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Jun 24, 2005 (CIDRAP News) The range of animal species that can contribute to the spread of West Nile virus (WNV) may be much broader than experts have believed, according to a study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
An experiment showed that mosquitoes can pick up WNV just by feeding on an uninfected mouse at the same time infected mosquitoes feed on it, according to the report by Stephen T. Higgs, an associate professor in the pathology department at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, and colleagues.
The current understanding is that mosquitoes contract WNV when they bite infected birds, which carry the virus in their blood. Infected mosquitoes then pass the virus to humans by biting them. Animals that are not susceptible to WNV are believed to be "dead-end hosts" that cannot pass the virus to uninfected mosquitoes.
But the new study indicates that mosquitoes can pick up the virus from carrier mosquitoes by feeding on the same host animal at the same time, even if the animal doesn't have the virus in its bloodstream. The researchers call this "nonviremic transmission" (NVT).
"The population of vertebrates that may contribute to the WNV transmission cycle is probably much greater than was previously believed," the article says. The authors say this may help explain why the virus spread across North America so quickly. The virus first emerged in New York City in 1999 and has spread to most US states and Canada since then.
The investigators allowed infected mosquitoes in a container sealed with nylon mesh to feed on an anesthetized, uninfected mouse by placing the mouse over the container. After the uninfected mosquitoes had fed for 5 minutes, a sealed carton containing uninfected mosquitoes was placed next to the first carton, and the mouse was positioned to lie over both cartons. Both infected and uninfected mosquitoes were then allowed to feed on the mouse for an hour, after which the mouse was euthanized and its blood serum was analyzed. The experiment was done five times.
In all five trials, some initially uninfected mosquitoes became infected, even though the 1-hour feeding time was too short for the mouse to become viremic, the authors report. Of 470 "recipient" mosquitoes that were tested for WNV, 18 became infected, for an average infection rate of 3.8%. In one trial, a 2.3% infection rate was found among 87 previously uninfected mosquitoes that had fed next to one infected mosquito.
The report says most mammals are regarded as dead-end hosts for WNV because they either are not susceptible or because they become infected at too low a level to pass the virus on to biting insects. But the new findings suggests that mammals can play a role in transmission even if they aren't susceptible to the virus or have immunity through vaccination.
"If this is happening in the field, it has two consequences," Higgs told CIDRAP News. "Transmission time is accelerated because you don't depend on animals becoming viremic. And if you don't need viremic animals to be involved, it means that any animal could transmit the virus."
The article states, "We believe that NVT is a plausible component of the WNV transmission cycle that may have contributed to its rapid spread in North America." In particular, the results suggest that horses that are immune to WNV because of vaccination may be playing a role in transmission.
However, at this point the findings don't necessarily imply a need for changes in WNV control measures, nor do they suggest an increased risk of human cases, Higgs said.
"In terms of control measures and things, we can't say that anything needs to be different. People are still going to have to do the same things," he said. Also, "Just because we've seen this, it doesn't influence transmission in terms of numbersit's not going to have an effect on the number of West Nile cases."
Higgs said he doesn't yet understand how nonviremic transmission occurs. "That's a darn good question," he said, adding that he plans several more experiments to try to find the answer.
Higgs S, Schneider BS, Vanlandingham Dana L, et al. Nonviremic transmission of west Nile virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2005 Jun 21;102(25):8871-4 [Full text]


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forest grove high school hallway.jpg
Students stand in the hallway at Forest Grove High School. As of November, 17 students at the school are considered homeless.
(Michal Thompson/The Forest Grove Leader)
In the past two school years, the number of homeless students enrolled in Forest Grove and Gaston schools hasn't changed much.
But for the 2012-2013 school year, the state now knows more about those students.
This fall the Oregon Department of Education offered the most detailed picture to date of Oregon's 18,165 homeless students for the 2012-2013 school year.
Homeless children "lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence," according to the state. Unaccompanied minors who have run away or been abandoned by their parents are also eligible for support as homeless students.
The state changed its reporting methodology for the 2012-2013 school year due to federal requirements, and now districts track students individually. This allows the state to look at student data such as test scores and demographics. Before, districts only counted the number of students who were homeless at some point during the year.
The change also means students were only counted once this year if they moved, which likely affected the total number of homeless students, according to the state. For the 2011-2012 school year, the state reported 20,370 homeless students.
There were 2,039 homeless students counted in Washington County in 2012-2013, with 101 of those students in Forest Grove schools and 12 in Gaston. With five or fewer homeless students in the Banks School District, data was withheld to protect student privacy.
Of the total number of homeless students counted last year in the state, 13,964 shared a living space and 1,793 lived in shelters. Some students, 1,600, were considered unsheltered, living in cars, parks or abandoned buildings, according to ODE. The state also reported that 808 students lived in motels or hotels.
In the Forest Grove School District, of the 101 homeless students in the 2012-2013 school year – one less student than the year before – 79 of those students were doubled up with other families. Seven lived in a hotel or motel, 23 were considered unaccompanied minors and 12 students were without shelter. The 101 students made up 1.71 percent of the district's total enrollment.
David Pero, the Forest Grove School District's homeless liaison, said his job focuses
on supporting students' education and providing access to opportunities, such as tutoring and free and reduced lunches.
As far as tracking students, Pero said counselors typicallyrefer homeless students to him. He said in some cases multiple families share an apartment, which might seem normal to the student. Pero added that there are likely more students who are eligible for support than are counted.
"A lot of times students don't realize they are homeless," he said.
For Gaston Schools, the state reported 12 homeless students, all of whom live doubled-up with other people. The 12 students represent 2.48 percent of the total enrollment. In the 2011-2012 school year, there were 16 homeless students counted.
Jennifer Oberg acts as a secretary and homeless liaison for the Gaston district. Part of her role is to train staff so they know how to tell if a student might be homeless and need help. She also connects students with resources and encourages them to get involved in sports or activities.
Like the Forest Grove district, Oberg said she follows-up on reports by teachers and other staff to identify if a student is homeless. Oberg said its rare that a student would approach her and ask for help.
"Especially in a small district, we know our kids really well," she said.
Oberg said the homeless student count typically increases in the spring, as does the number of students listed as unaccompanied youth.
Because of the individualized reporting method, ODE has also tracked test scores for homeless students statewide. Crystal Greene, communications director for ODE, said test score data from individual districts is withheld to protect student privacy.
According to ODE, a smaller percentage of homeless students met or exceeded state tests in the 2012-2013 compared to all students and economically disadvantaged students.
Here are the percentages of students who met or exceeded benchmarks:
- In reading, 51.7 percent of homeless students met benchmark, compared to 59 percent of economically disadvantaged students and 71.8 percent of all students.
- In math, 39.2 percent of homeless students met benchmark, compared to 50 percent of economically disadvantaged students and 63.1 percent of all students.
- In science, 45 percent of homeless students met benchmark, compared to 53 of economically disadvantaged students and 66.3 percent of all students.
Pero said it can be difficult for students dealing with homelessness to be successful in school. Concerns about the basics – such as food, clothing and shelter – can distract from their education.
"I always have this image of people who are trying to drive with a bee flying around in the car," he said. "You can't focus on your driving because you are focused on this bee getting in your ear."
The state also offered more information about the grades of homeless students. For the 2012-2013 year, twice as many students were reported at the 12th grade level than at any other grade, according to ODE. Of the total of homeless students, 2,438 are within the ages of 16 and 21, and many are fifth or sixth year seniors.
As of November, Pero said the Forest Grove district has counted 50 homeless students this school year. Of that 50, 17 are of high school age.
With high school students, Pero said attendance is often an issue. The "challenge is to keep them in school" instead of opting to drop-out, Pero said.
Constant contact and support for students faced with homelessness is essential, Pero said.
"If you don't have support at home and you have issues with math, you need someone to help you through it," he said.
--Laura Frazier

