipe on and off, eventually breaking it.
The Department for Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) are investigating and suspect a second attack will follow.
It is believed that the cyber attack originated in Russia. DHS spokesman Peter Boogaard said that US citizens need not panic however.
He said: "At this time there is no credible corroborated data that indicates a risk to critical infrastructure entities or a threat to public safety."
Then his comments were quickly followed by a hacker claiming that they could pull off the same trick with another US water treatment facility. The hacker posted online plans that showed he had seen the interior control panel for a water purification system in Houston.
That means that the South Houston Water and Sewer Department will now be on high alert. They are not the first organisation that is equipped with Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems to be put on alert from possible hacker infiltrations.
Although these problems are usually thought to take place on critical infrastructures such as weapons or nuclear programmes, the targeting of water shows how important a resource it has become to the wider world.
Lani Kass, a former advisor to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: "If every incident is seen in isolation, it's impossible to discern a pattern or connect the dots. But a failure to connect the dots was what led us to be surprised on 9/11."
Israel Invents Water Purification System
Pure water is especially vital in this desert country while being even scarcer in their neighbouring Palestine.
They invented special biofilters to take bacteria, as well as harmful nitrates, out of drinking water.
Yaacov Michlin, the CEO of Yissum, said that that this new technology was cost effective as well as novel and could be used in a variety of water purification systems – everything from turning sea water into clean drinking water and using filtered water for agricultural purposes.
It can even be used to make sure that aquariums have the right quality of water so that fish can live in them.
Mr Michlin commented: "The invention developed by the Hebrew University researchers highlights the commitment of the university for researching clean, environmentally-friendly and efficient solutions for global needs. Water quality is of utmost important for every aspect of life."
The water purification system was built in conjunction with the department of Food and the Environment and the Department of Biochemistry. It has been successfully tested at the WATEC Conference in Tel Aviv where it reduced nitrate content for various commercial water applications.


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Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy (US - BD RA)
Disney Home Entertainment announces a 7-disc Blu-ray release for March 1st
Starring: Johnny Depp
Released: 1st March 2011
Further Details:
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has announced a 7-disc Blu-ray release of the Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy for March 1st. The set includes 2-Disc Blu-ray editions of each of the three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, a seventh bonus disc, and a special movie ticket offer to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Extras on the 7th bonus disc will include a sneak peek of the upcoming theatrical release of On Stranger Tides, and never-before-seen deleted scenes with introductions and commentary by Gore Verbinski. We've attached the official package artwork below:
News by Tom Woodward
hogaburger Contributor Join Date: April 2007 Location: United States Posts: 1,153
I still need to get the first PotC on blu-ray. Haven't seen it cheap yet.
No thanks on the other 2 movies.
No thanks on the other 2 movies.
matt86 Member Join Date: March 2008 Location: United States Posts: 868
I agree the other two are meh. I'd love to see the deleted scenes though. The first one had a scene in all the trailers that still didn't make it onto the DVD and first bluray.
crazygmpoker Member Join Date: December 2007 Location: United States Posts: 108
almost picked it up yesterday at best buy, but there im sure there will be another set once the 4th one is on blu ray
Kyle Mertes Member Join Date: August 2005 Location: United States Posts: 700
I already own all three of these on Blu from a great deal back in 2008.
And those holding off on this set for a 4 movie box set might as well wait further for the six movie box set. This new film is spawning a second trilogy.
And those holding off on this set for a 4 movie box set might as well wait further for the six movie box set. This new film is spawning a second trilogy.
matt86 Member Join Date: March 2008 Location: United States Posts: 868
I just hope the new ine goes back to basics like the first film and just has fun with itself. The second and third ones were overly serious. I still don't wanna keep seeing these films made though. Sometimes enough is enough. I think after part 4 it should end. Same thing with transformers, I hope Michael bay never touches one of those films again.
Sam Spade Member Join Date: January 2007 Location: United States Posts: 2,032
Already own all 3. A pirates life for me. The first film is fantastic. The other two aren't horrible but definitely don't touch the great writing of the first. The second film has a great build up to the ending and the 3rd has a killer ending.
Kryptonian Member Join Date: October 2010 Location: United States Posts: 8
You'd think Johnny Depp is the only one starring in these movies.
NOTLWolfie Member Join Date: September 2007 Location: United States Posts: 206
I have the 2-disc DVDs of all three of these. I may just pick this up.
I doubt we'll see a four-movie collection since the next movie is supposed to to be the start of a new trilogy. If anything, we'll see a 4-6 box set later.
I doubt we'll see a four-movie collection since the next movie is supposed to to be the start of a new trilogy. If anything, we'll see a 4-6 box set later.
Pixarfan517 Member Join Date: August 2006 Location: United States Posts: 1,478
I have the first film on Blu-Ray. I will eventually get the sequels on Combo Pack.
hiscritic Member Join Date: March 2009 Location: United States Posts: 11
I held off from getting the BluRay trilogy set with the bare bones BluRays cause I knew that getting closer to the 4th films release, they would put out a new set. And I am glad I waited. I just got it today at Best Buy and man was it worth the price ($49.99). The ONLY thing I would have liked to seen added was a digital copy of the films, but oh well. Can't beat the price for all three since the c**p trilogy set that was out priviously was 69.99.
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Next Meetup
What we're about
Since the Bay Area Climbing group is focused mainly on SF and East Bay climbing, thought I'd put this out there as an alternative way for people from the South bay/SJ/Campbell/Sunnyvale/MTN View Areas to hook up and climb together. There are amazing places to go climbing in the south bay and north bay, indoor and outdoor. Planet granite has a beautiful facility in SF and Sunnyvale. Supposedly there are some new places popping up as well. Castle Rock and the Pinnacles are not far from here. They sustain great hiking trails in these places as well. There are some beautiful beach climbing places up North if you want to go on the weekends. A bit cold but could be interesting. If you know of any other great places to climb, please post to the forum. And, as always, Post your ideas on the ideas page. A couple trips will be set up for learning how to climb outdoors better with trained instructors for those who are new or wanting to get better at climbing outdoors. Planet Granite has classes as well. I am definitely still learning myself, so newbies are very welcome along with seasoned climbers. Sure there are going to be people of all skill levels and enthusiasm that join this group. ATTENTION -> IF YOU'VE NEVER CLIMBED BEFORE Planet Granite requires all to be belay certified prior to climbing in the gym. They have a class to teach basic climbing techniques, how to belay, tie in, etc. Please take that class before joining up with any of the meetings. They run the classes daily many times and runs about 120.00 and includes gear. We won't be teaching climbing in the group. It's for people who know how or are learning how to climb better. I repeat, you must know how to belay SAFELY and securely to be active in the group. Thank you! Looking forward to another awesome group experience!


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Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth: Separate Business Meetings
Miley Cyrus rocks a pair of blue pants and shows off some tummy while heading into an office building for a business meeting on Thursday (November 15) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The 19-year-old entertainer's fiance Liam Hemsworth was also spotted going to a separate meeting that same afternoon.
"The rumors are true: Yes, we just shot @MileyCyrus for her first Cosmo cover. Yes, @RachelZoe was involved. Yes, the photos are UNREAL," the Cosmopolitan magazine Twitter account wrote this week. We can't wait to see the cover!
25+ pictures inside of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth going to separate meetings…


