text:
Nation & World
Terrorism still plagues Pakistan as civilian government nears end of its term
Five years after democratic rule was restored in Pakistan, the country is still without a policy to confront its huge terrorism problem, leaving this nuclear-armed country vulnerable to ever more punishing bloodshed.
The civilian government seems all but certain to complete its term in office next week – the first time in Pakistani history that that's happened. But there's still no consensus on how to deal with terrorist attacks, which take a nearly daily toll.
The bombing of a residential street last weekend in Karachi, the country's biggest city, killed at least 50 people and injured well over 100. But instead of statements of unity against the attack, which targeted the country's minority Shiite Muslim community, the result was political discord, with politicians blaming each other for the terrorism menace.
And many are anticipating more mayhem, even as the government marks a moment unprecedented in Pakistan – the completion of a civilian government's term in office, without a military coup – on March 16. Yet the election campaign that milestone ushers in – elections are likely in May – is expected to be violent and chaotic.
In a country with a poisonous history of civilian-military relations, the military blames the lack of political consensus on terrorism for its inability to take action against extremists, while politicians suspect that the armed forces continue to see value in working with some militant Islamist groups.
There is a heavy doze of cynicism. Every major political party already has backed unconditional peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban, an al Qaida-linked group that works closely with the sectarian outfit likely to have carried out the attack in Karachi. Privately, military officials, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, regard the politicians' desire for talks with the Pakistani Taliban as an ill-considered attempt to prevent their candidates from coming under attack in the election campaign.
Analysts say the broad failing to confront terrorism head on simply means that bombings, attempted assassinations and mayhem will continue – even as a democratic transition takes place.
"The courts have failed to convict terrorists, the police have failed to prevent attacks, the intelligence services have failed to pre-empt attacks, the military has failed to see through a counterinsurgency strategy, the politicians have failed to lead on this," said Mosharraf Zaidi, an analyst who was formerly a senior government adviser.
"There's no end in sight to this problem because there's no leadership."
Events like the three bombings this year against Pakistan's Shiites, which claimed at least 250 lives, and last year's shooting by the Pakistani Taliban of a schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, because she campaigned for education for girls, has brought public revulsion but no mass movement against the violence.
Military operations are piecemeal and have not tackled the region of North Waziristan, where domestic and international extremist groups are based.
The dysfunction of the state is such that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, led by President Asif Zardari, admits that it has not been able to bring to justice the conspirators behind the assassination of its former leader and Zardari's wife, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed by a suicide bomber in December 2007.
Some analysts suggest that Pakistan's military, which has a long history of working with Islamist groups as proxy warriors in both Afghanistan and India, is simply biding its time until 2014, when U.S. and NATO soldiers are scheduled to leave neighboring Afghanistan.
"We are keeping the militants in a holding pattern," said Ayesha Siddiqa, author of "Military Inc.," a book on the Pakistani army. "The idea is that once we reach 2014, the bulk of those creating problems in Pakistan can be pushed into Afghanistan, and then it will be calmer here."
With U.S-led combat forces out of Afghanistan, the way will be open for Afghan insurgents based in Pakistan to return to their country, either by retaking Afghanistan by force or as part of a political settlement. The leadership of the Afghan Taliban and its allied Haqqani Network enjoy sanctuary in Pakistan.
Many Pakistanis also have fought in Afghanistan over the last 30 years – against the Soviet occupation, the subsequent civil war that led to the Taliban government, and against the Americans in the post-9/11 conflict.
For those who return to Pakistan after fighting in Afghanistan, there is no program for reintegrating them back into society as peaceful citizens. They are so numerous that police refer to them as "ATBs," or Afghan Trained Boys.
In September last year, Tariq Khosa, formerly head of the Federal Investigation Agency, a civilian law enforcement organization, told a parliamentary committee that an estimated 25,000 young men who had been trained in Afghanistan were living in Punjab province alone, Pakistan's most stable and prosperous region, which lies across the other side of the country from the Afghan border.
Meanwhile, there's much to suggest that the country's political classes tolerate the presence of extremists.
The group likely responsible for the carnage in Karachi on Sunday, where a car bomb ripped the face off two apartment blocks, is Laskhar-e-Jhangvi, though it has yet to claim credit. The group previously has said it was responsible for two massive bombings in the western city of Quetta this year that also hit that city's Shiite population.
Yet its political wing, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, remains part of mainstream politics. Its leaders enjoy armed police protection – a McClatchy reporter witnessed in November a police escort given to the party's Karachi chief, Aurangzeb Farooqi.
Karachi's biggest political party, the avowedly secular Muttahida Qaumi Movement, recently held talks with Farooqi. In Punjab, the political party that rules the government, Pakistan Muslim League-N, has reportedly negotiated with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat about an alliance for the upcoming election. Pakistan Muslim League-N is likely to lead the country's next coalition government, if polls turn out to be accurate.
The Karachi attack brought out naked electioneering and political stunts. Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party blamed the provincial government of Punjab for harboring Laskhar-e-Jhangvi. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement meanwhile blamed the government in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, for inaction. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement was part of the Sindh government until last month.
Such political rancor in the face of attacks that kill dozens leaves many disheartened.
"Politicians have failed. The government has failed," said Raja Nasir Abbas, a leader of Pakistan's Shiite community.
He sees more violence as likely. "Either the army should come in or our people will take up arms themselves, to save Pakistan," he said.


