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Emily Conrad knew how to read music before she could read words. It was always an important part of her family life.
Emily Conrad knew how to read music before she could read words. It was always an important part of her family life.
A Wofford College senior majoring in economics, German and Spanish, Conrad started formal classical piano lessons at age 4 and classical voice lessons at age 7 and performed frequently throughout her childhood.
Conrad, along with about a dozen other student classical musicians at the college, will perform in a free recital, "Follow the Lieder," at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Leonard Auditorium in Wofford's Main Building.
They will perform on a variety of instruments — piano, viola, violin, flute and organ — as well as sing. The Wofford Singers also will perform.
The event is a "celebration of music of the German-speaking world," Conrad says. "It will feature the most beloved works of well-known composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Mozart.
"One of the reasons I chose a liberal arts institution like Wofford was the flexibility it would give me to connect my academic interests with my passion for music," Conrad says. In the course of her college career, she encountered many other students who also are talented classical musicians, but who had chosen to pursue studies and careers in other fields.
Last fall, Conrad got the idea to give herself and these students the chance to celebrate their talents as classical musicians by organizing an on-campus recital. In the spring, their first "Follow the Lieder" recital was held.
Conrad isn't the only performer whose musical interests had an unusual beginning. Nicholas Lowe, a senior from Charleston, is a self-taught pianist whose interest in learning to play the organ grew while attending Wofford.
"He organized his own independent study and obtained a scholarship in order to study with the organist at the Church of the Advent in Spartanburg, Brennan Szafron," Conrad says. "Nicholas is a frequent performer at the church as well as a musician at Wofford's Catholic Mass."
Lowe will play organ at Tuesday's recital.
"Follow the Lieder" is a play on words, Conrad says, emphasizing the music — "lieder" is "songs" in German — and the student performers' leadership on campus.
"They are high academic performers who also participate in a wide assortment of extracurricular activities," she says.
Along with Conrad, performers for "Follow the Lieder" include:
- Riddick Blocker (Class of 2016) of Summerfield, N.C., piano
- Justin Buchanan (Class of 2013) of Shelby, N.C., viola
- Tony Ditolla (Class of 2013) of West Columbia, violin
- Marcus Ellison (Class of 2016) of Moncks Corner, piano
- Melissa Gaddy (Class of 2014) of Greenville, cello
- Sasha Gainen-Truslow (Class of 2015) of Florence, Mass., flute
- Rana Kashani (Class of 2013) of Spartanburg, piano
- Nicholas Lowe (Class of 2013) of Charleston, organ
- Greyson Mann (Class of 2014) of Laurel, Md., piano
- Evelyn Maris (Class of 2014) of Greenville, viola
- Elizabeth Spears (Class of 2016) of Austin, Texas, flute
- Haiwen Zhang (Class of 2016) of China, piano
- The Wofford Singers, providing a choral finale
Other upcoming Wofford musical performances include the Wofford Singers' annual Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Friday. The Singers will present Saint-Saens' Christmas Oratorio.
Also, the Wofford Chamber Players and Wofford Band Fall Concert will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Leonard Auditorium, in the Main Building. Student musicians will perform classical and popular works.
All events are free.


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For Office Introverts, a Room of One's Own
In offices across America, introverts are under siege.
Companies are embracing open layouts -- knocking down walls, dismantling cubicles and, in some cases, even asking workers to say farewell to their personal work stations. The goal is to improve communication, foster collaboration and save money by packing more workers into less space.
But one group of employees has suffered (quietly, as is their nature) amid the clacking keyboard keys and the cacophony of voices.
Introverts' nervous systems are more sensitive to stimulation than extroverts' are, according to Susan Cain, author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking."
"When introverts get too much stimulation, they feel overwhelmed and jangled," she said.
With no privacy or way to shield themselves from the commotion, introverts, estimated to make up one-third to one-half of the population, can feel exposed in the modern workplace. Being on display is imposing and distracting to them, Cain said.
Office furniture maker Steelcase is trying to give the left-behind introverts some love. Its new set of "quiet spaces," designed in collaboration with Cain, aims to help introverts relax and focus away from the eyes of their coworkers. The five rooms are soundproof and feature glass doors frosted in patterns that largely shield occupants from view but allow them to tell if someone is approaching. Introverts can also indulge in dim and tinted lighting to help them rejuvenate after a stressful two-hour meeting.
Even extroverts occasionally need time and space to themselves when they're under stress or facing a tough deadline, says Jim Keane, chief executive of Steelcase. After transitioning to an open layout, companies sometimes complain that a subset of the workforce is unhappy with the change, he says.
Several of the rooms are designed for two people to use, but this isn't a typical meeting space. Instead, an L-shaped sectional allows a worker to position himself 90 degrees from his peer, a more "natural posturing" that's less direct and confrontational than sitting across a desk from someone, Keane says.
The spaces are set to debut at a Chicago trade show this month and Steelcase plans to start selling them later this summer. Prices start at $15,000 per room.
Part of Steelcase's pitch to potential customers: this is a talent issue. Why spend so much time and money recruiting employees if they can't focus and work well in your space?
"It's not about protecting them or thinking about them as fragile in any way," Keane said. "This is a productive part of your workforce that isn't as engaged and energized as they can be."

subset: commoncrawl


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Building permits issued in November 2013 totalled $103.8 million according to the City of Regina's monthly report. This is an increae of 60% from the $64.9 million in November 2012.
Of course, non-residential construction accounted for most of the increase. The city has seen a decade of steadily rising building permit values.
Mayor Michael Fougere stated that November was a month of tremendous building activity in the city, especially in the area of hotel, commercial and industrial permits. There is more work on the student residence at the University of Regina, new hotels and new offices on top of strong residential construction - all signs of Regina's vibrant economy.
Permits were issued for:
- Fairfield Inn at 3915 Albert Street in south Regina
- Comfort Suites at 4300 Diefenbaker Drive in northwest Regina
- Interior and exterior work at the University of Regina
- Three multi-family dwellings
- A medical clinic at 3401 Pasqua Street
- An office building at 4545 Parliament Avenue, in Harbour Landing Business Park
The value of the residential projects - including single family dwellings, duplexes and semi-detached dwellings, multi-attached dwellings and apartments - totalled $384.3 million for the first eleven months, compared with $371 million for the same period last year.
If having a new place to call home is in your plan for 2013, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Click here to browse listings in and around Regina.


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Image galleries
There are 34 images in this gallery2013-09-03
Photos of Caching Events that IGO members have attended.
There are 38 images in this gallery2014-10-26
Got a good/funny picture of a rough caching day? Something neat happened and you got a photo of it, or a picture of something neat? Discovered a really neat area? Upload it here and share it with members.
There are 10 images in this gallery2011-03-16
There are 4 images in this gallery2015-03-29
One or two photos of each willing IGO member to help other members identify them.
There are 69 images in this gallery2014-05-06
Home page landscape images from IGO members.
There are 20 images in this gallery2011-07-08
Moga is a mega-event that happens once a year, right around the end of March. This is visited by a lot of IGO member's. Some great stories come out of this yearly event, and we've got some die hard cacher's that bring home trophies too. :) It's always a good time.
There are 5 images in this gallery2011-12-07
Photos used in past and present editions of the IGO newsletter.
There are 3 images in this gallery2011-06-06
There are 4 images in this gallery2011-03-16
Wildlife spotted while caching.


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On Thursday owner Robert Cole said Rapid Redux would not race again and trainer David Wells said he would be going to The Kentucky Horse Park. But there was a catch.
The Horse Park is a big place. Wells misunderstood the actual location.
"It was an honest mistake," the trainer said Friday. "I was talking to the Secretariat Center. The literature I received said it's 'nestled in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.' I thought that meant it was the Kentucky Horse Park. I'm sorry I led [people] down the wrong path, but it was a total misunderstanding."
The Secretariat Center is one of 30 to 35 national and regional equine organizations headquartered at the 1,200 acre Kentucky Horse Park as part of the National Horse Center. The Secretariat Center retrains race horses for other, post-race careers.
Once Wells sorted that out Friday, he said he did not think it was an appropriate place for Rapid Redux, who set the North American record for consecutive victories with 22.
"I don't think he is able to have another career," Wells said. "He is just starting to get arthritis in his ankles and he has some cartilage issues. What he needs is to be turned out in a field to eat grass and just be a horse. And I'd really like him to be somewhere where people could come see him and get excited about him."
Wells said he will now sort through other options - horse retirement homes in three different states, including Old Friends, in Georgetown, Ken., have inquired about him. But Wells said he will not be sending the horse anywhere for at least another couple of weeks.
"I haven't been letting him outside by himself, afraid he'd get hurt," Wells said. "But now I'm going to turn him out in a field and let him enjoy himself. He looks great. He's getting his race horse feed, his coat is shiny and he's not overweight. He looks like he could race, but it's definitely time to stop and I'm going to make a call to Old Friends tomorrow or Monday."