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Aahhhh! Lowcountry residents utter a collective sigh each fall as the wind begins to blow from the north, the humidity drops, and the temperatures fall into the low 80s. I stood on my dock on a gusty day in late September and was treated to an avian airshow.
"The Soaring Club must be meeting today," I thought as I gazed upward to see a pair of wood storks circling above my head. I could see the dramatic black-and-white wing pattern and the way their fully extended necks and feet drooped slightly as the storks soared above me.
Next on the program was a red-tailed hawk. Obligingly, it flew directly over my head and spread wings and tail, posing for photographs. This was definitely an adult red-tailed hawk with full red tail. I was able to observe its dark back and light chest, complete with bellyband. I noted the broad wings and proportionally shorter tail.
"Me, me, look at me!" The osprey was next in line. I admired its longer, narrower wings, slightly crooked at the "elbow," its light underbelly, and dark stripe through the eye. As it flared its tail, I noted the regular dark and light bands.
"Don't forget me. When it comes to soaring, I'm a real pro." This came from the turkey vulture as it spread its broad two-toned wings and teetered above me. With its 67-inch wingspan, it was distinctly larger than both the red-tailed hawk and the osprey.
Not wanting to be left out, the smaller (59-inch wingspan) black vulture came overhead with its characteristic "flap, flap, flap, glide," showing off the white patches on the underside of each wing tip.
High above me I noted a smaller shape, this one with shorter wings and a long tail - a Cooper's hawk!
All I needed to complete my soaring bird clinic was a bald eagle with its 80-inch wingspan, but he must not have gotten the memo. Eagles tend to bully the smaller raptors and steal their fish, so they aren't invited to many bird parties.
With the exception of the Cooper's hawk, all the birds in my private air show had wings well suited to soaring - broad with the feathers separated and spread at the wing tips. Scientifically, this is referred to as a high-lift, slotted wing. These birds are able to take advantage of rising columns of warm air known as thermals to aid them in their flight.
For a bird, spiraling up into the sky on a thermal is like our taking the elevator to the top of a 15-story building. It uses a lot less energy than climbing the stairs. Once the bird reaches the top of the column of warm air, it can glide long distances or soar until it finds another thermal to give it a lift back up.
The Cooper's hawk has elliptical wings that allow for tight maneuvering in confined spaces. Known as accipiters, the Cooper's hawk and its smaller cousin, the sharp-shinned hawk, are excellent forest hunters, preying primarily on small songbirds. They have adapted well to suburban living, frequently visiting backyard feeders in search of a snack. Most of our small songbirds also have elliptical wings; good for rapid takeoff and the swift, twisting flight that helps them evade predators.
Birds with long, pointed, swept-back wings are built for speed, but must rely on powered flight. In order to remain in the air, falcons, swifts, swallows, shorebirds and ducks just have to keep flapping. At this time of year, peregrine falcons are migrating south along the coast while vee-shaped flocks of cormorants and ducks can be seen overhead.
While I am sad to bid farewell to painted buntings, purple gallinules, swallow-tailed kites and all the other neo-tropical migrants, I am happy to welcome cooler temperatures, as well as ducks, sparrows, meadowlarks and hopefully lots of American goldfinches. Good birding!
Bird enthusiast Diana Churchill can be reached via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Photo: Daniel Lobo via Flickr
WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials at the Grand Canyon abruptly abandoned plans to ban the sale of plastic water bottles at the Arizona national park after conversations with Coca-Cola officials, The New York Times reported Thursday.Stephen P. Martin, who crafted the plan, told the newspaper that the effort was scrapped after Coca-Cola officials raised concerns about the plan through the National Park Foundation. He was told the effort was being tabled about two weeks before its scheduled Jan. 1 start.
Coca-Cola, which distributes water under the Dasani brand, has donated more than $13 million to the parks.
The Times (http://nyti.ms/uoelmc ) reported that Martin's account was verified by officials from the park, foundation and Coca-Cola.
David Barna, a National Park Service spokesman, said National Parks Service Director Jon Jarvis made the "decision to put it on hold until we can get more information.
"Reducing and eliminating disposable plastic bottles is one element of our green plan," Barna said. "This is a process, and we are at the beginning of it."
Neil J. Mulholland, president of the parks foundation, said a Coca-Cola representative contacted him late in the process to ask for details of the bottle ban and how it would work.
"There was not an overt statement made to me that they objected to the ban," Mulholland said. "There was never anything inferred by Coke that if this ban happens, we're losing their support."
Susan Stribling, a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, said the company would prefer to help address problems with littered plastic bottles by making more recycling programs available.
"Banning anything is never the right answer," she said. "If you do that, you don't necessarily address the problem." She also characterised the bottle ban as limiting personal choice. "You're not allowing people to decide what they want to eat and drink and consume," she said.
Martin, a 35-year veteran of the park service who rose to the No. 2 post in 2003, said he was disheartened by the decision to halt the ban.
"That was upsetting news because of what I felt were ethical issues surrounding the idea of being influenced unduly by business," Martin said. "It was even more of a concern because we had worked with all the people who would be truly affected in their sales and bottom line, and they accepted it."
Information from: The New York Times, www.nytimes.com
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Combat tennis. Normally we might ask: How do these people actually have time on their hands to do something like this?! But in truth, we really dig this fun, quirky take on tennis meets combat. Sure, it's overproduced and cheesy, but doesn't that make it all the more lovable? On this TGI Friday we say, TGFTF (Thank god for tennis fans). More creative stangeness can be found at the video maker's website, PatrickWillems.com. Willems co-runs Lumberjack Films, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
(Video by Patrick Willems)


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Rivercroft Apartments
Welcome Home to Rivercroft!
Rivercroft Apartments represents a unique living experience second to none.Come and take a walk through meandering pathways and be surrounded by the beautiful, lush landscaping that adorns Rivercroft Apartments. With its scenic atmosphere and short distance to major highways, local schools, restaurants and entertainment attractions, Rivercroft Apartments is the ideal place to call home! This quaint and tranquil enclave offers quality living at an affordable price in an unbeatable location! We offer four meticulously-designed floor plans, each appointed with attractive amenities to include well-equipped gourmet kitchens, a private balcony, plush wall-to-wall carpeting, a cozy wood-burning fireplace, and more! Take a refreshing dip in our shimmering swimming pool or invite friends over for an afternoon barbecue. Enjoy conveniences services such as our business center, high-speed internet access, and state-of-the-art fitness center. Here at Rivercroft Apartments, we meet all the demands of any lifestyle. ***We are a Non Smoking Community*** Find us on Facebook!


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Police name person of interest in mysterious death
Cranston police have named 31-year-old James Adams as a person of interest in the suspicious death of a young woman whose body was discovered in a Cranston garage last week. Adams was taken into custody late afternoon Tuesday, just as the Herald was going to press.
"We're very happy he's off the street," said Chief of Police Colonel Marco Palombo. "He is a very dangerous individual."
Cranston police obtained an arrest warrant for Adams Tuesday on a charge of felony assault that occurred in Cranton on June 30, which Palombo said is "separate from the discovery of the young woman." Within hours of obtaining the warrant, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Cranston Police apprehended Adams without incident in North Providence, with the help of Providence Police. He was expected to be arraigned Wednesday.
Col. Palombo said he could not disclose Adams' potential connection to the unidentified body, as the investigation is ongoing.
The woman's body was discovered on Friday evening at 391 Farmington Avenue in Cranston, after neighbors called to report a strong smell emanating from the area. Police arrived on scene at 8:19 p.m. to find the body of the unidentified woman in the garage. The body is currently in custody of a medical examiner.
"We're waiting on a pronouncement by the Medical Examiner on the cause of death," said Palombo.
Police are asking those with any information on the myserious death to call Cranston Police detectives at 477-5140 or 477-5029. Police will continue to investigate the death and will release details as they become available. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @RhodyBeat for updates on this story.


