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Two clips for you on this slowest of news days from Newsbusters and Mediaite. Today's meme du jour is distinct from Friday's alleging that Republicans like McCain and Graham are racist and sexist for picking on Obama's designated stooge in the Benghazi mess. That meme's still alive and kicking — James Clyburn pushed it this morning — but this one's different. It's not so much that Colmes and Scarborough et al. think that criticism of Rice is racist, it's that they seem to think it can be spun as racist and therefore the "optics" should be enough to back Republicans off after the nightmare of November 6. Of the two memes, I actually find this one more obnoxious. Demagogic though he is, Clyburn is at least raising a question of unfairness. Scarborough and the "Game Change" gang aren't. They seem open to the idea that Rice should skate on her role in misleading the public on a huge counterterrorism failure simply because it's politically unhelpful to the opposition to challenge her. I wonder, then, is there any timeframe for when the optics of "a bunch of old white guys" questioning a minority appointee will have rebounded enough to permit basic matters of government oversight? Is it okay if the GOP challenges her so long as non-white non-old guys like Tim Scott or Darrell Issa or Ted Cruz or Rubio do most of the questioning? Because there is in fact plenty in her record with which to challenge her. Let's hash this out, because the DOJ might want to send a few thousand more guns to Mexican drug cartels and the "bad optics" excuse will come in handy when attempting to question Holder.
If you want to concern-troll the GOP on Rice's behalf, there's a better way to do it. Press them on the fact that they're letting the broader Benghazi inquiry get bogged down on Rice's nonsense, which deserves criticism but remains the least part of the administration's failings. We still don't have a solid answer about why military reinforcements couldn't make it to the CIA annex in time to save Doherty and Woods even though the attack on the consulate had begun nearly eight hours earlier. And I don't know why Rice's name is now a dirty word while Hillary Clinton, who was ultimately responsible at State for Stevens's disgracefully poor security, remains basically untouched in all of this. I can only assume it's a combination of her popularity, the fact that she's on her way out anyway, and her friendships with Senate Republicans. McCain's not going to go after his old drinking buddy, is he?


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OTTAWA – Stephen Harper, we hardly know you.
Almost seven years after Harper led his Conservatives to office and ended more than a decade of uninterrupted Liberal power, the prime minister remains a polarizing figure who inspires a bewildering array of reactions.
Steely ideologue, pragmatic centrist, unprincipled partisan: Harper's political management has inspired all these descriptions — sometimes on the same file or issue.
With political 2012 now in the books, Harper has finally completed his first full, unfettered year with a majority mandate. Are Canadians any wiser about the man and his Conservative party that are leading the country?
"If success is measured by getting your agenda accomplished, I think for the most part they have. They're making strides," says Alex Marland, a political scientist at Memorial University in St. John's, N.L., who specializes in political messaging.
"In some ways you could make the argument that they've been quite successful, and yet for some reason in the public opinion polls, they just can't seem to move. That's the disconnect that I find interesting."
The prime minister dished up a textbook example to close out a year of mixed government signals and muddling along.
Harper permitted a Chinese state-owned company to buy up a significant Canadian-owned player in the Alberta oilpatch, but in so doing, he effectively barred further such ownership bids.
The Solomonic decision managed to inflame equally strident — and contradictory — opinions from around the dial.
Harper also attempted to turn the page on a multi-year propaganda exercise designed to sell Canadians on the F-35 stealth fighter. Government stonewalling over the ballooning cost of the developmental jet helped spark the 2011 election, when Conservatives said it was the only option and vowed to complete the purchase.
The government announced on Dec. 12 that it was "hitting the reset button" — a term heard so often that day, it was surely tested extensively with focus groups — on the F-35 procurement.
Conservatives took a pounding on the F-35 file for a variety of sins, from mismanagement to deceit — "incompetence tainted by arrogance," in the words of NDP Leader Tom Mulcair — but ultimately made the right call.
Perhaps that was why Harper, usually an efficient but dour performer in the Commons, appeared uncommonly jovial in the final sitting days, unburdened at last of weighty decisions on foreign investment and military procurement.
"I think the issues are getting rougher for them," Bob Rae, the Liberal interim leader and former Ontario premier, said of the Conservatives and Harper in a year-end interview.
"I think every government learns from experience. He's a very shrewd guy. I don't underestimate him at all."
But Harper, Rae argued, is "limited by the nature of his message and he's limited by the kind of (political) movement that he felt he had to create."
If so, 2012 was a year that showed Harper testing the boundaries of those perceived limitations.
On April 26, Harper's government whip, Gordon O'Connor, led off the Conservative response to a private member's bill (from a Conservative backbencher) that would have re-opened Canada's abortion debate.
"I cannot understand why those who are adamantly opposed to abortion want to impose their beliefs on others by way of the Criminal Code," O'Connor stated in a speech that cited the prime minister's own feelings on the issue.
"There is no law that says that a woman must have an abortion. No one is forcing those who oppose abortion to have one."
The legislation was defeated. And although much was made of the fact 10 cabinet ministers defied Harper and voted in favour of the bill, the message from the top was clear.
On gun control, the Conservatives vanquished the long-gun registry that was such a touchstone for the party.
Yet by autumn the government was clearly reining in any signs of firearms triumphalism, choosing to downplay developments such as the destruction of the registry data.
Harper ended the year with a public rebuke of the government's own, hand-picked firearms advisory committee, which has been pushing for further easing of gun control regulations.
Communications consultant Gerry Nicholls, a longtime conservative commentator and former colleague of Harper at the right-wing National Citizen's Coalition, said 2012 tells him that Harper "is not a conservative prime minister or an ideological prime minister."
"If anything, his actions of the past year prove he's first and foremost a pragmatic politician pursuing pragmatic political policies," Nicholls said in an email.
And lest you take that as praise, Nicholls concludes that "he isn't motivated by what's good for the country or by what's good for conservatism; but by what's good for the Conservative party."
Yet despite Nicholl's harsh assessment, ideology remains.
It was a year that saw several courts begin to chip away at the government's punitive new suite of mandatory minimum sentences, but no evidence of any softening in the Conservative "tough on crime" stance.
An unrelenting emphasis on expanding trade helped in part explain Harper's extensive global travels, which included separate trips to China, India, Australia, Russia, Colombia and the Congo.
Almost inextricable from trade was the government's focus on resource extraction, pipelines, the oilpatch — and the demonization of those opposed to environmental deregulation.
"Unfortunately, there are environmental and other radical groups that would seek to block this opportunity to diversify our trade," Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver wrote last Jan. 9 in an open letter that would set the government's tone for the year.
On Dec. 13, the last sitting day of the fall session of Parliament, Harper blasted the NDP for being "against the development of the oilsands entirely."
"People know the only government that will defend the interests of this industry and Canadians is this government," the prime minister concluded.
Through it all, the unparalleled Conservative fundraising machine has not faltered.
The party raked in $12 million in heavily taxpayer-subsidized donations through the first three quarters of 2012, down somewhat from the 2011 election year but exactly matching its total through nine months in 2010.
By contrast, the NDP and Liberals together raised only $10.5 million in the first three quarters of this year.
Perhaps not coincidentally, what would a year in Canadian politics be without the Conservative party battling its perceived institutional enemies?
That persecution complex helps drive the party fundraising machine but it may also feed a chippy, paranoid and ruthless governing style that's willing to cut corners and bend rules.
An ongoing investigation into fraudulent election calls from 2011 raised a great cloud of smoke, but as yet no fire — pending the outcome of an Elections Canada investigation into a seemingly widespread voter suppression scheme by parties unknown.
The government fought the parliamentary budget officer, nursed new media grudges and lambasted environmentalists, "big union bosses," the United Nations, immigrant "queue-jumpers" and crooked consultants.
Harper has been compared to William Lyon Mackenzie King, the Liberal prime minister who was unloved and little understood but governed Canada for a record 22 years using wile, guile and political street smarts.
Harper's also fortunate to have the same kind of fractured opposition that helped Jean Chretien to three consecutive Liberal majorities from 1993 to 2000.
As Parliament's fall sitting wrapped up, the NDP's Mulcair was asked about the prospect of co-operation among Canada's "progressive voters."
Standing behind a podium bearing an almost comically oversized "Official Opposition" placard, in both official languages, Mulcair responded: "My No. 1 job as leader of the NDP is to rally all progressive forces in Canada under the NDP banner and defeat Stephen Harper in 2015."
A phalanx of NDP MPs posed behind him whooped and applauded.
Conservative MPs were likely applauding, too, as they watched the Mulcair scrum on TV. For the same reason, Tories could be cheering on Justin Trudeau and Liberal fortunes in the coming year.
If it seemed to some that Harper's Conservatives just muddled along in 2012, it should be remembered that's how governments in Canada frequently survive.
"I don't think this is a government that is doing stuff with immediate big bangs," said Marland, the Memorial University professor, who credits "incremental conservatism."
He cites the termination of the penny, a tiny move "that affected every single Canadian," as emblematic.
"Is it a hidden agenda?" asked Marland. "Well no, it's an agenda that's in plain sight."
Successful Liberals, the once "natural governing party," campaigned on the left and governed from the centre.
Marland posits that "you could possibly make the same argument that Conservatives, in some ways, campaign on the right and govern from the centre."
It's an assessment that will satisfy no one in the polarized debate over Canada's 22nd prime minister — a state of affairs that just might make Harper happy. He certainly looked it at year's end.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Yet while population geneticists and sociologists have been battling over the meaning of times in the 100-meter dash, Asians have been making their own argument about where they fit into the world of sports. And they've been doing it through pure, old-fashioned physical superiority. The fastest man in Major League Baseball is Asian. The most eagerly anticipated NBA rookie in years? Asian. The world's greatest golfer, the quickest pro hockey player, the most precocious relief ace? Asian, Asian, Asian." [Slate]
10 Years Ago In Asian Athletic Supremacy