text:
Boys' Life Magazine
Boys' Life magazine turns being a kid into an extraordinary adventure. Brought to you by the Boy Scouts of America, this monthly kids' magazine celebrates everything young people discover through scouting.More Info >>
You Might Also Like
Additional Information
About Boys' Life
From Cub Scouts to Eagle Scouts, Boys' Life magazine is ideal for active kids who enjoy the outdoors and want to learn valuable skills that will serve them well as they grow. This publication has been around for more than a century. From the beginning, Boys' Life has focused on the things boys love. Your children will find stories about camping and hiking as well as video games and technology. They'll learn how to stay physically fit while also expanding and engaging their minds through learning.
Boys' Life magazine makes exploring the world fun and exciting. Each month, your kids will enjoy regular features including sections with comics and hilarious, kid-friendly jokes as well as articles about electronics, entertainment, sports and hobbies. Most importantly, they'll be inspired by stories of other boys their age who are taking on incredible challenges and going on daring journeys. Every boy is and adventurer at heart. Inspire their curious minds and enrich their lives with a magazine for kids and teens that shows them how the world can be their playground. Whether you've got Boy Scouts in your family or not, this magazine is packed with stuff every kid won't be able to stop talking about.
Get your boys a subscription to Boys' Life magazine today! It makes a great gift, which they'll look forward to finding in the mail all year long.
Automatic Renewal Service:For your convenience, this publication is part of the Automatic Renewal Service. You will receive all the benefits of our automatic renewal program. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee - cancel at any time!
Create A Personal Gift Announcement Card
You will need a printer connected to the computer in order to print the Gift Announcement Card.
If you would prefer to enter your information by hand after printing, just leave these fields blank and select "Print Gift Announcement".
Other Gift Options
Gift Subscription Options
Postcard Announcement
On the Review step during checkout, you will have the option to mail a FREE postcard to the recipient announcing that a gift has been purchased for them. You schedule the date the card will be mailed; send it immediately or hold for perfect timing with a special occasion.
eGift Announcement
Perfect for the last-minute shoppers! During checkout, check the "Gift Subscription" checkbox next to the magazine you want to send as a gift and enter your gift announcement options.
Interested In More Gifts? Visit the Gift Center to discover great gift suggestions for everyone on your list.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Case No. IPC-E-10-51, -52, -53, -54 and -55, Order No. 32298
Case No. IPC-E-10-59 and -60, Order No. 32300
Case No. IPC-E-10-61 and -62, Order No. 32299
Case No. PAC-E-11-01, -02, -03, -04 and -05, Order No. 32302
July 27, 2011
Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712
Commission denies reconsidering 14 wind projects
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission today issued four orders declining reconsideration of its June 8 orders that said contracts for 14 wind projects were not completed in time to be eligible for the commission's published rate.
Nine of the projects had proposed sales agreements with Idaho Power Company and five with PacifiCorp, which does business in eastern Idaho as Rocky Mountain Power.
The commission's primary reason in declining to reconsider is that the contracts for all the projects were for more than 100 kW and became effective on or after the Dec. 14, 2010, the date on which wind and solar projects generating 100 kW or less could qualify for the commission's published rates.
The commission lowered the eligibility cap for wind and solar projects from 10 MW to 100 kW in response to a complaint filed last November by Idaho's three largest electric utilities that alleged large wind projects were being broken down or "disaggregated" into smaller 10 MW projects in order to qualify for the typically more attractive published rates rather than having to negotiate a rate with the utilities. The result, the utilities alleged, was a rapid increase in the number of wind applications forcing the utilities to buy power they did not need at rates that were not reasonable for customers. The cost of power generated from small-power developers is passed on to customers. The commission's primary responsibility when reviewing these contracts is to ensure that utilities do not pay more for power purchased through this type of contract than they would if the utility generated the power itself or bought it elsewhere.
The developers of the wind projects petitioned for reconsideration, most alleging that
federal PURPA* law entitles developers to rates that are in effect on the date that a qualified developer commits to sell its output to an electric utility. In response, the commission stated that federal law allows states the flexibility to determine the date at which a legally enforceable obligation is incurred. The commission has determined that a legally enforceable obligation is incurred when both parties sign the power purchase agreements.
The developers also argued that the commission's "bright line rule" that says an agreement is not enforceable unless it is executed by both parties does not conform to controlling Idaho case law regarding contract formation. The commission rejected that argument, asserting that energy sales agreements differ from a standard offer-and-acceptance contract. Idaho statutes dictate that PURPA agreements be subject to review and approval by the commission.
The developers also said the commission should consider grandfathering the projects under the previous size limit as it has done in previous cases. In response, the commission noted that the Supreme Court has said that regulatory bodies that perform legislative as well as judicial functions – as does the commission – are not bound by precedent and can alter their decisions as long as they are not arbitrary or capricious in doing so.
While the published rate is no longer available to these projects, developers have the option of negotiating with the utilities for a rate using the utility's Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process. The IRP methodology recognizes the individual generation characteristics of each project. It assesses when the project is capable of delivering its output against when the purchasing utility is most in need of the energy, resulting in a price that reflects the value of the energy to the utility. Using the IRP methodology does not negate the requirement of the utility, under PURPA, to buy output from qualifying renewable projects. Developers have the option of filing a complaint with the commission if they believe the utility is not negotiating in good faith or is in violation of its obligations under PURPA.
Projects denied reconsideration include:
Cotterel projects near Burley – The five projects, submitted by Cotterel Wind Energy Center LLC and owned by Shell, initially responded to a 2009 Idaho Power bid request as one large project of 150 MW. After an agreement was not reached, Cotterel submitted five PURPA contracts requesting the published avoided-cost rate for five 10-MW projects with a scheduled online date of Oct. 31, 2014. Under the commission's published rate, annual energy payments by Idaho Power for the expected generation would have been about $26 million in 2015, increasing to about $46.8 million in 2033, or a total of $716.4 million over the 20-year term of the three agreements.
Rainbow projects near Declo – The two projects, called Rainbow Ranch and Rainbow West, are managed by American Wind Group LLC. Under the commission's published rate, annual energy payments by Idaho Power for the expected generation from the Rainbow Ranch projects would have been about $7.2 million in 2013, increasing to about $14.1 million in 2032, or a total of $208.8 million over the 20-year term of the three agreements.
These agreements were signed on Dec. 14. The developer argued the Dec. 14 effective date was "vaguely written," and that a reasonable person could believe that a contract effective on Dec. 14 could qualify for the published rate. The commission responded, "There is no other reasonable interpretation but that the change in the eligibility cap was in effect on the day that the commission declared it become effective – Dec. 14, 2010. There is nothing ambiguous or vague about when the new eligibility cap took effect."
Grouse Creek projects near Lynn Utah – The two wind projects near Lynn, Utah (south of the City of Rocks national reserve in Idaho), were proposed by Brett Woodward of Wasatch Wind Intermountain LLC. The projects were originally one 65 MW project that was to be paid a rate negotiated between Idaho Power and the developer. However, due to federal permitting issues, the overall footprint of the project was reduced and submitted as two 10 average megawatt projects to be paid the published rate. Under the commission's published rate, annual energy payments by Idaho Power for the expected generation would have been about $8.3 million in 2014, increasing to about $15.9 million in 2033, or a total of $236.4 million over the 20-year term of the three agreements.
Cedar Creek projects near Shelley – These five wind projects were proposed for southeast of Shelley in Bingham County by Cedar Creek Wind LLC. Cedar Creek and Rocky Mountain Power originally discussed the possibility of two 78 MW PURPA projects, but Cedar Creek said the avoided-cost rate calculated by Rocky Mountain rendered its projects uneconomical. Cedar Creek subsequently decided to reconfigure the projects into five 10 MW to qualify for the commission's published rate.
In addition to the arguments stated above by other developers, Cedar Creek also argued that the commission did not give proper notice of its intent to require that project developers have fully executed contracts before Dec. 14 to be eligible for published rates. The commission responded that it did provide notice on Dec. 3 and that no party appealed that Dec. 3 order. Because no party appealed that order, the argument against it amounts to a collateral attack of a previously approved commission order.
A full text of the commission's orders, along with other documents related to these cases, is available on the commission's Web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on "File Room" and then on "Electric Cases" and scroll down to the case numbers cited above. Any appeal to the commission's orders must be made to the Idaho Supreme Court.
* The federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) requires regulated utilities to buy power generated by qualifying facilities (QFs). The federal law requires state commissions to publish a rate that utilities must pay the developers for projects producing up to 100 kW. The published rate is to be based on "avoided-cost," or the cost the purchasing utility avoids by not having to generate or buy from elsewhere the energy the PURPA project generates. States have the discretion to offer the published avoided cost rate at a capacity amount or "eligibility cap" higher than 100 kW. For wind and solar projects larger than 100 kW, the avoided-cost rate is to be negotiated between the purchasing utility and the developer using a cost formula approved by the commission. Other PURPA projects such as geothermal or anaerobic digesters have an eligibility cap of 10 MW or smaller to qualify for the published rate.


text:
Lifestyle Choices at Keystone Senior
At Keystone Senior we believe that your retirement years should be a time to do those things you have always wanted to do. We assist and encourage our residents to take part in the many social, educational, and physical activities available daily in our community or to pursue individual interests. Many of our residents tell us they are busier and more active now than they have been in years.
Wake Up with a Purpose
Our residents wake up with a purpose! We also hold several community events specifically designed to encourage family members to visit and participate with their loved ones. Although we like to think there is never a dull moment at Keystone Senior, we also understand that sometimes folks just want and need a little rest and privacy. Rest assured our staff will completely respect those wishes.
Enjoy the Total Lifestyle Experience
Many recent studies on aging have shown that a person who is more active and socially engaged is not only happier, but remains healthier for a much longer time. At Keystone Senior we strive to not only care for our residents, but to make their lives richer, fuller, happier, and healthier. Our focus is on the total lifestyle experience enjoyed by our residents–a lifestyle that is seldom possible for those home alone.
Improve the Quality of Your Lifestyle
Yes, we offer delicious meals, clean comfortable and spacious apartments, housekeeping, transportation, daily assistance, etc. These are the basics offered by virtually all senior housing communities. At Keystone Senior we are dedicated to offering you so much more. We are committed to improving the very quality of your lifestyle!
If you or someone you love would benefit from the enhanced lifestyle offered by Keystone Senior, we invite you to schedule a visit or obtain an invitation to one of our upcoming events.
We love the chance to show off our communities!
Club Keystone
A Symbol of Our Commitment to Seniors
As a symbol of our commitment to provide our residents with a happier, healthier and more active lifestyle, Keystone Senior presents Club Keystone. This club, available at no charge to all Keystone Senior residents, provides the basis for all activities and events at our communities.
Pursue Your Interests
Club Keystone activities include the many and varied programs, events, physical, educational and social activities every day at Keystone Senior. However, as a Club Keystone member, you will experience so much more. Want to get involved as a volunteer? We'll help arrange that for you. Always wanted to take piano or painting lessons? Let us help set that up. Interested in a riverboat gambling trip? Let's do it! French lessons? Oui, Mademoiselle. We could go on, but you get the point. As a Club Keystone member not only will you be able to take part in the many group activities offered at your community, but you'll know you can count on us to help you pursue whatever your interests are.


