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No, it's not about the Super Bowl. It's about the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE).
Every year at the end of January, all surgical residents take a five-hour, 250 question multiple-choice test. For many, it can be a watershed moment because their careers may be on the line.
I have written about the use of the ABSITE as a criterion for resident promotion. Whether you think it should be or not, it is used that way—sometimes as the only criterion. You can bet that in a few weeks, some residency programs will post notices saying they are looking for a categorical PGY-2 or 3 due to an "unexpected" vacancy for July 2015.
Another attending surgeon and I used to take in-house call the night before the examination so that all of the residents could take the test after a decent night's sleep.
Now the test may be given on different days so that the entire group does not have to take it at once.
One difficult situation I faced as a program director was when I had a good clinical resident who just could not do well on a multiple-choice examination. I had to decide whether keeping a resident who scored at the 10th percentile was worth the gamble. Scoring in the 10th percentile or less on a regular basis means that the resident has a good chance of failing the written board examination.
Of course, the very nature of percentiles is that 10% of those who take the test will finish in the 10th percentile or below. Also, the failure rate of the written board examination has hovered around 25% for many years.
The problem for programs is that the Residency Review Committee for Surgery mandates that 65% of a program's graduating residents must pass both parts of the board examination on the first attempt.
Of the many things I do not miss about practicing medicine during this turbulent era, the palpable level of anxiety surrounding the buildup to the exam and waiting for the dreaded results to come back rank high on the list.
I wish all residents who are taking the test the best of luck. I hope you were reading all along and not trying to cram a year's worth of studying into the week before the test.
May you all score above the 50th percentile.


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"PACCAR achieved strong quarterly revenues and net income in the second quarter of 2017," says Ron Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer. "PACCAR's financial results reflect increasing North American truck production and market share, strong European truck markets and higher global aftermarket parts sales. I am very proud of our 24,500 employees who have delivered outstanding products and services to our customers."
Second quarter net sales and financial services revenues were $4.70 billion, compared to $4.41 billion in the second quarter of 2016. PACCAR earned net income of $373.0 million ($1.06 per diluted share) in the second quarter of this year compared to net income of $481.3 million ($1.37 per diluted share) in the same period last year. PACCAR earned adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $371.7 million ($1.06 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2016, excluding a favorable, non-recurring $109.6 million adjustment related to the European Commission (EC) settlement.
PACCAR reported net income of $683.3 million ($1.94 per diluted share) for the first 6 months of 2017. The company reported a net loss of $113.3 million ($.32 per diluted share) in the first six months of last year. PACCAR reported adjusted net income (non-GAAP) of $719.7 million ($2.05 per diluted share) in the first six months of 2016, excluding an $833.0 million non-recurring charge for the EC settlement. Net sales and financial services revenues for the first six months of 2017 were $8.94 billion compared to $8.71 billion last year.
Armstrong adds, "PACCAR is a technology leader in the commercial vehicle industry and is investing in the next generation of automotive technologies. PACCAR's investments include autonomous driving and truck platooning, truck connectivity, augmented reality (AR), and an integrated software platform. The company continues to introduce industry-leading technologies in our aftermarket parts and financial services businesses utilizing big data analytics for our dealers and customers." Harrie Schippers, PACCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, says, "PACCAR has added 1,200 new jobs in the U.S. this year to meet increased customer demand, complemented by over $125 million of capital and research and development."
Financial Highlights – Second Quarter 2017
Highlights of PACCAR's financial results for the second quarter of 2017 include:
- Consolidated net sales and revenues of $4.70 billion.
- Net income of $373.0 million.
- Truck, Parts and Other gross margins of 14.6 percent.
- Record PACCAR Parts revenues of $823.1 million.
- Record PACCAR Parts pre-tax income of $152.4 million.
- Financial Services pre-tax income of $63.0 million.
- Manufacturing cash and marketable securities of $3.00 billion.
- Quarterly cash generated from operations of $574.7 million.
- Record stockholders' equity of $7.50 billion.
Financial Highlights – First Half 2017
Highlights of PACCAR's financial results for the first six months of 2017 include:
- Consolidated net sales and revenues of $8.94 billion.
- Net income of $683.3 million.
- PACCAR Parts pre-tax income of $304.1 million on revenues of $1.61 billion.
- Financial Services pre-tax income of $120.3 million.
- Cash generated from operations of $1.19 billion.
- Medium-term note issuances of $950.5 million.
- Bank credit facilities of $3.0 billion renewed.
Global Truck Markets
"We've raised our European above 16-tonne truck market estimate to a range of 290,000-310,000 vehicles this year due to continued economic and freight growth. The new 2017 DAF XF and CF trucks are enhancing our customers' operating performance with up to 7% fuel efficiency increases," says Preston Feight, PACCAR Vice President and DAF President. "DAF's above 16-tonne truck orders are 10% higher in the first 6 months of 2017 compared to the same period last year."
U.S. and Canada Class 8 truck industry orders increased 44% in the first 6 months of 2017 compared to the same period last year. Kenworth and Peterbilt achieved 31.7% share of U.S. and Canada Class 8 truck orders and 29.6% share of U.S. and Canada Class 8 truck retail sales in the first half of this year. "Kenworth and Peterbilt's medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries increased in the second quarter of 2017 by 25% compared to the first quarter of this year," says Gary Moore, PACCAR Executive Vice President. "Class 8 truck industry retail sales for the U.S. and Canada are expected to be in a range of 200,000-220,000 vehicles in 2017. The truck market reflects the good economy and high levels of freight tonnage."
PACCAR Parts Achieves Record Quarterly Revenues and Pre-Tax Profit
PACCAR Parts achieved record quarterly revenues of $823.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, 9% higher than the $756.4 million achieved in the same period last year. Second quarter 2017 pre-tax profit was a record $152.4 million, 14% higher than the $133.4 million achieved in the second quarter of 2016. PACCAR Parts first half 2016 revenues were $1.61 billion, compared to $1.48 billion for the same period last year. PACCAR Parts achieved pre-tax profit of $304.1 million in the first 6 months of 2017, compared to $268.0 million earned in the first 6 months of 2016.
"PACCAR dealers have opened 96 TRP all-makes retail stores in 27 countries, which is driving incremental parts and services business in every market. PACCAR continues to add global parts distribution capacity to deliver industry-leading availability, and support the growth of PACCAR MX engine parts sales and the global fleet services program," says David Danforth, PACCAR Vice President and PACCAR Parts General Manager. "PACCAR's new $35 million 160,000 sq.-ft. distribution center in Toronto, Canada is under construction and is expected to open in mid-2018."
PACCAR Launches Silicon Valley Innovation Center
PACCAR will open an advanced technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, California this year. The center will coordinate next-generation product development and identify emerging technologies that will benefit future vehicle performance. Technology areas of focus will include advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), artificial intelligence, vehicle connectivity and augmented reality. Darrin Siver, PACCAR Senior Vice President, notes, "PACCAR looks forward to expanding its partnerships with technology companies in Silicon Valley. PACCAR's Innovation Center will include state-of-the-art laboratory and workshop facilities, and office space."
Research and Development and Capital Investments
PACCAR's excellent long-term profits, strong balance sheet, and intense focus on quality, technology and productivity have enabled the company to invest $6.2 billion in capital projects, innovative products and new technologies during the past decade. "Capital of $375-$425 million and R&D expenses of $250-$270 million are being invested this year in new product development, enhanced manufacturing facilities and aftermarket support programs," says George West, PACCAR Vice President.
PACCAR's Dynacraft division will construct a new 130,000 sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in McKinney, TX, in 2018. Dynacraft manufactures high-quality components and subassemblies, such as battery cables, doors and air conditioning modules for Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. The Dynacraft facility will support Peterbilt's operations in Denton, TX, and manufacture PACCAR's 20,000 lb. front axle for installation in Kenworth and Peterbilt Class 8 vehicles in North America.
DAF began operation of its newly completed $110 million environmentally friendly cab paint facility in Westerlo, Belgium in June. The state-of-the-art robotic paint equipment has enhanced paint quality and increased cab production capacity by 50%. "The DAF cab paint facility is the most modern commercial vehicle paint facility in the world," comments Harry Wolters, DAF Director of Operations. "This technology investment will support future increases in DAF's European market share and geographic expansion, and demonstrates DAF's technology leadership in the production of industry-leading vehicles."
PACCAR Engine Factory Honored as 2017 Quality Plant of the Year
The PACCAR engine factory in Columbus, MS, has been honored by Quality Magazine as the 2017 Quality Plant of the Year. The factory earned the award for its implementation of best-in-class quality processes to produce industry-leading PACCAR MX-13 and MX-11 engines. Quality Magazine cited the PACCAR engine factory's commitment to continuous improvement, employee engagement, Six Sigma, industry benchmarking and technology as key factors in the facility's achievement.
"We are proud to be recognized for our quality PACCAR engines and optimized manufacturing processes," says Lance Walters, PACCAR Engine Plant Manager. "PACCAR continues to innovate through continuous improvement and a collaborative working environment." The PACCAR engine factory has won several certifications and industry honors in prior years, including ISO/TS16949 certification for its quality management system and Frost & Sullivan Manufacturing Leadership awards for the last three consecutive years.
Financial Services Companies Achieve Good Results
PACCAR Financial Services (PFS) has a portfolio of 180,000 trucks and trailers, with total assets of $12.69 billion. PACCAR Leasing, a major full-service truck leasing company in North America and Europe with a fleet of 36,000 vehicles, is included in this segment. Second quarter PFS pre-tax income in 2017 was $63.0 million compared to $77.3 million earned in the second quarter last year. Second quarter 2017 revenues were $306.3 million compared to $297.4 million in the same quarter of 2016. For the first 6 months of 2017, PFS earned pre-tax income of $120.3 million compared to $157.6 million last year. First-half 2017 revenues were $608.5 million compared with $586.8 million for the same period a year ago. "PFS' portfolio performed well during the second quarter of 2017," says Bob Bengston, PACCAR Senior Vice President. "Industry used truck demand increased this quarter in the U.S. compared to the first quarter of 2017. Kenworth and Peterbilt vehicle resale values continue to command a 10-20% premium over competitors' trucks."
"PACCAR's excellent balance sheet, complemented by its A+/A1 credit ratings, enables PFS to offer competitive retail financing to Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF dealers and customers in 24 countries on four continents," says Todd Hubbard, PACCAR Vice President and PACCAR Financial Corp. President. "We have excellent access to the commercial paper and medium-term note markets, allowing PFS to profitably support the sale of PACCAR trucks."

