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Okay, Fine: Kim and Kanye's Baby Is Pretty Damn Cute.
Today, I watched Kanye West appear on Kris Jenner's talk show "Kris." This was the first time I ever watched her show. Here are the 5 things I learned.
1. Kanye West and Kris Jenner clearly hate each other.
Seriously, they haaaaaaate each other and the more they deny it, the more obvious it becomes. If you ever wanted to watch Kanye crawl out of his own skin, this is the interview to watch.
2. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are soul mates.
If I confess something to you, do you promise to keep it between the two of us? At the beginning of the show, Kanye started talking about how he's been in love with Kim Kardashian from the moment he met her and, well, I welled up a little bit. Maybe I'm being gullible, but in that moment, I truly believed him and I truly believe they're meant to be.
But then, about 30 minutes after Kanye finished waxing poetic about love at first sight, he started — without any hint of embarrassment — referring to his family as "a brand" and my tears of joy morphed into the kind of tears you cry when when you're violently vomiting because you have food poisoning or made the mistake of chasing a bottle of moscato with Red Bull.
Ew! But also, awwww! Kim and Kanye really are a match made in heaven. Horrible, materialistic, commercial heaven.
3. Speaking of heaven, Kanye West wears a woven WWJD bracelet like the ones all of the Christian kids wore during my freshman year of high school circa 2001.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. There's too many hoes in this house of sin. Black dick all up in your spouse again.
4. Kris Jenner will never be Oprah. She'll never even be Jenny Jones.
Kris Jenner wants to be Oprah SO BAD and it is never going to happen. Why? Because Oprah, despite being one of wealthiest women on the planet, will always seem somewhat relatable and Kris Kardashian is the exact opposite. Also, Oprah is charismatic (a good quality to have if you want to be famous) and Kris is naturally repellent (a terrible quality to have if you want to be famous).
5. North West is a really cute baby. Sorry, not sorry.
I don't know if I've ever seen a cuter brand in my entire life.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beijing, AP—China's legislature on Sunday ruled out allowing open nominations in the inaugural election for Hong Kong's leader, saying they would create a "chaotic society."
Democracy activists in the Asian financial hub responded by saying that a long-threatened mass occupation of the heart of the city "will definitely happen."
In setting tight limits on how far electoral reforms can go in Hong Kong, Beijing issued its firmest reminder yet that it's still in charge despite the substantial autonomy it promised the city after taking control from Britain in 1997.
The guidelines laid down by China's communist leaders ratchet up the potential for a showdown pitting Beijing against Hong Kong democracy supporters, a group that represents a broad swath of society, including students, religious leaders and financial workers.
The decision by the legislature's powerful Standing Committee sharpens fears that China wants to screen candidates for loyalty to the central government and is reneging on its promise to let Hong Kong's leader be directly elected by voters, rather than the current committee of mostly pro-Beijing tycoons.
"At this very moment, the path of dialogue has been exhausted," said Benny Tai, a leader of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace protest movement, which has vowed to rally at least 10,000 people to paralyze Hong Kong's financial district—known as Central—to press demands for genuine democracy.
The group will launch "wave after wave of protest action" in the coming weeks "until we get to a point when we launch the all-out Occupy Central action," Tai told reporters. University students are also planning to boycott classes next month.
Thousands of people gathered in a park across from Hong Kong government headquarters Sunday evening to protest the widely expected announcement, chanting slogans and waving their cellphones.
Earlier in the day, Li Fei, deputy secretary general of the National People's Congress' Standing Committee, told a news conference in Beijing that openly nominating candidates would create a "chaotic society."
Under the legislature's guidelines, a maximum of three candidates, each approved by more than half of a 1,200-member nominating committee, will be put forth to Hong Kong's 5 million eligible voters in 2017. The public will have no say in choosing candidates, raising fears of what some have termed "fake democracy."
"These rights come from laws, they don't come from the sky," Li said. "Many Hong Kong people have wasted a lot of time discussing things that are not appropriate and aren't discussing things that are appropriate."