text:
With the wide release of Breaking Dawn: Part 1 looming, what scene are you most anxious to see?
If the stars and attendees at Comic-Con are any indication, most people name the wedding or the birth scene. Not me. I am most anxious to see the morning after scene. And, I do mean ANXIOUS, not EXCITED, as I have trepidation regarding how this scene will be handled. Though Bella admittedly WANTS sex with Edward, does she also want the bruises that result?
There has been much debate regarding if the morning after scene represents sexual violence, violent consensual sex, hidden messages about women being "punished" for sexual desire and so on. As a recap, here are some details from the book:
Before Edward and Bella do the deed, when they are standing in the moonlit ocean, he says "if I hurt you, you must tell me at once." This quote lends credence to those who argue we cannot place blame on Edward, as do other quotes where Bella notes she does not remember ever feeling pain.
As in the above parody, Edward is let of the hook for causing so many "decorations" on her body. While Bella seems to relish her newly "decorated" body, he feels remorse, saying to the waking Bella the next morning: "How badly are you hurt, Bella? The truth—don't downplay it."
Bella assesses her body, noting "stiffness, and a lot of soreness" and "the odd sensation my bones all had become unhinged at the joints," but also notes her happiness on "this most perfect of mornings." Here, we could read this as understandable post-sex session soreness and equally understandable post-multiple-orgasm euphoria.
The problem is though, Bella is not just sore, she is covered in black and purple bruises – bruises which cause Edward to say "Stop acting like I'm not a monster for having agreed to this" and "Look at yourself, Bella. Then tell me I'm not a monster."
To this, Bella "followed his instructions unthinkingly" (as she does all too damn often in the books!) and at first only focuses on "the fluffy white snow" that clings to her skin and hair. It is only at Edward's insistence she looks at her arm that she has "large purplish bruises" that "blossom across the pale skin."
Here, Edward is again presented as the kind, caring guy, and she as the oblivious, feather-covered sap. Sure, she is blissed out in post-coital mode, but must she speak of her bruises in flowery terms ("blossom")?!? This description problematically suggests, as does the later use of the term "decorated," that Bella's body is beautifully and lovingly MARKED by Edward, harkening to the age-old notion of woman as man's property to mark on as he pleases – the one that the institution of marriage they just entered into is historically based on.
As Bella looks at the bruises that "trail" up to her shoulder and across her ribs, Edward places "his hand against the bruises on my arm…matching his long fingers to the patterns." So, indeed, he has quite literally marked her with his handprints, turning her body into a decorated object of "violet blotches." However, Edward is not held up as the baddie here and Bella is presented as the happiest she has ever been.
Edward does not share her euphoria though, insisting "I'm… so sorry, Bella…I knew better than this. I should not have–…I am more sorry than I can tell you." So, flipping the traditionally gendered script, he has morning after regrets, she does not.
But might we read her euphoria as more indication that she does not take sex seriously enough – that she is a "bad girl" who wants it too much and is punished for her desires? Or, are we supposed to read her as a sexually liberated, kinky vixen who likes her sex rough? While both readings are tenable, given the strong pro-abstinence messages of the saga, the religious underpinnings of the text, and the "sex is dangerous" message that permeates the books, the first reading is more apt.
Further, Bella is not really presented as sexually confident or in the know – she has to ASK if Edward enjoyed it, and says incredulously to his insistence that he most certainly did, "Really? The best ever?" That she asks this "in a small voice" only furthers the notion that she is sexually naïve, small, and silent – or, in other words, a "good girl" gone bad – a bruised apple, so to speak.
Perhaps no other scene in the saga so crosses the lines between sex as bad, sex as enjoyable, Bella as good girl or Bella as slut. Yet, the representation of Edward and his acts are not complicated – while Bella's sexual desires are left open to reader interpretation (we can read her as punished for her desires or read her night of headboard busting as a sexual triumph), Edward is framed as full of remorse and dutifully goes off to cook her enough eggs for two (hint hint).
After his departure, she stares in the mirror (as depicted in the above parody), thinking about how she will hide the bruises: "There was a faint shadow across one of my cheekbones, and my lips were a little swollen, but other than that, my face was fine. The rest of me was decorated with patches of blue and purple. I concentrated on the bruises that would be the hardest to hide—my arms and my shoulders. They weren't so bad. My skin marked up easily….Of course, these were just developing. I'd look even worse tomorrow. That would not make things any easier."
Recall that Bella is concerned with hiding the bruises not for others (they are on a deserted island!) but for Edward's sake. So, she puts on a white cotton dress "that concealed the worst of the violet blotches" and trots off to the kitchen for her scalding hot eggs.
The chapter closes with her asking "You aren't going to touch me again while we're here, are you?" to which Edward answers "I will not make love to you until you've been changed. I will never hurt you again."
Once again, Bella's wants are refuted and Edward calls the shots. But, Bella's insistence there is nothing to worry about regarding her bruised body, the bitten pillows, or the busted headboard can be read as a failure to recognize the dangers of sex with an uber-strong vampire – or, to put it another way, for her, the danger sex poses for females like Bella but NOT males like Edward.
A sex positive message? A pro-consensual violent sex is sexy message? I don't buy it. More like punishing silly, oblivious Bella for wanting it too much… And her punishment is only just beginning given that her pregnancy is hardly a "blessed event" but one filled with pain, broken bones, and the promise that "the creatures" like the one in her womb "use their own teeth to escape the womb."
And how will the film present the birth? Will Bella scream in "a blood-curdling shriek of agony: and then vomit "a fountain of blood"? Will we hear the "crunching and snapping as the newborn monster" tear through her "from the inside out " and the "shattering crack" as her spine is broken?
No doubt, we will see the gooey scenes of her loving her "little nudger" and her going ga-ga over the newborn Renesmee. But, I do wonder if the more horrific details of Bella's pregnancy and delivery will be included, and, if so, if there will be any indication that this is her "punishment" for her sexual transgressions. I doubt it – instead, in keeping with the traditional happy ending message the saga ultimately upholds, pregnancy and motherhood will be framed as her reward…


text:
The new Leopard operating system is locking up the keyboards of some MacBook Pro laptops, according to some users. The only apparent solution is to reboot the computer.
Messages posted in Apple's support forums claim the keyboard problem crops up only after moves to Mac OS X 10.5, and they say that it's intermittent. "The keyboard will stop working and become unresponsive - the caps and num lock lights won't even turn on," said a user identified as Cub man. "Then after a few minutes, it turns on again and is fine until I let it sit for a while."
Other users, including Stefan Arentz, wrote of nearly identical symptoms. "This is on a MacBook Pro that I bought about a month ago. Now with Leopard the keyboard and trackpad stop working at completely unpredictable moments. The only thing that helps is to connect an external keyboard/mouse and reboot."
And from kenji: "Zero issues whatsoever until installing 10.5. Now, keyboard disappears frequently and intermittently. I would have finished typing this post sooner, but my keyboard was unresponsive every time I opened a new window."
Apple support personnel do not participate in the forums, and other users, while sympathetic, had no definitive answers. Some users said that their keyboards became unresponsive most often after the notebook woke from a sleep state, while others described the problem as if the keyboard itself had dozed off.
"Keyboard seems to go to sleep after a few moments of inactivity, wakes up if I hold down a key for a few seconds," said jonsef. "Extremely annoying! I have a new MB Pro, Leopard has been installed for about a week."
Apple-specific blogs and websites, including MacRumors and AppleInsider, have recently reported that the first Leopard update has been seeded to testers and may be unveiled soon. There is no reliable list of the fixes that might be included in the 10.5.1 update, however, nor is there a timetable for its release.
The MacBook keyboard problem is only the latest in a series of Leopard upgrade glitches that have included problems with Time Machine and difficulty making and maintaining a connection to wireless networks.


text:
April 30 (Bloomberg) — Canada's dollar fell against U.S. counterpart after the nation's gross domestic product unexpectedly shrank in February, weakening the argument for higher borrowing costs.
The currency extended losses after a report showed the economy was hurt by mining shutdowns and the first drop in manufacturing in six months. The Canadian dollar advanced against all of its major counterparts except the yen last week on speculation the Bank of Canada will become the first among Group of Seven peers to raise borrowing costs.
"The reaction is the right one, given how much we'd priced in, in terms of rate hikes," said Adam Cole, global head of foreign-exchange strategy in London at Royal Bank of Canada's RBC Capital Markets unit, in a telephone interview. "Even after the correction today, we're probably still vulnerable to downside data surprises."
Canada's currency, nicknamed the loonie, declined 0.5 percent to 98.55 cents per U.S. dollar at 8:45 a.m. in Toronto. It touched 98 cents on April 27, the strongest since September. One Canadian dollar buys $1.0147.
Economic Output fell 0.2 percent to an annualized C$1.28 trillion ($1.30 trillion) after a January gain of 0.1 percent, Statistics Canada said today in Ottawa. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had forecast a 0.2 percent increase, according to the median of 24 responses.
Economic Data
"The Canadian GDP figure was a little bit disappointing and is weighing on the Canadian dollar," said Nick Bennenbroek, head of currency strategy at Wells Fargo & Co. in New York.
The world's 10th largest economy will be challenged by the "persistent strength" of the Canadian dollar and slow growth in the U.S. and Europe, central bank Governor Mark Carney said in April 27 remarks in Ottawa. Carney is relying on consumption and housing to contribute two-thirds of the country's projected 2.4 percent economic growth this year.
The loonie has appreciated 1.3 percent this month versus the greenback in the fourth-best performance among its 16 most- traded peers, trailing the yen and Singapore dollar. The Canadian dollar is up 3.6 percent this year.
–With assistance from Catarina Saraiva in New York. Editors: Paul Cox
To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Fournier in Halifax at [email protected]


text:
Geodrop API - Changelog
Geodrop is a platform for sending and receiving SMS messages as well as mobile payments. Users can send a bulk SMS message and receive them via a dedicated number. The API gives users the ability to send and receive messages, look up contact information, and make mobile payments. It uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in JSON. Some documentation is in Italian.