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GO Weather Forecast Widgets Premium 5.76 - Apk
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- 2*1, 4*1, 4*2 current weather widgets & 4*1, 4*2 future weather forecast widgets
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- Share your current weather info with your friends by taking a picture
Pro Features:
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Stock Exchange Listing
TSX(v): SVA.V
Tel: 1 (877) 299-4603
Tel: (519) 858-5184
Fax: (519) 858-5099
Business Development
Philip Toleikis
Tel: (604) 961-2939
Investor Relations
Ray Matthews
Ray Matthews & Associates, Inc.
Tel: (604) 818-7778
Sernova Corp.
700 Collip Circle, Ste 114
London, ON
Canada N6G 4X8
Sernova was founded in 2006
London, Ontario
Sernova's Cell Pouch™, combined with its local immune protection technology, offers therapeutic cells local protection from immune system attack creating an effective, safe, long-term and convenient therapeutic option for patients with chronic disease who seek to improve their quality of life.
Latest Press Releases
Sernova Retains FronTier Flex for Canadian Investor Relations and Marketing / November 09, 2018
Sernova Establishes Comprehensive North American Investor Relations and Communications Strategy / November 06, 2018
Sernova-HemAcure Consortium to Present Achievements in Development of a Regenerative Medicine Approach to Treat Hemophilia A / October 23, 2018
Sernova Completes Oversubscribed Private Placement of $2,754,000 / July 23, 2018
Sernova Announces $2,000,000 First Closing of Private Placement / July 16, 2018All Press Releases →
Corporate Strategy
Sernova is committed to the development and clinical advancement of its products for chronic diseases using therapeutic cells transplanted into an implanted medical device, forming a natural environment promoting long term function of the therapeutic cells. The company's management believes in building strong and long-lasting collaborations and partnerships that would lead to the rapid advancement of Sernova's portfolio of products into the market, improving global health and bringing value to patients and society.
Latest Updates
2018 Financial Report - 3rd Quarter - July 31, 2018 / September 28, 2018
2018 Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) - 3rd Quarter - July 31, 2018 / September 28, 2018
2018 Financial Report - 2nd Quarter - / July 18, 2018
2018 Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) - 2nd Quarter - / June 29, 2018
Corporate Presentation - April 2018 / May 28, 2018
2018 Financial Report - 1st Quarter - / March 29, 2018
2018 Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) - 1st Quarter - / March 29, 2018
Clearance by FDA of Sernova's US IND - Conference call audio recording / December 11, 2017All Updates →
Cell Pouch System™
Sernova's Cell Pouch System™ is a novel implantable and scalable medical device which forms a natural environment in the body for the housing and long-term survival and function of therapeutic cells. These therapeutic cells release necessary proteins or hormones missing from the body to treat chronic diseases as an alternative to daily administration of drugs.Read More...
Immune Protection
Sernova has multiple options for protection of cells within the Cell Pouch from immune system attack. The cells can be protected using medications that protect the cells from immune attack. There are polymer encapsulation technologies to protect the cells from the immune system. There are also developing methodologies to make cells unrecognizable to the immune system. These latter two technologies may not require medications to protect the cells from the immune system.Read More ...
Management Team
Sernova has a prestigious Scientific Advisory Board made of some of the best experts in the field.
President, CEO, Director
Philip M. Toleikis, BA, MSc, PhDProfile
Chief Financial Officer
Sean Hodgins, CPA-CA, CPAProfile
Board of Directors
Chairman and Director
Frank HollerProfile
Company History
Sernova was founded in 2006 - London, Ontario;
On September 20, the Company announced it had received TSX Venture Exchange approval to change its name to Sernova Corp.
In April the Board of Directors brought in a new management team to find viable research and development projects suitable for the Company. On May 16, 2006 the Company announced it had closed a joint venture agreement with Sertonex Inc., a private medical research company based in London Ontario, and Sertoli Technology Inc., a private intellectual property company based in Tucson Arizona. The joint venture allows the Company to own the exclusive rights to the research efforts and intellectual property related to a potential breakthrough treatment for diabetes. That project is now the Company's main focus.
On May 4th, Pheromone Sciences Corp announced the conclusion of negotiations with HealthWatchSystems, Inc. of Sarasota, Florida for the sale of all patents, intellectual property and supplies related to the Fertility Monitor. At the company's annual and special shareholder meeting on August 25, 2004, the sale was accepted by the shareholders and the asset sale agreement was then closed on August 31, 2004. The monitor is now sold under the name OV-Watch and Sernova receives royalties on the net sales.
In February, through a Share Exchange Agreement, PCS was acquired by Mecca Medi-Tech Inc. (MEC), a venture capital pool company trading on the Canadian Venture Exchange. The combined new entity was named Pheromone Sciences Corporation.
Pheromone Sciences first commercial product brought to market was the PSC Fertility Monitor. The monitor set a new benchmark in family planning and provides a more reliable and user-friendly approach to natural, cycle-based fertility status measurement. The PSC Fertility Monitor is a non-invasive method of predicting ovulation and the fertile window of women through the measurements of sweat ion changes on the surface of the skin. It is a small wristwatch-like device, containing an interactive microprocessor combined with a biochemical sensor allowing it to produce data that predicts the fertility status of the user (not-fertile, fertile or ovulating). The computed results can then be viewed on the LCD screen of the device and/or the user can be alerted via optional audio signals.
PCS succeeded in characterizing a human (female) pheromone, naming it PSC Synchronin.
Pheromone Sciences Corporation (PCS) was a private corporation founded by Doug Marett, M.Sc. in 1992.


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Browse our New 2018-2019 Toyota Cars, Trucks & SUVs in Greenfield | Serving Springfield MA & West Springfield MA, and Northampton, MA
For your next ride, check out the new cars, trucks, and SUVs at Toyota of Greenfield. Our sales representatives will help you make the right decision when purchasing a new 2018-2019 Toyota.
The Latest Models
Not sure whether you need a 4Runner or Highlander? Check out our vehicle showroom to compare different Toyota models and their available features. Our Greenfield, Massachusetts dealership has an inventory of new Toyota models such as the Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Prius, Tacoma, Highlander, Sienna, and more! Give us a call, and we will be happy to set up a time to have you take a test drive. Stop by our dealership today to speak with our sales and financing departments. We are eager to serve you!
Benefits of Buying New
Some people who consider getting a used car end up buying a new vehicle instead. The warranty on a new automobile gives you peace of mind, knowing there will not be unexpected service fees. While a new car will turn heads and impress the neighbors, it is also a safer option for your family. With the newest safety features, a late-model vehicle has more advantages beyond being mechanically reliable. Newer vehicles are more fuel-efficient than cars made decades ago.
People come to Toyota of Greenfield for help picking the vehicle that is right for their needs. Learn more about our dealership and see why we have earned the respect and loyalty of the surrounding community.
Want more information about a particular vehicle? We encourage you to browse our website and speak with our knowledgeable staff. We also serve customers from the greater Northampton, West Springfield, and Springfield.
Toyota of Greenfield
Local Car Dealer Selling New Toyota and Used Cars.
Serving: Greenfield MA, Springfield MA, West Springfield MA, and Northampton MA.
Toyota of Greenfield1 Main Street
Greenfield, MA 01301


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In the meantime It reminded me of how a well made lemon sorbet is genuinely the easiest and most refreshing thing in the world, this is the lemon sorbet recipe I use. Always taste before you freeze and spend a little time tweaking the balance of lemon and sugar.
Sorbets should be smooth, an ice-cream maker is a great way to take care of the churning side of things. If you don't have one it is still possible to make it, but it might be better to make a granita which should be beaten at regular intervals during the freezing process in order to develop a crystalline texture.
|Lemon sorbet with prosecco
Serves 6-8
350g caster sugar
14 lemons, unwaxed
Put 250g sugar into a pan with 250ml boiling water and heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to bubble for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened, then set aside and allow to cool completely. Zest five of the lemons and finely chop the resulting peel. Juice all the lemons and strain to remove any pulp and stray pips. Add the chopped peel and stir in the rest of the sugar to dissolve. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Add equal amounts of syrup and cold water, a bit at a time, and taste, until the flavour is to your liking, it should be quite intense as this will mellow slightly when chilled. Put in an ice cream maker and churn. Alternatively pour into a strong plastic box and put in the coldest part of the freezer. After 1 hour 30 minutes it should have frozen round the edges – take it out and beat vigorously with a fork, electric whisk or in a food processor until you have a uniformly textured icy slush. Put back in the freezer and repeat at least twice more every hour and a half, then freeze for at another hour or more.
Transfer the sorbet to the fridge for 20 minutes before serving. Put a little scoop in a margarita glass or similar and serve. Or do as they did in Mulberry's and pour over a small measure of prosecco, set some perfect summer berries and a few pomegranate seeds afloat on top with a sprig of mint or a leaf of lemon verbena - less is more here, don't crowd it.
|Slow Roast Pork Belly with broad beans, pea puree and calvados reduction.
|McGeough's Smoked Black Pudding, with sweet potato puree, asparagus and
caramelised apple
|Pan-fried Fillet of Sea Bass arrived on a bed of warm fennel and orange salad.
|Surf & Turf
|Perfect seared scollops.


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High-Skilled Immigration Reform a Major Pillar in Renewed Debate
Less than a month into the new session of Congress, the effects of the 2012 elections can clearly be seen with the emergence of a campaign-style push by President Obama for comprehensive immigration reform, as well as a Senate bipartisan framework for legislation. Long thought to be an issue that was too divisive and too partisan to achieve meaningful reform, the narrative that has emerged from last year's election is that politicians can no longer avoid the need for comprehensive immigration reform if they hope to ever get re-elected. The shifting demography of the U.S. that was so apparent in the voting turnout in November 2012 has led policymakers to believe that "now is the time to act." Central to any reform effort will be the need to change the way to U.S. attracts and retains high-skilled workers who are so essential to the semiconductor industry.
President Obama laid out his plans for comprehensive immigration reform in a speech in Las Vegas on January 29. Of particular interest to the high-tech industry are the President's proposals to:
- Award green cards to immigrants who obtain advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) from American universities.
- Create a new visa category for highly-skilled immigrants to work in federal science and technology labs on national security programs after being in the U.S. for two years and passing background checks.
- Create "startup visa" for job-creating entrepreneurs and expand visa opportunities for those who invest in the U.S.
Prior to the President's announcement, a "Gang of 8" Senators — Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-AZ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) — put forward a blueprint on immigration reform that is the greatest progress to have been made on the topic since the failed reform effort of 2007. While the legislative details remain to be negotiated, it is clear that the U.S. Senate plans to deal with the issue of immigration in the first half of 2013 in a serious and bipartisan manner.
Like the President, the Senate proposal would award a green card to anyone who graduated with an advance degree in a STEM field. The Gang of 8 calls for immigration reform to "[Improve] our Legal Immigration System and [Attract] the World's Best and Brightest." The framework goes on to plead:
"The development of a rational legal immigration system is essential to ensuring America's future economic prosperity. Our failure to act is perpetuating a broken system which sadly discourages the world's best and brightest citizens from coming to the United States and remaining in our country to contribute to our economy. It makes no sense to educate the world's future innovators and entrepreneurs only to ultimately force them to leave our country at the moment they are most able to contribute to our economy."
While there is seemingly wide-spread agreement on the issues of high-skilled immigration reform, the issue has been contentious in the past. As recently as November 2012, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) brought a high-skilled immigration reform bill, H.R. 6429, the STEM jobs bill, to the floor of the House which would guarantee a foreign born student a green card if they graduated with a doctorate from an accredited university with a degree in a STEM field. While the bill passed 245-139, it did so mostly along party lines, and was never taken up by the Senate.
High-skilled immigration reform is just one issue that must be discussed in the overall package of immigration reform along with much more divisive issues such as border security, pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and employment verification. SEMI will continue to work through its public policy team in Washington, D.C. to stress the need for high-skilled immigration reform as the debate evolves in Capitol.
If you have any questions regarding this or any other public policy issues, please contact Jamie Girard, senior director, public policy at 202-289-0440 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.
February 5, 2013