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Shipping to: Danmark
Panoramic volume-effect coloured mascara.
Thanks to its creamy yet light texture, it is easy to apply to even the shortest lashes and releases an intense, highly-pigmented colour.
It can be used on its own or as a top coat over black mascara, to give the eyes a touch of colour.
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Super-comfortable application. Coats even the shortest lashes.
Available in different shades and finishes (full shade, metal or pearly) for a flawless but fun look.
Intense colour, volumised multiplied lashes. Panoramic volume effect.
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Apply the mascara to the full length of the upper and lower lashes.
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The modern, simple packaging has a square shape with soft lines. The different textures – glossy on the tube and matte on the cap – make for a pleasant tactile and visual experience, made even more captivating by the colour that matches the mascara. The KK logo is stamped on the cap.
The cost varies depending on the delivery service and the destination country of the order. For more details see the "Delivery information and costs" page.
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Shipping times may vary depending on the service chosen. In the countries served by Swiss Post (Asendia) only, delivery takes an average of 6-7 working days (up to a maximum of 10) from the order being dispatched. In countries where the Skynet service is also available, the shipping time is 2-4 days after being dispatched by courier. More information
Purchases made on KIKO are secure and guaranteed. All information relating to payments, including personal information and credit card information, is protected through an advanced encrypted data transmission system. Under no circumstances will KIKO file your credit card number, nor will it use or keep the information you provided on its own systems.
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Tone-neutralizing eye base that sets and improves the hold of your eyeshadow
Volumizing mascara for fuller-looking lashes with panoramic effect. Water resistant
Mascara N. 05
Best mascara I ever had
Ideal si tienes los ojos azules
Très satisfaite
Yeux de biche
Molto interessante e diverso dal solito
Echt klasse


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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
bento lunch: bunny love in a Lock & Lock
Clockwise from top left:
- pickles
- wheat crackers with cheddar cheese
- strawberries
- grapes and carrots
The bunny shapes are from this cute mini-cutter set I ordered from JList.
The funny bunny picks the grapes are on are from the very first set of bento picks I bought - from ebay, nearly 3 years ago. I'm not sure this specific set is still available, but these picks are still at the top of my favorites list!
12 comments:
- RLR said... [Reply to comment]
So glad to know that fun shapes are still ok beyond K-1! Cute lunch!
- August 31, 2010 at 1:34 PM
- Kim said... [Reply to comment]
Oh my goodness, thank you for the link to this site! There are a zillion things (well almost) that I must get. Too much fun!
- August 31, 2010 at 3:42 PM
- Jenn @ BentoForKidlet said... [Reply to comment]
Love the bunnies, what fun! I am going to have to add those to my wishlist :D
- August 31, 2010 at 3:45 PM
- Tifani said... [Reply to comment]
Adorable!! And I love the cutters.
- August 31, 2010 at 4:07 PM
- Cowboy Ninjas said... [Reply to comment]
STOP IT! :) I just placed an order form J-list but have already emailed hoping they will include those bunny cutters! I really thought I had perused every item, but dern-it!
You are my inspiration. My little guy is starting preschool tomorrow. He is four. Last year he started at another school and in Nov. we pulled him out - unbeknownst to us it was not a - well, it wasn't where he needed to be. So this is a fresh start. I came here for some mommy-mojo as I pack his first little school lunch. You are the best - thank you for all of your un-kowing support from one who checks your blog frequently. Yippee for fun lunches!! <3
- August 31, 2010 at 8:06 PM
- Bettijo @ PagingSupermom.com said... [Reply to comment]
Love the little bunny cheeses. So cute!
- August 31, 2010 at 10:44 PM
- Ashton said... [Reply to comment]
I have a question -- Do you thinly slice block cheese to get your pieces of cheese or do they sell cheese like that somewhere?
- September 1, 2010 at 7:53 AM
- Pink said... [Reply to comment]
It's impossible to read your blog without smiling a giant goofy smile it's just that excellent. You make everyday foods look new again and i love it!
- September 1, 2010 at 8:37 AM
- SAB said... [Reply to comment]
I just wanted to know that I have been reading your blog for the past month or so. I stumbled upon it somehow, who knows, but I really enjoy hearing what you have to say! You have a beautiful family, and I enjoy your bento lunch boxes! It has inspired me to do the same when I have children of my own! I blog, mainly about recipes here: www.wwwssfi.blogspot.com I am just trying to get myself known and out there! Check me out if you want!
Thanks! SAB
- September 1, 2010 at 1:06 PM
- Ludicrous Mama said... [Reply to comment]
Tillamook makes pre-sliced cheese.
I just ordered these from a link from the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom MTM for the mini letters (the page showed these ones too. And a similar set. I ordered them both! And a Winnie the Pooh egg shaper. And all the letters... and around $50 more than my budget on other stuff! Darn you!) And my new (pre-ordered) Lunch Punch sets arrived a week ago! I'm so excited I could pee!
- September 1, 2010 at 1:52 PM
- Kelly said... [Reply to comment]
A random pickle question.... do you do something to them before packing them in a lock & lock or a sassy container? My daughter says that when I pack them everything then tastes like pickle, despite being kept separate. I'm wondering if it's the odor? I tried draining them on towels first, but it doesn't seem to have helped. Just curious if you've had the issue?
- September 1, 2010 at 3:35 PM
- Susan Yuen said... [Reply to comment]
Super cute and healthy bento! :) Love the bunnies!
- September 1, 2010 at 4:52 PM


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Subscribe To How Did Batman Get Into Man Of Steel 2? Zack Snyder Explains Updates
I've already subscribed
When fans filed in for Man Of Steel last summer, few guessed that the universe being established by director Zack Snyder would lead directly to a Batman/Superman teamup. The violent, effects-filled world of super-powerful Kryptonians didn't seem to leave room for the Dark Knight Detective, so when Snyder and company announced the team-up film, most fans were more than a little confused. Was that the plan all along?
Snyder sat down with Forbes to discuss how the Caped Crusader became such a huge part of the Man Of Steel sequel, suggesting that while Batman was on the table, no one involved were directly planning on going to Gotham. Snyder says that Batman's name was casually floated -- "Maybe at the end of the second movie, some Kryptonite gets delivered to Bruce Wayne's house or something." -- but the wheels quickly turned. He spoke about questioning who Superman should fight next, and how to follow Zod...
The problem is, once you say it out loud, then it's kind of hard to go back, right? Once you say, "What about Batman?" then you realize, "Okay, that's a cool idea. What else?" I mean, what do you say after that? …But I'm not gonna say at all that when I took the job to do Man of Steel that I did it in a subversive way to get to Batman. I really believe that only after contemplating who could face [Superman] did Batman come into the picture.
Snyder doesn't talk about the politics or finessing that arguably went into Batman's return trip to the screen. Not to diminish Snyder's contributions to the idea (mailing kryptonite is an AMAZING/TERRIBLE idea). But Batman had just finished a self-contained trilogy, each film being a monster hit for Warner Bros. Bringing him back within only a couple of years was a decision made with several factors in mind. Potentially a dangerous one, considering the character's level of exposure, and the possibility it might overshadow Superman.
Snyder seems confident in his portrayal of the Last Son Of Krypton, however. Comparing it to Watchmen (while squashing that silly Gilliam beef), Snyder says he's brought the character into the real world. And yes, that involves the occasional murder of a super-powered being... which happened in the comics, but wasn't part of the Christopher Reeves versions of the films.
I guess the rules that people associate with Superman in the movie world are not the rules that really apply to him in the comic book world, because those rules are different. He's done all the things and more that we've shown him doing, right? It's just funny to see people really taking it personally… because I made him real, you know, I made him feel, or made consequences [in] the world.
The interview is intriguing, because it ultimately says very little about the plot of the film, mostly because it's still percolating in pre-production, and probably because there's a gag order on Snyder. Though he does tiptoe around it by discussing the eventual release of the costumes. The Batman/Superman film comes out May 6th, 2016. Make your choice, superhero fans.


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Meet other student members - peer-to-peer networking
From Students
Meet other library students and library workers on Facebook
- American Library Association Members Group
- ALA Student Chapters Group and ALA Student Chapters Fan Page
- American Library Association Student to Staff Participants Group and American Library Association Student to Staff Participants Fan Page
- New Members Round Table Group
- Librarians and Libraries Group
- Library 2.0 Interest Group
- Libraries and Facebook Group
- Don't Mess With Me - I Worked in A Public Library Group
- I'd Marry the Beast if I Could Have a Library Like That... Group
- Library Shelvers Unite! Group
- Yeah I Work/worked at a Library Group
- Future Librarians and Those Who Love Them! Group
- Library Reference Specialist of ALA - This account was set up and is maintained by Valerie Hawkins, the Library Reference Specialist of the Library of the American Library Association (ALA). Hi!
- The ALA MySpace Page -- http://www.myspace.com/atyourlibrary
- GLBTRT, the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Round Table Page -- http://www.myspace.com/glbtrt
- YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association Page -- http://www.myspace.com/yalsa
- The Amelia Bloomer Project -- http://www.myspace.com/amelia_bloomer_project
- Info Island (Second Life) MySpace Page -- http://www.myspace.com/infoisland


