text:
Terms of SaleBy using this Air Power, Inc. website ("Site"), the user ("Buyer") agrees to become bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement ("Agreement"), and this Agreement shall govern and control the Buyer's use of this Website and any and all current or future orders and/or purchases Buyer may make through this Website. If Buyer does not agree to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Buyer will not have any right to use the Website. If these terms and conditions are considered an offer by Air Power, acceptance is expressly conditioned upon Buyer's assent to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement without modification, to the exclusion of all other terms. Order AcceptanceBuyer's receipt of an electronic or other form of order confirmation does not signify acceptance of Buyer's order nor does it constitute confirmation of an offer to sell by Air Power. Air Power reserves the right at any time to accept or decline Buyer's order for any reason. Air Power reserves the right to verify any information Buyer provides prior to accepting an order. Item availability and price of products offered for sale at the Website are subject to change without notice. Air Power reserves the right to limit quantities on items. AccuracyWhile Air Power uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information in its Website, Air Power makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the information. Air Power assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of the Website. In the event a product is listed at an incorrect price due to a typographical error or error in pricing information received from a supplier, Air Power shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed for a product listed at the incorrect price. Air Power shall have the right to refuse or cancel any such orders whether or not the order has been confirmed and/or Buyer's account charged. If Buyer's account has already been charged for the purchase and Buyer's order is subsequently cancelled, Air Power shall issue a credit to Buyer's account in the amount of the incorrect price. Taxes, Shipment, Risk of Loss, and DeliverySales tax will be charged on all items pursuant to Buyer's account information with Air Power. Product prices displayed on the Website do not reflect charges for shipping and handling. The shipment date given by Air Power is only an estimated shipment date and is not a representation or guarantee of a particular date of shipment or delivery. Air Power will attempt to ship the Equipment for delivery on or about the times stated, although time shall not be of the essence as to delivery. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by Air Power, delivery of the Equipment shall be F.O.B. Air Power's place of shipment. The Equipment will be shipped under a Bill of Lading, naming Buyer as Consignee. After the Equipment has been delivered to a shipper for transportation to Buyer, Air Power shall transmit the Bill of Lading to Buyer at Buyer's address of record with Air Power. Air Power may, at its option, ship the Equipment in lots from time to time or all at one time. In the absence of written instructions from Buyer, Air Power shall have the absolute discretion as to the shipper and routing of shipments. The cost of shipping and insurance for the Equipment shall be the responsibility of and paid for by Buyer. No loss or damage to the Equipment shall impair any obligation of Buyer hereunder and all such obligations shall continue in full force and effect until discharged. Buyer shall have the responsibility for and expense of preparing and filing claims against carriers for loss or damage to Equipment in transit. Buyer's ResponsibilitiesIt will be the Buyer's responsibility to supply the following, when applicable: (1) Electrical field wiring; (2) Fire protection modifications (sprinklers); (3) Building modifications; (4) Building structural support capability; (5) Field painting; (6) Air piping; (7) Roof and/or wall penetrations or repair of the same; (8) Roof curbs; (9) Concrete Pads, pits, dikes or curbs; (10) Unloading; (11) Any necessary permits; (12) Freight and taxes; (13) Crane service; (14) Fire watch; (15) UL listed components for applicable equipment; and (16) Approval of Buyer's insurance carrier. Express Limited WarrantyAir Power warrants to Buyer only, and not to any subsequent transferees (other than the lessee using the Equipment pursuant to an Equipment Lease where Buyer is in the business of purchasing and leasing equipment), that upon shipment, the Equipment materially conforms to the Equipment described in the electronic confirmation. The Equipment is warranted by Air Power according to the standard manufacturer's warranty. All warranty claims must be made in a writing specifying the alleged defect or non-conformity and delivered to Air Power within the specific manufacturer's warranty period or reasonably thereafter. Within a reasonable time after any such timely notification, Air Power will act, at Air Power's sole option, according to the terms of the manufacturer's warranty for the defective product. Buyer agrees to deliver at its own cost and expense any non-conforming or defective Equipment or part(s) to Air Power at Air Power's place of business at High Point, North Carolina. These remedies are Buyer's exclusive remedies for breach of warranty or contract or in tort. Exclusions. Air Power's warranty does not apply to: (i) damage caused by use of the Equipment for purposes other than those for which it was designed; (ii) damage caused by disasters such as fire, flood or electrical storm; (iii) damage caused by unauthorized attachments, alterations or modifications; (iv) damage occurring during shipment; (v) damage caused by abuse, misuse or neglect by Buyer; (vi) defects in the manufacturing process discovered after the expiration of the express warranty; (vii) damage caused by third parties; (viii) damage caused by unauthorized repairs; (ix) ordinary wear and tear; or (x) damage not covered under the manufacturer's warranty. DISCLAIMER OF OTHER WARRANTIESTHE FOREGOING WARRANTIES ARE IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WHICH ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED BY AIR POWER AND EXCLUDED FROM THIS CONTRACT. THIS DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY SHALL NOT LIMIT BUYER'S RECOURSE AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER OF THE EQUIPMENT UNDER ANY WARRANTY, IF ANY, EXTENDED BY SUCH MANUFACTURER. ANY WARRANTY OF ANY MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE THE WARRANTY OF AIR POWER. Limitation of RemediesThe remedies contained herein are Buyer's only remedies concerning the Equipment or occurrences related thereto. In no case shall Air Power be liable for any special, incidental or consequential damages of any kind which may arise in connection with the use of or inability to use the Equipment and whether such damage is based on a theory of breach of warranty, breach of contract, negligence, strict liability in tort, or any other legal theory. Damages hereunder not recoverable include, but are not limited to, loss of profits, loss of savings or revenue, loss of use of the Equipment, cost of capital, cost of any substitute Equipment, facilities or service, downtime, the claims of third parties, including customers, and injury to property or persons.No Other Warranties. No agent, representative or employee of Air Power is authorized to change the warranties herein or to give any other warranty, express or implied. Liability to Third PersonsBuyer agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Air Power for any claim or action by any employee of Buyer or Air Power, any installer of the Equipment, and any other third person arising out of or alleged to arise out of the delivery, installation, startup or use of the Equipment at Buyer's place of business. Security InterestUntil the purchase price payable has been paid in full, Buyer agrees not to sell, mortgage or otherwise encumber the Equipment without Air Power's written consent. Buyer grants to Air Power a purchase money security interest in the Equipment purchased to secure payment of any unpaid balance of the purchase price of the Equipment. Buyer agrees to sign and deliver, and grants Air Power a limited power of attorney to sign and deliver on Buyer's behalf, such financing statements and other security instruments as Air Power may require to perfect and maintain the security interest herein granted. Force MajeureAir Power shall have no liability for any non-performance or delay in performance of its obligations caused by force majeure, failure of transportation, or failure of Air Power's suppliers to deliver the Equipment. Warranty of TitleAir Power warrants that upon delivery of the Equipment to Buyer, good title to the Equipment, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances (except for the purchase money security interest granted to Air Power hereunder) will be transferred to Buyer. Terms of UseAir Power maintains a Terms of Use policy governing the general use of all Air Power sites. Please refer to it for information regarding the non-sales specific use of this Site. Air Power may terminate or suspend Buyer's access to all or a part of this Site without notice for any reason permitted by law within Air Power's sole discretion. Compliance With LawsBuyer represents and warrants to Air Power that Buyer is familiar with and understands all federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations, orders, standards, and industry self-governing standards, including but not limited to NFPA-33 (collectively called "Laws"), applicable to the Equipment and the use thereof. Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing signed by Air Power and Buyer, Air Power shall not be liable to Buyer for, and Buyer agrees to indemnify and defend and hold Air Power harmless from, any liability arising or alleged to arise out of, any failure of the Equipment to conform to any such Laws. Air Power specifically disclaims any representation, warranty or guarantee that Buyer is compliant with any Laws. Any arbitration for breach of warranty, breach of contract, tort, or other permitted action or remedy must be commenced within twelve (12) months following delivery of the Equipment to Buyer or it shall be forever barred. If Buyer should default in the payment of any sums due and owing to Air Power, and Air Power engages counsel in respect thereof, Buyer agrees to pay, in addition to the balance then due and owing, reasonable attorney fees and all costs of collection. The parties agree that any controversy, claim, or dispute arising out of or related to the Equipment pursuant to this Agreement or breach thereof or the use of this Website shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration rules then in existence of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award rendered may be entered by any court having jurisdiction of the parties. The place of arbitration shall be Guilford County, North Carolina. Expenses for the arbitrators' services, the court reporter fees, and the prevailing party's reasonable attorney fees and other costs of the proceeding shall be borne by the non-prevailing party. However, each party shall be responsible for compensating its own representatives and witnesses. The arbitrator(s) shall determine which party is the prevailing party and in the case of split decision shall take into account, among other factors, the extent of each party's success or failure, the amount involved, and the results ob ChangesAir Power may at any time revise these terms and conditions by updating this posting. The customer is bound by any such revisions and should therefore periodically visit this page to review the then-current terms and conditions to which the customer is bound. The terms and provisions set forth in this Agreement are severable and the invalidity of any one provision or term shall not affect the enforceability of the remaining provisions or terms. Non-CancelableThis Agreement may not be revoked or canceled by Buyer. Air Power may, in its sole discretion, permit Buyer to cancel its agreement upon payment of fifteen percent (15%) of the purchase price of the Equipment as a restocking fee and payment of all transportation and related expense of returning any unused Equipment or parts to Air Power. Entire AgreementThis Agreement, together with other notices and terms stated on this Website regarding pricing, shipping, charging and other matters, contains the entire agreement and understanding between the customer and Air Power with respect to the matters referred to herein, and supersedes any other written or oral understandings related to these matters and may only be modified as provided in this Agreement or in writing signed by both parties. No other representations, covenants, undertakings, or prior or contemporaneous agreements, oral or written, respecting such matters which are not specifically incorporated herein shall be deemed in any way to exist to bind the customer or Air Power.
Return Policy
(1) Introduction
We understand that from time to time you may wish to return a product to us. Returns typically fall into one of three categories, returns related to warranty, returns related to credit to your account, returns related to shipment errors.
(2a) Returns related to warranty
Equipment is warranted by SELLER according to the standard manufacturer's warranty. Returns related to warranty must be returned to Air Power, or alternate specified location, for evaluation at the customer's expense. This expense will be refunded if the material returned passes our warranty evaluation process. Return numbers, RMAs, are required in advance of your return and must be obtained through customer support. This number must be returned with the return product. Air Power will evaluate the merchandise and will, at Air Power's discretion, honor the original manufacturer's warranty on the part(s) or equipment or deny the warranty claim. Parts to repair and labor will be covered if the material is found to be under warranty.
(2b) Returns for credit…
Returns for credit also require return numbers, RMAs, in advance. Return for credit items will be evaluated and the customer will be credited on approved items and notified of any items that cannot be credited.
(2c) Returns related to shipment errors.
Air Power must be notified within 15 days of the shipping error. When placing the call to Air Power, you will be given return shipment instructions. Air Power will cover the freight on shipment error returns.
(3) Returns Procedure
Begin by phoning Air Power and contacting customer support for a RMA number. Return the goods to the address provided by the customer support representative or to your local Air Power branch location. You will be notified of the disposition of the return once our evaluation is completed.
(4) Exclusions
Items for credit return
Items for credit returns must be new and in the original container. Items also must have been purchased within the last two years and also be current active models and parts. Items that cannot be accepted as returns are hoses, hose assemblies, cylinders, and special order items. Items can be selectively excluded at the sole discretion of the Seller.
Warranty evaluation items
Warranty does not apply to (i)damage caused by use of the equipment for purposes other than those for which it was designed, (ii)damage caused by fire, flood, or electrical storm, (iii)damage caused by unauthorized attachments, alterations, or modifications, (iv)damage occurring during shipment, (v) damage caused by abuse, misuse, or neglect, (vi) defects discovered after the warranty term has expired, (vii) damage caused by third parties, (viii) damage caused by unauthorized repairs, (ix) ordinary wear and tear, (x) damage not covered under manufacturers warranty.
(5) Refunds. Refunds will be administered in accordance with the terms of this returns policy. Return credits will exclude the original delivery charges and handling and also will exclude the return shipping charges except in the case of approved factory warranties or shipment error corrections. A restocking fee may apply in select cases. You will be notified if a restocking fee applies to your return.