text:
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Timeline History: Wisconsin Department Workforce Development (DWD)
Public announcement of the new department - July 1, 1996
The Department of Workforce Development
A new state agency started work bright and early on Monday, July 1: the Department of Workforce Development. Our job is to help people find success in employment.
Good work if you can get it. And in Wisconsin, you can.
The Department of Workforce Development is a key player in maintaining a world class workforce that will keep Wisconsin one of the nation's strongest economies.
We help workers land that all-important first job or take that next step up the ladder. We offer career counseling, training opportunities (including school-to work and adult apprenticeships). If there are barriers to employment, whether physical disabilities or welfare dependency, we'll help you overcome them.
We help employers keep Wisconsin's economy strong by matching them with workers and strategies to retain them. We provide sound labor market information to guide wise decision-making.
We're the job shop charged with implementing "Wisconsin Works," the nation's most ambitious welfare reform program. W-2, scheduled to start in September 1997, replaces dependency on AFDC with the pride and self-sufficiency of a job.
The DWD is the answer to taxpayers' demand for streamlined government.
Two years ago, the Legislative Audit Bureau and the SAVE Commission found that a myriad of employment programs existed, many of them competing or uncoordinated. For instance, 20 of the 24 groups targeted for employment and training services were served by two or more programs; 13 were served by four or more programs! That was confusing and frustrating for employers and job seekers.
Each agency and program had its own administrative structure and delivery systems, causing duplication and inefficiency. The proliferation of programs and services meant that many customers did not receive the services they were looking for, or were forced to hunt and peck for what they needed.
Gov. Tommy Thompson is replacing that bureaucratic mish-mash with a single "Partnership for Full Employment," to be operated by DWD in cooperation with employers and local units of government through a network of 62 one-stop job centers from Kenosha to Superior.
It is one coordinated, comprehensive system providing the right stuff for every need, for people with disabilities, welfare recipients, veteran workers displaced by foreign competition, first-time job applicants or those trading up for that better situation.
Job seekers and employers who need little other help can find each other on the JobNet, an easy-to-use, automated touch-screen job matching system now available in 46 locations and available over the Internet. (Editor's note: JobNet is now known as "Job Center of Wisconsin" and is available at http://jobcenterofwisconsin.com).
Help with resume writing, interviewing, job search clinics, and job clubs - even child care and health care - will be available to those who need it. Job fairs, workshops on how to accommodate workers with disabilities, job coaching and mentoring, strategies on finding worker transportation will help employers create more jobs.
Our customers helped us design this cost-effective system - 800 of them over the past 1? years, representing 110 businesses, community-based organizations, and advocacy groups - service providers, local government officials, persons with disabilities, AFDC recipients, labor representatives, and employers from 33 cities, counties and tribes, 12 state agencies, 20 University of Wisconsin and Technical College campuses.
The Partnership for Full Employment is the latest of Wisconsin's progressive, worker-oriented innovations. It joins such other key elements of the new Department of Workforce Development as unemployment insurance; workers compensation, equal rights, and wage and hours enforcement.
The new DWD increases services without creating new staff positions. We did it by taking a customer focus, using cutting-edge computer technology, and by re-engineering key elements taken from the old Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations and adding essential services from the Department of Health and Social Services, such as vocational rehabilitation and economic support.
That mix is infused with a progressive, "can-do" attitude, like Nancy Rasmussen's. The former welfare recipient from Waupaca County says, "I now have a job waiting for me and hope of better times ahead."
She is joining a community of pride: 2.7 million other Wisconsin men and women who work for a living. She knows what Gov. Thompson has been trying to tell the nation: Work fulfills a basic human need that no welfare check can match.
With Wisconsin's economy booming, there's plenty of room on the career track. The new Department of Workforce Development is working to make it easier for everyone to get on track and get ahead. It's Wisconsin's future at work!
All images property Department of Workforce Development


text:
Drew Peterson is back in the courtroom today as his attorneys seek a new trial.
The first witness, Reem Odeh, was called to the stand by the defense this morning. Odeh is a criminal defense attorney who was once a partner with Joel Brodsky, and on the Peterson defense team.
Peterson was convicted in 2012 of the murder of his third wife Kathleen Savio.
His new defense team is requesting a new trial, on the grounds that his former attorney, Joel Brodsky, single-handedly botched their case.
Brodsky was one of several attorneys representing Peterson at his trial.
The other attorneys say it was Brodsky who had Peterson's divorce attorney, Harry Smith, take the stand.
Several jurors said it was Smith's testimony that clinched the guilty verdict.
Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow called the testimony, "a gift from God."
"Hopefully, we'll be able to convince a judge that certain errors were made and give (Peterson) another chance at a different trial," said Peterson's attorney Joe Lopez.
Peterson, Brodsky, and Glasgow are all potential witnesses at the retrial hearing.
"It's very difficult at any case to get a new trial. They're generally disfavored by judges and generally you don't win them," said Lopez.
Peterson is set to be sentenced February 20, if he is denied a new trial.


text:
http://business-news.thestreet.com//story/facebooks-first-earnings-fall-flat-wall-street/1 (hidethestreet)
MENLO PARK — Facebookissued its first earnings report as a publicly traded company Thursday with numbers that managed both to match analysts' predictions and dismay investors who were hoping for a great deal more.
The world's leading social network announced results for its latest quarter that confirmed its revenue growth is slowing and its profit margin is smaller than a year ago. And even though top executives voiced high hopes for selling new kinds of "social" advertising, investors drove Facebook's stock price down in after-hours trading — to its lowest point since a controversial Wall Street debut that many also found disappointing.
"The bottom line of this call is that Facebook is no Google(GOOG)," said Karsten Weide, a social media analyst with the IDC research firm. In the first earnings period after its 2004 stock market debut Internet search giant Google reported its profit and sales both doubled
Facebook said its revenue grew 32 percent from a year ago, as the company took in $1.18 billion for the quarter ending in June. The company had a net loss of $157 million, after taking $1.3 billion in charges for employee stock grants. After factoring out those one-time charges, Facebook reported earnings of 12 cents a share.
The results were just slightly better than analysts had forecast. But in terms of growth, Facebook was unable to match the 107 percent revenue increase that it reported a year ago. And while Facebook reported 955 million monthly active users, up more than 25 percent from a year ago, that fell short of the 50 percent increase in users the company reported in July 2011.
Facebook also said it delivered 2 percent fewer ads to users in the United States, as more people shifted to using the social network on smartphones and mobile devices, where Facebook only recently started selling ads on an experimental basis.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in some of his first public remarks since the company went public in May, sought to assure investors that Facebook is focused on delivering ads and other products to mobile users, whose numbers grew by 67 percent, to 543 million, from the year before.
"Mobile is a huge opportunity for Facebook," he said during a conference call with Wall Street analysts.
But after being viewed as one of Silicon Valley's hottest companies in recent years, Facebook now finds itself working to convince investors and advertisers that its concept of "social advertising" — ads that incorporate recommendations from users' friends — can be the next big thing in online commerce.
Early tests of new social ads, including those appearing on Facebook's mobile platform, indicate they are more effective than Facebook's traditional display advertising, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandbergsaid Thursday.
But she said Facebook is "still in the early days of building that monetization engine," and she acknowledged that advertisers face a "learning curve" in terms of understanding how to use those ads.
Social ads are so new that it's difficult to forecast what kind of revenue they will produce, added Chief Financial Officer David Ebersman, explaining why Facebook would not offer "guidance" or detailed projections for earnings in the next quarter or year.
Analysts said that's another reason why investors showed little confidence in Facebook's stock. Most companies do offer those projections, although some, including Google, do not.
"No guidance is a concern," said Arvind Bhatia, an analyst with Sterne Agee. But he added, "this is a new medium. That's why they're reluctant: They don't want to paint themselves into a corner."
Bhatia, who is still upbeat about Facebook's potential, said investors who reacted negatively "are focused too much on the short term." But IDC's Weide said Facebook still hasn't proved the potential of its advertising efforts.
"There has always been this talk about social advertising and how effective it will be, but it has not materialized," Weide said. "It's a story of hype versus reality."
Pressure on Facebook was already building after online gaming company Zynga, whose business is closely tied to Facebook, announced Wednesday that its earnings were far worse than expected.
Facebook's stock closed Thursday at $26.84 and fell below $24 in late trading — the lowest it's been since Facebook's May 18 initial public offering, when the stock debuted at $38. The highly anticipated IPO turned into a major disappointment for investors who expected the stock price to quickly shoot up.