subset: commoncrawl


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Plumber in Woodbridge CT
Raps Plumbing offers full service residential & commercial Plumbing in Woodbridge CT. As a leading CT Plumber in Woodbridge, you can count on us for all of your plumbing needs! You can rest assured that the technicians who come to your home are the most competent in the industry. Our technicians will be responsive to your needs, treat you and your home with respect, and will inform you with up front pricing before any job is started. When you choose Raps Plumbing as your preferred company, you are guaranteed a positive experience.
Trusting an experienced plumber in Woodbridge CT from Raps plumbing assures you that the problem will be addressed and fixed in a short amount of time. Our experienced plumbers complete their work right the first time, so there is no need to worry about shoddy workmanship that offers only a temporary fix. Below are the services that RAPS offers related to plumbing in Woodbridge CT:
CT Plumbing Services in Woodbridge Offered:
- Drain Cleaning in Woodbridge, CT
- Faucets Repair in Woodbridge, CT
- Clogged Sink Repair in Woodbridge, CT
- Clogged Toilet Repair in Woodbridge, CT
- Shower head installation in Woodbridge, CT
- Garbage Disposals in Woodbridge, CT
- Dishwasher Repair in Woodbridge, CT
- Pipe Leak Repair in Woodbridge, CT
- Tankless Water Heaters – Service & Repair
- Hydro-Jetting in Woodbridge, CT
- Waterproofing in Woodbridge, CT
Major Plumbing Services in Woodbridge, CT:
- Sewer Line Replacement in Woodbridge, CT
- Water Heater Replacement in Woodbridge, CT
- Tankless Water Heater Replacement in Woodbridge, CT
- Water Heaters- Sales & Service (all brands and models)
- Pipe Bursting in Woodbridge, CT
- And Much More!!
All plumbers are NOT alike! What makes us different?
1. Voice Mail. Or even worse, some plumbers use an answering machine. Then you have to wait and hope they will call you back. At Raps Plumbing, Heating & Drains our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so you can always talk to a live person.
2. Wasted Time. Most plumbers won't give you a real appointment time. They say "We'll be there between 10 and 4." So you have to waste a whole day waiting. Not anymore! You get a precise "Appointment Window" when you call us. You don't waste a lot of time waiting.
3. Too Many Trips. Other plumbers can make 2 or 3 trips before they have the right parts to fix your problem. This costs you extra money and frustration. We stock our trucks with 185% more parts so we can fix the real problem the first time, saving you money.
4. Invoice Shock. This is what happens when you get charged "time & material" and the plumber gets paid more the longer he takes. Only at Raps Plumbing, Heating & Drains do you get Straight Forward Pricing. This shows you the exact amount before the work begins so you can decide. Our plumbers will even show you several low cost options so you can pick the right one for you.
5. Call Backs. Other plumbers have a "concrete guarantee" – when their truck leaves your concrete driveway their guarantee expires. Not with Raps Plumbing, Heating & Drains! With us you have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are unhappy for any reason – I will redo the repair for FREE!


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Smith v. Merck and Company, Inc. et al
Filing 2
PRETRIAL ORDER NO. 2 : INITIAL CASE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF COUNSEL. Signed by Judge Charles R. Breyer on 12/13/05. (mcl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 2/1/2006)
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.


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*NOW IN CRUSHED VELVET* Hakan Hisim - Trinary Transcendance - Booty Shorts
All materials feature unmatched print quality using a 1 of a kind HD Printer. Printed fabric is cut and sewn by hand in our factory with in house Quality Control. Special inks sourced from Italy saturate the fabric to create a print vibrancy that is unmatched.
The artist is paid a portion of each sale.
Model is 5'6, wearing Repreve material, size medium
Material Options
Repreve - 100% Recycled Plastic Water Bottle Fabric:
This is our standard fabric. You will have the best chance of finding in stock ready to ship products with this fabric.
- Slight 4-way stretch
- Incredibly Soft
- Heavy and sturdy
• Crushed Velvet
• A soft fabric that reflects light & appears to shine & light up as you move
• 4-way stretch (extremely stretchy)
• Comfy / Cozy
• Smooth to the touch


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The 16th Annual Asti Tour de Vine Is October 12th 2024
Skip to content
Registration 2024 is Open!
Directions to the Asti Tour de Vine
Maps and Routes
Map 2024
About the Tour
Frequently Asked Questions
Sponsors for 2024
$2000 Checks for Non-Profits from 2023
Baseball Cap with Logo!
Bucket Hat with Logo!
Jersey for 2024
Jersey Sizing
2023 Jersey's
2022 Jersey
Bicycle Raffle 2023
Bicycle Raffle 2022 Winner!
Bicycle Raffle 2021 Winner!
Contact Us
Red Jersey 4
← Previous
Next →


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CCTV "Peep and See" Inspection £ 50 plus Vat
Do you need help with emergency drain unblocking or a blocked toilet? If so, we have the skills and experience to help you in your time of need…
Red Rose Drain Clearance can offer you a wide range of drainage services, using the most up to date technology available. From toilet unblocking to emergency drain clearance and more, we always have the right solution to your problem. Our drainage team operate a fleet of high pressure water jetters, trailer mounted van pack jetters and lorry mounted ones for high volume jetting operations that get the job done quickly and efficiently and with minimal disrruption to your home or business 24/7
We can help with toilet unblocking, blocked drain clearance and all associated services for all commercial and domestic properties. We never have to rely on 3rd parties to get the job done.
Whether we are working on your emergency drainage clearance problems or your residential drain unblocking requirements, you can be sure that we always respond quickly and ensure your drains are in perfect working order as quickly as possible and at a price that can't be beaten.
Contact us now for a fast response today!
We also provide vacuum tankers available for grease traps, interceptors, septic tank emptying and gully cleaning. These services are more commonly used by food processors/manufacturers and their outlets. We also offer a 24 hour emergency service, so can assist you when you need us the most.
We can help with emergency toilet unblocking and drain clearance for all commercial and domestic properties.
Red Rose Drain Clearance operatives are highly trained individuals, experienced in their discipline and able to work to the highest of standards and with little or no disruption, to the client's ongoing business. Whether it's routine servicing that you need or an emergency CCTV survey, followed by drain repairs, you can be sure of a professional and thorough service.


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Github now provides native hook for Weblate. This means that all you need to do to link these two together is to enter URL of your Weblate installation and you are done.
This was actually my first code in Ruby and I don't think I will start to like it, Python still looks nicer to me :-). However it was not that hard as I expected and I've even contribute (simple) testcase for this service.


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VW Passat estate + NAVI
Fuel type
Brief description
VW Passat estate with manual transmission has elegant design and innovative features. It is very preferred by our customers. You can choose it for your vacation with family or friends - great car rental option. It is equipped with 2,0 l diesel engine and 140 hp. The trunk has capacity of 603 l.
Expert opinion from Top Rent A Car
VW Passat estate is very comfortable and an excellent choice for cross country trips. Another great things about it is the integrated GPS navigation system, integrated backup camera, A/C and many more. No doubt that the passengers (up to 5) will feel how pleasant is to drive VW Passat estate.


