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England is aiming to offer free twice-a-week rapid COVID-19 tests for everyone in the coming weeks, but critics think it will do more harm than good because of the possibility of incorrect test results.U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed Monday in a press conference that England will start easing lockdown restrictions April 12 in an effort to open the economy again, beginning with businesses including pubs and gyms.Johnson cited vaccination rate in England, saying, "We think that these changes are fully justified by the data."Johnson also said testing would be valuable in the way forward, along with immunity and vaccination status."I think that testing has been a massive advantage to this country," he said. "Our ability to conduct I think 112 million tests, the last number I saw."However there are some critics of the plan."Mass testing is a scandalous waste of money," Allyson Pollock, professor of public health at Newcastle University told the BBC. She said rapid testing would lead to false positives, meaning individuals would self isolate unnecessarily because of a test error.From April 9, lateral flow tests--swabs taken through the nose or mouth-- will be free and offered at testing sites, pharmacies and through home delivery. The tests will show results in about 30 minutes and be offered by:
- A home ordering service, which allows people to order lateral flow tests online to be delivered to their home
- Workplace testing programs, on-site or at home
- Community testing, offered by all local authorities
- Collection at a local PCR test site during specific test collection time windows
- Testing on-site at schools and colleges
England is also launching a 'pharmacy connect' service that will allow people over the age of 18 to collect a box of seven tests from their local pharmacy.The move is part of a larger effort to reopen the economy."Alongside the rollout of the vaccine, regular testing is going to be an essential part of the easing of restrictions as it will help us quickly suppress the spread of variants," a press releasefrom the Department of Health and Social Care, Johnson and Secretary of Health Matt Hancock read.Both Johnson and Hancock say the weekly tests will help move England toward reopening."Around one in three people who have COVID-19 show no symptoms, and as we reopen society and resume parts of life we have all dearly missed, regular rapid testing is going to be fundamental in helping us quickly spot positive cases and squash any outbreaks," said Hancock."As we continue to make good progress on our vaccine program and with our roadmap to cautiously easing restrictions underway, regular rapid testing is even more important to make sure those efforts are not wasted," said Johnson.The tests were already being carried out in England for school-age children, college students, their families and those who need to leave home for work.U.K. officials and Johnson are also looking into a COVID-19 passport system, which would allow citizens to freely travel internationally after vaccination. Meanwhile, the U.K. has recorded126,862 COVID-19 deaths and 4,362,150 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic.Jeannette Muhammad is an intern with Here & Now. Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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What really sets Linky Tools apart? Personal service. I own, run, build and service Linky Tools myself. So when you have a question or need some help, I respond to you personally.
Unlike other faceless & nameless imitators, you can always talk with me directly by submitting this form*, or emailing me ([email protected]). I am genuinely grateful when people use Linky Tools, and I show my appreciation by personally handling your inquiries. The great features of Linky Tools makes it by far the best and most popular "linky" on the Internet... the personal service proves it.
I look foward to hearing from you with your questions, suggestions and even gripes (complaints let me know what to improve).
The vast majority of people who have trouble with a link or thumbnail are Safari users. The Safari browser represents only about 3% of my Linky Tools users, but I'm still working hard to see if I can get everything going flawlessly in Safari too.
In the meantime, if you could try Chrome or Firefox (both free, both GREAT browsers), you'll probably be able to get your links/thumbnails up for now.
With a recent update, the native Wordpress Design editor (when you write a blog post using the VISUAL view) tries to delete "<script>" tags from your post. This isa WORDPRESS issue, not Linky Tools. Wordpress is trying to do you a "favor" by removing <script> tags which the post editor suspects might be malicious code. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it happens to enough people it's a common problem. There are two solutions (I recommend #2):
Hopefully Wordpress will fix this issue in a future update.

subset: commoncrawl


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Elton John Performs 'Your Song' at Royal Wedding
After British Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle tied the knot today and became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Sir Elton John serenaded the happy couple at a luncheon reception hosted by the Queen.
John, who was a close friend of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana — with whom he worked to raise money and awareness for AIDS/HIV — performed four songs, including "Your Song" to a crowd of 600 guests at the lunchtime reception, according to TMZ. The song was released on John's self-titled 1970 debut album in the U.S. Ellie Goulding, who briefly dated Prince Harry, also performed "Your Song" when Harry's brother Prince William wed Kate Middleton in 2011.
At today's ceremony John also performed "Tiny Dancer," which includes the very appropriate phrase "L.A. lady," a nod to the bride, followed by "Circle of Life" and "I'm Still Standing." John's introduction was humorously theatrical, as he rose to the podium after the groom made a speech that concluded with "Does anyone here know how to play the piano?" After a "brief awkward silence," John got up and began his brief set.
Of his performance, Kensington Palace noted only that "Sir Elton performed for the newly married couple in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family" in a statement.
John and his husband David Furnish were spotted earlier in attendance at the ceremony with John sporting a pair of round, pink sunglasses. Though John, who will launch an extended farewell tour this September, said back in January that "no one's been asked" to perform at the wedding, he did reschedule his May 18-19 concert dates due to unspecified "scheduling conflicts."
John performed a revised "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, and has remained close with the royal family. He was personally asked by Prince Harry to perform at his wedding.
"I could tell that he was totally in love," John said after seeing him in Sicily last summer. "He didn't really discuss much personally but he said 'I'm in love' and I thought 'good for you.' Both of those boys seem to be ecstatically happy and that's all you want people to be."
30 Famous Rock Wedding Photos


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Work in the merger and acquisition marketplace has been in manufacturing, wholesale and service sectors. Assignments have been completed for both domestic and foreign entities. Among others, analysis in the manufacturing industries has been completed in the garment, industrial paper, packaging, filter, wood veneer, automotive parts, sporting goods, process controls, HVAC, petro-chemical equipment and drug equipment. Wholesale distribution experience includes automotive parts, fast food, aerospace, railroad, heavy duty truck, petro-chemical, oil supply, sporting goods and service station supply. Service industry experience includes computer software, software training, internet, trucking, medical, storage, moving, restaurants, retail stores, hotels and construction.
Market analysis – Have analyzed markets for consolidation by merger or acquisition. Markets have been defined, bounded and sized. Spreadsheet templates have been developed to assist in analyzing the market qualitatively and quantitatively.
Acquisition targeting – Have identified individual acquisition candidates. Have rated objectives by suitability of positive financial results of combination. Analysis was created by determining the financial impact of combination of individual acquisitions targets and rating by suitability. Financial templates have been developed to utilize quantitative decision making procedures to properly analyze candidates by removing significant personal bias.
Valuation – Have performed business valuations for use in corporate mergers and acquisitions, court proceedings and for individual investors. Both formal and informal reports have been prepared.
Contract assistance – Have assisted counsel and principals in framing contracts of sale, buy-sell agreements, partnership agreements and employment agreements. Alternative proposals have been developed and submitted for analysis of financial and tax ramifications of alternatives.
Negotiation/Mediation – Have assisted in negotiations to determine price and terms of agreements. Have appeared at National Labor Relations Board mediation conferences regarding union contract matters. Have served as independent mediator in contract disputes.
Financing – Have created business plans, prospective financial statements and financing packages for submission to lending institutions, venture capital organizations and individual investors. Have negotiated with competing lending institutions to secure best terms and conditions.
Due diligence – Have analyzed financial statements, tax returns and internal company documents to determine the veracity of representations made by management. Have audited financial information in preparation for initial public offering. Retained by international financial institution to teach loan officers external fraud detection. Have analyzed and reported on external financial information to banks.
- Phone: (757) 523-2700
- Fax: (757) 523-0536


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This database allows viewing and searching spatial and descriptive data on the HELCOM MPA* network as reported by HELCOM countries.
The aim of establishing HELCOM MPAs is to protect valuable marine and coastal habitats in the Baltic Sea. This is done by designating sites with particular nature values as protected areas, and by managing human activities within those areas. Each site has its unique management plan.
More information on HELCOM MPAs is available on the HELCOM marine protected areas website.
Short instructions for using the HELCOM MPAs database application can be found here and here. (recorded training session).
Full guidelines on entering data into the HELCOM MPA database application can be found here.
Feedback is welcomed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
* former BSPAs, officially known as Coastal and marine Baltic Sea protected areas.


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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Five inmates in the Carolinas extorted more than half a million dollars from military personnel throughout the country, using illegal cellphones to pose as women on dating sites, authorities said Wednesday.
Standing in front of a state prison in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon told reporters that five inmates had been indicted on federal charges including extortion and wire fraud. Ten others throughout the Carolinas have been charged with helping inmates collect extortion payments via services including Western Union or PayPal.
According to court documents, inmates used contraband phones to join dating websites, contacting and exchanging nude images with service members across the country.
Once the targets had been reeled in, Drew Goodridge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said, inmates then posed as an authority figure, like a father or police officer, claiming the girl with whom the victim had been communicating was underage and demanding money to keep the exchanges private.
Fearful they'd be accused of disseminating child pornography, possibly losing their military careers, more than 442 service members handed over more than $560,000 total, authorities said.
Lydon said the victims come from all branches and ranks of the military. According to Goodridge, more than 250 other cases were being investigated for potential extortion as part of "Operation Surprise Party," which his agency began in January 2017.
"This operation will continue until we break the back of these criminal networks," he said.
Inmates aren't allowed to have cellphones behind bars, although thousands are smuggled inside each year. Corrections Director Bryan Stirling has long called illegally obtained cellphones the No. 1 security threat inside his institutions, as they allow inmates the unmonitored ability to communicate and potentially continue their criminal endeavors.
Officials have said a deadly riot earlier this year at Lee Correctional Institution was in part a turf war over contraband including cellphones.
"We do not lock up criminals only to have them go to prison and continue their criminal conduct," Lydon said. "It is the unfettered use of contraband cellphones that allows inmates to continue harming the citizens of South Carolina."