text:
Trainbasic necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 33 diseños de 10 diseñadores freelance.
Trainbasic.com is a no BS strength, fitness & lifestyle training site.
Our ultimate goal is to inspire our members to take ACTION on their strength and fitness and our primary training focus is 'no equipment training' or 'bodyweight training'.
We aim to spread the word of strength and fitness and build a community of like-minded individuals within the site using a combination of a blog (for regular updates and member rapport) & a members only section for paid members and content will be delivered in video, written and audio.
- Predominantly male of ages 20-45yrs.
- Fitness enthusiasts and people wanting to increase their strength and fitness without the need to go to a gym.
- Most likely single, professional and self-motivated.
- They will most likely already be a member at a gym.
* They will read health and fitness magazines.
* They will be familiar and comfortable with using the internet.
* They will frequent social media sites fairly regularly.
Simple, simple, simple.
Im after a hardcore, no holds barred, bad- ass kinda feel ... think garage gyms, iron, steel, pressed metal using colors like reds, black, gun-metal grey.
I would probably try to include some reference to one or more of our core movements such as the squat, handstand, leg raise, push up and pull up (check out the site for eg).
You could also check out the following sites for some ideas ...
- zacheven-esh.com
- defrancostraining.com
- dieselcrew.com
- http://www.elitefts.com
Also keep in mind that this logo will also feature on our line of t-shirts etc that will be coming soon.
cheers and good luck
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
By Aurelie Dagneaux, KF11, Ecuador
Thursday: The day where I break every KF safety rules
5am The day starts early to go and see clients with Jose Luis and Diego, the 2 Lon officers (LO) from Chillanes (meeting is at 10am, tells you how far it can be…). Because of heavy rains the previous days, road has transformed into mud and we cannot ride with motorcycle, that's why we use the bus
7.30am Arrival in the nearest town and breakfast before another 1h ride
8am Jose Luis and Diego borrow 2 motorcycles (no other way to go and see clients). After 100m, one has to be fixed (brakes and motor…). The ride started without helmet, not that I did not ask for one, but no one had one…(break safety rule # 1)
8.30am Motorcycle fixed, back on the passenger seat. But after 150m, the handlebars of the motorcycle broke in 2… My first (and hopefully last) accident: Jose Luis loses control, we slide and fell, luckily with just a couple of bruises (break safety rules # 2)
8.45am Getting the motorcycle fixed again…And getting a helmet
10am We arrive just on time for the meeting with new clients Speech of LO about the importance of savings. Those people are poorer, but far more positive than the ones I usually see everyday
12.30pm Lunch offered by community (chicken and rice)
1.15pm Stop en route to new meeting in a community of borrowers, who absolutely wants to show us their crops, so we get a tour of the fields (corn, cocoa, coffee, avocados, pineapples,…) and we get some for the road…
2pm Meeting with clients for profiles (their second loan with the MFI but first time on Kiva…) My first borrowers without electricity and water. When the LO says bringing the most recent invoice is a pre requisite for a new loan (to ensure they do live where they say), the guy says "what if you do not have electricity nor water?". The LO is puzzled but replies "Just bring that of your neighbor"
4.30pm 3h bus for a new office: Ventanas (the poorest and most dangerous area of Ecuador (that I will learn only a few days after…)
7.30pm In my hotel room, writing profiles in English so that they get posted faster on Kiva (no translation delay)
Friday: My first real encounter with destitution and despair
8am Training of new LO, Alfredo, on Kiva procedures in Ventanas. The MFI just decided to add that office to Kiva operations.
Interview 20 clients facing hard conditions and real poverty.
As I could see yesterday on the road, their houses are made of wood and electricity and water are options.
A client asks for her cousin loan to be disbursed in her absence, as her 2 sons are in hospital and the mom is with them, so not there to get the money. The grandma starts crying and begging me for help, as the LO says he cannot do that. I am so glad I am not in his position, as they all start asking him for some pity and humanity…(he will finally not disburse it without the borrower presence)
12pm Call with William and Karine, Kiva Coordinators, in main office on fundraising of the week and goals to reach the target
1pm Writing profiles of the day
3pm Send problems of the week to the South America field support specialist, Cynthia, who is extremely reactive and usually fix them in a couple of hours
4pm Sitting in a bus, reflecting upon my week. My full body aches from the hours I spent on the back of motorcycles, but that´s worth it for the precious moments shared with borrowers about their life and dreams.
Reflecting upon LO job. I'd like to pay a tribute here to San Jose loan officers. To me, they are the hidden heroes of Kiva backstage. You have no idea how hard their job can be to deliver those interviews, that will turn into profiles and updates. Knowing names of each of their 500 clients, going to the field everyday, spending hours on bad roads and mud…There are our relays on the field and a key part of Kiva job.
Now, I'm off to the beach for a well deserved break, surfing and paragliding.
The show begins again on Monday at 8am. I can relax until then, I did my part of the job and thanks to LO and Kiva Coordinators, we have several borrowers currently fundraising on Kiva. Now it's your job to help those borrowers. Make a loan to San Jose's clients!


text:
I have a shapefile with lots of polygons and I need to union all polygons which have the same identifier-id into a new (multi-)polygon, ideally with the same identifier-id on another (new) layer.
As there are lots of polygons I don't want to do this manually. Is there a simple way I can do this automatically in QGIS? I suppose This can be done with Spatialite, but that's only a guess.
Please help a rookie. Any hints appreciated. Thank you!


text:
I am, as some people already know, working on my own YCDTOTV fan-episode, most of the work (outside of script writing, and other non-acting parts) to be done during the summer.
Does anybody have a high-ish quality, non-watermarked version of the intro from YCDTOTV (any season), and good quality audio of the intro and credits music?
I'd rip this myself from episodes on the internet, but I can't seem to find any anymore.


text:
I sang the praises of Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust Mix a week or so ago in this post. Imagine how fast I ran to the store when I found out it was on sale! LOL! I bought 2 cases of the stuff (8 mixes). So, we enjoyed another fabulous pizza last night.
I made Jon's the same way, though he wanted pepperoni, sadly I was out. He had your basic marinara & extra cheese. I got all fancy with mine. I took a couple of chicken breast & sliced into strips & then marinated in some balsamic vinaigrette & lots of Frank's Red Hot. I tossed into a saute pan & cooked through. Then I topped my side of the pizza with a tsp. or 2 of olive oil, fresh spinach leaves, sliced Roma tomatoes, the Buffalo chicken strips & some shredded provolone & mozzarella cheese. YUM!! Excellent pizza! Thankfully we have leftovers slated for tonight….I can't wait!! 🙂
One more shot….
Filed under: Family, Gluten-Free, Gluten-free Products, Gluten-Free Recipes |


text:
Pipeline Assessment
Certification Program (PACP)
Hardin & Associates Consulting LLC (HAC) is a multi-disciplinary firm dedicated to providing a full range of water, wastewater, environmental, and planning and land use services to local, state and federal governments as well as private businesses. Comprised of industry professionals, our staff has the technical knowledge and expertise to complete projects on time, within budget, and in a manner that exceeds expectations. Our leadership brings value to projects by analyzing them from a variety of perspectives and recommending customized solutions.
Hardin & Associates Consulting, LLC | 2105 Luna Road, Carrollton, TX, 75006, United States