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Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team Core Book
Unit price/ per
While armies numbering millions clash on battlefields spread across a thousand worlds, specialised teams of elite operatives are dispatched on dangerous missions to accomplish vital objectives from the shadows. These kill teams, as they are known, are picked from the most capable and independent of their kind, using strange and esoteric skills to achieve what a mighty army could not.
The new edition of Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team has been redesigned from the ground up as the greatest tabletop skirmish experience yet, seeing teams of experienced operatives engage in vicious close-quarters combat as they race to complete their missions. In this book you'll find the complete rules for playing Kill Team as well as a host of missions to embark on, lore covering the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium, and insight on the factions vying for dominance among the shadows.
The Book
This 144-page book is the ultimate companion for kill team commanders, containing all the knowledge you need to collect, build, paint, and play in the world of Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team.
Ten Thousand Years of War
The book opens with a summary of the 41st Millennium's history, including details on the Imperium's massive military might and the forces they encounter in their ceaseless wars across the galaxy. It also introduces kill teams, the squads players command in the course of the game, and details their continued deployment across myriad war zones throughout the galaxy.
Core Rules
The first rules section contains the core concepts you need to start fighting battles in Kill Team, including the tools required, phases of play, and operative datasheets.
Here you'll find rules and guidance on how terrain interacts with your games, including example board arrangements, as well as rules governing movement around, over, and through your scenery.
Ways to Play
Once you've got the basics squared away, find out all about the three core ways to play the game and the missions you can undertake.
Open Play
A free-form style of play suitable for those new to Kill Team, and a perfect place to practice in a relaxed mission environment. It's not just for newer players, though, as experienced commanders can use the included mission creation rules to craft thematic and expansive games fit for the most hardened veterans.
Matched Play
As the most mechanically balanced style of play, matched play games are a chance for commanders to pit themselves against their opponents in battles of tactical skill and turn-by-turn decisions. With each kill team using only the core weapons and equipment on their datasheet, players will need to plan ahead to outsmart their foe and claim victory.
Spec Ops Narrative Play
The narrative campaigns detailed in the brand new Spec Ops rules allow you to take your kill team from a band of raw recruits to experienced veterans, earning accolades and special skills along the way. As teams complete objectives and earn rewards – even against opponents not participating in a Spec Ops campaign – decisions made will impact the future of your operatives and turn regular games into a rich narrative experience full of cinematic moments.
Critical Operations Mission Pack
A selection of 9 exciting missions designed to be balanced for matched play games, but equally playable in open play and Spec Ops narrative play games.
Tac Ops
A suite of selectable secondary objectives used across a number of mission types. Tac Ops are hidden from your opponent, so commanders can decide on their strategy ahead of time while watching out for their foe's actions on the battlefield.
The book closes out with a handy reference section packed with special rules and abilities, as well as an overview of the different tokens, counters, and accessories used in games of Kill Team.


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As sixth part of the Nerd-Week you get a special overview over a few nerdy stores here in Germany, that you enter with a laughing and a crying eye and leave with an empty wallet and filled bags. Find out what there is to discover!
Fantastische Welten – Fantastical Worlds
A potpourri of things awaits you in the Fantastischen Welten in Rostock, that's not just something for Manga-friends, no, especially Card Gamer, Roleplayers and Table Tops Player get their money's worth. Besides weekly Events for Magic the Gathering and Force of Will, tournaments for Yu-Gi-Oh! and others are regularly fought out. A visit is worthwhile either way, even if you just use it to sit on one of the 32 playing seats and preventively intimidate your future opponents with your gaze. 😉
The Gandalph can be found in three different places: Flensburg, Kiel and Rendsburg [and Lübeck], where you can stock up on (Board) Games, Manga and Books from different genres, miniatures/figurines for Table Tops and even more. There is simply a huge range, that invides you the spent an evening in the store.
Grober Unfug – Monkey Business (?)
As we already are talking about more than one store, let's continue with the Grober Unfug in Berlin that you can find twice there. The main store is in Mitte, a small branch in Kreuzberg. Both have a huge selection especially of Comics and Comic-Merchandise. Those who want to complete their DC or Marvel-collections or want to discoverer something smaller are at the right place. Especially great is that both stores participate in the Gratis Comic Tag (Free Comic Book Day) and simply are a great place to go (Note: On that day the branch is usually quite cramped if you want to check the shelves, but it is doable). And if you're lucky – as I was on GTC two years ago – you might meet a Berlin celebrity (Bela B.) who is looking for new reading material as well. 😉
Let's stay in the vicinity of the Grober Unfug-branch in Kreuzberg and walk a bit further to the Otherland-book store. Specialized in Fantasy and Sci-Fi there is a lot to discover here, as besides new releases, you'll also find (used) classics in the shelves (and boxes) and a nearly as large a selection of English literature (e.g. by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett). But still not everything. The Otherland hosts reading sessions and other events and the well informed team can certainly help you with your search for new reading material.
Neo Tokyo
Let's change the specialization to Japanese Media. The Neo Tokyo – in Berlin, but also in Munich – have a large assortment of Manga and DVDs for popular/famous series from the different publishers, but also a few less known ones. Special in their range are the offers of Merchandise, clothing and (Japanese/Korean) Music, that you don't find that much throughout Germany. Those who want to complete their series or want to take a closer look into Japanese Culture are at the right place. If I remember correctly you could even buy a Bento in the Berlin store.
Fit for that as well is also the J-Store that you can't only find in the Capital, but also in Hamburg. The variety is similar to Neo Tokyo, but you can always find something in one store that you can't find in the other. Especially Artists can buy a few things here and fans of Youth Culture can take a picture in a traditional Photo Booth (purikura).
Comic Planet
With the Comic Planet another branch-store is added to the mix. You can find it in different cities: Osnabrück, Münster, Rheine and Duisburg. With different events (tournaments, theme days, …), a large range of (sometimes rare) Manga, Comics and Trading Card Games, as well as a lot of space to play the latter depending on the branch, it has a lot to offer.
Comic Galerie – Comic Gallery
The second proper Comic Book Store I ever visited is the Comic Galerie in Kassel. Many great things can be found here that will greatly improve your life, uhm, I mean: They have a wide range of Comic Books and Manga, but also a large assortment of Specialist Literature, Artbooks and Rulebooks for Pen&Paper– and Table Tops-Systems and additionally many interesting Events that go from game-demonstrations up to tournaments.
My very first is Pin-Up Comic in Cologne that seems unimpressive from the outside, but hides actually worlds of wonders. With a complete range of German Graphic Novels, Frankobelgian Comics (Asterix & Co.), as well as a huge selection of US-Comics and an extensive Comic and Magazine antique shop everyone can find something here.
Specialized a bit differently is the Nertaku in Dresden that tries to combine the interests of both Nerds and Otakus and that not just in their name. Beside a large assortment of Game- (Super Mario, Minecraft, Final Fantasy, etc.) and Mangamerchandise (and volumes) they also offer stuff for Cosplayers, as the owners dabble in the Cosplaying scene as well. Additionally they also sell Alpaca plushies.
How does the saying go? Save the best for last, if the Zeitgeist in Koblenz is indeed that you'll have to decide for yourself. DarkFairy, who showed me this store would certainly think so. 😉
Either way is there a wide range of different Comics, Manga, (Board- and Card) Games, Table Tops equiment and also various Merchandise (especially Manga/Anime figurines, but also stuff for Doctor Who and others), that you scarcely find anywhere.
But I do not want to keep one last, special goody that SaJaehwa and I discovered on our weekend trip to Stockholm (obviously that's in Sweden not in Germany, but it still needed to be added to this list), from you:
Science Fiction Bokhandeln
As I mentioned here on Tuesday, did we more or less stumble upon the Science Fiction Bokhandeln by accident and when we went inside it was hard for us to leave again. The wide variety of English (non-fiction) Books, Comics and (Original-) Manga, as well as the huge selection of Merchandise you don't get that easily in Germany, where simply too tempting (Mean info: You can order through the web shop via credit card…).
But enough now, don't want you to go into a buying frenzy. 😉
Those someone else think that Comic Book Stores are as mean – if not meaner – as Book Stores, as you hardly can leave them without taking something with you?
Did I forget your favourite store?
Let me know!
Have fun checking them out!
Disclaimer: I didn't get paid for writing this, I simply wanted to share my experiences with different stores I've been at.


