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October through April is considered the off-season in Europe and it's a time when hotel rates drop, the crowds dwindle, and you're likely to meet more locals than tourists. Plus, the weather is still nice so you won't have to lug around your winter coats. Autumn is the perfect time for a stroll through Paris or a visit to one of Rome's gelaterias
Here are some ways to save when traveling in the off-season that will allow you to cut costs and plan a magical fall European vacation without hurting your wallet.
1. Be flexible with your flights.
Airfare to Europe will typically drop in the fall since it's off-season, but you can save even more if you pay attention to which days you fly. Flights during the middle of the week are generally $20 to $40 cheaper than weekends. However, many of the cheapest flights require a Saturday night stay, so book accordingly.
Source: Alitalia
2. Check European airline deals if you're traveling to several cities in Europe.
Europe's low-fare carriers are good for more than cheap airfares—many also sell packages and offer car rental specials. Try EasyJet, Vueling, and SkyEurope.
3. Traveling by train? Buy tickets in advance.
Train travel is sometimes more expensive than flying, but you can save by buying tickets online in advance and traveling during off-peak hours. Take advantage of the high-speed trains between cities—they can save you significant travel time.
Source: Ken Kaminesky Photography
4. Eliminate a night in a hotel. Sleeping in transit is a backpacker's trick to save money, but it works for those who want to travel in moderate comfort as well. For example, a couchette bed in a six-person compartment on an 11-hour overnight Deutsche Bahn train from Prague to Cologne costs less than $100 per person if purchased in advance.
5. Tell your bank and mobile service provider that you're traveling.
A few days before your trip, call your bank and tell them what cities you'll be visiting so they won't freeze your cards when unusual charges begin to show up. Also, do some research on cell phone plans. What kind of international data package does your carrier offer? You don't want to save money on your vacation only to end up with hundreds of dollars of roaming charges once you get home.
6. Find the freebies.
Scour the internet before your trip for free museums, concerts, cultural events and activities—you may be surprised by what's out there. The city of Oslo's official website, for instance, has an extensive list of free festivals and museums (). The blog at EuroCheapo—a worthwhile source for very affordable hotels—routinely posts articles on how to find free stuff in Europe. Rather than paying for tours, check out free walking tours. Most cities offer them and they're easy to find via a Internet search. There are no strings attached – simply tip your guide what you feel is appropriate after the tour.
7, Use your debit card or no-fee credit cards for the best exchange rates.
Most banks tack on fees that can add anywhere from 3–8%. But a few, like Citi and Bank of America, have international branches or partners that allow you to use your ATM card fee-free. If you do have to pay international transaction fees, minimize them by withdrawing large amounts less often. Another popular option is to use a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees like Arrival by Barclaycard. Not sure? Google "[Card Name} Transaction Fee" to quickly see if any of your cards currently allow you to transact internationally for free.
Source: Barclaycard
Finally, if you return home with some euros in your pocket, don't convert excess currency into cash. You'll have to pay an even bigger fee to convert your euros back into dollars. Save them for an incentive to return to Europe one day.
Using reward points is a great way to travel on the cheap – read more here.


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'Chrysanthemum' BA!FK® Backpack
'Chrysanthemum' BA!FK® Backpack
from 20.00
This Books Alive! For Kids® Backpack includes:
- 1 drawstring backpack
- 1 full sized book
- 1 set of vocabulary words
- 1 metal O-ring
- 1 set of craft materials*
- Instructions for the craft & discussion questions
- Access to our online Resource Center
*Do you have more than 1 child? This backpack only contains enough materials for 1 child to complete the craft project. If you have more than one child, simply choose an additional number of craft packs before adding this item to your cart.
Enhance Your Experience! Each Books Alive! for Kids® product includes access to our free online Resource Center, which contains multi-sensory supplementary materials.

subset: commoncrawl


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Technical Leader courses imminent
By Dan Cook
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Technical Leader courses imminent
We have a handful of spaces remaining on our Technical Leader courses that are running this autumn. We have one at Pixies Holt and one at Dalby Bike Barn, so both north and south of the UK are covered.Technical Leader course is the step up from the Trail Leader Award and enables you to lead groups in technical and more demanding environments (or you could read 'more fun environments'!). It involves higher levels of navigation, group management, rider skill development and bike maintenance and is ideally suited to those who have held and regularly used their Trail Leader Award for a few months, with reasonable riding skill capacity.
If you are wondering why CTC is the way forward for you, then here's a few reasons why you should continue with the CTC qualifications.
Course details comprise:
- 11th to 13th October – Pixies Holt, Devon; (residential; cost £390 all inclusive)
- 22nd to 24th November – Dalby Bike Barn; (non-residential; cost £355 all inclusive, except food and accommodation)
Contact 0844 736 8451 to register your place and set yourself and your groups up for a great autumn and winter of riding.
Join Cycling UK to help us change lives and communities through cycling
Membership gives you peace of mind insurance, discounts in cycle shops, rides & routes


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Lace Up Lightweight Fabric Mesh High Top Sock Sneakers in Red, Black $39.90
Curated by
maria for women shoes2 years ago
recent in women shoes
J/Slides Leopard-Printed Slip-On Sneakers - The brand's effortlessly chic silhouettes are expertly crafted for a truly authentic line of trendy yet comfortable shoes that transition from day to night without missing a step.
Tretorn Nylite Silver Check Sneakers - Crafted with details suited for outdoor adventures - think waterproof fabrics and comfortable insulation - each spirited design is as delightful as it is functional.
Keds x Rifle Paper Co Anchor Sun Girls Sneakers - A playful design adorns this classic Keds style, for a pair that goes hand-in-hand with warm-weather adventures.
The Songbird Ice Crystal Slides 33% OFF - Features lush ocean-hued velvet and celestial-inspired crystal embellishments.


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Consumers Nationwide Embrace American Web Loan's Proprietary Innovative Loan Customization Option
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--(Marketwire - Dec 21, 2012) - American Web Loan (www.americanwebloan.com) has reported that the company's recently-launched FlexLoan short term lending program has become embraced by consumers nationwide.
Introduced in the fall, American Web Loan's FlexLoan is a proprietary short term loan facility created by the company to provide fully customizable payment options to borrowers. Included in the exclusive lending facility is a secure, online personal log-in empowering clients to manage their own loans based on their individual financial position.
"American Web Loans is fully committed to serving as the most flexible and customer-friendly online short term lender in the industry. We have had an overwhelming response to our Flex Loan program with clients citing the loan as a timely and welcome option," said Jamie Schumann, General Manager of American Web Loan.
Consumers interested in learning more about AmericanWebLoan's FlexLoan are encouraged to visit the company online at (www.americanwebloan.com).
About American Web Loan:
American Web Loan is a tribal lending company that is wholly owned by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians and its members, a sovereign nation located within the United States of America. AWL is dedicated to providing short-term financial solutions to Americans in need. Since its formation in 2010, American Web Loan has built a nationwide reputation for spearheading the industry's most innovative financial products backed by a singular commitment to client service excellence. The company combines an unparalleled team of experienced and dedicated financial professionals with state-of-the-art online technologies to successfully meet emergency financial needs. In addition to its sought-after portfolio of loan choices, American Web Loan offers comprehensive customer loyalty and financial education programs expressly designed to help solve money challenges in the short-term and improve clients' lives in the long-term. American Web Loan is a member of The Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA), formed in 2012 to advocate for Native American sovereign rights and enable tribes to offer responsible online lending products.
Contact Information:
SSA Public Relations
Elliott Chang


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Gingerbread with Brown Sugar Sauce
THE AROMA OF gingerbread is what I remember most about my grandmother's kitchen, and it meant dessert would be special. That was nearly 50 years ago, but whenever I catch a whiff of ginger and cinnamon, I'm back with Grandmother and the happiness I knew. -Toni Hamm, Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Total TimePrep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling
Makes6-8 servings
- 6 tablespoons shortening
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, cream shortening, brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg until blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; add to the molasses mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
- Pour into a greased 9-in. round baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
- For sauce, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, water and vinegar; stir until smooth. Add butter. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Serve with the gingerbread.
Nutrition Facts1 each: 395 calories, 11g fat (3g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 176mg sodium, 70g carbohydrate (50g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
Originally published as Gingerbread with Brown Sugar Sauce in Reminisce November/December 1999