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Pop the top on a refreshing promotion with our popular selection of Bottle Opener Keychains. Always a useful giveaway for beverage promotions, restaurants and bars and more. Browse our great selection of styles now!
Did you know that custom bottle openers have been used as an advertising tool, almost as long as bottle openers have been around themselves?
Bottle caps as we know them today were first designed and patented in 1892 by William Painter, who shortly after introduced the "church key cap lifter," which is thought to be the first ever bottle opener to be patented. A few years later, in the early 1900s, the selling and consumption of liquor increased drastically, and therefore, more companies started manufacturing new styles of bottle openers. Seeing the potential for publicizing their brand through this popular and useful tool, advertisers quickly started utilizing bottle openers in their marketing campaigns, hoping to have bottle openers branded with their message hanging from key chains and on kitchen wall hooks all around the world.
Fast forward 100+ years and custom bottle opener keychains are still one of the most popular advertising tools on the market today.
Affordable and easy to carry, promotional bottle opener keychains make great advertising tools for:
From beverage wrenches to multi-task openers, we've got the beer openers you need to make your next promotion a success! All of our bottle openers come custom printed with your design, so whether you want to share your logo or a unique message, we can do it all!
As a leader in the promotional printing industry for over two decades, you can rest easy knowing your project is in good hands. Our customers count on our commitment to outstanding customer service, affordable pricing, and the best selection of printed and promotional products the industry has to offer. Get started online now or give us a call today! Our team of friendly printing experts look forward to serving you!

subset: commoncrawl


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QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Walking down a red carpet on all fours as an honor band plays Ecuador's national anthem, 61 police dogs are being officially retired after years spent sniffing out illegal drugs.
The majority of the dogs — Labradors, German shepherds and Golden Retrievers on the whole — are being taken in by their former trainers. But the rest were adopted by families who opened their homes to a police inspection as part of a rigorous selection process to ensure the canines have a dignified retirement.
Police dogs in Ecuador on average serve for 9 years. Most of their work revolves finding cocaine smuggled through Ecuador. But 16 of dogs retired in Wednesday's ceremony helped locate victims trapped under rubble following a 2016 earthquake that left more than 600 people dead.
Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Need a break? Play a quick game of solitaire or Sudoku. Or take one of our fun quizzes!


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I think a better answer is that people don't have the desire to control dogs as much as they have the desire to control other people.
That is a better answer. People are extremely lucrative, but only if they're kept alive and able to spend.
Hmm, dare I say, if they cannot decide to end their lives on their own terms because such an option is illegal in most places... their existence is now purely to keep them alive, and that is not exactly cheap.
So much of the health care expense comes at the tail end of life. Some people want the tubes and wires and the machine that goes 'bing'. The ones that don't should have a cleaner option than a shotgun or a noose.


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What If You Want To Start A Business But Have No Funds?
So, you've got a great idea, a fantastic product you want to share with the world, but the only problem is you don't have the funds to make this a reality. Many people around the world don't have the funds to start their own business. But you've got to start somewhere and somehow. The truth be told, there are many ways you can actually get the money you need to get your project off the ground. Before you go hunting, there are a few things you should be doing to get yourself prepared. Essentially what you're trying to do is pitch yourself and your business plan to a complete stranger in order to get investment. They might not always want to just hear about the business plan, but more about how you will use their money. More importantly, your financial reputation will be scrutinized, so you've got to go through some procedures before you go move forward.
Photo by – The Orkla Group
What an investor might ask
You can find investors at many places, but they can crop up out of nowhere. They may have heard about your business purely by word of mouth, or they may have stumbled upon a product or service you provide. The key is to make sure investors feel comfortable with you, as a person. Investors are independent and will be using their own money, as opposed to companies and firms that will have pooled resources. The investor will ask you personal questions that will dive deeper into your character. They might love your business plan, but for them, when it's their own money, they need to know you're responsible and level-headed. They will ask you if you've ever handled large sums of money before and if you've ever gone bankrupt. It's conceivable that they might test your sternness with regards to how you discipline your employees because every node is connected together and screw-ups have a knock-on effect.
Image by – AMISOM
Going to the bank
Using banks as points of investment is used a lot of the time, especially for entrepreneurs trying to start their first business. The money you will get, if it is signed off by the financial advisor at the bank, will come in the form of a loan. You will be expected to make monthly payments to the bank, after a set date, which might mean having to do so with the loan itself. However before you can get cleared for a loan of such a magnitude, ranging in the region of above a hundred thousand, the bank will do a thorough financial check. It's very advisable to learn how to improve your credit rating by going to repair.credit. Here you'll find many ways of getting out of the red and into the black. You'll learn about different factors that do affect your credit score even if perhaps you weren't aware they did. Crucially, it also tells you how to negotiate with creditors and keep them on your side.
You can go the personal route if you want to, but bear in mind investors will judge you on your character as well as business plan. For some people, this is too much because despite a great business, if they don't trust you, they're out of the deal. A bank is a much more formal instrument for investment. Indeed it will come in the form of a loan, but if you have a good credit rating, you can raise the number, and the bank will still be confident in you.