text:
I know what I want.
I know my budget.
Using the slider below, find the vehicle that fits your budget
184 Vehicles in InventoryView Vehicles
I just want to browse.
Welcome To Boulder Hyundai
New Hyundai Lineup
Welcome to Boulder Hyundai
Boulder Hyundai Dealership serving Longmont, Loveland CO
Boulder Hyundai in Boulder, CO treats the needs of each individual customer with paramount concern. We know that you have high expectations, and as a car dealer we enjoy the challenge of meeting and exceeding those standards each and every time. Allow us to demonstrate our commitment to excellence! Our experienced sales staff is eager to share its knowledge and enthusiasm with you. We encourage you to browse our new and used Hyundai online inventory, schedule a test drive and apply for financing options. You can also request more information about a vehicle using our online form or by calling. If you don't see a particular vehicle, click on and complete the form. We will gladly inform you when a matching car arrives.
New 2020-2019 Hyundai Specials in Boulder near Longmont Loveland CO
Contact Boulder Hyundai for all of your new and used Hyundai needs in the area. Our Internet professionals proudly serve new car and SUV shoppers in the Boulder, Longmont, and Loveland Colorado area. Ask about current offers on a new Sonata, Elantra, Tucson, Genesis, Santa Fe or any of our new models. We have great finance options and can schedule a test drive so that you see just how great the Hyundai experience is! View New Hyundai Specials in Boulder. All online prices include Military rebate and College grad rebate. See Dealer for details.
Hyundai Automotive Repair in Boulder CO
Whether you need an oil change, brake repair or warranty work, Boulder Hyundai is the areas top choice for new and used Hyundai automotive repair. Schedule service online or call our Hyundai professionals regarding any questions you have. From professional techs to certified parts, you will drive away happy after getting service at Boulder Hyundai in Boulder, near Longmont and Loveland Colorado.
Hyundai Dealer in Boulder - Meeting the Needs of Boulder, Longmont, Loveland Fort Collins Drivers
Contact Boulder Hyundai today for excellent offers and savings. View our dealership services online and contact any of our departments, via phone or online for assistance and or the latest specials to help save you money. At Boulder Hyundai, you will receive the top of the line customer service and you will appreciate and value. We look forward to earning your Hyundai business!


text:
Cast Iron Colderon 10 qt
10 Quart Flat Bottom Kettle Pot includes well-fitted lid and carrying handle. Pre-seasoned with flaxseed oil and made from pure gray cast iron. A larger pot that will make enough soup, stew or beans for a larger group and these sizes have even been used for baking breads, cornbread and cinnamon rolls. It holds hot coals very well on it's lid. Height: 7.0" Width: 12.0" Capacity: 10 quarts Weight: 30 lbs