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If you think Valentine's Day is just about a quick box of chocolates or a simple bouquet of flowers, think again! On average, consumers are expected to spend $131 on Valentine's Day related items, totaling some $18.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
So here are a few ways to keep that cost a little lower:
1. Finding the best deals on roses
You want to stick to the local florists or even some of the warehouse stores, for several reasons. First, you're going to score a better deal – there was a study from Cheapism.com that showed the average price for roses locally in New York and California was about $50, compared to around $59 to $86 at the major online providers. Also, the local shops will have a bit more leeway if you're trying to bargain with them and negotiate a better price. Finally, if the flowers come damaged or arrive late, with a florist, you can easily stop by, explain the problem and get a refund, rather than having to call up a customer service rep, which is the case for some of the larger online flower retailers.
2. Save at restaurants
First, Restaurant Week is happening in many cities across the country – and this is where the top restaurants will offer a three-course meal at a lower, fixed price. It just wrapped up in New York, but plenty of restaurants will continue those Restaurant Week deals throughout the season, so it's best to gather a list of restaurants you want to go to, and call up the restaurant to see if they'll honor the Restaurant Week specials.
Secondly, visit sites like Groupon and LivingSocial – or Yipit.com, which aggregates deals from all of the major social couponing sites – and you'll be able to check out last-minute restaurant deals in your neighborhood, and many times these deals will include the meal, drinks and desserts. And we're talking as high as 50% off on the entrees, in many cases, which is significant.
3. Discounted gift cards
There are a few websites like CardPool.com and PlasticJungle.com, where you can buy gift cards to major retailers, restaurants and movie theaters for around a 5-15% discount. Right now on the sites, you can find a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory at an 8% discount, 10% off at Williams-Sonoma, as well as 10% off at Tiffany & Co., if you're looking to buy jewelry as a Valentine's Day gift. And some of these gift cards are e-gift cards, so you'll be able to use them 24-hours after buying them.
4. Score free shipping
There are only a few days left until Valentine's Day so if you're buying perfume or clothing as a Valentine's Day gift online, to get it delivered by the 14th, you may have to paying for expedited shipping, which will quickly add up.
Instead, head to a website called ShopRunner.com, where you can sign-up for a 30-day free trial to get access to free unlimited two-day shipping at over 70 different online retailers, including some related to Valentine's Day like: LordandTaylor.com, CalvinKlein.com, BlueNile.com, Candy.com and ThePerfumeSpot.com to name a few. After the 30-day trial, you can cancel or continue for around $9 per month, but the savings from the shipping may pay for the membership fees and then some, so it's a nice way to score free shipping with a fast delivery time.
5. Using credit card rewards to save
Some credit cards companies are offering special rewards promotions. For example, Discover recently launched a new credit card called the "It" card, which offers 5% cash back at restaurants and movie theatres until March 31st, which is essentially a 5% coupon without doing any work! Citi is offering 5% cash back at Zappos.com (which has an entire Valentine's Day shopping guide on their homepage) until March 31st, so call up your credit card company to see if there are any special categories with rewards bonuses. Typically, credit card companies only offer 1% cash back, so 5% is a significant bonus.
6. Abandoning your shopping cart to score coupons
When shopping online, add items to your cart and then delete each item from your cart. In response, the retailer may send you a discount or coupon code via email to encourage you to return to the site and make that purchase.
Retailers don't want to lose your business. Emptying your shopping cart is a quick attempt to snag a coupon, usually in the range of about 10%.
Follow HelpSaveMyDollars.com on Facebook and Twitter.
Read more posts on Help Save My Dollars »


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Right, so a while back Square announce 10 Final Fantasy games in the works, a bunch which we know: FFXIII FF versus XIII, a bunch other FF XIIIs, a remake of FFIV in 3D, and one completely new title on the PSP.
Yesterday a name was leaked, Final Fantasy Disdia, and today we discovered it to be not an fighting game, you know a project fan service perfect for settling those "Who would win in a fight, Cloud or Squall" that no one cares about.
Just when you thought FFX-2 was as low as Square could go, they pull something like this out.


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Clean up with essential oils! From washing your hands to showering, our carefully crafted soaps get the job done.


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Metric threads for pedals: That'll be 9/16" x 20tpi as adopted as the ISO standard many years ago?
If you've got a older bike that needs some love, then the Genetic Heritage double crankset will look just the ticket on your 1980s steel bike. It's not cheap, though, and the alternative – buying a real period crankset – may make the finished bike more authentic.
The Heritage looks like a Campagnolo Super Record crankset from the 1980s. That's unlikely to be an accident, in our thinking. It's not identical but it's plenty close enough for people to comment on what a good job I'd done of buffing up the cranks on my 1986 Raleigh Sirocco that's currently sporting them. They really, really look the part. You'll need to source some old(er) crank bolts with a 14mm nut head, as more modern 8mm Allen key ones don't fit behind the dust cap on the non drive side crank.
And they work fine, too. There's nothing particularly techy about them – it's a square taper bottom bracket fitting and some standard pegs for ramping the chain up on to the big ring – but they worked perfectly well in my drivetrain, which is a combination of period Sachs shifters and a 7-speed cassette and chain (I'm running Halo's Retro wheelset on the bike too, watch out for a review soon).
Shifting between rings didn't present any problems; with down tube shifters you need to finesse the shift a bit more and back off the gas, but that's not an issue with the rings. And you're not fitting a retro crankset as a performance benefit. You're fitting it because it looks nice. The 172.5mm cranks will be fine for nearly everyone; again, it's marginal gains when you're adding or subtracting a few mm of leverage.
Any downsides? Well, the obvious one is that you can get a real 1980s Super Record chainset for about the same money, if you're prepared to scour ebay and wait for the right one. That approach will appeal to purists; personally I'm very happy with the look of the Heritage and the fact that it's new means it meshes perfectly with the new chain and cassette that I've also fitted. Plus, the modern 130mm BCD for the chainrings, standard threads for the pedals and so forth will make it a lot easier to mix with modern equipment, if that's the route you're choosing.
Good looking modern cranks that'll blend in nicely with your retro project.
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Genetic Heritage Double Crankset
Size tested: Silver
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Genetic Heritage - Twin Crankset
Classic style Double crankset, with modern performance.
Forged alloy square type crank arms
with full CNC finish.
53/39T 7075 CNC alloy shifting type chain rings.
Hi polished and silver anodied finish.
Classic Square BB type (Chainline: 43.5mm).
Recommended chain: 9sp (or 8Spd).
Recommended Chainline: 43.5mm:
Recommended BB axle: JIS 118mm
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well - people thought it was a period crankset.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Retro looks, modern spec.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
A bit on the pricey side.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
About the tester
Age: 40 Height: 190cm Weight: 102kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.