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Nation & World
Fleeing Syrian rebels accused of aggravating violence in Lebanon
A long-feared influx of rebels fleeing Syrian battlefields for Lebanon was being blamed Monday for weekend violence that saw fighting spread throughout much of Syria's tiny neighbor.
The ongoing battle between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and anti-Assad rebels for the rural mountainous region of Qalamoun, along the Syria-Lebanon border, has pushed scores, if not hundreds, of fighters from a variety of Syrian rebel groups into Lebanon, where security officials say their presence is destabilizing an already-volatile situation.
"Some rebels seem to have decided that operating directly in Lebanon is safer than Syria," one exasperated Lebanese security official said, speaking only on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters. "Some of these are normal rebels tired of war who have entered Lebanon with their families as refugees, but we're seeing evidence some are with al Qaida or the Nusra Front," an al Qaida-affiliated rebel group.
At least 10 people died and dozens were wounded over the weekend in Tripoli, the predominately Sunni Muslim city that's Lebanon's second largest. The city has seen violence before between poor Sunni neighborhoods that are sympathetic to the rebels and a small enclave of Alawites who support Assad, but the weekend's fighting was especially bloody and left the city shuttered Monday.
"The guys (on both sides) have gone insane," a resident said by phone, asking that her name not be used in order to protect her family. "It's not just (the usual) sniping, it's rockets, mortars and grenades. Nobody in Tripoli slept Saturday or Sunday night."
The fighting began Saturday after apparent Sunni gunmen wounded a municipal worker for being Alawite, the same Shiite-related brand of Islam that Assad follows. That attack was reportedly in revenge for this summer's double bombing of Sunni mosques in Tripoli associated with the rebels, which killed scores of people and wounded hundreds and which many Sunnis and parts of the Lebanese government have blamed on the main Alawite Lebanese political party, the Arab Democratic Party.
An Alawite militia leader, Ali Eid, promised more fighting.
"If the fighting does not stop by (Tuesday) we will see something new that will destroy Tripoli," he said. "We are capable of closing this city and burning it."
The weekend fighting in Tripoli spread to nearby Akkar province as snipers and rocket-propelled grenade attacks on traffic closed the highway that connects the area to Syria. The Lebanese army announced that it would take steps to block access to Lebanon through the mountains along the border, to keep Islamist rebels out.
Meanwhile, a new militant group that claims to be formed of local volunteers declared that it would attack pro-Assad targets in northern Lebanon.
The Akkar Falcons – described in the local media as veterans of the fighting in Syria – said it had enlisted 600 Sunni fighters in Lebanon's north to confront the Syrian regime's Lebanese allies, led by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. The group released no further information in its first announcement.
"I don't know about them but I do know that we're seeing more and more fighters entering here from Syria, and not just refugees," the security official said. "These new fighters are starting to operate in Tripoli, Bekaa" – where thousands of Syrian refugees already are ensconced – "and in the Palestinian camps."
Weekend fighting also broke out in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, Ain el Hilweh, where Islamists with suspected al Qaida ties battled Palestinian factions responsible for the camp's security. At least one man was killed and several wounded.
"There are new faces and Syrian voices in the camp," Abu Mahmoud, a security official for the Fatah movement in the camp, said by phone. He asked to be identified only by his nom de guerre.
Ain el Hilweh was once home to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the late leader of al Qaida in Iraq – now renamed the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – and it's thought to be the base for the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, which took credit for a double suicide bombing against the Iranian Embassy last month in Beirut.
Abu Mahmoud said the growing Islamist presence in the camp recalled the situation at the Nahr Bared camp in northern Lebanon, which exploded in 2007 into a three-month siege that took hundreds of lives and destroyed the camp after jihadists who'd fled the fighting in Iraq took control of the camp's military facilities and attacked the Lebanese army.
"We are terrified of another Nahr Bared," Abu Mahmoud said.
"We are very concerned about Ain Hilweh," said a Hezbollah security official, who also spoke only on the condition that he not be identified. "If it turns very violent, that would cut the main highway to the south, and Hezbollah cannot allow that."


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Jaén and the gastronomy of olive oil
Olive oil
View of the olive groves in Jaén
There is no better place to start that Jaén if you want to learn about Spanish olive oil. Within a radius of just 50 kilometres of the city, you will find companies and co-operatives where you can find out about how this "liquid gold" is produced. The ideal time to visit one of these plants is between November and February, during the olive harvest, when you can also enjoy the traditional gatherings and gastronomic festivals. And, if you get the chance, don't miss the Olive Festival in Martos on 8 December, when they give out the typical "joyo" (bread smeared with oil and topped with cod and olives).
You can also visit the Museum of Olive Culture, housed in a large hacienda near Baeza. Another enjoyable activity would be to do the "Vía Verde del Aceite" (Olive Oil Greenway) on foot or by bike. This 50-kilometre route commences at Jaén and passes through "olive" towns such as Torredonjimeno, Torredelcampo and Martos.
In this Greenway you will find many interesting ...(+詳細)
Córdoba,Cabra,Doña ...
Cycling along the Green Gold Trail (Andalusia)
A journey through Andalusia cycling in the shadow of ...(+詳細)
Torredonjimeno,Torre del ...


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Hooking up a trailer or tow vehicle is fairly easy during daylight hours — but at night, the lack of light can become a bit aggravating. Cruiser Stainless Accessories' White Night Rear Lighting System incorporates paired 55-watt halogen lamps mounted in a high-impact black plastic case produce 130,000 candlepower of light to project an 80-foot-side spread of light behind and to the rear sides of any vehicle when in reverse gear; a toggle switch on the unit also allows for manual operation. The compact unit mounts to the hitch receiver tube of most Class 1 thru 4 trailer hitches; a fixed-mount version also allows full function of the unit while the hitch is being used to tow. No drilling is required for mounting, and the unit's Plug-N-Go wiring adapter provides for easy installation. For more information: Cruiser Stainless Accessories, 675 Dana Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792; (888) 884-7637, www.whitenight.com.
White Night Lighting System: Lights the Way
By: RVBusiness|Published on: Feb 3, 2010|Categories: Today's Industry News| 0 comments
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This August, fishing game Family Fishing will reel in players for the Wii. It has a peripheral. An odd looking one! This is it.
Nice to see that the Dreamcast isn't the only home console with very specific fishing game contraptions - though it's not as cool as the Dreamcast Fishing Controller. Nothing is. Nothing.
(0601)[(Wii)ファミリーフィッシング] 、さおコン対応で新登場! [ファミコンプラザゲーム最新情報ページ]