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Old Glory Acrylic Stir Sticks
We make drinks pretty! Take your beverages and cocktails to the next level with our stylish & original acrylic stir sticks!
- Hand rinse with warm water or light soap and water
- Do not use in dishwasher
- Do not use in beverages that exceed 195 degrees
- Don't throw us away! We are reusable!
Sold in sets of 4
Each stir stick is 6" tall
BPA free
Safe for all beverages
Handle with care to avoid chipping & scratching
Keep out of reach of children under the age of 10. If broken can present a choking hazard if swallowed
Artwork & stir stick design copyright of ACRYLIC STICKS, LLC. Made in United States
We are unable to accept returns or exchanges and all purchases are final sale. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding! If there was an error with your order, please accept our sincerest apologies. We would love to have the opportunity to correct our mistake. Please notify us as soon as possible at email@example.com
Shipping & Returns
The Graceful Host Shop happily ships to anywhere in the continental US. We strive to ship out orders within 24-48 hours. All orders ship from our party shop in Covington, Louisiana. Please note that we do not ship on Saturdays, Sundays, or U.S. nationally observed holidays. Tracking information will be e-mailed to you once your parcel has shipped.


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...et aidons nos amis à sauver l'une des plus belles constructions russes !
Dear fellow DOCOMOMO members!
Please support our petition to save an important monument of the Russian Avant-garde, the building of the Factory-Kitchen in Samara, 1931.'Factory-Kitchen', i.e. canteen producing meals on industrial scale, was a vital typology for the early Soviet urbanism. By providing inexpensive and healthy food, they aimed to free people, especially women, from 'domestic slavery' and to give them more time for education and other forms of personal development, and, at the same time, to foster the spirit of collectivism. Every new residential area was supposed to have a factory-kitchen, and they were usually prominently placed and have expressive architecture. Sometimes they were municipal, and sometimes they belonged to a factory.Factory-Kitchen in Samara belonged to the Maslennikov Factory. The building is absolutely unique in its plan in the shape of a hummer-and-cycle, symbol of the union of the working people. The 'hummer' held the kitchen and storage, and the 'cycle' was occupied by dinner-halls. The architect, Ekaterina Maksimova, was a VKHUTEMAS graduate and one of the very few women architects of the time.The building underwent a number of transformations, but still retains its characteristic shape and can be restored. More than once it was under the threat of demolition, and now its future is unclear. Local activists for many years led a campaign to preserve the factory-kitchen building. Among their supporters are the Union of Architects of Russia, the State Museum of Architecture (MUAR), and well-known experts. The site was visited by delegations of SAVE Europe's Heritage and Moscow Architecture Preservation Society (MAPS); the visit resulted in publications in the international press and petitions to save the building. It was spared the demolition, but still is not protected by the preservation law, and its condition continues to deteriorate. Official application by a certified expert stating that the building should be listed as a cultural heritage site was ignored by the Samara Ministry of Culture. Today, the owner of the buildings intends to demolish it and built a multistory commercial centre on its place. Please join your voices to our petition to the Governor of Samara Oblast firstname.lastname@example.com and to the senator from Samara email@example.com, urging them to take measures for the listing and preservation of the Factory-Kitchen.Please find attached the suggested text of the letters that we hope you will send from your national chapters, as well as some images for your information.
Vladimir Shukhov, DOCOMOMO Russia PresidentAnna Bronovitskaya, DOCOMOMO Russia General Secretary


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We're back after a vacation to take the nieces and nephew to the happiest place on Earth. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to play the Somm Game in between rounds of chocolate milk, lemonade and Sprit soda. Though absence does make the heart grow founder. And boy, am I ready to get back into the world of grown-up beverages!
So let's continue our celebration of Washington Wine Month by taking more than 60 Seconds to geek out about the 2010 Robert Ramsay Mourvèdre from McKinley Springs Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.
Full disclosure: During the 2012 vintage, when this 2010 Mourvèdre was just released, I did an internship at Robert Ramsay Cellars. Here I worked under the mentorship of Kristin Scheelar who was head winemaker at the time.
The Background
Robert Ramsay Cellars was founded in 2005 as a specialist in Rhone-style wines by winemaker Bob Harris. The winery's name is a combination of Harris' full name "Robert" with the last name of his great-uncle Mason Ramsay who helped raised Harris' father when his grandfather was working overseas.
Before starting his winery, Harris served as winemaker for Coeur d'Alene Cellars and was mentored by Kristina Mielke-van Löben Sels of Arbor Crest, Nicolas Quille of Pacific Rim, Chuck Reininger of Reininger Winery and Ron Coleman of Tamarack Cellars.
Inspired by the great wines of Côte Rôtie, Harris' first vintage was 125 cases of Syrah. A tasting room in Woodinville was opened in 2009. By 2014 the winery was making over 3000 cases. Among the notable vineyards that the winery was sourcing from include Red Heaven on Red Mountain, Phinny Hill and Mckinley Springs in Horse Heaven Hills, Dineen Vineyard in Yakima Valley and Upland Vineyard on Snipes Mountain.
Kristin Scheelar
In 2010, Harris hired Kristin Scheelar, a 2009 graduate of the Wine Production program of the Northwest Wine Academy (NWA) at South Seattle College. Prior to joining Robert Ramsay, Scheelar served as a harvest intern for Patterson Cellars under the tutelage of John Patterson.
Scheelar would stay at Robert Ramsay for four years, leaving just before the 2014 harvest to join Goose Ridge winery as an assistant winemaker. During her time at Robert Ramsay, she was an influential mentor to many female winemakers in the Woodinville wine scene including Lisa Packer of Warr-King Wines and her successor at Robert Ramsay, Casey Cobble–another NWA graduate.
Along with Packer, Cobble and Hillary Sjolund of Sonoris Cellars, Scheelar is a founding member of the Sisters of the Vinifera Revolution which aims to promote women in the wine industry. Through the years the organization has grown to include several wineries owned and headed by women winemakers including Lisa Swei of Three of Cups Winery, Pam Adkins of Adrice Wines, Lisa Callan of Callan Cellars, Mari Womack of Damsel Cellars, Toby Turlay of Ducleaux Cellars, Jody Elsom of Elsom Cellars and Kasia Kim of Kasia Winery.
Today Kristin Scheelar is currently an assistant winemaker with Gallo at Columbia Winery.
The Vineyard
McKinley Springs Vineyard was first planted in 1980 by Robert Andrews in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Located at an elevation of around 1000 feet, the sandy loam soils over broken basalt of the vineyard are noted for producing early ripening fruit that create well-structured wines with intense aromatics.
Today the vineyard covers more than 2800 acres with over 20 different varieties of grapes planted including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chenin blanc, Viognier, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cinsault, Roussanne, Counoise and Mourvèdre. Along with their Mourvèdre bottling, Robert Ramsay produces a varietal Cinsault and Syrah from McKinley Springs and uses some of the vineyard's fruit for their Châteauneuf-du-Pape style blend Le Mien and Bandol-style Par La Mer wine.
In addition to Robert Ramsay, several wineries source fruit from McKinley Springs including Thurston Wolfe, Domaine Pouillon, Forsyth Brio, Maryhill Winery, Cor Cellars, Coeur d'Alene Cellars, Mercer Estates, Hestia, Robert Karl, Bunnell Family Cellars and Syncline.
In 2002, the Andrews and Roswell families of McKinley Springs established a winery that focuses on their estate fruit.
The Grape
In their book Wine Grapes, Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz note that Mourvèdre origins are likely Spanish with the first written account of the grape variety being under the synonym Monastrell in a 14th century document by Catalan writer Francesc Eiximenis.
The name Monastrell is derived from the Latin monasteriellu, meaning monastery. It is likely that the grape was first propagated by the Church.
By 1460, the Valèncian doctor Jaume Roig noted that Monastrell was the most widely planted grape in València–particularly in the region of Camp de Morvedre where the synonym Mourvèdre emerged from. Another common synonym, Mataro, likely comes from town of Mataró in the province of Barcelona. Located north of València, it would have been along the grape's likely route out of Spain into Southern France.
Today, Mourvèdre/Monastrell is the 5th most widely planted grape in Spain with over 150,000 acres. It's only behind Airén, Tempranillo, Bobal and Garnacha in acreage. Most of these plantings can be found in the València, Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha regions. It is the primary red wine grape in the DOs of Jumilla, Alicante, Almansa, Valencia and Yecla.
In France, plantings of Mourvèdre rose sharply in the late 20th century. It went from around 517 ha (1,278 acres) in the 1950s to 9,363 ha (23,136 acres) by 2009. It is most commonly found in the Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and Southern Rhone regions. In Provence, it is the primary grape of Bandol. Here it must make up 50-95% of the blend along with Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Syrah.
Mourvèdre in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Harry Karis notes in The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book that today Mourvèdre accounts for around 6.6% of all grape plantings in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Historically, the grape was known as Estrangle-Chien ("dog strangler") due to its harsh tannins and high acidity. This thick-skinned grape thrives on warm, south-facing slopes that receive plenty of heat. This allows the vine to fully ripen the tannins and metabolize some of the hard malic acid.
However, Mourvèdre is also very susceptible to drought conditions. Karis notes that water-retaining clay soils and drought-resistance rootstock like 41B and 110R are ideal for the variety.
In the traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend, Mourvèdre contributes structure via its high acid and tannins. It also provides ample alcohol and color. In the winery, winemakers have to balance the reductive nature of Mourvèdre with the very oxidation-prone Grenache. To do this you need to ensure that Mourvèdre has plenty of oxygen during fermentation and élevage. Meanwhille, Grenache needs to be kept more anaerobically protected.
Varietal Mourvèdre wines are known for having meaty and spicy (particularly tobacco spice and clove) characters. They often have ample dark fruit flavors that can age into tertiary aromas of game and leather.
Mourvèdre in Washington State
In Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide, Paul Gregutt notes that the first plantings of Mourvèdre in Washington was by Mike Sauer in 1993 at Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley.
By 2017 there were 126 acres of the grape planted in the state where it is used as a component in both Rhone-style blends and as a varietal wine.
Vineyards with notable plantings of Mourvèdre beyond McKinley Springs and Red Willow include Ciel du Cheval on Red Mountain, Alder Ridge, Coyote Canyon and Destiny Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills, Elephant Mountain in the Yakima Valley and Northridge Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.
Gregutt describes the style of Washington Mourvèdre as "…medium-bodied, lightly spicy with pretty cherry-flavored fruit and occasionally a distinctive, gravelly minerality."
The Wine
The 2010 Robert Ramsay Mourvèdre from McKinley Springs has medium-plus intensity aromatics. Very much in the spicy and earthy category. There are some slight red fruit notes in the red currant and raspberry range. But they are very much overshadowed by the black pepper spice and forest-floor earthiness.
On the palate, the pepper spice is still the dominant note. The medium-plus acidity gives juiciness to the red fruit flavors and keeps them hanging around. The medium-plus tannins are very present. However, they have a soft, velvety-ness to them now that holds up the full-bodied weight of the wine. The finish unfortunately fades fairly quickly. It does bring back, albeit for a short moment, some of those savory earthy notes from the nose.
The Verdict
At nearly 8 years of age, this 2010 Mourvèdre is still delivering ample pleasure in the $30-35 range. But I suspect its peak may have been 2 to 3 years earlier.
There is definitely a good amount of complexity and balance. However, there is also the sense that the wine is on the wane with the short finish and fading flavors. Still this wine is in a good spot for those who crave more savory and tertiary-driven flavors in their wines. The wine will shine with a food pairings that compliments its spicy and earthy notes. I can see it going particularly well with roasted lamb or a savory mushroom dish.


