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The campaign signs soon will start popping up like crab grass in the spring. Political fliers will fill mailboxes, and political commercials will clutter TV screens. The November ballot is fast approaching, and a lot of people are anxious to persuade you to part with your money.
Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown's brainchild, proposes a quarter-cent sales tax hike for four years and higher income tax rates for seven years for anyone earning for than $250,000, ostensibly to meet education expenses. (Surely, he wouldn't use any of this general fund money to pay off high-speed rail bonds.)
Orinda wants residents to approve a half-cent sales tax for 10 years to pay for road repairs, and Moraga wants double that — a one-cent sales tax for 20 years to upgrade roads and storm drains.
Contra Costa Community College, Contra Costa Fire District and Martinez School District are pushing parcel taxes to cover operating expenses. Knightsen, San Ramon Valley and Antioch school districts are promoting bond issues for capital improvements.
More than a dozen potential money grabs will appear on ballots throughout the county, but none of them generates the same fascination as Richmond's so-called "soda tax" — one cent per ounce for every sugar-sweetened beverage sold within city limits.
Technically, it isn't a tax. It's a business-license fee. Moreover, it's not being proposed for anything but to discourage something — the consumption of sugary beverages that contribute to obesity. (The money would go to the city's general fund, where it may or may not be used for health initiatives.)
The measure boils down to this: Residents are being asked to voluntarily increase the amount they pay for soft drinks so they will be less likely to buy them. It's like moving sugar-sweetened beverages to a higher shelf so they're harder to reach.
There's no attempt here to tarnish the good intentions of the act, nor the integrity of the measure's chief supporter, Richmond Councilman Jeff Ritterman. The retired cardiologist lugs around a 40-pound jug of sugar as a graphic reminder of the average intake of a youngster hooked on soft drinks just to make a point.
Excessive sugar intake leads to obesity, he explains, which leads to diabetes and heart disease, which leads to death. The message is profound, but it does make a guy wonder. Why stop there?
Why not tax donuts, Hershey bars and pancake syrup? Why not tax sugar itself? Heck, why not tax red meat, which raises cholesterol, clogs veins and causes heart attacks?
Maybe I should have kept that to myself. It might wind up on the next ballot.
The underlying question here is whether human beings are capable of making intelligent decisions about their health. Many politicians clearly think not. California already bans the sale of soft drinks in grade schools and high schools because it doesn't trust students to control their cravings for the stuff.
It's difficult to argue against a healthful diet, and even harder to quarrel with Ritterman's expertise. But what will be the next menu item politicians will decide to protect us from. Hot fudge sundaes? Funnel cakes? Boston cream pie?
That's what makes Richmond's soda tax the most intriguing of any money measure on the ballot. All the others are designed to meet a payroll, pay for overhead or fund a project.
Richmond's measure is designed to save consumers from themselves.
Contact Tom Barnidge at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on twitter.com/tombarnidge