text:
Check BNN and Bulbanews for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Variant Pokémon
Variant Pokémon are Pokémon who vary in their appearance compared to other Pokémon of the same species. This is often due to gender, special traits and Abilities, diet or environmental factors such as climate. Certain symbiotic relationships may also play a role in this.
While many variances are caused by natural processes, they sometimes can be artificially invoked as well. This may be achieved through the use of physical modifications or behavioral conditioning, or contact with certain items and radiation.
- 1 Multiple species
- 2 Individual species
- 3 Individual Pokémon
- 4 Combined Pokémon
Multiple species
Form differences
- Main article: Form differences
Form differences are major variations that are officially recognized by the Pokédex.
Shiny Pokémon
- Main article: Shiny Pokémon
Shiny Pokémon are rare alternate coloration of Pokémon. These Pokémon all have a shining animation at the beginning of the battle when they are sent out, or encountered.
Shadow Pokémon
- Main article: Shadow Pokémon
Shadow Pokémon are Pokémon that have had the door to their heart shut artificially by Cipher. They are the only Pokémon capable of using Shadow moves.
Gender differences
- Main article: List of Pokémon with gender differences
From Generation IV onward, there are many Pokémon that appear differently as a result of their gender.
Of these, Unfezant, Frillish, Jellicent, Pyroar, and Meowstic differ so drastically that they even have separate menu sprites and artworks.
Giant Pokémon
- Main article: Giant Pokémon
Giant Pokémon are Pokémon that are much larger than usual.
Ancient giant Pokémon
Several ancient giant Pokémon appeared in the The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis. They were Gengar, Alakazam, and Jigglypuff. These Pokémon were all covered in tattoo-like marks.
Gengar emerged from a black dumbbell-like artifact, Alakazam emerged from a spoon-like artifact, and Jigglypuff emerged from an ancient bell.
Cloned Pokémon
- Main article: Cloning
Cloned Pokémon are Pokémon that have been artificially duplicated from another specimen. This process both works on living and fossilized specimens. Many of these clones are not identical to their original specimen: Mewtwo, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Pikachutwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, and Meowthtwo all display this.
Other known cloned Pokémon are Psyduck, Seadra, Tentacruel, Pidgeot, Scyther, Hitmonlee, Dewgong, Sandslash, Vaporeon, Golduck, Nidoqueen, Ninetales, Vulpix, Vileplume, Wigglytuff, Rapidash, and Rhyhorn.
- Mewtwo anime.png
Mirage Pokémon
- Main article: Mirage Pokémon
Mirage Pokémon are holographic Pokémon created by Dr. Yung. They have only appeared in The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon.
Toy Pokémon
- Main article: Toy Pokémon
Toy Pokémon are Pokémon toys given self-awareness by Wonder Keys that appear in the Pokémon Rumble series. They are different to normal Pokémon in many ways; for example, they can only know two moves at a time.
Rusty Pokémon
- Main article: Rusty Pokémon
Over time Toy Pokémon rust, causing them to become Rusty Pokémon. Dark Rust can instantaneously rust Toy Pokémon. Rusty Pokémon can be restored using Glowdrops.
Valencian Pokémon
In the episode Poké Ball Peril, a number of alternately colored Pokémon were seen on Valencia Island, including Butterfree, Raticate, Nidoran♂, Nidoran♀, Vileplume, Paras, and Weepinbell.
Pink Pokémon
In the episode In The Pink, all of the Pokémon native to Pinkan Island were shown to be colored pink, due to their diet of Pinkan Berries. Pink Pokémon seen on the island include Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, Rattata, Pikachu, Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Nidoking, Vileplume, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Diglett, Mankey, Primeape, Bellsprout, Dodrio, Exeggutor, Rhyhorn and Rhydon.
Further pink Pokémon seen during Team Rocket's fantasy include Pidgeotto, Arbok, Oddish, Poliwhirl, Geodude, Weezing, Scyther and Electabuzz.
Individual species
The Generation I Pokédex entries for Arbok state that there are six variations of markings on its belly that differ between areas. Eight designs are known, but only four have appeared in the games, and only three of which appeared in main series games. In Pokémon Adventures, Arbok gains a special ability depending on its pattern.
The most common variation has teardrop-shaped eye-like marks, a black mouth-like mark, and a black arrowhead mark with a tail extending towards Arbok's face. This design appeared in the Generation I games and all games from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on, the anime, the manga (except Agatha's Arbok in Pokémon Adventures), most TCG art, the FireRed and LeafGreen Ken Sugimori art, Dream World art, and anime art. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, this is the regenerative pattern and is used by Koga's Arbok. These Arbok have a forked tongue and many fangs.
Arbok also has several variations with circular eye-like marks and a red-filled mouth-like mark with a black outline. The most common variation of this has two black fang-like marks descending onto its mouth-like mark, black eyebrow-like marks above each of its eye-like marks, and outward-pointing "eyelashes" on its eye-like marks. This design first appeared in the official Pokémon Red and Green Ken Sugimori artwork, and has also appeared in the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald sprites, the TCG cards Arbok from Fossil, Arbok from Expedition, and Janine's Arbok from the VS set. These Arbok have a pointed tongue and four fangs.
Another variation with the circular eye-like marks appeared in Gold, Silver, and Crystal. It has no fang-like marks on its mouth-like mark, no eyebrow-like marks, and its "eyelashes" on its eye-like marks point up. It has also appeared in Pokémon Pinball and on the Arbok Coin in Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!. These Arbok have a forked tongue and four fangs.
The final circular eye-like mark variation appeared solely in Pokémon Ranger. This design has no "eyelashes" on the eye-like marks and no fang-like marks on the mouth-like mark. It has three lines intersecting in the middle of the chest; two of these lines continue above each eye-like mark, while one connects from the middle to the mouth-like mark. At the end of the two upper lines are wide ends with semicircles removed from the ends. In the gaps created here is a small black dot on either side. These Arbok have four fangs.
Arbok's conceptual art had three other designs, but these were only used in the Pokémon Adventures manga, in which Agatha's Arbok's markings can be changed, altering its powers. These are the speed pattern, attack pattern, and invulnerability pattern.
A pattern with evil appearance was created by Mitsuhiro Arita solely for the TCG. It has two red eye-like marks with black marks in the middle and a combined yellow border. Its mouth-like mark represents a grin with eleven pointed teeth in red. It is featured in the card Dark Arbok from the Team Rocket set.
- Spr 2c 024.gif
Secondary circular pattern
- Main article: Pikachu variants
Almost every Pokémon medium has featured a different Pikachu variant, most notably Surfing and Flying Pikachu.
Several of Vulpix's Pokédex entries mention that the species only has one, white-colored tail when they are born. The tail would then split into six orange-colored tails as it matures, and eventually splits from their tips to increase in number even more.
Enta's Vulpix only has one tail in its debut in Enta Arrives at the Battle Frontier!. In the same chapter, its tails split into six.
A one-tailed Vulpix in Pokémon Battle Frontier
Shellder can be either a bivalve shell or a spiral-shaped shell, depending on whether or not it is attached to a Slowpoke. Though impossible in the games, multiple Pokédex entries state that a Shellder can be detached from the Slowbro (making it devolve into a Slowpoke) or Slowking (making it lose its memory) it is attached to. This gives them a few more characteristics of Shellder variants than actual evolutions. However, because the Shellder is attached to and evolves with the Slowpoke, after evolution they are treated as one Pokémon. Slowbro's conceptual art depicted other variations, but they were never seen anywhere else.
Exeggcute and Exeggutor
Exeggcute are not always seen as a group of six; the number of heads an Exeggutor also varies. Exeggutor's Pokédex entries state that, living in a good environment, more heads will grow in addition to the three it is usually seen with. Eventually, one of the heads will fall off and become a sole Exeggcute. This Exeggcute will telepathically communicate with others, in order to join and form a cluster of six. Until they are gathered, Exeggcute won't be able to maintain balance.
Kangaskhan's species in Japanese is "Parent and Child Pokémon", implying it consists of two beings. This is ratified by the fact that they are all born with a child in their pouch. The child is purple, and has not yet developed most of the features from its parent, having to stay in the pouch for 3 years. Although Kangaskhan's moves are performed by the parent, some TCG cards (Jungle Kangaskhan, Blaine's Kangaskhan, Aquapolis Kangaskhan, and EX FireRed & LeafGreen Kangaskhan) have attacks that involve or are performed by the child.
When Kangaskhan Mega Evolves into Mega Kangaskhan, the baby emerges from the mother's pouch and is noticeably matured.
Ditto is known for its ability to transform into an exact replica of any other Pokémon. However, some Ditto are incapable of changing the face, with the result being a deformed copy of the target Pokémon with a blank, beady-eyed expression.
This appearance was first present in one of Duplica's Ditto, both in the anime and in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. It was later seen in Ditto cards from the EX Delta Species expansion of the TCG, in a kind of Clefairy that appears in the Veilstone Game Corner, and in the Special Episode Here Comes Team Charm!.
Porygon is able to change its color, shape and type to match its target with Conversion. It is also capable of changing its shape by using Sharpen.
In Snorlax Snowman, several ice-blue Snorlax adapted to more frigid climates appeared.
Like Unown, Spinda has many visual variations in its species, all involving the placement of its spots. Like Unown's letter, the spot placement is generated based on the individual's personality value, and likewise, has no effect on the Pokémon's stats. Unlike Unown, however, these differences are rarely repeated, as the calculation uses the entirety of the personality value—a number that can range from zero to 4,294,967,295 (232 - 1).
A purple Kecleon is one of the two Kecleon Brothers in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. He also appeared in the special episodes Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate! and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness.
In The Kecleon Caper, a purple Kecleon nicknamed Reddy appeared under the ownership of Madison.
Arceus has seventeen different type variatons, which correspend to the seventeen different types.
Arceus's transformation between these forms is brought about by its held item: if it is holding a Plate, it draws its type from that Plate as stated in Sinnoh's mythology, while remaining Normal-type when not holding a Plate.
In the Generation IV games, there is dummy data and a sprite programmed for a ???-type Arceus, but it cannot be obtained as there is no ???-type Plate. This data no longer exists in Generation V due to the removal of the ??? type.
While its base stats remain constant despite its changing type, its Pokéathlon performance changes slightly. Additionally, it can learn Draco Meteor only while holding the Draco Plate.
| Normal
| Fire
| Water
| Electric
| Grass
| Ice
| Fighting
| Poison
| Ground
| Flying
| Psychic
| Bug
| Rock
| Ghost
| Dragon
| Dark
| Steel
| ???
Reshiram and Zekrom
Reshiram and Zekrom conceal themselves as the Light Stone and Dark Stone, respectively, until their power is awakened.
In the games, the Drive on Genesect's back is visibly depicted on its sprite depending on which Drive it holds. However, this does not change Genesect's type, but rather the type of the move Techno Blast. If it lacks a Drive, it will be Normal-type and show a dark yellow Drive connected to it. The four Drives that can be equipped are the Shock, Burn, Chill, and Douse Drive, which make Techno Blast Electric, Fire, Ice, and Water-type, respectively. Otherwise, the change is purely cosmetic.
| Normal
Bug Steel
| Shock Drive
Bug Steel
| Burn Drive
Bug Steel
| Chill Drive
Bug Steel
| Douse Drive
Bug Steel
Unseen variants
Some variants have only been mentioned in Pokédex entries; Pokémon of these variants have not been shown in any Pokémon media.
- The Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum Pokédex entries for Weezing state that triplets have been discovered. A third section of Weezing (without a face) appears on every Weezing seen so far.
- Mantyke's Pokédex entry in Pearl says that the special patterns on its back vary from region to region. While there is no difference between Sinnoh and Johto games, the Unova games have the "eyes" on its back slightly farther apart.
Individual Pokémon
Pink Butterfree
- Main article: Pink Butterfree
A pink Butterfree appeared in Bye-Bye Butterfree. She paired up with Ash's Butterfree, who then left his Trainer to go with her.
Crystal Onix
- Main article: Crystal Onix
Crystal Onix is a special individual Onix that lives on Sunburst Island. Its body is made out of glass crystal. Due to being made out of crystal, it is no longer weak to Water-type attacks and instead weak to Fire-type attacks.
Gold Sudowoodo
In All That Glitters is Not Golden!, a Trainer named Keenan owned a Sudowoodo that he had turned to gold during a science experiment, in an attempt to make Sudowoodo immune to Water-type attacks. The changes made to Sudowoodo were eventually reversed.
Shadow Lugia
- Main article: Shadow Lugia
XD001 was a Lugia that was so thoroughly corrupted that its appearance changed.
Fake Groudon
- Main article: Groudon (M06)
In Jirachi: Wish Maker, Butler created a fake and pure evil Groudon using the power of his machine and Jirachi. This fake Groudon absorbed all life in Forina, until it was defeated by Jirachi.
Green-crystal Deoxys
- Main article: Deoxys (M07)
One of the Deoxys that appeared in Destiny Deoxys had a green crystal instead of a purple one. It also had a green mark on its face instead of a purple one.
Primal Dialga
- Main article: Primal Dialga
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky, Dialga became Primal Dialga when it lost control of time due to the collapse of the Temporal Tower. Dialga can regain control of time and revert to its normal self if all the Time Gears are brought to the tower. As Primal Dialga, it is incapable of logical reasoning or showing mercy, only seeking self-preservation and preventing time from flowing properly.
AZ's Floette
In Pokémon X and Y, AZ befriended a Floette that held a pointed flower as opposed to rounded flowers commonly seen in the game. Its lower body was purple, and had red behind the ears instead of yellow.
Combined Pokémon
In The Ghost of Maiden's Peak, a Gastly, who had the ability to create illusions that were tangible enough to attack people, created a fusion of Venusaur and Blastoise to scare Bulbasaur and Squirtle, calling it a "Venustoise" (Japanese: フシギックス Fushigix).
- Main article: Thu-Fi-Zer
A combination of Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres made by Team Rocket in the Pokémon Adventures manga. The legendary birds were later freed.
Mismagius and Rayquaza
In Malice in Wonderland!, a real Mismagius merged with a Rayquaza illusion it created, giving Rayquaza the color palette and some features of Mismagius. It then attacked Ash and his friends.
- Magquaza.png
Mismagius and Rayquaza fusion
- Main article: Form differences → Kyurem


text:
Dragon NaturallySpeaking For Dummies, 2nd Edition
Read an ExcerptDownload Acrobat
Table of Contents
Author Information
Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a speech recognition program that lets users dictate into any Windows application, allowing you to access documents, write e-mails, and even update Facebook using only your voice. This new edition covers all the newest updates to Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 11, including usability enhancements, the user interface, the digital voice recorder, time-saving voice commands, and much more.
Aimed at new and inexperienced users who want to get up to date on all that Dragon NaturallySpeaking is capable of, this beginner guide also explains how Dragon NaturallySpeaking can be used in mobile application development to add voice-recognition and productivity tools to your app.
- Explains the basics of Dragon NaturallySpeaking as a speech recognition program that offers a wealth of possibilities
- Walks you through formatting your documents, texts, and e-mails
- Looks at the option of using Dragon NaturallySpeaking for application development
- Addresses how to dictate into other applications and control your desktop and Windows by voice
- Offers tutorial for creating your own commands and improving audio input
- Shares time-saving tips, mistakes to avoid, and the most common issues you may encounter when getting started with Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Arm yourself with a copy of this helpful guide and be prepared to breathe fire!