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Slip out of your secret identity and slide into your tights and cape – it's time to visit Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum in Elkhart, Indiana!
Founded by super-collector Allen Stewart, the exterior of the Hall of Heroes may look more than vaguely familiar to fans of the 1970's animated series "Superfriends" – primarily because it has been constructed to resemble the Hall of Justice!
Read the rest of this page »


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When I said goodbye to California when I was seven, I didn't realize that I was letting the only home I'd known slip through my fingers. At seven, packing up two large moving trucks with everything you own seems like an adventure. I got into that large yellow truck and didn't look back for a long while.
Home, for me, is the place I've lived most of my days since: Spokane, Washington, a medium-sized city with a small town feel, far from the rain and gloom of Seattle, on the coast. All of the bedrooms I've had to myself are in this city. This is where my favorite swing hangs, in my favorite park, the place I go to contemplate life, or to wait for a phone call from a boy that may or may not come. We have history, Spokane and I.
I woke up in the wee hours to catch my flight to California. The temperature hovered somewhere right around freezing. This is the October I have come to know. Once we'd made it through security, there was little difference in temperature between airports and planes as we made our way south. But when I stepped out of the airport and into the Southern California afternoon, I intuitively peeled off my cardigan. My bare shoulders recognized the October sun.
There's a part of me that has always protected myself against loving my birthplace. I've told myself that it's expensive, and that it's smoggy. I've told myself that there are more drive-by shootings there than there are in Spokane. All of this is true. But I tell myself something else: San Diego doesn't belong to me. It takes more than being born into a place or a family to make it yours. That isn't true.
Although my skin pinkens and burns easily, I notice that my joints are less creaky in the warmth. I don't have to take several times the recommended daily dose of vitamin D by mouth, but allow my body to synthesize it while I walk along the beach, listening to the music of the seagulls and the way the waves come in, always persistent, never stopping.
In Spokane, people frequently look bemused when I tell them that I'm not an outdoorsy person. My Tinder matches tell me that their perfect date includes a hike, or a bike ride, or a snowshoeing excursion. Though I don't love Spokane's brand of outdoor activity, I could walk along the beach for hours, drinking in the smell of the sea. I could drift through the streets of my birthplace endlessly, following the scent of Mexican food.
On this last trip, I sat down with my family at a restaurant I've visited on every trip to San Diego, and many times before we moved. As we waited for a table, I watched the hypnotic motions of the women making homemade tortillas, tossing them onto an endless pile that never seemed to dwindle as waitstaff came to wrap a handful in paper to take to one of their tables.
I like to try new food and drink wherever I go, but not here. Here, there is only one possible order, a tostada suprema (which comes with shredded beef and pork). I order fresh flour tortillas on the side and heap the contents into extemporaneous soft tacos. I close my eyes and I am transported to any one of my previous visits. It's undeniable: I have history with San Diego, too.
But there is more to it than that, of course, more than just the food and the sunshine. We pass the hospital where I was born, and my mom points it out. Sharp Hospital. Someone in the marketing department in the 80s decided to create tiny shirts that said "I'm a Sharp baby." My mom still has mine.
I have family in this city, and a bit further up, in Costa Mesa and neighboring places that roll off my tongue easily, although it takes me a moment to connect them with the signs on the freeway inviting me to exit. I know the names because I've heard people say them. Sometimes, that's how my faraway family feels. The names are familiar, natural, but I don't quite know if I can claim that as mine. There is so much distance, so much life lived away from each other.
But on this most recent trip, I began to try. I shimmied into the role of cousin, niece, granddaughter. I soaked in each person and the way they blurred together with every other memory we've had together, indistinct, layered.
I was sorry to leave. Perhaps that is what I've always been protecting myself against. There is an eternal, persistent ache to belonging in more than one place. There are Cara-shaped holes that cannot all be filled at once. There are strings that pull at me no matter where I am.
* * * * *
Cara Stickland is a writer from Spokane with some warmer roots reaching south. Spokane photo by Michelle Lee; Palm Tree photo by Jesse Collins.


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Ollie Johnston animated this scene with Pongo as he growls and backs away from the approaching Cruella De Vil. The following rough drawings explore a pattern of how to get into that final pose, which, as you can see, has been given a lot of thought. There are several versions of it, drawn with different color pencils. I believe that Frank Thomas did these to help out his fellow animator Ollie Johnston.
Frank is not even trying to come up with good looking drawings (even though they are), instead he is interested in Pongo's inner emotions which seem to be saying:
Milt Kahl offered this expression, which shows threat and disgust at the same time.
The drawing is graphically sound and right in line with the shape language of the character's design and the film's style.
Bill Peet's storyboard of the sequence shows the way he staged the Pongo/Cruella encounter (top row).