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Sustainability Series: General Mills
July 29, 2012
How does your business define sustainability?
Being a responsible corporate citizen – socially, economically and environmentally – is at the core of General Mills Nourishing Lives mission, culture and business strategy. We believe that doing well for our shareholders goes hand in hand with doing well for our consumers, our communities and the planet. The definition of sustainability sets a very clear objective for us. Sustainability means "meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." General Mills' commitment to sustainability dates back decades. As early as the 1930s, the company was using recycled paperboard packaging, and our Green Giant Brand was using crop rotation practices. This foundation has evolved into integrating environmental sustainability initiatives into other areas of our business. Today, as the world's sixth largest food company, we understand that a small action on our part can have a big impact elsewhere. We want that impact to be a positive one. Our environmental mission is to protect and conserve the natural resource base on which our business depends. We build consumer loyalty, societal trust and shareholder value by integrating sustainability into our strategies, our operations and our products.
How are you incorporating sustainable practices into your business?
Sustainability is very purposely seeded throughout our organization – from our manufacturing facilities around the globe to our corporate campus in Minneapolis. The responsibility to steward the planet we share doesn't live within a single "green team" at General Mills. Instead, we operate with the expectation that all of our 35,000 employees around the globe view our business with a lens on sustainability.
What are your short term and long term goals?
We are committed to making General Mills an even more sustainable company, and we take our responsibility to be good stewards of the planet's resources seriously. Since 2005, we have set global environmental sustainability goals in the area of water, energy, greenhouse gases and solid waste. In 2010, we established new, more aggressive goals including a North American transportation goal and a packaging metric. These goals will stretch us to continuously improve our environmental performance and further incorporate sustainable strategies, processes and products throughout our operations. By 2015, we aim to:
- Reduce our water usage rate by 20 percent
- Reduce our solid waste generation rate by 50 percent
- Reduce our energy usage rate by 20 percent
- Reduce our rate of greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent
- Reduce transportation fuel used to ship a pound of product by 35 percent
- Improve 40 percent of our packaging volume
Furthermore our commitment to being good corporate citizens extends globally to our sourcing activities, suppliers and vendors. We're working on a number of fronts to ensure that the ingredients we buy are sourced in a socially and environmentally friendly way. More information on General Mills progress is detailed in the company's2012 Global Responsibility Report.
Where do you think you'll have the biggest impact?
With help from several external organizations, General Mills has developed a sustainable sourcing model for ingredients we purchase to make our products. This is a major step forward in our mission to conserve and protect the natural resources that our company depends on. In 2011, we worked to complete a comprehensive, in-depth assessment of all the ingredients and materials we buy worldwide. Ingredients and materials were measured against dozens of potential risk categories, such as animal welfare, greenhouse gas emissions, soil loss, water quality and water use. In addition, because we recognize that General Mills accounts for only a portion of the environmental footprint of our products, we began asking our top suppliers to complete our "supplier scorecard," which asks for data on energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and solid waste generation associated with the ingredients or materials we use to make our products. With our supplier scorecard, we will be able to make a greater impact on the total environmental footprint. With the model completed, we are now developing specific strategies for sustainably sourced ingredients.
How do you measure your progress?
We measure our progress against the goals we set. We are more than halfway toward achieving three of our 2015 global sustainability goals on water, solid waste and packaging. And we continue to drive down our energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and use of transportation fuel. Between fiscal 2011 and 2010, we have reduced the amount of solid waste generated by 7,000 metric tons, cut water usage by more than 550,000 cubic meters, lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 metric tons, and reduced our total energy use by nearly 50 million kilowatt hours. We are continuously working to improve our environmental performance and further incorporate sustainable strategies, processes and products throughout our operations. Some examples include:
- General Mills' Albuquerque facility is currently recycling 90 percent of its output – up from 48 percent in 2010. Every month, about 33 fewer tons of waste go into area landfills near the plant thanks to an expanded recycling program that includes corrugated boxes, carton cores, sacks, and other items that typically get tossed out.
- We have installed "scoop showers" in about 30 of our Haagen-Dazs shops, which saves water and money. The new "scoop shower" is keeping ice cream scoops clean without running the water tap all day. The innovation, which reduced water use by 75 percent and estimated to save US$1 million per year, is now being installed in company-owned Häagen-Dazs shops around the world.
- At our flour mill in Fridley, Minn., we identified a beneficial use for the 80,000 tons of oat hulls that were left over from the milling process. Thanks to the installation of a new biomass burner, the oat hulls are now used as an energy source to produce about 90 percent of the steam used to heat the plant and produce oat flour used to make Cheerios and other products. In addition to reducing solid waste, burning oat hulls on site has reduced the plant's carbon footprint by more than 20 percent. The company also saves about $400,000 per year, mostly from reduced reliance on natural gas.
How do retailers factor into your efforts?
We actively partner with customers on initiatives that drive greater resource efficiency in our shared supply chain.
Why are sustainable business practices important to the food industry?
Our ability to continue to operate will be dependent on the future of ingredients that we use to produce the food we sell. Sustainability is not only something our customers, consumers and employees support, but it's also good business. We believe this effort will drive financial, strategic, and competitive advantage. We work collaboratively to minimize the environmental footprint of our businesses. This includes efforts to further embed sustainability into our use of raw materials, our manufacturing methods, our selection of packaging and the distribution of our products.
Why are sustainable business practices important to the consumer?
Our consumers care. American consumers are paying attention to what companies are doing with regard to the environment. They are increasingly turning to companies that share their sensibilities and embracing firms that reflect their values.
*About the photo: General Mills' agricultural team has been working with local broccoli and cauliflower growers in Irapuato, Mexico to encourage them to adopt a technology called drip irrigation that significantly reduces water usage. By directing water to drip slowly to the roots of the plants, drip irrigation uses 50 percent less water than the more conventional furrow irrigation. Drip irrigation is now being used in about 43 percent of the acreage. General Mills estimates that 1.1 billion gallons of water are saved annually. Drip irrigation also reduces the use of pesticides and improves yields, making it an effective, efficient and more environmentally friendly way to nourish crops. To encourage farmers to adopt drip irrigation, General Mills has provided farmers with interest-free loans to purchase equipment. Their intention is to provide the loans for 10 years so they can expand drip irrigation acres by about 5 percent a year.
In upcoming issues, we will feature interviews with food companies that are making strides in their sustainability efforts. If you are interested in telling us more about what your company is doing to get involved please contact us email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Prosecutor Tries to Stop Murder Victim's Parents from Speaking against Death Penalty for Murderer
Prosecutors often use victims' statements to urge harsher sentences for an accused criminal. But what happens if the victim, or victim's survivors, hope to spare a harsh sentence?
Edward Montour is accused of killing Colorado corrections officer Eric Autobee while Montour was serving a life sentence for killing his own infant daughter, according to an article in The Atlantic. Montour originally pleaded guilty in Autobee's murder and was sentenced to death by a judge. That sentence was overturned and a new trial ordered.
Autobee offered to plead guilty in exchange for a second sentence of life without parole. The prosecutor, Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, turned down the deal and sought the death penalty. Now, he's trying to keep Bob and Lola Autobee, Eric's parents, from urging the court to spare Montour's life.
Brauchler would appear to be on shaky ground. According to Colorado law, "[t]he victim of any crime or a relative of the victim, if the victim has died, has the right to attend all sentencing proceedings resulting from a conviction of said crime under any laws of this state."
Brauchler argued that Colorado law "only guarantees the right of the victims to discuss the harm that resulted from the crime," but he cited no basis in statute for that argument.
The Autobees filed a motion asking that they be allowed to testify. In that motion it states: "Bob and his family have found healing in the forgiveness that they have extended to their son's killer. However, the prosecution strives to forever undo this healing by seeking to avenge one killing with another, over the family's pleas for mercy. For the Autobee family, a death sentence and the accompanying years of litigation, all supposedly done in their son's name, would rob them of peace. For, in the eyes of society, their son's name forever would be associated with cruelty and violence, rather than the human dignity and mercy he embodied in life."
According to the Autobee's lawyers, because the Autobee family's beliefs conflict with the prosecution's agenda, the prosecution has "relegated [them] to the status of second-class victims."
The trial judge is expected to rule on the motion any day.
-Steve Straehley
To Learn More:
When Victims Speak Up in Court—in Defense of the Criminals (By Andrew Cohen, The Atlantic)
Autobee Response to Defendant's Motion: The People of the State of Colorado v. Edward Montour, Jr. (District Court, Douglas County, Colorado
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VIDEO: BWW Presents: Cutest FROZEN Video of the Day
Disney's newest animated film FROZEN is not only breaking box office records, but has inspired fans, both young and old, to create their own versions of the beloved music from husband and wife team Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, Book of Mormon) and Kristen-Anderson Lopez.
Today, we present 'Little Ella', a huge fan of Idina Menzel's 'Princess Ella' of the film. When her uncle offered her the chance to record her cover of 'Let It Go', she grabbed the mike and belted out the song like a pro.
'Uncle Danny explained to Buzz Feed that his niece "spends hours watching the Disney numbers and practicing her routines in the corresponding princess garb, dance moves and all. And she will try as hard as possibly to match every syllable and every move!"
Check out the performance below, dubbed over footage from the film!
About Disney's Frozen:
Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind "Tangled" and "Wreck-It Ralph," presents "Frozen," a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey-teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven-to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.The film is directed by Chris Buck ("Tarzan," "Surf's Up") and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, "Wreck-It Ralph"), and produced by Peter Del Vecho ("Winnie the Pooh," "The Princess and the Frog"). Featuring music from Tony® winner Robert Lopez ("The Book of Mormon," "Avenue Q") and Kristen Anderson-Lopez ("In Transit").
Get the soundtrack now on iTunes: http://di.sn/sH2Disney's Frozen is now playing in theatres in 3D! Find showtimes:http://di.sn/pIO Like Frozen on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DisneyFrozen Follow Frozen on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyAnimation Official Site: http://disney.com/Frozen