Making clear that Chinese leaders intend to tightly control politics in Hong Kong, Li emphasized that candidates for the city's chief executive should be loyal to China's ruling Communist Party.
"He has to be responsible to Hong Kong and to the central government," Li said. "If Hong Kong's chief executive doesn't love the country and love the party, then that can't work in one country."
Under the principle of "one country, two systems," Hong Kong is granted a high degree of control over its own affairs and civil liberties unseen on the mainland.
Occupy Central said the plan to block the Central financial district was "the last resort, an action to be taken only if all chances of dialogue have been exhausted and there is no other choice." It said that "the occupation of Central will definitely happen," without specifying a date.
Hong Kong's government still needs to hold more consultations on Beijing's guidelines and then formulate a bill that has to be passed by a two-thirds majority in the city's legislature. Occupy Central urged legislators, who hold just over a third of seats, to vote against it and "start the constitutional reform process all over again."
But the city's current leader, Leung Chun-ying, warned that if the proposal is blocked, it would fall to the nomination committee to pick a leader, and the city "would be deprived of the voting right that they would otherwise be entitled."
"The decision on the nomination committee is very hypocritical," said Christine Chu, who joined the pro-democracy rally Sunday night. "This is not true universal suffrage, so we cannot accept this result. We will do whatever we can to fight for what we want."
Willy Lam, an expert on Chinese politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the requirement that a candidate is supported by more than half of the nomination committee will rule out candidates from the "pan-democratic" parties.
"Only if it's lowered to 20 percent can a pan-democratic candidate get in," as there could be enough political diversity in the committee to back a more democratically minded person, Lam said.
Beijing's announcement comes after a summer of protests and counter-protests that have gripped Hong Kong, including a rally two weeks ago by pro-Beijing activists to denounce Occupy Central as threatening the city's stability.
Political tensions spiked in June when Chinese officials released a policy "white paper" declaring that Hong Kong's "high degree of autonomy…comes solely from the authorization by the central leadership."
Many read the policy paper as asserting Beijing's dominance of Hong Kong's affairs and hit the streets and the Internet in protest. Occupy Central drew Beijing's rebuke by organizing an online referendum to bolster support for full democracy that received nearly 800,000 votes.
Also Sunday, the incumbent leader of the nearby Chinese-controlled casino capital of Macau, Fernando Chui, was elected to a second five-year term by a Beijing-friendly committee even though 95 percent of 8,688 votes cast in a similar referendum were in favor of universal suffrage in 2019.


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Missile Baits Magic Worm Green Pumpkin Money
Previous NextThe result of an epic collision between two dynamic bait creators, the Missile Baits Magic Worm was dreamed up in Missile Bait's workshop and meticulously hand poured by the legendary team at Roboworm. Designed to help declutter anglers' tackle bags by offering a worm with extreme versatility, the Magic Worm is perfect for pairing with your favorite drop shot rig, shaky head, Neko rig, Texas rig, Carolina rig, and more, granting anglers a single go-to worm for a variety of finesse presentations.
The Missile Baits Magic Worm features a tapered body with aggressive ridges throughout to push more water and provide a more natural feel for feeding bass. The specialized plastic formula is soft enough to deliver magical action while remaining durable enough to stand up to a multitude of vicious strikes. Crafted in a range of enchanting colors, the Missile Baits Magic Worm is destined to conjure big bites and check-cashing fish.
4" - 16pk
6" - 14pk


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There's no shortage of package tracking applications for Android, but we think that Slice offers the best combination of tracking features and other useful tools to manage your purchases and keep track of your online orders. Plus, it's completely free.
Platform: Android (and others)
Price: Free
Download Page
Supports dozens of shipping services, including the major ones in North America like FedEx, USPS, UPS, UPS Mail Innovations, DHL, OnTrac, Ensenda, Lasership, & Prestige.