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Placenta previa is a condition that occurs during pregnancy when the placenta implants itself in the lower part of the uterus, obstructing the cervical opening to the vagina.
During pregnancy, your uterus expands away from the cervix. The placenta repositions itself as your uterus stretches and grows. By your third trimester, the placenta should be near the top of your uterus, leaving the cervical opening clear for the delivery. Sometimes, though, the placenta remains in the lower portion of the uterus, partly or completely covering the cervical opening. This condition, called placenta previa, requires you to have a c-section and, in some cases, causes severe, and even life-threatening bleeding or hemorrhage.
There are three types of placenta previa:
Placenta previa occurs in one out of 200 pregnancies. It is more common in women who have uterine fibroids, an abnormally developed uterus, or scarring of the uterine wall caused by previous pregnancies, cesareans, uterine surgery, or abortions. Women who smoke or have their children at an older age may also have an increased risk.
The main symptom of placenta previa is painless vaginal bleeding that often occurs near the end of the second trimester or beginning of the third trimester. There is no abdominal pain or tenderness associated with the bleeding. The flow may be light or heavy, and the color may be bright red. The bleeding may stop on its own but can start again days or weeks later.
Your health care provider will diagnose your symptoms and detect the location of your placenta with an ultrasound exam.
About 7% to 30% of women with placenta previa do not experience vaginal bleeding as a symptom before delivery. In these cases, diagnosis may result from a routine ultrasound exam. Sometimes the condition remains undiscovered until delivery.
If the placenta is near the cervix or is covering a portion of it, you may be placed on a modified schedule with bed rest. You will also be instructed on pelvic rest. This means nothing should be put into the vagina, including no sex and no douching. If there is bleeding, however, you will most likely be admitted to a hospital for careful monitoring. Once you reach a healthy delivery date, your health care provider will most likely deliver your baby by cesarean section. An emergency cesarean may be performed earlier if the placenta actually covers the cervix and the bleeding is heavy or life threatening. Your health care providers will carefully weigh your risk of ongoing bleeding against the risk of an early delivery for your baby.
Since in most cases placenta previa can be diagnosed before the mother or the fetus is in significant danger, it no longer poses as much of a threat to babies and mothers as it once did. The biggest risk is that severe bleeding will require your baby to be delivered preterm.
Some women with placenta previa also have a placenta acreta. This is more common among women who have previously had a c-section or prior surgery inside their uterus (such as dilation and curettage or fibroid removal). If you have a placenta acreta, you may have very heavy bleeding after your baby is delivered. Women with placenta acreta sometimes need to have their uterus removed (a hysterectomy) after delivery.
While placenta previa cannot actually be prevented, it's best to be aware of conditions that may cause it. If you have a history of uterine fibroids, cesarean section, an abnormally developed uterus, or scarring of the uterine wall caused by several pregnancies, abortions, or uterine surgery, make this known to your health care provider as soon as you know you're pregnant.
Q: I am two months pregnant and have a low-lying placenta. Should I be worried that I have placenta previa?
A: In early pregnancy, a low-lying placenta is very common. But as your pregnancy progresses, the enlarging uterus should "pull" the placenta toward the top of your uterus. Ninety percent of women who have a placenta previa on their ultrasound early in pregnancy will no longer have a previa when it's time to deliver. Your health care provider will monitor the progression of your placenta throughout your pregnancy. If your placenta is still lying low in your third trimester, your provider will watch carefully for signs of placenta previa.
Q: I've had placenta previa before. What are my chances of getting it again during my next pregnancy?
A: The incidence of placenta previa increases with each pregnancy. Your health care provider will check the position of your placenta on an early ultrasound and monitor you closely during your next pregnancy.
Q: What's the difference between placenta previa and placenta abruptio?
A: With placenta previa, the placenta is located over or near the cervix, in the lower part of the uterus. The placenta usually blocks the cervical opening to the vagina. With placenta abruptio, the placenta partially or completely detaches itself from the uterine wall, before delivery of the baby takes place. The two conditions are quite different and not necessarily related.
Review Date:
12/9/2012 Reviewed By: Irina Burd, MD, PhD, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. |


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- designer: Eugene Wyss
- publisher: Haba
- date: 2010
- BoardGameGeek rank/rating: not ranked/6.33
- olayers: 2-5
- ages: 6+
- playing time: 20 minutes
- print status: in print
- cost: $10.79 (maukilo.com)
- keep it in their own hand (if it doesn't match anything they already have) OR
- give it to another player
A number of the cards have shields on them which denotes that they can only be given to another player.
If you give a card to an opponent that doesn't match any of his cards, you get to move your hound through the forest as many spaces as he has cards in his hand. If, however, you give a card to an opponent that matches one of his cards, the card is discarded and you get nothing.
When a player's hound passes the castle on the forest track OR a player collects a set of five different merry animals, they immediately draw a treasure chest card - which has one, two or three bags of gold on it. The first player to either (a) collect five treasure chests or (b) get 10 bags of gold wins the game.
This is the part of the review where I strongly recommend that you skip to the "professional rules" with all but the youngest players, which are:
- There is a penalty for giving another player a duplicate animal - they get to move their hound!
- You can choose to discard a card rather than giving it to another player.
Both of these rules make for a more interesting game by giving you choices... and giving your choices a consequence.
This is a light, fast game of memory with a nice blending of cooperative & competitive elements. The art is very cute, the box size is perfect for making it a stocking stuffer, and all the members of our family (ages 6 to 47) have had a good time playing it. It's not going to take the board gaming world by storm like Animal Upon Animal or Maus nach Haus (both Haba games that have very positive feedback from gamers) - it's a solid & very enjoyable game for kids & families.
The box says Robin Hound plays with 2-5 players... and I was skeptical about the lower end of those numbers when I read the rules. However, my 6 year old son & I played two-handed and had a great time, so I was forced to rethink my objections. While I like the game better with more players, it also works well as "just the two of us" parent & child game.
Finally, because there are 6 different suits of merry animals, you could increase the difficulty (and length!) of the game by requiring players to get all six cards in order to grab a treasure chest. (Note: we haven't tried this yet.)


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PAS2721 Petrol
100% polyester
140cm approx
Severe contract upholstery use. Certificates available on request.
If bobbling or pilling occurs on this fabric, this is not a problem and will not have any detrimental effect on the wearability of the fabric. Removal by a 'de-fuzzer' is the most effective method and returns fabric to its original appearance.
Pile fabrics, by their nature, do often have a tendency to pressure mark. This is a natural characteristic of this type of fine fabric. It does not in any way detract from the wearing ability of this quality fabric.
Removable covers: Machine wash at maximum 30 degrees celsius.
To remove the most common stains: Clean as soon as possible. Absorb wet stains. Scrape all solids (don't go against the grain). Wash with an ordinary detergent and water.
Every effort is made to ensure the closest possible colour match to our pattern books, but we are unable to guarantee an exact match. Always check fabric before cutting.
Please note: Colours may vary according to your screen settings.
100,000 rubs


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Maroon Passion-Dupatta [+ PKR 7,500]
customers are viewing this product
- Laces may differ depending on the availability.
- All orders may subject to customs and duty payable by the recipient of the order depending on the rules and regulations.
- Product color may slightly vary due to photography lighting source or your device settings.
- Do not use any type of bleach or stain removing chemicals.
- Dry clean recommended.
- Iron the clothes at a moderate temperature.
Delivery: 10-15 Working Days


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Honing your floors is a fantastic way to virtually eliminate taxing maintenance requirements while still having the wonderful characteristic of beautiful stone surfaces in your home or business. Tile Cleaners® technicians can skilfully hone your marble, granite, sandstone, limestone and travertine.
Honing is achieved by mechanically resurfacing your stone using diamond abrasives and water to obtain a uniformly honed surface sheen, creating a look that is low key and not too overwhelming as some people find with highly polished, glossy floors. Honing your surfaces can resolve issues with stains, chips, water spots, glass rings, cracks, etching and dull spots. Tile Cleaners® Toowoomba City technicians create a surface with a beautifully smooth, low sheen matte finish, leaving your surfaces looking elegant and in their most beautiful natural state.
Honed surfaces have a more satin-feel, smooth and velvety to the touch often more suited to casual, comfortable environments than more formal polished surfaces. Honed surfaces are also highly scratch resistant due to the lack of a glossy surface and when honed surfaces do become scratched, the damage is not obviously reflected. Honed surfaces are popular in areas of high foot traffic and regular use including floors for the bathroom, living rooms, foyers and kitchen counters.
Resurfacing is an extremely skilled task that requires patience and experience. If not done properly and to the right depth it may only enhance the scratches and impurities. Give us a call on 1300 771 201, our knowledgeable and friendly customer service can assist you with all your questions and bookings.
We provide specialised honing solutions for floor and wall tiles
To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, please Call 1300 771 201 or use our online enquiry form
We cover all Toowoomba suburbs and all Toowoomba City area


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Experts say that because human beings are prone to holding such "ridiculous" superstitions, there is no longer any point in acknowledging them and therefore all stories involving concepts categorized as religion or auto-philosophy (a concept similar to auto-fellatio but taking place in the mind rather than upon the genitals) in the future are no longer newsworthy as they are meaningless and stand in the way of human progression toward enlightenment.
Added John Hippenstock, lead Elf Wax scientist, oceanographer, and autophilosopher, "Fuck you and the zeitgeist. And Jane Fonda. The West is the best! The South Beach Diet will rise again. Woo!" Dr. Hippenstock then revealed two revolvers, fired them wildly into the air, holstered them, defecated, ripped off his pants, moaned incoherently, and proceeded to recite pi out to the twenty-seventh decimal, which is – not coincidentally – 27.