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Behind every amazing tech innovation today are developers - these unique creatures that are able to turn coffee into software, using code as their primary instrument. Since 2015, once a year, on a (hopefully) sunny day, the global community meets at WeAreDevelopers, an event dubbed by many as the "Woodstock of Developers"
WeAreDevelopers World Congress 2018 will bring together 8,000 techies from 70 countries for 72-hours of pure dev-fun, with more than 150 of the brightest minds in tech and the largest playground for developers in Europe.
And CELUM is right there. Visit our stand, grab a cold beer from our Upper Austrian Beer Bar and help us get ready for "True Beta" to win 3 x EUR 1.000,-!!!
We are the New Kids on the Block with our product Workroo.ms. We have completed about 60% of what to achieve but there is still a lot to do. We have decided to go BETA to get more and faster feedback. YOUR help and feedback to be precise. Help us find bugs, tell us what you would like to see in the product and make sure to add "WADC" in your comment. Out of the top 10 bug reporters, we will hold a raffle for 3 x EUR 1.000 in cash. Redress through the courts is excluded/der Rechtsweg ist ausgeschlossen.
Don't even dare to miss our workshops lead by Michael Kräftner, CEO & CPO, on "UX First - Designing a collaborative tool for agile teams" and by our expert Johann Pichler, Software Architect, about "Exploring the Janus Graph Database using Gemlin Query Language" on16th May.
So meet CELUM @ the WeAreDevelopers Conference in Vienna on the 16th - 18th May 2018. Schedule a meeting already now!


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1) What AFI movie is Karen watching while feds search the house?
2) How much money does Paulie give to Henry when he turns his back on him?
3) In which city does Henry live at the end, according to the newspaper he picks up from the front porch?
4) The cab stand is on what street?


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Here is one of the stories I would love to be writing about more often. It's the story of James Walker, a singer-songwriter from Reading who originally started his career as a session musician, playing piano and guitar all over smokey folk cafés and at European festivals for other artists. His new single, 'Next To Me', is out today and it marks a new beginning for James after some time spent far from the studio. He got ill, going through open heart surgery, finding in music that source of motivation to recover quicker and better and re-start writing music. Re-prioritising things, this time, wanting to be that guy who actually tells the stories.
His new track is a delicate and introspective journey through a fragile soundscape. "It's a song about being with someone out of habit, rather than out of love. – says the artist on his Facebook page – How it feels to be so intimate with someone that you feel detached from. It's the feeling of slipping away when you're holding onto them at night, of going for dinner and having nothing to say to each other."
Listen to 'Next To Me' below here. It's the first cut taken from 'English Bones', James' forthcoming album and first proper release. It was recorded by Sam Winfield (Supegrass, Amber Run) at Studio 91.


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Published Sep 27, 2016
Darker, lighter? Blonde or brunette? Where do you go when you need a new hair color?
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via S. C.
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The 2016 Akron-Canton HOT LIST awards are based on more than 47,000 votes from local Akron-Canton-area experts.
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Maryland State House
Maryland State House
Drone Aerial over the Maryland State House DJI Phantom State Circle, Annapolis, MD, United States. Drone Aerial over the Maryland State House. (Do not attempt, a thorough process of getting cleared to do this was required) GoPro Hero 3+ Black (2.7K 30fps) Music: "Hero Down" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Travelwithdrone 507 29/12/2014 1,993


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A protest against the regime in Syria that took place under my house
March 16, 2012
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Sr. Manager, Data Analysis, Open to flexibility
- Recruiter
- GlaxoSmithKline plc
- Location
- London
- Salary
- £Competitive
- Posted
- 09 Apr 2018
- Closes
- 23 Apr 2018
- Ref
- Role
- Flexibility
- Various flexible options possible
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Sr. Manager, Data Analysis, Open to flexibility
An ideal candidate will possess strong problem solving and conceptual thinking abilities in addition to communication, interpersonal and leadership skills. This position will be in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment where you will be handling multiple concurrent projects while working independently and in teams.
Basic qualifications:
- At least 5 years of experience with professional data analysis
- At least 2 years of experience with open source or cloud data technologies
Preferred qualifications:
- Masters Degree or Doctorate in a Finance, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field
- At least 7 years of experience in statistical hands-on work
- At least 5 years of experience manipulating and performing analysis with large data sets
- At least 2 years of experience with data governance
- At least 2 years of experience with predictive analytics
Why GSK?:
At GSK, our mission is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. Our three world-leading businesses research and deliver innovative medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. We need a talented and motivated workforce to deliver against our strategy. To achieve this, we strive to attract the best people and to create an environment that empowers and inspires.
Contact information:
You may apply for this position online by selecting the Apply now button.
If you require an accommodation or other assistance to apply for a job at GSK, please contact the GSK HR Service Centre at 1-877-694-7547 (US Toll Free) or +1 801 567 5155 (outside US).GSK is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class.
Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies
GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.
Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK's compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit GSK's Transparency Reporting For the Record site.


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High in the hills of Shatoy region in southern Chechnya, assassination is a real threat for Mr Demilkhanov, 47, the head of the local government. Beyond Shatoy village heavily armed militants occupy the forested glens that climb to the border with Georgia.
Last year his younger brother, another pro-Moscow official, was shot dead in his car by a rebel sniper. Buildings destroyed in fighting, terrible poverty and lack of roads are other headaches here on Russia's most southern fringe. But Mr Demilkhanov thinks he knows what could save Shatoy: tourism.
"Here we will build a health centre with 10 special baths," said the former collective farm manager, heaving open the Volga's reinforced door and stepping into dazzling sunlight. "This stuff cures every skin disease you can think of." A few metres away piping hot sulphurous water pours from a tap in an open field and flows into a gully. Nearby Mr Demilkhanov plans to construct a sports centre, a hotel and a swimming pool. "Chechnya is Russia's answer to Switzerland," he said with a straight face. "It's very peaceful here."
It is no personal flight of fancy. After more than a decade of war a sense of normality is returning to Chechnya. Grozny, the capital once devastated by Russian carpet bombing, has undergone massive reconstruction. Shooting is no longer heard in the streets. Direct flights to Moscow restarted in the spring. And last winter the republic's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, declared that he was "absolutely convinced that Chechnya's attractiveness is no less than other regions of Russia or Europe".
Mr Kadyrov, 30, a former independence fighter who swapped sides and is now president of Chechnya's pro-Kremlin administration, has crushed most armed opposition. "The tourist business could seriously add to the budget of the Chechen republic," he insisted.
Mr Kadyrov's subordinates knew when to jump. Last month the ministry for physical culture, sport and tourism issued a plan for developing tourism which concluded that "the recreation potential of the republic is limitless".
The plan includes a 500-room hotel in Grozny, reconstruction of a Soviet-era holiday camp in Benoy village and development of a former Olympic training base in Vedeno region. Campsites will be opened and cultural monuments restored. About £40m will be invested.
Are such proposals absurd while armed skirmishes between rebels and the security forces are still a weekly, if not daily, occurrence? "No," said the deputy tourism minister, Salman Dalakov. "These projects will take years, during which time the security situation will steadily improve. We must look to the future."
Mr Dalakov said he hoped Chechnya could regain Soviet levels of tourism, when 20,000 visitors came every month to go skiing, walking and horse-riding in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains.
In Shatoy Mr Demilkhanov was wasting no time. At his headquarters he changed into more comfortable clothes: a natty black tracksuit and a pair of brown winklepickers.
"Everything will be geared to tourism," he said as he gave the Guardian a tour of the village. Mr Demilkhanov has fond memories of his own foreign tour to the US in 1990 when he studied milking machines in Vermont. "You are way ahead of us in the west," he said. "But our natural beauty is second to none."
He could be right. The dramatic Argun Gorge which runs through Shatoy is like a scene from a woodcut in the 19th century, when Russian writers like Tolstoy and Lermontov fell in love with the romance of the Caucasus. In the folds of nearby hills there are beautiful stone towers, once used as lookouts for enemies, that will be repaired under the tourism plans. Alpine meadows are full of wild flowers. Snow-capped peaks in the main Caucasus range are occasionally visible to the south.
One small step on the path to development of Shatoy is already complete: more than two miles of asphalt laid over the rough stone track that leads up from the plains. The remaining nine miles should be completed next year.
Security remains a big question, however. The Foreign Office and the US state department advise against trips to the region. Fighters who espoused Chechnya's secession from Russia and once enjoyed popular support have withered. But a core of about 700 militants are still hiding in the mountains.
Despite his claims that the region is peaceful, Mr Demilkhanov always travels with two bodyguards carrying Tulpan (Tulip) sawn-off Kalashnikovs. (More reassuringly his blackened car window was caused by President Kadyrov's security officers testing the glass, rather than a would-be assassin.) Military checkpoints are everywhere. When we travelled past Shatoy deeper into the mountains a Russian armoured personnel carrier rumbled past. Minutes after it rounded a corner there were single shots and then peals of automatic gunfire. "Maybe an ambush," said our driver.
In Grozny the prospect of tourism seems closer. For now official delegations, accredited journalists and NGO workers are the only foreigners allowed to enter Chechnya. Yet others are already finding a way in. "There were five Korean lads who turned up in the summer," said a manager at the Kavkaz, Grozny's only hotel, with 10 rooms. "I've no idea how they got here. They were just curious to take a look around."
Along the repaved central Prospekt Pobedy cafes and boutiques have sprung up. Billboards advertise designer fashions and manicures. Western culture is hitting Chechnya, although local customs remain strong. A women's clothes shop promises "a combination of modesty and beauty".
Mr Dalakov admitted that attracting visitors would be a long process, starting with Russian trippers and moving on to foreign "extreme tourists" before tapping the mainstream market. But strong traditions of hospitality in Chechnya would oil the wheels, he said. "Welcoming guests is a joy for us."