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Street Address:
Street Address:
6380 Holmes Road Memphis, TN 38141
Sale Amount: $15.7 million
Sale Date: Dec. 5, 2012
Buyer: IIT Chickasaw LLC
Seller: Industrial Property Fund VI LLC
Details: An affiliate of Denver-based Industrial Income Trust has paid $15.7 million for the 437,740-square-foot warehouse at 6380 Holmes Road in Hickory Hill.
6380 Holmes Road • Memphis, TN 38141
The entity known as IIT Chickasaw LLC bought the industrial property in a Dec. 5 special warranty deed from Industrial Property Fund VI LLC, an affiliate of Atlanta-based Industrial Developments International Inc.
Built in 2004, the Class A warehouse facility sits on 21.76 acres in the Chickasaw Distribution Center at the northwest corner of Holmes and Crumpler roads. The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2012 appraisal is $12.2 million.
The purchase marked Industrial Income Trust's second Memphis acquisition this year. The company in July bought an 890,000-square-foot industrial portfolio in Southeast Memphis from CRP Holdings B LP for $24.3 million.
Prior to this recent sale, the city-county Industrial Development Board quitclaimed the property to Industrial Property Fund VI, which owned the building through the IDB's payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program.
1945 Sycamore View RoadMemphis, TN 38134
Loan Amount: $4.3 million
Loan Date: Nov. 30, 2012
Maturity Date: Dec. 1, 2022
Borrower: Village of Sycamore Ridge Apartments LLC
Lender: Magna Bank
Details: The owner of the Village of Sycamore Ridge – a 114-unit apartment community at 1945 Sycamore View Road near Bartlett – has filed a $4.3 million multifamily deed of trust, absolute assignment of leases and rents and security agreement (including fixture filing) on the property.
Village of Sycamore Ridge Apartments LLC, an affiliate of Salt Lake City-based Property Asset Management Inc., filed the loan Nov. 20 through Magna Bank.
Built in 1973, the Class C apartment complex has 148,852 square feet and sits on 15.1 acres on the west side of Sycamore View Road between Summer Avenue and Raleigh LaGrange Road. The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2012 appraisal is $1.9 million.
Its visibility on Sycamore View Road and immediate access to Interstate 240 give the complex daily traffic counts of more than 35,000, according to CB Richard Ellis Memphis, which represented the previous owner, Chicago-based TVO Sycamore LLC, in its $3.4 million sale last year to Property Asset Management.
The property's amenities include three swimming pools, bike/walking trails around a lake, wood-burning fireplaces, private patios, and washer and dryer connections in every unit.
2893 Getwell RoadMemphis, TN 38118
Sale Amount: $2.2 million
Sale Date: Nov. 19, 2012
Buyer: Memphis Heights LLC
Seller: LEDIC Management Group LLC (court-appointed receiver for California Bank & Trust)
Details: The Kensington Manor Apartments at 2893 Getwell Road in Oakhaven have sold for $2.2 million to a Miami Beach, Fla., entity called Memphis Heights LLC.
Following a host of financial woes including foreclosure and bankruptcy, the property sold Nov. 19 in a special warranty deed with LEDIC Management Group LLC acting as court-appointed receiver for California Bank & Trust and the seller.
Kensington Manor is a 545,790-square-foot, 570-unit multifamily complex on 29.19 acres along the west side of Getwell Road between American Way and Knight Arnold Road.
Built in 1973, the Class D property has an appraised value of $3.1 million, according to the Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2012 data.
An alternate address for the complex is 3836 Chippewa Road, according to a LoopNet listing that also shows the property containing 559 units and 525,280 square feet.
Jeffrey Ezekiel, CFO for Memphis-based LEDIC, signed the warranty deed.
In July 2009, the apartment complex was foreclosed when its Irving, Texas-based owner, Tennessee Bay Kensington Manor LP – whose partners are James Goody, Brian Printz and Jonathan Goody – defaulted on a $12.3 million loan through Vineyard Bank NA and dated Sept. 24, 2007.
According to the warranty deed, "On Sept. 14, 2012, the (Shelby County Chancery) Court entered an order … authorizing the Receiver to sell the Property ... ."
2324 N. Germantown ParkwayMemphis, TN 38016
Sale Amount: $1.5 million
Sale Date: Oct. 31, 2012
Buyer: Sang Ki Yoon and Kyung Hwa Yoon
Seller: Seung Woo Choi, surviving widow of Ki Chon Choi
Loan Amount: $1.3 million
Loan Date: Oct. 31, 2012
Maturity Date: N/A
Lender: First Intercontinental Bank
Details: The Shogun Japanese Steakhouse at 2324 N. Germantown Parkway in Cordova has traded hands for $1.5 million.
Sang Ki Yoon and Kyung Hwa Yoon, doing business as Shogun Japanese Steakhouse, bought the 7,650-square-foot restaurant in an Oct. 31 special warranty deed from Seung Woo Choi, surviving widow of Ki Chon Choi.
Though the property sold in October, the Shelby County Register of Deeds didn't process the transfer until last week.
Built in 1999, the restaurant sits on 1.5 acres along the east side of Germantown Parkway near its intersection with Varnavas Drive. The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2012 appraisal is $1.7 million.
Copyright 1995 -
by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Mon 18th Apr 2011 22:07 UTC
FVWM 2.6 has been released. "It's been almost five years since the last stable release of FVWM (2006) and almost ten years since the development version of FVWM (2.5.X) which became this latest stable release was started! A lot of hard work from many talented individuals has made this release possible."


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01 Apr How To Show Some Sibling Love This Spring
As soon as we saw this adorable photo on Pinterest we knew that we had to share it with all of you who are welcoming new spring babies into your life!
We loved the "Sibling for sale" photo shoot idea – what a cute way to include the other kids in the baby announcements that you'll be sending out to all of your family and friends! Even though the photo is staged, we know that it's not always easy for older siblings when a new baby comes along. It's easy to see why an older sibling would be upset over getting a new little brother or sister – suddenly all of the attention that was on them is now shifted over to the new family member. Not anymore! We're excited to share a couple of tips that will help prevent your children from feeling left out when the new baby comes and instead get them excited about becoming a big brother or sister!
Our first tip is to create a Big/Baby Brother & Sister Personalized Apparel item for each of your little ones. Choose one of the four titles (Big Brother, Baby Brother, Big Sister and/or Baby Sister) and have it personalized with any name on your choice of a baby bodysuit, infant bib, youth t-shirt or a toddler hooded sweatshirt. Once the baby arrives you can give them to your kids – they'll be reassured that no one has forgotten about them and they'll be excited to get a gift. They'll love wearing their new t-shirts and will walk proudly around the hospital letting all of your visitors know that they're the new big brother or sister! Just think of how precious it will be to have your little ones wearing their personalized t-shirts when you introduce them to their new sibling for the very first time! You'll be thankful that the first photo you have of your children meeting each other will include that extra, personal touch.
That special photo will look even better when you display it in a Big/Baby Brother & Sister Personalized Photo Frame that you created exclusively for your family. Select a blue and green design or a purple girl design and personalize it with any name and your choice of Big Brother, Baby Brother, Big Sister and/or Baby Sister on a vertical or horizontal frame. It would be a great idea to sit down and spend some quality one-on-one time with your children before the baby comes. Give them their new personalized frame as you explain how exciting it will be for them to have a new little brother or sister. Once you've explained any questions or anxiety they may have or feel, they'll feel much more comfortable about the upcoming changes in lifestyle and they'll get even more excited about becoming an older sibling!
With all the time you'll be spending in your hospital room, your children are bound to become restless and bored. The Big Sister/Brother Personalized Coloring Activity Book & Crayon Set is the perfect gift to pair with the personalized kids' apparel to help keep them occupied during your hospital stay or while your family and friends are looking after them. The activity book features a storyline that explains how a new older brother or sister can help their mother prepare for the baby and what to do when the baby arrives. The book offers pictures to color, as well as games, puzzles and mazes that will teach your little one about your new bundle of joy. You can select a boy or girl design and add their name so it will be featured on the cover and throughout the inside pages of the book. Your children will have a blast coloring and learning about their new sibling at the same time!
For more great sibling gift ideas, check out PMall.com's most popular Personalized Kids Gifts or PMall's Personalized Baby Gifts Store. We have a wide selection of gifts that kids of all ages will love! Good luck with the new addition to your family and don't forget to show the baby's siblings some love this spring!


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OMAK Choice Auto Group is opening its pre-owned dealership this week, returning to business after more than four years.
"We're bringing back the old company, but with several changes being made," General Manager Nick Martin said. He is also a co-owner along with Mike Kaiser, who owned the dealership at 625 Okoma Drive when it was called Choice Auto and Truck.
Martin said this week's "soft opening" will allow the company to work out any potential kinks in operations or the new computer system, and a grand opening is coming in the next couple months.
This time around, Choice Auto is going to be larger.
"We're basically planning for growth, hence the name Choice Auto Group, because hopefully down the road we'll be expanding, maybe locally and out of the area," Martin said. "This will be the flagship store. This will be the first of many, hopefully."
Two lots, one next to The Chronicle's office at 618 Okoma Drive, are set up to accommodate 125 vehicles eventually.
"We're going to have a wide array of vehicles," Martin said. "We started out buying a lot of late-model, low-mileage vehicles, a lot of stuff that's still under factory warranty. But now we're branching out more and getting vehicles that might have a little higher miles, but a lower price point. We're buying a lot of trucks and SUVs – it's that kind of season – a lot of focusing on all-wheel drive vehicles as well."
Eventually, he said, the dealership plans to offer "some really good quality, low-price vehicles to fit everybody's budget."
In terms of inventory, Choice Auto will offer everything from Chevrolets to Hondas and Toyotas. The dealership is starting out with seven total employees and has a finance department, with plans to sell extended warranties.
Customers, or even people who are curious about bank financing, can schedule a consultation, Martin said.
Choice Auto will also resume its relationship with Choice Automotive and RV, which Kaiser also owned until he sold it to Mike Roberts, separately from the dealership.
Choice Automotive will do warranty work and all inspections and oil changes.
"There's a great line of communication and they're an awesome shop, so we're just going to continue that relationship," Martin said.
Kaiser has been in business a total of about 14 years. He ran Choice Auto and Truck for about eight years before he sold it and moved to Arizona, taking the company name with him to sell muscle cars, Martin said.
Martin is also returning to his roots: He started working in sales for Choice Auto and Truck and by the end of nearly four years there had worked his way up to sales manager.
When Consumer Auto Liquidators bought Kaiser's dealership, Martin for the company as general sales manager and stayed for about a year before moving down the street to Sunrise Chevrolet, 726 Okoma Drive.
"It feels great to be back," Martin said. "I'm looking forward to the good old days. We had a really great thing going here before, as far as we were really involved in the community and we want to continue that…. Our customer service was outstanding; we took care of people and we want to continue doing that."
Martin said sales slowed after the recession hit in 2008, but they've been picking back up.
"It's not a huge growth, but it's slow, steady growth," he said.
He invites people to stop in the office to say hello, "even if you're not looking for a car.
"Stop in for a cup of coffee and visit, see what we've got going on," he said.
The dealership is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