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M&G: Implications of China's record RMB devaluation
Anthony Doyle, director of fixed income investment at M&G Investments, comments on the possible implications of China's record weakening of the renminbi (RMB).
The People's Bank of China (PBoC) has announced this morning that it is improving the pricing mechanism of the daily fixing rate of the RMB. It will do this by referencing the previous day's closing rate and by taking into account "demand and supply conditions in the foreign exchange markets" as well as exchange rate movements of other major currencies. As a result, the USDCNY (US dollar to Chinese Yuan RMB rate) was fixed higher by 1.9% as a one-off adjustment and represents a record weakening of the Chinese currency. It is the first weakening in the exchange rate by the PBoC since 1994.
The announcement of the PBoC that it will increase yuan flexibility suggests the daily fixing of the currency will be much more dependent on the market. As a result, it is unlikely that the yuan will continue to exhibit relatively low volatility and may continue to depreciate over the medium term as the authorities grapple with a slowdown in economic growth.
There are a number of implications of a weakening yuan over the medium term. Firstly, any move to weaken the yuan against the USD is likely to be bullish for US treasuries at the margin, resulting in lower yields. If the yuan depreciates in value, then China will have more USD to invest in US treasuries through foreign reserve accumulation, suggesting a strengthening in demand. However, unless we see a sustained weakening in the yuan in the weeks ahead then this move is unlikely to have a large impact in the demand for US treasuries in the short-term.
Secondly, this move will put downward pressure on already low inflation rates in the developed economies. Import prices for developed economies are likely to fall, suggesting lower producer and consumer prices. A substantial amount of Chinese manufactured goods consumed in the developed world are now cheaper and could cheapen further, resulting in lower costs for inputs which could lead to lower consumer prices.


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For almost a year, I've been so busy that everything with my books and illustrations slowed down and little has been done toward my projects. But, I'm so happy to be back 100%.
The good thing is that over the last two months I've been working with Matt, an art coach, who has really helped me fine-tune some things with my illustrations. So, If you're looking for some online tutorials or an Art Coach look up http://www.drawing-tutorials-online.com. Matt is a great teacher and really can help guide you in your art journey.
I've also started working on some t-shirt designs while working on my very long WIP Talee book, Talee and the Enchanted Flower. During the two month coaching I've been re-working some of the illustrations so I'm excited with the new direction I'm going as well as some of the T-Shirt Concepts that I'm working on. I'm really like this Be Adventurous design. I'll print and post a t-shirt this week see you can see how it looks.
I'm also very excited about being able to offer t-shirts. My new WorldsToDiscover.com site should be up by the end of this month… no later then mid-August.
I'm currently building a new JMcManus Design site where I will offer some illustrations and etc. as a Creative Commons License. As I create new illustrations I will upload them to the site for purchase. Of course none of the Talee illustrations will be on the JMcManus Design site but I'm creating new characters as we speak. I already have a couple of concepts sketched out. So, if you have a blog, website and or etc and are looking for some illustrations for your site I hope you stop by and checkout it out. I'll let you know when the site is up.
Also, Let me know what you think of my recent illustrations. Feedback is a great way for me to see how I'm growing and progressing.
Have a great day… and be adventurous.


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A new survey by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) might just make you want to switch to an Android.
According to CIRP, nearly 60% of iPhone users shell out more than $100 each month for their plan, while 10% pay $200 to keep their phones connected 24/7. Only 5% are on a "budget plan" priced $25 to $50 per month.
But before you blame the phones and their data-chewing ways, consider what's made them so popular. As CIRP co-founder Michael Levin points out, the iPhone is offered on most leading carriers who are more than happy to charge top dollar for popular plans. Contrast that with the Droid, whose phones tend to be offered "on prepaid or unsubsidized plans with regional carriers," said Levin, and the disparity starts to make sense.
[via TUAW]