Supports push notifications for changes in package status
Allows you to track multiple packages at once, organized for easy reference
Displays package status in an all-in-one view, tap any package to see detailed status and scan history
Can display package status and history on a Google Map
Automatically adds packages to its tracking list from order confirmations and shipping notifications in your inbox, without you having to enter tracking numbers manually
Allows you to scan barcodes to track outgoing or returned packages
Keeps your packages and orders organized so you can search them quickly; can be filtered easily by vendor, date, or category
Is also a shopping assistant that can notify you of price drops, product recalls, and can help you track your spending based on order confirmations in your inbox
Where It Excels
Slice is more than just a package tracking tool, it's a shopping assistant. You have to trust it, but once you do, you don't have to lift a finger to track your orders and your packages. Place your order, get your confirmation, and Slice will let you know when your order has been processed, it'll let you know when your order is shipped, and it'll keep you up to date on any significant changes on the package's status with push notifications and alerts. It'll often let you know when a package is delivered before it's been checked in by whoever picks it up or checks it in for you, and you can always open the app at any time to see where the package is in real time, check it's current status, and see its location on a Google Map. Plus, if Slice misses anything from your inbox, you can add it manually with a few taps.
Beyond package tracking, Slice also keeps you informed of price drops on items you have on your wishlist or have been meaning to buy, product recalls so you can return defective items, and because it keeps an eye on all of your online orders, it can help you track your spending and see at a glance how much you've spent on specific things. Think of Slice like TripIt, only for purchases, orders, and shipments. If you return a shipment or item that you need to send out, you can enter its tracking number or scan its shipping label to keep track of it as well.
To be fair, we covered Slice when it launched, and I personally have been using it since they launched their Android app a while ago. It's also available for the iPhone, but I can vouch for the company's approach to keeping your data close to pocket (since they ask for access to so much of it, and direct access to your inbox), and for getting you those shipping notifications when they're useful—not after you've already missed a delivery or picked it up somewhere.
Where It Falls Short
Slice isn't perfect, and frankly, it's not universally ideal. One of Slice's drawbacks is that it requires an incredible amount of access to your data in order to work. Not only does it want a good number of permissions on your Android phone, but in order to do this hands-free package tracking, you have to grant it access to your inbox so it can automatically pick up shipment notifications and order confirmations. I can only soothe your fears so much about this—I've been using the app for years and never seen my data go astray, never been spammed as a result of using the app, or never heard of the company mistreating my data or securing it poorly, but it still comes down to trust, and that's a personal choice.
Additionally, Slice is so much more than just a package tracking tool that some people may find it just too much for their needs. If you just want to plug in a tracking number and see where it is, or keep track of a few packages at once, some of the other options below may be more suited to you if you're looking for something simpler. However, when the holidays come around and you're swimming in shipping confirmations, Slice can be a real lifesaver since you don't have to remember to track anything, or build a list of specific items. Even so, it may not be for everyone—especially people who are looking to track packages they're shipping isntead of receiving. You can add shipments manually in order to get around this, thankfully.
The Competition
Google Now, of course, can also track packages, as long as Gmail cards are turned on. If you get a shipping notification to the Gmail account associated with Google Now, it'll generate a card with the tracking information for that package, the current status of the package, and even what the package contains. You can even tap to track the package directly at Google, or to view the shipment notification or tracking update email in your Gmail account. Even if you don't use Google Now, you can always copy/paste the tracking number for your package into Google search to track the package via your mobile browser. Now, Google Now is only available on Jelly Bean devices (although you can get it on Ice Cream Sandwich with a little tweaking), which is the only reason this method isn't our favorite. You can do the Google Search on any device, but you have to do it every time you want to track your package, as opposed to use a tool that keeps you up to date and saves your tracking numbers. It's always better to have a tool built-in to the operating system than not, but even Google Now's tracking feature has drawbacks—tracking multiple packages can be tricky, and Google Now does the lifting for you, you don't get to configure it yourself, add more packages manually, see multiple packages at once, and so on, like many of these other tools allow you to do.