text: McGlockton was drafted 16th overall by the Raiders in 1992 and played 12 seasons for four teams. He made consecutive Pro Bowls as a Raider from 1994-97, including an All-Pro year in '95. In his second season as a defensive assistant at Stanford, McGlockton died overnight. The cause is not known. He was 42. [SBNation; photo via AP]


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The movie theater parking lot was jammed and young people, huddled in coats and blankets to ward off a cold November chill, patiently awaited the first showing of "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" on Thursday night.
The movie theater parking lot was jammed and young people, huddled in coats and blankets to ward off a cold November chill, patiently awaited the first showing of "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" on Thursday night.
The film is the fifth of the four-part "Twilight" series written by Stephenie Meyer.
I wasn't there to see that popular sequel. Nor was I there for the 23rd rendition of James Bond, although one hardly needs a good reason to check out Daniel Craig.
I waded through the well-behaved crowd of excited teens to see a film that is truly an original, with no numerals to follow.
Turner Classic Movies continued its big-screen enterprise with a special showing of "To Kill A Mockingbird" in celebration of Universal Studio's 100th anniversary and that film's 50th.
Thankfully, no one's had the hair-brained idea of remaking this black-and-white classic, adding some contemporary visual effects or bust-'em-up violence for the sake of today's audience. Nor has anyone decided a sequel was in order.
Gregory Peck's legacy as Atticus Finch, a superhero in a seersucker suit who drinks lemonade on his porch, remains unsullied, gracefully holding up, like the film, to the test of time.
Written during the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement but set in the Jim Crow-era 1930s, "To Kill A Mockingbird" needs no follow-up. It's far more intriguing to imagine the future of Scout, Jem and Atticus after the trial that forever changed Maycomb, Ala.
One of the most noble heroes ever, Atticus Finch might have lived to see the passage of Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, in which the Supreme Court struck down the separate-but-equal segregation of public schools. He might have seen photos of Rosa Parks being arrested after refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in Montgomery, Ala., on a December day in 1955, sparking a bus boycott that sent the South careening down the Civil Rights byway. Heck, the fair-minded Atticus Finch would have defended Rosa Parks and joined the bus boycott. He'd surely have been a voice of reason as the South was nudged out of the 1860s and into the 1960s.
As for Scout and Jem, it's hard to believe they wouldn't have become Civil Rights activists, inspired by the actions of the father they adored.
They'd have condemned Gov. George Wallace as he attempted to block two black students from attending the University of Alabama in 1963. They'd have grieved the death of four little girls, murdered by a bomb planted in Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church. Although they'd never see Atticus play football as they'd dreamed, they'd have seen Bear Bryant integrate his football team at Alabama. They'd have marched for equality with the Rev. Martin Luther King, from Montgomery to Mobile, and stood in rapt awe when he declared, "I Have a Dream."
Before those stirring words were spoken, Atticus Finch had a dream. His, too, was of desegregation, of fairness and kindness, of laws that protected all. He taught those principals to his children, and demonstrated his belief in them by defending a black man falsely accused of rape.
He took on the unpopular legal case because, "If I didn't, I couldn't hold my head up in town," he tells 6-year-old Scout. The passion with which he defends the doomed Tom Robinson, from staking out a spot in front of the jail to protect him from a lynch mob, to delivering one of the most compelling courtroom speeches ever captured on celluloid, makes Atticus Finch an inspiring figure whose ideals never dull with time.
Scout and Jem would have lived to see the positive changes that resulted from their father's righteous fight, including the election of this country's first black president. They also would know that the lessons of Atticus Finch are as relevant today as they were 50 years ago.
Their home state of Alabama is challenging the 1965 Voting Rights Act in the Supreme Court. Seriously, in the wake of Republican leaders in several states attempting to suppress voting prior to the recently concluded presidential election, the Supreme Court is going to decide the validity and need of the federal government approving changes to state voting laws.
Maybe instead of listening to the voices in the political parties of their choice before tackling this issue, they should sit and watch "To Kill a Mockingbird" together, ask themselves, "What Would Atticus Do?" and then decide.
Contact columnist Lori Gilbert at (209) 546-8284 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The second and final RevGirl auditions took place on Thursday night at RiRa in Providence, with three lucky winners being selected out of a total of 10 contestants. Comedian Bill Simas hosted the night's events, as Revolution supporters watched guest judges Kelsey Fournier (Miss Rhode Island 2012), Will Gilbert (WPRI Rhode Show), Jessica Schiano (92 PRO-FM) and Jenna Pelletier (Providence Journal) carefully chose the night's three winners.
Your 2013 winners are Christina Attaway, Rachel Sibley and Sara Leonard.


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Saris Freedom 2-Bike Hitch Rack
Item: 40-0510
Easy to use and even easier on your wallet, the Saris Freedom Hitch Rack provides trouble-free transport of up to two bikes and fits most models on the market. Rack easily adjusts to fit bike frames up to 35lbs each -- mountain, road, TT, kids, women's, you name it. Saris' proprietary Cuscino cradle pads secure each bike and won't damage carbon frames. Universal hitch fits 1¼" and 2" receivers and a Lifetime Warranty makes the Freedom an incredible value.
- Safely carries 2 bikes up to 35lbs each
- Injection-molded wheel trays securely hold bikes
- Protective rubber holders adjust to fit all frame types
- Easy-to-adjust ratcheting straps protect bikes
- Rack folds up when not in use
- Fits both 1¼" and 2" hitches out of the box
- Lightweight at 20lbs
- Lifetime Warranty
- Made in the USA