subset: commoncrawl


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Hey ya'll. I haven't done a giveaway hop in forever it seems, But I finally got my butt back in action and here it is :)
The theme of this one is LUCKY. And well there are so many books I feel like I have been lucky enough to read over the years,
And as of late I have had a crap ton of luck in my life when it comes to the blog. I've made friends with the St. Martin's Press people over the past couple months and they have been such a blast to work with and given me some great opportunities to review a few of their books, I also found out I'm officially a member of Cora Carmack's street team the Carmcats, which I can't even explain how excited about that I was.
And last, the guy I'm championing for Entangled's March Madness event this month made it to round two.
All these things have been so exciting for me and I really want to help make someone else's day by spreading the luck.
So for this hop I will be giving away an e-copy of All Lined Up by Cora Carmack with all the excitement of being lucky enough to make her street team
Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.
But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football-star ex wasn't bad enough, her father, a phenom in Texas's world of high school coaching, has decided to make the jump to college ball . . . as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.
Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting lineup. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.
Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.
And neither of them knows how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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When we finally caught up with Jim Hytner last month, he was in Cannes - as you'd expect. And again, as you'd expect, he was on very fine form indeed. Hytner has always been one of the media market's most enthusiastic characters. He makes your average optimist sound a bit like Eeyore.
His particularly good mood can be partly explained by his network's appearance at the Cannes Media Lions: Initiative USA collected silver in the Best Use of Integrated Media category for its work with Hasbro, and Initiative Media South Africa made the shortlist in the Best Use of Branded Content & Sponsorship category.
Hytner is also pleased with his new hiring, Marc Bresseel, who has been poached from Microsoft to become the president of Initiative's G14 region, which lumps the top European markets together with the BRIC nations and Japan. He will join in September - and big things are expected of him.
But that's not it entirely. We get closer to the nub of the matter when we ask Hytner how he's taking to his new job. Or newish - in March, he swapped Interpublic horses, leaping from Universal McCann, where he was the president of its G14 region, to Initiative as the worldwide chief executive. He succeeded Richard Beaven, who is leaving to pursue his interest in what everyone insists on calling "documentary" photography - lest anyone gets the wrong idea.
So, yes, Hytner is still relatively new to the job. We have this standard question for itinerant suits about whether the travel's getting to them - and it can sometimes throw up surprising answers. In his previous job, Hytner merely travelled a lot. Now, although the London agency is notionally his base, he also works out of the New York office and, when he's not shuttling across the Atlantic, he's covering all four corners of the globe.
In short, Hytner is on a plane every two to three days. "Of course I hate being away from the family," he admits; but, tellingly, he adds: "As to the job, I love it. I love the opportunity to work with different cultures. I've never worked harder or enjoyed my job more."
We canvassed one or two views and received some predictably scathing opinions about Initiative's immediate prospects at a network level. One rival boss described Initiative as the "most invisible" media network. And the consensus is that the downturn will make it even more difficult for Initiative to gain traction. With clients more obsessed than ever with buying performance, size really matters these days - and Initiative can't really match the raw power of agencies owned by WPP, Omnicom, Publicis or even Aegis.
True, Initiative's rhetoric a couple of years ago was all about how, under Beaven's direction, its US office was rebuilding momentum, thanks to some decent new-business wins - and the argument was that this momentum could inspire a similar renaissance at a network level. But that talk now seems rather hollow - in 2011, the US office lost two of its biggest accounts, Bayer and The Home Depot, worth an estimated $300 million and $700 million respectively.
If Hytner finds this sort of analysis irksome, he doesn't show it. He merely swats it aside. He maintains that the network sometimes loses sight of the fact that it boasts world-class tools and people - he wants everyone in the organisation to remember that and take pride in it.
Despite Hytner insisting that talks with Unilever (remember that big old review) are ongoing, he is perhaps buoyed by reports that Initiative is expected to take on some global communications planning work for the FMCG giant previously held by the incumbent Mindshare.
Media reviews aside, the focus, he says, is very much on clients - and he argues that this has always been Initiative's defining (and market-leading) virtue. "We have great client relationships," he says. "We genuinely understand what they want and how they want it delivered - and I'm talking about a level above the delivery of a media plan. In any case, it's just not possible to differentiate between media networks on that basis."
He now hopes to take that virtue to an even higher level. Hytner believes he has a new proposition that many multinational clients will find somewhat compelling. Indeed, when he arrives, Bresseel will take a lead role in helping to sell this idea.
What's on offer is basically a fresh spin on payment by results. Hytner explains: "We're happy to be paid the way we're currently being paid - but we would be even happier having some client skin in the game. The question we're asking clients is: why would you want to pay us the same whether a campaign succeeds or fails? If we do well, pay us well. If we don't do quite so well for reasons outside our control, don't pay us quite so well. And if we just don't perform, don't pay us at all."
Can this alone change Initiative's fortunes? No doubt rivals will scoff. But the bottom line, Hytner suggests, is that everyone (and that sometimes includes Initiative people themselves) underestimates the network. This, he promises, is about to change.
He concludes: "My view when I was offered the job was that it was a fantastic opportunity because people don't realise what a terrific agency Initiative is. But if you look at the operations around the world, it may not be the largest network there is, but it's still surprisingly big and it's certainly brilliant."
Age: 47
Lives: Coleshill, Buckinghamshire
Family: Jo, Molly, Lucy, George, Sam
Must-have music: James Taylor (sister's influence) to Taylor Swift (daughter's influence)
Desert island luxury: My wine collection
Interests: Wine, theatre, opera, Manchester United (especially through the dark years that are fast approaching) and dinner anywhere with Jo
Motto: No motto. They tend to be corny or unbelievable. I have a principle, though. I feel blessed to do what I do and assume I'll be found out every day. So I work hard and work like it's my last day.


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And Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen. 6:8)This isn't the first time we've encountered Noah this week. On Sunday, Hoshana Rabba, we prayed for salvation "In the name of he who was perfect in his generations," as Noah is described in the next verse.
Nor is that the first time that Noah popped up in our holiday prayers. In the Yom Kippur service (both the Ashkenazic and Sephardic rites), he is identified as the first truly righteous individual, whose descendants are blessed and multiplied as a result of his piety.
And on Rosh Hashana, Noah literally takes center stage: in the second of its third unique blessings, known as Zichronot (Remembrances). In fact, Rosh Hashana's official name is the Day of Remembrance, and the first instance of God's remembrance is that of tempest-tossed Noah:
You also remembered Noah with love and You were mindful of him with salvation and mercy when You broughtWhat is particularly striking is that this theme is unique to the month of Tishrei. As Jews, we usually hearken back to later figures in Genesis: the Patriarchs, the Matriarchs, the Tribes. However, during this month, we invoke our status as descendants of Noah, a bond shared by all humanity.
flood waters to destroy all flesh because of their evil deeds. Therefore, his memory comes before You, God our Lord, to make his descendants like the dust of the earth and his progeny like the sand of the sea. As it states in Your Torah "And God remembered Noah and all of the beasts and the cattle that were with him in the ark, and God caused a wind to blow over the land and the water calmed."
This dovetails with the universality of Tishrei.
On Rosh Hashana, all human beings pass before him like young sheep, as it is said (Psalms 33:15), "He fashions all their hearts together, Who understands all their deeds." (Mishna Rosh Hashana 1:2)Indeed, the Torah reading of the day focuses more on Ishmael and Abimelech the Philistine then on Isaac! Even the scapegoat to Azazel on Yom Kippur is understood by the Midrash (Gen. Rabba 65:10) as a reference to Esau. Similarly, according to Talmud Sukka 55b, the bullocks of Sukkot, which add up to seventy, represent the seventy nations of the world. And on Simchat Torah, we once again read about the creation of man as one being, encompassing all colors, peoples and genders.
Thus, it is only fitting that the last Sabbath of Tishrei has a reading that concludes with Noah, father of us all. And the Prophetic postscript is a familiar but oft-forgotten mission (Isaiah 42:6):
I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant of the people, a light of the nations (or goyim).Now, after the week we've just gone through here, I'm sure many will say that the last thing we need to hear about is the common ancestry of all humanity, the fact that we all trace our lineage back to Noah, the first to forge a covenant with God. But faith doesn't always give you what you want to hear; sometimes, it just gives you what you need to hear.