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This Distance
Inland I
Inland III
Interior Gold II
Interior Gold III
A personal reflection on Garry Currin's recent exhibition
Milford Gallery, Dunedin
22 August – 16 September 2009
Garry Currin is a conjurer of the light from shadowed lands. His canvases show a parallel universe, or a futuristic view of our own, with all their layers and complexities exposed. They are startling in their freshness.
The intensity of his mark-making and colouration drew me straight into the picture plane and tugged at my unconscious mind. The onlooker needs to slow down, take stock, engage and think hard about the work. I felt as if I was transported in time and space, with no markers to tell me where I was. It was as strange to me as it was familiar—a half-remembered dream.
'Trojan' with its sense of abandonment hints at past and present violence. Telegraph poles with no wires are derelict relics scattered beyond a skeletal frame, reminiscent of a ship's hull.
The roofs clustered in the foreground of 'This distance' suggest what is conscious and known. Land and time stretches away from these habitations into the hazy and unknown future. A promise of renewal underpins the works literally as yellowed light, splitting the textured layers of the molten surface.
I am reminded of a novel Maurice Gee wrote called 'Salt'. In this story he shows a continuous cycle of colonisation and plunder of a rich port town and province. Due to greed and violence, the land previously coveted for its riches becomes damaged and worthless.
While this exhibition depicts a different dimension or reality, it should not be shelved as a fantasy of an impossible nature. The paintings contain a very real sense of possibility, a revelatory glimpse of the future.
This is not a passive space. A challenge is presented. Do we engage and participate, thus affecting the outcome—or remain as viewers enjoying the show?
Reviewed and written by Kathryn Taiaroa
Read other exhibition reviews online
Discuss this exhibition in the chrysalis seed arts community
Browse the CS Arts archives


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Taking a Measurable Approach to People and Performance to Drive Business Results
With Simon Nash
- Tags: Measuring | Performance | Success
Simon Nash LLB FCIPD is the HR director of the law firm Carey Olsen and a founder member of Business Connect
In this breakfast seminar Simon delivers his highly rated message from the CIPD performance conference, held in October 2012. The seminar asks the question; "How can businesses get better financial outcomes from the performance of their people?".
In 45 minutes of topical material it is posited that the answer lies in having an understanding of the way value is generated by people in organisations and learning that value can be subjectively meaningful, systematically measurable and scientifically manageable.
Related Articles
Simon Nash


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HighlightsLuleå | Lodge accommodation | Forest walk | Wilderness lunch in traditional Sami tent | Snow mobile to Brändöskär | Aurora hideaway | Husky safari | Ice fishing | Northern lights watch
HighlightsLapland's Luleå archipelago | cosy lodge accommodation | learn outdoor skills like fire making and ice fishing | forest snowshoe walks | wilderness lunch in traditional Sami tent | snow mobile to Brändöskär | candle-lit Aurora hideaway | husky safari | Northern Lights watch | free time for optional excursions |
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? firstname.lastname@example.com
Small group vacationSmall group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. Its easy to tick off the big sights independently but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If youre heading off on a gap year your, perhaps but for those with a two-week vacation, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
The leaders are not guides theyre not there to shepherd you around. Instead, theyll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food without running the risk of travelers tummy. Theyll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds and organised travel without the coaches. And its cheaper than a tailor made tour. Its sits somewhere in the middle and we think its just about right.
Have big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Make the most of your vacation time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
If you dont have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels so you can squeeze more into your vacation.
Solo travelers whod like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those traveling alone. Single supplements are usually available providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travelers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travelers their own room.
There wont be any free time
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
The accommodation will be basic
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations wont have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
I wont like the other travelers!
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic age, families, activity levels... Chances are, youll even make new friends.
Will we be following an umbrella?
Story: The first British woman to climb Manaslu, Valerie climbed Everest for her 50th birthday. Shes spent fourteen Christmas Days trekking to Everest Base Camp, and is involved insetting up Responsible Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.
Story: Roshan has led over 130 trips he adores showing travelers around Sri Lanka. He won the company Leader Award in 2010, but his career highlight was working on their Tsunami Project which earned him a responsible tourism award.
Responsible tourism
Responsible tourism: Swedish Lapland activity week
Water As the water in Sweden is safe to drink, we suggest packing a refillable drinking bottle and drinking the tap water during the week. Water is heated by solar panels in the summer months when the sun is up! Water from snowmelt is collecting at the beginning of spring.
Waste - Our local operator follows a strict leave only footprints policy. When groups stop for lunch, no rubbish is left and fire pits are buried with snow. Leaders also teach clients about how they impact on the local environment and want is done to try and keep this to a minimum.
There is a strict recycling policy throughout the lodge and all rooms have two bins one for waste and one for recycling.
Suppliers - All meat served at Pine Bay is from the local farm, just 600m from the property. Berries, mushrooms and fish are all bought from local farmers. Washing powders, shampoos and soaps are all organic.
Local crafts and culture We will have the opportunity to visit small souvenir shop at nearby Brandon Lodge sells a range of arts and crafts products made by local people, such as Sami jewellery and reindeer hides. By stocking these products, we are encouraging local and traditional methods of production and supporting the economy in the area.
Friends and Neighbours Pine Bay Lodges sister hotel, Brandon Lodge sets aside a small field for the local Sami herders to keep their reindeer in winter. Guests are welcome to come and visit the animals and learn more about Sami culture and how important the reindeer are both economically and culturally.
The lodge employs local leaders and staff who know the area well and love to share stories about their local history and culture. Many families have lived in this region for generations. Employing them here, means they dont have to move to larger urban centers to find work.
The popularity of this region of northern Sweden has given a boost to winter tourism all over Lapland. Previously areas that relied on their own nationals for winter income are now getting more visits from overseas clients, who stay for longer and spend more money. However, where most visits to the region are just for a couple of nights over a long weekend, on this trip you stay for a full week helping to provide weekly income from January to March.
UK office
It all starts at home so we have first worked to reduce our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies in place, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
Group size
We operate small group tours that have a low impact on the communities we visit and we always ensure our operations do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. This allows us to stay in unique and characterful accommodation that would not have benefitted from tourism due to their limited size.
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Notice to Limited English Proficient Individuals
NINR provides certain materials in Spanish. These materials are available free of charge. If you need more information about available resources in your language, please call 301-496-0207, or email us at email@example.com.
NINR Strategic Plan: "Advancing Science, Improving Lives"
NINR's Strategic Plan seeks to harness the strengths of nursing science to power an ambitious research agenda that will meet current and future health care needs and anticipate future health challenges and priorities. The Plan is intended to not only serve as a guide for NINR research and training activities over the coming years, but also to provide a vision for nursing science for the next quarter century. Read the NINR Strategic Plan: Advancing Science, Improving Lives (complete PDF version, 3.0 MB).


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Google Nexus 6 Oneview
Google Nexus 6 Oneview
Product Code: OVGN6
Product description
One View for Google Nexus 6 is a four way adhesive privacy film that works in both portrait and landscape formats and is the optimal solution for protecting confidential information. The film has a 3H hard-coat anti-scratch protection and is also anti-glare, protecting the eyes from strain.
-FREE Microfibre Cleaning Cloth
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Graduate student handled second leg on 17th-place 4×100 in her second NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance…earned first-team All-American honors on 2014 4×100 squad, which finished seventh…outstanding curve runner who holds down third leg.
Outdoor: Member of NCAA-qualifying 4×100 which ran SB 44.65 for last spot in field at NCAA East…also on fourth-place ACC Championships 4×100 as Noles won team title…season highlights included PBs in both the 100 (11.81) and 200 (23.97). Indoor: Competed in five meets…highlight was a 400-meter PR of 55.47 at the Razorback Invitational.
Outdoor: Turned in season-best times in 100 (11.95) and 200 (24.20) at ACC Outdoor Champinships…spent most of the outdoor season honing speed by racing at shorter distances…ran on Penn Relays 4×100 and the 4×400 at Longhorn Invitational. Indoor: Alternate on FSU's NCAA Indoor Championship 4×400 relay…ran third leg on No. 2 4×400 relay (3:35.26) in program history, which qualified by winning Alex Wilson Invitational…injury suffered at meet kept her out of the NCAA lineup…posted season-bests of 7.72 (60m) and 24.26 (200).
Outdoor: Earned first-team All-American honors handling third leg on seventh-place 4×100, which ran 44.17 in prelims…ran fastest legal 200 since 2012 (24.13) at the Seminole Twilight…blazed a wind-aided 23.92 at the Seminole Invitational…was on FSU's eighth-place 4×400 relay team, providing the final point toward the ACC team title. Indoor: Injuries limited her schedule to two meets, after missing all of 2013 as a redshirt.
Outdoor: Competed in four outdoor meets, primarily on relay teams…was on seventh-place 4×400 relay at the ACC Outdoor Championships. Indoor: Ran 400 leg (56.35) on FSU's ACC Championship record-setting (11:08.17) DMR and placed fifth in the 200 (24.10)…contributed the fastest leg (55.77) to the Seminoles' 4×400 relay (3:46.29), which finished fifth and enabled the `Noles to hold on to the runner-up position.
Did not run high school track as DeKalb School of the Arts does not offer a program…ran with the New Horizons Track Club through the USATF Junior program at the state, region and national levels…completed both undergrad and graduate degrees with focus in political science…multi-time recipient of All-ACC Academic honors, both indoors and outdoors…born May 31, 1993