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Appeals Court: Man Can't Sue Officer Who Let Police Dog Maul Him Viciously (VIDEO)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit issued a decision earlier this month that is shockingly cruel and inhumane, ruling that the Constitution doesn't require law enforcement officers to prevent their police dogs from brutally mauling and disfiguring innocent people.
The court decided it was okay for officer's dog to maul this man even though the officer knew he wasn't the suspect
And if the decision stands, it means that Christopher Maney will not be able to sue officer Terrence Garrison, who allegedly allowed his police dog, Bikkel, to maul Maney so badly that he arrived at the hospital in critical condition and requiring a skin graft that was nearly 16 inches long, Slate reports.
What happened on the night Maney was attacked?
The facts of the case are absolutely horrifying.
One evening in 2010, Garrison and his dog were on the trail of a robbery suspect in High Point, North Carolina. Bikkel led Garrison to an abandoned house and attacked Maney, who was homeless at the time and crouching behind a bush near the front stoop. Garrison realized immediately that the man didn't match the description of the robbery suspect. But thinking he might still be dangerous, he ordered Maney to show his hands before calling off the dog. But Maney was understandably not able to do this because he was trying to prevent the dog from biting his face off. He pleaded with Garrison to stop the dog's attack, adding that he hadn't done anything wrong. And he hadn't — he wasn't accused of any crime, Slate notes. But Garrison allowed the vicious attack to continue for another 10 seconds before calling the dog off. Then he handcuffed Maney and called for medical support.
So this begs the question, if Garrison knew Maney wasn't the suspect, why did he handcuff him? Maney was grievously injured and being sent to the hospital, so why the handcuffs?
At the hospital it was discovered that Bikkel had bitten the top of Maney's head, tearing away a two inch square area of skin, hair, and tissue. This is why he required a skin graft. There were also deep bites on his arm and thigh, leading to a brachial artery blood clot and profuse bleeding and bruising accompanied by swelling.
He needed time to convalesce and not long after that, Maney sued Garrison, alleging that his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable seizure had been violated. As part of the Fourth Amendment, dog bites qualify as the seizure of a person, leading Maney to contend that Garrison prolonged Bikkel's biting for an unreasonable amount of time.
But the Fourth Circuit Court disagreed with this, deciding that Garrison was protected from the lawsuit due to qualified immunity, meaning that it wasn't "clearly established" that he violated a constitutional right. However, the majority says that Fourth Amendment precedents don't ambiguously prevent officers from "prolong[ing] a dog bite seizure until a subject complies with orders to surrender," writes Mark Joseph Stern for Slate. Instead, the majority compared the attack to a "Terry stop" (also called "stop and frisk"), which means an officer can temporarily stop and frisk people if there is "reasonable suspicion" to do so. And in this case, the majority decided Garrison had engaged in a Terry stop in which "the classic Terry tableau is replaced by something more dynamic." Whatever the hell that means.
In her dissent, Judge Pamela Harris found this line of reasoning disturbing.
"Maney himself was not suspected of any crime, armed or not, and he did not attempt to flee, or to resist. Nevertheless, officer Garrison deliberately subjected him to a canine attack in order to rule out any possibility that he might pose a threat. Whether or not a more customary Terry stop might have been authorized, I think it is clear enough that the circumstances did not justify the sustained mauling of Maney. Clear enough, that is, to warrant denial of qualified immunity to Garrison on Maney's excessive force claim."
Harris also found the Terry analysis ridiculous, adding "there was not reasonable suspicion sufficient to support a Terry stop" to begin with. Prior to encountering Maney, Garrison had walked through a homeless camp a mere 150 yards away.
That prompted Harris to note:
"He was aware that there was a perfectly innocent explanation for Maney's presence near the abandoned house. And I would not count against Maney to stand and identify himself, which Maney — quite reasonably, in hindsight — attributes to his fear that a sudden movement might prompt a dog attack. Citizens are under no free-standing obligation to identify themselves to the police."
What this really means, Harris notes, is that Garrison didn't have enough justification to even stop Maney. And he definitely didn't have a good reason to "intentionally prolong a violent assault on Maney to determine whether he might pose a threat." She writes that it's entirely clear Garrison used excessive force as described by the Supreme Court of The United States, inflicting violence that was disproportionate and something that "no reasonable officer" would even consider legal. And because of this, Harris argued, Garrison shouldn't be protected by qualified immunity.
Related: Appeals Court Determines Assault Rifles Are 'Weapons Of War' And Not Protected By 2nd Amendment
The Supreme Court bears some blame in this, having expanded qualified immunity so much that police officers regularly get away with committing extremely violent behavior, Slate notes.
And this isn't the only time Garrison has sicced his dog on people, notes the Sun-Gazette. Last April, the pair chased down a fleeing suspect. Chasing the man through the woods, it only took Bikkel two minutes to find him.
"My dog encountered him in a thicket," Garrison said. "I couldn't see him, all I could hear were the screams."
He added that the man was bitten in the face and ankle.
And as Dog Bite Law notes, many Americans are bitten by these highly dangerous dogs.
What's upsetting in Maney's case is he was just an innocent man who almost certainly became frightened when Garrison and his barking, snarling dog encountered him. And this officer allowed the dog to keep attacking him, even after realizing Maney wasn't the suspect he was looking for. This brings up unpleasant images of the Germans during World War II, and of police in the southern U.S. attacking blacks and anyone defending civil rights. It's not the fault of the dogs who are doing what they are trained to do. That fault lies with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and law enforcement officials and who think this kind of thing is okay.
It's never, ever okay.
Related: America Is Now A Police State
This graphic video, while not related to the story above, shows just how vicious these attacks can be. In this victim's case, he took his partying a little too far and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This story came to light thanks to Mark Joseph Stern's awesome reporting and Slate, which you can support here.
Megan was born and raised in Ventura, California. She has since lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Mexico, and Costa Rica. While she has always been a liberal, her travels have informed her politics. She has worked for more than 25 years as a professional journalist writing about crime, the police, local politics, feature stories, environmental issues and a variety of other topics. She now writes for Reverb Press.
Megan supports Black Lives Matter and fights against racism, sexism, the corporatocracy, climate change deniers and others who continue to destroy the planet.
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Megan was born and raised in Ventura, California. She has since lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Mexico, and Costa Rica. While she has always been a liberal, her travels have informed her politics. She has worked for more than 25 years as a professional journalist writing about crime, the police, local politics, feature stories, environmental issues and a variety of other topics. She now writes for Reverb Press.
Megan supports Black Lives Matter and fights against racism, sexism, the corporatocracy, climate change deniers and others who continue to destroy the planet.