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Menendez Introduces Cybersecurity Bill To Match House Legislation
National Journal
June 7, 2011
By Josh Smith
As expected, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., announced Tuesday that he plans to introduce cybersecurity legislation that mirrors a bill in the House.
The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2011 calls for more research and development for federal networks as well as more collaboration between the government and the private sector.
"Espionage, corporate sabotage, or attacks against this country must be taken seriously, even if these crimes are committed using a computer," Menendez said in a statement. "That's why I'm introducing this bill and working with my colleagues in the House to ensure we develop the world's highest caliber cyber security systems and develop iron-clad, 21st century network security safeguards."
Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., are planning to introduce an identical bill in the House.
The legislation gives the National Institute of Standards and Technology the authority to set security standards for federal computer systems; creates R&D grant programs; establishes a task force of government, academic and industry resources; and creates scholarship programs to educate more cybersecurity professionals.
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Battle: Los Angeles Review: Enough Small Boom, Let's Boom the Boom
By William Goss | Film | March 11, 2011 |
By William Goss | Film | March 11, 2011 |
Every bit the Black Hawk Down-War of the Worlds hybrid that it's being advertised as, Battle: Los Angeles is a loud and proud piece of semper fi sci-fi, occasionally thrilling, periodically groan-inducing and thoroughly familiar in its efforts to imitate ground-level warfare against a biomechanical menace.
Staff Sgt. Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is on the verge of retirement, naturally. After 20 years in the Marines and one seriously rough tour in Iraq, he's putting in his notice -- a notice rendered null and void by an incoming alien invasion. Nantz is assigned to a platoon that's being dispatched to Santa Monica; their orders: save some civilians that are holed up in a police station and high-tail it out of there before the place gets leveled.
Jonathan Liebesman's direction puts the busy and loud aesthetic above all else, with a camera that's often antsier than it needs to be, but for a few critical sequences -- namely, a gas station gambit and a freeway siege -- he establishes geography well and sustains tension nicely. At other times, the narrative does resemble that of a first-person shooter: point A, point B, point C, big boss; it's just that some skirmishes end up more exciting to watch than others.
Christopher Bertolini's script traffics strictly in hoary archetypes -- the rookie soldier (several in fact) excited by the prospect of conflict and then terrified by the harsh reality of it, the nigh-retired officer with a troubled past who must redeem himself, the guy with a grudge against said officer, the woman who can hold her own alongside the men, etc. -- and the dialogue usually isn't much better. It seems that the only thing worse than interchangeable grunts grunting are characters that we're clearly meant to care for adhering to formulaic fates throughout. The film gets off to a sluggish start with its introduction of the entire ensemble, with each member having one defining characteristic or less, and the second act comes to a halt so that Eckhart's character can deliver a tearful speech before capping it off with "But none of that matters right now." He's right. It really doesn't.
Until that point, though, Eckhart sells that moment well, and his default stoicism (read: that chin of his) manages to make at least one character worth remembering, let alone worth rooting for. Michelle Rodriguez pops in to play Tech Sgt. Michelle Rodriguez, while Michael Pena and Bridget Moynahan take turns either holding children's hands or proving surprisingly handy for a civilian. Everyone else in the unit is fairly nondescript, with wives they love and friends to lose, and they're often left to dole out the obvious before being picked off.
Therein lies the dilemma of whether or not these characters should matter. We don't care in monster movies; we should care in war films. The archetypes worked in Aliens, ostensibly a monster movie more than a war film; Battle: LA is clearly more the latter type and yet couldn't feel lazier. It's possible to make scaled-back spectacle work effectively -- Cloverfield knocked it out of the park, personalizing the panic with its approach -- but Liebesman's goal here is mayhem first, and in that regard (and that regard alone), he succeeds. These are the same old fireworks seen from a different vantage point, and only you can tell me if that's worth your $10.
William Goss now lives in Austin, Texas.


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Doug has done his usual outstanding job on Van's Air Force, documenting everything that happened this weekend at Van's Homecoming. This time it was held at the Independence Airpark. I'm pretty sure in my next life I want to come back wealthy enough to live on an airpark. Guess I'll have to figure out a new line of work, though.
Anyway, here's Doug's pictures of the RV-12, which he got to fly (check that, in my next life, I'm coming back as Doug Reeves), here's video of his landing, and here's his account of the Friday BBQ.
Doug told me in an e-mail that he was spending the day at the Portland airport and wouldn't be home until 10 p.m. Way to take one for the team, Doug! And thanks for your hard work.
I also found this blog -- My Left Nut -- which had some images and accounts of the action this weekend.
I'm hoping EAA Chapter 292, which hosted the event, posts some pictures soon, too.


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Get the Facts
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People with IBD are at an increased risk of developing colon cancer. Having regular endoscopies will help identify polyps that could potentially develop into cancer.
Diet alone is not effective in treating Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. However, it is important that patients with IBD have a well-balanced diet. Calcium is important to protect bones. Fibre may not be tolerated during flare ups. Certain vitamins (for example, B12) may be required. Selected patients may sometimes be helped by a registered dietitian.
Although both illnesses can be seriously debilitating, there are several primary differences between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBD is an autoimmune disorder that causes swelling and ulcerations (sores) in the bowel. IBS involves problems with motility (how the bowel moves contents through our intestines) and sensitivity (how the brain interprets sensations in the bowel). Symptoms of IBS may wax and wane and possibly disappear altogether whereas IBD is a chronic condition.
Enhancing lifelong health
The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation believes our ability to help establish, enrich and protect a healthy gut microbiota is the key to lifelong health


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Fly fishing gifts abound at Ann Arbor-area stores and locally-run websites
Tom Teague | Contributor
All right, team! We may be in Santa's Red Zone but the clock is running and there are no time-outs before Christmas. Don't panic, I am here with a game plan for your fly fishing enthusiast that will fit all budgets.
Before you do your Christmas victory dance, though, please keep in mind two things:
First, these recommended gifts are available locally, either through locally-owned internet businesses or in stores with four walls and people who are eager to help you.
And second, this list is light on fly fishing gear and apparel. You've already been notified about those anyway, because fly anglers have hinting skills far exceeding those of Ralphie Parker in maintaining guileless plausible deniability.
Remember that sneezing fit at the dinner table two weeks ago? Couldn't you have just sworn that the build up and finale of all those sneezes sounded just like your beloved angler saying "new large arbor reel?" Take the hint.
So here are a few recommendations for those special surprise gifts — the delightful ones that your angler never saw coming. I've included prices where possible.
Trout art
No, not old framed covers of Field and Stream; we're talking fine art.
Start with browsing through the locally owned website, Painted Trout. Lauren Kingsley, a Dexter-based local business owner, fly fisher, and textile designer, has a large collection of hand-made fly-fishing gifts.
Lauren said that the site's wooden fly boxes, priced between $75 and $85, are a seasonal hot seller. The boxes are hand crafted by a Michigan woodworker, who also is one of Lauren's fly fishing buddies. Assuming that they were trophy case items, I was surprised when she told me that anglers carry them onto the stream — she said that, in addition to looking good, the boxes are sturdy and they float.
The Painted Trout also features a collection of handmade silk bandanas and scarves that range from $49 to $210. My wife, Stephanie, who knows from scarves, attested that they are fine works of art and very wearable accessories.
The local trout shop Colton Bay Outfitters, 4844 Jackson Road, is a full-service shop with gear, clothing and accessories for the stream. And art. Owner John Davis is particularly proud of a series of lithographs by Russell Chatham depicting landscapes near and dear to fly fishing hearts.
Tom Teague | Contributor
The Chatham lithographs are marked below gallery prices, and sell in the range of $1,000 apiece. They are luminescent pieces — one of them drew me into a fond memory of a large cutthroat running around an upstream bend and taking line so quickly that I was into my backing before I knew it.
Fly tying lessons
John also mentioned that fly tying equipment is selling very well this season — probably because whip finishers, bodkins, hackle pliers, hair stackers and dubbing twisters fit so well into stockings. If you don't know what any of that is, you should sign someone up for a fly tying class. Colton Bay is offering four-night class in 2012 for $100, and each session of Schultz Outfitters' Bar Flies series includes a beginner's table; Bar Flies is $20 a session.
First off, if your angler doesn't have a copy, rush out and buy a copy of the "Flyfisher's Guide to Michigan" by Jim Bedford. It is the most informative and complete study of one state's fly fishing opportunities that I've ever read. The book was updated in 2007; I recently saw copies priced under $30.
A nice companion book is "Seasons on the Au Sable" by the late Rusty Gates. The book takes you from the first mayfly hatch of April through spring, summer, winter river scouting and those promising March rises. Rusty, who died in 2009, was operator of Gates Au Sable Lodge near Grayling, a destination for anglers from around the world.The lodge is still open, operated by Julie Gates and Josh Greenberg. The book is hard to find now, so you may have to search at local used books stores.
The Lawn Trout
I've already extolled the virtues of the Lawn Trout in a previous column. Let me just add that every sunny day since I first tried it in November, I have kicked myself for putting it on my Christmas list and not purchasing it outright. It's priced at $20 on the website.
Photo by Mike Mouradian
There's a lot more that I can't cover here: Days with fishing guides, new line, apparel. Have fun whether you're shopping for your angler or trying to figure out how to say "fly tying lessons' so that it sounds like an innocent cough.
Send me an email if you are tying unique flies, involved in activities related to local fly fishing, or even have a great Michigan fly fishing story to share.
Tom Teague is a local consultant, writer and fly angler posting every other Friday — more often if there's news to share — in the Lifestyles section of annarbor.com. You may email him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tom Teague
Sat, Dec 17, 2011 : 6:09 p.m.
@braggslaw - Thank you for your comment! I agree with you about Colton Bay (including the dogs). One of the joys of writing these columns has been getting to know more folks in the local fly fishing community. They're all great people and have been very generous with their time. There was quite a bit going on so I wedged a couple of extra columns in last week, but will try to get back on the regular every-other-week schedule beginning December 23. I also meant to get back with you and let you know that Mike Schultz said to contact him about the single fly cray instructions - there's a contact link on the Schultz Outfitters web site. For you and all the readers, please let me know what you think about these columns both in the comments section here and also by email. I publish my email address at the end of each column.
Sat, Dec 17, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
I am in heaven another fly fishing article! Colton Bay is a great shop with great products and nice people (dogs too)