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Twitter and status updating
Twitter users are mobile, less tethered by technology
In the past three years, developments in social networking and internet applications have begun providing internet users with more opportunities for sharing short updates about themselves, their lives, and their whereabouts online. Users may post messages about their status, their moods, their location and other tidbits on social networks and blogging sites, or on applications for sending out short messages to networks of friends like Twitter, Yammer and others.
As of December 2008, 11% of online American adults said they used a service like Twitter or another service that allowed them to share updates about themselves or to see the updates of others.1 Just a few weeks earlier, in November 2008, 9% of internet users used Twitter or updated their status online and in May of 2008, 6% of internet users responded yes to a slightly different question, where users were asked if they used "Twitter or another 'microblogging' service to share updates about themselves or to see updates about others."
Of the standalone applications that enable short messaging to a network of friends, Twitter is the most well known. First made available to those online in August 2006,2 Twitter allows users to send messages, known as "tweets" from a computer or a mobile device like a mobile phone, Blackberry or iPhone. Users of the service are asked to post messages of no more than 140 characters and those messages are delivered to others who have signed up to receive them such as family, friends or colleagues.
Twitter's open development platform allows outside developers to build add-on applications to expand the service's functionality. Twitter users can select from a variety of third-party Twitter interfaces, browser plug-ins, photo- and video-sharing applications that enhance mobile and computer-based use of the basic application. Users have themselves expanded the information carried in a twitter message through the development of in-tweet shorthand and symbols3 that allow for the sharing, replicating and searching of tweets.
Younger internet users lead the way in using Twitter and similar services.
As with many technologies, enthusiastic users have used Twitter for more than just answering the question, "What are you doing?" Twitter has been used to help organize and disseminate information during major events like the 2008 California wildfires, the recent American elections, the Mumbai massacre and even the January 2009 crash of US Airways flight 1549 into the Hudson River. Janis Krum, a passenger on a ferry that rushed to the scene, took a photo of the plane with a cell phone and sent it out via his Twitter feed.8 Twitter and other status updates have also been used for many other purposes including the airing of complaints against companies, sharing ideas, forwarding interesting material, documenting events, conversing and flirting.
Twitter and similar services have been most avidly embraced by young adults.9 Nearly one in five (19%) online adults ages 18 to 24 have ever used Twitter and its ilk, as have 20% of online adults 25 to 34. Use of these services drops off steadily after age 35 with 10% of 35 to 44 year olds and 5% of 45 to 54 year olds using Twitter. The decline is even more stark among older internet users; 4% of 55-64 year olds and 2% of those 65 and older use Twitter.
Given the youth of most Twitter users, it is not surprising to find that online Americans who live in lower-income households are more likely to use Twitter than more affluent Americans. Some 17% of internet users in households earning less than $30,000 tweet and update their status, compared with 10% of those earning more than $75,000 annually.10 Younger adults generally earn less money than older adults.
Wireless internet users are also more likely to be users of Twitter and other status updating services; 14% of users who access the internet wirelessly via a laptop, handheld or cell phone have used a service like Twitter, compared to 6% of users who go online but do not do so wirelessly.
The use of Twitter is highly intertwined with the use of other social media; both blogging and social network use increase the likelihood that an individual also uses Twitter. Adults who use online social networks are much more likely to say that they have used Twitter or some other service to update their status and read the status updates of others. Nearly one quarter (23%) of social network users say they have ever Twittered or used a similar service. In comparison, just 4% of those who do not use social networks have ever used Twitter or updated their status online. The correlation between status updates and social network use is less surprising given that many social network sites offer opportunities to post status updates and read the updates of others. Facebook offers a status update feature while other social networks offer taglines and mood updates, often rendered with an adjective and a smiley face indicating the corresponding emotion.
Blogging shows a similar pattern; 27% of bloggers Twitter, compared with just 10% of those who do not keep a blog. Overall, 13% of internet users have created a blog.
Portrait of a Twitter user
A look at the demographic profile of Twitter users as a whole reveals some additional details about who uses Twitter and how they communicate and consume information.
As noted above, Twitter users are overwhelmingly young. However, unlike the majority of other applications with a similarly large percentage of youth, Twitter use is not dominated by the youngest of young adults. Indeed, the median age of a Twitter user is 31. In comparison, the median age of a MySpace user is 27, Facebook user is 26 and LinkedIn user is 40.11
Twitter users are slightly more racially and ethnically diverse than is the full U.S. population, most likely because they are younger – and younger Americans are a more ethnically and racially diverse group than is the full population.
Twitter users are also slightly more likely to live in urban areas, with 35% of Twitter users living in urban areas (compared to 29% of all internet users) and just 9% of Twitterers and status updaters living in rural areas, compared to 17% of internet users.
Twitter users are more mobile in their communication and consumption of information.
Twitter users and status updaters are a mobile bunch; as a group they are much more likely to be using wireless technologies – laptops, handhelds and cell phones — for internet access, or cell phones for text messaging.
More than three-quarters (76%) of Twitter users use the internet wirelessly – either on a laptop with a wireless connection, or via PDA, handheld or cell phone. In comparison, 57% of those who go online but do not use Twitter, and 59% of internet users as a whole connect to the internet wirelessly.
Overall, cell phone ownership among Twitter users is comparable to the online population as a whole, but Twitter users are more likely to use their cell phone to text and go online. More than four in five (82%) Twitter users have a cell phone and use it to send text messages, while 59% of those who go online but do not use Twitter (and 61% of the internet-using population at large) own a cell phone and use it to send text messages.
Twitter users are also more likely to use their cell phones to connect to the internet; fully two in five (40%) Twitterers with cell phones use the device to connect to the internet, while one quarter (24%) of those who go online but do not use Twitter do the same.12
Along with communicating extensively via untethered mobile devices, Twitter users are more likely to consume news and information on these devices as well.13 For many Twitter users, learning about and sharing relevant and recent nuggets of information is a primary utility of the service. While Twitter users are just as likely as others to consume news on any given day, they are more likely to consume it on mobile devices and less likely to engage with news via more traditional outlets. Twitterers are less likely to read a printed copy of a newspaper, but more likely to read a newspaper online (76% vs. 60% of non-Twitter users), and more likely to read a news story on a cell phone (14% vs. 6%) or on a smart phone (17% vs. 7%). A similar pattern holds for video news consumption; on any given day, Twitter users are just as likely as others to watch news on a TV, and just as likely to watch video news on a computer, but more likely to watch a news video on a cell phone (6% vs. 1%) or on a smart phone (8% vs. 1%).
Regardless of the platform, Twitter users are also significant consumers of blog content; 21% read someone else's blog "yesterday" and 57% of Twitterers have ever read a blog. By comparison, 9% of those who go online but do not Twitter read someone else's blog yesterday, and 29% have ever read a blog. Twitter users also keep blogs at a greater rate than the overall online population; 29% of Twitter users have ever created a blog, and 8% worked on a blog "yesterday." In contrast, 11% of internet users have created a blog and 3% are working on their blog on any given day.
In conclusion, Twitter users engage with news and own technology at the same rates as other internet users, but the ways in which they use the technology – to communicate, gather and share information – reveals their affinity for mobile, untethered and social opportunities for interaction. Moreover, Twitter as an application allows for and enhances these opportunities, so it is not so surprising that users would engage in these kinds of activities and also be drawn to an online application that expands those opportunities.
- http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/us-airways-crash-rescue-picture-citizen-jouralism-twitter-at-work ↩
- In this report, the term "Twitter user" refers to users of Twitter and internet users who have updated a status online on a social network or elsewhere. ↩
- Note: 22% of respondents did not give their income. ↩
- The median ages of users of various social network sites is from page 6 in our Adults and Social Networking Data Memo from January 2009, https://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/272/report_display.asp and comes from our May 2008 survey. ↩
- Data on twitter users and going online via a cell phone is from Pew Internet's November 2008 Post-Election Survey, fielded between November 20 and December 4, 2008. ↩
- Data on twitter and news consumption is from Pew Internet's November 2008 Post-Election Survey, fielded between November 20 and December 4, 2008 with an n of 2,254 adults 18 and older and a margin of error +/- 2 percentage points for the total sample. For the sample based on internet users (n=1591) the margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points. ↩


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Oh, hello … This is Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. For all of you who don't understand sports, just know that this guy throws a football and he's super sexy — especially when he takes his clothes off for the ESPN Body Issue.
Every year, ESPN magazine puts out its annual Body Issue, featuring the hottest sports stars in the buff, with their sports equipment helping obscure their, um, naughty bits. And while everyone in this year's issue is looking pretty fantastic, we have to hand it to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick — he really takes the sexy cake on this one.
Kaepernick is completely nude, posing in various positions, all oiled up and tan. As you can tell from the photos, one of the things Kaepernick is known for is his amazing collection of tattoos, which draw attention to his very toned physique.
The Wisconsin native also plays baseball and was drafted into the MLB in 2009, but decided to pursue football instead. When he was just a kid, he wrote a letter predicting he would be six feet, four inches tall, and that he would play for either the 49ers or the Packers. (Dreams do come true, kids.)
He also has a pet tortoise that he's had since he was 10. Too cute.
Авторский пост


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life n times of drivin n cryin
Director Eric Von Haessler spent three years looking for reasons why his favorite band, Drivin N Cryin, hadn't enjoyed more national success. With the help of fellow fans Peter Buck, Darius Rucker, Ed Roland, Ty Pennington and others- he uncovers the fascinating, behind-the-scenes story of a band that has spent the last 28 years both creating great music and making questionable career moves. Along the way he finds that Drivin N Cryin is a true rock & roll success.


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US Army Waiting List Swells to Near Record Levels
(WASHINGTON) -- Young Americans looking to join the armed forces may have to wait to serve.
The combination of lower recruitment target numbers, a weak economy and the implementation of the GI bill has made waiting lists, officially known as the Delayed Entry Pool, longer than they have been in recent years.
The Marine Corps, which has traditionally had a smaller recruiting base, has fulfilled more than 65 percent of its target for fiscal year 2011. The Army entered the new recruiting year in October having fulfilled 50 percent, or half its targeting goals for next year.
The number is a near record for the Army. The last time in recent decades the waiting list was so long was in 1996, when the Delayed Entry Pool was at 42.9 percent at the start of the fiscal year.
A number of factors are behind the surging numbers. The military has cut back recruitment goals across the board. The Army target, for example, for the fiscal year 2011 is 67,000, lower than 74,500 in 2010 and well below the average recruitment goal of 80,000 between 2005 and 2008.
The economy also plays a crucial part. Unemployment remains relatively high at 9.8 percent, the same level as last year, and among 18-to-24-year-olds -- the Pentagon's prime recruiting age -- it's even higher.
Copyright 2010 ABC News Radio


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The Chinese government has banned its citizens from viewing videos on YouTube, the video sharing site's owner Google said Tuesday.
Google trackers noticed late Monday that Chinese traffic of YouTube had decreased dramatically and watched as it dropped to nearly zero Tuesday morning, the New York Timesreported.
"We don't know the reason for the block," YouTube spokesman Scott Rubin told the Times. "Our government relations people are trying to resolve it."
Chinese officials have been selectively blocking YouTube videos for months in an attempt to weed out dissent. It routinely monitors all Internet content visited by Chinese residents and can limit access at its discretion.
But the Chinese recently have begun to fight back against the censorship, finding loopholes to get around the eyes of their Big Brother government.
One Internet video in particular, which features mythical creature the "grass-mud horse," has become an icon for the anti-censorship movement. When written, the creature's name is benign, but when spoken, the word for "grass-mud horse" becomes an inflammatory expletive.
Chinese officials told Reuters that they didn't know about YouTube being blocked and stressed that they had a positive view of the Internet and its content.
"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters, Reuters said.


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Cheyenne Indians
Cheyenne (indigenous people of North America)
Cheyenne (shīăn´, –ĕn´), indigenous people of North America whose language belongs to the Algonquian branch of the Algonquian-Wakashan linguistic stock (see Native American languages). The Cheyenne abandoned their settlements in Minnesota in the 17th cent., leaving the region to the hostile Sioux and Ojibwa. Gradually migrating W along the Cheyenne River and then south, they established earth-lodge villages and raised crops. After the introduction of the horse (c.1760) they eventually became nomadic buffalo hunters. The tribe split (c.1830) when a large group decided to settle on the upper Arkansas River and take advantage of the trade facilities offered by Bent's Fort. This group became known as the Southern Cheyenne. The Northern Cheyenne continued to live about the headwaters of the Platte River. For the next few years the Southern Cheyenne, allied with the Arapaho, were engaged in constant warfare against the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache. Peace was made c.1840, and the five tribes became allies.
The Cheyenne were generally friendly toward white settlers until the discovery of gold in Colorado (1858) brought a swarm of gold seekers into their lands. By a treaty signed in 1861 the Cheyenne agreed to live on a reservation in SE Colorado, but the U.S. government did not fulfill its obligations, and they were reduced to near starvation. Cheyenne raids resulted in punitive expeditions by the U.S. army. The indiscriminate massacre (1864) of warriors, women, and children at Sand Creek, Colo., was an unprovoked assault on a friendly group. The incident aroused the Cheyenne to fury, and a bitter war followed. Gen. George Custer destroyed (1868) Black Kettle's camp on the Washita River, and fighting between the whites and the Southern Cheyenne ended, except for an outbreak in 1874–75. The Northern Cheyenne joined with the Sioux and overwhelmed Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. They finally surrendered in 1877 and were moved south and confined with the Southern Cheyenne in what is now Oklahoma. Plagued by disease and malnutrition, they made two desperate attempts to escape and return to the north. A separate reservation was eventually established for them in Montana. There were almost 12,000 Cheyenne in the United States in 1990.
See G. B. Grinnell, The Fighting Cheyennes (1915, repr. 1956) and The Cheyenne Indians (2 vol., 1923, repr. 1972); E. A. Hoebel, The Cheyennes (1960); D. J. Berthrong, The Southern Cheyennes (1963); J. Millard, The Cheyenne Wars (1964); John Stands in Timber and M. Liberty, Cheyenne Memories (1967); P. J. Powell, Sweet Medicine (2 vol., 1969); J. H. Moore, The Cheyenne Nation (1987).