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Herbrin is concerned about the Fey that have been discovered in the forests.
Before too long we will be annexing parts of the forest and settlers will want to move in to the area. Already we have seen the Loggers at odds with the Nixie, and the thought of loggers trying to take down the Dryads tree … well that just doesn't bear thinking about.
Hebrin wants to claim those areas as part of the kingdom and then declared that they are reserved ground and not open to settlement or other developments. He had thought of just leaving them unclaimed, but then there is no grounds to declare them reserved, nor any authority to patrol them to make sure they stay that way.
This way Newhaven can claim the land - declare that it is reserved, put up signs to make people aware and then patrol it to make sure they comply. Then the friendly Fey wont be disturbed in their own homes.
We could call them Nature Reserves ….
We could then apply the same rules to the Kobold area, leaving laws and development to them. It would also reduce clashes between settlers and Kobolds and might save a lot of trouble. It would be a Kobold Reservation …..
It might also work if Newhaven comes across other friendly locals whose customs and privacy we want to help maintain.


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The crowning section of any orchestra, the Brass delivers the punching tones heard high above the group. They also play a cruical role in latin and world music. We have some of the best Brass instruments, all have been sourced by some of the most reputable brands on the market today. We carry a range of Student to Professional Brass instruments, and even some specialty finish instruments!
Frank & Camille's West is the Tri-State Area's premier piano store, restoration facility, and wholesale distribution location. We have been carrying on a tradition of excellence in the music industry and with our loyal customers for more than 35 years. Located in Queens and Westchester, we carry only the best, including Baldwin, Charles R. Walter, Knabe, Pramberger, Samick, and Seiler, and are home to the largest selection of remanufactured Steinway, Yamaha, and Kawai pianos.
If you're looking for a piano, we are confident that you'll find it with us at the lowest price. Our knowledgeable staff is well versed in all styles and brands on the market. We have grand pianos, upright pianos, digital pianos, and everything in between to fit any room and décor. Whether this is your first piano or just the latest, Frank & Camille's West will offer you more than just a purchase—we will show you an entirely new buying experience, backed by experts committed to providing only the highest quality service to every single customer.
Visit our showroom today. Share in our passion for music. Discover the piano of your dreams.


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The first three photos have been released from "By the Sea," Angelina Jolie's third directorial effort which began production a few weeks ago in Malta. The project marks the first on screen re-teaming of Jolie with husband Brad Pitt since 2005's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". EW, which published the photos, has also included a synopsis:
"Set in France during the mid-1970s, Jolie plays Vanessa, a former dancer, and Pitt is her husband Roland, an American writer. As they travel the country together, they seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper (Niels Arestrup) and hotel owner (Richard Bohringer)."
Production is slated to continue through mid-November. Universal Pictures has the worldwide rights to the film which hasn't set a release date as yet.


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Phenom People
Phenom People
People should love their jobs. We do.
Phenom People
People should love their jobs. We do.
The World's Leading Talent Relationship Marketing Platform
The Phenom TRM Cloud Platform connects billions of people around the world looking for their dream job with great companies eager to make their next phenomenal hire. Phenom People is redefining what it means to search for a job and recruit top talent.
We believe people should be happy and inspired by their jobs – just as we are. That simple belief fuels our collective desire to fundamentally transform talent acquisition.
Our Core Values
People should be happy and inspired by their jobs – just as we are. That simple belief fuels our collective desire.
The driving force behind our motivation to explore, question, and wonder so we are constantly innovating.
By being bold and believing in our purpose to help a billion people find the right job.
For our product, customers, employees, and community
Having high energy and drive to accomplish our goals
The Phenom team is a talented blend of passionate people with diverse backgrounds. Collectively, our leadership has decades of experience in the talent acquisition field and leverages their knowledge and vision to relentlessly improve the Phenom TRM Platform.
United States
300 Brookside Avenue
Building 18, Suite 200
Ambler, PA 19002
Phone: +1.267.282.0098
6th floor,Plot No.5&6,
White Fields Road,
Kondapur, Hyderabad
Phone: 040-23119897