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A mum of five who was beaten unconscious and stabbed by John Gilligan's evil nephew has told how she lives in fear of his associates.
Michelle McCann, 38, was forced to go into hiding with her children after ex-partner Edward "Ned" Gilligan launched a savage attack on her during a drug binge.
The 31-year-old junkie brutally beat her before slashing her then 10-year-old son with a blade after he tried to intervene.
The family was only rescued when Michelle's daughter, eight, put her mum's smashed phone back together and called police.
But despite his barbaric attack, Gilligan yesterday escaped prison in the North with a four-month suspended term.
He had pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and an offensive weapon but denied assaulting Michelle and her son last December.
Brave Michelle told the Irish Mirror how she feared for her life when Gilligan started violently beating her.
Speaking from her hideout in the North, she said: "I'm not the type of person who brings anyone to court.
"I don't believe in charging anybody but nobody does that to my baby.
"And nobody has the right to put their hands on any child that doesn't belong to them. Even if they do belong to them it doesn't give them the right to slap them."
In 2008, her then partner Jason Whelan, 34, was discovered dead in their home in Clondalkin, West Dublin, by her young son, the same boy slashed by Gilligan.
Michelle explained while Whelan wasn't her son's biological father the young boy still looked up to him.
She said: "Jason was the best ever, he could never be replaced.
"My son is still traumatised after that happened."
In July 2013, Michelle met Ned through his cousin and the pair hit it off.
She said: "He wasn't abusive at the start, I couldn't say that.
"I had only buried my fella six years earlier and Ned would have been the first person since."
Michelle was dating Ned when his notorious uncle John was released from prison last November and attended a number of gatherings to welcome the mob boss home.
She became pregnant and shortly after the relationship began to turn sour.
Just two weeks before the assault she told Ned: "I don't want to be with you, I'd rather just be friends.
"They wanted me to go to his mother's house but I wasn't doing that. I watched them kill each other the day John got out.
"I wanted away from the Gilligans and I wanted away from him. I knew I was pregnant and this child was going to be stuck as a Gilligan. I wanted to get away."
Ned continued to live with Michelle and her children but just two weeks later he travelled to Dublin for his mother's birthday.
She said: "On the Monday morning Ned went to Dublin on the bus. He would usually be back by 1.30pm or 2pm. He never arrived at 2pm. It was his mother's birthday.
"He arrived home at half nine that night – I thought he was drunk."
She explained she ordered him to go up to bed and not wake the kids. But when she went up to check on him at 1am she found him using heroin.
Michelle said: "I gave him a bang and told him to get out. He got up and started hitting me. He hit me in the side of the face, in the ribs.
"He hit me until I was knocked out. The kids were awake. I went unconscious then.
"He then grabbed a Stanley knife that I had been using to cut wallpaper and stabbed my child."
Michelle explained she eventually regained consciousness but Gilligan didn't stop his attack.
She said: "He got a blade, over eight inches long, and forced it to my neck."
At that stage her eight-year-old daughter picked up Michelle's phone – which Gilligan had earlier smashed – repaired it and called the PSNI.
Michelle has now gone into hiding but she is constantly receiving threats online and over the phone. She said: "I have been told there is a bullet with my name on it.
"I get calls from unknown numbers morning noon and night. My phone doesn't stop, it's like Telecom Eireann here.
"People are saying: 'You'll pay for it'. Pay for what? I've done nothing, the child has done nothing.
"I'd love to know how much the hit is on me.
"I fear these people but I wouldn't like them to know that. When dark comes you are waiting for light because I know what these people are capable of."
Fermanagh Magistrates' Court yesterday heard how coward Gilligan had denied having the knife with intent to wound the boy and assaulting him and his mother.
However, he was convicted of the offences. Outlining the background to the case, a prosecutor told the court police were called to Galliagh Park in Enniskillen.
Gilligan had attacked Michelle and gone to another house in the area. He was searched and found to have a wrap of heroin in his pocket. She claimed he had punched her in the ribs, grabbed her by the throat and held a knife to her throat.
When her 10-year-old son tried to pull the thug away from her he was caught on the forearm with the knife.
Gilligan was interviewed by the police and admitted having the heroin but denied assaulting the woman and her son. He claimed he had been assaulted.
Defence barrister Liam Barr said Gilligan had a good work record, having been employed as an electrician, barman and chef in Tenerife and Jersey.
Mr Barr said it appeared it was only in the past three or four years that he had become involved with people who were a "bad influence" and he ended up on drugs and alcohol.
He added: "It appears to be a one-off incident. He has no history of violence."
He said the relationship between Gilligan and the woman is now over.
District Judge Nigel Broderick told Gilligan: "What aggravates the situation is that there was an assault on a minor.
"You have a very limited record, which is perhaps surprising for someone with an addiction to drugs."
The judge added he was satisfied the custody threshold had been crossed but given the limited record he would suspend the four-month jail sentence for two years.