text:
Following the DAX's rise to a new record high and the FTSE's rally to its highest level in over five years, Citigroup's Jonathan Stubbs told CNBC that European equities have "rarely" been so appealing to investors.
The bank's European equity strategist said on Monday that the pace of downgrades to earnings forecasts is improving which, in the past, has been very positive for stock returns.
"The last five times it has happened we've seen an average equity market return of 30 percent in the following 18 months – and that's broadly where we are now," he said.
Stubbs pointed out that equities were particularly attractive to bond investors, given the bond market rally since late last year.
(Read More: Europe Higher; Autos Gain, Miners Lag)
"Although European equities are up 100 percent since the 2009 lows, and although valuations have got more expensive… European equities have rarely been this attractive to so many investors – non-equity investors - as they are today."
Encouraging data from the U.S. and Japan helped to push stock markets higher on Monday. Germany's DAX reached an all-time high of 8,449 after the open, and Britain's FTSE 100 rose to 6,739 – its highest level since October 2007.
Stubbs said Europe's earnings season to date "hasn't actually been that bad."
"We have seen week after week of net downgrades – 54 weeks in a row of net downgrades in Europe and globally - but European earning expectations have only fallen, in 2012, from 10 percent to -3 percent. So we've seen a very modest pull-back in earning expectations," he said.
(Read More: Why This Week Could See Start of Risk-Off)
Looking ahead he forecast earnings growth of 10 percent in 2014, adding: "We're coming towards, we think, the trough in the earnings cycle and that's what the market is focussing on as well."
He said financials was his preferred sector and added that European banking stocks "will surprise many."
"European banks are on this very positive journey from… capital deficit to a capital surplus. That's one of the key themes we think that will sustain outperformance and performance from banks over the next couple of years."
(Read More: Central Banks in Focus: Time to Risk It?)
- By CNBC's Katrina Bishop, follow her on Twitter @KatrinaBishop


text:
Home › Furniture › Chairs › Dining Chairs › Only Design › Only Design Black and White Fabric Beaumont Eiffel Armchair with Metal Legs
The Beaumont Eiffel armchair is a stylish and contemporary dining chair inspired by iconic Scandinavian furniture design. It is available in a range of modern colours making it ideal to match with any interior style in your home.
Featuring a beautiful Eiffel style base with chrome legs, the Beaumont chair is completed with a stylish and durable upholstered fabric seat, designed to provide maximum comfort. Suitable for home or commercial use, this contemporary chair is stylish and comfortable, with a modern design.
Only Home also supply a fabulous range of designer dining tables and fantastic lighting options, perfect to complete that finishing touch in any room.
We accept the following payment methods: Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), Debit cards, or BACs transfer (please contact us for bank details). Full payment is required on purchase for all items (in stock and pre-order). We don't charge extra for different methods of payment.
We are also committed to ensuring that your information is completely secure. Our website is both PCI compliant and SSL Secure.
We offer very competitive shipping rates to the UK and Europe.
UK-Mainland Deliveries
|Order Subtotal
|Delivery charge
|£0.00 - £24.99
|£25.00 - £49.99
|£7.50 (Unless otherwise stated)
|£50.00 +
For full details please see our Deliveries and Returns policy.
We aim to dispatch items which are in stock within 3-5 working days, unless otherwise specified on the product page. For Pre-orders your confirmation email will notify you of the expected dispatch date. Once dispatched you will receive details to track your order with our chosen Delivery Partner.


text:
There is a large disk of glass sitting outside, it is pretty thick and wide. Via different sensors hooked up to a controller, I can measure the air temperature, glass temperature (on the surface), and air humidity. Since the disk is fairly large, the temperature difference between it and the air could reach a few degrees-- due to thermal inertia and the fact that air temperature can change rapidly after sunset and sunrise.
Is there a formula or some empirical data that will tell me when the conditions are right for the disk to start getting covered in dew?
Would air flow across the glass surface matter? If it does, assume the air is nearly static (except for convection) - there's no wind. Also, humidity such as fog or rain drops falling from the sky can't reach the disk. All I care about is humidity in the air around the disk condensing on the glass surface.


text:
The following is an article from Automotive News examining whether gas prices will push consumers toward smaller vehicles. To read the entire story click here.
It happens nearly every year: Gasoline prices rise in the spring and sales of smaller cars spike through the summer. Pundits declare that car-buying habits are changed for good. Then gasoline prices fall, and consumers go back to buying full-sized SUVs and cars with larger engines.
Some industry trackers believe 2012 will be different because this time Americans will realize that cheap gasoline isn't coming back. But increasingly automakers seem to doubt that a permanent change in consumer behavior will ever occur.
As a result, they are focusing more on boosting the fuel efficiency of the entire vehicle lineup and not just adding small cars.
"I don't see this reshaping the buying public," said Bill Reinert, Toyota national manager of alternative fuel vehicles. "We've been through these cycles for two decades, but it's never really taken. I don't see this as a chance for a sales boom for the [Chevrolet] Volt and [Nissan] Leaf."
Shopping behavior tracked by Compete Automotive in Boston shows that sudden spikes in gasoline prices lead to a sharp rise in demand for small cars. More gradual increases in the prices have less effect, "but at some point, even a gradual creep to insane prices is likely to drive behaviors," said Lincoln Merrihew, Compete's managing director.
Reinert says that the sales-weighted fuel economy of new Toyotas has gradually increased over the past several years, basically following the trend of gasoline prices. But sudden purchase spikes in fuel-efficient cars have been repeatedly followed by troughs once gasoline prices fall again. Reinert says that charting Toyota Prius sales in relation to gas prices bears this out.
Retail sales of the redesigned Ford Focus compact were up 123% in February in California, a market that bore the brunt of suddenly higher gasoline prices. But will that sales rate hold should gasoline prices decline?
"We saw increases in small cars and fuel-efficient vehicles move in tandem with the price of gas," said Erich Merkle, Ford's U.S. sales analyst. "Volatility shifts buyer behavior."
To read the entire article click here.


text:
Intimate Apparel: sewing your life savings into a quilt
When we tell our own personal histories, they're more reflective of how we wish to see ourselves
Micha Barnes 2 p.m., Oct. 16
This event has already occurred.
Visit our event calendar to find current events.
1337 India Street, San Diego, 92101
Get directions
Please log in to submit event corrections
Micha Barnes 2 p.m., Oct. 16
Various Authors 1 p.m., Oct. 16
The Canyoneers 8 a.m., Oct. 16
Veronica Garcia 4 p.m., Oct. 10
Charlotte Collins 1:30 p.m., Oct. 9
© 2019 San Diego Reader. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission.


text:
SAM.ai has built an early access integration to Zapier, you can sign up to use it today!
Early access allows Zapier partners to share their work with the broader Zapier userbase and ecosystem early. This provides more user choice and better feedback to partners who are ready to take their integration to the next level!


text:
Free shipping over € 99
Free shipping over € 99
The toothpick is an essential accessory, but using it can be a bit embarrassing. Stefano Giovannoni has defused all embarrassment with this toothpick holder which, in the best tradition of design that applies the "Children Code", is almost a game to use.
Born in La Spezia in 1954, Stefano as an architect and designer was taught by Buti at Florence University. In the early 80's he founded the King-Kong Production Group along with Guido Venturini. His explosive talent enables him to embody a complex system of 'affective codes' in his projects. This great approach won him the title of 'Super & Popular' designer in the 90's. A technical designer par excellence he has industrial design in his DNA and the capacity to understand public sentiment like no other designer mentioned in this catalogue. His projects began with the "Girotondo" (1989 designed with Guido Venturini) and the first transparent objects in plastic from the "Family Follows Fiction" series (1993). There is a huge number of his items in the "Officina Alessi", "Alessi" and "A di Alessi" catalogues. www.stefanogiovannoni.it