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The Wall - Face Mount Acrylic
The Wall - Face Mount Acrylic
from 360.00
Giving your image a 3d floating effect when hanging from the wall, wow people with our face mount acrylics. Supplied with a u-channel for easy hanging and fronted with 6mm acrylic, these are the perfect option if you are looking for something just a little different. Available in a variety of sizes, they provide an excellent gift when you're not sure of the personal taste of your recipient. Custom sizes available on request - Metallic Paper


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Guide Dog Chases Burglars From Blind Woman's Home in Philadelphia
(PHILADELPHIA) -- The guide dog of a blind woman is probably getting a few extra treats after chasing out intruders from her home early Friday morning.
According to police, the incident started around 3 a.m. when at least one teenager broke into the 54-year-old woman's home in the Holmesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia. The intruders entered through her basement door. Their voices woke up the woman, and that's when her guide dog took action, and chased them from the house.
However even after the intruders were gone the woman was still in danger. According to police, the intruders had turned left her gas stove on without igniting the burner, so her home started to fill with natural gas.
"[It was a] very dangerous situation," Francis Bachmayer, a captain at the Philadelphia Police department, told reporters. "At 3 o'clock in the morning it could have been a very serious situation. Thank god there were no injuries."
After chasing the intruders from her home, the guide dog led the woman to her phone so she could call 911. After police arrived, they were able to get the woman to safety and turn off the gas without it igniting.
After an investigation, police arrested 18-year-old Tomayo McDuffy on burglary charges. According to ABC News station WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, McDuffy is a one of the victim's neighbors.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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Last night Snooki brought her fun-loving meatball antics to WWE's WrestleMania 27 as part of the Brunette Mafia and proved that she's more than just a horny, gorilla juicehead-chasing guidette with a drinking problem… she's an athlete. Who knew?! (Also something I didn't know — the WWE still exists.)
I'm no physics whiz, but the feats Snookems managed to perform seem to defy gravity. Isn't there something in one of Newton's Laws of Motion that indicates a beer keg of a body shouldn't be able to flip and soar effortlessly through the air? Back flips, round offs, tumbling across the mat like there's a guido meathead on the other side who she's trying to get to… looks to me like Snookers has got some serious skills! Based on my very limited knowledge of what it takes to be an Olympic gymnast (I saw a Lifetime movie about it once), I think Snickers could do it! She's got the moves, the confidence and she could teach those girls a thing or two about tanning.
PS. Gatorade, you might want to get started on a Ron Ron Juice flavor.


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George is involved in another round of politics in 1897 regarding the organization of Cass County. Of course George A. Barclay wanted Pine River to be the county seat. He was too late in organizing the convention to vote on that subject. This notice for a convention to choose a county seat for Cass appeared in the Cass County Pioneer newspaper in July of 1897 somewhat hidden in back pages.
Notice: Pursuant to notice duly given calling a non-partisan convention for the county of Cass for the purpose of selecting a location for a county seat to be voted on at a coming special election. Said convention was called to order by Wm. H. Hallett, who was elected chairman. A. J. Collins was elected clerk. After seating the delegates the chairman was authorized to retain an able attorney to look after an direct the petitioners who wish to change the county seat. One hundred dollars was raised for current expenses, Geo. Barclay of Pine River giving his check for $50. Owing to the inclemency of the weather, but twenty of the sixty delegates attended. Those present, wishing to give every part of the county a chance to vote on this important question. The convention was adjourned until the 21st of June 1897 to meet at the Ellis post office school house on section 7 town 135, range 31, at 2 o'clock p.m. On said date the delegates present will proceed to select a site for a new county seat. All precincts are requested to have their delegates attend said adjourned convention. Dated at County convention this the day of June, 1897 A Collins, Sec. Wm. H. Hallet, Chm.
Source: Notice, Cass County Pioneer Newspaper, Walker, MN, Film June 17, 1897, #1/2/1897 to 6/2/1898, Thursday, July 15, 1897 edition, Minnesota Historical Society newspaper collection.
I return to the Logsleds to Snowmobiles book about the history of Pine River on page 110 lower part of the first column:
"The governor appointments as Cass County Commissioners those who "will organize the county and decide the county seat" consisted of men all friendly to the timber interests.
It soon became obvious to George Barclay and others that "timber forces" were in control of the politics of the county, at least temporarily, for on May 14, 1897, the boom town of Walker which had been in existence for only a little over a year was "named" by the new commissioners the county seat of Cass County.
Barclay, together with W.H. Hallett immediately called a "non-partisan convention" at the Collins House precinct south of Barclay's Ranch for the purpose of "selecting a location for the county's seat." Barclay had high hopes that the "convention" would select his settlement in place of Walker, and, therefore, he readily contributed $50 to defray part of the $100 convention expense. Apparently, he hoped that in an election resulting from the conflict over two alternative county seats that the more populated southern portions of the county would outvote the northern region. Barclay was to be disappointed for the hastily called convention could not agree on any single policy and broke up without taking positive stand on an alternative county seat." From the Brainerd Dispatch June 18, 1897, pg. 4, Logsleds bibliography notes pg, 516.
According to the Cass County Historical Society the reason Walker was named the county seat was because it was incorporated in 1896 having 100 male voters. Pine River had not yet incorporated and that would not happen till 1901.
UPDATE July 11, 2013: Apparently I have written this post 2 times. I apologize for that confusion. I wrote about the County Seat of Cass on March 21, 2013. So I am adding the last part of that post to this one and then deleting the March post.
Once Walker was chosen as the county seat of Cass County, Minnesota the next step was to incorporate Pine River. It took a few years for that to happen.
The Logsleds Book Continues on page 111:
"It is not known when George Barclay first conceived of the idea of incorporating his settlement into a village, but is certain that by the time of the official organization of Cass County in 1897, he had definite plans on his mind."


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Internet Librarian 2013 – Opening Keynote – Inspiration Architecture: The Future of Libraries
Internet Librarian 2013 – Opening Keynote – Inspiration Architecture: The Future of Libraries
Peter Morville
The conference's opening keynote began with Morville saying that the internet has not improved with time. The internet he remembers is a different internet – we had such big dreams. It was a time of promise and hope. We've lost some things along the way. His hometown lost its newspaper and their biggest bookstore. Online we've lost the "national park for ideas and innovation." The internet has become increasingly commercial and we've lost our privacy along the way.
Information Architecture isn't enough, but it's still important. In the 1990s, we talked about IA as structuring and organizing websites. That definition was right for the time but has caused us trouble ever since. Our community has spent so much time arguing over definitions that we have a hashtag for that process: #dtdt (defining the damn thing). We've been moving toward a medium-independent definition of IA. One example: "Where architects use forms and spaces to design environments for inhabitation, information architects use nodes and links to create environments for understanding." (Jorge somebody-or-other).
Morville has worked with the LoC for several years. He wrote a report that the LoC's information was fragmented and there was a huge problem with findability. The LoC embargoed his report and wouldn't allow it to be widely disseminated. As our websites become more core to the work of our organizations, people and politics become a huge part of being able to push forward.
Education is changing. Access to information and research is changing. We need to figure out ways to bring parts into a whole that is larger than the sum. He recommends the book Making Learning Whole by David Perkins and also Disrupting Class by Clayton M. Christensen. MOOCs are an opportunity for collaboration between teachers and librarians.
When students are given a research question, they go to Google (of course). It's fast, easy, and familiar. But it's also limited, has inaccurate metadata, and has limited advanced search capability. We're starting to see the results of our reliance on Google. We're graduating people into the workforce who don't really know how to search. Librarians are the only ones who speak Boolean. Someone's going to solve the single search box problem eventually, maybe the MOOCs will do that…
We have an information literacy gulch. This huge difference in people's ability to find, organize, and create resources. We're painfully aware of the growing gap with respect to income. Information literacy widens that gap. He agrees with Larry Lessig that some of these problems can only be solved by striking at the root—corruption. But part of the problem is culture—we wear blinders. There is a limited set of information and ideas that we are open to.
We need to explore the limits of information. How do we effect change when information is not enough. One of the most effective ways of changing behavior is changing the environment. Immerse yourself in another culture—that's a great way to take off those cultural blinders. The book Nudge talks about using psychology to influence choice. There's a lot of nudging going on online. What does it mean when results are sorted by "featured"? Willpower is more important for academic success than IQ… (true, that).
The Ann Arbor District Library is in a phase of change. When the current director (Josie Parker) took over, in order to rebuild credibility she set out to build "a culture of generosity." Their branches are beautiful buildings. They have contests with "the forgiveness of fines" as a prize.
Libraries, like national parks, teach us that we all benefit when our most valuable treasures are held in common. With national parks all we need to do is preserve the wilderness that already exists. But with libraries we're talking about creating something entirely new. For this work, we need information architects. Somebody's got to focus on that single search box, but that's not enough. We also need inspiration architects. We need folks who can lift us up and inspire us by reminding us that our ability to create and share knowledge and ideas is truly wonderful and amazing. For that, he's counting on all of us.