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Rethinking Tourism at ITB Berlin Now Convention
Berlin, Germany, March 1, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / More than 200 leading international speakers representing airlines, the hotel and cruise industries as well as organisers will talk about the future of the tourism industry – Focus on marketing, destinations and sustainable travel at the global travel industry's largest think tank – ITB CSR DAY is now a Sustainable Tourism Track – Full programme details and tickets for the virtual show are available online now
The global travel industry's largest think tank is also attracting leading opinion-formers and visionary minds to its virtual edition. In this challenging year, the programme of the ITB Berlin NOW Convention features experienced industry figures who will discuss their views on the industry's future with participants in the event. From 9 to 12 March 2021, under this year's heading 'Rethink, Regenerate, Restart – Tourism for a Better Normal', more than 200 leading speakers from the international travel industry will be having their say. Among the more than 30 CEOs are Luuc Elzinga, CEO of Tiqets, Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines, Travis Pittmann, co-founder and CEO of TourRadar, Merja Taipaleenmäki, CEO of Citynomadi Ltd, Jan Sadowsky, CEO of Green Tiny Houses, and Brad Weber, president and CEO of Gray Line Wordwide, to name but a few. Speakers from around the world from not- so-familiar brands and backgrounds will offer food for thought and an alternative focus with their commitment and clever ideas. Visitors to the virtual edition can choose between sessions on key topics such as destinations, sustainable travel, marketing and travel sales and will benefit from wide-ranging and constructive input on the latest developments in the travel industry. For exhibitors, trade visitors and the media, participation in the ITB Berlin NOW Convention is included in the price of a ticket. Full details of the programme of the ITB Berlin NOW Convention are available online.
On 9 March 2021 the speakers at the ITB Future Track will be casting their eyes to the future. Interviews with leading CEOs from every walk of the industry – including a morning keynote interview with Richard Holden, vice president, Product Management, Google – will give an up-to-the-minute and qualified view of the challenges the tourism industry is having to confront during the coronavirus pandemic. High-ranking representatives of Emirates, Air France KLM and Ryanair will have their say on the situation in the airline industry. The CEOs of the TUI Group and DER Touristik Group will each explain how tour operators can successfully emerge the crisis. Leading figures representing Hyatt, Accor and Deutsche Hospitality will outline solutions for the hotel industry. The CEOs of MSC Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and TUI Cruises will talk about the trends and challenges in the cruise market. Representatives of the Lufthansa Group will talk about aviation topics concerning the international tourism industry.
Liisa Kokkarinen, Sustainable Arctic Destination, Sustainable Travel Finland manager, Visit Finland, will talk about the comprhensive steps Finland is undertaking to become a carbon-neutral destination by 2035. Nick Careen, senior vice president, Airport Passenger Cargo and Security (APCS) IATA, Harry Sommer, CEO NCL, the Hon. Harry Theoharis, tourism minister of Greece, Virginia Messina, managing director of the WTTC, and Jose Filipe Torres, CEO of Bloom Consulting will discuss the political conditions, industry initiatives and health situation needed to help restart business after Covid-19.
Concepts and strategies for restarting business
On 10 March 2021 leading speakers at the ITB Marketing & Distribution Track will talk about the major shifts in the package tour market. In a keynote interview Nathan Blecharzyk, co-founder of Airbnb, CSO and chairman, Airbnb China, will talk about the future of his company in the face of current shifts in the tourism industry. Fabian Eberle, director of CZP Chalet Zermatt Peak, Dr. med. Jeffry Mc Cutchan, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and anxiety researcher, Erik Nissen Johansen, creative director and founder of Stylt Trampoli AB, and Jenny Southan, editor and founder of Globetrender, will examine changing attitudes in the luxury travel market and how hotel concepts can take the customer desire for attention and personal safety into account.
Together with Miguel Flecha, a VR expert from Accenture, Mateusz Mierzwinski, CEO and founder of LocalBini, Vladimir Varnavskii, founder and CEO of Vresorts, and Olaf Schlieper, innovation manager of the German National Tourism Board, will examine how VR applications can be used to promote destinations and attractions. In reply to three questions in nine minutes, Max C. Luscher, CEO Central & Northern Europe B&B Hotels will present an outlook for the budget hotel industy.
Also on 10 March 2021, a number of sessions in partnership with the German Business Travel Association (VDR) will examine how business travel can be restarted in these times of the Covid-19 pandemic. After a welcome speech by VDR general manager Hans-Ingo Biehl, the Business Travel programme will kick off with a discussion under the heading 'Business Travel: REthink, REbuild, RElevance – the Future of Meetings & Events', which will look at the prospects for new business models, technology trends and their ramifications.
On 11 March 2021 at the ITB Destination Track, Matthias Beyer, managing director of mascontour GmbH, will explain why destination management must focus on resilience in the future. At the ITB Resilience Roundtable, Kenya's Minister of Tourism and Wildlife the Hon. Najib Balala, Gloria Guevara Manzo, president and CEO of the WTTC, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations the Hon. Staša Košarac, and Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, will talk about measures that have already been introduced, those being planned as well as their potential impact. Norbert Kettner, managing director of the Vienna Tourist Board and Miguel Angel Sanz Castedo, director general of Tourspain, will explain what has to be done to make sure tourism at a prime incoming destination like Vienna can successfully get back into gear. Participants in the discussion round including Otar Berishvili, Collective Development director of the Adjara Group, Nick Erkomaishvili, director and CEO of Explore Georgia, and John Wurderman, director of the Winery 'Peasant's Tears', can find out more about Georgia's vibrant culture, from the mountain peaks to the Black Sea coast. In an interview, Patrick Andrae, co-founder and CEO of HomeToGo, will explain why he expects the holiday apartment market will continue to boom this year. Laura Meyer, CEO of Hotelplan, will highlight new destination trends and the prospects for the major source markets.
On 12 March 2021 at the ITB Berlin MICE Track presented by the Association of Event Organisers (VDVO), leading MICE industry representatives will have their say. The focus of the MICE Track at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention will be on what the new normal will look like in the meetings and events industry. Bernd Fritzges, CEO of the VDVO and Daniel Steinbichler, CEO of weframe AG, will present the 'Push'21 initiative – the next step towards better meetings'. The project not only aims to help overcome the challenges facing the events industry due to massive pandemic-related turnover losses, but to also positively shape ongoing digitalisation and the accompanying changes in event formats, for the future benefit of everyone in the market.
On 12 March 2021 at the ITB Sustainability Track, which this year replaces the ITB CSR-in-Tourism Day, the agenda will focus entirely on sustainable travel, climate protection and social responsibility. Roger Dow, president & CEO of USTravel, will look at the potential future impact of the US government's new climate policies and on the recovery and transformation of the travel industry. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has launched a comprehensive programme with the aim of creating a more resilient and sustainable tourism environment. The measures target 16 countries which have been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus crisis and which represent important destinations for the German travel market. Following a welcome speech by Norbert Barthle, Parlamentiary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr. Anna Spenceley, an international tourism expert, Volker Adams, head of Policies/Foreign Tourism at the DRV, and Petra Thomas, managing director of forum anders reisen, will report on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in developing and threshold countries and the consequences for the German travel market.
In his keynote speech Jürgen May, managing director of 2bdifferent, will examine whether virtual events are generally more climate-friendly than in-person meetings and will explain the sustainability aspects that need to be taken into account. Euromonitor's Sustainable Travel Index is the first sustainable travel and tourism ranking that lists 99 countries. Caroline Bremner, head of Travel Research Euromonitor, will present the leading destinations at an ITB Deep Dive Session. To obtain a list of the leading countries in the white paper directly after the lecture advance registration is required here. At an interactive panel discussion Prof. Dr. Harald Zeiss, chairman of Futouris, will invite visitors to the ITB Berlin NOW Convention to discuss what innovative strategies must be undertaken to make tourism more sustainable.
In addition to the ITB Sustainability Track, the Best Practice Responsible Tourism Track will also examine critical issues. A discussion will take place on the topic of racism and discrimination in the tourism industry with a view to finding solutions, as well as on how tourism concepts can be set up that actively involve local residents. In an interview, Portugal's State Secretary for Tourism Rita Marques will talk about her country's long-term recovery efforts and a climate event scheduled for May this year entitled 'A World for Travel – Evora Forum'. The panel discussion organised by ITC SheTrades will talk about female empowerment and gender equality when society rebuilds after the coronavirus crisis. Other track highlights include the launch of the 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Competition, the TO DO Award, including the Human Rights Award presented by Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V., and the Celebrating Her Award of the International Institute for Peace (IIPT), which honours outstanding women in tourism.
About ITB Berlin NOW and the ITB Berlin NOW Convention
ITB Berlin NOW will take place from Tuesday, 9 to Friday, 12 March for trade visitors only and as an entirely virtual event. ITB Berlin is the World's Leading Travel Trade Show. As part of ITB Berlin NOW, the ITB Berlin NOW Convention, the largest travel industry event of its kind, will also take place as a virtual event. The World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) is the co-host, Mascontour Track is the sponsor of the ITB Future Track, Google and Lufthansa are track sponsors of the ITB Marketing & Distribution Track, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is the ITB Sustainability Track partner, SIO AG is the track sponsor of the eTravel DATA TALKS and Studiosus is the session sponsor. For exhibitors, trade visitors and the media, participation in the ITB Berlin NOW Convention is included in the price of a ticket.