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The Bugaboo Cameleon3 didn't make it into the top half of the products in this review. It has some interesting features, and it scored well on safety and quality, but it failed to impress us in many of the performance metrics we test. Given the comparatively high price tag of this stroller, we had expectations that it would fare better in our tests against the competition. With several strollers costing far less with higher scores, it is hard to truly love this stroller, though it might be a sleek urban dweller that meets the needs of those looking for a sharp looking ride that works well with a car seat.
Bugaboo Cameleon3 Review
Pros: High quality, good safety score, good sun protection
Cons: Higher price, disappointing max storage allowance, heavy
Manufacturer: Bugaboo
The Skinny
Compare to Similar Products
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Bugaboo Cameleon 3 claims to be a versatile, multi-terrain, compact stroller. This stroller works from birth to 36 months with a bassinet that converts into a seat, that can sit up straight, recline, or lie flat for napping, and it is reversible and can face the front or back. It offers adjustable suspension, foam-filled rubber tires, and swivel wheel suspension. This stroller has a reversible and height adjustable handlebar. The reversible handlebar can put the big wheels forward for rougher terrain, or the stroller can convert to a two-wheel position for pushing through sand and snow. It has a 5-point harness, an aerated inlay, and machine washable fabrics. This stroller comes with a rain cover, storage basket, seat/bassinet frame and fabric, carry handle, wire frame, chassis with wheels, extendable sun canopy, and bassinet apron. This stroller offers car seat adapters for many popular car seats including Peg Perego, Chicco, Britax, and Maxi Cosi.
Performance Comparison
The chart below shows a comparison of overall scores for all of the strollers we tested in this review. The Cameleon 3 is shown in blue. While this stroller did not score high enough to earn an award in this review, it might be worth noting that it did score highly in our Car Seat and Stroller Combo Review where it won an award.
The sections below offer additional information on the performance of the Cameleon during testing in each metric. We used the metric scores to determine the overall scores with an emphasis on the ease of use and maneuverability results. This explains the difference in overall scores for the Cameleon in this review vs the Car Seat Combo review where car seat connection is weighted heavily in the overall score.
Ease of Use
The Bugaboo has an ease of use score of 6 of 10. This is just higher than average for the group. The high for this metric is an 8 earned by the UPPAbaby Cruz and the UPPAbaby Vista.
The storage bin on this stroller is smaller compared to the competition and we called it medium. It has a maximum allowable storage weight of 8.8 pounds. We were able to fit our medium diaper bag inside, and the access is easy from all sides. The large diaper bag would not fit in the basket, but the basket can be removed and used as a bag, which could be useful. Unfortunately, it isn't something you can accomplish quickly, but it has a nice cover with a drawstring closure that prevents items from falling out.
This stroller has no other storage options, which means there is no good place to put convenience items like keys, phones, or wallets.
The photos above show the canopy closed and fully open.
The sunshade on this stroller is large and has a UPF rating of 50+. It is a nice looking canopy, but it lacks extra ventilation or a peek-a-boo window which ruins the happy dance we want to do when we see a large canopy. This means parents will have to move around the side or the front of the stroller to check on baby; this means you may have to stop moving which might result in waking a sleeping baby. Only 4 strollers scored higher in this metric.
This stroller does not offer any other conveniences for parents or passengers. It is a barebones option for a stroller that kind of brags about everything it offers. It seems like a strange oversight not to include at least a side cup holder.
This stroller comes with a rain cover and bassinet.
The Bugaboo earned a 6 of 10 for maneuverability in our tests; this is an average score for the group. The high for the group is 9 earned by the BOB Revolution Flex.
This stroller has a smaller footprint that helps it make tighter turns. It rolls fairly smoothly, but it does turn as easily as some of the others, and the frame has a decent amount of flex that makes it harder to push than it should be. It is a relatively easy stroller to push with 2 hands, and 1 hand is possible but harder than a lot of the competition. Rolling on the carpet is more difficult, but it managed bumps with no problems.
The off-road rolling is tough in standard mode but gets easier in off-road mode. The steering is hard to get used to in this mode. We had trouble with it some front tipping over the curb and both front wheels fell into the grate when we tried to traverse it. The off-road mode gave this stroller a score bump it wouldn't have otherwise had.
Taking curbs is about average thanks to the long handle. It is not advised to take stairs in general, but it should not be tried when using the stroller in the two-wheel mode recommended for snow and sand.
This Bugaboo performed well in our tests for quality, which isn't a huge surprise given the high cost of purchasing one. It is only one of two metrics that it earned an above average score in. The Bugaboo earned a 7 of 10, with the high being 8 shared by the BOB Revolution Flex and the UPPAbaby Vista; both cost less than this stroller.
The fabric on this stroller is some of the nicest in the review. The entire seat is made of a very soft, finely woven canvas. It seems durable and withstood our tests for snagging. It might be more difficult to clean, but it seems worth it given the nice feel. The footrest is made of a stiff, slick, heavy canvas and the canopy is made of softer canvas that is slightly thicker and more durable than the canvas on the seat. The basket is made of the same heavier canvas as the canopy with a stiff piece of plastic added inside to retain the shape.
The aluminum frame on the Bugaboo is a little more robust than that found on the Bugaboo Bee3. The frame feels solid and has a nice finish. The fit and finish of this stroller are cleaner than the Bee and the fabric lays nicely even though it is heavier than that found on the Bee.
The wheels on the Bugaboo are foam filled rubber. This brings the benefits of rubber and the practicality of foam together in one wheel. While some might not prefer it over pneumatic tires, we rather like the idea that the passenger will experience a more comfortable ride without parents worrying about getting a flat. What might be a sacrifice in maneuverability might be an advantage depending on how you use the stroller.
This stroller only has shocks on the front wheels, but they are adjustable could make the ride a little more comfortable. It has a sling style seat with good padding, but it jiggles in a similar way to the Baby Jogger City Select. We think these elements combine to create a more comfortable ride than the average stroller in this review.
The Cameleon earned a 7 of 10 for safety, which is better than average and only 1 point below the high score of 8 earned by the Baby Jogger City Select.
This stroller has a single action handbrake that is definitely sandal friendly because you operate it with your hand. The brake is very easy to set and easy to release. The play in the brakes is 0, making it one of the best in the review. Its sliding resistance with the brake on is very good. You do have to watch that the hand lever doesn't "slap" the back of your hand when you release it and it is stiffer to set than the other hand brakes in the group.
This Bugaboo has a 5-point harness that is easy to put on and even easier to take off. It has adjustable shoulder and crotch straps that are easy to adjust and earned a high score of 5 out of 5. There are six pieces to put together, but it still manages to be pretty easy, and it comes apart easily as well.
Weight and Folded Size
This stroller earned the second lowest score in our review for weight and folded size. It weighs 25 pounds and 2 ounces and measures 23"W x 17.2"H x 40.5"L, for a total of 16,002 cubic inches. The weight is a little above average for the group, but the folded size is larger than all but 2 other strollers we looked at. The folded package size had a huge impact on the score for this metric. The lightest and smallest strollers were closer to 17.5 pounds and 6,500 cubic inches.
The Cameleon requires two hands to fold, does not have an auto lock, self-stand, or carry handle. It takes 5 steps to fold and is hard compared to the competition. The fold requires the removal of parts and means you will also be carrying or finding a place for multiple items. Removing the seat before folding is time-consuming and results in a two-part package that you probably don't want to mess with on public transport or in smaller trunk space. Unfolding the stroller is much easier (though still only average) and also requires 2 hands to operate. There are two steps to unfold this stroller; they include pulling the stroller apart and reattaching the seat.
Ease of Setup
The Cameleon took just over 14 minutes to assemble; this is the second longest setup time in the group. Thus, it earned a second to the lowest score in the review. The documentation is poor, and the pictures in the manual are a little confusing.
Car Seat Compatibility
The Cameleon 3 is not as user-friendly as its little brother the Bee 3, but it is still nicer than a lot of the competition. It does not have any car seat compatibility standard, but you can purchase adapters that work with Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 (an Editors' Choice Award winner), Chicco KeyFit, Chicco KeyFit 30, Britax B-Safe, B-Safe 35, B-Safe Elite, Cybex Aton 2, Aton Q, Maxi-Cosi Mico AP, Mico NXT, and the Prezi.
Best Applications
There is no best application for this stroller. Its elevated price tag makes it one of the highest in the group and its overall score fails to live up to the other strollers in the review. It does have some nice features, but there are a lot of strollers in this review that earned higher scores, performed better in our tests, and were also significantly cheaper than this stroller.
With a price tag of $1149, it is hard to feel like this Bugaboo is a good value. With a price significantly higher than all of our award winners and an overall score lower than half the competition, this stroller is not the best value in the bunch.
The photos above show the Cameleon in two of its possible configurations with the bassinet (right) and the toddler seat (left).
This stroller looks kind of neat on paper, but it didn't have the goods in our tests to really impress. While it scored fairly well in our tests for quality and safety, it didn't manage to pull ahead of the pack in our tests for maneuverability or ease of use, and it is virtually devoid of simple conveniences like a cup holder or zippered pocket for storing a mobile phone. With these issues in mind and the higher price tag to consider, the Cameleon3 didn't represent in real life as good as it did on paper.
Other Versions
Bugaboo makes several different strollers. We reviewed the Cameleon 3 and the Bugaboo Bee3 for this review; neither scored high enough in our tests to win an award.
— Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team


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You can download 3DStudio MAX 2009 (*.max) files of Modular Traditional Kitchen set 3D model from www.exchange3d.com. Direct link to the 3D model: Exchange3D media store More details: High quality set of modules for traditional kitchen, accurately based on Ginevra Vaniglia by Stosa.
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Caro Gold hotel is renowned for the peaceful surroundings, modern facilities and high quality services. The rich surroundings of Tei Lake add a breath of fresh air to the comfort provided by comfortable rooms, two restaurants with over 300 seats and a lobby bar. This hotel is situated within walking distance of Bucharests business hub and for entertainment or shopping it is ideally close to the Baneasa Shopping Mall.
Caro Golf Hotel is located in the North of Bucharest on the Barbu Vacarescu Boulevard.
5 kms to city centre
5 kms to the airport (aurel vlaicu international airport)
13 kms to the airport (henri coanda international airport)
10 minute walk to the nearest metro station (aurel vlaicu station)
6 km to the nearest station (north railway station)
5 minute walk to the nearest bus stop
5 km to the nearest fair site (romexpo)
Decorated in contemporary shades of beige and red, the rooms are comfortable and well appointed with modern facilities and air-conditioning. Features of the room include a king size bed, free WiFi Internet access, working desk for guests traveling on business. Bathrooms are bright with a large mirror, bath or shower. The rooms have views of the courtyard or Barbu Vacarescu Boulevard.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are available at this property.
This is a modern building.
The hotel has a medium size lobby.


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If i'm not mistaken, this "Super" is the latest kind of volcanic pore clay mask from the brand. It has two times more Jeju volcanic scoria and hence has better sebum control properties (daw).
What is volcanic scoria capsule? See those tiny bumps in the clay mask? These are hardened lava from volcanic eruptions in Jeju Island. The substance is a rare ingredient that powerfully absorbs the sebum and impurities hidden in the skin. Think of it like your elementary science lab experiments: magnets attracting carbon particles! The AHA in the volcanic scoria helps in gently exfoliating dead skin cells while the cooling clay gives a refreshing feeling so you feel smooth and refreshed after washing. The product contains 6020mg of volcanic clusters.
A multi-porous structure with countless micro pores with powerful natural capacity to absorb and sterilize like the charcoal of oak trees. It is a miraculous material that offers powerful antibacterial, detoxifying, purifying, and moirturizing functions without any additives.
Volcanic cluster is the only week base resource similar to human blood, which is only found in Jeju Island. It is currently classified as a preserved natural resource by the Special Law of Jeju Island. Volcanic cluster, gathered from the areas not contaminated by chemicals such as pesticides, is pulverized to remove the impurities and sterilized at a temperature above 150°C.
How to use? It's advisable to use toner after cleansing the skin prior to smoothing the clay mask on the face (avoiding the eye and lip area), but I always skip the toning part as I don't feel it's necessary. Besides, when it comes to skincare, I prefer having as few layers on my skin as possible. After applying, you'll feel the mask cooling your skin. Enjoy for 10-30mins then rinse with lukewarm water (I just use regular temperature water though!).
Please click the photo to enlarge and read the ingredients!
The jar is made of plastic. It won't break when you drop it.
Being a huge fan of natural skincare products, I appreciate every bit of eco-consciousness exuded by the market but I've always been very selective ever since I decided to switch natural. Given that this product still has preservatives and chemicals i can't pronounce in the ingredients, I can't attest to it being all natural. Natural means 100% natural to me. I appreciate the effort of Innisfree with being eco-friendly: the box itself is 100% recycled and I think almost all products have statements saying "Please return to Innisfree after use".
Fresh 3M: Innisfree products marked with this symbol means the products are sold within 3months from manufacturing date. So you are guaranteed that those items marked are fresh.
Green complex: contains volcanic spring water infused with extracts of green tea, tangerine, cactus, and citron that are found in Jeju island.
- contains rare volcanic clusters
- provides cooling effects
- helps get rid of sebum (after a few seconds you will notice that there's watery substance on top of the mask coming from the pores i think)
- makes my skin feel refreshed and cooled after
- my skin is noticeably glowing and skin tone is enhanced
- i have to dig into the jar with my finger because there's no spatula (there is a tube version that contains 200g though)
- my nails get clumped with clay when i dig my fingers into it SIGHS
- hard to obtain in Philippines
- pretty expensive for a 100g jar shipped from Korea to this land of ours
- doesn't really get rid of my blackheads at all
- enhanced skin tone doesn't last long
Will I repurchase?
For now, there's still a looong way to go before I finish the whole jar. But in terms of "is it worth the money?" I say, when you get the chance to buy it directly from an Innisfree store in Korea, buy it! You're ensured that what you get applies the FRESH 3M of Innisfree!