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Monday, 10 December 2012
Product review: GreanBase Wheelbarrow Booster
When I was asked by Joe from GreanBase to review the Wheelbarrow Booster, a product that would increase the capacity of my wheelbarrow by up to 300%, I couldn't resist and I jumped at the opportunity. I use wheelbarrows on a daily basis, largely when mucking out my horse's stable, and I knew I could put this product through its paces and to very good use.
On the day it arrived it was swiftly unpacked ahead of its first outing. A simple product, often the best inventions are, it appeared well made and I could imagine it would last many years if looked after correctly. The only downside – it didn't fit either of my barrows. At the time of testing I was using an 85 litre Bull barrow and if you look closely the plastic pan meets up with the handles meaning that I couldn't securely fit the booster's elastic band around the pan. Rightly, the manufacturers do state that it fits "most" barrows but it appears I have a knack of selecting barrows that fall outside of this category. I did however manage to get some purchase around the pan and testing was possible. I looked to see how others got on with similar problems and Compostwoman from 'The Compost Bin' blog found one way to deal with it.
The first test was to see if it could hold wood shavings. I had just taken receipt of new flooring for the stable and I needed to lift the shavings that were currently in place so I could fit the rubber matting. The barrow safely held a whole stables-worth of shavings, although we may have worked hard to get the last few forkfuls in. As you can see from the picture we overfilled the booster but despite it bulging slightly it certainly held well and made the job much easier. The first test was a success.
It's recommended that the Booster is used for: "light-weight, but bulky garden waste e.g. grass/hedge trimmings, leaves, pruning's, cleared vegetation. Not forgetting hay, shavings etc. around the stables." In an effort to test it with heavier materials I filled the barrow with both horse manure and garden compost and it worked fairly well, although it wasn't possible to fill it as much as in the first test. My main concern with carrying this type of material is that you do have to be fairly careful when filling your barrow and that upon emptying it the Wheelbarrow Booster came loose and detached, although I fear this may be more to with the type of barrow I was using and the lack of correct fit.
All in all, I found this product to be pretty good and especially handy at the stables, although it would be interesting to see a design put in to production that accounts for barrows such as the Bull barrow, which doesn't accommodate the current design. I don't have a lawn or much hedging to trim but I imagine that the booster would come in to its own in larger gardens that require the removal of such trimmings and leaf collection, which the booster is specifically designed for.
The Wheelbarrow Booster from GreanBase retails for £15.98.
3 comments:
I never thought that I would be commenting on "wheelbarrow boosters" but I have to admit they do seem like quite a good idea. Note the qualification! Sometimes the weight that can be managed by a wheelbarrow alone is at the limit of what many people can manage, which presumably is why wheelbarrows end up being the size that they are.ReplyDelete
Mind you it does recommend that the bag is "for: "light-weight, but bulky garden waste e.g. grass/hedge trimmings, leaves, pruning's, cleared vegetation. Not forgetting hay, shavings etc. around the stables." So they are pointing out the limits of the product honestly. I am involved with a community garden so not much stable manure to manage there in the average year but there is certainly a lot of pruning's and other garden waste to move around! The price is not out of our reach so I shall be discussing this with the others quite soon. Thanks for the tip! It should save us a number of trips up and down the paths.
I imagine there might be issues of balance? Barrows are funny. If you load them right, they whiz along - but load them even slightly skee-wiff and they can tip over on corners.ReplyDelete
Have a very happy Christmas, Ryan.
This is such a great idea, any gardener could use this for leaves and whatnot. I know i certainly could, Now I just gotta get one, Thanks for introducing me to this product, and lets hope it`ll fit one of my wheelbarrows. Anyways Merry Christmas, MattReplyDelete


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Chanel XXL Flap Bag
Elegant and Classic Chanel XXL Flap BagSubmitted by admin on Mon, 12/26/2016 - 11:32
Chanel releases the XL Flap Bag for the second time which like the Classic Flap Bag but in a larger size.
The Chanel XL Bag was first-released in the beginning of this year. And it has made some fashionista's heart melt like ice cream walking on 30 degrees.
For most women, much like a happily ever after when it comes to fairy tales, this Chanel XL Flap Bag is big enough to carry all your essentials and what nots. It has a somewhat rectangular shape with a curve that is distinctive of its own.


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Not a big post, but I'm so sad at my lack of posting that I wanted to put even something small up! The police and fire games are being hosted in Northern Ireland this year and my friend invited me to go last minute to one of the ice hockey games (Las Vegas vs NI Tridents, so good!) and this is what I decided to wear. The weather has been rather temperamental lately and it's always too warm, but with spouts of torrential rain and thunder/lightning, so this is what I choose to wear!
Dress - Henry Holland
Tights - Urban Outfitters
Cardigan - Abercrombie & Fitch
Shoes - Steve Madden
Bag - Rebecca Minkoff
Nothing super exciting on my face. I'm wearing the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, MAC Pro Longwear concealer, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, Urban Decay Naked palette shadows, Benefit They're Real mascara, Avon Super Shock gel eyeliner and then finally Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial.
Hope you're all having a lovely evening!


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Fender's website has manuals for a wide range of its products, including a number of amplifiers, as of 2015. Users can download these manuals in PDF format.
From the Fender main page, scroll to the bottom, and click on the Support link under the Customer Service heading. From there, click on the Product Manuals link in the Quick Support Links section. Then click Downloads to view a list of product manuals. Find the model of your amplifier, and click the link. Depending on the settings of your Web browser, the manual either displays in your browser or as a download to your hard drive.