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Bone ShibaSwap Profit Calculator is nothing but a tool to simplify your tedious process of calculating how much profit or loss you make in each trade. Sometimes Bone ShibaSwap ROI calculation becomes difficult when the number of tokens are huge or you make multiple trades and there are other hidden factors like exchange fees for both entering and exiting a trade.
Our Bone ShibaSwap (BONE) Profit Calculator is a simple calculation tool that you can bookmark and can help you no matter which cryptocurrency you want to calculate.


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As a pet parent, a road trip with a furry kid might seem like a dream come true. You'd love the opportunity to bond and share new experiences with him, and you'd certainly appreciate the company. But before you load your beloved pet into the car for the long haul, take a moment to reflect. A pet who's a great companion at home, on walks, and on short trips around town won't necessarily be an ideal travel buddy. Long trips aren't right for every pet, and your pet's needs should come before your desire to take him along.
Does My Pet have a Road-Worthy Temperament?
Like people, dogs have a wide range of different temperaments. Some are laid-back and easygoing, while others are nervous and high-strung. If your pet is adaptable, easy to please and likes new places and new people, he's likely to be a great travel buddy. However, if he's nervous by nature, skittish about car rides, or anxious when confronted with something new, chances are, he's not ready for a long trip. If your pet is nervous or fearful, don't despair – with some training, he may eventually become a great pet traveler. He just may have to stay home this time around.
With appropriate training, commitment, and patience, most temperament problems can be overcome. Your pet can become less sensitive to stimuli, and more suited for travel. That said, desensitizing training techniques aren't a quick fix. You'll need to dedicate the time, offer a lot of leeway and understanding, and let your pet set the pace.
Will This Trip be Fun for my Pet?
Will your pet be comfortable? Did you plan pet friendly activities he will enjoy? Your dog might love an impromptu hiking trip through the mountains or a glorious day on the beach, but he may not be so thrilled to share your mother's tiny apartment with her cats while you head off to the golf course or sit alone in a hotel room during your out-of-town business meetings, (in fact, many pet friendly hotels don't allow pets to stay alone in rooms). You know your dog best, so you are the best person to judge whether this trip will be an enjoyable one for him – if not, you can adjust your plans to be more pet friendly, or you can let him stay home where he's sure to be comfortable.
Is My Pet in Good Health?
If your pet is injured or under-the-weather, you may be tempted to take him along on your trip so you can watch over him. After all, no one will care for him like you do! However, it may be best for your pet to stay behind under the care of trusted friend or family member. You will be busy driving, after all, and you won't really keep vigil over him. The trip may make him tired, distressed or uncomfortable – factors that will be difficult to remedy far from home. A pet in pain or discomfort may even act out, which won't make for a pleasant trip for either of you.
If your pet is elderly, but in good health, you'll need to make a judgment call. If he enjoys taking car trips and visiting new places, taking him along may very well be good for him. If he likes trips, but becomes uncomfortable easily, he may be better off at home. If you're undecided, a quick trip to consult with your vet can help you figure out whether a road trip is in your pet's best interest.
If your pet suffers from travel anxiety, routinely taking him on brief trips, or planning occasional trips that end up somewhere exciting and fun can help teach him that traveling is a rewarding experience. If your pet experiences motion sckness during car rides, all is not lost – a number of remedies exist to help alleviate his suffering, including reconditioning, traditional medications, and holistic remedies.
If your pet is up for it, hitting the road with him can be a fantastic way to break up the blahs, have some fun adventures, and spend some quality time together. However, even if your pet isn't perfectly suited for travel right now, it doesn't mean he never can be.
Safe travels and happy tails!
About TripsWithPets.com
TripsWithPets.com is the premier online pet friendly travel guide — providing online reservations at pet friendly hotels, info about airline & car rental pet policies, pet friendly activities and a user-friendly "search hotels by route" option. For more information, please visit tripswithpets.com.


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FREE STANDARD SHIPPING within the U.S. / International shipping is currently unavailable.
This cowboy hat ashtray was made as a souvenir from the 1920's-1950's and sold to tourists along the Santa Fe trial. It's made of copper and measures 6" in diameter with a 2.25" crown.
Awesome collectible that can be use as an ashtray, incense, jewelry or a candle holder.
- made in the U.S.A.


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Knowledge Development Box update
By Diarmaid Gavin & John Cuddigan
03 May, 2017
The Oireachtas recently enacted the Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Act 2017 (the "2017 Act"). This legislation follows on from the Knowledge Development Box introduced by the Finance Act 2015, which made provision for (among other things) small companies to avail of the Knowledge Development Box with respect to unpatented inventions. Once it is commenced by a Ministerial Order the 2017 Act will empower the Controller of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (the "Controller of Patents") to issue certification that an invention is novel, non-obvious and useful, which certification will ensure that the invention falls within the definition of "qualifying assets" for the purposes of the Knowledge Development Box.
This form of certification (referred to as "KDB Certification") will be available for small companies (referred to in the legislation as a "relevant company"), which meet the following criteria:
- the company has income from intellectual property not exceeding €7.5 million in a 12 month accounting period;
- the company is a member or group turnover of less than €50 million; and
- the company employs fewer than 250 employees.
Part 2 of the 2017 Act sets out the type of inventions a KDB Certificate may be issued in respect of and reflects what inventions patents may be granted in respect of under the Patents Acts 1992 to 2017. In addition, it should be noted that a KDB Certificate may only be issued in respect of one invention or group of inventions if the inventions are linked to form a single inventive concept.
What will be of most interest to small companies and patent attorneys are the rules in relation to the application for KDB certificate and procedure for examination by the control or patents, which are set out in Part 3 of the 2017 Act, which includes a requirement for an opinion as to novelty from a patent attorney in relation to the unpatented invention.
There are requirements for the controller to keep all applications, KDB certificates and refusals to issue KDB certificates confidential subject to any order for discovery made in legal proceedings where that disclosure is desirable in the interest of justice, and any disclosure to the Revenue Commissioners for the purposes of making a determination in relation to any tax, tax refund or tax credit.
Finally, Part 6 of the 2017 Act makes some amendments to the Patents Act 1992 to allow for the grant of patents by the controller of patents following a substantial examination for novelty and thus ensuring that Irish patents will fall within paragraph (a) of the definition of "Qualifying Patent" in section 769G of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.
For further information in relation to the Knowledge Development Box and intellectual property matters, please contact:
Diarmaid Gavin, Partner, firstname.lastname@example.com, 021 480 2707,
John Cuddigan, Partner, firstname.lastname@example.com, 021 428 2701


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Kian Contract Vietnam Co., Ltd
Ho Chi Minh
Kian Contract Vietnam Co., Ltd28 Nguyen Co Thach, Sala, District 2 -
tel: +84 28 7301 0986
INFORMATION ON THE PROCESSING OF THE PERSONAL DATA of users that visit the website www.nardioutdoor.com, pursuant to article 13 of (EU) Regulation 2016/679
Pursuant to (EU) Regulation 2016/679 (hereinafter "Regulation"), this page describes the methods for processing the personal data of users who visit the website/s accessible electronically at the following URL:
• www.nardioutdoor.com
This information does not concern other websites, pages or on-line services that can be reached through hypertext links that may be published on the websites that refer to resources outside of the domain of the Data Protection Authority.
Following a visit to the above-mentioned websites, data relevant to identified or identifiable natural persons may be processed.
The Data Controller is Nardi spa, with registered office in Via delle Stangà 14 - Chiampo (VI) - IT (E-mail: email@example.com, PEC: firstname.lastname@example.com, switchboard +39 0444 422100).
The personal data indicated on this page is processed by the Data Controller, as necessary, for the management of the website and, based on specific policies, and, where necessary, based on consent, in order to offer and perform the services offered by the website.
Browsing data
Computer systems and software procedures used to operate this website acquire, during normal operation, certain personal data, whose transmission is implicit when using Internet communication protocols.
This category includes IP addresses or the domain names of computers and terminals used by users, addresses in URI (Uniform Resource Identifier/Locator) notation of requested resources, the time the request is made, the method used to submit the request to the server, the file size obtained in response, the numerical code indicating the response status from the server (successful, error, etc.) and other parameters related to the user's operating system and computer environment.
Such data, necessary for the use of web services, is also processed to:
• obtain statistical information on the use of the services (most visited pages, number of visitors by time or day, geographical areas of origin, etc.);
• check the correct functioning of the services offered.
Browsing data is not stored for more than the time necessary to guarantee the functioning of the website and is deleted immediately following aggregation (except for any need to investigate crimes by the Legal Authorities).
Data communicated by the user
The optional, explicit and voluntary sending of messages to the Data Controller's contact addresses, as well as the filling out and submission of the forms on the websites, involve the acquisition of the sender's contact data, necessary to reply, as well as all of the personal data included within the communications and newsletters.
Specific information will be published within the specific pages prepared to provide certain services.
Cookies and other tracking systems
No use is made of cookies for profiling users, nor are tracking systems used.
Session cookies are used (non-persistent), strictly limited to that which is necessary for the secure and efficient browsing of the websites. The storage of session cookies in terminals or browsers is controlled by the user, whereas on servers, at the end of HTTP sessions, information relevant to cookies remains stored in service logs, with storage times not exceeding seven days, as for other browsing data.
Appointed parties, such as Data Processors, can be recipients of the data collected from visiting the above-mentioned websites, pursuant to article 28 of the Regulation, for carrying out the services of development, supply and operational management of the technological platforms used.
Personal data collected is also processed by Data Protection Authority staff, which acts on the basis of specific instructions provided for the purposes and methods of the processing.
Data subjects have the right to obtain, in the cases envisaged, access to personal data that concern them, rectification, erasure of the same, limitation of the processing or to object to processing (arts. 15 et seq. of the Regulation). The specific request can be submitted to the aforementioned contacts.
Data subjects who believe that the processing of their personal data carried out through this website is performed in breach of that which is envisaged by the Regulation have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority, as provided by art. 77 of the Regulation, or to take appropriate legal action (art. 79 of the Regulation).