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Lunch Menu at El Oceano Hotel and Restaurant. Lunch at El Oceano is second to none! The A la Carte menu is always available, plus our 'lite-bites' menu for those not so hungry, you can enjoy Lunch outside on the Waterfront Terrace, overlooking the sea. What better place for lunch?!
Lunch Menu at El Oceano Restaurant
Lunch at El Oceano Beachfront Restaurant
A more relaxing lunch time you could not imagine. Enjoy the full a la carte menu, or choose something from the 'lite-bites' lunch menu. If you can take the day off, there's no better place to enjoy lunch, followed by a martini on the terrace.
As a lunchtime guest, you have full access to the terrace and pool area. You could even book one of the VIP sunbeds! A small fee guarantees an exclusive bed, personal waiter service and best of all, the feeling of absolute luxury – as we say, 'awesome afternoons' at El Oceano!
Lunch at El Oceano is Something Special
A wonderful place to sit and relax, right on the water's edge. The perfect day of lunch and afternoon cocktails awaits you every day of the season. If you find yourself between La Cala de Mijas and Marbella, you'll be hard-pushed to find anywhere better!
The A la Carte Menu
Our exquisite A la Carte menu is available during every day, as well as evenings. If you require something special, not on the menu, always ask. Our chefs will do their best to accommodate you!
If the weather's good enough (and it mostly is!), we are happy to offer you lunch on the sunny, outdoor terrace. A more perfect, beachfront lunch you could not imagine. Sit back, enjoy a spectacular meal and one of our specialist Martinis from the pool bar.
It's the ideal place to spend your 'Awesome Afternoon'. In the lap of luxury, as the waves lap against the shore!


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ATHENS cheap nike air force 1 low black , June 14 (Xinhua) -- The intense dispute over the Greek government's sudden decision to shut down state television and radio broadcaster ERT on Tuesday midnight was referred to courts on Friday, amid mounting tensions over the first big wave of layoffs in the country's public sector.
The Council of State, Greece's highest administrative court, is likely to issue a preliminary verdict by Tuesday next week on the nationwide federation of television and radio personnel POSPERT's request that the closure be reversed, according to legal sources. A final verdict could follow in autumn.
The prospect of derailing the government's plans and giving time to all sides to examine the necessary overhaul is on the table cheap nike air force 1 black , local analysts said.
POSPERT argues that the step was illegal because the relevant ministerial decree was not signed by all ministers and in addition the closure conflicts with Greek and international legislature frameworks regarding protection of press freedom.
In the meantime, main opposition Radical Coalition SYRIZA party has submitted a similar request to the Supreme Court, while upon a government's request a prosecutor launched a preliminary investigation into allegations for chronic corruption and mismanagement at ERT.
As the broadcaster's program is still being broadcast since Wednesday through other Greek private television and radio channels, Internet and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Europe's public broadcasters' association cheap nike air force 1 high white , press unions extended rolling strikes to all Greek print and electronic media to Tuesday. Only coverage of developments on ERT's issue is exempted.
ERT's "sudden death" has prompted strong reactions by international press unions and media in solidarity with ERT's 2,700 employees.
"We came here because it has never happened before, since EBU's establishment that a public channel was cut on air... We defend democracy and uphold civilization," EBU's President Jean-Paul Philippot said during a press conference held at ERT's headquarters in Athens on Friday.
Philippot held a series of meetings with Greek officials, including Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras cheap nike air force 1 low white , to whom he handed a petition undersigned by over 50 heads of European radio and TV stations who called for the immediate reopening of the broadcaster, arguing that it is a matter of safeguarding press freedom and pluralism.
Reiterating the government's determination to press forward reforms and close ERT as a hub of waste Stournaras stressed on Friday that ERT's closure was necessary in order to proceed with the restructuring.
Philippot also had talks with Fotis Kouvelis, leader of Democratic Left, the junior partner in the three-party one- year ruling coalition, who insisted that ERT should carry on operating during the restructuring.
ERT's closure has caused rifts within the government cheap nike air force 1 white , as socialist PASOK shares Kouvelis' view and backs a draft law submitted to parliament aiming to reverse the ministerial decree signed only by ministers of the conservative New Democracy Party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
A meeting between all partners has been scheduled for Monday, amidst persisting scenarios in local media of a possible government collapse and new snap general elections as soon as mid-July.
"Needed reforms is one thing, a blackened TV screen is another. It's an issue of democracy... Whoever chooses to lead the country to polls, should bear the responsibility," Kouvelis said on Friday after his meeting with Philippot.
"ERT is not for sale cheap nike air force 1 07 mid ," ERT employees and other protesters chanted at the same time during the latest demonstrations at ERT's main building, as the broadcaster's orchestra, joined by the City of Athens Music Bands, performed at the courtyard.
In a further blow for the government, a news blog rushed to register the domain name "NERIT" of the new broadcaster which will replace ERT in late August with reduced staff cheap nike air force 1 07 low , according to the government's plan.
Now, the government will either have to pay the blog or rename the New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television Broadcaster (NERIT).
ERT's shutdown is part of a new round of cost-cutting and reform measures promoted by the government under pressure from international lenders in exchange for further crucial rescue loans to stave off default.
Greece pledged creditors who keep her afloat since 2010 that will eventually proceed with the unprecedented in its modern history dismissals of tens thousands civil servants by 2016, starting with at least 2,000 employees this summer and 4 cheap nike air force 1 07 high ,000 by 2014 in the context of efforts to resolve the economic crisis.
SHANGHAI, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland launched its first stock options on Monday, giving investors more tools to manage risks as the country's stock market showed signs of losing steam after gaining 53 percent last year.
Shanghai Party Secretary Han Zheng and China Securities Regulatory Commission Chairman Xiao Gang opened the market for the option trading at the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
The first day's trading involved transactions on about 18,800 contracts. Premium trade volume reached 29 million yuan (4.4 million U.S. dollars), according to statistics from the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
"We hope the introduction of stock options will provide domestic investors diverse choices cheap nike air force 1 07 , promote product innovation and enrich trading strategies," said Huang Hongyuan, general manager of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Huang said he expected the stock option would better reflect market sentiments and increase pricing efficiency.
Option trading could accommodate the needs of insurance companies and pension funds, improving the structure of funds in the market, he added.