Parcels (Free), our previous best pick, is still around, although it's update history has been a bit spotty and it's been known to just stop supporting major carriers whenever they change their web sites or the way they handle tracking data. We still like it, we just can't recommend it universally anymore. The developer has been busy with other projects, and while the app still (largely) works as advertised, you'll see the Google Play reviews littered with people for whom the app just stopped working randomly, forcing them to move on to another app. Still, when it works, it works well, handles multiple packages, alerts you to changes in shipping status, and so on.
Package Buddy (Free, ad supported/$1.99 to remove ads) is another robust package tracking tool for Android, and while it supports more carriers and shippers than most other tracking apps, the UI is a bit more difficult to read, and you'll find a number of people complaining about the interface. You'll have to shell out a few bucks to remove the ads, if you want to get rid of them. Package Buddy tries to get around the need to enter your tracking number manually by giving you a web site you can visit to create QR codes for your tracking numbers, but frankly it's just as much work to create the QR code and then scan it into the app as it is to just type it in once. Plus, Package Buddy's automatic update was buggy in our tests, and we missed the background notifications Parcels offered. Package Buddy recently updated to incorporate a full-sized tablet version, which is great, but it's a lot of wasted on-screen space. Still, it's nice to have and a great option.
TrackChecker (Free) is another great alternative, if not a little long in the tooth. It supports tons of international carriers, including many in eastern Europe, Russia, and Asia, so if you're reading from there or shipping to there, this might be a better option for you than some of the apps that focus on the western hemisphere. The downside however is that TrackChecker is a "just the facts" kind of tool. You enter you tracking numbers manually, and you get a list of all of the packages you entered. Icons with number indicators let you know if there have been any changes and if any of them occurred since you last looked at the status.
Shiprack Package Tracker (Free) supports largely North American carriers, including some enterprise freight and delivery services. While it's lacking in supported carriers, Shiprack fixes the problem of entering tracking numbers very well. Simply forward your shipping notifications to Shiprack from your Google account, and the service associates your notification with your phone and displays the current status of that package in the application. If that sounds familiar, it's the same way apps like TripIt allow you to send all of your travel arrangements to one address, log in to your account, and see them together. Aside from that, the app does offer package history on a Google Map, and detailed package history via the carrier's mobile site. It's worth noting at this point that Shiprack hasn't been updated for close to a year—but it still works like a charm, and the reviews, even recent ones, are devoid of complaints.
Package Tracker Express and Package Tracker Pro ($1.99) offers most of the features that the other utilities do. The last time we talked about Package Tracker, there was no "Express" free version, which we're pleased to see added. Express is ad-supported and won't notify you of package status changes, but other than that, it's identical to the pro version. For your two dollars, the Pro version lets you sync with a file full of tracking numbers on your computer, so you don't have to enter them into your phone manually, gives you background notifications on your phone (vibrations, sounds, or flashing LEDs), and the ability to organize and label your packages the way you prefer, or by carrier.
Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.


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Sweater, I Heart Ronson. Scarf, gifted. Skirt, Rafaella (thrifted). Jeggings, Mossimo. Galoshes, Capelli. Hat, World Market (embellished by me). Brooch (on cardigan), thrifted. Jacket (below), Laundry by Shelli Segal.
I'm currently reading Madeleine L'Engle's The Other Side of the Sun. It's quite a departure from her children's literature, but still maintains that other-worldy quality.
Photos by Beefy Muchacho


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Serving our customers is at the heart of what we do.
For questions on an existing policy, please contact our Customer Service Department.
Customer ServiceFor questions on any of your existing policies, please contact our Customer Service Department.
Customer ServicePlease call my office directly using the phone number that appears at the bottom of this web page. You can also request a quote online We will get to work with you right away, researching the broad array of insurance companies we are proud to represent.
You may call your insurance company directly or visit their website. You can also submit a request to our Customer Service Department
When your policy comes up for renewal, you will receive information from your insurance company. Please read your renewal materials carefully and send the payment to the address indicated by the due date. When you do this, your policy will renew. If you have questions about the status of your renewal policy, please contact our Customer Service Department
That's part of the beauty of being a Brightway customer—you only need to contact one Service Department for service on any policy you buy through me, your Brightway Agent. We look forward to serving you.