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Upholstery is one of the more delicate items in your home that need cleaning. Not only are there different types of upholstery fabric, but there are also different types of upholstery stains. That's why it's important to leave upholstery cleaning to the professionals.
At Optima Cleaning, we have the experience and expertise to clean all types of upholstery, from couches to chairs to cushions. We will work diligently to remove all stains, restore colour and remove odours. In addition, we will also treat for dust mites, ensuring that your upholstery is clean and healthy. For the best upholstery cleaning in Mount Gravatt, contact Optima Cleaning today.
At Optima Cleaners, we understand that your lounge is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home. Not only is it a place to relax and unwind, but it also plays an important role in setting the tone for your entire living space. That's why we offer a comprehensive Mount Gravatt lounge cleaning service that will leave your sofa looking and feeling like new.
We begin by thoroughly vacuuming the fabric to remove any surface dirt and dust. We then use a special upholstery cleaning solution to break down deep-seated dirt, grime, and stains. Finally, we use a high-powered steam cleaner to thoroughly sanitise the fabric and remove any remaining dirt or debris. So if you're looking for a Mount Gravatt sofa cleaning service that will leave your furniture looking and feeling like new, contact Optima Cleaners today.
Most people don't think about their couch or dining chairs until something spills on them. Then it's a mad dash to find the nearest upholstery cleaner in Mount Gravatt. But at Optima Cleaners, we believe in providing our customers with the best possible service – before and after a spill.
That's why we offer couch and upholstery repairs in Mount Gravatt, as well as professional cleaning services. Whether your furniture is in need of a simple spot cleaning or a more thorough deep-cleaning, our team of experienced professionals will take care of it. And if you have any damage to your couch or chairs, we can often repair it on-site, so you don't have to go through the hassle of finding a new piece of furniture.
So next time something spills on your couch, don't panic – just give Optima Cleaners a call. We'll take care of everything.
At Optima Cleaners, we understand that your car is more than just a means of transportation. It's an extension of your home, and you want it to look and feel its best. That's why we offer upholstery cleaning services that are designed to keep your car's interior looking like new. From stain removal to full-scale upholstery steam cleaning, we have the expertise and experience to get the job done right.
And because we understand that your time is valuable, we offer convenient pick-up and drop-off services so you can get back on the road as soon as possible. If you're looking for upholstery cleaners in Mount Gravatt who can help you keep your car looking its best, call Optima Cleaners today.
Mount Gravatt residents love their homes and take great pride in keeping them clean and presentable at all times. Upholstery is one of the things that can make or break the look of a room, so it's important to keep it in pristine condition. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and even the most careful homeowners can end up with stained upholstery. That's where Scotchgard comes in. This miraculous fabric and upholstery protector is transparent and odorless, so it won't affect the colour or state of your fabric.
Once applied, it will act as an invisible layer, repelling spills and stains and keeping your upholstery looking like new. Mount Gravatt residents who are looking for the best way to protect their upholstery should call Mount Gravatt Couch Cleaning for a free consultation. Our team of experienced professionals will evaluate your needs and recommend the best course of action. Mount Gravatt Couch Cleaning is the best Mount Gravatt has to offer when it comes to couch cleaning, steam cleaning, and protecting your investment.
Professional upholstery cleaning in Mount Gravatt is the best way to keep your furniture and car interiors looking like new. Our upholstery cleaners use the latest cleaning technology and products to clean your upholstery, leaving it looking and smelling fresh and new.
We also offer a Scotchgard protection service, which seals your upholstery and protects it from spills, stains, and dirt for up to six months. Whether you need a one-off couch cleaning service or a regular upholstery cleaning service, we can tailor a package to suit your needs. Contact us today to book your appointment.
Plus, with availability on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays, we make it easy for you to schedule a service at a cost that won't break the bank. Trust us to get the job done right – book your Upholstery and Couch Cleaning online or contact us today.
Upholstery per seat
Leather per seat
Armchair/ Recliner
Dining Chair
Fabric protection
Please Note: The prices are indicative and subject to location and availability , * T&C apply, * Minimum call out fee of $115.00. The price estimation for larger projects may need to be given on site after inspection.
Mark Wisken – Optima Cleaners Director
We welcome your enquiry and will respond to you as soon as possible.


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A stealth plan by the Obama administration to classify hundreds of thousands of workhorse rifles used by the U.S. military and public alike as dangerous has prompted a grass-roots campaign to save the weapons, and a key U.S. senator has lent his voice to the effort.
"If we're going to reverse President Obama's Million Rifle Ban, gun owners have to turn the heat up on Congress now before it's too late," writes Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in a campaign launched by National Association for Gun Rights.
"Please sign your Firearms Freedom Survey and put yourself squarely against President Obama's Million Rifle Ban."
The effort urges taxpayers to commit to voting against any senator who "votes to maintain Barack Obama's M1 Garand Rifle Ban."
The controversy developed, as WND reported in 2010, when the Korean government requested the transfer of hundreds of thousands of the rifles to U.S. private entities for subsequent commercial resale.
The weapons, however, suddenly were classified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as a "threat to the public safety in the U.S." The State Department then canceled plans by the Republic of Korea to return the weapons, totaling a little short of a million.
At the time, David Codrea, who writes as the Gun Rights Examiner, said, "If I read this right, what they're saying is, every gun poses a threat to public safety in the U.S. This is the same rationale used in model-specific 'assault weapons' bans – the type of gun is somehow deemed relevant, even though untold numbers of such firearms are already peaceably owned in this country, and even though no supporting evidence for this conclusion exists beyond agenda-promoting speculation." Read more
Source: WND.com
Resources for Military Gun Collectors
The Standard Catalog of Military Firearms
The Greatest Guns of Gun Digest
Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values


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From today, February 4th-February 17th, I'd love for you to stop by the Sony Store in Manhattan (550 Madison Avenue between 55th and 55th Streets) to check out my photo exhibit! As part of The Hidden 212 Project with Sony, I chronicled almost a month in my life from a behind-the-scenes perspective of a writer/blogger/all around die-hard fashionista living and working in New York City. Using an incredible NEX-5R camera courtesy of Sony, my images range from exclusive showroom previews and flagship store fetes to new product launch parties, rubbing elbows with designers and celebrities. I couldn't help but also mix in some of my favorite local shops and eateries along the way!
PLUS –if you print out a photo of my exhibit (found on FPD's social networks) and show it at the register at the NYC store, you will get a free PROFORMA CASE with any NEX camera purchase.
I hope you'll stop in and check out the exhibit, and in the meanwhile, you can follow along on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook with the hashtags #sony212 and #sonystore!
-Julia DiNardo