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Parking in SW8 1UB
Holiday Inn Express Nine Elms Car Park, SW8
Car Park on Oval Place, SW8
Driveway on Fentiman Road, SW8, SW8
Driveway on Langley Lane, SW8, SW8
Driveway on Fentiman Road, SW8, SW8
Driveway on Fentiman Road, SW8, SW8
Driveway on Clapham Road, SW9, SW9
Driveway on Langley Lane, SW8, SW8
Driveway on Oval Way, SE11, SE11
Information about parking in SW8 1UB
Looking for parking in SW8 1UB? You've come to the right place! Funnily enough, parking is what we do best - and we've got a sumptuous selection of 250 locations in SW8 1UB for you to choose from.
Our parking in SW8 1UB is up to 70% cheaper than what you'd usually pay, plus you can book your guaranteed space in advance right here - forget about feeding the parking meter.
No more fumbling for coins and no more circling the block looking for a space. As for parking tickets? You can wave goodbye to them too - if you overstay with us, you just pay for the extra time.
We're taking the pain out of parking for 1 million drivers across the UK. But don't just take our word for it - check out our latest customer reviews for SW8 1UB parking below:
"Easy to find and super convenient " — Driveway on Fentiman Road, SW8, SW8
"great place to park conveinent and safe " — Holiday Inn Express Nine Elms Car Park, SW8
None of our delicious JustPark spaces tickle your fancy? Don't worry - we've got your back. There are plenty of other parking options available in SW8 1UB - here's the best of the rest:
On-Street Parking
Here's a selection of nearby on-street parking options:
|Max Stay
|Ponsonby Terrace
|Westminster City Council
|£2.50 / hour
|4 hours
|Aylesford Street
|Westminster City Council
|£3.70 / hour
|4 hours
|Ponsonby Place
|Westminster City Council
|£2.50 / hour
|4 hours
|Westminster City Council
|£2.50 / hour
|4 hours
|Atterbury Street
|Westminster City Council
|£2.50 / hour
|4 hours
Rent out a space
Got a spare driveway or garage in SW8 1UB? You can list your parking space for free with JustPark. It only takes a few minutes to get up and running, and you could be making money in no time. Find out more here.
Check out the JustPark app
You can now book any one of our 20,000+ JustPark locations on the move with our mobile app - available for both iPhone and Android. View parking options, pay for a space and get directions - all with just a few taps of your phone.
Nearby Transport
- Oval Station 0.3 miles away
- Kennington Station 0.68 miles away
- Pimlico Station 0.73 miles away
- Vauxhall Station 0.22 miles away
- Battersea Park Station 0.76 miles away
- Elephant and Castle Station 1.14 miles away
Nearby Stadiums
- The Kia Oval 0.21 miles away
- Horse Guards Parade 1.51 miles away
- Hyde Park 2.58 miles away
- The Den 2.96 miles away
- Stamford Bridge 3.06 miles away
Nearby Attractions
- Kennington Oval 0.17 miles away
- Oval House Theatre 0.19 miles away
- Coliseum Club Casino 0.36 miles away
- New Covent Garden Market 0.5 miles away
- Durning Library 0.54 miles away
Nearby Hospitals
- Monteiro 0.36 miles away
- Grantham Health Centre 0.99 miles away
- Churchill London Clinic 1.03 miles away
- Princess Street Group Practice 1.12 miles away
- InterHealth Worldwide 1.3 miles away


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Cape Cod Scones
I was thinking the other day that so many people here in NY love going to Florida for the winter. No offense, cause Florida is nice, but I am more of a Cape Cod kinda girl. It doesn't matter whether its bathing suit or sweater weather, it's my kind of place.
I think it's the Cape Cod in the title that made me want to try these scones. Or maybe it was the copious amount of heavy cream. In either case, so glad I did because these really are great scones. I ended up tweaking the recipe a bit. I have made them three times. I added a little vanilla and a little more cream. I found the batter was a little too dry with 1 1/4 cups so I went with 1 1/2. I have been having them for breakfast. The kids love them. And forget what you heard about scones being dry- these are not. These are moist and delicious. The key is to not overbake. The recipe says 15 to 17 minutes. Go for the fifteen. Even if it is a little doughy in the center it will be very moist.
Original recipe can be found here, at Serious Eats
2 cups all-purpose flour, measured after sifting
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in center position. The scones will bake on a ungreased heavy-duty baking sheet.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Use a table fork to mix well. Dribble the cream over the dry ingredients while mixing with the fork. Continue mixing gently just until the mixture forms a rough, sticky ball of dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle lightly with flour, knead 10 times by pushing the half closer to you down and away from you with the heel of your hand and fold it back over itself, giving it a quarter turn each time.
Pat the dough into a 9-inch disk. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Cut into wedges after cooling for about five or ten minutes.
Serve warm with curd or jamhmmmmmmmm.


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I've spent my whole life trying to figure out who I was. In doing so, I became a chameleon with an eating disorder. There was something so deeply wrong with me, I had to do whatever it took to keep that buried and away from the world. And I did so at any cost.
I was young, just around my first decade of life, when I realized there was something that "wrong" with me. A secret that could NEVER escape lived in my head, and I spent every moment in public ensuring the protection of that secret. I got good at it, too. It was like an invisible armor that automatically dropped on me as I left my bedroom, and was magically removed when I returned.
My eating issues developed around 13. This secret became more scary around that time, too. By 16 it became so scary that I started the roller coaster of dieting. I had to starve it to death.
More than 20 years later, that secret is no longer buried as deep. It's still secret. It's still something I can't speak. But it no longer holds me hostage.
My therapist holds the secret. So does my dietitian. One of my BFFs knows, too. Sharing this secret with them has made it a little easier for me to carry myself. I'm still afraid to tell anyone else, yet the lightness that came from sharing with the few above? That they all still like me?
Secrets are insanely scary. Holding them and sharing them, actually. I was so afraid to even acknowledge my own secret, much less share it with anyone, for fear that the world would hate me even more than I hated myself.
I don't know what I'd do with out my treatment team. I've worked with therapists on and off much of my life, but nothing compares the support I have now. Secrets may stay hidden from the rest of the world, but having my team to share with? I wish everyone could have the chance for a relationship this therapeutic, it's the best gift I've ever given myself. Between my dietitian and therapist, I've never felt so optimistic.
I wish everyone could have someone to hold the horrid secrets that keep us captive in our own minds. As bad as my secret felt, it is held differently by my team than by me. Secrets don't need to destroy me anymore. Sharing them won't make me explode. It won't end my world.
Sharing them only makes me stronger.


text: Please play Sucriken Zombies on Best-games.co for free. Find a way out to kill all the zombies with the props, but don't hurt other people!All copyrights and trademarks of this game are held by owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law. If you believe we violating your copyrights, please advise us at email@example.com in order that we can solve the problems.