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Catholicism Series A series of one-hour DVD presentations on Catholicism, followed by discussion facilitated by Sister Martha Burbulla, CCW, will be held at St. Stephen Catholic Church in the social hall. The sessions will be held Mondays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, at two different times. They are scheduled for the morning from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and in the evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Participants may attend either session. Father Robert Barron, a priest and seminary profession from Chicago, is the author and host of this pilgrimage to fascinating spiritual places of faith throughout the world. He arranged with photographers to record the journey and scripted presentation that took about five years to produce 10 episodes. Sister Martha plans to hold five sessions in October and five in the spring. Catholics who wish to learn more about their faith, persons who are interested in Catholicism or those who are just curious are welcome. There is no charge. More information may be obtained by calling 717-485-0661.
Revival Revival services will be held October 14-21 at Fort Littleton Bible Church. Sunday service will be at 10:30 a.m. and nightly services at 7 p.m. with Rev. William White and Rev. Ken Ali.
Contemporary Worship Contemporary worship service will be held at St. Paul's United Church of Christ Sunday, October 7, at 11 a.m. Informal service with live modern music and children's message. Nursery provided. St. Paul's is located at 228 North Second Street in McConnellsburg. Call 717 485-5554 or visit our Web site www.uccmccbg.weebly.com for more information.
Revival Revival services will be held September 30 thru October 7 at Fort Littleton Bible Church. Sunday services will be at 10:30 a.m. and weekly services at 7 p.m. with Rev. William White and Rev. Ken Ali. All are welcome.
Tonoloway Primitive Baptist Church Annual Fall Service The Friends of Tonoloway will hold their annual fall service October 7 at historic Tonoloway Primitive Baptist Church in Thompson Township, Fulton County. The 2 p.m. service will include an inspirational message by Rev. David E. Ford of the First Baptist Church of Three Springs, Three Springs, Pa.; a cappella chorale singing by the Sharon Singers, a choir of students from the Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute, Harrisonville, Pa.; and congregational hymns. Refreshments will be served in the churchyard following the service. Established in 1752, Tonoloway is Fulton County's oldest church and is located on Thompson Road (state Route 655) two miles north of Hancock, Md. Friends of Tonoloway is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tonoloway Primitive Baptist Church.
Fall Foliage Hike Fulton County Parks and Recreation will sponsor a fall foliage hike Sunday, October 14, at 2 p.m. The hike will start at Cowans Gap, go up to the overlook, continue on to the Knobsville overlook, then return to the lake. DCNR's Shawn Lynn will guide the approximately 3-mile, 2- to 2 1/2-hour hike over gradual mountain terrain. Meet at the parking area at the end of the lake by Pavilion #4 and the large group camping area. The hike will feature the beautiful views of the fall colors. Water provided. Please call 717-485 6767, Ext. 205 or 717-377-5882 more information.
Trunk or Treat Knobsville United Methodist Church will hold a trunk or treat Saturday, October 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the church parking lot. Children will receive candy, hot dogs and other snacks. There is no charge and everyone invited to attend. The church is located on Waterfall Road.
Open Stage Hustontown Volunteer Fire Co. will hold an open stage Saturday, September 22, at 6 p.m. Kitchen opens at 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Senior Social Night On September 28 the Warfordsburg Senior Center will hold a Western theme for social night for folks over 60. Bring a covered dish and meat is furnished. Come dressed in Western attire and enjoy the music with Barb and Forrest. Meal will be at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call 717-294-6020.
Rug-Hooking Class Fulton County Parks and Rec is hosting a 3-week rug-hooking class on Monday nights starting September 24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Community State Bank meeting room in McConnellsburg. The class is structured to first-timers and instructed by Jackie Kelso. Cost for the class is $68, which includes both instruction and a pumpkin rug kit ($38). Participants will need a 10" embroidery hoop. Please call to register 717-485-6767 Ext. 205.
Quilting Class Fulton County Parks and Rec will be hosting a 6-week basic quilting class starting mid-January 2013. The class is structured for first-timers and will focus on the log cabin pattern. Instruction will be provided by Jackie Kelso. Please watch for more details. To register, call 717-485-6767 Ext. 205.
Teen Night Teen night will be held at McConnellsburg library, Friday, Sept 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. All teens welcome. Wii, board games, craft, movies, books, and music available. Enter through community room door.
Yoga Classes Reaching Wellness yoga classes will be held for all ages every Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., at Community State Bank. Call for cost and to register at 717-485- 4492.
Community Wellness/Silver Sneakers/Prime Community Wellness/Silver Sneakers/Prime will be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Fulton County Medical Center cardiopulmonary rehab gym. The cost is based on insurance. Call Kim or Patti at 717-485- 6149 to see if insurance provider is accepted. Community Wellness is $40/month/person or $70/month/couple.
Free Breakfast A free community sausage, pancake and egg breakfast will be held Saturday, September 22, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at Knobsville United Methodist Church. Menu will be pancakes, sausage, eggs, sausage gravy, and beverages. There is no charge for the breakfast, but donations will be accepted. The church is located on Waterfall Road.
FR/ Hustontown Alumni Banquet The Hustontown/ Forbes Road Alumni banquet will be held October 6 at Hustontown Firehall. Doors open at 4 p.m. for those who want to come early and visit with friends. The meal will be served at 6 p.m. A donation of $9 will be collected for each person attending. Everyone who has graduated from either Hustontown High School or Forbes Road High School is invited to attend the banquet. A special invitation is extended to the classes of 1932, 1942, 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012. Make checks payable to Hustontown-Forbes Road Alumni Assoc. Send to Sarah Shaw, PO Box 446, Hustontown, PA 17229. Reservations must be made by September 21, 2012. Please put year of graduation on the check. More information may be obtained by calling 717-987-3327.
Chicken and Barbeque Knobsville United Methodist Church will hold a chicken barbecue Saturday, October 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meals are $10 and include half a chicken, baked potato, baked beans, macaroni salad, applesauce and beverage. Also half a chicken with no sides is also available for $7. Eat-in or takeout. Baked goods also available. Chicken prepared by Marty Smith's BBQ. For advance tickets contact any member or call 987-3215. The church is located on Waterfall Road.
Republican Fall Dinner The Fulton County Republican Committee will hold its annual fall dinner Friday, October 12, at 6 p.m., at Hustontown Firehall. Adult tickets are $12 and tickets for children between ages 6 and 10 are $6. Children five and under eat for free. Please contact a committee member to obtain a ticket.
Cancer Benefit Luncheon The fourth annual Fight Like A Girl cancer benefit luncheon will be held October 6, at Calvary Baptist Church Life Center. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and program starts at 11 a.m. A catered lunch will be served. Silent auction items and raffles will be available to raise funds for two local persons with their struggles. This year's recipients are Dave Welsh and Joan Houck. Tickets are $15 each or $75 for a table (6 seats). Door tickets will be limited so reserve seats now. Anyone wishing to donate an auction item or be a sponsor for this event please contact us. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Deb Toothman at 717-485-3718; Jill Stains at 372-3764; Linda Litton at 294-3861 or pickup tickets during working hours at Schall and Bard Law Office.
Chili Cook-off Warfordsburg Presbyterian Church Outreach/ Fellowship Committee is having its first annual Chili Cook-off on Saturday, October 6, 2012. The contest will run from noon to 4 p.m. and will be held at 12941 Buck Valley Road in Warfordsburg. Live entertainment will be provided by Kristin Palmer -n- the Holler from 1-3 p.m. Berkeley Radio Station WDHC 93.5 will be broadcasting from 12-2 p.m. Door prizes will be drawn all day. No admission fee. Donations will be accepted. Come taste and then vote for your favorite chili.
Democratic Dinner The fall Democratic dinner will be held Friday, September 21, at 6:30 p.m., at Hustontown Firehall. (Note the Friday date instead of Saturday). Tickets available at the door or from any committee member.
Free Meal A free meal will be served the second Tuesday of each month at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 220 North Third Street. Please join in for good fellowship.
Everetts Reunion The descendants of Jackson and Alice Everetts will hold a reunion Sunday, September 30, at 1 p.m., at Two Top Ruritan Club. Place settings will be provided. Bring a covered dish and a gift for bingo. More information may be obtained by calling 485-5908.
MHS Class Of 1972 Reunion McConnellsburg High School Class of 1972 will hold its 40th class reunion Saturday, October 6, at Ryans Steakhouse in Hagerstown from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Please call Dixie at 717-485-3334 or 717-860-4515 by October 2.
FFA Recycling Fundraiser A FFA recycling fundraising event to Benefit for Cody Trail will be held September 29. R&D Recycling, located at 27438 Great Cove Road, Mc- Connellsburg, will purchase recyclables and donate additional funds to support FFA member Cody Trail, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Items include aluminum, copper, brass, lead, stainless steel, batteries, electric motors, cordless tools, generators, starters, radiators, etc. Any questions, call 717-860-4515.
Musical Instruments Wanted Southern Fulton Band Boosters are seeking donations of new or used musical instruments for use by beginning band students. Instruments should be in working, playable condition. Instruments or donations for instruments can be dropped off at Southern Fulton High School office. For further information, e-mail email@example.com or leave a phone message at 717- 294-2203.
Free Coats Fulton County Catholic Mission will have free gently used coats and some new children's coats available Wednesday, October 10, beginning at 9 a.m., at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Further information may be obtained by calling 485-5917.
Carwash A teen carwash will be held Saturday, September 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Car Quest Auto Parts (formerly Thomas Chevrolet). Carwash donations will fund teen activities at the Fulton County Library.
CROP Walk Help fight hunger ad poverty all over the world by joining the 29th annual Fulton County CROP Walk. This year's event will be held at Cowans Gap State Park Sunday, October 7, at 2 p.m. More information may be obtained by callng Patty Hall at 814-599-7756. Daisy Girl Scout Membership Daisy Girl Scout member- ships for the southern Fulton area are being taken now through September 21. Daisies is for girls in kindergarten and first grade. For more information, please call Amanda Shives at 717-504-3372 or e-mail email@example.com.
FFFF Vendors Wanted Vendors are wanted for the Waterfall Fall Folk Festival Saturday, October 20, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. If interested in setting up, please contact Jane at 814-685- 3236 by October 1.
FFFF Fashion Show Not too soon to get your outfit for the Second-time Around Fashion Show in Waterfall, October 20, on the Knepper's Mill porch at 1 p.m. Anyone can enter. Complete outfit must come from Second Time Around. Come in now before everything is picked over to get an outfit at no charge and to keep after the contest.
Library Movie Fulton County Library will show the movie "What To Expect When You're Expecting" (rated PG-13) September 21. The movie starts at 6:10 p.m. in the library's community room. Do you have a baby on the way? After the movie, meet with staff from the Fulton County Center for Families to get a better idea of how to prepare.
Benefit A benefit will be held for Tyler Elmes at the American Legion picnic grounds Saturday, September 22, to help cover medical expenses resulting from an accident on Memorial Day 2012. Anyone wishing to make a donation or purchase tickets should contact Kim at 717-552-9157, Carol at 717-491- 7644 or Whitney at 301-331-1385.
Garden Club Meeting North End Garden Club will meet Tuesday, September 25, at noon, at Greenhill Sewing Club. Fall centerpieces will be made. New members and visitors welcome. More information may be obtained by calling 717-485- 5736.
Sportsmen's League Meeting Fulton County Sportsmen's League will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the stone house at the trout nursery Friday, September 21.
Farm Bureau Meeting The annual meeting of Fulton County Farm Bureau will be October 6, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., at Sideling Hill Fellowship Center, Sidling Hill Christian Church. Additional information may be obtained by calling 717-294- 3414 or 717-573-4582.
Bingo Shade Gap Volunteer Fire Co. will hold bingo every Thursday at the ladies auxiliary building. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Games start at 6:30 p.m.
Basket Bingo Forbes Road Class of 2014 will hold a Longaberger basket bingo October 14 at Hustontown Firehall. Large baskets filled with lots of great stuff, along with refreshments (chicken corn soup, baked goods, barbecues, etc.) and tip jars. Doors open at 11 a.m. and 20+ games of bingo begin at 1 p.m. See any class member or call 717-816-3937 for tickets.
Benefit Basket Bingo A Longaberger basket bingo will be held October 7. Proceeds benefit Pamela Sward who is fighting colon cancer. Doors open at 1 p.m. and bingo begins at 2 p.m. Purchase advance tickets by calling Jessica Small at 717-658-2361 or Heather Peck at 717-977-0206.