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Now that Michael Ryder, Jarome Iginla and Martin St. Louis are off the board, the pressure is mounting on general manager Peter Chiarelli to come up with the player(s) who can help the Bruins close the seemingly widening chasm between themselves and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. Wednesday, and until then there are going to be frazzled nerves on the part of several Bruins who could be fodder for deals. But that's the way it is every year at this time for all contending teams.
The problem is that the Bruins have other issues besides worrying about trades. They have lost five of their last seven, including a 3-1 defeat to the Flyers on Saturday. They are 7-6-2 in their last 15 games after that remarkable 14-2-2 start.
Worse, they have lost six games that they led to start the third period, a situation in which they were 32-0-0 last season and 30-2-2 the season before. They have become poor front-runners, which is not a good sign for a team with designs on a Stanley Cup.
One or two new players probably won't change that, but there's no reason — once they get healthy again, which means the return of defenseman Adam McQuaid and center Chris Kelly — that they can't become the same team that started 14-2-2. That team punted only two third-period leads in 18 games.
"We have a great team," insisted defenseman Andrew Ference, whose uneven performances have contributed to Boston's problems, although he has been better recently. "We've had high expectations of ourselves the whole way through and that hasn't changed.
"We fully believe in our ability to win, and that hasn't changed."
Coach Claude Julien said, and his players agree, that they have "turned the page" on the aborted Iginla deal, which basically boiled down to one great player exercising his option to go to what appears to be the NHL's best team, Pittsburgh. It was a no-brainer.
Defenseman Matt Bartkowski, who was to be part of the compensation package for Iginla, heard the reports during the Montreal game on Wednesday night, but discovered online about 12:30 a.m. that the deal was off. He said he was relieved.
One day earlier, the 24-year-old had signed a one-year, one-way contract extension for $650,000, which means that will be his salary regardless of whether he's in the NHL or AHL — and that it will count against Boston's cap even if he's in Providence.
For that reason, it seemed like a move made in preparation for his trade to Calgary, but Bartkowski said he was assured otherwise by Chiarelli. It seems strange, though, given that the salary cap goes down next season and money will be tighter, that the Bruins would make such a move in anticipation of keeping him. It doesn't bode well for the future of Ference, whose contract is up after this season, but we'll see.
Bartkowski, meanwhile, doesn't feel snubbed by the Bruins' attempt to trade him. "From what I was told, Calgary wanted me," he said. "It's not that Boston was trying to get rid of me. Peter reiterated that to me again (Friday)."
Chiarelli now may be turning his attention to rangy San Jose forward Ryane Clowe or Jaromir Jagr of Dallas. Both are rental possibilities, although the Stars are talking extension with Jagr, which may or may not be significant.
Jagr, a formerly dominant player, is now 41 but still had 14-12-26 totals as of Saturday. Clowe, 30, averaged 20 goals the last four seasons, but is merely 0-11-11 in 27 games. He has missed games with a shoulder injury, and there is speculation that the shoulder is one of the reasons for his dearth of goals.
Both are big players — Jagr 6-foot-3, 240 pounds and Clowe 6-2, 225 — who would fit into Boston's heavy design. Edmonton's Ryan Whitney has also been mentioned.
Chiarelli also covets a defenseman, and the names of Mark Streit of the Islanders and Kimmo Timonen of the Flyers have been bandied about.
Ference, whose future in Boston could be impacted by any defensive acquisitions, denied that there's any real nervousness in the locker room over the uncertainty.
"You'd drive yourself crazy if you got wrapped up in that kind of stuff or started to worry about rumors and speculation," he said. "I mean, it's background noise."
As powerful as the Penguins look right now, the NHL is a league where the best team on paper — or even in the standings — rarely wins it all. Look at last season when the L.A. Kings, as the No. 8 seed in the West, won the Stanley Cup.
In this century, in fact, only three of the 12 Cup champions had the league's best record during the regular season. And only one other winner was the top seed in its conference.
"It doesn't matter how much talent you have," defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. "As long as you work hard, you should be all set. ... Talent doesn't win any hockey games. The games have to be played first. Until it happens, it's all speculation."
It'll be interesting when the Bruins, who have lost twice in Pittsburgh this season by a single goal, host the Penguins and their new supercharged lineup on Friday night, April 19.
"I'm still one of those guys that believes we've got a real good team here," Julien said, "and just because we haven't played our best lately doesn't make us less of a team. My belief is we'll get better here and we'll move on."
And the Iginla fiasco notwithstanding, Julien believes Chiarelli will land another player who will help.
"One guy's not going to be a savior," the coach warned. "No matter who we get, we're not going to sit back and watch this guy go. We've still got to do the job.
"That's where we have to understand that we're a good team right now. At one point, I think we were 14-2 with basically the same lineup, so it's just about finding our game again and getting that confidence that we had earlier on, and it's going to come back."
Contact Bud Barth at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Chihuahua, Long Hair - Heart Ornament
Chihuahua, Long Hair - Heart Ornament
Santa Paws is coming to town! What better way to get into the spirit than by trimming your tree?These ornaments are our most popular items, and make great gifts for any one with a love for animals!
The affectionate and bold long haired Chihuahua poses proudly inside this heart shaped ornament ready for trimming any tree!
The ornament is trimmed in a festive red glaze, and hangs from a gold ribbon dotted with small brown paws. Each ornaments ribbon is hand tied into a tight bow to ensure a strong hold with a cute look! Made of stoneware pottery so it's sturdy but not indestructible. Stoneware; lead free, microwave/dishwasher safe.
Customers, please note:
1. Our shop is based in the United States, but we ship internationally, at cost. **If you live outside of the United States, prior to purchase, please contact us (with your shipping address) for a quote on shipping costs.**
2. Yes, we can customize all of our bowls, ornaments, treat jars and plates! We can add your pet's name for an additional $5-$10. Be advised that it may take 2-3 weeks for us to make and ship the item to you.
3. ALL of our products are handmade stoneware, lead free and dishwasher and microwave safe! Everything in our shop is a one of a kind, inspired by a love for animals.
4. Ornament Sizes (standard):
- Circle ornaments measure about 3 inches wide (7.62 cm W).
- Heart ornaments measure about 3 ½ inches wide by 3 ½ inches high (8.89cm W x 8.89cm H).
- Star ornaments measure about 4 inches wide by 3 7/8 inches high (10.16cm W x 9.8425cm H).
- Bone ornaments (held vertically) measure about 2 ¾ inches wide by 4 ¾ inches high (6.985cm W x 12.065cm H).


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Change the look of Firefox for Android using themes
No one has helped translate this article yet. If you already know how localizing for SUMO works, start translating now. If you want to learn how to translate articles for SUMO, please start here.
A theme is a simple type of Firefox add-on which allows you to customize your browser skin. This article describes how to find, install, and manage Firefox for Android themes.
This article applies to the latest version of Firefox for Android. Please update your version first to enjoy these features.
Table of Contents
What are themes?
Firefox for Android themes allow changing of color schemes and background images of the Firefox toolbars.
How to install themes
You can access the Android themes from the settings menu inside Firefox for Android:
- Tap the menu button (either below the screen on some devices or at the top-right corner of the browser) , then tap and tap .
- Tap the orange icon
in the upper-right of the Add-ons screen.Tap Alternatively you could go directly to .https://addons.mozilla.org/android/ to achieve the same result.
- Tap on the
- You will see Featured themes. You can search for themes or tap on the or tabs to find a theme you would like to try.
- To try out a theme, simply tap on the theme's graphic; Firefox will display "You're trying it on!". To learn more about a theme, tap
- Install the theme you want by tapping . Firefox will confirm the theme is installed by displaying "Added to Firefox".
Managing themes
How to switch themes
To switch themes, follow the instructions for How to install Themes above and install another theme.
How to remove a theme
If you want to go back to the default Firefox for Android theme, uninstall the current theme add-on:
- Tap the menu below the screen on some devices or at the top-right corner of the browser) , then tap and tap . button (either
- Tap on the add-on for the current theme and then tap on
- The theme will be removed.