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3 Giant Cell Phones for 2012
Once in a blue moon, when the stars are aligned and the sun shines through Stonehenge at precisely the right angle, no fewer than three mobile operating systems will receive major updates at roughly the same time. Reader, today we stand at one such holy juncture.
So which OS should you buy into? Let's meet the lordly devices who have raised their banners in service of these three operating systems and ride into battle as their champions.
Apple iPhone 4SProudly bearing the iOS 5 insignia on its pennant, the iPhone 4S is a stately knight indeed, garbed in armour of metal and glass and wielding an 8-megapixel camera, a nippy A5 processor and Siri, the voice-controlled robot squire. The 4S is the direct descendant of the mighty iPhone 4, but it looks very similar to its royal father -- is this new device a rightful heir, or a pretender to the throne?
Samsung Galaxy NexusThe standard-bearer for the whole Android operating system, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the biggest phone in the tournament, touting a massive 4.65-inch hi-def screen and a 5-megapixel camera. Seated astride a 1.2GHz dual-core-powered destrier, this fearsome contender wears the favour of Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android. Garbed in grey
Nokia Lumia 800Since house Nokia bent the knee to Microsoft and swore fealty to the Windows Phone operating system, the realm has eagerly awaited the arrival of the Nokia Lumia 800. This handsome young outsider's shield is decorated with an 8-megapixel camera, and Mango -- the latest edition of Windows Phone. Can the Lumia 800's attractive design win back its family's lost honour?
Which of these phones deserves to sit on the throne, and which should end up spiked on a castle wall? Let's pit them against each other to find out. For when you play the game of phones, you win, or you die...
Ease of useWhat use is a great new phone if you can't figure out how to use the blasted thing? None, that's what. Luckily, none of these mobiles are navigational nightmares. But some are still winners.
The iPhone 4S is running iOS 5, which almost everyone on the planet knows how to use, thanks to those ubiquitous Apple TV ads that show you how it works. Apps are tiled in neat grids of 16 on homescreens, and you swipe between these, tapping on apps you want to open. Double-tapping the 4S' home button brings up a taskbar that shows you all the apps you've got running so you can quickly hop between them.
And that's about it. Utterly simple, and attractive to boot. But it's not perfect -- moving between the apps you've got running often takes longer than it should, and diving into the settings feels like rappelling down into the seventh circle of Hell. Why are almost all the options you need hidden in the cryptic General tab? And why does it take so long to do something as simple as change Wi-Fi network?
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has the 4S beat in many areas -- its Ice Cream Sandwich software looks to make Android much more usable, packing features like a persistent on-screen button that stacks all the apps you've got running across the screen. You can swipe up or down to see all of them, and swipe to the side on individual app windows to dismiss that app. It's a better way of handling multi-tasking.
But in other areas Android is still harder to use than rival operating systems. Google's robot-powered platform grants you immense freedom, but the price of that freedom is that you will find occasionally find yourself buried in a labyrinthine menu system, navigating subfolders within your phone's microSD card.
For pure eye-friendly ease-of-use, the Nokia Lumia 800 wins out, thanks to Windows Phone Mango. This operating system looks the business, sporting colourful tiles sewn together on a single homescreen, and impressive Facebook and Twitter integration. Each tile on the homescreen represents an individual app, and many of them fizz with activity, with live updates keeping you in the loop without you having to tire yourself out pressing anything.
Dive deeper into the menu system and you'll get more options, but it rarely gets more complicated to find your way around, with gorgeous menu transitions keeping your eyes happy throughout. We also like the ability to sort contacts into groups and pin those groups to the homescreen -- handy for keeping an eye on groups of friends and group messaging.
It's very simple. That simplicity might put you off if you love having a tonne of options at your disposal, but we think Windows Phone offers a great user interface that's easy to get to grips with.
Ease of use victor: Nokia Lumia 800
AppsWindows Phone might deliver when it comes to a clear, intuitive interface, but when it comes to apps, the most you're likely to find in the Marketplace is a solitary tumbleweed, playing Doodle Jump on its iPhone.
There just aren't very many desirable apps and games on Windows Phone yet, with developers preferring to build apps for iOS and Android, where successful apps can earn their creators big money. As such, if you're really into downloadable goodies, the Nokia Lumia 800 isn't the best phone to go for.
The Galaxy Nexus fares better because there are loads of apps for Ice Cream Sandwich. Thousands of the blighters in fact, and many of them are free. But it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff.
Because Google doesn't force apps through an approval process, there's an overwhelming amount of rubbish floating about on the Android Market, and its hard to find the nuggets of pure metal in among the dross. The default Market app doesn't help matters, because it's often confusing, and hard to see which apps are worth bothering with.
There's also a serious dearth of decent games on the Android Market. So while the Samsung Galaxy Nexus offers loads of apps, it's not the best choice if you're seriously addicted to apps.
The iPhone 4S wins this round -- while it has its flaws, it's easily the best operating system for apps. There are thousands of great apps, including loads of beautifully-presented, addictive games. Prices are reasonable, purchasing and installing is dead simple and the App Store app is dead easy to use.
App quality across iOS is generally high as well, thanks to Apple's strict approval process. That means you'll miss out on fun apps of somewhat dubious legality (such as game emulators) that are on Android, but we think for most people the sheer quality on offer more than outweighs this inconvenience. But that leads us to...
Apps victor: iPhone 4S
Freedom and general tinkeringThe iPhone 4S might dominate in the apps stakes, but if you're a true geek who likes to take your gadgets apart to see what makes them tick, it'll leave you cold. Unless you want to jailbreak your phone, you'll have to play by Apple's rules. And that means only playing with Apple-approved apps and minimal customisation.
That's fine for some, but we know there are hundreds of gadgeteers out there who won't rest until they've forced their phone to make popcorn, change the TV channel and deliver soothing backrubs, all while running 17 operating systems and ordering pizza. If you're titillated by tinkering, the iPhone 4S will leave you, er, un-titillated.
Sadly Windows Phone is much the same. We mentioned above how easy it is to use, but the flipside of that ease of use is that your options are limited if you want to stray from the path Microsoft has laid out for you. As such, the Nokia Lumia 800 will frustrate those who like to muck about with their mobiles.
Android, on the other hand, offers all this in spades. Frustrated by the default keyboard? Download another one, there's loads to choose from. Want to funky up your homescreen? Download Launcher Pro. Want to play old-school games with a PS3 controller? Tricky, but certainly possible. This category is a no-brainer.
Tinkering victor: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
HardwareWhile the major difference between these three blowers is the operating system that powers them, it wouldn't be fair not to mention the hardware in question.
The iPhone 4S offers speed that far outstrips its predecessor, thanks to an A5 chip that's performed very well in our benchmark tests. We're also incredibly impressed with the 8-megapixel camera, which easily outpaced the Nokia Lumia 800 in our camera test, and shoots 1080p video to boot.
The 3.5-inch screen is the same panel you'd find on the old iPhone 4, but looks absolutely stunning nonetheless -- extremely crisp and sharp.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus, meanwhile, has a lower-resolution camera than either of its competitors, offering up a measly 5-megapixels. It feels very snappy though, thanks to a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and it has a big, beautiful 4.65-inch screen that boasts a stonking 720x1,280-pixel resolution.
Unlike many leading Android phones, the Galaxy Nexus doesn't have expandable storage -- you're stuck with the 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. That doesn't disadvantage it in this comparison, however, as neither of its competitors have a microSD slot either. The Lumia 800 has 16GB of storage, while the iPhone 4S offers 16GB, 32GB or 64GB, depending how much you pay.
The Nokia Lumia 800 has an 8-megapixel camera, though as we mentioned before it doesn't look like it's going to beat the snapper on the iPhone 4S, or other great mobiles such as the Samsung Galaxy S2. Still, a 1.4GHz processor and a screen with a very impressive viewing angle make this a decent bit of kit.
Choosing the best of these three phones in terms of hardware is tricky -- they each have their strengths and weaknesses. We're calling it a draw.
Hardware victor: Draw
ConclusionThree brave phones enter the tournament, but which is still in the saddle?
The Nokia Lumia 800 might have a pretty face, and we're big fans of Windows Phone, but we can't recommend it yet when it's so bereft of apps. We hereby decree that the Lumia 800 be stripped of lands and titles. If it gets more apps to its name we might reconsider, but for now it must be banished.
Which leaves us with the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and wouldn't you know, it's an impossible choice. If you're a prolific downloader of music and apps, the iPhone 4S is the clear option.
But not everyone is so keen on apps -- for some people the freedom to experiment with their gadgets is more valuable. The Galaxy Nexus provides those thrills in spades, and the improvements in Ice Cream Sandwich look set to somewhat demystify the oft-baffling Android interface.
There's nothing in it -- to choose between these two mobiles you must look not to respectable technology websites staffed by handsome writers, but to your own heart.
Overall victor: Joint winners -- iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Is our judgement fair? Should the Lumia 800 have won, or is the Galaxy Nexus a million times better than anything else out there? Inform us in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.