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VMware customers are able to achieve numerous cost and performance benefits by using SanDisk solid state drive (SSD) flash storage. Flash storage increases overall system performance while enabling much higher virtual machine (VM) host-to-server ratio because of the inherent I/O (input/output) performance characteristics of SanDisk SSDs. (15 pages)
VMware® virtualization solutions have proven to be invaluable for enterprises running business and mission-critical applications. Today, VMware solutions are key enablers for business agility and flexibility to help enterprises quickly deploy applications to take advantage of new business opportunities and improve efficiencies.
Prior to server virtualization, data centers deployed a single application per server, which led to underutilized servers and the inability to optimize IT resources. Adoption of VMware server virtualization has enabled better utilization of IT resources by pooling storage, memory, and networking to enable applications to leverage the appropriate computing resources when required.
With continued business requirements to maintain application peak performance and the addition of more business and mission-critical applications on virtualized infrastructure, further technological advances are needed to meet IT service-level agreements (SLAs) of application performance, the processing of larger data sets, and real-time access to analytics and file sharing.
SanDisk documents its advances in flash storage performance when used in a virtualized environment with VMware "Swap-to-Host Cache" enablement.
SanDisk solid state drive (SSD) flash storage increases overall system performance while enabling much higher virtual machine (VM) host-to-server ratio because of the inherent I/O (input/output) performance characteristics of SanDisk SSDs.
VMware customers using SanDisk SSDs are able to achieve the following benefits:
Overcommitting memory—i.e., when the total memory utilized by VMs running on a vSphere host exceeds the physical memory on that host—is a common practice in VMware environments. VMware provides several advanced memory management technologies such as transparent page sharing (TPS), ballooning, compression and memory swapping to manage memory overcommitment. When memory swapping occurs, the impact of swapping is manyfold, unlike physical environments, because many VMs are running on the host. Applications running in each VM will degrade drastically versus in a physical host case, where only one application will suffer.
Overcommitting memory provides opportunity for the VMware administrator to increase VM density and reduce the cost per VM. However, if application SLAs are not met, such a feature will not add much value to the deployment strategy. The silver bullet would be to overcommit memory by adding more VMs as much as possible, yet control application performance degradation such that applications' SLAs are still met. This dual benefit of increased VM density and meeting application SLAs at the same time will improve the total cost of ownership (TCO) and return on investment (ROI) in a virtualized environment.
VMware vSphere's swap-to-host cache feature can help address this need. Using SanDisk SSDs as a memory swapping area for all these VMs will make sure that memory swapping is fast enough not to severely impact the application performance, and help increase VM density.
When memory utilization exceeds the available capacity in a given VMware host, it extends the memory to the drive (spinning media, hard-disk drive (HDD) or flash media, solid-state drive (SSD)) and helps manage the memory pressure. This memory pressure is typically managed by advanced memory management technique such as TPS, ballooning, compression and swap-to-host cache. The first three techniques try to manage when the pressure is building up, but once the available limit is exceeded, swap-to-host cache is the only way to manage it.
Swap-to-host cache can be configured only to a SSD. It can be configured either as a dedicated drive or as part of it. It is important to understand that partial assignment of a SSD has a great benefit. As overcommitment occurs, VMs not only suffer from memory pressure but there could be occasions when it might observe drive delay (latency) and running the VMs on SSDs will further improve VM performance. Partial assignment of drives not only helps address the overcommitment but allows the VM to run on the same SSD, enabling both purposes and helping reduce cost.
Enterprises can greatly benefit by introducing SSDs and adopting the right deployment scenario. Based on the application workload (mixed-use, read-intensive, or write-intensive) the correct workloadoptimized SSD can be chosen. The same SSD can act as swap-to-host cache as mentioned above.
SanDisk offers a complete portfolio of SSD solutions for various workloads, endurance levels and storage interfaces such as SAS, SATA, PCIe and DIMM. Enterprises can choose from a wide range of available SSD products to address a particular data center need.
For the SSD used in this test, we selected our Optimus Ascend™ SAS SSD which is designed for typical mixeduse application workloads. Through a combination of unique and innovative IP, and the use of enterprise Multi-Level Cell (eMLC) flash, SanDisk's newest generation of 19nm SSDs feature a native SAS 6Gb/s interface, outstanding performance metrics, and a comprehensive set of high-end features making them ideal to integrate with existing infrastructure for a wide variety of enterprise environments such as servers, external storage arrays, and storage area networks (SAN) where performance and high-availability are required.
Figure 1: VMware swap-to-host cache vs. traditional HDD swap
In the above figure we can see how swap-to-host cache can be carved out from a VMware storage volume and reap the benefit of the SSD. Though in either case, VM and its swap file can reside together in the same volume, application performance is significantly reduced when it is configured in the traditional way. The following section will show the results of the tests carried out.
The testing was carried out at the SanDisk Technical Marketing lab. There are many workloads, and multiple possibilities exist to create a memory overcommitment scenario, with the scenario being completely dependent on an individual workload. From a deployment perspective, the user needs to test the application, and based on its behavior, application performance under memory overcommitment will vary.
For our tests, we used the DVD-store SQL v2.1 workload, online E-commerce load generator tool. We installed an SQL server and configured the default instance of the database in each VM. Each VM was also running an individual DVD-store workload driver.
A 20GB SQL database data file was created in each VM and the load driver ran the workload on it for a 20 minute duration to gather the operation-per-minute (OPM) value.
We ran Memtest ISO VM to saturate ESXi host memory so that the DVD store VM starves for memory and can therefore generate the need for swapping. We reserved the Memtest ISO VM memory so that swapping (memory overcommitment) occured only in the DVD-store VMs. Memtest ISO VM is the key for saturating the memory of the host. The host memory was 128GB and creating a lot of VMs to saturate the host memory is a longer testing process. So we created a large size of Memtest ISO VM and 2-3 VMs where the actual workload was running. We created each DVD Store VM of memory size as 8GB. We observed that when the Memtest ISO VM is configured to run at 113GB, swapping starts in the host with two DVD-store VMs. We changed the Memtest ISO VM memory size to increase the swapping pressure on the DVD-store VMs and measured the impact. Later we added a third DVD-store VM of 8GB size and measured the incremental impact on increased VM density and swapping.
The overcommitment range was chosen based on a VMware study (please refer to the Resources section for details VMware Customer Study on Memory Overcommitment). As pointed out in the study, the performance impact is roughly a 1x to 3x memory overcommitment level which is typically used by VMware customers. We used this information and designed our experiments around these parameters.
Memory overcommitment was calculated by the following formula: Memory overcommitment = Σ VM Memory ESXi Host Memory – vSphere Overhead – ΣVM Overhead
VMware's Memstat utility was used to capture the swapping of data and the esxtop utility was used for monitoring the CPU, memory, drive and network utilization while the workload was running in the VM.
Following section discusses the test results in detail for different configurations.
Test Result One
In this instance we configured the Memtest ISO VM as 113GB, 118GB and 121GB. Two of the DVD store VMs were configured with 8GB RAM.
Figure 2: Operation per minute (OPM) with minimal (1.24x) memory overcommitment
Figure 2 shows how the OPM value was impacted during the test run. In this test the Memtest ISO VM was configured to run at 113GB and two of the DVD-store VMs were configured at 8GB each and were running the DVD store workload. As we can see, OPM started at the same level when the test began, and as memory overcommitment kicked in, the OPM value started falling from its value when there was no memory pressure. It is worth noting here that with a small amount of overcommitment, the SSD and HDDs swapping results in a similar amount of impact.
Let's discuss how we have calculated the memory overcommitment ratio. In the above test:
Size of each VM = 8GB (Unreserved)
Size of Memtest ISO VM = 113GB (Reserved)
Memory overcommitment = 16 / (128 – 113 – 2.1) = 1.4
vSphere overhead and VM overhead were obtained from the VMware utility esxtop during the test run. This variable differed in each run. For the remaining test run, we used the same methodology to calculate the overcommitment value.
Figure 3: Operation per minute (OPM) with considerable (2.0x) overcommitment
In Figure 3, we increased the memory of Memtest ISO VM to 118GB to further increase the memory pressure. Here we can see that the OPM value started falling much earlier and the swapping configured with a HDD started falling more than a SSD configured with swap-to-host cache.
Figure 4: Operation per minute (OPM) with significant (3.4x) overcommitment
In Figure 4, Memtest ISO VM was pushed up to 121GB. This can be considered as significant overcommitment. As we can see, swapping on HDDs failed to keep the pressure at all. Though SSD swap-tohost cache fell considerably, it still managed to have a much higher OPM value than swapping HDDs.
Figure 5: Operation per minute (OPM) at different memory overcommitment
In Figure 5, we have shown the bar chart comparison of OPM at different levels of memory overcommitment. With the increase of memory pressure, the OPM value falls. The OPM dramatically decreases when swapping occurs on the HDD in comparison to the higher OPM that occurs on the SSD in addressing the memory pressure.
Figure 6: Total amount of memory swap during test run
Figure 6 shows the amount of memory swapped from an all-DVD-store VM during the test run. Please note that this swapping was only from the DVD-store VM as the Memtest-ISO VM was reserved with the memory and no swapping occurred from it. We captured this using the Memstat command and saw that swapping was always zero for the Memtest ISO VM.
Test Result Two
In these tests, we configured the Memtest ISO VM as 113GB and 118GB. Three of the DVD-store VMs were configured with 8GB RAM. The objective of this test was to see the impact when an additional VM was running in the host. This was to test whether an additional VM causes increased degradation or if it could maintain the OPM value when memory pressure increased. This way we could get a feeling of VM density impact on memory pressure. In this test, we ran only two combinations with Memtest ISO VM as 113GB and the other test at 118GB. The reason for not running the 121GB was that we saw the overcommitment level going way beyond the 3x range, which we wanted to restrict based on the VMware customer study of memory overcommitment.
Figure 7: Operation per minute (OPM) at different memory overcommitment
In Figure 7, we saw similar behavior as Test Results One and we observed that increasing the VM density did not impact the OPM value significantly. We have described this observation in detail in the next section, Test Result Observations.
Figure 8: Total amount of memory swap during test run
In Figure 8, we captured the swapping using Memstat, as we had for Test Result One. We again made sure—by analyzing the Memtest capture—that no swapping occurred in the Memtest-ISO VM and that all swapping was from the DVD-store VM.
As shown above, we ran different combinations of tests to validate the swapping impact. One thing is clear: the swap-to-host cache using SSDs can manage the memory pressure extremely well as the memory pressure increases. Though application performance reduction in HDDs vs. SSDs during the start of overcommitment was minimal, it increased dramatically once overcommitment increased, and at some point the HDDs completely failed to maintain the pressure.
Many benefits were seen from the swap-to-host cache, but we will focus on two main areas.
Application SLA
If we look at Figures 5 and 7, we can see OPM values at different overcommitment levels. The results show that with the increase in VM density, the OPM was not impacted when swapping occurred.
For example, if we look at Figures 5 and 7, the following table is derived from them:
|No. of VMs
|Total OPM – Swap on SSD
|Memory Overcommitment
|Per VM OPM (approx.)
We observed that at 2x memory overcommitment, the OPM value was the same. Though it was difficult to create the same memory pressure during testing for Figure 7, we conditioned the data between two data points of 1.5x and 3.4x. There could be little deviation from the actual but it definitely could be seen that allowing memory overcommitment increased VM density and the overall application SLA could be maintained.
Also if we look at the VMware study, we can see that average overcommitment is in the range of 1.8. It signifies that customers are packing more VMs in a host and maintaining the overall application SLA. The study proves this point very well, that memory overcommitment provides significant benefits towards meeting application SLAs.
VM Density Increments
From an application SLA observation, it's been seen that VM density can be increased without impacting overall SLA. This shows that for clustered environments more VMs can be accommodated in a single host, thus reducing server hardware.
Typically, a server to VM ratio in a deployment is 1:8 to 1:10. This is a relative number and may vary. From our study, if the overall application SLA can be maintained in a memory overcommitment scenario— by increasing the number of VMs—we increased the consolidation ratio and thus reduced the overall number of servers needed as well as reducing the cost.
To illustrate this further we expanded the study mathematically from an application SLA where we saw VM density did not impact the overall OPM (application SLA) much. As mentioned in our testing process, it is tedious to execute real tests with many VMs running and we were restricted to a few VMs. The graph below shows the theoretical extrapolation from the given results in 2x overcommitment level.
In Figure 5, if we look at the 2x overcommitment numbers, we can see the approximate OPM for each VM.
|Overcommitment Level
|OPM for SSD Swap (each VM)
|OPM for HDD Swap (each VM)
For simplicity, let us ignore the memory overhead and use the following formula to calculate the total number of VMs which can be accommodated in each host during overcommitment.
Memory overcommitment =
Σ VM Memory
ESXi Host Memory
In our case, host memory = 128GB
Memory of each VM = 8GB
Total number of VMs in each host when 2x overcommitment allowed = 32 VMs
|Total OPM – Swap in HDD
|Total OPM – Swap in SSD
|One Host
|Three Hosts
|Four Hosts
As you can see in the above table, with the addition of one SSD as swap space, we could achieve the similar amount of OPM with a reduced number of hosts.
Figure 9 below shows the extrapolated result of our tests where we show that with 2x memory overcommitment, we could get equal OPM with three hosts when SSDs are used as swap space.
Figure 9: Total amount of memory swap during test run
It can be observed that if there is a clustered environment and many ESXi hosts are running the same workload (what we have tested) in each and every VM, with 2x overcommitment we could achieve the same overall OPM in three hosts instead of four.
In actual deployment, this will vary a bit. Individual VMs will be running different applications and overcommitment will vary based on many factors, such as the number of VMs, memory size and utilization in each VM, VM memory reservation, size of VMware host memory, host memory overhead, type of workload, VM memory overhead, etc. But one thing is clear; there is a definite benefit when SSDs are used for swapping in the VMware host.
In the above diagram, we have considered uniform workloads across each VM. It can be seen that a benefit of 25% can be achieved by reducing from four to three hosts. By allowing overcommitment to a considerable level (2x) practiced by enterprises as per the study, but considering the factors mentioned above, we can definitely expect a benefit of 10-15% with this feature when a varied workload is in use with different parameters.
The tables below describe the test bed used for the testing.
ESXi Host and Storage Configuration
|Dell® 300GB 10K RPM HDD for VM provisioning
Table 1: ESXi Host Hardware
|Software Installed
Table 2: Software installed for swap-to-host cache testing
The testing suggests that enterprises are able to adopt an SSD solution for swapping and achieve their overall application performance requirements. VMware swap-to-host cache is an important feature which helps applications run in a better state during swapping. This benefit can only be achieved because of SSDs. Without them, the additional value is not realized.
Though we chose to run a particular workload and demonstrate the benefits of SSDs, this can be extended to other workloads (similar or different nature) as long as overcommitment is allowed based on VMware study.
We saw that VM density can be increased and overall application SLA can be achieved by allowing swapping in the SSD.
Ideally, an all-flash storage solution can address HDD issues but it is considered to be expensive. Swapto- host cache is an opportunity to understand and realize the true benefits of SSDs. Implementing such features can help enterprises adopt more flash-based solutions and pave the way for embracing an allflash storage infrastructure in a phased manner.