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The cuisine of the Madrid Region
Callos madrileños (tripe in spicy sauce)
- Autonomous region: Madrid Region
Madrid: Culinary Capital.
Historically speaking, Madrid has always had a magnetic effect on the remaining Spanish regions. Whether due to the fascination for the Court, or to look for work and a better future than that offered in the countryside, over the years this region and the capital of Spain has become a melting pot of people, cultures and gastronomies. Madrid accepts all types of influences from all types of cooking. It does have its own dishes which, although they did not originate in this area, have become "madrileño" over time.
The traveller who visits their local bars, will see that for the locals of Madrid, breakfast consists of white coffee and toast and butter or oil. However, more importantly, the traveller will see that the "madrileño" has a passion for the slender, curly fingers called "churros" or the larger "porras". The typical midmorning snack is the a slice of potato omelette accompanied by a small glass of beer called a "caña". When enjoying the Spanish custom known as "tapeo" - going from bar to bar eating tapas, the visitor will discover that although Madrid is a totally interior region, the locals have a weakness for seafood. Prawns, which can be boiled, grilled, "con gabardina" (cooked in beer), or served with garlic sauce, mussels, which can be steamed or pickled, fresh anchovies in vinegar and bonito which is also pickled are the most popular "tapas" dishes, although they are certainly not the only ones: croquettes and mini-casseroles with almost every ingredient you can imagine are also found among the region's typical tapas dishes.
Cocido madrileño But if we wish to really understand Madrid's cuisine, we must not forget "cocido" (meat, potato and chickpea stew) and tripe (some say that wine should be called this). Although neither of these two dishes was originally from Madrid, it is true to say that it was this city that gave them their special character. "Cocido madrileño" could be defined as a combination of all the "cocidos" prepared in the rest of Spain and even America and its preparation depends more on the availability of products and the climate than anything else. As a result the chickpea has become the most valued pulse in the region. It is in fact used in many more traditional dishes other than the "cocido", such as the chickpea and vegetable stew and is often served with spinach and cod. It is a classic component of cooking during Lent. However, the chickpea is not the only pulse used in Madrid's cooking. Others which have acquired special status are the lentil, which is eaten with "chorizo", and the haricot bean.
Madrid: A Gateway to the Sea Seafood is not only present in the tapas of Madrid. The city receives fish and seafood from nearly every harbour in Spain, given the fact that it is practically equidistant from all of them. At Christmas, the most typical dish is red bream, which is currently in competition with hake and sea bass. But Madrid and its surrounds are a real paradise for meat lovers. Basque and Castilian carveries have started to spring up throughout the region, which have granted the T-bone steak and the suckling pig the right to exist in the area. With the Court established in Madrid, game became popular, including wild boar, fallow deer, and especially partridge and pheasant. With regards poultry, the most popular is chicken. "Casquería", or alternative meats include: fried giblets, sweetbreads, etc., and are typical Madrid dishes. The people of this city love pickles: gherkins, olives, marinades...
Wines and restaurants Some of the most important dessert ingredients include the strawberries from Aranjuez and the melons from Villaconejos. But apart from these typical fruits, the region also enjoys a variety of sweet desserts which are normally served during fiestas. Typical examples are the "torrijas", a type of bread pudding which is normally eaten during Holy Easter Week, the "buñuelos", a type of fritter which is filled with custard, chocolate and cream and the "huesos de santo", marzipan shapes which are traditionally eaten on All Saints' Day, etc. There is only one D.O. in Madrid 'Vinos de Madrid', but there exist other drinks which can be considered typically "madrileño": beer (thousand of litres are drunk in Madrid), which mixed with the local soda is called "clara", sangria and Chinchón, a type of aniseed spirit, typically drunk after meals around the table. There are four varieties of Chinchón, of which the most popular is the sweet version. The restaurant Zalacaín, awarded with three suns in the CAMPSA Guide, is almost a classic with regards Madrid cuisine. Top-quality dishes are served prepared with costly ingredients. However, Zalacaín is not the only good restaurant in Madrid where the traveller can satisfy his appetite. El Chaflán, Santceloni, La Terraza del Casino, Viridiana and Príncipe de Viana, all awarded three suns by the CAMPSA Guide, are restaurants where the customer can taste typical dishes from the region around the capital of Spain. Also worth special mention is the restaurant Casa Lucio, which has been awarded one sun by the CAMPSA Guide, famous for its great atmosphere and excellent food.
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September 4, 2013
Children and families receive a developmental screening utilizing Brooke's Publishing's Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Third Edition and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional. Additionally, families' strengths and needs are assessed utilizing the Department of Public Health's Maternal Child Health Assessment.
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1st Care services are designed to assist families with premature or low birth weight infants after the infant is discharged from the hospital. 1st Care registered nurses, in select districts provide an in-home nursing assessment, developmental screening and monitoring; follow-up and care coordination. Services are designed to provide family support, education, linkage to a medical home and/or community resources to improve health and developmental outcomes as well as enhance parenting skills. 1st Care is a voluntary program.
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Evolution of a Railroad bridge.
This Bridge began it's life for the Rail Road, and now it evolved into the Rail to Trail routes that is open to ATV and motorbikes.
See the rest of last weeks photos Here
Evolution of a Railroad bridge.
This Bridge began it's life for the Rail Road, and now it evolved into the Rail to Trail routes that is open to ATV and motorbikes.
See the rest of last weeks photos Here
Jim Klas
BMW MOA Ambassador
Enjoy the travel photos at: klasjm.smugmug.com
Another good week with quite a few intrepid photographers and some interesting, eye-catching images. Lets get to it, shall we?
JohnF's "EVOLUTION. . . not taught here" is the first image this week. The title/theme/photo really cracked me up. It's a nice architectural shot with a noteworthy effort to frame the composition with the trees. Nice. The church is slightly off-kilter, but given the theme and title, that works. John already mentioned the power lines. Enough said. A closer shot of the church, looking up, might have been another interesting interpretation.
John mentions not grasping the "transition" between the moment of the photo and what translates to the picture. That's an elusive bit of business. Learning to look through your camera's viewfinder (or at its screen) and seeing the eventual photo takes time to learn but pays off wonderful dividends. Keep working on that.
Statdawg's image is a beautiful still life of a statue. One of the notable things about this shot is that it's taken in front of a white, reflective surface but the subject is not dark (backlit). Really good exposure. I also like the interpretation of the theme, "war is always ready, the evolution is the cause and the clothes." It's a great composition and a good choice, I think, in the angle from which it was taken.
I was going to resist the temptation to discuss my own, but no one else has jumped in. I had high hopes for this shot, but I'm left disappointed. It's textbook rule-of-thirds, but somehow the composition falls flat. The yellow flowers are a bit over-exposed. Normally, a slightly fuzzy background is pleasing, but here it would have been better if I stopped the lens down for greater depth-of-field and, therefore, sharper focus. I used a polarizing filter for the dramatic blue sky, but I should have adjusted it so as not to be half-and-half.
I like this shot better, and I think it tells more of a story, but I'm still not to sure about it. I think it would be more successful, more dramatic, if I cropped it so the "road closed" sign disappears into the lower left margin of the frame. I chose to leave my bike running with the lights on. . . . I don't think that works. It leaves the viewer wondering, "Why did this idiot leave his bike running?" It is a dramatic photo and I like the colors.
MLS2GO contributed a nice shot, and one that fits the theme nicely. It and my "Zaca" picture are a bit similar--thematically--I think. I like the shot and admire the composition. Some thought was given to this picture. The horizon doesn't bisect the picture and it reveals the rule-of-thirds as well as the golden mean composition rules. There are, however, two notable concerns. One is that the subject is out of focus. I can't quite tell if it is focus or motion blur, but the lone sunflower is slightly unclear. The could be fixed by locking the focus on the subject (if out of focus) or increasing the shutter speed (if motion blur). The other concern is the picture's peculiar yellow-green cast. It makes me wonder if Bob's white balance is set for something other than sunlight. Be worth taking a look at. Having said all that, it's a nice picture and one that speaks to the theme well.
I like Bricciphoto's entry this week--an interesting shot to be sure. It's dramatically lit and a nicely arranged still-life. Can't say that he put this together or found it on a walk, but in either case it works well. I love the spider taking a ride; as he points out, this fits the theme in an interesting interpretation. The juxtaposition of the dead leaf with the soon-to-be-dead leaf is really thought-provoking. In addition. the total lack of reflection off of the water shows good attention to detail. The may have been accomplished with a polarizing filter, shade, or just luck of the sun's position. There is a slightly annoying flare in the upper left corner, but this could easily be photoshopped out. Really nice shot.
A beautiful image this week from boxergrrlie. An unexpected but solid interpretation of the theme, too. The first thing that strikes me is the angle from which it is taken; not your everyday snapshot--this is a photo preceded by some thought. It's also a picture that tells a story and a subject the flows from bottom to top (for me). It's nice, even lighting, too. It looks to me like a stock photo that might be used to illustrate a magazine article on piano lessons, child-rearing, or something like that. What's the thing in the upper left corner? A cell phone? A metronome? I might have moved that--if I had thought about it.
Once a sailor. . . . I like Paulbach's entry; it, too, is an unexpected interpretation of the theme (a theme which invites such surprises). It's very thoughtfully composed and the two men, one on and one off the boat, seem to invite the viewer to construct a story. What troubles me a bit is the exposure. The camera's light meter has exposed for the background, which is brightly lit--not an error but a computerized choice. Had I noticed this when I viewed the picture on the camera's screen, I may have shot it again and increased the exposure 2/3 or 1 f-stop, maybe only 1/3. Having said that, it is also notable how the exposure changes from the dark of the trees to the in-between of the boat to the brightness of the background which is interesting, too. I prefer the exposure of the boat to dominate the picture, but that's my subjective impression.
Voni gives us another thought-provoking shot this week. It's a compelling image because it's very familiar and speaks to such a volatile topic: pollution, fossil fuels, decay, urban infrastructure, etc. Neat image. The composition reveals some thought, including the sign and the fuel island superstructure as it does. The horizon is a bit off-kilter though. Were it more so, it might appear a purposeful choice; as it stands, it makes the view tilt his head. Another really interesting aspect of this shot, if you'll notice, is that the abandoned station's name is "Super Clean."
I like RandallIsland's entry. It leaves me with more questions than answers, though. I can't see a connection with the theme--though that may just be my thick-headedness. I also have no idea what that (tree?) is doing sloping down into a (well?). Presumably it's a pump of some kind. I want to know what the sign says on the building to the right because I can see part of it. It is, on the other hand, a great composition and I like that he's put his bike in the shot (we are, after all, BMW riders) and the way in which he's done so. It's also a remarkably monochromatic shot; the brightest spot in the photo (aside from the orange construction markers) is the muted blue of the partically obscured sign. Interesting shot to be sure.
Veg's entry this week is perhaps the most astonishing. This man is an artist. Catching the light of the sun's afternoon glow brings out the highlights in the toaster tank. And the juxtapositon of an airhead and an oilhead brings to the fore an excellent interpretation of the theme. The colors are a bit muted but the image is tack sharp with everything from foreground to background in focus. And while the horizon is not sloping it is noticeably bent. You might want to have your lens checked.
Oh, and charge your batteries for crying out loud.
Here's a nice submission from Paul Glaves. This is a snapshot, but one that works well, I think. It received a number of comments testifying to its success in interpreting the theme--one which any rider who's been around for a few years can appreciate. It tells a story to rider and non-rider alike. The exposure is good in spite of the bright background. Since I've mentioned polarizing filters this week, one would have come in hand to eliminate the reflections from the GPS screens. Although notable, these reflections in now way diminish this interesting photo's impact. Nice shot.
BeereTeam has given us another nice group of submissions (nice being a rather gross understatement). This guy's a photographer, that's for sure.
The picture above works for any number of reasons, but I'll try to point out a few. First, sometimes you can't, or don't want to, photograph the whole bike. This is an interesting shot. Also, sometimes you have to get on the ground. This is an excellent angle to highlight his chosen subject. It's powerful and dramatic, like the bike itself.
He sure lives near some beautiful scenery. I'm envious of that. This is a beautiful shot (MOA Foundation Cards?). Like two or three others, it's not strictly a bike shot, but a travel scene that includes the bike in an unusual or thoughtful way. Hi Buddy!
The colors in this photo are breathtaking. How BeerTeam pulls saturation like this out of his camera is beyond me. Now, I feel like a charlatan trying to criticize one of his photos, but I would say that the placement of the bike in this shot bothers me a little bit. This is nit-picky, but I would like to see it move back three feet, or all the way forward into the lower-left corner. But as I said, that's not only nit-picking, it's a subjective impression. Hard to paint this as right or wrong.
Another clearly thought-out composition, self-consciously so. Fun with mirrors. Many of us have taken a bike shot--one that inevitably includes the mirror--only to find some happy coincidence like the passenger's face or a bird or something. Here, BeerTeam has taken a moment to purposefully arrange such a shot giving us the very unusual perspective to two angles that couldn't normally exist in one photo. Imaginative and inventive.
I very much enjoyed this week's photos and I hope you all did as well. I enjoy offering this commentary and I encouarge others to chime in as well. I am but one voice in a forum of many thoughtful and skilled folks. You needn't be a photographer to voice an opinion, either. You need only to have an impression of a photo and be able to articulate it.
Next week's theme will be up tonight or early tomorrow. Watch for it.
Last edited by SNC1923; 10-04-2007 at 08:31 PM.
Ben Ricci
Rides & Drives: '07 BMW F800ST Low, '07 Porsche Cayman, '06 VW Jetta TDI & '05 BMW R1200ST
First, let me thank you for taking the time to review everyone's efforts. I enjoy seeing someone else's interpretation of the images as much I like to see everyone's pictures. It helps me learn about my own work and how it is perceived.
The item in the upper left of the picture is a toy car. I left it in to help emphasize the theme of evolution - in this case my 13 year old niece moving from childhood to adulthood. I tried to juxtapose the toy with the complex piece of music in front of her. I should have left more of it in so that it was obvious what it was.
The submission you critiqued gave me pause for being an evolution of our water uses. Water cooled motor, etc. Nothing more profound I'm afraid.
The latter I thought to include, but only in showing the differences in age and technology, the house age as a strong given for the setting. Old to new(er).
Focus or motion
It was motion. There was a 20 mile an hour wind with gusts to 35. Thanks for doing this!
Bob Rippy
Tour of Honor Missouri State Sponsor
The evolution of our water uses. How did I miss that. Once you say it, it seems so obvious. I actually earn a living as an interpreter, but I'm not always good at interpreting things!
And I appreciate your thanks--everyone. What fun! Let's do it again!
Last edited by SNC1923; 10-05-2007 at 05:02 AM.
Echoing what Rebecca said, thanks for doing this Tom! ItÔÇÖs fun and interesting to see what others shoot.
I agree with all your comments on my image (thank you for them). My shot was found after my original concept failed to pan out. I just noticed the leaves and spider floating in a stream as I was desperately seeking a Plan B shot. I used a polarizer and I saw the reflection in the upper left hand corner, couldn't completely eliminate it, but if we were allowed to crop, I would have cropped it out of the frame. Adding to your comments, I would have removed the seed pod floating between the two leaves and the grass coming in from the lower right hand corner if I was shooting this for a more formal purpose. I left them there for fear of spooking the spider. I would have also cropped the shot much tighter. The light is filtered late afternoon (4:30-5:00-ish) ambient sunlight with no other filtration.
Ben Ricci
Rides & Drives: '07 BMW F800ST Low, '07 Porsche Cayman, '06 VW Jetta TDI & '05 BMW R1200ST
Thanks so much for your thoughtful analysis of the photos.
I am such an amateur but love learning.
You see things the casual observer never notices.
You're a great teacher!!
Live fully. Laugh deeply. Love widely.
BMW MOA Ambassador Emeritus / FOM / Roving Forum Moderator/
Selected Friends of Wile E Coyote/ A Million 100 thousand BMW sMiles
Motion can be tricky to deal with. I'm a total amateur (at best!) at this fo-tog-ruf-ee stuff, but one area in which going digital has been a godsend is motion. I can remember how awful my film-shots of landing airplanes looked when I got the pictures back. Digital allows the lessons to be applied right away, and you get an instant-do-over in many cases if you want it.
One such case was last year at a Boxerworks Forum Rally. I stumbled out my tent one morning, and was almost hit in the face by a tiny worm swinging on an invisible silk. The worm was no more than half an inch in length, but looked very interesting so I had to get a picture. The swinging had an arc of maybe 8-9 inches, and I knew that the macro required being VERY close to the subject. But every few swings the worm would stop and just hang there for a very brief moment. I took several tries to catch the worm at just the right moment, but I was rewarded for my persistence:
So my advice is to just work with it and be patient, and use the forgiving nature of digital cameras to see if you can learn some good strategies for motion.
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's electrical." -somebody's dad
Nice work!
So when do we get the next assignment?
It isn't what you ride, it is if you ride
Jeff Dean
Tucson, Arizona, and Madison, Wisconsin
Co-founder, 1972, of BMW MOA -- http://bmwdean.com/r1200rtw.htm