text:
This section informs you about meetings, symposiums and conferences which are within the focus of the International Society for Extremophiles
June 29 - July 3, 2010
Halophiles 2010, Beijing, China,
For more information visit: http://www.halophiles2010.org
August 16-21, 2009
THERMOPHILES2009, Beijing, China,
September 24th - 27th, 2007Thermophiles 2007 in Bergen Norway.
For more information visit: http://sites.web123.no/AtlanticReiser/uib/Thermophiles2007
September 18th - 22nd, 2005International Thermophiles Conference - From Evolution to Revolution. Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
For more information visit: http://www.griffith.edu.au/conference/thermophile05
August 31st - September 2nd, 2005Frontiers in Chemical Biology: Mechanistic Enzymology and Biocatalysis University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom The deadline for abstract submission is June 30th, 2005.
For more information visit: http://www.rsc.org/MEB05


text:
LG G6 review
Samsung Galaxy S8
Apple iPhone X
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Sony Xperia L1
New digital cameras
Digital camera specs
Smart TVs
Mobile phones
Android Auto
Virtual Reality
Discount deals
Sample picture gallery
Camera reviews
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Best cameras
Photo gallery contest
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News 2017
Camera Reviews
Mark Peters : February 23th 2005 - 21:27 CET
Hitachi 6 Gigabyte Microdrive price reduction
Hitachi 6 Gigabyte Microdrive price reduction :
Users of digital cameras, MP3 players and other storage-demanding handheld consumer electronics can rejoice today as Hitachi Global Storage Technologies begins shipping its 6 gigabyte. As the leader in one-inch hard drives, Hitachi is raising the stakes by making available the new Microdrive 3K6 with a suggested retail price reduction of up to 60 percent. With 6 GB, the new Microdrive lets consumers carry even more of what they love - 1500-3000 songs, 6,000 pictures (1 MB each) or 8 hours of MPEG-4 video. Hitachi is making all this possible, now, at a significant price reduction, retailing the 6 GB Microdrive for $299 USD or pennies per megabyte.
Hitachi's new suggested retail pricing represents the best value of capacity, reliability and performance at a price point that's affordable to virtually all owners of consumer devices. The Microdrive 3K6 is available in removable Compact Flash Type II and embedded versions. In its fourth generation, the newest Hitachi Microdrive product combines a mature architecture and unmatched reliability with industry-leading storage capacity. The Microdrive's high standard of quality and breakthrough capacity are what users of consumer electronics products have come to expect. Hitachi is also seeing growing interest from makers of personal digital assistants and mobile phones in using the Microdrive as the preferred technology for miniature, high-capacity storage.
"The entertainment and experiences that consumers carry with them in portable digital devices are priceless; our intent with the higher capacity and lower pricing of the new Microdrive is to let a greater number of users enjoy the benefit of keeping their precious data close at hand," said Bill Healy, senior vice president, product strategy and marketing, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "The desire for smaller devices with increasingly larger capacities won't be easily met in the short term, but we believe the 6 GB Microdrive will satisfy consumers' immediate needs while we work on developing ever higher capacities in future Microdrive products." Hitachi recently announced plans for a 20-percent smaller one-inch hard drive with 8-10 GB of capacity. The new drive - nicknamed "Mikey," the baby Microdrive - is expected later this year.
Hitachi 6 Gigabyte Microdrive - Priced to Sell
For the first time since its 1999 introduction, the new-generation Microdrive product is being offered at a suggested retail price of $299, representing a 40-percent reduction of Hitachi's standard debut price of $499 for the one-inch product. The 4 GB version of the Microdrive 3K6 will be offered at $199, representing a 60-percent decrease.
The change in Hitachi's pricing structure is made possible through a more efficient and developed, high-volume manufacturing process. It was also implemented to enable a greater set of users to enjoy the Microdrive benefits of high capacity, portability and flexibility for use in a host of devices. "The Microdrive has always been a hot commodity at a great price due to its reliability and unique position in the market," said Brian Campbell, president, Pexagon Technology. "But now, with lower price points and more capacity, the Microdrive is an even better value for users of handheld devices and digital cameras." Pexagon Technology is the North American distributor for Hitachi's retail Microdrive products. Using a 4 GB Microdrive, Pexagon recently developed a USB-based external storage device under its own label.
Hitachi 6 Gigabyte Microdrive - A Time Tested Design
Hitachi's latest Microdrive gives consumers more capacity for less. The 3K6 is intended to satisfy the current appetite for more storage on handheld consumer-electronic applications, especially digital music players, personal digital assistants and digital still/video cameras. Hitachi has increased storage capacity on the new Microdrive 3K6 by 50 percent over the previous generation.
The 3K6 continues the Microdrive family's leadership in technology, offering a 30 percent performance improvement over its predecessor. The drive is available in 4 and 6-GB capacities and comes to the market in very high demand. Hitachi has significantly increased production to several million units per quarter to meet the growing demand for Microdrive products. Hitachi has already shipped several hundred thousand Microdrive 3K6 products to customers and retail outlets worldwide. Broad-scale retail availability is expected in late February, depending on the region.
Hitachi 6 GB Microdrive Technical Specifications:
- Microdrive 3K6
- 5 mm in height
- 16 grams
- 3,600 rpm
- 78 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density
- 1 glass disk platter
- 2 GMR recording heads
- 2000 G/1ms non-operating shock
- 200 G/2ms operating shock
- 8.3 ms average latency
- 12 ms average seek time
- 230/280 mA - current (write) for +3.3VDC/+5VDC (+/- 5%)
- 13/15 mA - current (standby) for +3.3VDC/+5VDC (+/- 5%)
- 1.8 Bels typical idle acoustics
- 2.1 Bels typical operating acoustics
Pexagon Technology
Hitachi HDC-531 digital camera introduction
PMA 2005 Report
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text:
Appointment of HKFEC's Board Technology Advisor
On 1 December 2016, Hong Kong Federation of E-Commerce (HKFEC) is pleased to announce that Mr. Kay Chan, Director of Quality Link Consultants Limited has accepted our appointment for HKFEC's Board Technology Advisor.
Kay Chan – Director of Quality Link Consultants Limited. Focus in Financial Services and IT Consulting in China and Hong Kong.
A seasoned IT professional, Kay has over 25 years of business development, IT solutions consulting, business and IT alignment, data privacy and IT audit experience.
Kay has developed the business in Asia Pacific region for Multi-national companies with focus in Banking, Insurance, Telecommunication and IT industries.
Kay is a Certified IT System Auditor (CISA), a Certified IELT LVL 1 Enterprise Coach and member of Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS).
Kay, with his background and professional skills, is delighted to share his thoughts and ideas in the E-commerce industry.
Please join me to give the warmest welcome for Kay to be our new member!
Joseph Yuen
Board Chairman, HKFEC
©2016 Copyrights Hong Kong Federation of E-Commerce
All rights reserved.