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With VirtualWisdom in our environment we were able to tune and optimize overall SAN performance and improve IO response time by 50%.
The Virtual Instruments App-centric IPM Solution
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Visualize and assess the infrastructure in the context of the applications being supported. Characterize dynamic workload behavior in real-time and at high fidelity.
VirtualWisdom Applied Analytics correlates and analyzes wire and machine data in the context of the application to help you proactively find and resolve performance problems and optimize utilization without your users even knowing.
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When changes or upgrades are required, you need to know whether they will improve or negatively impact performance. With Load DynamiX Enterprise, you can test and validate performance in a pre-production environment before going live.


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Skip to comments.Iranian Alert - July 27, 2005 - A Tipping Point for Tehran - WSJ
Posted on 07/27/2005 11:26:07 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
A Tipping Point for TehranAn Excerpt
Nir Boms and Reza Bulorchi, The Wall Street Journal:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's "elected" president, will officially assume his post next month. The elections, no doubt, were a sham and the controversy about voting irregularities is far from settled. Iran's opposition sources revealed that the national ID cards of about five million dead people were provided to regime supporters, enabling them to vote multiple times at multiple locations.
So Mr. Ahmadinejad's victory had little to do with the fact that he campaigned as the "populist" son of a blacksmith and hoisted the flag of class warfare against the "wretched rich and corrupt." Instead, his victory can be attributed solely to his loyalty to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) top brass. A former commander of the Qods (Jerusalem) Force in the IRGC -- tasked with the planning and execution of terrorist plots and assassinations abroad -- Mr. Ahmadinejad was catapulted to the presidency by Iran's ultraconservative faction. READ MORE
- Karen Matusic, Dow Jones Newswires reported the Senate approved legislation that strengthens penalties against U.S. companies doing business with countries deemed "terrorist states."
- The Student Movement Coordinating Committee for Democracy in Iran's website's news section appears to be up and running.
- David R. Sands, The Washington Times reported that Iran and China are united in part by their shared distrust of U.S. power and have struck a profitable and growing alliance.
- Iran Focus an MEK website, claimed it had seen secret documents showing that Iran was secretly buying European-made sophisticated nuclear parts via South Korea.
- Michael Ledeen, National Review reported that the centrality of Iran in the terror network is the dirty secret that most everyone knows, but will not pronounce.
- Reuters reported that three Iranian policemen have died fighting Kurdish insurgents.
- Reuters reported that Iran will resume some key work on its nuclear fuel cycle regardless of what European diplomats might propose.
- Yahoo News reported that Canadian Tories are calling on Prime Minister Paul Martin's government to take a harder line with Iran.
- Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that the US Senate will soon consider new legislation that would commit America to ending tyranny the world over.
- Eli Lake, Iran Scan responds to Hoder's unbelievable post which argues that Bush wants Ganji dead. Eli said, your last post is a lie on behalf of Ganjis jailors.
- DozaMe.org reported that a Kurdish man was killed when Iranian soldiers opened fire on demonstrators on July 25 in the city of [Oshonoieh] in northwestern Iran.
- And finally, The Media Line reported that the spiritual guide of Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad, Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi Mu'sbah Yazdi, has recruited suicide bombers through an Iranian newspaper.
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin
"Iran's opposition sources revealed that the national ID cards of about five million dead people were provided to regime supporters, enabling them to vote multiple times at multiple locations."
Kind of like the democrats, here in the US.
[[Khatami cried and never lied]]
Gov't Spokesman: President Khatami tolerated injustice, too often
Yazd, July 28, IRNA
Gov't Spokesman-Khatami-Injustice
Government Spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said here Wednesday evening, "Many people observed injustice in treating Khatami and I was many times witness to dropping of tears from his eyes after hearing undeserved sarcastic mock." Speaking at a farewell ceremony organized for President Khatami at hometown, He said, "Khatami permitted his critics to criticize him freely throughout his tenure and did not file complaints against anybody, holding tight to his belief that the more he would be criticized the better he would perform his duties." He reiterated, "He is seen off today as a beloved personality for the whole Iranian nation, leaving the seat of power willfully and calmly." Ramezanzadeh added, "The president's personality remained unchanged throughout the past eight years, even though he tolerated unprecedented hardships and observed exemplary patience so that the people would remain at peace of mind as far as he could help." The government spokesman said, "The president decided never to tell lies to the nation and he never did so; he decided never to take a step against Iran's national interests, and he never did so; and he decided to employ all facilities within his command and all his own power at the service of the Iranian nation, and he did so." He added, "All the same, whatever he did was presented to the nation quite contrary to their real nature." Ramezanzadeh said, "They accused him of totally abandoning concerns about the people's economic problems, but as you know Iran's economy has never been growing as rapidly as during his government throughout this country's history." He added, "During the first years of President Khatami's government the Iranian farmers produced 5.5 million tons of wheat annually and the government paid 550 rials per kilo to them, while today they are producing 13.5 million tons of wheat and selling it to the government at 1,870 rials per kilo." The government spokesman referred to the services offered to various economic sectors by the government, particularly to those wishing to make investments in industrial sector, and such infrastructure projects as gas and oil, particularly the South Pars Gas Field.
He added, "The latter mammoth project was clicked during President Khatami's tenure, and ended in the same era and now each of its sections generate three million dollars income for the country per day." He reiterated, "Up to the year 2003 the government had created 650,000 new jobs in the country and in the following two years, too on the average 450 to 500 thousand new jobs were created." Ramezanzadeh said, "We now have relations with all countries in the world except for one country, and we are proud that Iran's name is now established at international scene as the standard bearer of peace." He reiterated, "We have trade ties with 187 countries in the world today and for the first time in past fifty years our agriculture sector has a positive trade balance in favor of exports." Ramezanzadeh reiterated, "Ten infrastructure gas and oil projects are underway currently, whose income would equal the country's current income from oil sales today once they would become operational in near future." He said, "The country's Hard Currency Saving Fund, too would have $25 billion in it by the end of the current (Iranian) year (March 20, 2006)." Pointing out that The Central Bank of Iran has saved the maximum possible amount of cash for the next government compared to all previous governments' heritage for their successors, he said, "We are delivering a safe and secure country with all its facilities and capabilities to the brothers who are about to take charge of its affairs." He added, "In President Khatami's government more managers and elites were trained for the country than in any previous government." Yazd Governor General Hamid Kalantari, too said at the ceremony that President Khatami's services to the Iranians would never be forgotten in the history of this country as he was the manifestation piety, devotion, kindness, thoughtfulness, farsightedness, being logical, seeking independence, loving freedom and heeding the youth's demands throughout his eight years at the office.'
"Also last week Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam, a top general of the IRGC and the No. 2 in the IRGC-run paramilitary Bassij Force -- the shock troops primarily deployed to crackdown on protesters -- was appointed as Iran's new police chief. The appointment of Mr. Moghaddam, who once said "a country where liberal ideas rule will get nowhere," brings Iran's regular police force under the domination of the IRGC and signals a growing readiness to rein in social and political dissent."
The police weren't dependable anymore in controlling the protesters so they bring in a general.
That says a lot.
Supreme Leader: Women's Day best opportunity to examine their status
July 27, 2005 (IRNA)
Iran-Supreme Leader
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei here Wednesday said that naming the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh (SA) as Woman's and Mother's Day provides the opportunity to examine their high status in Islam.
Speaking at a ceremony marking Woman's Day, the Supreme Leader referred to the misunderstandings in this respect and reiterated the need for recalling the true value of women and the respect they deserve in Islam.
The auspicious birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) daughter, Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA), and that of the founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, was celebrated in a ceremony on Wednesday morning.
During the ceremony, which was attended by a number of lovers of the infallible household of Prophet Mohammad (PBUP), selected panegyrists and poets eulogized the holy lady of Islam (Fatemeh SA).
Turning to the sensitive, lasting, delicate and effective role of women in the human history, Ayatollah Khamenei accused the Western civilization of either treachery against women and undermining their genuine status in the course of history, within the community and family or totally ignoring them under the pretext of supporting them.
"Thus by overlooking their true rights, the family as the foundation of the community is undermined, which in turn endangers the future generations and eventually results in the collapse of civilization," added the Supreme Leader.
"The respect paid to women's role in family by Islam does not at all mean that they are denied their rights for participating in social activities.
"However, this is misinterpreted by some people who assume that according to Islam, women should either be good mothers and wives or take part in social activities.
"But Fatemeh (SA) was not only the symbol of an exemplary wife and mother, but was at the same time quite actively involved in social affairs," said Ayatollah Khamenei.
ha! I was looking for our older thread to post to you the exact info you already posted above.
God help out Iranian friends after this monster takes over.
He is known as smiling mullah
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (1919-1980)
Jul 27, 2005
Darius Ryan, Switzerland
Persian Journal
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980), A retrospective on his reign on the occasion of the twenty fifth anniversary of his death.
They revere you in fortune
And trample you in defeat
25 years ago this summer, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi the Shah of Iran was dying in Cairo. Egypt's President Sadat had offered him his last refuge and helped him escape from a perilous exile in Panama. There, the fate of the ailing monarch had hung in the balance for several weeks as shadowy contacts between Panama's strongman, General Torrijos, and emissaries from the Islamic revolution increasingly pointed to a swap deal: the extradition of the shah against the release the 52 American Embassy hostages in Tehran. While the shah's hand-over to Khomeini was at no time contemplated by President Carter, his administration had been drawn into an eerie gambit in Panama of which the endplay was unknown . The Shah's succumbing to cancer on 27July, 1980 must have brought a sigh of relief in Washington as indeed in many other Capitals burdened by the past courtship of the Iranian monarch.