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We are New Jersey estate sale and household content liquidation service specialists. We provide a one-stop resource for helping you sell and liquidate the contents of your home in New Jersey . So, if you are moving, downsizing or taking care of an estate, we can provide you with a single-source solution for your home downsizing, home cleanout, de-cluttering and, content liquidation. We do everything we can to help you move and or sell your home and receive money from the sale of your contents. As licensed Realtors, we can also assist you in the sale of your home at our special full service discount Real Estate services. Our best in class one-stop services are designed to make your life just a little easier. Our focus is in providing you with an Estate Sale that offers you total peace-of-mind.
During this challenging time in the Corona Virus and COVID-19 era, we help families that are unable travel or tend to their property needs by providing a true one-stop resource. We are focused on making life just a little easier for families during often difficult times. With Personal Property Managers, one call does it all.
We proudly service New Jersey and the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Middlesex, Union, Ocean, Essex and Somerset.
We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:
Additional info can be found on this brief 90 second video or a full array of great tips and insights and video by clicking on our resource page.
We begin the process by meeting with you at your home. We work with you to identify which items you wish to sell, donate or dispose of. Together we develop realistic fair market value price points for all household contents. You make the final decisions on all price points. We market the items via this website. We also develop a personal web page for each client to achieve maximum results. We will feature and display everything in a way that will net you the most money possible. Learn more about Personal Property Managers from our recent News Stories. Please (click here) to see an example of how we would market your estate sale.
We have found that prospective buyers feel that there is a a greater perceived value when a professional estate liquidation firm conducts your household estate sale. We have found that folks attempting to conduct their own sales either vastly over-price item or else ridiculously under-price a majority of their household possessions. With Personal Property Managers you are assured a truly professional experience.
We are also certified licensed Senior Real Estate Specialist. As such, we not only focus on the liquidation of your household property contents, we are also keenly aware of our efforts to bring as many qualified people through the property as possible, which will also aid in the sale of your home should that be a targeted goal as well.
We begin by meeting with you personally. This allows us to understand your personal needs and for us to develop a tailored solution to meet your individual goals.
No. Buyers have all different tastes and needs. We liquidate entire estates of all kinds, not just those that are filled to overflowing with antiques or expensive furniture. In fact, many items are purchased right from the garage or work shop. For perspective, we sell furniture of all types, clothing, general residential contents, cars, stereo equipment, tools, equipment, musical instruments... well, actually, a little bit of everything!
First, make sure to get your legal house in order. If there has been a death in the family, make sure that you have legal title and full authority to sell. Make certain, too, that all disbursements have been made to any and all heirs before you call us for a consultation. If there's a divorce or bankruptcy liquidation afoot, make sure that you talk to legal counsel before calling us.
If you are the representative of an estate, we will need to have a photocopy of the necessary legal documents which authorize you to dispose of the contents. We also require that the homeowner's insurance on the home itself be current and in place throughout the sale process. The estate itself is responsible for disconnecting from gas or water any appliances which are to be sold.
We will come out to your home and meet with you personally to understand your goals and to work with you to determine fair market value. The ultimate decision is naturally yours. Our initial consultation is free of charge. Should we determine that an estate sale is not your best option we will offer you other options to help you. We also provide a full array of downsizing, de-cluttering, clean-up and clean out services. We also work with a number of charities who may have a use for some items which will helps others in needs.
Please note that the market for pre-owned items is entirely based upon the style, age and condition of your contents. As a result, not all things are saleable. Additionally, there will always be two different sets of values to any items. There is the seller's perceived value, which may have a high emotional and sentimental value, and then there is the potential buyer's view of the contents value, which is generally very different. Please remember that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. To learn more, please click here to view a short article we wrote on this subject or click on our Resource link page for a host of other insights into selling pre-owned items, home downsizing, home sales information and elder care.
If there is a mutual decision to go forward with the content sale, we then will then make an inventory of all the items in the house. We work with you to mutually develop fair market pricing for your sale items. We then set things up in a professional way to make things as appealing to the buying public as possible. Next we advertise and market your contents and finally conduct the actual sale. For items of value, we will coordinate an appraisal and help you auction off some of your contents to help defray costs.
Each sale is unique. Most sales only merit one day, while others may take two or even three days.
We typically run our estate sales on a Friday and Saturday to maximize your results.
Naturally, we strive to sell the contents of an estate "wall to wall", but there are always some things left over in each estate. We also offer downsizing, de-cluttering and clean out services. We work with local charities to recycle household items to those in need and dispose of the balance of the contents (in accordance with all local laws and ordinances) all at the approval of the property owner or authorized representative. Please note: under no circumstances do we buy "remainders," nor do we buy full or partial estates.
We begin by meeting with you personally. This allows us to understand your personal needs and for us to develop a tailored solution to meet your individual goals.
Whenever possible we try to limit access to your property to one entrance/exit. If there's an attached garage or breezeway, it's kept separate from the main house itself and manned by one or more of our team. We do not allow drink cups in the house, and we strongly discourage baby strollers in our sales which can be used to place un-purchased items inside.
Sorry, but the answer is an unequivocal "no." We will be glad to arrange for a "family only" preview upon request, though.
We don't allow the family on-site during public sale hours as it has long been our experience that family members inadvertently get underfoot, or become emotional, or get distracted by the public comments or behavior.
The family (or trustee) is, however, most welcome to be on site during the work after the sale (e.g., during the charity pick up or buy out). Again, we always encourage a full walk-through by the family shortly after the sale ends.
We provide a full accounting of all items sold. Any sales taxes are the responsibility of the family or trustee.
We are an award winning organization dedicated to providing personalized services and offering you solutions that are tailored to your specific needs. For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab.
We tend to your property and its contents like it was our own. We know that often times a move, a home downsizing or sale can be overwhelming and physically demanding. We can handle everything for you. When you call us, you get us. We are on site at every job. You can rely on us and trust us. With Personal Property Managers...one call does it all. We are Estate Specialists, are licensed Realtors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and are certified Senior Real Estate Specialist via EveryHome Realty, RS308044 and 1326862. Please call us for a free consultation at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909.