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DENVER—Secretary of State Scott Gessler is transferring $485,000 of unclaimed overpayments to the Colorado treasurer.
The funds mostly come from overpayments to the Secretary of State's office prior to June 30, 2009. The money comes from business filings, bingo, raffles, notary fees and elections.
Gessler says he has taken steps to prevent overpayments in the future.
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- To download a copy of the Investment Factors spreadsheet, click on the spreadsheet image below.
- To view a comprehensive data/profile tool on a County level also displaying lower tier data, see Sarnia-Lambton and for a single municipality, see single pages under Site Selection for Aurora for example.
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Lightbringer is the sword of Azor Ahai, a legendary hero who is prophesied to fight the Great Other. Lightbringer is thought to be a sword made of living fire. It is also known as the Red Sword of Heroes.[1]
The Legend of Lightbringer
Darkness lay over the world and a hero, Azor Ahai, was chosen to fight against it. To fight the darkness, Azor Ahai needed to forge a hero's sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over. The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered. The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew before hand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her breast, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer, while her cry of anguish and ecstasy left a crack across the face of the moon.[1].[1]
It has been foretold in the books at Asshai that when the stars bleed and the cold winds blow, a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. That sword will be Lightbringer. The one who draws it will be Azor Ahai reborn.[1]
Stannis' Lightbringer
Under the direction of Melisandre, Stannis Baratheon attempted to take the mantle of Azor Ahai by plunging a sword into a pyre of burning relics of the Seven. When he pulled the sword out, it glowed with a magical light, but close inspection revealed that the sword was not actually hot.[1] According to Maester Aemon, the real Lightbringer both shone and radiated heat.[2]
Stannis, that's a very pretty sword, I'll grant you, but I think the glow off it has ruined your eyes.
That sword was not Lightbringer, my friend.—Salladhor Saan to Davos Seaworth, on Stannis Baratheon's flaming sword[1]
The sword is wrong, she has to know that ... light without heat ... an empty glamour ... the sword is wrong, and the false light can only lead us deeper into darkness.—A dying Maester Aemon, to Samwell Tarly[2]
There are many popular fan beliefs as to what Lightbringer actually is. See Lightbringer/Theories.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 10, Davos I.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV, p 648.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.


text:
Professor of Voice
Dr. Joseph Wiggett is currently a Professor of Voice at California State University Stanislaus, where directs the Opera Workshop and maintains an extremely active Applied Voice studio in addition to his teaching duties in Vocal Pedagogy, Lyric Diction, and Vocal Literature. He is the former Director of the School of fine and Performing Arts at Stanislaus State, as well as a past Artistic Director and principal Stage Director for Townsend Opera of Modesto, for which he produced operatic productions at the Gallo Center for the Performing Arts. In 2012, he was awarded the Stanislaus Arts Council Excellence in Arts Award for Excellence in Music. Accompanying the award were commendations from the U.S. House of Representatives, the State Senate and California Legislature, the City of Modesto and the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors in recognition of his "outstanding contributions to the Arts and Culture."
As a past member of the Juilliard Opera Center, the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists and the Prague Mozart Academy, he has performed over three-dozen operatic roles and brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the studio and stage. He has given recitals and made concert appearances throughout the United States, Europe, China and the former Soviet Union and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including three Birgit Nilsson prizes, as well as two grants from the Puccini Foundation.
As a contest singer, Dr. Wiggett has ranked among the finest in the country and has taken first place honors in such renowned competitions as the Metropolitan Opera New England Regional Auditions, the Chicago Union Civic and Arts Leagues Competition, and the Center for Contemporary Opera International Competition. He is also the only three-time winner of the prestigious, Lillian Nordica Prize.
Among his major debuts are roles with the New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a solo recital in the Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Series, and his Lincoln Center debut at Alice Tully Hall as the baritone soloist in Orff's Carmina Burana. As a concert performer, Dr. Wiggett has appeared with numerous orchestras including the Manhattan, Boulder, Modesto, Bangor, Portland, Milwaukee and Colorado Symphonies. He holds degrees in Music Education from the University of Maine, a Masters Degree in Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and a Doctorate in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Recent performances include the baritone solos in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana and the Brahms Requiem with the Modesto Symphony as well as recitals, master classes and concert appearances in Idaho, Los Angeles, U.C. Santa Barbara and Beijing and Shanghai China. Pending engagements include the solos in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Winchester and Modesto Symphonies and the Fauré Requiem at Carnegie Hall.
Contact Information
Building Location:
Building #6 (Music Building) - See Map
Office Location:
M 06 - See Map
Phone: (209) 667-3521
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Virgin Money, the challenger bank part-owned by Sir Richard Branson, is set to float on the London Stock Exchange – making its chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia the first woman in charge of a publicly-listed UK bank.
Gadhia may not appear as high profile as the likes of Santander chairman Ana Botin, or City Superwoman Nicola Horlick, but she has battled to build Virgin Money to the point where it can take on the UK's largest lenders.
Branson started the company 20 years ago with Gadhia; the intention was to challenge the hegemony of a handful of big banks over the financial services industry. And in 2007 she was chosen by Richard Branson to lead the bid to take over Northern Rock, and secured the £747m takeover in 2012.
She successfully integrated Northern Rock into Virgin Money and has since extended the business with the acquisition of a credit card book and the creation of a current account and returned the business to profit.
Once the company is listed, it will pay £50m to the Treasury to settle what it still owes after buying Northern Rock. Gadhia believes taxpayers have gained all their money back from the bailout of Northern Rock, making it the first bank properly out of the financial crisis.
She began her career as a trainee accountant with Ernst & Young in 1982, which led to a job at Norwich Union in 1987. During the stock-market collapse of that year she was made marketing director of Norwich Union's unit-trust business.
She has said the Ernst & Young job was the only position she has formally applied for, having moved with deals from then on. She joined Virgin Direct in 1994 and went on to run the Virgin One Account.
This business was acquired by Royal Bank of Scotland in 2001 and she moved there with it. She went on to lead a number of RBS business units and ultimately became responsible for the group's £70bn retail mortgage business, working under former chief executive Fred Goodwin.
Gadhia said she left RBS because it made her miserable. She has recounted how senior executives at the bank wanted her to securitise sub-prime mortgages and make the business more like Northern Rock.
By the end of 2006 she said the cracks were beginning to show at RBS. She sold her shares at £21.98; the taxpayer bought into the bank at 50p, 18 months after her departure. Dodging that very destructive bullet, she retuned to Virgin in 2007.
A champion of equality and fair play, she has said each employee of Virgin Money will receive £1,000 worth of shares in the business when the flotation was completed later this month.
Gadhia, who lives in Edinburgh, met her husband Ashok on her first day at university and married him 28 years ago. At over six foot one, she has attributed her confidence to being sent to a boys' school at age thirteen.
She is chair of Scottish Business in the Community. In January 2014, in recognition of both her services to banking and voluntary service to the community, Jayne-Anne Gadhia was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List.


text: Dog Chow wins Effie Published on June 07, 1996. An ad campaign for Ralston Purina's Dog Chow, by Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis, received the Grand Effie award last night as the most effective campaign of 1995. The Effie awards are sponsored by the New York chapter of the American Marketing Association. Also awarded at ceremonies in New York were 143 gold, silver and bronze Effies. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health declined to accept its award for an anti-smoking campaign (by Boston agency Houston Hertek Favat) because Philip Morris' long-running Marlboro Man campaign was to be inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame at the ceremonies. Most Popular In this article: News


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Last year I bought some of their products on a fair and now I finally found the time to visit their shop in The Hague. Tas-ka is a really charming young company that makes beautiful fabric and products with a recognizable print of little houses. They also sell original products from other designers and vintage furniture and home accessories. I bought these cute things there and I had to restrain myself not to buy more. Tas-ka also runs a webshop, but if you are in The Hague, do visit the store in the Prins-Hendrikstraat.
laatste twee foto's door Tas-ka / last two pictures by Tas-ka


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Source: Phil Sheridan / ESPN.com
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper and cornerback Cary Williams had to be separated by teammates — twice — after getting into a shoving match at practice Thursday morning.
Cooper made headlines early in training camp when a video surfaced of him using a racial epithet at a June concert. Williams was one of several African-American players on the Eagles who expressed concern about being able to accept the fourth-year pro as a teammate, but the matter receded beneath the surface as the Eagles got on with camp and the preseason.
Williams was covering Cooper during a non-contact drill Thursday when the two got hold of each other and began scuffling. It was impossible to hear what they were saying, if anything, over the loud music coach Chip Kelly favors during practice.
Cornerback Brandon Boykin helped separate the two. Cooper walked off, but Williams threw his helmet to the ground and pursued him. At that point, quarterback Michael Vick grabbed Williams and calmed him down.
To read this article in its entirety visit ESPN.


text:
Welcome to Big Mouth Pizza Co.
Big Mouth pizzas are made from the freshest ingredients. As the name suggests; our portions are BIG. Our dining rooms are great for families, parties, groups, and special events.
Click here for the Big Mouth Catering Quote Request Form
Big Mouth Pizza Co. reserves the right to change prices without notice. All Prices are subject to sales tax.
A 10% charge will apply and includes plates, napkins, utensils, delivery and setup. Gratuity not included.
We thank you for your business!