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Treatment with the drug decitabine prior to administration of chemotherapy and a cancer vaccine yielded clinical benefit for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, suggesting that this combinatorial chemoimmunotherapy may provide a new treatment option for patients with this disease, according to a study published in Cancer Immunology Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
A prerequisite for a patient's immune system to recognize and attack his or her tumor is the presence of high levels of a protein not normally found in the patient's healthy cells. Proteins with this profile are called tumor antigens and can be good targets for anticancer vaccines.
"NY-ESO-1 is one of the few tumor antigens that have restricted expression in normal tissues but become aberrantly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancers and other solid tumors, so we focused on this antigen as the lead candidate for development of cancer immunotherapy," said Kunle Odunsi, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of the study, the M. Steven Piver professor and chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, and director of the Center for Immunotherapy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. "However, we observed that this antigen is not uniformly expressed by epithelial ovarian cancers, so our goal was to force the expression of NY-ESO-1 on ovarian cancer cells in order to allow the immune system to recognize and attack them.
"Expression of NY-ESO-1 is regulated by an epigenetic process called DNA methylation. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that epigenetic reprogramming of NY-ESO-1 using the demethylating agent decitabine will augment vaccine-induced immunity," he added. "Although clinical results were not a focus of this Phase 1 trial, we saw evidence of clinical benefit in up to 60% of the patients with chemotherapy-resistant tumors. The combination of a demethylating agent, chemotherapy, and cancer vaccine may have enabled this remarkable effect."
Odunsi and colleagues conducted a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial of decitabine, to which they recruited 12 women with epithelial ovarian cancer that had not responded to multiple lines of chemotherapy, with an estimated progression-free survival time of three months. All patients received decitabine on day one, the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin on day eight, and the cancer vaccine (NY-ESO-1 protein with Montanide and GM-CSF) on day 15.
In preclinical analysis reported as part of this study, the investigators established the best sequence of drug administration: decitabine was effective only when administered before chemotherapy, and it was ineffective if given after chemotherapy; vaccine administration was the last step.
The clinical trial participants were randomly assigned to receive a low, middle or high dose of decitabine.
Of the 10 patients evaluable for clinical response, five had stable disease for up to 7.8 months, and one had a partial response with disease remission that lasted 5.8 months. All patients from the low- and middle-dose cohorts of decitabine showed clinical benefit, whereas one-third of the patients who received the high dose showed benefit. These data suggest that lower doses of decitabine are associated with improved clinical response using this regimen. The treatment was well tolerated, and adverse events included hematologic side effects that were clinically manageable, according to Odunsi.
"One of the most remarkable results in terms of immune responses was that we were able to evoke what we call 'antigen spreading,'" he said. "Although we immunized against a single target [NY-ES0-1], we analyzed and found that we were able to induce immune responses against three other antigens, against which we did not immunize.
"We propose that patients should actively seek these kinds of combination therapies. Even though the majority of these types of therapies are experimental at this point, there is enough scientific and clinical evidence to indicate that they are likely to be beneficial," Odunsi added.
To this end, Odunsi and Adam R. Karpf, Ph.D., a co-principal investigator of the study and associate professor at the Eppley Institute and member of the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, are currently planning a phase II trial at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to test whether this treatment approach lengthens progression-free survival in patients with ovarian cancer.
This study was funded by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, a Cancer Vaccine Collaborative Grant, the Anna Maria Kellen Clinical Investigator Award, the National Cancer Institute, and Eisai Pharmaceuticals. Odunsi has declared no conflicts of interest.
Date: January 3, 2014
Source: American Association for Cancer Research


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"Real estate firm Redfin named Arlington County and Alexandria in Virginia as America's two most competitive markets for potential home buyers.
Redfin looked at markets across the country to determine the highest number of competing offers and waived contingencies, how quickly homes are going under contract and for how much above list price.
Arlington County and Alexandria scored 96 out of 100, meaning both are where potential buyers are facing the most intense competition anywhere in the country.
Redfin points at Amazon's HQ2 as one factor boosting the two markets, which are closest to the tech giant's future site at Crystal City.
"The Amazon HQ2 effect has become a permanent factor in the Arlington and Alexandria housing markets," said local Redfin agent Marcia Burgos-Stone.
"Some sellers are still opting to hold on to their homes and wait until it becomes a more concrete reality in the hopes that they will get more money. This has led to a shortage of homes for sale."
The number of active listings in both Arlington and Alexandria is currently about half what it was a year ago."
Oh yes! AOC jawboned Amazon out of establishing part of a second headquarters in her congressional district and thereby screwed her constituents out of a lot of money in pay and appreciated real estate prices.
Well pilgrims (and people in Europe) the fair city of Alexandria, Virginia was not so silly as to do that in spite of rule by Yellow Dog Democrats, Yankee immigrants, minorities and a few Blue Dog Democrats. Rather than do that the city and the commonwealth rolled out the red carpet in the forms of tax breaks, help with re-settlement of employees, etc.
As a result, a house one block from mine sold last week for seven figures after having been on the market for five days. In that time there had been five bona fide offers above the asking price. It was a good house but not a great house.,
I am not planning to sell this lovely old 1913 bitch (no mortgage) but I must say I can forgive Bezos for a lot of the crap in the Washington Post in return for this. You should see my outdoor kitchen. pl


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4 Ways to Talk to Employees So They Listen No one likes to be lectured at the workplace. As a leader, here is how to communicate your needs to employees and get your agenda met.
By Jim McCann
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
No one likes to be lectured in the workplace.
As a leader, you need to communicate with your employees to deliver strategic direction, reinforce corporate culture and rally the troops to achieve company goals and objectives. To be effective, you need to deliver these messages in a way that creates energy and enthusiasm, rather than deflating your team.
Here are four tips for talking to employees in a way that energizes them rather than depleting them:
1. Use humor. No matter how big or small your operation may be, there is often tension and emotional distance between the boss and employees. To diffuse that, I regularly use humor, a tactic that makes me more approachable. In my experience, the best kind is self-deprecating humor. When I showed up to meet new employees for the first time at a Midwest location, I started the conversations by poking fun at my pronounced "New Yawk" accent. It got a laugh and made me seem more accessible.
Related: Richard Branson on Why Leading Means Listening
2. Ask open-ended questions. And then be quiet. My favorite question to ask is "Tell me about [insert topic here]." When you ask a new employee about his ideas or a technologist about a new device, you are asking them to do more than give you a pat sentence or two in response. You have the opportunity to access that person's deep knowledge and passion. Ask a question that opens the conversation wide and then hold still and listen.
3. Bring others into the conversation. A boss-employee conversation may seem casual to the boss but can feel like an interrogation to the employee. To diffuse this situation, I like to bring others into the conversation to even out the experience. I may turn a one-on-one discussion into a larger conversation by inviting people to join us and share their thoughts and experiences. It benefits me, because I get to hear more voices, and it helps put everyone else at ease.
Related: 5 Ways to Be a Better Listener
4. Let the little stuff slide. If you are the kind of hands-on person who helped build the business from the ground up, you probably have insight or advice on everything from the capital budget to color of the carpet. But you don't have to communicate every thought to the staff. If it's not an important critique, let it go. I visited a flower shop in my company once and noticed the manager was not lining the trashcans with plastic bags. I know from experience that liners make the job easier, but I also know that I don't need to communicate every idea that comes into my head. It just creates a climate of nitpicking.
Conversations that take place up and down the food chain – between supervisor and staff, people of different departments and the boss and the new employee – are often the source of great new ideas.
As the boss, it's your job to get those conversations started and keep them going. You have a chance to make that happen (or achieve the opposite) every time you open your mouth.


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As mentioned in the last blog, there's a chance that Phantoms will be offered as a free limited time download. I decided to use NAFT's Bandcamp since it's one of the newer music sharing sites. Previously I would have used Soundclick or worse even MySpace. But I gotta upgrade in a way. Actually the most popular music sharing site seems to be Soundcloud although I haven't put much music there at the moment.
Here's Phantoms for your enjoyment. Bear in mind that these tunes were recorded between 1999-2001 during the time that home recording (and laptop performing) was still relatively new. If you want to read short background stories about the songs, click here.
Click on the Download link to grab the files. Note that it's going to ask for you to specify a price, but you can download for free. Just indicate zero for the price. You will also be asked for your email so Bandcamp can send you the link. Also please share freely with your friends.