Two decades and many sorry events after, some of the intricacies of the shah's personality and rule still beg scholarly probe. The majority of Iran's population has been born after the shah's demise. His image in their mind, as indeed in the minds of many casual observers abroad, has been shaped through unrelenting distortions of historical facts. The younger Iranians deserve an unbiased account of these 37 years in its baffling turns and twists and contradictions.
To be sure, a distilled account of these years would not vindicate the Shah. His trampling of the constitution was self-defeating in ways that escaped his political savvy. His authoritarian rule carried the seeds of instability and a backward thrust, the prevention of which had served as an alibi to silence dissent.
Yet, the surfeit of slander after his downfall, just as the panegyric excesses of the earlier years, was largely undeserving. Few leaders in history have been adulated and demonized in such a frivolous manner. A good illustration of hypes comes from two prominent Americans:
On the new-year eve of 1978 -- a few short days before the triggering event of the Islamic revolution -- President Carter stunned the US western allies by calling the Shah his most trusted ally and dialogue partner . Carter's effusive flattery - describing Iran as island of stability - was in opposing symmetry to another hyperbole by Senator Edward Kennedy, who some two years later, in the height of the American Embassy hostage crisis, castigated the Shah for having run "one of the most violent regimes in history of mankind" .
Both remarks were clearly calculated to achieve short- term objectives. Carter had come to Teheran desperate to check the soaring price of the crude oil. Kennedy's remark was timed to optimize the chances of his emissary to Tehran, tasked to obtain from Ayatollah Khomeini a token release of the American hostages. Kennedy, then seeking to snatch the Democratic presidential nomination from the incumbent Carter, had chosen the former US Senator James Abourezk (of Arab extraction) for this unpublicized mission to Tehran .
Where should the line be drawn? In a mixed bag of achievements and flaws the Shah's balance sheet resembles other modernizing states. Many would grade it superior. What tarnished his image most was his record on human rights and political freedoms. A silence of a cemetery had indeed characterized the political arena in Iran during most of the shah's rule. The ubiquitous security agency SAVAK, created in 1957 with the help of the US and Israel, was the instrument of the repression. By the seventies, the suppression had spawned violence as groups, sprung from the edges of the ideological spectrum, resorted to urban guerrilla tactics and acts of terrorism. A vicious circle had set in. The SAVAK blended ruthlessness with incompetence. It was effective in dismantling the clandestine structure of Iran's communist party (Tudeh) but failed to gauge the creeping popular discontent, still less the coming of the fundamentalist bane. When the crunch finally came in 1978, this colossus fell on its clay feet unable to save its master.
But the extent of repression was never close to claims recklessly advanced in some quarters, including by such reputable institutions as Amnesty International . No mass graves trailed the Shah when he finally quit the country on January 1979. No "death caravans" hunted his memory; Teheran produced no equivalent of Buenes Aires's "plaza de Mayo" where "grandmas" gather every Sunday to reclaim news of their missing children. To be sure the military Kangaroo courts were quick to mete out death sentences. But the practice of royal pardon was abundantly resorted to. The sentences were systematically commuted or annulled. Some viewed this practice as a gimmick to earn political capital; be it as it may, few now dispute the fact that the Shah was averse to cruelty. The overall number of executions by the military tribunals, including those occasioned by drug related offenses, were estimate at around 350 cases. Figured among them were some prisoners of conscience including some twenty five ring- leaders of the military wing of the Communist party of Iran. Their crime was to have been mesmerized by the Stalinist Russia. The rest of the six hundred communist officers arrested in nineteen fifties - as indeed the bulk of other political prisoners - were rehabilitated, many were co-opted into the Shah's administration. All in all some 3500 persons were killed in street unrests or by order of military courts during the Shah's reign, between1953 to 1979 . The Geneva based International Committee of Red Cross which visited all Iranian prisons in 1977 put the number of political prisoners at 3200 while some seventy prisoners were declared unaccounted for.
No democrat could condone these figures, moderate though they are in relative terms. This having been said, there is another facet of human rights in the Pahlavi era which has largely been disregarded:
This author grew up in a middle class neighborhood in Tehran of the nineteen fifties. The small alley where his house was located had taken its name after a Jewish doctor who had been the first to construct a house in that vicinage. The alley housed an Assyrian Christian family, several Baha'i families, a Zoroastrian family and of course many Moslem households. No hint of bigotry disturbed the serenity of this cultural mosaic. It would be hypocritical to claim that religious minorities were by law on the same footing as Moslems but intolerance was being discouraged and the system moved progressively towards full equality of rights among citizens.
A previously unknown historical anecdote cited by a US scholar in a recent book best illustrates the point. It concerns the protection of the Iranian Jews living in the occupied Europe during the II World War. According to the author the Iranian Government of the time managed to procure them safe conduct from the authorities of the Third Reich on the false pretence that these citizens, having lived in Iran for over two millenniums, have been assimilated in the Persians (Arian) race .
The status of women is another case in point. Under the Pahlavis the Iranian women were brought to the society's mainstream. The mushrooming institutions of higher learning opened their doors to women. Teachers, doctors, lawyers and administrators were trained and fielded in different walks of life. The right to vote (even if only nominal), to seek divorce and be protected from an abusive husband was - to the dismay of the clerics - written into the law. Today, the Iranian women remain one of the vanguards of resistance to scourges of the fundamentalist rule.
Much of the bravura exhibited by the Shah's administration in the seventies, was in the sphere of economy. The exuberance of the double-digit growth was indeed intoxicating. In 1974 - in the wake of a quantum jump in the oil price-- the Shah dismissed the counsel of prudence by experts and decreed an even faster growth. In his complex psyche, many imperatives drove him to go full blast. One factor was to firm up the throne for the Crown Prince Reza but he was equally concerned with his legacy and place in history. Should he not disproof those detractors who claimed he did not measure up to the towering figure of his father?
But the economic bullishness did not pay off. The country's weak infrastructure buckled under the weight of imports and the rise in the price of oil resulted in lower consumer demand in world markets. As the economy wobbled and Carter's human rights agenda forced the Shah to make liberalization gestures, the tide began to change.
All these were unexpected perks for the disgruntled clerics. The magnetizing effect of the boom had already drawn rural masses to major cities glutting the congregations in mosques. Now the clerics reaped the harvest of discontent, brandishing radical Shiite doctrine both as a challenge and a remedy. The Shah "politics of liberalization" had also created its own sliding spiral. To reverse these trends, the Shah should have but failed to rally the secular Mossadeghist of the National Front to his side. With the hindsight, it is also fair to say that the rigidity of some of the National Front leaders was an error of historical scale.
To what extent the Shah's judgment had been impaired by the secret diagnosis of lymphatic cancer in1974? Such a link is hard to establish all the more so that the Shah had not been told of the exact nature of his ill until the later years. Be it as it may his most serious errors occurred during the ensuing period . It was at thus rime that the Shah decided on one party rule; replaced the Islamic calendar with an ostentatious imperial calendar. The shah had also begun his fanciful flights on "Great Civilization." The new royal megrim had the Iranians believe that within a generation or so Iran will rank among the world's industrial elite.
Had a race against the clock already began for the Shah?
A wild-west climate of profiteering marked these palmy years. Abusive business practices, notably by the Shah's close family and friends, became a hallmark of the laissez-faire policies practiced at overkill scale. The Shah himself could hardly be given a clean bill of health as he brooked corruption in his entourage; yet he was far from the rapacious persona, with a fabulous wealth, which the revolutionary puffery sought to depict.
During the Embassy hostage crisis, the revolutionary authorities kept no stone unturned to find documentary evidence of financial wrong doings by the Shah. This search was aimed, inter- alia, to substantiate claims in the extradition brief submitted to Panama. In March 1980, foreign correspondents scrambled for scoops in the jammed conference hall of the Tehran's Central Bank, where President Bani Sadr was to make the Islamic Republic's legal case against the Shah. Scathing revelations were expected. Yet nothing worth the print could be wired back to editors. The revolutionary authorities had not been able to pin the Shah to any financial irregularity. This was not however the case in respect of some of the Shah's close family members.
When the crunch finally came in 1978, the Shah was unprepared and not up to the challenge. He was quick to shed the awe-inspiring mask of the mighty king and meekly looked for advice. The Anglo American Ambassadors were solicited most; yet their counsel was tentative and vague reflecting indecision and discord with their own chancelleries. Others consulted were an array of retired politicians, social scientists, military leaders and some prominent clerics. Their advice was too contrasting to allow the Shah to overcome his characteristic indecision. In managing the crisis the Shah committed blunders, practicing appeasement from a position of weakness. By the last quarter of 1978, in the face of an astounding quiescence by the Shah, the largely apolitical mass of the urban population swung to insurrectionists rendering the trend irreversible.
But to his credit the Shah skirted a bloodbath. Evidence abounds that on this score he had remained steadfast throughout the crisis period. He repeatedly rejected the get -tough advice proffered not only by some of his generals but coming also from some unlikely quarters in the West .
By the year-end the Shah was ready to unclench the power. Images of his tearful farewell at Mehrabad airport on January 14, 1979 remain hunting memories of a dream turned into a nightmare. In a grisly act, the Shah left behind in detention his loyal and highly refined Prime Minister of 13 years, Amir Abbas Hoveyda. The ex-Premier was summarily executed by the revolution's hanging judge shortly thereafter.
With the Shah's departure, Iran sank into the darkness. A reign of terror, of which he had presciently warned the nation, had set in. The first public act of Khomeini, when he took over the reins of power in February 1979, was to abolish women's right to sit in as a judge in a court of law. That presaged the calamities that were to follow.
Perhaps no ruler in history like the Shah has benefited from a postmortem redemption, due not to any reappraisal of his balance sheet but the misdeeds of those who succeeded him in power. A case study would support a theory - of a sheer academic interest -- that the value accorded to any given regime should be measured in light of its inevitable successor.
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Italians on the Way to Rescue Bam Citadel
Apostles' Skeletons Found in an Iranian Church
Apostles' Skeletons Found in an Azerbaijani Church
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|[scalamodules-dev] Project meta data is out of date for rt.equinox.scalamodules
Heiko, Projects are required to keep meta data up to date using the MyFoundation Portal (http://portal.eclipse.org/). The following problems were found with this project's meta-data: * There is no next/future release of this project. All Eclipse projects must have a "next release" planned and scheduled. * There is no 'projecturl' pointing to the project home page