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75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving {Resource}
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today, millions of Americans gather nationwide with family and friends to take a day off to be grateful for everything they have.
There has been a lot of discussion about the Syrian refugees that will be arriving soon in America due to the dire situation in their homeland. Conservative groups are working in overdrive to creating fear in their constituents, many of whom are byproducts of America's previous immigrants and refugees.
As we gather around the Thanksgiving table today, let's all think about our 16th President Abraham Lincoln stressing the importance of new blood in making America awesome. New blood that had given us Steve Jobs and Jerry Seinfeld, both children of Syrian refugees.
Here is an excerpt of the Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation issued on October 3rd, 1863 from Mr. Lincoln.
"It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year,
defending us with His guardian care against unfriendly designs from
abroad and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over
the enemy, who is of our own household. It has also pleased our
Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our
soldiers in their camps and our sailors on the rivers and seas with
unusual health. He has largely augmented our free population by
emancipation and by immigration, while He has opened to us new sources
of wealth and has crowned the labor of our workingmen in every
department of industry with abundant rewards."
Once you enjoy your traditional Thanksgiving meal, feel free to gather around the tv to check out any of these movies about refugees. I love Arab and all other movies and find them a great resource for conversation. I gathered 75 here, but there are 636 titles with the keyword 'refugee' on IMBD.
Have an honest conversation with those around around you about the true
meaning of this holiday. Being grateful that as refugees, our pilgrim ancestors were accepted by the Native Americas.
24 Days in Brooks (2007) Director – Dana Inkster
In a decade, tiny Brooks, Alberta has been transformed from a socially conservative, primarily Caucasian town to one of the most diverse places in Canada. Immigrants and refugees have flocked here to work at Lakeside Packers ‐one of the world's largest slaughterhouses.
A Family Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story (2004) Director – Christopher Leitch
This film is based on the true story of the five‐year‐old Cuban boy who is the sole survivor of a refugee boat that sunk in a storm on its way to the U.S.
A Great Wonder: Lost Children of Sudan (2003) Director – Kim Shelton
Documents the difficult transition of three of the "Lost Boys and Girls" of Sudan to lives in Seattle, Washington.
A Stranger in My Homeland (2005) Director – Chloe Traicos
This film tells the story of the Zimbabwean refugees who spoke out against the regime of terror under which they lived. These brave people were tortured electrocuted and left for dead.
Afghan Stories (2002) Directors – Taran Davies and Walied Osman
Filmmakers Taran Davies and Walied Osman set out to gain an understanding of how a generation of war has affected the Afghan people, spending time with families in Queens, New York, the frontline in Afghanistan, and points in between.
Against Wind and Tide: A Cuban Odyssey (1981) Director – Jim Burroughs
In Spring 1980, Fidel Castro opened the Cuban port of Mariel to thousands of refugees to cross to Key West, Florida and the promise of a new life in the U.S. Director Jim Burroughs and his crew boarded a flotilla vessel bound for Mariel to film the exodus. Burroughs charts the lives of three individuals during their first years in the U.S.
Aka Don Bonus (1995) Directors – Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny
After escaping the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, the Ny family became one of thousands of refugees faced with resettlement in the U.S. Their lives unfold through the lens of this stirring video diary, which sees 18‐year‐old Sokly Ny (Don Bonus) struggling to graduate from high school.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – America America |
America, America (1963) Director – Elia Kazan
One of director Elia Kazan's most personal, moving and satisfying films, based on his own novel about his uncle's experiences, America, America recreates the journey of a Greek youth fleeing Turkish oppression via Constantinople at the end of the 19th century to fulfill his cherished dream of passage to the promised land, America.
An American Rhapsody (2001) Director – Éva Gárdos
A young Hungarian girl struggles to find her place in the world when she's reunited with her parents in the USA years after she was left behind during their flight from the communist country in the 1950s.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – And God Grew Tired of Us |
And God Grew Tired of Us (2006) Director – Christopher Quinn
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, God Grew Tired of Us explores the spirit of three Sudanese young men who leave their homeland, triumph over adversities, and move to America.
A Requiem for Syrian Refugees (2013) Director – Richard Wolf
A Requiem for Syrian Refugees is a poignant journey of survival, resilience and empowerment.
Asylum (1998) Director – Garry Beitel
Three people arrive in Canada and face the Refugee Board.
Asylum (2003) Director – Sandy McLeod
Baaba Andoh fled Ghana in fear for her life, when her long‐lost father tried to force her to undergo female genital mutilation. Arriving in the U.S. with a phony passport, she was imprisoned by the INS for one year while her asylum case was tried. Her story ends in victory, but she refuses to forget the thousands of asylum seekers who remain in detention today.
Beautiful People (1999) Director – Jasmin Dizdar
In London, during October 1993, England is playing Holland in the preliminaries of the World Cup. The Bosnian War is at its height, and refugees from the ex‐Yugoslavia are arriving. The lives of four English families are affected in different ways by encounter with the refugees, and one of the families improbably becomes involved with a Balkan refugee through the England vs. Holland match.
Becoming America (2000) Director – Ken Levine and Ivory Waterworth Levine
Becoming American records the odyssey of Hang Sou and his family, as they travel from Laos to a refugee camp in Thailand to a new home in Seattle.
Being Hmong Means Being Free (2008) Director – Larry Long
Being Hmong Means Being Free highlights the history, culture and
identity of the Hmong immigrants who have settled in the United States
between 1975 and the early 1990s. The documentary looks at Hmong life in
this country as seen through the eyes of the program host, seventeen
year-old Lia Vang.
Blue Collar and Buddha (1986) Director – Taggart Siegel
A Laotian community in Rockford, Illinois survives terrorist bombings and drive‐by shootings at its local Buddhist temple.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Brothers and Others |
Brothers and Others (2003) Director – Nicolas Rossier
Brothers and Others follows a number of immigrant and American families in the U.S. following September 11, 2001. In interviews with Arab and Muslim immigrants, government representatives, and legal and historical experts, this film explores how America's fear of terrorism has negatively impacted many U.S. residents.
Bui Doi: Life Like Dust (1994) Ahrin Mishan and Nick Rothenberg
This film takes us inside the mind of Ricky Phan, once a gang leader in Southern California and now serving an 11‐year sentence for armed robbery. We are forced to ask ourselves which is more violent: fleeing from a war‐ravaged nation or trying to survive in an alien western culture?
Can't Be Silent (2013) Director – Julia Oelkers
Musicians from Africa, the Balkans and Iran are touring Germany with german songwriter Heinz Ratz and his band. What makes this project special is that most of these musicians are asylum seekers. In Germany refugees like them are subject to special laws that limit their freedom of movement, their ability to get a job, to choose their place of residence, their groceries or clothing. They live in special facilities and are fenced off from rest of the German population. With few points of contact things have remained this way for decades. The concert-tour breaks that pattern and for the group the project offers an opportunity to overcome this crushing isolation through music. By means of a musical documentary about the band the film "I can't be silent" will bring light to the living conditions of asylum seekers.
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce (1999) Director – Chi Moui Lo
Dwayne and his older sister Mai are adults: Mai is married to Vinh, Dwayne is about to propose to Nina. Twenty‐two years ago, when Mai was 10, she and Dwayne were refugees in Vietnam, adopted by Harold and Dee Williams, African‐Americans from Los Angeles. When Mai locates their birth mother, Thahn, and she arrives in Los Angeles, tensions reach the breaking point.
De Vluchtkerk (2013) Directors – Paul Ruven, Kees Vlaanderen
A former politician wants to force media attention for refugees, who have to leave their asylum, by faking his kidnapping.
Dheepan (2015) Director – Jacques Audiard
Dheepan is a Sri Lankan Tamil warrior who flees to France and ends up working as a caretaker outside Paris.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Fire Dancer |
Fire Dancer (2002) Director – Jawed Wassel
The film follows Haris, an Afghan‐American artist who shows his work at a downtown Manhattan art gallery. His story explores the ramifications of leaving Afghanistan and living as a refugee in America. Haris embarks on a journey through the world of Afghan‐Americans to learn more about their culture, finding humor and tragedy.
First Person Plural (2000) Director – Deann Borshay
In 1966, at the age of nine, Deann Borshay came to the U.S. from South Korea as one of tens of thousands of children adopted by white American families after the Korean War. In this extraordinary personal documentary she chronicles her struggle to reconcile the demands of two families, two cultures and two nations.
Flygtningene fro Kosovo (2000) Director – Per Wennick
This three‐part documentary follows two families on their way from Kosovo to the primitive conditions in a refugee camp in Macedonia to resettlement in Randers, Denmark.
From Refugee to Immigrant: A Story of Three Kosovar Albanian Americans (2003) Directors Ellen Friedland and Curt Fissel
Traces the lives of three refugees from Kosova who arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1999. With footage from the U.S. and Kosova, the documentary examines the process of assimilation into American society.
Ghetto 59 (2014) Director – Ines Tanovic
This film portrays a day in the life of those living in the still-extant Jezevci refugee center 20 years after the Bosnian War.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Gran Torino |
Gran Torino (2008) Director – Clint Eastwood
Walt Kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough‐minded, unhappy an old man, who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Thao, a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood.
Heavy Metal in Baghdad (2007) Directors – Suroosh Alvi and Eddy Moretti
In the late summer of 2006, filmmakers Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi traveled to Baghdad to meet and interview the only heavy metal band in Iraq, Acrassicauda. "Heavy Metal in Baghdad" is the story of the band and its members, young Iraqis whose lives have been distorted and displaced by years of continual warfare in their homeland. The filmmakers have collected glimpses into the struggles of Acrassicauda as they try to stay together and stay alive. The International Rescue Committee has been working to resettle the members of Acrassicauda since last summer. Nearly three years after fleeing Iraq and living as a refugee in Syria and then Turkey, heavy metal drummer Marwan Riyadh stepped off an airplane at Newark Liberty International Airport on January 30, 2009.
Home Across Lands (2008) Director – John Lavall
The film chronicles the work of the International Institute of Rhode Island as it guides and empowers a group of Kunaman refugees making the transition from life in the Shimelba Refugee Camp in Northern Ethiopia to their new home in America.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Hotel Rwanda |
Hotel Rwanda (2004) Director – Terry George
This Academy Award nominated film tells the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda.
In Darkness (2011) Director – Agnieszka Holland
A dramatization of one man's rescue of Jewish refugees in the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov.
In This World (2002) Director – Michael Winterbottom
The story of two Afghan cousins who trek from a refugee camp in Pakistan to London, where relatives await them.
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000) Director – Mark Jonathan Harris
In 1938 and 1939, about 10,000 children, most of them Jews, were sent by their parents from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia to the safety of England where foster families took most of them in for the duration of the war. Years later, eleven children, one child's mother, an English foster mother, a survivor of Auschwitz who didn't go to England, and two of the kindertransport organizers remember: the days before the Nazis, saying farewell to family, traveling to England, meeting their foster families, and trying to find families after the war ended.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving |
Journey from the Fall (2006) Director – Ham Tran
The film debut of director Ham Tran, Journey from the Fall follows a family during the fall of Saigon, right after the Vietnam war, in 1975. Urged by her husband (Long) to flee for America, a mother (Mai) and her family, which consist of her two small children and her mother, settle in Northern California. After fleeing from Saigon on a small boat and being separated from her husband for six years, Mai struggles with helping her now older children get use to their new life in America.
Journey to Kapasseni: A Refugee's Gift (2001) Director – Bill Weaver
Joseph and Perpetua Alfazema are refugees from Mozambique who live in Victoria, Canada. They are determined to start a school in Joseph's home village and, against all odds, they raise money for the school and begin a long journey.
Kelly Loves Tony (1998) Director – Spencer Nakasako
Seventeen year‐old Kelly Saeteurn has a dream – an "American dream." Just out of high school and on her way to college, Kelly envisions a rosy future. Kelly is the first in her family of Iu Mien refugees from Laos to have accomplished as much as she already has, but she encounters grave obstacles in the course of pursuing her dream.
Letter Back Home (1995) Directors – Nith Lacroix and Sang Thepkaysone
A compelling look at life in San Francisco's Tenderloin district for Laotian and Cambodian youth.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Letter to the King |
Letter to the King (2014) Director – Hisham Zaman
Letter to the King portrays five people on a day trip from a refugee camp to Oslo, a welcome change in an otherwise monotonous life. But we soon realize that each and every one of them has an agenda for their trip. All five will make decisive choices on this day, as they discover happiness, humiliation, love or fulfill a long-awaited revenge. The five stories are tied together by a letter, written by eighty-three year old Mirza. Mirza wants to hand over the letter to the King personally.
Lost Boys of Sudan (2003) Directors – Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk
An Emmy‐nominated feature‐length documentary that follows two Sudanese refugees from Sudan and Kenya to the U.S. Winner of an Independent Spirit Award and two Emmy nominations.
Madrasa (2014) Director – Asad Sikander
Madrasa is based on true story about Afghan refugee family living in Iran after war in Afghanistan. The film portrays an innocent 8 year old Afghan girl Meena who wants to go to school, but circumstances and law in Iran don't allow her to do so. Her father Farhad goes every extent so that his daughter can go to school and fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. The story reaches a point where everything seems impossible but courage, love and sacrifice makes its own statement.
Moving to Mars (2009) Director – Mat Whitecross
Moving to Mars follows two refugee families from Burma over the course of a year that will change their lives completely. Uprooted from their homeland by the repressive military junta, they are forced to live in a Thai refugee camp for many years. A resettlement scheme offers them a chance to a new life, but their new home, in the British city of Sheffield, will be different from everything they have ever known.
Mrs. Goundo's Daughter (2009) Director – Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater
An official selection of the Human Rights Watch Film festival, the documentary is a moving story of a West African mother's fight for asylum in the US to protect her two‐year‐old daughter from female genital cutting.
North Korea ‐Shadows and Whispers (2001) Director – Kim Jung‐Eun
This documentary, filmed in the remote northeast mountains of China, captures the dire circumstances of North Korean refugees who journey to China.
Nuclear Nation (2012) Director – Atsushi Funahashi
A documentary chronicling the lives of Japanese refugees displaced by
the 2011 tsunami and nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi.
One Family, Voices and Visions: The Documentary Project for Refugee Youth (2001) Director – Raeshma Razvi
"One Family" tells the story of twelve youth from Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Burundi, and Serbia who have weathered war and long journeys to America, and New York City. Weaving their voices into a shared story, they reflect their views on themselves and the whole world, joined as one family.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Rain in a Dry Land |
Rain in a Dry Land (2006) Director – Anne Makepeace
An official Selection of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival 2006, the film chronicles two years in the lives of two Somali Bantu families who leave Kakuma refugee camp for Springfield, Massachusetts and Atlanta, Georgia.
Reflections: Returning to Vietnam (1993) Producer: KCSM TV60
Vietnamese refugees speak about the loss of family and friends, migration and feelings about their war torn homeland. The program offers three individual perspectives from the Vietnamese Diaspora.
Refugee (2003) Director – Spencer Nakasako
In this film, three young refugees raised in San Francisco's Tenderloin district, journey to Cambodia. Mike Siv has a plan: go to Cambodia with his buddies Paul and David, see the sights, have fun and reunite with his father and younger brother, whom he hasn't seen in 22 years.
Roosevelt's America (2005) Directors – Roger Weisberg and Tod Lending
An inspirational story of a Liberian refugee, Roosevelt Henderson, who resettles in Chicago from Liberia attempts to reunite with his wife and young daughter, who are still in Liberia. Winner of numerous awards at the Columbus International Film and Video Festival, the San Francisco Black Film Festival, the Cleveland Film Festival, and other venues.
Shadow Over Tibet: Stories in Exile (1995) Director – Rachel Lyon
This film is a personalized account of Tibetan refugees attempting to maintain their ancient culture in exile while using nonviolent means to bring peace and freedom to their homeland. "Shadow Over Tibet" investigates the personal odyssey of Norbu Samphell, a Tibetan immigrant now living in the U.S., who is determined to become part of the American social fabric without abandoning his cultural heritage; and the Dalai Lama, religious and secular leader of Tibet‐in‐exile, who seeks to create a "zone of peace" in Tibet.
Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars (2005) Directors – Zach Niles and Banker White
Chronicles a band of six Sierra Leonean musicians living in a refugee camp in Guinea. Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars chronicles the band over three years, from Guinean refugee camps back to war‐ravaged Sierra Leone, where they realize the dream of recording their first studio album.
Snowdrop (2013) Director- Jenny Gand
Snowdrop is a short film telling the story of a group of refugees trying to cross the EU border. It's about hope and dreams but also about real life tragedy. And eventually it's a film about the pursuit of happiness and it's power.
The Betrayal: Nerakhoon (2008), Ellen Kuras
During the Vietnam War, the US government waged its own secret war in the neighboring country of Laos. When the US withdrew, thousands of Laotians who fought alongside American forces were left behind to face imprisonment or execution. One family, the Phrasavaths, made the courageous decision to escape to America. Hoping to find safety, they discovered a different kind of war.
The Children of Huang Shi (2008) Director: Roger Spottiswoode
About young British journalist, George Hogg, who with the assistance of a courageous Australian nurse, saves a group of orphaned children during the Japanese occupation of China in 1937.
The City of Your Final Destination (2009) Director: James Ivory
28-year-old Kansas University doctoral student Omar Razaghi wins a grant to write a biography of Latin American writer Jules Gund. Omar must get through to three people who were close to Gund–his brother, widow, and younger mistress–so he can get authorization to write the biography.
The Fortress (La Forteresse) (2008) Director – Fernand Melgar
This documentary takes a look at a Swiss registration and processing center for asylum seekers. It follows the lives of the residents and the staff and immerses us into the heart of this "daily sorting process of human beings".
The Good Lie (2014) Director – Philippe Falardeau
A group of Sudanese refugees given the chance to resettle in America arrive in Kansas City, Missouri, where their encounter with an employment agency counselor forever changes all of their lives.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – The Kite Runner |
The Kite Runner (2007) Director: Marc Forster
After spending years in California, refugee Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.
The Letter: An American Town and the 'Somali Invasion' (20023) Director- Ziad H. Hamzeh
In the wake of 9/11, a firestorm erupts when the mayor of Lewiston, Maine sends a letter to 1,100 newly arrived Somali refugees advising that the city's resources are strained to the limit and asking that other Somalis not to move to the city. Interpreted as racism by some and a rallying cry by white supremacist groups across the U.S., The Letter documents the crossfire of emotions and events.
The Lost Boys (2002) Director – Clive Gordon
Orphaned by the war in Sudan and raised in a desert refugee camp, Moses and his young friends are one day invited by the U.S. government to start a new life in Boston.
The Man Who Cried (2000) Director – Sally Potter
A young refugee traveling from Russia to America in search of her lost father falls for a gypsy horseman.
The Refugees of the Blue Planet (2006)Directors – Hélène Choquette, Jean-Philippe Duval
For around ten years, natural disasters have been occurring more frequently, causing widespread destruction; yet industrialized countries still refuse to implement or persist in doubting the actions they must take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and fail to revise their policies for economic growth. Decisions taken high up directly affect the way of life of thousands of people, in Canada and elsewhere. In 2003, the United Nations indicated that for the first time in history, environmental refugees (25 million) outnumbered those fleeing from war or political persecution (23 million). And their numbers keep on increasing.
The Richie Boys (2004) Director – Christian Bauer
An aging group of European refugees that was recruited to aid the Allied cause and fight the Nazis discuss their experiences both on and off the battlefield in director Christian Bauer's affectionate tribute to the unsung heroes of World War II
The Spanish Main (1945) Director – Director: Frank Borzage
Laurent van Horn is the leader of a band of Dutch refugees on a ship seeking freedom in the Carolinas, when the ship is wrecked on the coast of Cartagene. governed by Don Juan Alvardo, Spainish ruler.
The Split Horn: Life of a Hmong Shaman in America (2001) Director – Taggart Siegel
Follows the emotional saga of Paja Thao, a Hmong shaman and his family in the U.S. who were transplanted from the mountains of Laos during the Vietnam War to America's heartland. For over seventeen years, Siegel has chronicled the intimate and private lives of Paja Thao, his wife, and their thirteen children. This intimate family portrait explores universal issues of cultural transformation, spirituality and family. It is a rare close‐up view of one Hmong family's resettlement and acculturation in America.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – The Terminal |
The Terminal (2004) Director – Steven Spielberg
This 2004 movie about immigration by Steven Spielberg stars Tom Hanks as Viktor Navorski, a man from Krakozhia, a fictional Eastern European country. During his flight to America, the Krakozhian government was overthrown, rendering Viktor's passport invalid. Unable to legally enter the US or get a flight back to his war-torn home, Viktor sets up camp in an under-construction terminal of New York's JFK airport.
The Valley (2000) Director – Dan Reed
A real‐time war documentary made in the middle of the Kosovo ethnic conflict, the piece was filmed in 1998 in Drenica Valley where the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) had its base. The film documents interviews with people on both sides of the conflict.
The Warren (2014) Director – James Adolphus
A dramatization of raid to capture a suspected militant by the Israeli Defense Forces during the Second Intifada into the sprawling maze of the Balata Refugee Camp in Palestine.
The White Countess (2005) Director James Ivory
Set in 1930s Shanghai, where a blind American diplomat develops a curious relationship with a young Russian refugee who works odd — and sometimes illicit — jobs to support members of her dead husband's aristocratic family.
TL Xmas, School Daze, and Home (2005) Director – Spencer Nakasako
"TL Xmas" follows Cambodian youths as they attend a "Gift Giveaways" program and experience the holiday for the first time. "School Daze" humorously breaks down a day in the lives of six students from different San Francisco high schools. "Home" closes the package with nine youths' tender, poetic dedication to their family, friends, and San Francisco.
Turtles Can Fly (2004) Director – Bahman Ghobadi
Near the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of an American invasion, refugee children like 13-year-old Kak (Ebrahim), gauge and await their fate.
War Child (2008) Christian Karim Chrobog
The film documents the story of Emmanuel Jal, a former child soldier of Sudan's civil war. He is now an emerging international hip hop star sharing a message of peace for his war‐torn land and beloved Africa.
War Dance (2006) Directors – Sean Fine and Andrea Nix
Set in civil war‐ravaged Northern Uganda, this Best Documentary Oscar nominee follows the lives of three youngsters who attend school in a refugee camp and find hope through song and dance. Coming from a world in which children are abducted from their families and forced to fight in the rebel army, these kids give it their all when they travel to the capital city to take part in the prestigious Kampala Music Festival.
Which Way Home (2009) Director -Rebecca Camisa
This documentary film directed by Rebecca Camisa follows the dangerous journey unaccompanied migrant children from around the world take as they travel through Mexico to the US. Seen through the eyes of several main characters, "Which Way Home" showcases these stories of hope and courage, disappointment and sorrow. They are the ones you never hear about – the invisible ones.
Without Permission (2014) Director – Floris Asche
Conversations with several people on the Greek island of Samos about the refugee crisis on the European border.
75 Refugee Movies to Enjoy on Thanksgiving – Woman in Gold |
Woman in Gold (2013) Director Simon Curtis
Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian
government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her
Zaytoun (2012) Director – Eran Riklis
Beirut, 1982: a young Palestinian refugee helps an Israeli fighter pilot escape from PLO captivity because he wants to visit his ancestral family home. En route through war-torn Lebanon their relationship develops into a close bond.