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Your vendors are booked, the payments have been made, now you're in the final weeks before the wedding. There are some obvious tasks you still need to complete like finalising the guest list, chasing dietary requirements, creating a table plan, sending "must takes" to your photographer, etc, but there are other tasks that aren't so obvious that are just as important. Below is small selection of the tasks you should complete the week before your wedding:
Last minute tasks
- Start writing a list of items you need to bring to the venue. Put this list on the refrigerator so you can write something down the moment you think of it. Items may include guest book, pens, table plan, escort cards, gifts, and so on.
- Ask your venue event coordinator when your vendors have access to the venue on the wedding day. Also ask when they need to clear out equipment. This is essential information for you to pass onto your wedding team
- Arrange a time to drop off and collect your items from the venue
- Go through your signed contracts to see which vendors require a meal on the day. Approach each vendor to ask them about their dietary requirements then pass on the information to your caterer.
- Decide where you want the wedding cake. Make sure you have a good backdrop for photographs
- Discuss who will be your MC. Your MC will announce movement of guests, announce the bride and groom into the dining room, announce cutting of the cake and first dance. The MC can be the best man, the wedding planner (me!), the head waiter, or a professional toastmaster.
- Come up with a detailed ceremony procession. Who's walking who down the aisle and in what order?
- Where will your guest book be placed? If a table is required ask your venue or caterer to provide this
- Decide what you want waiters to do in the event that guests ask for drinks not being served.
- Tell your caterer if you plan on keeping the top tier of the cake
- Think about transportation in great detail and make sure no one is left without a ride. Do any of the cars require a reserved parking space?
- Talk to each person giving a speech to let them know how long the speech should be and what the tone should be like. Your food is prepared based on the timings you provide the chef so if speeches are overrun then your food may come out cold or even overcooked. It's very important to stick to your timings and make sure each speaker is aware of this.
- Where will honour attendants and guests sit during the ceremony? Do you want RESERVED signs?
This list is not inclusive of last minute wedding tasks.
Let me know what tasks you're running into in the countdown to your wedding. I'd love to hear from you!


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America Ferrera is getting hitched for real this time.
The 26-year-old "Ugly Betty" star will marry longtime boyfriend Ryan Pier Williams, Ferrera's rep confirmed to People.com.
The pair last shot down engagement rumors two years ago, Access Hollywood reported.
They reportedly met as students at the University of Southern California when Williams cast Ferrera in his film.
Ferrera went on to play the lead role in ABC's "Ugly Betty" for four year until the network pulled the plug in April.
The actress was spotted at the Edinburgh Film Festival Wednesday promoting her upcoming film "The Dry Land," according to Access Hollywood.


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NFL Network Rushes Toward 2012 Season With Serious, Quirky Advertising Push
By Barry Janoff
August 1, 2012: In the midst of baseball, the Olympics and Major League Soccer, NFL Media has unveiled a campaign to satiate fans yearning for the 2012 NFL season.
The effort, "It's Serious Fun," hits as NFL teams have reported to training camp and just prior to the first pre-season game of the year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame game on Aug. 5 between the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals.
The game, to air on NFL Network, will be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend in Canton, Ohio.
The campaign is anchored by three 30-second TV spots supporting the NFL Network, the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football schedule, NFL.com and NFL.com Fantasy Football. Support includes print, radio Internet and social media. Lead agency is David & Goliath, Los Angeles.
NFL Media said the campaign stars a serious, yet quirky, spokesman who shows that "there's more to football than Xs and Os." The spots depict the NFL as a "source of entertainment and camaraderie, a catalyst for more fun, more excitement, more competition and more time with friends."
Two of the spots are for the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football package, which ramps up this season from eight to 13 games between September-December.
"Rooftop" finds the new spokesman on top of a city building with skyscrapers and night lights behind him; "Mountain" is set on an alpine vista amidst a herd of sheep.
The third spot, "Wheat Field," finds him in a farm field explaining "how easy and fun it is to sign-up and play the NFL's fantasy football game."
The effort is scheduled to run throughout the season.
"This campaign marks an exciting new path for one of the strongest and best-established brands in America," David Angelo, founder and chief creative officer for David & Goliath, said in a statement. "We are proud to work with NFL Media and engage its fervent, loyal fan base that has a boundless appetite for NFL content."
Back to Home Page


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We've seen Sharp's world's-largest LCD at 108 inches and Hitachi's 3.5-inch hard disk packing a full terabyte for $399. But what about the world's fastest hard drive? Isn't that important? It is to Seagate, which rolled out its 15,000RPM 2.5-inch drive that it says is the fastest on the planet.
Even though it's a lot faster, Seagate's updated Savvio hard disk is more power efficient than most, consuming just 5.8 watts when idle, compared to the 8.4 watts consumed by most desktop drives. And how fast is it? Its data access time of 2.9ms is faster than any other, at least for now. It's beginning to ship in HP ProLiant servers in capacities of 36GB or 73GB.
Seagate claims world's fastest hard drive [electronista, via CrunchGear]


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Tahoe 231
Tahoe 231
from 175.00
Photographed at dusk at Lake Tahoe. There are many beautiful places to see the amazing rocks here.
Add To Cart
Printed on Archival Matte Paper, with Archival Inks, by the artist, with guaranteed light fastness for a minimum of fifty years.
Prints include a white border suitable for matting and framing and signed individually by the artist.
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You may order here or feel free to call Randy directly at 508-241-4256 with any questions or if you prefer to order over the phone.
Additional sizes are available on request.


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Only a minute ago she was walking into her first day of first grade, and now this.
She came home from her last day of school today and I squeeled OOOOH! A SECOND GRADER IN MY HOUSE! and she rolled her eyes at me in that way children do when they are faking annoyance at your utter uncoolness because they can't let you know how much it means to them that you're still so into them that you can't help but squee all over them.
Pro tip: I dont actually think that particular eyeroll ever goes away, so long as you keep unreasonably and insufferably loving the goddamn shit out of them.
Anyway, once she was done NOT SMILING AT YOU MOM and rolling her eyes, she came up to me, climbed in my lap, and once she was all snuggled in tight she asked, "Mom, what did you learn in 2nd grade?"
I thought. I really thought. I can still remember what that room looked like, the way the hazy east coast sunlight shone through the aluminum blinds and on to the wood grain desktops. I can still smell every smell in that room; dust, humidity, sweat, cocoa butter, rubber cement and chalk. I *cannot* remember any one thing that I learned inside of that classroom, however, save one thing: Adults can be very, very cruel to children.
It's weird that it took my grade two teacher to open my eyes to this. I lived with two of the cruelest, most sadistic adult human beings I will ever encounter in my life, but that is what is amazing about children - their infinite ability to love unconditionally and forgive repeatedly, and also to buy into your shit about "religion" and "discipline".
But my grade two teacher was not my mother. She was not anyone's mother, so far as I knew. She was the teacher-stereotype they make movies about, Ms Agatha Trunchbull in the flesh. She was a small woman, and grey all over - from her hair to her heart.
She particularly hated children in my
cult sect of Judean-Christianity, as if we had some choice in the matter. I can't remember her name, and I don't remember the sound of her voice, but I remember the way her dingy blouse hung away from her flabby arms as she, every morning, would pull my friend's uncombed, unwashed red air up into tight ponytail with rubbber bands, and the way it hung stained with sweat every afternoon when she would rip those rubber bands out of her hair, not caring how much gorgeous read strands of hair she took with them.
I think that she hated poor people, that she was digusted by dirty children, that she dreamed of teaching at the school down the road from us full of middle-class white children whos parents packed them sack lunches and made sure their hair was combed and clothes were cleaned every day, not just on the first day.
We were not middle-class white children. We were children that they all wrote off, the ones they tucked away inside a high-security Section 8 neighborhood and left to play in dumpsters or the woods or the basketball court until we all got good and hooked on our parents drugs or vodka or hopelessness and rendered ourselves obsolete.
Almost no one cared about us, but few dared to show it the way my 2nd grade teacher did. She actively despised us, even the few of us that showed the promise of some potential. We were lost children, lost causes, social waste - and she made damn sure we knew it.
I read somewhere that a child's perception of themselves is defined by the time they reach ages seven or eight. That gives us a very narrow window of time to instill a healthy perception of self. I can't remember if grade two was the year that I learned cursive, or the year I started to multiple large numbers, but I do remember that grade two was the year I realized someone thought I was worthless.
And I'm glad for it.
I'm glad for it because it reminds me every day to tell *my* second grader how much I value her, respect her, adore her, love her. It reminds me to be kind to every second grader, every third grader, every eighth grader I come in contact with, because maybe they just need one person to counter some really horrible message someone else is trying with all their might to instill in them.
In second grade I learned that adults can be very cruel, and I am grateful for that, and for her, because in so many ways she taught me exactly would grow up not to be.