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Dependent Arising: Why This Whole Ball of Shit Keeps Rolling (Part 5 of A 13-Part Series)
But let be the past, Udayin, let be the future. I shall teach you the Dhamma: When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases (Culaskuludayi Sutta, M.79:7).
The story of how the wanderer Sariputta encountered the Buddha's disciple Assaji and gained his enlightenment is well-known. Sariputta and his friend Mogallana were seekers after "the Deathless" and had split up so as to increase their chances of encountering a bona fide teacher of the Way. When Sariputta met Assaji, one of the Buddha's original five disciples, he was impressed by the peacefulness of his bearing and countenance and asked about his teacher and the dhamma he proclaimed. At first Assaji demurred, claiming to be but a beginner, but when pressed he at last responded with this now-famous summation of the Buddha's teaching:
Of those things that arise from a cause,
The Tathāgata has told the cause,
And also what their cessation is:
This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse.
As it is written in the Vinaya: "Then, as he heard this Dhamma exposition, in Sariputta the wanderer there arose the dustless, stainless eye of Dhamma: 'Whatever is subject to origination is also subject to cessation'" (Vinaya Mahavagga I:23.1-10). In that moment Sariputta became a stream-enterer.
Clearly, Dependent Arising (paticcasamuppāda)—of which the quatrain above is a brief formulation—is the fundamental insight upon which the framework of the Buddha's teaching is built. As noted in an earlier post, the Second and Third Noble Truths are direct statements of it.
Now, much has been written about this teaching, a great deal of it wrong. However, as this is a blog and not a book, I am constrained by time and space and so will try to keep my comments to the point. The most common (mis)understanding of Dependent Arising is that it somehow explains rebirth via the "Three Lives Interpretation." Readers unfamiliar with this interpretation from the Pali Commentaries should familiarize themselves with it before continuing. See here for the Wikipedia article, which is pretty good as summaries go. Bhikkhu Bodhi, an ardent proponent of this view, writes in its defense in volume one of his Samyutta Nikaya translation: The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, pp. 517ff.
Some points opposing this traditional interpretation are as follows:
- Dependent Arising has nothing to do with rebirth. One might even be an arhant and not be able to recollect past lives.
- "Precedence [of terms] in paticcasamuppada is structural, not temporal," to quote Ven. Ñanavira.
- It therefore has nothing to do with causality, which is by definition a process in time.
- It is not the description of a process (necessarily temporal), but of a structure.
A recent, popular interpretation is that Dependent Arising teaches the "unity" and "interconnectedness of all things," which seems to be what Mr. MacPherson thinks. Cf. "Right understanding…means to understand both cognitively and experientially that one is connected to all other people (dependent origination)"—from "The Eightfold Path Inside Christianity: Points 1 and 2". I have no idea where this belief came from or who started it (though I suspect Thich Nhat Hanh may have something to do with it), but it has no basis in either the suttas or in the experience of vipassana meditation. Any interpretation of the Buddha's teaching built upon this manner of thinking is built upon quicksand.
A few further points:
- In not a single sutta or Vinaya passage does the Buddha refer to past lives in connection with Dependent Arising.
- In no story of anyone's awakening experience is their insight described as depending upon the remembrance of past lives, which is what the traditional interpretation implies. Cf. Bhikkhu Ñanananda in The Magic of the Mind: "The law of Dependent Arising is a Noble Norm (ariyo ñayo) which in all its twelve-linked completeness is well-seen and well-penetrated through wisdom (paññaya sudittho hoti suppatividdho ) even by a Stream-winner (sotapanna) who may not possess the knowledge of past lives" (p. 26, n. 1).
- No passage in the suttas asserts the "unity" of everything, the "interconnectedness" of creation, the "ground of being," "cosmic oneness" or any other such substantialist doctrine. (In fact, in books on non-duality and mysticism in general, passages from the Pali Canon are most noticeable for their absence. This was one of the insights that caused me to start asking what it was about the Theravada that made it "feel" so different from the mystical philosophies—Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, Christian mysticism, etc—with which I was at the time more familiar.)
- Dependent Arising is solely concerned with the structure of conditioned consciousness, how it is (samudaya) and how it isn't (nirodha).
- There are several formulations of Dependent Arising, differing in terms of the items listed, but all share the same structure of conditionality and dependence. This clearly indicates that the structural principle per se is what is important, and not the individual terms themselves. Assaji's phrase is but a bare statement of this structure, as is the Buddha's declaration to Udayin.
- The individual items (sankhara) in the series depend upon, condition, determine and support one another. Not one, not even avijja (=delusion, usually first in the chain), is unsupported. The structure of consciousness therefore stands and falls depending upon its supporting elements. This point is critical to understanding the nature of dukkha and nibbana.
Having said the above, the question ought naturally arise: Why did the Buddha emphasize tanha—"desire"—as the source of suffering? Why, even though the second noble truth is clearly the arising phase of paticcasamuppada, did he focus on that term, which is but one in the standard series of Dependent Arising?
The following quote from Ñanananda's masterful little treatise, The Magic of the Mind, indicates an answer:
Selfhood which tries to sit pretty on that which is liable to disintegrate is itself subject to the inexorable law of impermanence. In the face of this predicament one craves, grasps and "becomes" yet another "thing"—which too yields to the same law of nature…
The process of becoming is thus shown to be perpetually going on within the mind of the samsaric individual who identifies himself with sense-data under the influence of the proliferating tendencies toward craving, conceits and views… Since…becoming in the psychological realm is necessarily followed by birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, grief and despair in every specific instance of short-lived identification, an insight into the law of Dependent Arising provides one with the key to the entire gamut of samsaric experience. One comes to understand the cycle of samsaric life by discovering its epicycle in the very structure of living experience. He is now convinced of the fact that it is craving that plays the villain in the drama of samsaric existence, bringing about re-becoming by delighting "now-here-now-there" (pp.48-50).
What Ñanananda is saying is that craving (tanha) is the energizing force behind the constant identification with the phenomena (dhamma) of experience, and that this identification is in part a survival mechanism, a flight from inevitable destruction under the pressure of omnipresent impermanence. The flip side of desire, then, is fear—fear of loss, decay, death. Life is bound between the carrot and the stick, an endless flight and pursuit. We chase the pleasurable and flee the painful. (Cf. Ñanavira's discussion of Joyce's Ulysses.)
There is yet another reason why the Buddha focused on desire and defined it as the "cause" of suffering. The Buddha's teaching, unlike most pre-modern philosophies, is phenomenological as opposed to substance-based or idealistic in character. Here, from the online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, is a definition of phenomenology:
Phenomenology is the study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. The central structure of an experience is its intentionality, its being directed toward something, as it is an experience of or about some object. An experience is directed toward an object by virtue of its content or meaning (which represents the object) together with appropriate enabling conditions (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/. Accessed 7/4/2011).
A more succinct and accurate description of the Buddha's general orientation could hardly be desired.
The Buddha, then, concerned himself not with abstract principles or explanations but with what human beings experience. He realized that in describing the human situation he had to start with the grosser facts, the inescapable bases of all lived experience, and if anything is fundamental to life it is desire. From the moment a baby is born (not to mention the manner of its conceiving!), it wants food, water, warmth, shelter, protection, nurturance, and then, later, status, recognition, acknowledgement, assurance, friendship, belonging, hope, and whatever else the person deems necessary to support his or her psychophysical being. (Cf. Maslow's "hierarchy of needs.") Our experience of life, therefore, and what we make of it, is defined by our definition of phenomena as desirable or not.
The implication of Dependent Arising, however, is that everything we hope for and hold to is radically vulnerable, i.e. impermanent. If we understand this fact, we realize that no matter what we take our lives to be, they inevitably fall apart—I am unstable, as are the things I identify myself with, both inwardly and outwardly. In demonstrating this truth, the teaching of Dependent Arising urges us to question and ultimately let go the desires and identifications that make up our selves.
Writes Ñanavira:
[T]he Dhamma does not set out to explain, but to lead—it is opanayika ["onward leading"]. This means that the Dhamma is not seeking disinterested intellectual approval, but to provoke an effort of comprehension or insight leading to the abandonment of attavada ["self-view"] and eventually of asmimana [the "conceit" I am]. Its method is therefore necessarily indirect: we can only stop regarding this as "self" if we see that what this depends on is impermanent. Consider, for example, the Mahasudassana Sutta (D.17:2:16), where the Buddha describes in detail the rich endowments and possessions of King Mahasudassana, and then finishes:
See, Ananda, how all those formations (sankhara) have passed, have ceased, have altered. So impermanent, Ananda, are formations, that this, Ananda, is enough for weariness of all formations, enough for dispassion, enough for release.
This is not a simple statement that all those things, being impermanent by nature, are now no more; it is a lever to prize the notion of "selfhood" out of its firm socket. Those things were sankhara, they were things on which King Mahasudassana depended for his very identity. They determined his person as "King Mahasudassana," and with their cessation the thought "I am King Mahasudassana" came to an end (Clearing the Path, pp. 108-9).
Lest the reader think this all just some grand philosophy, some heady, speculative pronouncement, I would like to remind you that these insights are born of direct, reflexive observation of the mind and its contents. Consider the following from Mahasi Sayadaw, where he describes the last moments before the attainment of nibbana, wherein the entire structure of dependently arisen consciousness suddenly ceases for the first time:
The meditator who wishes to realize Nibbana should repeatedly bring to mind, through the practice of noticing, every bodily and mental process that appears at any of the six sense doors. When he brings them to mind thus, his consciousness engaged in noticing—here called "bringing to mind"—will, until adaptation knowledge is reached, fall at every moment upon the (conditioned) bodily and mental formations called here "continuous occurrence," because they go on occurring over and over again in an unbroken flow, like a river's current. But in the last phase, instead of falling upon that continuous occurrence, consciousness passes beyond it and alights upon "non-occurrence," which is the very opposite of the bodily and mental formations called here "occurrence." In other words, it arrives at non-occurrence, that is to say, it reaches, as if it "alights upon," cessation, which is the stilling of the formations (or conditioned phenomena). When the meditator, having already before practiced correctly and without deviation by way of the knowledge of arising and passing away and the other knowledges (or by way of the purification of conduct, of mind, of view, etc.), has in this manner arrived at non-occurrence (by the consciousness alighting upon it), he is said to have "realized Nibbana." He is called one who has made Nibbana a direct experience and has actually seen it (The Progress of Insight, VI.12).
It cannot be stated too emphatically that the above does not describe a "mystical experience," an experience of "oneness," "nonduality" or "cosmic consciousness," all of which are mentally constructed states, most being confined to the stage known as "arising-and-passing-away" (udayabbaya-ñana)—fourth of the sixteen "insight knowledges." The Buddha's teaching is not mystical in character and any attempt to construe it as such will lead inevitably to distortion and confusion.


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Marriage Alliance has made our own submission to the expert panel headed by former Attorney-General Philip Ruddock on the issue of religious freedom. In the wake of the same-sex marriage vote, it is vital that our religious freedoms remain intact.
That is why we emphasized to the expert panel that freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief constitute a package of human rights, and that these rights are afforded to all people, not just the clergy and religious organisations.
We declared that religious freedom should not be spoken of in terms of "exemptions."
And, most importantly, we called on them to uphold the rights of the nearly 5 million Australians who voted for man-woman marriage in the postal plebiscite.
Read our submission below or download here.
Submission to the Expert Panel on Religious Freedom


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San Francisco Giants
Bochy laments check-swing call against Giants in Game 1
Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija on facing the Cubs in Game 2
Reflecting on the Giants' 1-0 loss to the Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, one play still had manager Bruce Bochy grumbling a day later.
That was the check-swing call against Gorkys Hernandez in the ninth inning. Leading off against Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, Hernandez tried to hold up on a full-count pitch but was called out on appeal by first-base umpire Alan Porter.
"That check swing hurt – that really did," Bochy said Saturday afternoon. "Sometimes you think, well, you're biased, it's your guy. But when I looked at it later, he did not go."
The Giants' dugout immediately reacted in disbelief to the call, which had ramifications. Bochy said having the leadoff hitter on might have changed how the Cubs' infield played the next hitter, Eduardo Nunez, who grounded out. And of course, Buster Posey followed with a double off the wall in left-center.
A check swing is not reviewable, but Bochy said he had wondered: "Why couldn't that be a replay deal there?"
The main complication would be how to establish and judge the boundary between a non-swing and swing. A hitter is said to have swung if his bat breaks a plane that is up to the judgment of the umpire.
"It would be a tough call," Bochy said of challenging a check swing. "Late in the game, you get to review it anyway. But if it's early, that would be a tough decision, whether to review it or not, because you know that's going to be a tough one to change."
The check swing was just one of myriad plays to be dissected after the Giants' first 1-0 postseason loss since 1987. Bochy said he didn't realize how much analysis occurs after these games until his first year managing in the postseason in 1996, when he saw that it was "every pitch, every play."
"I didn't think (Hernandez) went; we didn't think he went," Bochy said. "But part of this game is getting the calls, too, and the ball bouncing your way, and they got the call."
Nunez update – Nunez's ninth-inning at-bat was his first since Sept. 25, and he appeared hampered still by a strained hamstring running to first base on the groundout. Bochy said "there's concern there" about Nunez's health but that he would still use Nunez to pinch hit again Chapman, who is extremely difficult on left-handed hitters.
"I would still use him hoping that he could get a base hit there and we can run for him," Bochy said.
Posey's night – With his double Friday night, Posey improved to 6 for 11 off Chapman during his career. Posey said there is "nothing I can pinpoint" to explain that success and chuckled when asked how he managed to stay back on a slider while having to account for Chapman's 103-mph fastball.
"It's not staying back," Posey said. "It's still a 90-mph pitch. You just see it and react."
Posey also caught some heat for his baserunning in the fourth inning, when he held up approaching second base on a flare that skipped under Cubs left fielder Ben Zobrist. Bochy, though, echoed Posey's explanation: He hesitated to see if Zobrist would knock the ball down, in which case he would have stopped at second base.
"I don't think he would have scored anyway," Bochy said. "I really don't. They did get the ball in pretty quick. Buster, he's not one of our speed guys."
Ah, memories – Giants outfielder Angel Pagan broke into the majors with the Cubs and played at Wrigley Field in his second big-league game. He said he's still "very grateful" to the Cubs for giving him his first opportunity and holds their fans in high regard.
"They're very passionate," Pagan said. "They're true fans, because they've been waiting over 100 years to win a championship. That means a lot."
Matt Kawahara: 916-321-1015, @matthewkawahara