text:
Whether it's in a utility substation or an office building, The BarTech Group has safely completed jobs such as the CTA Redline Track Renewal and 95th Street Terminal Projects.
With internal training and mentoring as the foundation of the company's culture, The BarTech Group, Inc. takes pride in investing in entry-level tradesmen and utilizing the vast knowledge-base of our senior leadership to provide superior service to all clients.
"Successful leaders have learned the mastery of anticipating business patterns, finding opportunities in pressured situations, serving the people they lead, and overcoming hardships." – Dwayne K. Barlow, President& CEO


text:
The Inner Lives of Quiet Women
Joanna Kavenna
- May Sinclair: A Modern Victorian by Suzanne Raitt
Oxford, 307 pp, £19.99, April 2001, ISBN 0 19 812298 5
With the decline of religious faith, we drift, so it's said, on the current, clinging to the raft of materialism. The last flickers of collective spiritual belief were doused by the technological advances and grotesque warfare of the early years of the 20th century. Which led, the argument runs, to the mimesis-warping nihilism of Dada and the Vorticists, the semiotic anarchies of James Joyce and Gertrude Stein. Think of Ulrich, the hero of The Man without Qualities, and his 'dreadful feeling of blind space', of nothingness at the heart of everything.
What the interpretation of High Modernism as a terrain of non-belief can't account for is the wild popularity of spiritualism which was such a feature of the time. Table tapping, séance-gatherings and spirit-photographing were part freak-show, part parlour-game. W.B. Yeats experimented with symbols and trance-states, and for much of the 1920s was in close communication with his personal spirit-guide. Conan Doyle publicly endorsed those infamous snapshots of pathetically fey (and tragically superimposed) fairies. Media mogul W.T. Stead was convinced that he had experienced telepathic communion with close relatives; there is even a theory that he communicated telepathically with his secretary as he went down with the Titanic, though this is difficult to prove.
The poet and critic Arthur Symons argued – in The Symbolist Movement in Literature (1899) – that shadowy flickers of worlds 'unseen' might be as real as the invisible 'reality' of the atom. The reign of the 'material' was over; now came the turn of a literature in which 'the visible world is no longer a reality and the unseen world no longer a dream.' Symons had in mind the French Symbolists and their precursors – Verlaine, Rimbaud, Mallarmé – as well as Yeats, whose revolt against 'dogged naturalism' expressed his fierce impatience with Newlyn School portraits of windburnt fisherman, the grimy poverty-scapes of Zola and the psychological disquiet of Ibsen.
As in the heyday of Romanticism, the poet or artist was now destined to channel invisible energies into language or paint. Imagism enshrined the poet as a scientist of the Absolute. Science could project voices across the Atlantic, reveal the interior contours of objects by X-ray and formulate equations to explain the mysteries of motion, but only the poet could decipher the 'radiant world'.
Allied with the Imagists, though never entirely of their number, was the poet, philosopher, novelist and spiritualist May Sinclair, the inauspicious subject of May Sinclair: A Modern Victorian, a serene, elegant biography by Suzanne Raitt. 'Inauspicious' because Sinclair, living in interesting times, contrived to spend most of her days in self-imposed isolation. She called herself a monist, a seeker after Absolute Reality. She abhorred Bertrand Russell's 'realism' and William James's pragmatism. She thought 'real life' existed only in annihilating moments of perfection, brought on by intense danger, or intense recollection, or a glimpse of an object and, at the same time, that such moments could never be summoned at will. For the intimations of truth they afforded, she was prepared to sacrifice marriage and social success.
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Vol. 22 No. 18 · 21 September 2000 » Joanna Kavenna » The Inner Lives of Quiet Women
pages 26-27 | 2133 words


text:
John Lanchester
- The Magician's Doubts by Michael Wood
Chatto, 252 pp, £18.00, August 1994, ISBN 0 7011 6197 3
Musing over Don Juan, Byron asked his banker and agent Douglas Kinnaird a rhetorical question: 'Could any man have written it – who has not lived in the world? – and tooled in a post-chaise? in a hackney coach? in a gondola? against a wall? in a court carriage? in a vis à vis? – on a table – and under it?'
Byron was onto something. He was intuiting that his most important character – the one chiefly responsible for his pan-European fame, a celebrity probably unrivalled by that of any other poet before or since – was neither the dark Childe Harold, nor the sexy Don Juan, but their even darker, even sexier author. The Hellespont-swimming, freedom-fighting, countess-shagging Byron, hurtling around Europe with contrails of scandal streaming in his wake, was a more Byronic character than any he had created on the page. This personality, perceived by the reader in and through Byron's fictions, is still the most appealing thing about his work. It's hard, in reading him, not to feel your attention wandering from the puppets to the puppeteer; from Childe Harold and Don Juan to the unmatchedly lively letters and journals, the funniest and most consistently readable extended self-portrait in the English language.
Byron's case, however, is exceptional. Perhaps no other project of authorial self-invention has been as successful – though there is a paradox here, because these self-inventions are often undertaken in response to a degree of external success. Fame seems to bring with it an increased sense of exposure, which in turn induces a hardening of the carapace that protects the writer from the world. Traits coarsen and characteristics are exaggerated; the writer turns into a second-rate figment of his own imagination, as much the victim of himself as a mad scientist in a horror movie. This is the process that turned Hemingway into the 'arrogant, belligerent and boastful' caricature whom Edmund Wilson believed to be 'certainly the worst-invented character to be found in the author's work'; it is the process that turned Evelyn Waugh into Gilbert Pinfold. Though of course, the transformation is never complete, and never succeeds in fully abolishing the old, vestigial, shyer and more likeable self – if it did, it would be less painful. (Gilbert Pinfold could not have written The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold. Discuss.)
With most writers who are, in that sense, 'characters', the case is less extreme; the constructed self is neither an outright disaster, nor is it the most interesting thing about the writer in question. Often, though, this invented self is a problem. Michael Wood's oustandingly brilliant new book is in part a corrective to the public persona adopted by his subject. Wood calls this persona 'Nabokov the mandarin', and robustly describes it as 'a set ... of attitudes, prejudices, habits, remarks, performances which is highly visibly, highly stylised, and has almost nothing to do with the writing I admire'. This is the Nabokov we encounter most often in the collection of bits and pieces Strong Opinions, and also here and there in his lectures, interviews and edition of Eugene Onegin; the Nabokov who wrote that Dostoevsky was 'a much overrated, sentimental and gothic novelist', or who described Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin as a 'silly' opera, or who unconvincingly hung so much political and aesthetic disdain on the idea of poshlost or kitsch; the Nabokov who boasted that 'the twinkle in the author's eye as he notes the imbecile drooping of a murderer's under-lip, or watches the stumpy forefinger of a professional tyrant exploring a profitable nostril in the solitude of his sumptuous bedroom, this twinkle is what punishes your man more surely than the pistol of a tiptoeing conspirator.' This is the Nabokov we recognise in the descriptions of Nabokophobe critics; a writer who could seem in love with his own cleverness, whose critical manner affects 'a patiently patrician calm', with a 'coolness' which 'can easily become the condescending heartlessness which so attenuates [his] fiction' (Christopher Ricks); who is 'rich in what is given to few writers and poor in what is given to most men' (D.J. Enright). We may sneakily feel it appropriate that Nabokov the mandarin spent the last two decades of his life in a hotel suite in Montreux – after all, this lofty, cold, smug, politically neutral figure is himself a kind of one-man Switzerland.
The trouble with this image of Nabokov is that it is a travesty, both of the oeuvre and of the life. Brian Boyd's two-volume biography established a convincing (or, indeed, irrefutable) case for Nabokov the man, and made his story seem almost dismayingly exemplary; I can't offhand remember a single incident from which Nabokov comes out badly, once we discount a certain permissible thin-skinnedness and a single extra-marital affair. (Edmund Wilson, by contrast, doesn't emerge at all well. There's an especially unattractive moment of game-playing when, some time after an elated, panicking Nabokov had sent him the newly-finished Lolita, Wilson rang at 11 p.m. in order to ask Nabokov to identify a moth he had found – and didn't say a word about the novel.) Wood's book does a comparable job on Nabokov's work, separating Nabokov the mandarin from Nabokov the writer, and then reading the books with a thrilling combination of close attention and broad reference. Here, for instance, is Wood on the moment near the end of Lolita when the now-older Lolita is begged to come away by a desperate Humbert, and she says: 'No, honey, no.'
Humbert reflects: 'She had never called me honey before.' She couldn't call him honey because she didn't think of him fondly enough or casually enough: banality was outlawed from their life, which was only romance and torture (for him), drudgery and quarantine (for her). For a moment Humbert seems to glimpse the attraction of the acceptable, of the way other people daily talk and live – the realm of shared feeling which inhabits cliché, and which cliché serves. Of course he can only recognise the feeling because he is excluded from it, but the recognition is something, since it matters that even this tiny and perfunctory brand of tenderness was missing from his relation with Lolita. Missing on both sides, we might add, in spite of Humbert's liking for tenderness as a word; as kindness is often missing from romantic love.
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Vol. 16 No. 19 · 6 October 1994 » John Lanchester » Unspeakability
pages 6-7 | 4388 words