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Mega Buzz: A Bones Wedding, Walking Dead Division and Modern Family Fight
Oct 28, 2014 9:23 PM EDT
Each week, executive editor Adam Bryant satisfies your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to firstname.lastname@example.com any new Bones scoop? — HeatherThose of you hankering for another Bones wedding might… Read more


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Recent Videos:
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Sponsored: How to Get Recruited to Play College Lacrosse
The IWLCA honors a record number 838 student-athletes from 255 different institutions with inclusion the 2015 IWLCA/Zag Sports Division I, II, III & NAIA Academic Honor Roll
Army West Point Women's Lacrosse Announces Inaugural Freshman Class
Harvard's Wojcik '96 Announces Hiring of Eric Wolf as Assistant Coach
IWLCA Announces 2015 Coaches of the Year 14 mentors recognized for 2015 season
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The IWLCA announces the 2015 IWLCA Community Awareness Award Winners.
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The Coconut King Supplies & Gifts
- Based in:
- Based in Hobe Sound,FL
- Address:
- PO Box 882
- City, Zip Code & State
- Hobe Sound, FL 33475
Natural coconut shells for ice cream, sorbet, dips, candles, etc. Natural coconut drink cups that can be personalized. Bamboo cups and bamboo straws. Other natural items like coconut napkin rings.
The Coconut King
Home of the Coconut Shell Ice Cream Cup
Bring the tropics to your store, restaurant, business, or special event.
Real coconut shells. Coconut 1/2 shells to serve ice cream, sorbet, dips, snacks, decorations, etc. Coconut drinking cups for tropical drinks. Personalizing available. Both will add a tropical feel to any event.
Coconut shell drinking cups! No self-respecting tropical drink will be without one. Holds approx. 14 oz. Also great for candles, napkin holders, serving bowls, etc.
Bamboo cups & bamboo straws also available!
These unique shells are also perfect for candles, bowls, soap dishes, candy dishes, or anything that needs a tropical feel. Other natural items like coconut napkin rings to grass and bamboo placemats. All items will turn any event into a tropical party.
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The hotel is located in the very heart of historic Liège, close to the city centre and most of the best-known museums and churches. .
A stone's throw away from the Grand Curtius Museum, the hotel is rooted in the centre of the Cité Ardente (150 metres away from the Place du Marché, 800 metres from the famous Carré, the mythical setting for Liège's nightlife, 500 metres away from the Opéra, 100 metres from the Museum of Walloon Life and Folklore, 200 metres from the Méga Museum, 700 metres from the Cathédrale, 400 metres from the famous Baptismal Fonts in the Church of St. Bartholomew).
Hereby conditions and cancellation policy.The applied amounts en percentages are to be paid by the guest.
Special conditions are prior to the main cancellation conditions when applied.
Main conditions and policy (Individual booking)
Special conditions (groups*)
(*) groups = Every booking of 3 or more rooms