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|This article is written from a
Real World perspective.
What is TR2N Origins?Edit
Tr2n Origins is an open-source free download multiplayer game loosely based on the Light Cycle scene in the Disney movie TRON. The game is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and OpenBSD operating systems and is released under a GNU General Public License, making the game freeware.
Players drive around on a light cycle and a Jetwall is created behind them. The player cycle and jetwalls are available in a variety of vibrant colors. The basic object of the game is to make the other players crash into your wall without crashing into any other walls. The game features many game types such as Capture the Flag, Sumo, Fortress, Racing, Dogfight, and Rubber as well as shooting variations of many of these game types. Many games types feature a "wild" version, which is a collection of rotating maps with the particular play style for that game type. There are a variety of maps that can be played depending on the server. Players are able to change the appearance of the game with the moviepack (graphics) changer and fully customize their HUD in the video settings. Also, players can win badges for their profile by participating in challenges and events. Regular tournaments are held throughout the community and ladders for each server show after each match in game.
Game mode descriptionsEdit
- Dogfight: Classical TRON-style where you use your tail to crash the other players, no zones. Some servers have instant respawn, some do not.
- Fortress: Capture the enemy base and protect your own. This game is played with teams. The Wild fortress version features random rotating maps and settings.
- Sumo: The object is to stay in a zone while trying to force the opponent out. Team sumo version features teams of two or more. Sumo Treasure Island features rotating maps and a hunt for the treasure for bonus points.
- Race: Race to the win zone at the end of the map avoiding various obstacles along the way.
- Capture the Flag: Capture the opponents' flag, and protect your own. Players respawn once they have died.
- Capture The Flag Shooting: Capture the opponents' flag while shooting and player respawn once they have died.
- High Noon: Shoot your opponents in the "Wild West" setting. Best used with the Wild West moviepack (graphic pack).
- Tori Kumi: Features classic TRON-style in a sumo circle with higher rubber.
Project HistoryEdit
- 2006: Manta, head programmer opened up the Wild West servers in Armagetron and experimented with server types.
- August 2007: Wild West forum and tournaments began.
- April 2008: The Wild West clan formed and dominated the Capture the Flag tournaments for 2 years.
- July 2009: A group of developers fork from Armagetron and create TR2N Origins.
- January 2010: The initial 0.4.2 version was released.
- April 2010: Version 0.4.3 was released followed in May by version 0.4.4.
Present Day: Development continues with a new 0.4.5 release on the horizon.
- A movie pack menu that allows you to pick one of 23 pre-installed movie packs with extra slots to put your own into the game. Changing the look is easy to do right in game in the graphics menu.
- Bored with the same old cycle? Well, play the game on a jet-ski or other movie pack specific vehicles. Folders are easily found allowing for users to customize the moviepacks to their tastes.
- The rubber meter can be reversed with the toggle switch in the HUD, so you can pick from the default TR2N rubber meter or use the classic rubber meter.
- The rubber meter is part of the fully customizable HUD. You can easily move all of the control items to wherever you choose on the screen or turn them off; you can change their color and size as well. The game comes with 5 preset HUD's to make changing up the feel of the game quick and easy if you don't feel like customizing yourself.
- Colors can be chosen using the new color picker. The tail and bike are chosen separately so you have the full range of vibrant colors for both items.
- Like those "l33t" letters? using them in-game is simple, just press the chat key then alt. A menu comes up and gives you the key combo to put the letters into your name or into your chat in game.
- Authentication is now optional, you can still authenticate but anonymous play is also allowed.
- Tail transparencies have been addressed so the tails are not clear. Tails can be previewed in the player settings as you set your color, tail styles change with movie packs.
- The menu was revamped with a control panel appearance and options to turn off music was added.
- Want badges? The badge challenge system places your badges earned during challenges into your profile on the forum. Check out the profiles next time you are on the forum.
- Many other technical developments went into the game with both servers and client to take a pro-active course against the issues that contribute to lag.
External LinksEdit
Here are video demo links. Demo Video 1 Demo Video 2
The website is http://www.tr2norigins.net


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We know you've been waiting for this, and now it's here. The HTML5 widget works on you iPhone, iPod, iPad, iWhatever. Like all our widgets it's completely customizeable so you can match the color scheme and size of your website. Setup is super simple and lets you pick from few different layout options. All artists can grab the HTML5 widget from their widgets and apps section of the control room.
Check out the examples below — then put one of these new widgets on your website or blog and post links to your site in the comments section.


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Entomologists typically show far more skill in analyzing insect pest problems after the fact than they demonstrate in predicting problems in a way that might be helpful — that is, before they occur.
With the power of 20-20 hindsight, the causes of most of last year's insect headaches (or lack of thereof) make sense. For many of North Carolina's cotton producers, drought dominated the insect scene in 2007, with high thrips damage due to dry weather and poor insecticide uptake, and low bollworm and stink bug levels due to sorry, unattractive plants.
Other items remain a mystery.
With the combination of high acephate (Orthene in most cases) use for thrips and dry hot weather, most of us had expected a spider mite tsunami. Oddly, it never happened.
Essentially all the factors that influence the severity of our upcoming 2008 "pest year" — such as pest survival during the winter, the abundance and quality of nearby insect crop and weed hosts during the spring and early summer months, and the development of the cotton crop itself — are related to weather patterns. Unfortunately, weather forecasting on a farm or county-wide basis is often unreliable even just a few days in advance. And predicting weather patterns that might impact insect levels weeks or months in advance are virtually worthless, especially in the Southeast.
Additionally, all of our major insect pests — thrips, bollworms, stink bugs, cotton aphids, spider mites, and others — undergo a number of generations on other crops and wild hosts before moving into cotton, making early predictions several generations down the road even less reliable.
Despite the above limitations, a few observations are offered:
Thrips have caused major headaches for North Carolina and Virginia cotton producers for the past three years, 2005-2007. Unfortunately, our region leads the Southeast and other parts of the Cotton Belt in high thrips levels and damage.
Our slower seedling grow off conditions and high amount of surrounding thrips host vegetation that serve to funnel thrips adults into small cotton fields often result in a rough start for cotton seedlings.
Unfortunately, this situation is more the rule than the exception in this area.
Behind the seed treatments Gaucho Grande, Cruiser, Avicta, and Aeris, plan on a foliar spray targeted at the first true leaf stage or at 3 weeks after planting (whichever comes first) — unless cotton is planted after about May 20.
We often observe higher levels of cotton aphids and spider mites following seed treatments than following Temik.
With Temik 15K at the 5 pound rate per acre, a foliar spray can sometimes be avoided with adequate soil moisture and close scouting.
At our latitude, plant bugs are usually kind to producers during the pre-bloom period (we have averaged approximately 3 percent to 8 percent treated acreage for plant bugs over the past 7 years), so the odds favor this trend holding for 2008.
Weekly square retention counts should define most potential problem fields up to about a week or two beyond bloom initiation here.
In North Carolina, it's not unusual to observe 90-plus upper square retention 4-5 weeks into the bloom period. However, these pests can be an occasional headache in blooming cotton, particularly in our far-eastern counties.
"Dirty bloom" assessments, though not the sampling method of choice in the Mid-South where plant bugs are a more serious pest, are quick, easy to do, and can tell a scout or consultant if more intensive scouting is needed, particularly if dirty bloom counts are in the 5 percent to 10 percent range, or less.
If dirty bloom levels are this low, more intensive sampling for plants bugs such as sweep net or ground cloth sampling is probably not necessary.
The potential for stink bug appears to have a strong correlation with moisture, with dry years often resulting in low stink bug damage to bolls. Dry weather negatively influences early wild and cultivated stink bug hosts resulting in fewer stink bugs, as well as makes cotton plants less attractive and prone to early cutout.
Scouting wheat both before and after the big 2007 "Easter Freeze" confirmed the huge reduction in stink bug levels. Between this freeze and the drought that gripped much of North Carolina, stink bugs never recovered.
Most North Carolina cotton producers would probably trade the potential for higher stink bug damage in 2008 if it meant we could also count on good moisture levels and high yields.
With our ever-higher adoption of Bt cotton — more than 97 percent in 2007 — we can probably count on the bug complex to continue to account for most of our late season boll damage on Bt cotton.
No matter what 2008 has in store, we need to be paying much more attention to the bug complex in our Bt cotton.
Additionally, as we approach mandatory planting of Bollgard II and perhaps WideStrike varieties (Bollgard varieties will be phased out in the fall of 2009), our expected lack of treatment for caterpillars in all but a few circumstances will likely result in an even greater potential buildups of bug pests.
Adequate sample sizes, lots of interior boll examinations, and green vs. brown adult stink bug ratios are a must in Bt cotton fields, especially during weeks 3 to 6 of the bloom period.
Bollworm moth levels have seesawed up and down for the past 8 years here until 2003, when both 2002 and 2003 were rough bollworm years; 2004 showed only moderate bollworm levels, and in 2005 the flight was both very late and exceptionally light, while 2006 and 2007 were about average.
Although bollworm damage to Bollgard cotton fields has averaged approximately 1 percent during the 1996 to 2007 period, replicated tests show that a foliar application for stink bugs with either Orthene or Bidrin just prior to or during the initial 10 days or so of the moth flight can increase boll damage by bollworms by approximately 3-fold, with proportional losses in yields.
This will not likely be as strongly the case with Bollgard II cotton, as late season bollworm damage to these varieties has average less than 0.2 percent in 2005-2007 boll damage surveys of growers' cotton fields.
Widestrike lines typically provide intermediate bollworm control between Bollgard and Bollgard II varieties.
In recent years, our cotton producers have had only minimal damage from other caterpillars, such as fall and beet armyworms, European corn borers, and loopers. Unlike conventional and Bollgard cotton, Bollgard II and Widestrike varieties show high resistance to both armyworm species and loopers.
Weather patterns during the upcoming crop year will essentially determine the timing and intensity of our potential 2008 insect outbreaks. Most producers would gladly trade higher moisture levels for potentially higher boll damage from insects like stink bugs.
Whereas we can't control the weather in dry years, we certainly can minimize insect damage in wet years. Although meteorologists have difficulty in predicting weather patterns more than about a week in advance, on the plus side, sound insect and plant monitoring and well-timed sprays can play a major role in making the best of what nature has in store for us in 2008.