text: You are here: Home Valley Medical Center Valley Medical Center Publishing Page Content In Right Rail Page Content Our ServicesValley Medical Center (VMC) is a 303-bed acute care hospital and clinic network committed to providing safe, quality, compassionate care for more than 63 years. The oldest and largest public district hospital in the State of Washington, VMC proudly serves over 600,000 residents in South King County. Dedicated to patient safety and improving the overall health of the community, VMC is a thriving medical center and the largest nonprofit healthcare provider between Seattle and Tacoma. VMC is also South King County's only disaster recovery facility and offers advanced emergency care in its Level III Trauma Center. Learn more about VMC's services and specialties at valleymed.org.Maps, Directions, Parking Valley Medical Center's main campus and medical center are located in Renton, WA, near the intersection of I-405 and I-167. VMC neighborhood urgent care, primary care and specialty care clinics are located throughout South King County. Go to Maps and Directions > Awards From a great work environment to exceptional patient care, we're pleased to say Valley Medical Center earns high marks across the board. VMC's joint replacement program was rated #1 in Washington by HealthGrades® four years in a row (2010-2013). Valley Medical Center also earned the "Gold Seal for Stroke" from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines℠ Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award (2012) and the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines℠ Gold Performance Award (2013). Named a "Best Place to Work in Healthcare" in the nation and by Modern Healthcare magazine four out of four years (2008–2011), VMC attracts world-class clinicians through state-of-the- art facilities and technology, an atmosphere of collaborative teamwork and a dedication to medical excellence. See all awards > VMC employees featured at 2012 Service Awards Luncheon. Patient Stories "All I heard was my son's cry as he took his first breath." Misty stopped feeling the baby's movement and went in to see her doctor. She was immediately admitted to Valley Medical Center's Birth Center for an induced delivery. Read more >"Now I don't have limitations." Emily had much at stake when undergoing spine surgery to correct the curvature in her spine. The surgery helped Emily continue as a successful state swim and dive competitor. Read more > More patient stories > Publishing Page Content In Right Rail