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Hipster Merit badge
I bought a large Moleskine Carnet Ligné - an A6 softcover notebook. There are many cheaper notebooks, but the combination of the soft cover, thin but fine grain ivory paper just pleases me. I was trying to explain the appeal. For me, writing with a pen or pencil is aesthetically pleasing - The tactile feel of the paper, the pleasing smoothness of a good pen or pencil dragging across it, the colour and opacity of the ink and it's contrast on the background. In many ways I don,t use a notebook for it's utility


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One makes an exact carbon-copy (perfect copy, in such a way that one will never be able to tell the difference between an original and a copy. For arguments sake, lets say through witchcraft) of (say) a work of art and destroys the original.
He then proceeds to sell this copy for the cost of an original work of art (say $1,000,000).
If he would have informed the buyer that this was just a copy, he would have only been able to make (for example) $5,000.
Does he have to (between him and Hashem, as nobody can prove it to be a forgery) pay back the difference? (He probably isn't allowed to misrepresent his work in the first place, but ex-post-facto is he allowed to keep the money)?
On one hand, inherently the painting isn't worth nearly as much as the selling-price, yet on the other hand it is worth that amount on the open market.
Based on comments from Is there any issue except for Dina Dmalchusa in counterfeiting money?


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Sunman firm to lay off 82
Loss of customer leads to layoffs
A Sunman employer is laying off workers.
Deufol Inc. informed the Indiana Department of Workforce Development that it will be laying off 82 employees at its data packaging facility on Meridian Street. The plant created personalized gift cards, one employee said.
"As a result of unforeseen business circumstances, specifically, the loss of a major customer on March 20, 2013, Deufol has experienced a permanent loss of customer orders for data packaging services from this customer, which has required us to reduce our operations and implement a reduction in force," the company said in its WARN notice.
Employees told WLWT News 5's Alison Montoya that the lost customer was Apple.
"They contacted us via email on the 20th, saying the biggest customer has pulled out and there will be no more work available for the Apple employees," one employee said.
The company said 56 other workers would be transferred to another Deufol facility in Sunman.
A company representative released a statement that read "Beufol Sunman Inc. has confirmed that we have had a permanent layoff starting March 22, 2013. While the company has not confirmed the final numbers, it is expected to effect about 80 employees." The company said it will have no other comment.
"A lot of people are coming (to Sunman) from Connersville, Richmond, Brookville, so forth like that. They came here because they couldn't find anything there to suit their needs or get a job," the employee said.


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Homestead Funding - Mission Statement
Homestead Funding Corp.'s mission is to provide our customers with a superior mortgage experience. At Homestead, we understand that every customer and every situation is unique. That's why our mix of traditional and innovative mortgage products allows us to customize a mortgage solution that works for YOU. Whether you are purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one, Homestead will work with you to get your loan closed quickly, while still offering you a personal and professional mortgage experience.


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Gilmore Girls
"Blame Booze and Melville" - (TV-PG, D, L) (HDTV)
Tuesday , May 10 2005 Fresh Episode
RORY FACES THE REALITIES OF THE WORKING WORLD - Rory (Alexis Bledel) is surprised by the performance review she receives from Logan's (Matt Czuchry) father, Mitchum Huntzberger (guest star Gregg Henry), at the newspaper. Luke's (Scott Patterson) plan to buy the Twickham house is threatened when Kirk (Sean Gunn) makes a competing bid. Lorelai (Lauren Graham) is thrilled when the travel magazine featuring The Dragonfly Inn hits the stands, but worries about Emily's (Kelly Bishop) reaction to the article. Meanwhile, Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) goes into labor and Emily becomes a personal patron for a ballet dancer. The episode was written by Daniel Palladino and directed by Jamie Babbit (#2T5321).


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Low Vision
What is low vision?
Low vision is a condition that involves a minimal ability to see (particularly central vision) that is unresolved or uncorrected with traditional eyeglasses, contact lens, intraocular lens implants, or corrective surgery. However, in some cases, people with low vision may be aided with special visual devices.
What causes low vision?
There are a variety of different causes of low vision, including, but not limited to, the following:
Although, in most cases, people with low vision have disabled central vision (also called reading vision), there are other types of low vision that may include the following:
What are low-vision devices?
Because low vision cannot be improved by more traditional methods (such as, the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses) people with low vision often rely on the use of a number of different instruments, called low-vision devices, and tailored equipment for improved vision. Low-vision devices, categorized as either optical or nonoptical, help to improve visual ability for millions of people every day.
What are optical low-vision devices?
Simply stated, optical low-vision devices involve the use of one of many types of lenses to improve vision. For example:
What are nonoptical, low-vision devices?
Nonoptical, low-vision devices help bring images closer to the eyes. This may include the use of any, or all, of the following:


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- Premier League: What They Said
What They Said: Benitez defends goalshy Torres
This season ESPN Goals is completely free. It's the first place to see every goal from every Premier League game, all season long
Premier League round-up: City held by Everton as Arsenal and Chelsea both lose
Rafael Benitez defended striker Fernando Torres after the Spain striker's goal drought continued as Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by West Ham at Upton Park.
"I thought the team had chances, not just Fernando," he said. "When you are attacking and you are controlling the game like we did in the first half, you have to score goals. In the first half we just had to score more goals. We have to improve. We know that football has two halves, the game has two halves. In the first half we had two or three chances - we just need to score more goals."
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce was delighted with his decision to bring on Mohamed Diame at half-time as the Senegal international sparked a superb fightback.
"We started okay but when they scored we just lost our confidence," Allardyce said. "I think we lost our momentum. I just needed to make some changes, bring in some fresh legs. It was all about playing in the opposition's half, playing off Carlton Cole. I felt he was itching for a real good game."
Everton manager David Moyes was fuming after his side conceded a controversial penalty which Carlos Tevez converted to secure a 1-1 draw for champions Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. Moyes felt Edin Dzeko went to ground too easily after tangling with Marouane Fellaini.
"It is not a penalty kick," he said. "I don't know how many penalties Manchester City have had in their home games recently, but as far as I know it is quite a few. They got another one today. You can't be giving ones like that. There'd be a penalty every time there's a corner kick."
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini was left frustrated by his strikers as a solitary penalty by Carlos Tevez left them forced to settle with a point at home.
He said: "In this moment we are not very strong with our strikers. We need them to score more goals. They are four top strikers but this can happen during the season. It is important they work hard like they worked today. [Edin] Dzeko, Tevez, Sergio [Aguero], Mario [Balotelli] - in this moment we are like this but I think we will solve this problem."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his side were well beaten following a 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea: "We were not good and Swansea deserved to win. We looked very jaded after two away games in the Champions League. Where we were guilty was with three minutes to go at 0-0, if you cannot win you must not lose.
"I believed we tried very hard to get back into the game, but we weren't sharp enough. We didn't create enough chances, we will work on it. Our fans cannot be happy when we do not win games and what we produced today is not enough to keep our fans happy."
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas leapt to Gareth Bale's defence after the winger was booked for diving during Spurs' 3-0 win at Fulham: "He has been harshly treated. Situations need to be addressed. Don't forget, this is a player who has had treatment on his ankle."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted to see his side take all three points after a 1-0 win over Southampton, but has urged the Reds to kill games off earlier.
"I thought we were terrific," he said. "We just lacked more of a finishing touch. I really enjoyed watching us today. As the season goes on, hopefully, some of our chances will start to go in. Overall, we were well deserving of the win and the game should have been out of sight sooner."
Nigel Adkins felt Southampton could have got something from the game, with Rickie Lambert having threatened with two first-half shots and an improved performance after the break. "We are disappointed in respect of we haven't got anything from the game,'' he said. "We have come away from home in a good run of form of late but Liverpool's movement was very good today and we couldn't get a grip of the football. If we could have got to half-time at 0-0 that would have been pleasing but a free header in the penalty area has given them a 1-0 lead."
New Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp is confident a first win of the season is just around the corner after seeing his side squander a hatful of chances in a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa
"We played well, and after a difficult start we came back and dominated the game, we had all the chances and deserved to win the game. We just couldn't get the second goal. We are in a difficult position but you've got to keep believing, working hard, we need that first win to get us going. We needed it today but it didn't come and we need to try hard to get it next week against Wigan."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis insists he has "not turned into a genius'' after engineering a 1-0 win at West Brom - the Potters' first away league victory since January.
"We changed it on Wednesday and Cameron (Jerome) came on and made one and scored a great goal for us. Then that has happened today with the guys combining for the goal. Sometimes that happens for you. I've not turned into a genius. It's just the little bit of luck you need.''
West Brom manager Steve Clarke insisted his decision to make six changes from the side beaten at Swansea in midweek was not the reason for the Baggies' defeat at home to Stoke.
"If anyone said that's why we lost the game, they would be wrong. The changes were made at the end of difficult week with two long away trips to the north east and south Wales. The boys who played in the two away games put in a lot of effort and I thought it was right time to freshen team up.''