Office Hours


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Black Tupelo Tree
BOTANICAL NAME: Nyssa var. sylvatica
PRONUNCIATION: NI-sa sil-VA-ti-ca
FAMILY: Cornaceae (Dogwood Family)
TYPE: Deciduous shade tree
HEIGHT: 50 to 100 feet
SPREAD: 30 to 40 feet
FINAL SPACING: 30 to 40 feet
NATURAL HABITAT AND PREFERRED SITE: Swamps, moist woods, and streams in east Texas or Houston area clays. It likes fully drained soils of the Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes and other flood plain locations.
IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION: Black gum is a large, graceful tree with shiny foliage that turns a brilliant scarlet red in the fall. It has blue-black fruit that is normally left on the tree after the red foliage drops in the fall.
FLOWERS AND FRUIT: The flowers are unisexual. Both male and female flowers are yellow or white forming in the early spring. Fruit is an elliptical blue-black fleshy droop that ripens in late summer through fall.
BARK: It is gray to dark brown or black, deeper fissured on older trunks.
FOLIAGE: Simple, alternate leaves that are shiny and dark green in the summer, brilliant red in the fall. Leaves are smooth edged and a little thicker than the rest of the leaf. The leaves range in length from 2 to 5 inches.
CULTURE: Blackgum is a beautiful tree but unfortunately can only grow in sandy acid soils such as those of east Texas. Don't even try to plant blackgum in alkaline soils. It needs moist soil year round for best results and is relatively slow growing.
PROBLEMS: It cannot grow in the black and white or other alkaline clay soils of the state.
PROPAGATION: By seed, cuttings or transplants. The seeds need to be sown immediately after collection in the fall or stratified for 30 to 60 days at about 40 degrees. The seeds should be kept moist in storage and after planting. Seedlings will benefit from partial shade. Black gum can be propagated from cuttings but it is not easy. Cuttings need to be taken in late winter and kept under a mist system. Percentage of success will be low. Transplanting is difficult because of the sandy soil locations. The best success will come from transplanting very small trees.
INSIGHT: Nyssa also includes the East Texas Tupelo Tree. Nyssa aquatica is the water tupelo and Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora is the Swamp Tupelo. All these trees can grow to an excess of 100 feet tall in the right conditions.
For more tree information read Howard Garrett's Texas Trees.
Search Library Topics Search Newspaper Columns


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At Bauma 2016 Liebherr presents the LRH 600 piling rig with a new hydraulic free-fall hammer
With the hydraulic free-fall hammer H 10 L, Liebherr presents an innovation for the world of deep foundations at Bauma 2016. The successful tried-and-tested crawler crane model LR 1300 with attached fixed leader system serves as the basic machine. The LRH 600 piling rig is particularly suitable for tough piling operations with large radius.
With the H 10 L, the first hydraulic free-fall hammer developed and manufactured inhouse, Liebherr consolidates its position as a full-service provider in the deep foundation industry. The hammer is currently the largest model of three in the new series and has a maximum impact energy of 225 kNm. Key advantages of the attachment include the modular weights, whereby the hammer can be perfectly adapted to the respective piling requirements. Thanks to the short and lightweight design, the hammer is extremely efficient as well as user-friendly in terms of transportation and maintenance. At the same time, the pile helmet is soundproof in the standard version.
The innovative control is perfectly integrated in the system of the Liebherr basic machines. This allows for better adjustment in accordance with the respective conditions and thus ensures more efficient operation. In addition to the LR 1300, the duty cycle crawler crane HS 895 HD can also be used as a basic machine. Only a slight modification is required with both machines. Owing to the high engine power of these basic machines, the hammer can be operated directly from the on-board hydraulic system, thus no additional power pack is required.