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Everyone seems to appreciate it when we do guides and hacks so I thought it was time to film another. Today we will be hacking the new Nexus One.
This is not a beginners guide. If you are a beginner, you should not be hacking your phone. These instructions assume you have previously hacked at least one Android device.
Before we begin
Make sure you have accomplished the following things
- Installed the USB drivers (grab them from Google or XDA)
- Confirm your device is recognized by ADB (see CyanogenMod Wiki or XDA for help)
- Backed up any important data from your device
Watch the video walk through once to get a preview of the entire process. Your first time might take you 30 minutes, but it can be completed in less than 10.
How to unlock and root a Google Nexus One from clarklab on Vimeo.
Step 1: Unlock your bootloader
In order to flash a new recovery image, you must unlock your bootloader. This process is quite simple, but it will wipe your phone.
- Reboot phone into fastboot: Power off device and hold down trackball while powering back on. (The fastboot screen is the one with the Androids on skateboards)
- Open a command prompt and navigate to your Android SDK tools folder.
- Type 'fastboot devices' to make sure your phone is recognized.
- Type 'fastboot oem unlock' to unlock the bootloader.
- Use volume keys to navigate to yes and press the power button to confirm.
Step 2: Flash a new recovery image
Next we will download a new recovery image that allows us to flash custom zip packages.
- Visit XDA and download Amon_RA's recovery image for the Nexus One.
- Copy the file to your Android SDK tools folder.
- Open a command prompt and navigate to your Android SDK tools folder.
- Type 'fastboot flash recovery recovery-RA-nexus-v1.5.3.img'. (Note filename will change as recovery image is updated)
Step 3: Boot into recovery mode and flash N1 Addon
Now that the new recovery image is installed, it is time to reboot into recovery mode and flash a custom zip package. Since your phone was just wiped, you might have to enable usb debugging again so ADB and fastboot commands will work.
Double check: Go to Settings > Application settings > Development > USB debugging (enable)
For this guide we will be flashing Cyanogen's N1 Addon.
- Visit XDA and download Cyanogen's N1 Addon. (or any other custom .zip file you want to flash)
- Copy the .zip file to the root directory of your SD card.
- Open a command prompt and navigate to your Android SDK tools folder.
- Type 'adb reboot recovery' to reboot the phone into recovery mode. (The recovery screen says "Android system recovery" with green text on black background)
- Use the trackball to navigate to "Flash zip from sdcard" and then select the zip file you wish to flash.
- Follow the on screen instructions. Press the trackball to begin the flash when prompted.
- When the flash is complete, navigate to reboot and press the trackball to reboot.
Congratulations, you are finished and it is now time to download some root apps from the Android Market. Search the Market for SetCPU for Root Users, Nexus One Torch, or use the term "Nexus root" and see what you find.
If you run into any serious problems please visit our forums and we will do our best to help. The XDA Nexus One forums are also a great resource.
Please share any other Nexus One hacks and root apps in the comments and we will add them to this post.


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Install SaveFrom.net Helper - the easiest way to download from Telewebion.
SaveFrom.net Helper is a browser extension that allows you to download directly from Telewebion.
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Cooler Master HAF 922 Review
With the introduction of newer technology revolving around the latest processors and graphics cards, heat is becoming more and more apparent. While heatsinks do their best to eliminate it, sometimes there can be room for improvement. How about the component that houses and builds up all that heat, the case? Some people tend to take the case for granted and settle for a low quality one. Sure they might do the job okay, but do we really want a case that's just 'okay' to hold our expensive hardware? I don't think so. In my opinion it's performance first, looks second. I'm sure I'm not the only one either. If you are looking for a new case, try sitting down, drinking a cold drink of your favorite beverage and spare about half an hour or so looking for that perfect case that will protect your hardware with ease, and keep the temperatures as low as possible. To make it a little easier, how about we take a look at a new case, a case from one of the most respected brands out there - Cooler Master.
When Cooler Master released the Haf 932 to the general public it was praised for its amazing air flow, rugged industrial looks and top notch quality. Now Cooler Master is at it again. There is a new addition to the family the Cooler Master HAF 922. The HAF 922 is basically identical to the 932 with a few minor setbacks in features but more so, it has adopted the mid tower design. Does it have what it takes to hang with his brother and friends? More importantly, does it suit the needs of the consumer? Let's find out!
Closer Look:
There were two things I noticed right when I got the package. First, was that there was a bit of tear on the front of the box, and second it looked huge compared to my other two mid tower cases. Much like the packaging of the HAF 932 the 922 comes in a blue styled theme. The front of the package simply shows the case and Cooler Master logo. On the back of the box are the features and a few pictures with slight detail on airflow. The sides of the box have different information such as specifications and different case models.
Packaging for the HAF 922 was like any other. It was shipped with two foam covers to protect the front and back of the case, and was wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent any unwanted scratches.
What's also included with the case is a manual, a bag of assorted screws, motherboard stand-offs, tie wraps, and a 3.5" track used for installing a 3.5" drive.


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air pollution rule Applications
Industrial Solution for pulp & paper
Stringent regulations all over the world, including the new Boiler MACT ruling, are being enforced on new and existing air pollution control systems. Many of the existing scrubbers are having a more difficult time meeting performance criteria. Macrotek has the innovative solutions to retrofit existing systems or replace with new systems to meet and exceed new targets.
By Macrotek Inc. based in Markham, ONTARIO (CANADA).
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you


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Word for Word: Quotes for Your Walls
It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes, good old fashioned text does the best job. Quotes from funny, clever people like Julia Child, Oscar Wilde and Robert Burns will give you a chuckle. Hang them up wherever you need a pick-me-up or a little kick in the behind.
Alternatively, write your own! Then, enlarge it, print it and frame it. Something your family always said or lines from a favorite book are great sources.
This collection of wall decor is printed in a variety of ways, but I have to highlight the most eco-friendly seller of the bunch. Canton Box Company (Julia Child quote) used 100% cotton canvas and water-based acrylic paint.
Shown above from left to right:
1. Inspiration room from Atelier 688
2. Julia Child Quote on Canvas - It's Fun to Get Together, $35.00 from Canton Box Company
3. Bird Typography Print - So Very Happy, $25.00 from Shelli Dorfe
4. Modern Print Oscar Wilde - Be Yourself, $16.00 from Maridee Studio
5. Art Print Comin Thro' the Rye by Robert Burns, $16.50 from Gergina Radeva
• What Favorite Quote or Personal Mantra Do You Live By?
• Why Simple Is Good: Jonathan Ive
(Images: As credited above.)