text: Valparaiso University's comprehensive Environmental Science major exposes you to the interdisciplinary reach of environmental issues, and provides you with the scientific foundation needed to assess environmental systems and address the problems facing them. You can select the full major, or couple a complimentary environmental science major with your primary major. Use the links at the top of this page for more information about Valpo's Environmental Science Major or the Environmental Studies Minor.


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Long Hairstyles for WomenLong hairstyles are always great for women, many styles are created specifically for women. There are six amazing long hairstyles for women:
- Long and layered with razor-cut ends
- Long and curly
- Tousled layers
- Ringlets
- Long shag
- Wavy locks with wispy or blunt-cut bangs
Long shag hairstyles features long and short layers, and is very popular in the mid-90s when Jennifer Aniston use this style as Rachel Green on Friends TV show. For this hairstyle, opt for razor-cut, wispy bangs for a modern twist to this cut. Of course, you can also turn under the ends and clip with Bobby-pins for a Bob-style look without getting your hair cut. Many celebrities have worn this faux-Bob style, such as Rosario Dawson, Amy Adams and Leighton Meester. Wavy locks with wispy or blunt-cut bangs is a popular look and helps to hide a high or wide forehead. It's also quite sexy if your hair is naturally wavy and you side-sweep you bangs to one side. For a fancy night-on-the-town style, try pinning up just the bangs and sides and using a curling iron on the loose tresses in the back for romantic ringlets or barrel curls.
Long Hairstyles PicturesWhen you have all of these options, long hairstyle never needs to be boring or predictable one. The hairstyles give cute as well as elegant look for any special occasion, especially in formal events. The sleek look of long hairstyle starts at top and goes all the way down to the ends.
|Sedu Long Hairstyle
|Straight Long Hairstyle
|Curly Long Hairstyle
|Wavy Long Hairstyle
|Straight Long Hairstyle With Bang
|Wavy Long Hairstyle Without Bang
|Long Hairstyle Textured
|Braided Man's Long Hairstyle
Longer hairstyles are hard to take care of and need extra attention to avoid dry, coarse hair and split ends. Flyaway and frizzy hair seems to be more dominant with longer tresses as well. Try different high quality products recommended by your hair stylist to keep your hair healthy. Try something new with your long hair once in a while, beautiful updos, multiple pony tails, etc. Treat your hair like a guy treats his car, take it to the salon once in a while and use quality products. Enjoy your long hair, many women have trouble growing long beautiful hair. Check out the beauty of long hairstyles pictures in my other post.
Picture Insights → Long Hairstyles


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Colorado Rapids defender Drew Moor following 2-0 win at Columbus:
On what's working well for the backline:
"I don't think it's just the backline I think it's the entire unit is just battling extremely hard not letting other teams get anything easy. We're staying organized, we're staying solid. We are winning our first and second balls, we are winning our individual challenges. And we put a couple away tonight which is always the best form of defense. But it's just a solid unit from everyone that steps on the field."
On getting road results in 2013:
"I think it has a lot to do with a different mentality this year. Not that we have a completely new philosophy or mentality this year, it's just a little bit stronger willed I feel like. We believe that we can go on the road and get results. We proved that tonight, we proved it a couple of other times so far this season. Road game is the same as a home game, you want to go try and get as many points as you can, and tonight was no different."
On the performance of defender Chris Klute
"Chris is just as steady as can be. He's extremely athletic, very fast. If people didn't think he was before, I don't think [Dominic] Oduro out ran him once tonight and I know Dominic is a very fast player. But he just does the right things; he gets in the good spots. He's a solid defender and he's a warrior, he battles for 90 minutes and that's what you want out there."


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It's an election year across the developing world, and that means both political and economic instability. As a result, fund managers see greater volatility ahead for emerging markets.
On the other hand, there are pockets of stability and opportunity within those markets. Plus, in some regions, economic growth and investment expansion continue to outpace what's taking place in the U.S. and Europe.
"Without a doubt, this is going to be a very tricky year, as it's dominated by elections, and to be elected incumbents will do what it takes to win at all costs," said Maria Negrete-Gruson, emerging-markets portfolio manager for Artisan Partners, in an interview with ThinkAdvisor. "This means spending beyond [these countries'] means, inflation can creep up, and the central banks intervene or postpone action."
But while the overall outlook for emerging markets this year is "not pretty from the top down, since it catches them in really bad shape in terms of their fiscal and monetary discipline," Negrete-Gruson says, it does also offer investors "robust opportunities" in the consumer-discretionary sector, for example.
This group has plenty to offer investors, she says, though not necessarily in the rapid expansion of price-to-earnings multiples. "But the earnings power ticks along not with global trends but more with their business models and market penetration," the analyst explained. "It's about nitty-gritty, ground-up investments."
That strategy does expose you to a nice dose of risk — which you want to play in a way that works in your favor.
"In an environment like this one, of maximum volatility, opportunities emerge, and we try and take advantage of them," Negrete-Gruson said.
Some Artisan investments, she point out, are in companies that are paid for their exports in dollars, and that minimizes currency exposure — such as iron-ore producer Vale of Brazil.
Are the upsides of these opportunities enough of a reason to invest in emerging markets?
No Pain, No Gain
"When an asset class has issues, it can be beneficial to invest when the [maximum] pain has been reached," noted John Derrick, head of research for U.S. Global Investors and a manager of the firm'– Emerging Europe Fund, in an intervew. "The emerging markets are not going away and will be [the world's] growth vehicle for the next decade or so."
The overall emerging-markets benchmark index fell about 2.5% in 2013. Plus, it's down a total of 6% for the past three years, while U.S. equities have risen about 60% in the same period.
"A Merrill Lynch survey recently found that fund managers are underweight in the emerging markets by the greatest margin since the financial crisis of '09," Derrick said. A lot of the money that's been leaving the sector, he says, is tied to the news of Federal Reserve tapering, along with currency issues in countries like Turkey.
"The emerging markets, though, have been forced to rebalance and make painful adjustments, and they may be further along than the U.S. and Europe," he said. Plus, emerging markets are expected to have higher growth levels than the developed economies.
China, for instance, expected to have economic growth of 7%-8% last year. It achieved 7.7% growth. "So they hit their number," Derrick noted, adding that U.S. growth should continue to be 2%-3% per year.
"You want some exposure — you don't want it to dwindle," he said. A level of 10%-15% of assets, which matches the global market capitalization ratio of the emerging markets, makes sense.
Derrick acknowledges the risks involved but doesn't see volatility rising dramatically this year in the group.
Nor do businesses, apparently.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development's latest report says that the developing economies attracted close to $760 billion, or 52%, of the nearly $1.5 trillion foreign direct investment that moved around the world in 2013. Russia and other former Soviet-bloc states drew about $125 billion.
Overall, more than 60% of FDI went into the emerging markets — a strong statement about their longer-term outlook.
"In the medium and long term, there are good opprotunities," said Negrete-Gruson. "And when some investors are spooked and run out door … you can pick up great companies with great quality and growth, as well as low valuations."
Check out Equities Slump, Gold Rallies as Contrarians Predicted on ThinkAdvisor.