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A man and his fiancée noticed two men sneaking around a vacant home in Stockbridge, Georgia on Monday night and police said one of the baddies brought his 4-year-old daughter along for the heist.
The unoccupied home, a prime target for copper and air condition thieves, was across the street from one of the couple's grandparents.
"When I noticed people creeping around the neighborhood and creeping around the house, I knew something suspicious or something was about to go wrong," Chris Anderson told CBS Atlanta.
Soon after, Anderson began honking his horn at the two accused henchmen, 41-year-old Bryan Yearta and 38-year-old Jerry Smith, who got in their car and drove away.
Already on the phone with local authorities, Anderson and his fiancée followed the suspects. Minutes later, Henry County cops reportedly pulled Yearta and Smith over. That's when they saw the child in the backseat, with no car seat or seat belt on. Both were arrested and denied bond, according to CBS.


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Fox's Boyish 'Bit by Bit' Nursery
Name: Fox
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
The initial thing my husband and I agreed on when discussing ideas for our son's nursery was that we didn't want a straight-out-of-the-box "theme" like they sell in large baby stores. So we decided to piece the nursery together bit by bit from different sources. We wanted the room to feel fresh and modern but with vintage touches, and not too "baby-ish".
Our general inspiration was vintage boy scouting/exploring. The room itself is fairly large but oddly shaped so it was a little challenging figuring out what would go in the "nooks". Since our son's name is Fox it was also challenging not to go overboard with the fox theme (there's waaay too much cute fox stuff out there these days!).
We are proud of how the room turned out and love that has potential to grow with our son as he gets older.
Source List:
Thanks, Katie and Mike!
- Rocker, Expedit shelf, crib, and floating shelves: IKEA
- Bookshelf: TargetRug, curtains, floor lamp: Urban Outfitters
- "FOX" letters: Anthropologie
- Dresser: vintage find
- Globe mobile: purchased from Fab.com but can be found here
(Images: Katharine Roberds)


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Sir, thank you for your compliment and links, they are short, simple and very usefulBhikkhu Pesala wrote:
There are ways of deciding what is Dhamma and what is Adhamma.
Four Great References
A Brief Discourse to Gotamī
Eight Thoughts of a Great Man
etc., and of course there is also the Kesamutti Sutta, which is often misquoted and/or misinterpreted.
Whatever you decide, your future happiness depends on it, so take due care, and keep examining your view to see if it is complete. Right view (sammāditthi), doesn't mean only right view as opposed to wrong view (micchā ditthi), it means perfect view — just as Sammāsambuddha means the Perfectly Enlightened Buddha.


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Purchasers in most large Canadian centres can add Land Transfer Taxes to their list of closing costs.
Unless you live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or rural Nova Scotia, land transfer taxes (or property purchase tax) are a basic fact of life. These taxes, levied on properties that are changing hands, are the responsibility of the purchaser. Depending on where you live, taxes can range from a half a per cent to two per cent of the total value of the property.
Many provinces have multi-tiered taxation systems that can prove complicated. If you purchase a property for $260,000 in Ontario, for example, .5 per cent is charged on the first $55,000, 1 per cent is charged on $55,000 - $250,000, while the $250,000 - $400,000 range is taxed at 1.5 per cent. Your total tax bill? $2,375.00.
Trademarks owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license.
The information provided herein must only be used by consumers that have a bona fide interest in the purchase, sale or lease of real estate and may not be used for any commercial purpose or any other purpose.
Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by TREB.
Toronto Real Estate Board - IDX Last Updated: 11/15/2018 1:14:59 PM


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"We need prayers - and more soldiers!" Most of us will never know a situation of social infrastructure collapse that will make us cry out like this on Facebook, our last remaining means of communication with the outside world. A world that has suddenly become terrifyingly exterior to the tragedy that has suddenly closed in and isolated us.
We all know, but understandably prefer to forget, on what a knife-edge life perpetually rests. In a few moments our entire sense of security, the management systems and plans of life, can evaporate and instead of thinking about how we will fit in the dental appointment and the meetings tomorrow we find ourselves looking dizzyingly into an abyss. It took 120 seconds for this to happen to the people of Chile as the tectonic plates groaned and shifted to produce what is now measured as the world's biggest earthquake and soon after ten metre tsunamis hit the coast.
As soon as I heard the news I tried to contact MariaRosa our national coordinator who lives in Concepcion, the country's second largest city and close to the epicentre. Only today she got out a message on FaceBook that is, the nasty pun seems appropriate, chilling.
"This is total chaos - the people have weapons and when it gets dark they loot the houses. Last night our neighbours defended us... our homes, this is horrible, no electricity, no water, no food.
Please pray, during the night we must supervise the streets so that the looters do not enter into our homes. This is worst than the earthquake or the tsunami - it has been terrible. Depending on what happens today and if I manage to get gas, I will go to Santiago with the children."
The only thing worse, it seems, than a natural disaster of these proportions is the breakdown of the humane norms of society which make it worthy to be called civilisation. How easily we assume that civilisation has been achieved. Yet how easily we can become bored with it or lose it to the fears aroused by an over-riding instinct for survival. What terrifies even more than loss of life or limb is the sudden vision of people whom yesterday we passed comfortably in the street consumed today by a violence and cruelty which is not their own and makes them seem such strangers not only to us but to themselves. The rage for survival seems instead to rise from a hidden pre-human hunger for life at any cost, a hunger as deep as the abyss itself. The abyss cannot be blamed on anything outside. It is within ourselves. The survival instinct can drown our capacity for self-giving and compassion and subject all social relations and the needs of others to itself.
But our response to disasters is unpredictable. When, a few years ago, the power-supply in Quebec and parts of the Eastern seaboard crashed for several days in mid-winter, the Canadian government sent in troops and called up the reserves. They expected social chaos but none came. In Montreal I heard of the householders forming street communities sharing their provisions and taking special care of the old and sick. The soldiers sat waiting for a breakdown which common humanity averted. It is not, of course, that Canadians are better than Chileans and I am sure we will hear of heroic and selfless actions there that will more than compensate for the looters and vandals in Concepcion. The point is not a national league table of virtue. We know from the twelve years of Nazi barbarism, the Allied bombing of Dresden or a few decades later from the three year siege of Sarajevo and Srebenica that the abyss can open anywhere, as unpredictably as the natural disasters we dread. This human randomness only makes the knife edge seem sharper.
"Thank you", MariaRosa wrote before her battery gave out. "I have been holding up only because I can feel we are united in our prayer. Love to you all." Prayer to some may seem just a psychological prop, a crutch when crisis has swept away all security. But for others it is a real force. Not magic that can rejig the earth's plates or roll back the tsunami. But a consciousness, pervaded by faith, the "vision of things unseen". This awareness often becomes stronger in times of crisis than in the days of our routine securities and mundane complexities and stresses. Prayer means knowledge. In the worst of times we can know that - despite the terror of isolation - we belong to a divine order that the deepest abyss cannot swallow. From this knowledge the word 'love' unexpectedly emerges. It expresses something we can find no better word for and which is now charged with a meaning that changes the meaning of everything.
Laurence Freeman OSB
Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto and also Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation (www.wccm.org)


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Win Streak at Five as Skyforce Sweep East Coast Trip
Respect the orange is a phrase bandied about in basketball parlance. It means take care of the ball. As the Sioux Falls Skyforce beat the Springfield Armor 112-94 at MassMutual Center on Saturday night, the two teams combined for 34 turnovers.
As the home team coughed it up, the visitors pounced as the Armor's 25 miscues led to numerous fast breaks for Sioux Falls (8-2) in pushing the win streak to 5 games. Benefiting the most by scoring or snatching were DeAndre Liggins (20 points), Charlie Westbrook (20 points), Justin Hamilton (16 points, 4 steals) and Larry Drew II (13 points, 5 steals).
Springfield (1-9) had the luxury of using 12 players after the Brooklyn Nets assigned Tornike Shengelia (11 points) and Tyshawn Taylor (15 points) to their NBA affiliate prior to the game. Willie Reed was the best in show for the Armor with 21 points on 10-11 shooting from the floor and 7 rebounds.
Springfield will try again Sunday as they host the Maine Red Claws. Sioux Falls will head home to play the Iowa Energy on Christmas Day.