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Da Lat (or Dalat) is a lovely little place which I found difficult to leave. Like many of my favourite places around S.E. Asia, there's nothing obvious to explain why I liked it but it was more to do with the feel of the place along with the people (both locals and fellow travellers) and a few activities.
Please use my Vietnam food guide which has all of my favourite places and dishes for the best food in Da Lat.
Dalat Backpackers Hostel And Tour Office
New in 2014, I think, it had come recommended to me by other travellers. When I was there, a lovely couple from near Brighton were working there. There's a welcome meal every evening for the guests who arrived that day. You all sit around in the reception area and get a mixture of dishes (though it wasn't enough food if you're hungry). It's a great way to meet people. There were about 12 new people when I arrived (more than normal) and we all signed up for the canyoning together. There's also a great rooftop area (which has been improved since I was there) where you have your free breakfast and everyone tends to hang out and drink at night. My room was massive and was $9 per night. There are dorms too (which I slept in when I arrived at 5am after a night bus).
Nightlife, bars & cafés
100 Roof Bar
Famous building.
Me Linh Coffee Garden
Picturesque plantation with tasty coffee that's been pooped out by weasels (which you can see). Although animal welfare is an issue.
Sights & Activities
Silk Weaving Factory
Surprisingly interesting!
Elephant waterfall
Pretty waterfalls just a few minutes from the Silkworms.
Crazy House
The very strange Hằng Nga Guesthouse is open to the public (for a small fee) during the day. In 2009 it was listed by a newspaper as one of the world's ten most "bizarre" buildings. It's like a cross between Gaudí and something from Disneyland, but weirder. There are staircases going all over the place.
Dalat Market
In the centre of the town is a large indoor market for cheap clothes. At night there are lots of food stalls outside.
Cable Car
Quite a nice thing to do but definitely not essential.
Canyoning Dalat
The best $20 you'll spend in Vietnam! A full day of abseiling down waterfalls, cliff jumps and other amazing activities. I booked mine through my guesthouse and did it with a big group all staying there. It's very well known around town, you'll find it easy to book wherever you're staying. Bring appropriate clothing and footwear as well as a GoPro if you have one!
Easy Riders Vietnam
There are loads of companies in Da Lat calling themselves Easy Rider(s) so try to do some research to make sure they're good. I did mine with Dalat Backpackers. It's expensive ($70 per day for the motorbikes, guide and accommodation) but totally worth the amazing experience. I did a three day tour from Da Lat to Buôn Ma Thuột and finishing in Nha Trang. I had planned to buy a bike and do it myself but ran out of time in the end. Having a guide is so valuable, he took us to places I'd never have known about. You get to ride a proper manual motorbike rather than a scooter and the guide carries your bag. If you're not comfortable riding yourself then you can go on the back of the guide's bike. Highly recommended if you can afford it!


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A couple of days ago I posted a video about the happiest country in the world. Meanwhile I found another inspirational video about Denmark and about why the Danes are the happiest people on Earth, at least when it comes to the level of happiness shared by a nation as a whole. However, as happiness is a personal state of mind, the social scientists behind the statistics don't deny any of us who don't have Danish blood running through our veins the right to happiness. The conclusion that the Danes are the happiest nation is based on statistics and general population.
The video below gives us two examples of happy Danes that teach us a valuable lesson - if you want to be happy, you have to evaluate your life and your desires based on your own needs and dreams; forget about what people might say. If we would all listen to our hearts more often and mind our business, we would all be happier. That being said, I dare you to be happier that the Danes! :)


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"It is said that people can identify about 10,000 different smells... [The] lack of understanding and appreciation of odors is a result of our over reliance on our eyes and ears, even to the extent that we suppress our awareness of what our nose tells us... [As] Proust stated, smell has such a strong power to vividly bring back memories, it is definitely more important than we realize. To a large extent smell is more personal than other senses so it brings back memories of people, not just places, or things." Shigeyuki Ito
Sadly though, I can't smell some of the more important days of my life. . .my wedding or the day I had my son. No scent on either of those days was so pungent that it stayed with me quite frankly. So when a dear friend of mine shared with me her go-to wedding and baby shower gift, and the thinking behind it, I knew I had to share.
The Gift of Scent.
It's quite simple you see. Give a gift that has a memorable and remarkable smell and instructions for your recipient to use or carry that gift with them on their very important day. Down the road, when they use the product again or smell something similar, they will be reminded of their brightest days. And who doesn't want to be reminded of their brightest days?
The Product.
|CB I Hate Perfume
Giving this gift is simple. Just package it up with directions for the bride OR the bridal party {depending on which side you happen to be on} to wear the fragrance for all of the events leading up to and during the wedding. Then every time she or they use it, memories of the BIG day will come pouring in. Fun right?
The Recipe.
|Sunday Suppers
My go-to site for the most refreshing, yet soul warming food {not to mention the most visually stunning pictures of the food}is Sunday Suppers.
|Sunday Suppers
|Karma Flowers
The Flower.
Yay. My favorite part.
If you are the one looking for an easy way to connect a wedding to a scent is to choose pungent flowers for the bouquets and event decor. Sweet peas, roses, magnolia and gardenia are popular wedding flower choices and all have a rather sweet-smelling fragrance. Lavender {both fresh and dried}is also very aromatic and works nicely in garden-inspired arrangements. You can also incorporate herbs such as thyme, basil, and dill is you are looking for more of an earthy smell.
Remind someone of their wedding, using their flower choices. Why not purchase a perfume or skin care product that is reminiscent of the flowers OR, better yet, send them the flowers! A perfect anniversary gift that is sure to send the bride or couple right back to their special day is to send them an arrangement of the their wedding flowers. The scent will have them reliving their first dance in their living room.
{Karma Flowers offers flower delivery packages to make this an easy choice for you!}
Happy Sniffing Everyone!


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It is currently Sunday afternoon and I am sitting as close to the sun as possible while working on lesson plans for the week. I've been looking for the most efficient lesson planning strategy and have found for me just paper and pencil work the best. I've tried planbook.edu and a couple other lesson plans sites but haven't found one that allows you to structure lessons the way I like them. I'd love to hear how everyone else plans lessons.
The best way I have found is to create a little map on paper that outlines the standards I want to teach that week along with the topics and vocabulary I want to cover. Then I go back and write down what day I want to teach them on. After I know what topics I want to teach then I go through my resources and lay out everything I want to use in order. The last thing I do is actually write up the lesson plans onto a template to turn in to my principal.


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AR200 laser measurement sensors overview
|Compact and accurate laser measuring devices using CMOS digital technology from Acuity
AR200 compact laser measurenent sensor
AR700 laser displacement sensor
AR3000 distance measurement sensor
AR200 group of laser measurement sensors is Acuity's most compact series
of triangulating laser displacement sensors. Four models cover metric
measurement ranges from six to fifty millimeters.
The AR200-6M, -12M, -25M and -50M have ranges in millimeters that match their model number. All models boast a 0.03% resolution across their entire measurement span .
All models are standard with Analog, Limit Switch and Serial outputs. The AR200 sensor is the only sensor of its kind to feature pushbutton selection of these output signals. Additionally, these laser sensors can be programmed using serial commands through a PC computer.
Learn more about laser measurement sensors from the Acuity website.
AR200 laser measurment sensors overview
© 2011 Schmitt Europe, Ltd. - Coventry, UK +44 24 76 651 774


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Brown trout have completely taken over the White River. They are a protected fish, and some of the ones caught these days are up to 40 pounds. We as outfitters have always promoted catch and release with the larger trout. The current state record was set on the White River,
according to the Missouri Game & Fish Commission. It is common to see hundreds of browns in most deep pools of the first 20 miles of the White River below Branson Dam. Even though they are a nighttime feeder, we still catch them most days.
Our boats are bigger, safer and more comfortable!
Trout Fishing