Innovative leader concept
The leader elements of the LRH 600 impress with easy and quick assembly by means of pin connections. A high degree of stability is ensured through the lattice boom design and also by the fact that the kicker is secured via supporting tubes at the boom head. Two compensating cylinders ensure that the leader always remains parallel to the uppercarriage so providing maximum transmission of the torque. Inclination and radius can be adjusted using another pair of cylinders.
With a fixed leader the LRH 600 achieves an effective working length of 51 m and a maximum radius of 15 m. Thanks to the clever leader kinematics inclinations of up to 14° backwards and 9.5° forwards are possible. The pull force extends to roughly 120 t.
The modern concept of the new fixed leader enables an extremely diverse application range, thus covering some of the most common processes in deep foundation applications. In addition to piling work with a hammer or a vibrator, these applications include drilling operations with continuous flight auger or down-the-hole hammer, as well as diverse procedures for soil improvement such as soil mixing and cutter soil mixing.
Crane bestseller as carrier machine
With the LR 1300 the most popular Liebherr crawler crane in the 300-tonne category is used as a carrier machine. The crane is powered by a 390 kW / 530 hp Liebherr diesel engine. A significant advantage is its quick transport. The innovative self-loading and self-assembly system, consisting of four fold-out jack-up cylinders on the undercarriage, an assembly cylinder in the A-frame for unloading, as well as two counterweight cylinders at the rear of the basic machine, make a huge contribution here. The dimensions of the LR 1300 also permit the cost-effective transportation on standard low-loaders with a maximum transport width of 3 m.


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MARTIN CRUTSINGER,AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. retail sales edged up in July despite a drop in auto sales. A category of purchases that excludes the most volatile areas rose by the most in seven months, a sign that consumer spending could boost economic growth in coming months.
The Commerce Department said Tuesday that retail sales increased 0.2 percent in July from June. Sales had risen 0.6 percent in June from May on a surge in auto sales.
"Core" retail sales, which exclude the volatile auto, gas and building supply categories, rose 0.5 percent in July. It was the biggest such gain since a similar increase in December.
Retail sales are closely watched because they're the government's first report each month on consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of U.S. economic activity.
Tuesday's report is "consistent with a decent acceleration" in consumer spending in the current July-September quarter, said Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.
Dales suggested that consumer spending, which rose at an annual rate of 1.8 percent in the April-June quarter, could grow at a 2.5 percent annual rate or better in the current July-September quarter.
"Households may be spending a bit more freely in response to the recent gains in employment, equity prices, house prices and the modest loosening in credit," Dales said.
A separate report Tuesday showed that Americans are reducing their credit card debt. It's a trend that could further strengthen consumers' financial security and boost their spending over the long run. The rate of credit card payments at least 90 days overdue fell in the April-June quarter to 0.57 percent, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion. It's the lowest delinquency rate since 1994.
And the Commerce Department said business stockpiles were unchanged in June while sales rose modestly. That could mean that companies will need to step up their restocking in coming months, which would help boost economic growth.
Sales at department stores rose 0.6 percent in July, rebounding from a 1.2 percent drop in June. A broader category of general merchandise, which covers big retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, rose 0.4 percent after no change in June.
Purchases at gasoline stations rose 0.9 percent, an increase that partly reflected higher pump prices. Excluding gasoline, retail sales would have risen 0.1 percent in July.
Sales at clothing stores rose 0.9 percent, and they increased 0.6 percent at grocery stores and restaurants. At furniture stores, sales fell 1.4 percent. Purchases at building supply and appliance stores also weakened.
The U.S. economy grew at lackluster annual rates of 1.1 percent in the January-March quarter and 1.7 percent in the April-June quarter. But many economists think growth will rebound in the second half of the year to an annual rate of roughly 2.5 percent.
Optimism stems, in part, from the notion that consumer spending will strengthen for the remainder of the year as the effects of this year's tax increases and spending cuts start to fade. Economists also think consistently improving home sales and higher stock prices will make people feel more comfortable spending money in stores.
Steady job growth will help, too. In July, the unemployment rate fell to a 4½-year low of 7.4 percent, from 7.6 percent in June, though employers added only a modest 162,000 jobs.