text:
State issues expulsion notices to striking docs
The state government, on Thursday, issued expulsion notices to 4,500 doctors across the state for participating in the indefinite strike called by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).mumbai Updated: Apr 26, 2013 01:05 IST
The state government, on Thursday, issued expulsion notices to 4,500 doctors across the state for participating in the indefinite strike called by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).
"If they fail to join work immediately, we will expel them from the hostel and cancel their postgraduate registration," said Vijay Kumar Gavit, state medical education minister.
Gavit also said the government had agreed to a majority of the demands before the strike. "We are also prepared to evoke the Maharashtra Emergency Servi-ces Maintenance Act. Hospitals in Pune have withdrawn and others will follow suit," he added. However, MARD officials said the strike in Pune is still on.
The government also plans to appoint doctors from the state health department to run patient services at medical colleges. "We will continue the strike till our demands on stipend hike and better security are met," said Dr Swapnil Kulkarni, spokesperson, MARD. Currently, resident doctors earn a monthly salary of Rs 31,000, which they want increased to Rs 41,000.
Despite the notices, doctors continued their strike and initiated a parallel outpatient department (OPD) service on footpaths outside KEM and Nair hospitals. More than 600 patients received treatment at these make-shift OPDs, said MARD officials.
Most public hospitals such as KEM, Nair and Sion Hospital are performing half the number of surgeries than normal. "We usually perform over 100 surgeries, but with the absence of resident doctors, we are only treating emergency cases, which account to about 40-50 surgeries," said Dr Avinash Supe, dean, Sion Hospital.
Resident doctors from JJ Hospital also joined the strike on Thursday. "Doctors in Aurang-abad have got threats from the administration to vacate hostel premises," Dr Kulkarni added.
First Published: Apr 26, 2013 01:03 IST


text:
December 3, 2018
Four Ways to Boost Marketplace Transaction Volumes During the Holiday Season and Beyond
Getting users to download your app is only the start of a valuable customer relationship. It's what happens after the install that counts, and no one knows this better than SeatGeek, the world's largest ticket search engine. New fans were pouring in to try out the SeatGeek app, and with user acquisition marketing becoming increasingly expensive, SeatGeek needed to make the most of every install.
Could SeatGeek ensure that people were continuing to use their app rather than abandoning it? Could they increase the lifetime value of their users as they scaled their acquisition efforts?
The answer was a resounding "yes," with the help of a sophisticated mobile messaging strategy. "We've created a push notification strategy that nicely complements our paid user acquisition and organic growth, especially as acquisition marketing is getting more expensive," said Sam Arnold, mobile marketing manager at SeatGeek. "It's a really good way to increase the average value of our users so we can increase our scale."
Sam and his team built a comprehensive strategy from the ground up, leveraging a three-pronged approach to usher users from discovery to activity to purchase. At every stage, the ability to experiment and iterate was the key to its effectiveness, ensuring their many push notification campaigns worked together to drive results while preserving their famously seamless user experience. Here's how they did it:
The first goal of push was simply to engage and re-engage their new and dormant users by reminding them of the vast and wonderful world of live events. "We have a lot of features that revolve around event discovery, so a big piece of push for us is getting people who have maybe not bought a ticket or opened the app in a while to come back and think of us as a place to discover things to do," Sam said.
Below is one of their campaigns:
As SeatGeek learned in this campaign, a dash of forwardness can drive great results. Each of the three messages (A, B, C) strongly urged dormant SeatGeek users to check out the app. Each call-to-action performed much better than the control group (G), demonstrating that a little audacity can make dormant users spring to action. "We tested this strategy using a significantly sized control group, because we thought it might be risky," Sam said. With 40% of eligible users not receiving any message, Sam controlled the breadth of the campaign until he could be confident in the results. And upon realizing that the campaign was not triggering a higher numbers of uninstalls, Sam increased its reach.
SeatGeek knew they could increase their lifetime user value dramatically if they could guide each user to take several important actions within the app. These key actions: registering, tracking an event, and tracking a performer. These activities were crucial because they provided SeatGeek with valuable information about each user — information that could be used to better personalize future communications and offers.
Below is an example of a campaign that prompted users to take the key action of tracking an event.
Both Message A and Message B saw similar rates of engagement and performed better than the control group (G). However, campaign reporting revealed that Message A received a significantly higher uplift in driving users to take the key action — tracking an event. The reason: Message A communicated the value proposition of tracking an event ("we can help you find the right deal"), sparking the user's interest and persuading them to take the desired action.
Once users share their preferences, you have a better picture of what they're looking for and can tailor your messages for the most impact and value. Below is an example of a campaign Sam and his team created based off a user's known artist preference. The result: more bookings and a better user experience.
This personalized message encourages the user to check out their favorite artist, referencing a newly announced concert in their area. With the personal information that SeatGeek had inspired their users to share with them, SeatGeek was able to deploy a highly personalized call-to-action that drove ticket purchases through the roof. By learning about their users, SeatGeek could authentically incorporate these user preferences in a way that inspired many more conversions.
From beginning to end, SeatGeek's push notification strategy hinged on defining goals and testing their assumptions through experimental pushes powered by Kahuna. As a result, SeatGeek had a clear idea of what their users would want at key moments and sent them strong calls-to-action. Through push, users became more invested with SeatGeek on mobile, volunteered to share more of themselves and received a better value in exchange. SeatGeek's intelligent approach to customer communication is quickly securing their throne as the go-to app for mobile ticketing.
Master the basics and discover what push notifications can do for you and your app. Download our free guide today!