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NSA leaks: Obama hints at surveillance rethink
US President Barack Obama has suggested there may be a review of surveillance by the National Security Agency in the wake of a series of spying revelations.
He said in "light of disclosures that have taken place" and public concerns about the programmes "there may be another way of skinning the cat".
But Mr Obama said ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden had caused "unnecessary damage" by leaking documents.
He declined to say whether or not Mr Snowden could be offered an amnesty.
Edward Snowden fled the US in late May, taking a huge cache of secret documents with him. He faces espionage charges in the US and has been granted temporary asylum in Russia.
President Obama made his comments at an end-of-year news conference at the White House.
Earlier in the week a federal judge declared the mass collection of telephone data unconstitutional and a presidential advisory panel suggested reforms.
Both the judge and the panel said there was little evidence that any terror plot had been thwarted by the programme.
"There are ways we can do it, potentially, that gives people greater assurance that there are checks and balances, that there's sufficient oversight and sufficient transparency," Mr Obama said.
He said that programmes like the bulk collection of phone records "could be redesigned in ways that give you the same information when you need it without creating these potentials for abuse".
Mr Obama said he would make a "definitive statement" in January about recommendations by the White House panel.
"I have confidence in the fact that the NSA is not engaging in domestic surveillance or snooping around," he added.
"We may have to refine this further to give people more confidence. And I'm going to be working very hard on doing that."
On the subject of possibly granting Mr Snowden an amnesty, Mr Obama said: "I will leave it up to the courts and the attorney general to weigh in on Mr Snowden's case.''
On Friday, more details of people and institutions targeted by UK and US surveillance - from documents leaked by Edward Snowden - were published by The Guardian, The New York Times and Der Spiegel.
The papers said the list of about 1,000 targets included an EU commissioner, humanitarian organisations and Israeli officials including a prime minister.
They suggested that more than 60 countries were targets of the NSA and Britain's GCHQ.
The European Commission said in a statement that the claims, if true, "deserve our strongest condemnation".
"This is not the type of behaviour that we expect from strategic partners, let alone from our own member states."
In October, news that the NSA had monitored the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel triggered a diplomatic row between Berlin and Washington.
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff was also angered by revelations that the NSA had hacked the computer network of Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras to collect data on emails and telephone calls.


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You know how you light up when the coolest person you've ever met invites you to a party? Get ready to glow. We live in Vegas. We work in Vegas. We eat, drink, sleep, wake up, swear we'll never drink that much again, drink just as much the next night and love every minute of it pure Vegas. So when we say you're invited to our party, you know we mean business.
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Jacob Barnett
Jacob Barnett is an American mathematician and child prodigy. At 8 years old, Jacob began sneaking into the back of college lectures at IUPUI. After being diagnosed with autism since the age of two and placed in his school's special ed. program, Jacob's teachers and doctors were astonished to learn he was able to teach calculus to college students.
At age nine, while playing with shapes, Jacob built a series of mathematical models that expanded Einstein's field of relativity. A professor at Princeton reviewed his work and confirmed that it was groundbreaking and could someday result in a Nobel Prize. At age 10, Jacob was formally accepted to the University as a full-time college student and went straight into a paid research position in the field of condensed matter physics. For his original work in this field, Jacob set a record, becoming the world's youngest astrophysics researcher. His paper was subsequently accepted for publication by Physical Review A, a scientific journal shared on sites such as NASA, the Smithsonian, and Harvard's webpage. Jacob's work aims to help improve the way light travels in technology.
Jacob is also CEO and founder of Wheel LLC, a business he started in his mom's garage, and is in the process of writing a book to help end "math phobia" in his generation.
Jacob's favorite pastime is playing basketball with the kids at his charity, Jacob's Place. It is a place where kids with autism are inspired every day to be their true authentic selves...just like Jacob.


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Phone: +1 (855) 994-2233 | Location NH/NV: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm M-F
Phone: +1 (855) 994-2233 | Location NH/NV: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm M-F
If you are firing at cone 4 to 6, which is a mid-fire, then you should look at Laguna mid fire glazes. These glazes work wonderfully for all your needs. Plus, the company offers some great variations so you can get the look you want. To finish off your piece and get a polished look, you have to choose your glaze carefully. Make sure you understand what look each type of glaze will produce.
Laguna offers five lines of mid fire glazes, each with a unique look. If you want something that is vibrant and offers full coverage, then take a look at the versa line. With colors that include turquoise, pink and apple green, you'll get a nice full coverage look in colors that pop. If you want stoneware colors with options in matte and mottled, you should look at the Moroccan sand line. Mottled and shimmering colors are found within the Mystic line. For a crackle finish, there's the crackle line. Finally, if you want matte or gloss earth tones, choose something from the dynasty line.
As you can see, there is a great selection here to get pretty any look you want. Beautiful finishes are just a click away.


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- Options
Item # ARU0002Item # ARU0002
Sleek and fast.
The Chrono Water Bottle is what comes standard with a carbon fiber Arundel Chrono aero cage. It literally 'snaps' into the cage. The bottle stays in securely and holds 22oz. of water. Embossed with the Arundel logo -- it looks cool and makes the bottle a bit grippier in your hands.
- Raised logo on outside of bottle provides a solid grip
- Excellent balance of performance and function
- Bottle cap is an industry standard with a mouth wide enough to accommodate ice cubes and drink mixes
View more Water Bottles & Cages
Reviews & Community
Does this fit in the back pocket of a road bike jersey?
Lose your bottle in a TT?`
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Replacement works just as well as the original one.
Arundel Chrono Water Bottle
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I like the design, I like the color (grey) but, is to hard to get it out of the cage, plus if is no shot all the way will leak. I will be using it for Back Up, I will rely on my Aero Bars Bottle.....


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incl. VAT incl. shipping costs*
Available from 26/10/2019
- Order no: CONSTANTIN-RECHTS00XOA
- Dimensions: L/W/H 170/110/59 cm
Whirlpool Constantin Premium is more than a simple whirlpool
Whirlpool "Constantin" will set new standards in terms of relaxation and wellness. With a multitude of massage jets you can bubble away tensions of everyday life and working life. Useful functions, like regulating the heating and the jets are easy to carry out because of the touch control pad. The bathtub will be delivered - ready to connect - so that your relaxation can start as soon as possible. Functionality, a beautiful design and above all - safety - are combined in your new whirlpool. The bathtub itself and all of its connecting parts are installed and tested in Germany. And the best: your new favourite place is absolutely affordable.
Overview of advantages of the whirlpool-tub by Emotion:
- Your own whirlpool Made in Germany, reasonable and high quality,
- Mechanical self-draining with less residual water than asked by EU standards,
- Preassembled, ready to connect,
- Easy to use touch control,
- Overflow/odor protection,
- Comfortable heating system for wanted water temperature,
- Pump system with dry run draining.
Dimension/ Weight/ Capacity
(L/B/H) 170/110/59 cm with frame and stable feet
Weight: 100 kg (incl. packaging), 90 kg (without packaging)
Capacity : approx. 230 liter water content (without person) to overflow
Energy & Water – you need
Energy: 220V/ 230V - 16 A - 50HZ
Drain and Overflow: To connect the drain and overflow with your odor-stop to your waste water connection, you need a drain pipe with 50 mm diameter.
Touch-control panel and LED light therapy
STANDARD: Touch-control panel 220/230V
STANDARD-equipment: LED light therapy
STANDARD: LED light therapy
It is standard that the water can light up in different colors. You only need to activate the LED-function on your control-panel; the 12V LED automatically changes the colors from red to green and blue. You will be surprised by the large range of colors. The LED-light therapy relaxes and calms. It belongs by default to the whirlpool equipment.
Massage function: jet fittings
STANDARD: hydro-jets at the side
STANDARD: 6 pcs. large hydro-jets at the side
The standard hydro-jets for the side regions are fitted inside and on both pool sides. With the joint ball in the middle the direction of the massage-stream can flexibly be adjusted. This is a part of the standard equipment.
UPGRADE: hydro-jets at the side
UPGRADE: 6 pcs. massage flat jets (flat line)
Replace the standard side jets to the flat and high quality side massage flat jets by Koller ( Austria).
- Advantages:
- Flat jets are almost flush with the inner surface of the whirlpool ( flat line),
- High quality jet body of the flat jets: from a solid block of brass milled then chromed.
STANDARD-equipment: Back water jets
STANDARD: 2x4 pcs. large hydro back jets
The back jets per back region have a strong massage stream. The jet head has an overall diameter of 3,9 cm each. They are standard for the whirlpool equipment.
UPGRADE-equipment: Nano-back water jets
UPGRADE: 2x10 pcs. hydro nano back jets
Change to the high quality nano back jets by Koller (Austria) and 10 filigree jets instead of 4 large jets per back region.Advantages:
- Intensive massage stream per jet throughout the ratio of the total jets,
- Very fine jets, the diameter is 0,9 mm per jet (see comparative picture),
- The small nano jets are virtually imperceptible at the back surface,
- High quality material : chromed brass.
STANDARD-equipment: bottom air jets
STANDARD: 8 pcs. aero jets at the bottom
The standard aero jets of the tub ensure the popular whirlpool effect and let the water bubble nicely which creates foam. This is standard of our whirlpool equipment.
Technical equipment whirlpool
STANDARD-equipment: water pump
STANDARD: water pump
The standard water pump by LX with 1.5HP 220v/50HZ, <74, 9 db.(A),333,3-400 L/min. This is standard equipment for the whirlpool.
UPGRADE-equipment: low energy water pump
UPGRADE: low energy water pump
Upgrading the water pump system is possible with the pump by Koller ( Made in Austria) 800W 220V/50HZ, <62db(A)350L/min.
- low power consumption,
- mechanical residual water self-draining,
- smooth running operation.
STANDARD-equipment: air pump
STANDARD: air pump
The standard air jet pump by LX with 500W 220V/50HZ, <71,11 db. (A). This is standard equipment for our whirlpools.
UPGRADE-equipment: air pump
UPGRADE: air pump
Change the standard air pump to the air pump by Spatech 450W 220V/50HZ, quieter than 59dB (A). 21400U/min at 1.600mm H2O water column.
- Made in Germany,
- IPX5, 12dB, smooth running operation.
STANDARD-equipment: water heater
STANDARD: water heater
The standard whirlpool heating by LX with 1500W 220V/50HZ heats up the water in the whirlpool tub. The water temperature can be easily regulated with the control panel (15C-45C). This is standard for our whirlpool equipment.
STANDARD-equipment: air mixing valve
STANDARD: more jet massage power with the Venturi effect
Air will be admixed to the water flow of the pipe system when opening the valve.The water pressure, with which the water from the jets is searching its way,rises and increases the massage effect impressively.Like this a discovery of fluid mechanism by GiovanniB. Venturi, is used with a tremendous effect. This miracle valve is standard for the whirlpool equipment.
UPGRADE: warrenty extension for three years
UPGRADE: EmotionPlus guarantee
On every 36 month we will extend an additional charge for a 24 month warranty, which only gives a 6 month guarantee. We are committed in this period, to ensure the operation of all components of the complete whirlpool. You will get free replacement and we will assume any costs for repairing the whirlpool. Condition is that the article is not grossly misused or changed by the customer.
Performance overview our whirlpools
- CE- approved electronic control box and control panel,
- regulated heating for a comfortable water temperature (15C-45C),
- specially for the whirlpool suitable PVC- hoses,
- water level sensor to protect the pump system,
- pump system with dry run protection,
- odour stop incl. draining residual water, meets the highest hygiene standards,
- mechanical self-draining with ozone disinfection ( less than 0,5% residual water),
- air mixing valve: mechanically – by fastening and unfastening with hand – the water is supplied with additional air. The massage effect on the back – and side jets will be increased and the water gets more oxygenic..
Hygiene: More protection by the special construction of our whirlpools
The hygiene standards of the whirlpools Indoorspa is well above EU-norm
- A possible germs and bacteria formation is almost excluded by the special construction of our whirlpools. The mechanical draining only leaves a residual water content of less than 0,5% (allowable EU-norm: 2%). ,
- Theintegrated ozone disinfection ensures that a possible germs- and bacteria formation will be prevented.,
- After bathing process, it is advisable to mix some disinfectant to the water. The so prepared water will drain out of the whirlpool and at the same time clean the tubes. The disinfectant by Koller is particularly suitable for cleaning your hydro massage bath and is available in the optional item in the cart. .
Delivery of your whirlpool
- You will be notified in advance by the forwarding company for the delivery of your whirlpool.,
- Delivery to curbside,
- The whirlpool is packed up into a wooden box/crate,
- The packaging remains with the customer.
Delivery whirlpool-equipment WITH fittings:
- Ready to connect whirlpool-tub (Made in Germany) with frame and height adjustable feet,
- 12V LED with automatically color changing light ( red, green, blue),
- Air mix valve (the whirlpool "Zeus" and "Andalusia" have 2x air mix valves included),
- Drain and overflow incl. odor stop for connection to the drain pipe.
Not included in the delivery:
- You can individually put together many components for your whirlpool If you want headrests for example or a skirting for your whirlpool, you can get these additional components and select from the cart.
☎ Any questions? We are here to help!