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Bean Bag Boys Bean Bag Chair
Condition: New
(Check price)
Size: Large Product Type: Bean bag chair Life Stage: Child; Teen Childproof Closure: Yes Weight Capacity: 200lb.
Availability: Check now
This is very good bean bag chair. The bean bag chair is a nice choice that you can't miss it. Highly Recommend! We think you go to this page via a Search Engine by your smart keywords. We are not sure what you're looking for this product price or not. However, if you are searching for discount rates, We hope that the information in this page is useful to you. We know that everyone would likes to order at the cheapest. But sometimes a little more expensive but get faster shipping, it's a nice for your shopping.
The Bean Bag Boys Bean Bag Chair is good quality, has a nice appearance. It shipped & delivered fast & also was packaged well. Very satisfied! No complaints at all. . .(thumbs up)
Shopping Online: Tips for the holidays
The holiday season is upon us, and that means millions of people will be shopping for gifts online. Though online shopping peaks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can be a safe shopper year-round. Here are some tips to remember:
-Always use a credit card. Never use a wire-transfer or a non-credit card method to buy anything online. Laws allow you to challenge any disputed item that shows up on your credit card bill, and most credit card companies have what's called a "zero liability" policy that doesn't hold you accountable for charges made if your card is lost or stolen.
-Make sure you're using a secure site when paying for something. The site you're visiting may not have an "https" in the URL, but you should see one when you go to check out. As an example, when you shop at Amazon, you only see www.amazon.com in the URL. But when you go to pay for the items in your shopping cart, you're taken to a secure version of the site. You can see that the checkout page begins with "https," a sign that you're on a secure site.
-When in doubt, do some research! If looking at a website that seems sketchy, pause for a second and do some research on the company before you buy. The Better Business Bureau offers a list of accredited businesses on its website. You can also Google the company. You may find customer reviews and experiences that could help you determine if the site is legitimate. If in doubt, don't buy.
-Finally, don't click on links directly from e-mails. Businesses love to send e-mails touting their latest sales. But so do scammers! If you get an e-mail from the Gap advertising 30% off, don't click directly from the email. Instead, type in the Gap's web address directly into your browser and then search for the deals. This helps prevent you from clicking on a link from a phishing email.
Online shopping is fun and convenient. Just make sure you're doing it safely and securely, and you should be fine.
I needed a simple bean bag chair, and found this at the top of the search. I can see why it's so popular. The bean bag chair is PERFECT. Yes I'm shouting but this is a great bean bag chair. If I ever need another color, I'll happily purchase. It also fit true to size. I purchased my usual as well as one size up, and the usual fit perfectly.
This Bean Bag Boys Bean Bag Chair was my first purchase. When I saw it online it really sparked an interest. When I received it I was so thrilled at the beauty of it. So simple yet very personal. I am quite impressed with it. It could have been done better to fit the elegance of the bean bag chair.Was this comment useful to you? YesNo
This bean bag chair is perfect. I ordered it after I purchased the black one in the store. I absolutely love it and get. Implements on it all the time! It looks expensive. Best of all, it is priced far below comparable bean bag chair.Was this comment useful to you? YesNo


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Oct. 26, 2013
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The 18th-ranked Florida State indoor volleyball team used another fine effort from freshman right-side hitter Izzy Carmona as it came back from an early-set deficit to defeat Wake Forest, 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-20, 25-22), on Saturday evening at Reynolds Gym.
Carmona continued her stretch of strong play by pacing the Seminoles (15-6, 8-2) with 13 kills. Over her last four matches, the Titusville, Fla., native has been more of a focal point of the hitting attack, leading FSU during that span with 50 kills while hitting .369.
Putting together a nice hitting effort for Florida State was redshirt freshman outside hitter Leah Mikesky, who posted 10 kills and a .304 hitting mark. Senior Elise Walch added 11 kills for the `Noles, while middle blockers Sarah Burrington and Ashley Neff had nine put-downs apiece.
"We played better tonight," head coach Chris Poole said following his 695th career win. "We were gone seven of the first nine weeks of the season so it will be great to be back home. Our girls have worked hard this year. We have as many as three to four freshmen on the court in each set.
"We have had to run different lineups at times for a variety of reasons. We can be inconsistent at times but there is a lot of heart and they are working to improve. We will take what we have learned so far and keep working to improve."
Burrington and Neff each had sound defensive performances in the win as well, recording six and seven blocks apiece respectively. Florida State recorded a .256 hitting percentage overall, and held the Demon Deacons (14-8, 3-7) to a .189 hitting mark.
Junior setter Sarah Wickstrom recorded her team-leading eighth double-double of the season, helping out the attack with 28 assists while adding 10 digs. Freshman setter Hailey Luke added 23 assists and four digs.
Redshirt junior libero Katie Mosher matched her season high with 24 digs on Saturday night, a total she has already reached twice this season against Georgia Tech and Syracuse in four-set matches.
FSU has now defeated Wake Forest for the sixth consecutive time. The `Noles have also won six or more consecutive matches against two other ACC opponents in NC State (26) and Boston College (11).
Momentum swung Wake's way in the first set as it used an attack error by the `Noles to win 26-24. However, Florida State came back in the second set using a strong defense that held the Demon Deacons to just eight kills in the set.
The third set was aided by Mikesky's three kills, one service ace and one block. One of her kills put FSU ahead 21-16, then reached 23-19 on a kill by Elise Walch. A couple of errors by Wake Forest gave FSU the third set.
The fourth frame started going back and forth midway through as Wake tried to take control with an 18-16 lead. Burrington played a big role in three straight points for FSU to help it to a 20-18 lead, and a later kill by Mikesky made it 24-22. Neff followed with the match-ending kill to improve FSU's road record to 7-4 this season.
Florida State faces a big home weekend against two top-tier ACC schools. The `Noles battle No. 14 North Carolina on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. On Sunday, FSU hosts NC State at 1 p.m. Both matches will stream on ESPN3.com.
Follow Florida State indoor volleyball on Seminoles.com as well as on the team's official Twitter (@FSU_Volleyball) and Facebook pages (Facebook.com/FSUVolleyball).


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Class of 2010: Congratulations on your graduation! Please note the following information in regards to your email and network accounts:
Please be advised that your kentlaw.edu email and network account will be terminated on Monday, August 2 at 11:59 p.m. (the first Monday after the July Bar exam). After this date, you will not be able to recover any emails that are currently in your @kentlaw.edu inbox.
If you would like to save your emails, you may download a .pst file of your inbox, following the instructions here. Please note that you must be on campus in order to download your .pst file, as you need access to the Chicago-Kent server for the download. Moreover, please be sure to have a flash drive or recordable CD on which to save your emails, as the files are generally too large to send by email. It is your responsibility to make a backup of your emails to a .pst file. If you have questions, please contact the Center for Law and Computers at email@example.com or (312) 906-5300, but note they cannot complete this process for you.
This service is available through the Alumni Online Community at www.alumni.kentlaw.edu. It allows you to choose a firstname.lastname@example.com address that will be forwarded to your specified personal email account (e.g. gmail, yahoo, or work e-mail, etc). Your username can be your current kentlaw.edu username or you can create a new one.
The advantage of the e-mail forwarding is that once you give your forwarding address to friends and colleagues, you'll no longer have to notify everyone in your address book of a new or discontinued e-mail address; you can simply update the email account to which the email forwarding address sends to by logging into the Alumni Online Community. Please note that any emails sent to your current @kentlaw.edu address DO NOT automatically get sent to your alumni forwarding address. You must notify your contacts of your new address.
In order to access e-mail forwarding, you must sign up for the Chicago-Kent Alumni Online Community, which, in addition to email forwarding, allows you to update your alumni information, search the alumni directory, join groups, network with fellow alumni, and keep up to date with all the news and events at Chicago-Kent. Accounts for May 2010 graduates will be available by mid-July. Click here to sign up now and we will send you your login information when you have access!
For questions or concerns, please contact the Chicago-Kent Alumni Association at email@example.com or 312.906.5240.
All members of the 2010 Graduating Class (including Fall 2009 graduates) are invited to the Post-Bar Party, regardless of when you take the Bar exam!
The event is FREE for 2010 graduates who RSVP by
July 28 or $10 at the door. Graduates are allowed to bring 1 guest for $20 at the door.
Thank you to everyone who donated to the J.D. Class Gift Project and the LL.M. Class Gift Project.
If there are any errors, please email Tanya Pietrkowski or call her 312-906-5243.
Catherine Krenz
LLM Class Gift Committee Chair: Jianze Li
Have thoughts or questions about the 2010 Class Gift?
Talk to a member of the Class Gift Committee or contact Tanya Pietrkowski at firstname.lastname@example.com.
JD: www.kentlaw.edu/classgift ~ LLM: www.kentlaw.edu/llmclassgift
We invite all students, faculty, alumni, and staff to join the official Chicago- Kent group on the networking site, LinkedIn. If you have a LinkedIn account, please click here to request membership. Questions? Contact email@example.com.
Main Chicago-Kent event
Academic calendar
CLE calendar
Alumni event calendar
Admissions calendar


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"NIKITA" - (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
"Homecoming" (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV)
IT'S NIKITA VS PERCY IN THIS EXPLOSIVE SEASON FINALE - Nikita (Maggie Q) and Michael (Shane West) invade Division in an attempt to capture Percy (Xander Berkeley). Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) and Sean (Dillon Casey) get caught in a deadly gunfire battle with the U.S. Marines and Ryan (Noah Bean) must convince the President of the United States not to destroy Division until he is sure Nikita and Michael are safely out of the building, but the President is eager to end Percy's reign. Meanwhile, Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford) asks Sonya (guest star Lyndie Greenwood) for help, and Nikita corners Percy in his office, but he pulls out one final trick that may cost her the battle. Eagle Egillson directed the episode written by Carlos Coto (#223).