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In today's era of tech-savvy shoppers, the businesses that are able to harness consumer sentiment and act on those insights are the ones that will be the most successful. Roughly 90 percent of the data generated today is unstructured—emails, comments on social media sites, call center notes, survey results. For organizations struggling to stay on top of just their structured data, the influx of massive amounts of unstructured data can seem overwhelming.
Companies are looking for ways to manage the volume of big data coming in, the velocity at which it's generated, and the variety of sources these contributions are coming from. In order to be successful in the 21st century, companies need to make the best use of big data by keeping a constant pulse on consumer sentiment, on a granular level, to improve their products and services. Much of the push to analyze and act on this information is coming from the chief marketing officer, or CMO.
That trend is creating a newfound common agenda for the CMO and CIO (chief information officer). Data-driven marketing, which is still in its infancy, is a complicated IT challenge by itself, making the CMO and CIO partnership an urgent necessity. That's exacerbated by the fact that spending power is shifting: Gartner predicts that by 2017, the head of marketing, not the head of IT, will have the biggest influence on technology purchases at a typical organization.
As big data places new demands on CMOs, many understand the renewed emphasis on time to value. New applications will enable them to understand the business impact of their actions in hours or days. Technology choices are a key factor that will fuel their success, or cement their failure. IBM's recent State of Marketing survey found that 51 percent of high-performing companies indicated they have good relationships between marketing and IT—10 percent higher than other companies. Turning actionable insights into business results faster will be a key measure of success.
CMOs are looking in-house to CIOs to get a better handle on their situation and to streamline their technology needs. Conversely, more CIOs are looking for ways to assist CMOs as marketing continues to transform as mobile, social, and location data grows. Together they can approach marketing as an essential enterprise system that delivers innovation, business results, and better customer experiences.
Marketers are quick to say that the customer is king, and that part of their job is to help bring value to consumers. Personalization is key to adding that value and making customers feel that their thoughts on improving products and services are being recognized. When a company knows a customer's likes and dislikes and is able to act on them, that level of personalization makes marketing feel more like a welcomed service—that's because service is relevant and valuable to a consumer, while promotion and selling are not. To provide that service, CMOs need to collaborate with CIOs to make the best use of all available customer data.
Understanding a customer's evolving purchasing preferences can also help drive more effective marketing initiatives. For example, educational publisher Mentoring Minds was able to use predictive analytics to develop a targeted marketing campaign that better met the needs of its customers by identifying their purchase preferences. Using advanced analytics, they developed an effective campaign that had an average response rate of 11 percent and an astonishing average ROI of 1,320 percent.
Mentoring Minds found that consumers who were approached with personalized packages based on their past purchasing patterns generated two and a half times more sales than the control group. Additionally, by looking at a customer's previous purchases and comparing them to consumers who had made similar purchases, Mentoring Minds could determine which products that customer was likely to purchase next. Not only was it able to demonstrate a boost in sales with personalization, but by tapping into its survey data through advanced analytics, Mentoring Minds was able to learn more about timing, trends, and customer preferences to enhance the effectiveness of its marketing plans.
Predictive analytics and big data provide a window onto customer behavior, offering not just insights, but also a roadmap to improve results quickly and effectively. By intervening at the right time, and in the right way, businesses can focus on retaining their most valuable customers and recruiting new ones.
Rod Smith is an IBM Fellow and vice president of the IBM Emerging Internet Technologies organization. As an IBM Fellow, he is helping lead IBM's strategic planning around big data and big data analytics, with a focus on how these technologies can bring real business value to IBM's customers.
Which CMO Are You?
Find the best practice that works for you.
Leverage Big Data to Manage Product Proliferation
Pattern-based analytics provide high value at the least cost.
Digital Marketing Tops Strategic Agenda of Top Execs
CMO Council research finds that doing more with customer data and priming the sales pipeline has the most appeal.
The Voice of the Customer in the Community
What does it mean for loyalty and engagement?