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Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Wine? Or crack?
This blog post is a public service announcement for those interested in wine. The picture of the seemingly harmless bottle above is one you should stamp into your retinas and retain. Blink twice. You see this bottle, here, now, safely virtual. If you see this bottle in the real world, flee. Or else give in. I'll have warned you.
Sometimes wine crosses you over to the dark realms of craving, though it's not often. Well, the bright and sunny bottle you are being shown here in fact hides a terribly addictive philter within its glass confines.
2008 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Nº2, with its headily aromatic nose and will-breakingly deep palate, redolent of all those things you want in a sauvignon (lemon zest, rocks, white flowers, and then a fleshy hint of calisson or apricot), bests a whole host of Sancerres and other supposedly higher-end regional fodder. Sip it alone, sip it with shellfish, sip it at the beach or at the Buttes-Chaumont or on a deck festooned with striped deck umbrellas or in a city apartment.
Then be prepared for the consequences. You will want more.
9 comments:
I love this wine , and I love your blog !
- July 9, 2009 at 2:21 AM
- Joe said...
Catherine and Didier seem like such nice people, too.
- July 9, 2009 at 8:15 AM
This is bullshit. My last bottle was heat damaged and now I have no more.
- July 9, 2009 at 9:16 PM
- Sharon said...
I have a cunning solution for you: get more.
They're still in stores. Bright and shiny! Ooh!
- July 9, 2009 at 10:53 PM
- Brooklynguy said...
i would say, wine. great wine. had one last night and liked it even better than the 07. so much variation in these bottles though, it gets annoying and effectively brings the bottle price higher.
- July 12, 2009 at 3:03 AM
- Joe said...
Where do you guys buy your CRB? I would have to say that I have not had variation problems with their wines over quite a few years. Lapierre, Thevenet, Puzelat, lots of Jenny and Francois stuff, the list goes on, but CRB is not on it. Didier bottles with SO2, the cellar is clean, I wonder where in the chain the variation comes in?
- July 13, 2009 at 4:22 AM
- August 7, 2009 at 2:46 AM
It is rather interesting for me to read this post. Thanx for it. I like such themes and anything connected to them. BTW, why don't you change design :).
- January 22, 2010 at 2:10 PM
- cork&foil wine blog said...
Well spotted, I remember having a bottle of this, beautiful!
- February 6, 2011 at 4:36 PM


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Events at Mystic Yoga Shala
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: February 28Introduction to Meditation
Later Event: March 5Teacher Training Spring 2016
The Journey Begins...
Mystic Yoga Shala is pleased to offer a wide variety of special events to our students and yoga community. Please check back frequently to see our latest offerings. Mystic Yoga Shala is an Official Baptiste Studio located on the shoreline in Mystic, CT.
Mystic Yoga Shala is warm and friendly Official Baptiste Yoga Studio located on the shoreline in Mystic, Ct. We offer Baptiste yoga classes and workshops and special events. Power Vinyasa Yoga, Basic & Foundation, Intro to Power...


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Kemmerer Village
Making the world better, one child at a time.
As a Presbyterian Child Care Agency, our mission at Kemmerer Village is to provide a wide range of quality services, which meet the needs of children, youth and their families.
We, the Board of Directors and staff of Kemmerer Village, believe that all children have the God-given right of love, nurture, protection, and education.
Our programs are directed to help children and youth attain the necessary skills to become well-adjusted and productive members of society. It is our conviction that each and every contact with a child consists of showing the child respect, positive regard and to instill dignity.
In working with a child, we also recognize the importance of family. Thus we provide services that are directed toward improving the overall family environment.
We believe that the diverse needs of children, youth, and families are best met through our team approach which is based upon mutual respect, professionalism, support and action as implemented by our committed staff.


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The New Year arrives with yet another satisfying rebuke to the Federal Communications Commission's indecency rules. Nearly three years ago, the FCC threw the book at ABC television for a 2003 NYPD Blue episode in which actress Charlotte Ross's derriere was visible for a number of seconds. For this offense to the sensibilities of the NYPD Blue audience, the Commission fined 44 ABC affiliates $27,500 apiece—a $1.21 million penalty all told.
But now the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated the decision, declaring it akin to the Commission's "fleeting expletive" rules, which a Second Circuit panel declared harmful to free speech last July in Fox vs. FCC. That case involved similar punishments for Fox affiliates, following broadcasts of the s-word and f-bomb laden comments by Cher and Nicole Richie during the Billboard Music Awards.
"Indeed, there is no significant distinction between this case and Fox," the Second Circuit has ruled. "In Fox, the FCC levied fines for fleeting, unscripted utterances of 'fuck' and 'shit' during live broadcasts. Although this case involves scripted nudity, the case turns on an application of the same context-based indecency test that Fox found 'impermissibly vague'."
In this latest decision, the Second notes that the FCC has always conceded that "nudity itself is not per se indecent." Therefore the Commission subjectively decides "in which contexts nudity is permissible and in which contexts it is not pursuant to an indecency policy" that the court has already ruled to be unconstitutional.
Since the Trojan war
It's worth revisiting the key observation of the Second Circuit in Fox. "Sex and the magnetic power of sexual attraction are surely among the most predominant themes in the study of humanity since the Trojan War," a three-judge panel noted last summer, adding that "the digestive system and excretion" have been of equal interest.
Thus, barring all "patently offensive" references to these subjects without clear and non-subjective guidance chills speech, the justices warned— "because broadcasters have no way of knowing what the FCC will find offensive. To place any discussion of these vast topics at the broadcaster's peril has the effect of promoting wide self-censorship of valuable material which should be completely protected under the First Amendment."
The episode in question (a somewhat hyped YouTube version can be viewed here) involved the portrayal of an awkward moment just after Connie McDowell, portrayed by Ross, moves in with NYPD Blue detective Andy Sipowicz. She's naked and using the shower when Sipowicz son bursts into the room.
"Sorry," the boy cries out. "It's OK!" McDowell anxiously responds, while covering her body with her hands.
Following complaints, the Commission reviewed the episode. ABC insisted that the scene was just about a child and his dad's new girlfriend getting used to each other. The FCC saw it quite differently, insisting that the moment "dwells on" and repeats "sexual material"—specifically, views of Charlotte Ross's buttocks, which the agency found "titillating and shocking."
"Although ABC argues, without citing any authority, that the buttocks are not a sexual organ, we reject this argument, which runs counter to both case law and common sense," the Commission added.
We are gratified to see a court declare that it is not the business of the United States government to determine what is or is not a "sexual organ." But these cases and the Janet Jackson nip/slip saga may still wend their way up to the Supreme Court for a final hearing on First Amendment questions.