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Here's a way to have your turkey and eat it too. Run in one of the many Thanksgiving-themed events around the state and then spend a few nights at a Wisconsin B&B as a reward for a run well done. Starting this weekend, we like the Run with the Turkeys 5K race in Pleasant Prairie. The Hillcrest Inn and Carriage House in Burlington is just a short trot away. There are a number of Turkey Trot events on Thanksgiving Day, with proceeds going to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs in the cities in which they're staged. Choose the race then search by city for a B&B. Pages 2 and 3 of the race listings includes Jingle Bell Runs, Frostbite Races (hmmm, could they have come up with a more inviting name?!) and Santa Shuffles. We like the Dickens of a Run & Walk set for December 4 in Stoughton. Stay at the Altemus Corners B&B to further the Victorian theme. No need to count calories of those gourmet breakfasts you'll enjoy at the B&Bs when you pair a getaway with a little running served on the side.
(715) 942-8180 | email@example.com | Gift Cards
Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association


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Added to Cart
More deals you may like
Mitch Wallis AFL Western Bulldogs 3D Printed Mini League Figurine - 18cm
Realistic AFL figurines
See delivery information
Bring your AFL heroes to you with these lifelike 3D printed figurines.
- Officially licensed
- Hand-finished
- Made using state of the art photogrammetry technology
- Keep out of sunlight and water
Ever dreamt of meeting your heroes? With these AFL 3D printed figurines you can get closer than ever before. The figurines are made using state of the art photogrammetry technology to turn 54 digital SLR photos into a 3D printable file, ensuring that the figurines look exactly like your favourite sports stars. The figurine is manufactured in full colour gypsum and hand finished to ensure every minute detail of the athlete is perfected. These figurines are the perfect present for a true sporting fan.
This figurine is a collector's item or fan memorabilia and is unsuitable for playing.
The figurine is not a toy and should be kept out of reach of children under 12 years of age.
Do not lick, swallow or eat parts of the figurine as it may cause health issues including but not limited to suffocation and poisoning.
If the figurine breaks and/or shatters please be aware that it could have sharp edges that may cause injuries when touched. Please dispose of the figurine properly in this case.
As this product contains flammable material please keep it away from heat or fire.
Please handle with care:
Keep out of reach of children and direct sunlight for extended periods of time to prevent fading.
Keep away from water and humid conditions as this may damage the surface of the figurine and cause the colour to fade.
Only clean with a dry soft cloth.
Please note that delivery on this item will take 7-10 business days after processing.
This Product is offered and supplied by Dick Smith pursuant to the Terms and Conditions.
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2013 R&D Survey: New Products Are A Top Priority in 2013
Our 42nd annual R&D Survey reveals new products as a top priority for food manufacturers in 2013 -- one more indication companies are ready to resume aggressive growth.
Get ready for an onslaught of truly new products – not safe line extensions or just "cleaned-up" products – from your product development team … as well as the R&D departments of your competitors.
At least, that's what the numbers seem to indicate in our 42nd annual R&D Survey. The 48 percent of respondents who voted truly new products as their top priority for 2013 (up 8 percentage points from last year) was the highest number for that subject since our 2010 survey, and, it's hoped, is one more indication that the nasty recession is behind us and food companies are ready to resume aggressive growth.
"Improving existing products is always mandatory, but new products are our focus," as one respondent put it. Wrote another: "We will continue to look for cost-saving ideas through our research, but this year we will focus more on expanding in a new direction to achieve future growth."
Not that you ever stopped growing. As our annual Top 100© list shows every year, food and beverage processors never stopped making money, undoubtedly because American and Canadian consumers never stopped eating. Maybe it wasn't enough money or maybe things just seemed too dicey to invest, but R&D departments had to suck it in over the past couple of years.
Which doesn't mean the corporate suite is throwing money at your team in 2013. One of the questions we ask every year is, "What's happened to your R&D department's budget this year?" While those answering "It's been increased" went down 2 percentage points from last year, respondents saying "It's been cut" also dropped, by 3 points (meaning more than half said "It's about the same").
So, net, maybe you've got the same amount of funding to work with, but at least you'll be spending it on truly new products. New products as a priority took 2 points away from "cleaning up" current products (10 percent). Improving existing products gained a little (18 percent, up 4 percentage points), while cost control was flat, at 13 percent. Product line extensions dropped the most, down 7 points to 8.6 percent.
Actually, they're all priorities, aren't they? "Although my main focus within the department is new product development, I still spend time on product improvement, cleaner product decs, ingredient consolidation and line extensions," said Teresa Kloch, a food technologist at Perry's Ice Cream, Akron, N.Y.
"Continued improvement should never be short changed; you must find ways to service your customer needs without increasing their cost," wrote a guy at a poultry company.
Cleaned-up or simplified ingredient statements were mentioned by several respondents. "Our No. 1 goal is clean labeling; another is reducing carbon footprint," said one respondent in the write-in portion of our first group of questions. "We need to convey the simplicity of our products' ingredients. We have narrowed them down well, we just need to get the word out," said another. "We've had noticeable and worthwhile success with R&D in 2012, which helped us to decide to push it further in 2013," wrote one optimist. Perhaps the real answer to what your priorities are for 2013 was written-in by No. 391: "It depends on how busy we are."
Before we forget: This year, we had 514 responses to the survey, quite an increase over last year's 409 responses, and the highest number since we went direct to the R&D people, rather than to company spokespeople, in 2006. This survey was taken via a web poll during March.
Priorities for the year
There's a tiny contradiction in our survey answers – maybe it's the way we constructed it -- when it comes to cost control. While that answer stayed flat in our "prioritize" question, it made a strong showing as No. 2 (behind food safety) in another question that asks, "How strongly will the following impact your R&D strategy this year?"
Food safety does tend to overwhelm any discussion of operational priorities. At least in one case, Figure 1 also shows how a subject (Sustainable/Eco-friendly/Fair trade) can draw fewer first-place votes than other subjects but score higher than them in second- and third-place voting – that's what our "total score" column is about.
As for bigger-picture issues that will impact your product development team beyond the current year, there were two significant changes this year: more concern over staffing and less concern over going global.
While healthier/better-for-you foods, following consumer trends and regulatory issues kept their same positions as last year, all around 50 percent (respondents could vote for more than one concern), "personnel/labor issues" shot up from 17 percent in 2012 to nearly 28 percent this year. "Going global" moved in the opposite direction, from 25 percent last year to 18 percent this year.
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"Patients committed here suffer not only diseases of the mind, but also of the body." – Dr. Arthur Arden.
Welcome to 1964, where Jessica Lange is no longer Constance Langdon, but Sister Jude, a badass nun with a Boston accent running the Briarcliff Manor insane asylum. Also returning is Evan Peters, no longer an angst-ridden teen ghost but an alien abductee named Kit Walker, who is detained for the murder of his wife and called "Bloody Face."
(It's a huge role reversal for Peters, who was probably tired of constantly lubing up to fit into the "Rubber Man" costume).
It's not often writers change the course of an entire show, with more than half the cast turning...


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Crystal Bulbs
iLite – The UK's Premier Lighting Showroom
For over 35 years, iLite have specialised in the supply and sale of the finest luxury lighting from an extensive collection of brands including Swarovski, Foscarini, Masiero, Diesel, Flos & a large range of Schonbek and much more. iLite offer a wide range of luxury lights in both traditional and contemporary styles.
Our Range of Lighting
Our lighting stock ranges from luxury lighting to home lighting, including our luxury brands of chandeliers, ceiling lights, table & floor lights, wall lights and outdoor lights. We're confident that we offer something to meet every style and budget, whilst helping to add that extra special touch to any room and going some way to turning a house into a home.
We also offer a range of mirrors and light switches so that you can add the finishing touches to your room and compliment your beautiful lights too.
Lighting Designed for You
Choosing the right lighting for your home can help to make it feel warm, friendly and inviting for not only yourself but for any guests too. Here at iLite we understand that you want to know what works best for which room, what would be the right size of lighting fixture to choose from and whether modern or contemporary could work. We hold the expertise to help you through this process and choose the perfect lights for your home.
Should you need further assistance in choosing the perfect luxury lighting or home lighting for your home or garden, do not hesitate to contact us.
Our friendly and experienced team are here to help answer questions relating to specific products or to offer expert guidance on choosing the most suitable style of lighting for your home. We welcome you to visit our Birmingham Lighting Store located at The Mailbox, Birmingham.
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