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Who is Fathead?
Fathead transforms special events into life-size wall decals. Choose from 100's of officially licensed game time sports images and big screen moments, or make your own with our customizable options. Our wall graphics are way better, bigger and tougher than posters or stickers. Better yet, our vinyl decals are adhesive. This means they're safe for walls, you can move and reuse them without worry, and install them in minutes. Excellent as decorative wall art for yourself or someone else, there's a Fathead for every fan. Decorating your space has never been easier than with Fathead.
What is a Life-Sized Fathead?
Life-Sized Fathead wall decals are as big as they get. Athletes & characters are life-size. Not only are our Fatheads movable and reusable, the images are live-action shots from games and movies. Bring your fandom to life with game time and big screen moments with Fathead.
Why Fathead?
Each REAL.BIG. Fathead is a high-definition image produced in the US and made from high-quality materials. To ensure your Fathead catches eyes and stands the test of time, we manufacture our products from:
Which room you place your Fathead in is up to you; a REAL.BIG. Fathead is perfect for transforming mancaves, basements, family rooms, TV rooms, bedrooms, workout rooms, offices and more. However, you will need to find a clean, smooth interior surface to guarantee your Fathead will stay up for years.
We know once you get your Fathead, you will be so excited that you'll want to stick it to the first wall you see. But stop for a just a few minutes and make sure you apply to the right type of surface, because your Fathead loves them and you'll love the way it sticks.Where Not to Stick It
So we've told you where to put your Fathead but we haven't told you where not to. For those curious folks, here are where we recommend not applying your Fathead.
For more details regarding use and application, click here


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theselfhealingcoach necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 29 diseños de 10 diseñadores freelance.
Autoimmune Warrior Bootcamp
I am a health coach and blogger and the founder of http://www.theselfhealingcoach.com, support and inspiration to heal Multiple Sclerosis. My site takes a very positive approach and aims to help people believe that they can heal through diet and lifestyle change. The tone of the site is inspirational but fun, funny, intimate, informative, and personal.
My audience is anyone with MS or other chronic or autoimmune illnesses who believes they can heal and is willing to do what it takes to get well. They are positive, empowered, and motivated to achieve good health. They are generally liberal, into alternative health options.
What I need is a logo/masthead for a new training series I will be launching called Autoimmune Warrior Bootcamp.
The masthead should be the length of the wide middle column of my website (http://www.theselfhealingcoach.com), in other words, not the sidebars.
I would like the Yoga-style aesthetic and I've included samples. I like pink, sage green, purple, yellow. I like the tone and the masthead for http://www.crazysexylife.com. I want a similar tone but with yoga-inspired colors and yoga-inspired design, i love the yogi tea designs: http://www.yogiproducts.com/product…hai-green/
However, I do not want explicit yoga symbols like someone in lotus position.
To be clear, what I need is:
Ann Boroch & Karen Gordon's
Autoimmune Warrior Bootcamp
Diet, Detox, & Nutritional Makeover for Total Recovery
our names should be smaller at top
the autoimmune should be in a script font diagonal or above
warrior bootcamp is the main part of logo and should be biggest
the diet, detox...part should be smaller and below warrior bootcamp


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NEW YORK, July 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:MKTX), the operator of a leading electronic trading platform for fixed-income securities, and the provider of market data and post-trade services for the global fixed-income markets, will issue a press release announcing its 2016 second quarter results on Thursday, July 28, 2016 before the financial markets open. Richard M. McVey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Antonio L. DeLise, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial results and outlook on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
To access the conference call, please dial (855) 425-4206 (U.S.) or (484) 756-4249 (international). The Company will also host a live audio Webcast of the conference call on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://investor.marketaxess.com. A replay of the call will be made available by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (international) for one week after the announcement. The Webcast will also be archived on http://investor.marketaxess.com for 90 days following the announcement.
About MarketAxess
MarketAxess operates a leading electronic trading platform that enables fixed-income market participants to efficiently trade corporate bonds and other types of fixed-income instruments using MarketAxess' patented trading technology. Over 1,000 institutional investor and broker-dealer firms are active users of the MarketAxess trading platform, accessing global liquidity in U.S. high-grade corporate bonds, emerging markets and high-yield bonds, European bonds, U.S. agency bonds, credit default swaps and other fixed-income securities. MarketAxess also offers a number of trading-related products and services, including: market data to assist clients with trading decisions; connectivity solutions that facilitate straight-through processing; technology services to optimize trading environments; and execution services for exchange-traded fund managers and other clients. Through its Trax® division, MarketAxess also offers a range of pre- and post-trade services, including trade matching, regulatory transaction reporting and market and reference data, across a range of fixed-income products. Trax is the trading name of Xtrakter Ltd., a MarketAxess group company.
MarketAxess maintains its headquarters in New York and has offices in London, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, São Paulo, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.marketaxess.com.
Investor Relations Contact:Tony DeLiseMarketAxess Holdings email@example.com Relations Contacts:Mary SedaratMarketAxess Holdings email@example.com McBrideBryant Park Financial firstname.lastname@example.com
Source:MarketAxess Holdings Inc.


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Today I welcome Jackie Morse Kessler to the blog. Rage, the second book in Jackie's Riders of the Apocalypse YA series has just recently been released and Jackie updates us on some of the themes surrounding the series including a preview of the forthcoming third book.
Riders of the Apocalypse giveaway! Three lucky winners will receive one copy each of HUNGER and RAGE along with postcards and a mini-poster! To enter, send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. In the body of the e-mail, include your name and e-mail address (if you're under 13, submit a parent's name and e-mail address). One entry per person and prizes will only be shipped to US or Canadian addresses. Entries must be received by midnight (PDT) on 4/30/11. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on 5/1/11 and notified via email.
|Got Issues?
By Jackie Morse Kessler
One of the questions I've been asked on panels has to do with the balance of paranormal elements and contemporary issues. When writing a novel that has both, where is the focus? Is it a contemporary novel with paranormal elements, or is it a paranormal story with contemporary issues? And the answer is... it depends. (Don't you hate those answers?)
When I wrote HUNGER, I set out to tell a story about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The focus of the book is on eating disorders, far more so than on the fantastical elements. If I stripped out the Horsemen from the book, there would still be a story there. It would be a very different story, but it would be there. But if I took away the eating disorders, there would be nothing left.
It's a similar situation for RAGE, which is about a teenage self-injurer who is tapped to become the new War. The book focuses on self-injury and, to a lesser degree, coping with bullying; the protagonist's journey as she becomes War is very internal, even when she travels across the world. How she relates as War reflects how she is dealing with her need to cut. These books are less urban fantasy and more magical realism. And even though they have building elements in the books as a series, each book stands alone.
That being said, the third book, LOSS, is a departure — and not just because the protagonist is a boy instead of a girl. While the story looks at bullying, as well as coping with the effects of Alzheimer's on a loved one, it also delves far more into the paranormal elements than the previous two books. It's also longer than HUNGER or RAGE—which probably goes hand-in-hand with there being more exploration of the Horsemen along with the hero's personal journey. In LOSS's case, the contemporary issues and the paranormal elements complement one another far more so than in the first two books. Why? Because it felt right. There is no right or wrong here; some authors may feel that they can slip in contemporary issues while they focus more exclusively on the paranormal story, while others may feel that the two elements, paranormal and contemporary, should be equal partners. That's the fun thing about writing—there are so many different ways to tell a story. :)
As for what will happen when I write BREATH...well. Stay tuned!
Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home—her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power—and the courage to fight her own inner demons?
A wildly original approach to the issue of eating disorders, Hunger is about the struggle to find balance in a world of extremes, and uses fantastic tropes to explore a difficult topic that touches the lives of many teens.
Missy didn't mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don't find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.Jackie also writes adult urban fantasy and paranormals as Jackie Kessler. You can visit her at her two websites www.jackiemorsekessler.com and www.jackiekessler,com.
That's why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it's with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.
A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation,Rageis the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.
Hell On Earth Series
The Icarus Project Series