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While the conflict may seem like history repeating itself, social media is actually changing the way the public sees the violence. As several news agencies have reported,Israel is now using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to its advantage in its war with Hamas in Gaza. In the past Israel has had to rely upon mainstream news agencies to report on the back-and-forth actions in Gaza, but now the Israeli military and government can take its message straight to the people using its social networks.
As the LA Times reported today:
While Israel launched its surprise attack Wednesday on Gaza, it declared it to the world on Twitter, arguing its case for the new campaign against Hamas in less than 140 characters.
Minute by minute, the Israel Defense Forces fed followers information and arguments on the strike. At their computers, Internet users could click through aerial photos, check updates on the offensive and watch a YouTube video of the strike killing the Hamas military chief.
At one point, the Israeli military traded Twitter barbs with Hamas. "We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead," the @IDFSpokesperson account tweeted Wednesday.
The Hamas military wing tweeted back, "Our blessed hands will reach your leaders and soldiers wherever they are (You Opened Hell Gates on Yourselves)."
Social media isn't new to the IDF, but the way it's now using such sites as Twitter is new and will likely become the way nation-states will operate in military conflicts. It is clear that the chief spokesman of the IDF, Yoav Mordechai, believes that tweeting the operation in Gaza is a good weapon in its hasbara (public relations) struggle. Israel has always been challenged by negative PR in the mainstream media. Mordechai's office even used Twitter to send a warning to its Hamas enemies, tweeting, "We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead." The IDF's Twitter feed has been continually updated with news, pictures and videos from the front lines using the Twitter "hashtag" #PillarOfDefense. Perhaps the Cyber war really became a reality when Hamas' military wing responded with return fire on Twitter, tweeting back, "You Opened Hell Gates on Yourselves."
In addition to the IDF's new found use of Twitter, sites like YouTube (operated by Google) have had to navigate their way through the new murky waters of whether the postings by the IDF of their military operations are deemed "kosher" according to its own terms of service agreement. Originally Google yanked a video posted by the Israeli military Wednesday, which showed the "pinpoint strike" that killed Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari in his car. YouTube originally had a message on the removed video stating, "This clip has been removed because its content violated YouTube's Terms of Service. Sorry about that."
However, YouTube apparently changed its corporate mind and allowed the video to be shown. A company spokesperson explained, "With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call. When it's brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it." Most likely enough anti-Israel YouTube users had flagged the video triggering a review process until someone at YouTube could view the video in question and make the decision. By reinstating the video, YouTube opened up a whole new front in this war.
In taking the Middle East conflict to the Web, the opportunity for hacking has also been escalated. So it was no surprise early yesterday morning when a hacker group called "Anonymous" announced a mission to crash and deface websites belonging to the IDF, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli websites belonging to security and financial corporations. Using Twitter, the hacking group urged its followers to bring down more than 40 websites belonging to the Israeli government and military.
In a statement, the hackers stated, "We will do everything in our power to hinder the evil forces of the IDF arrayed against you. We will use all our resources to make certain you stay connected to the Internet and remain able to transmit your experiences to the world." Already the hacker group has claimed to have taken down Israeli's "top security and surveillance website." They also released a "care package" with tools for staying online if the Israeli government cuts off Internet access in Gaza. Another hacker group called Telecomix posted a message online with instructions on how to use dial-up Internet to stay connect if the Web is shut down. According to Forbes.com, most of the Anonymous' target websites were still online.
Another new front of the Middle East war in Gaza has been the public discourse on social networking sites. As soon as the conflict escalated advocates on both sides of the conflict began using Facebook to show their support. Pro-Israel supporters began simply updating their Facebook status with the Hebrew words עם ישראל חי (Am Yisra'el Chai) meaning "The nation of Israel lives." Other Facebook and Twitter users reposted news reports of the direct hit on the Gaza leader and reminded their followers that the news coverage of the conflict has not accurate covered the escalation as thousands of missiles had already been fired into Israel from Gaza. Yesterday, in a show of support many users on Facebook began posting photos of IDF soldiers from visits to the Jewish homeland.
On Twitter, #Gaza and #Jerusalem have been trending off and on over the past few days and many heated back-and-forth conversations have taken place on the site. The IDF's Flickr site has also seen a huge uptick in traffic with many users reposting photos from that stream to their own Pinterest boards. Additionally, the IDF's Facebook page has noticed a sharp increase in fans approaching a quarter million. The IDF page's recent status was "Shabbat Shalom from the IDF. We won't be able to rest until we bring quiet to Israel."
The long-simmering conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians will be the first test of the social media zeitgeist. Newspapers and television news outlets are still relevant, but this will go down as the first war that was also played out in real time on the Web. In the social media era, anyone and everyone can become a reporter. And the millions of vehement opinions will likely only raise the heat of this escalating conflict.
Cross-posted to the Jewish Techs blog at the Jewish Week


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What Our Customers Say...
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Tina Brown, editor of the Daily Beast and Newsweek, joins NPR's Steve Inskeep again for an occasional feature Morning Edition likes to call Word of Mouth. She talks about what she's been reading and gives us some recommendations.
This month, her reading suggestions have a common theme: luck. Not good luck, not bad luck, but the often-ambiguous element of chance.
A Small Village Wins Big
Brown's first selection is a Michael Paterniti article from GQ, which Brown calls "a fabulous piece of very offbeat reporting."
"The Luckiest Village in the World" describes a poor farming village in Aragon, Spain, called Sodeto. The town decides to enter Spain's annual Christmas lottery, called "El Gordo" (the fat one); the prize is worth 720 million euros.
"The whole country participates in this kind of annual ritual of everybody hoping to win. And by some incredible piece of fortuitous luck, this little village wins," Brown says.
The article starts by describing the ecstasy of the win, but Brown says Paterniti's greatest strength is his exploration of the long-term consequences of this stroke of luck.
"He goes on to do what I absolutely love, when any reporter does [it]. He actually goes on to discuss what happens later. Because [after] this first wonderful rush, where everybody feels kind of morally blessed almost by this Michelangelo hand that has stretched down and saved their lives — it all begins to change. ... After a time what actually is shown is that while luck is democratic and touches everybody equally, money is secretive; money is selfish."
The villagers were supposed to share the money, but the neighbors begin to grow apart. They become suspicious of each other and protective of their winnings.
"They claim to possess fewer and fewer winning tickets than they first announced. You know, they start to hoard and not say what they've got. The people who said when they won that they're going to help this person, gradually those things are forgotten as they think about, well, no, maybe I'll keep it for myself and buy myself a new flat-screen TV.
"The luckiest person, in a sense, at the end of this story, is the loser who was the only person in the village who didn't buy a ticket. Because this guy who didn't win, who everybody felt very sorry for, at the end of the story he has decided to make a little movie with a Danish film crew about what actually happened in his village. And because he's done something, you know, himself, — because he's actually tried to do something — he feels actually happier and more at peace than really anybody in the village."
The moral of the story? "Luck isn't so lucky in the end," Brown says. "It's much better for the soul, in a sense, to work for your own rewards."
Life After Liberace
Brown's second pick is an article from The New York Times called "The Boy Toy's Story," about Liberace's lover Scott Thorson. Thorson was only 17 years old when he met Liberace, 40 years his senior, and he came from a rough background.
"He was an abused child of parents who treated him incredibly badly — from a rotten background," Brown says. "And Liberace fell absolutely, madly in love with him and moved him into his house. So much in love with him was he that [Liberace] actually insisted that [Thorson] drive him onstage in his limousine and open the door for Liberace when he got out, just so that he could see him onstage ... at all times."
It was an improbable change of lifestyle for Thorson.
"This is lightning striking," Brown says — "that this great showman could pick him out and shower him with jewels and shower him with furs and shower him with gifts."
But that wasn't necessarily good luck. "There's something very deeply creepy about this love affair," Brown says. Liberace persuaded Thorson to undergo plastic surgery — not just any surgery, but facial reconstruction that made him resemble Liberace himself.
"The ultimate act of narcissism," Brown calls it: "to really want to be in love with yourself."
"In order to lose weight, also to please Liberace, he gets addicted to amphetamines," Brown says. After five years, Liberace kicks him out, and Thorson sues him for millions of dollars in palimony — and loses, left with only $100,000.
"And so then the spotlight, again, leaves him," Brown says. "And like with the other story, what I find completely fascinating is looking at this guy since. What happens to this guy?"
Today Thorson, the subject of an upcoming HBO movie, is in prison for identity theft. "He has led a life of kind of petty crime," Brown says. "He's led a life where he became the lover of a famous gangster. He's at all times been involved in unbelievably sort of picaresque stories of crime and punishment. I will say one good thing about him: He no longer has the chin implant, which I think is a great redemption for him."
Obama Turns To Guantanamo Again
Brown's final story concerns luck of the political variety: specifically, President Obama's. Amid what Brown calls "a turmoil of scandals," a pieceby Daniel Klaidman on one of Obama's failed campaign promises is running in Brown's own Newsweek.
"On the campaign trail, the president said he was going to close Guantanamo Bay," Brown says. After four years of skirting the question, Obama has raised the issue again in recent weeks.
"He's decided that he really has got to now address it, largely because there has been this appalling hunger strike in Guantanamo recently," Brown says.
Many of the striking prisoners have been detained at Guantanamo Bay for more than a decade.
"Eleven years without any kind of due process," Brown says. "They have not been tried; they have not been allowed any kind of access to justice. They are there, stuck in limbo."
Klaidman's article points out that a challenge for anyone trying to motivate Congress to close Guantanamo Bay is that the prisoners there have little or no constituency.
"One of the great questions of this whole story is how to cajole self-interested lawmakers to take a major political risk," Brown says. "And Obama's answer seems to be that he's going to make his case, finally, to the public."
But if Obama wants to make up for years of inaction on Guantanamo Bay, his timing might be unlucky.
"My guess is that it will absolutely fall on deaf ears, given how little leverage he's got in the wake of the IRS scandal and the AP scandal and Benghazi — a trio of nightmares in his inbox," Brown says.
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