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...and outs himself as a conspiracy theorist
Anthony Watts has posted an article on WUWT by Joseph D'Aleo, CCM, Weatherbell Analytics who thinks that carbon dioxide doesn't obey the laws of physics. For someone who's supposed to be a trained meteorologist he displays a remarkable level of ignorance. His article is a real gish gallop with no supporting evidence or links to data to support his erroneous claims.
Do all the commenters shriek loudly:- "Proof, Joe, where's your proof. Where are the links to your assertions?" like they do when someone says "the globe is warming?" Nope, not at all. Finally a couple of people protest mildly and then Steven Mosher comes in and has a go at him. I'll just pick a couple of Joseph's "wrongs".
Joseph writes:
1) Warming not 'global'. It is shown in satellite data to be northern hemisphere only
(2) It is now not warming. Warming (global mean and northern hemisphere) stopped in the 1990s
You're wrong, Joe. Warming is still happening and warming is global. It didn't stop in the 1990s. The northern hemisphere warming isn't offset by cooling in the southern hemisphere. Both hemispheres are warming. It's warming more in the northern hemisphere overall just as expected, because that's where there is more land (the southern hemisphere is mostly ocean), plus there is Arctic amplification. (Click chart to enlarge.)
Source: NASA GISTemp |
(3) Models suggest atmosphere should warm 20% faster than surface but surface warming was 33% faster during the time satellites and surface observations used. This suggests GHG theory wrong, and surface temperature contaminated.
No. Joe, you can't get rid of the physical properties of a greenhouse gas quite as easily as that. You've considered one possibility, which would mean the tried and tested physical properties of greenhouse gases are 'wrong' (too silly for words) and/or that all the different data sets except one are wrong and/or that all the thermometers around the world stopped working all at the same time.
I've got an idea. Wouldn't the first place you'd look be the single satellite instrumentation? It's a only a single source rather than thousands of sources. It's been badly wrong before.
I can't be bothered with the rest. It's mostly a mixture of paranoid conspiracy theorising and strawmen. Making up stuff that some "alarmist" is supposed to have said so he can say - "ha, didn't happen". Typical dumb denier ranting. There's no evidence Joseph has read any of the science. He could have got all his talking points from one of those paranoid conspiracy theory denier sites like Jo Nova's.
Even some of the WUWT deniers find it over the top. What's fun is that they are bending over backwards to try to explain that while they agree with Joseph that the greenhouse gas theory is wrong that doesn't mean they think that the greenhouse effect isn't real. Something to do with not wanting to be banned as "slayers" I expect.


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Monday, July 5, 2010
New Woodinville Winery; Convergence Zone Cellars
It was quite some time ago that I found Convergence Zone Cellars on Twitter, actually it may have been they, and by they I mean Scott Greenberg found me. Scott had announced via the twitter machine that he was starting up a new winery in Woodinville and that we should be on the lookout.
Scott did a little "sumpthin sumpthin" for the #WAWine event up in his space in the Warehouse District and is getting ready to finally unleash his wines upon the wine drinking world with his grand opening on July 10th.
As Scott prepares to open he invited me up to check out the place, and to give his Convergence Zone Cellars wines a whirl. Scott is going to be rolling out two white wines in July his Riesling ($15) and his Sunbreak ($15) which is 100% Chenin Blanc. I was able to sample the Riesling from the tank (at the time of my visit nothing was in bottle). The wine was fruit forward with a little residual sugar, a certain palate pleaser for the summer. I wasn't able to taste Scott's Chenin nor did he have the Storm Front ($24 blend of Merlot and Cab) blended at the time. Scott plans to release the Storm Front in Autumn. We did barrel sample some of his 09 Cabernet Franc from Red Mountain, which was showing very well. Scott is looking to have three of the four 2009 wines he releases come from Red Mountain fruit. He has Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Red Mountain, and Malbec from the Gilbert Vineyards.
Scott is not a meteorologist but has a passing interest in the subject. He has always referred to Woodinville as "The Convergence Zone" and Woodinville has played a major role in his decision to make wine. The epiphany if you will came while out to dinner with his wife at The Barking Frog. Scott looked for a really nice bottle and settled on a Covington Cellars Cabernet. Scott was really blown away by wines that were being made just down the street from him.
Scott is in his fifth year dabbling in wine making, he got his start with simple kits. He started taking classes at the Northwest Wine Academy and has really appreciated the support that the Washington wine community has shown. Scott emailed a guy in Walla Walla asking a question and he got a very thoughtful two page response. It's that kind of camaraderie that has Scott thinking he's made the right move going into wine, and Woodinville.
A fun anecdote Scott shared was the origin of his labels. The design came from Pennsylvania, my home state. Scott's son is an online gamer and a guy he played World of Warcraft with collaborated with him on the bottle design. (Which is very slick looking by the way.)
Scott Greenberg is making wine because it's a sincere passion of his. This is usually a combination that leads to success for the winemaker, and a real treat for wine drinkers. Go see Scott in the Convergence Zone on July 10th and tell him I said hello.


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1974 Saab Sonett III
2dr Coupe
4-cyl. 1698cc/65hp 1bbl
Past sales
Protect your 1974 Saab Sonett from the unexpected.
Model overview
Model description
In the mid-1950s, Roll Mellde designed a Sonett sports car for Saab. The odd name had nothing to do with Shakespeare; the Swedish "Sa natt den ar" reportedly loosely translates to "How cool is that?" Sixten Sason worked on the aluminum sub-frame and floor, and six fiberglass bodied roadsters were built in 1956 and 1957.
U.S. dealers clamored for more, but racing rule changes canceled the project. It was revived in 1967 as the effective Sonett II coupe, with a tilt-nose and an 841-cc, three-cylinder, two-stroke engine. That motor was dropped in order to pass U.S. emissions after just 258 cars were built, and a German-built 1500-cc Ford V4 was substituted. The cars were quite competitive in the U.S., but dealers felt the car would sell even better if it had a facelift.
In 1970, Sergio Coggiola designed the Sonett III, extending the fiberglass body by five inches and streamlining it. He had to use the original floorpan, so Gunnar Sjogren adapted the design to fit. Much better looking, the Sonett III traded advantages and disadvantages with the Sonett II. On the plus side, the rear window now opened up as a hatch. On the minus side, the II's tilt nose was replaced by a small trap door for engine access, requiring the entire nose to be removed for any major work to be completed.
Over four years, just over 8,000 Sonett IIIs were built. The engine was bumped to 1700 cc in 1971, but emissions regulations kept power at about the same 65 hp. The cars were quite slippery, though, with a low 0.31 cd, and 103 mph was possible with 0-60 mph coming in about 12 seconds. The cars came in some wild colors – lime green, golf yellow, orange, and purple, and the "soccer ball" alloy wheels are handsome. Pop-up headlights were mechanically operated, and a rollbar was incorporated in the design. Black bumpers were fitted for the 1973 and 1974 model years, but do not detract from the overall appearance.
It is estimated that half of Sonett III production survives today, although rust in the floorplan is an issue to be mindful of. As a fiberglass car, electrical grounds can be problematic and wiper motors are impossible to replace without removing the nose. The principal single issue though, revolves around the gearbox's freewheel gear, which isn't up to the V4 engine's torque and can leave one with a "box full of neutrals." The freewheel was essential for the two-stroke motor, since when the throttle was closed, oil was no longer reaching the cylinders, but it is better removed.
Sonett fans are quite passionate about the cars and many good examples exist. They are quite rewarding to drive, once you've adapted to the foibles, and the original ceramic glass-pack mufflers deliver a unique crackle.