One weakness in July was auto sales, which fell 1 percent after surging 2.9 percent in June. July's decline contrasts with reports from automakers. General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Nissan have all reported double-digit sales gains from a year ago. But the government's figures are seasonally adjusted and compare sales with the previous month, not with year-ago levels.
Some big retail chains reported that shoppers seemed to be holding off on back-to-school shopping in July. Revenue at stores opened at least a year rose 3.5 percent compared with a year ago, according to a tally of 11 retailers by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Many stores were already offering discounts to induce shoppers to spend on fall clothing, which began showing up on store shelves in mid-July. But retail analysts say even more deals could be coming in August as stores try to boost sales during the back-to-school season, which runs from mid-July through mid-September.
Americans are still being held back by scant pay increases at a time of higher taxes and rising gas prices. In January, a Social Security tax increase kicked in. It means that someone who earns $50,000 has about $1,000 less to spend this year. A household with two high-paid workers has up to $4,500 less.


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Layers of beautiful viola, piano, upright bass and guitar melodies composed faultlessly with playful electronic percussions, sampled voices, ambient sounds, and delicate, dreamy vocals, weaving a sonic tapestry of genuine emotional beauty.
starke is formed by 2 wonderfully gifted artists, Shunichiro Fujimoto (FJORDNE) and Yushi Mori (ミーティア気象台, Å, Under Groove).
"weekend" showcases 10 tracks of ethereally entrancing music that merge heart-warming musical prowess with a delicate, captivating sensibility. For the fans of März, The Books and Greg Davis!


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Have you actually attemptedto put together a strategy online playing? If you did, did a person far enough along at it to enjoy any with the benefits? Or were you among much who gave it a try, got no immediate results, quit and started something other than them? jet77 try at just about all. They fall victim to associated with energy or laziness. Some intended to utilize but stalled out for lack of knowing the best way to start. The specter of unknown factors scared off some. Others never really understood the opportunity benefits and could have gotten derailed, being carried out to another thing.
Organize your electronic files and documents first to actually know as a precaution have in your C: drive, My Documents or shared drive. Beat anything you don't have any a great deal.
A compulsive gambler will be complain of lack cash or losing money, mounting bills left unpaid, extreme borrowing money from to get or even from your retirement plan, or burdened with loans Pg slot . There are also others who overdraw from their credit playing cards.
Many compulsive gamblers always believe there is no way that they can lose. When they hit loses, they always believe they will win back the previous losses your next turn, but almost all the time they are disappointed. Gamblers who can't face their losses since losing inside the games end up being the common victims of additive gambling.
Don't get carried away easily. Find to take control of your playing and betting. Include a bigger chance of winning with calculated betting rather than impulsive sports betting. Remember that online Gambling is very tiring and stressful the actual the big amount funds involved and is also at risk. So, it would help if you take some breaks in between a few rounds of the sport so you'll be able to relax and pay better attention towards the game.
If you pass a little money, regardless of whether it isn't progressive jackpot, edit and get your prize money. When you not produce the money possess set on a self-employed basis for day time meet from wearing non-standard and several minutes . in a week or so.
If you find doing your best and trying your hardest toward helping yourself isn't working at all, you may need to seek a special. In some cases, your whole body insurance provider may cover some or all within the treatment necessary to cure the addiction.
All-in-all probably the most important thing is to handle your research and find out first, which gambling sites actually accept players from Canada and whether not really the accommodate for your needs. An individual find every one of that, be pretty easy to find a site that a person the possibility for gamble during that in comparison. Once have to that, you could begin gambling online as quickly as you sign up and deposit at that specific service.


text:
What makes the M.U.L.E. 12 Hydration Backpack redesign so exciting? For starters, it's the perfect size, comes with premium hydration and has all the features to make every bike adventure awesome. In addition, we've supplied smart storage options, with an overflow pocket for an extra layer or wet rain jacket. We also supplied a removable stability belt for added flexibility and comfort. Another key addition is our Magnetic Tube Trap that works with all of our reservoir tubes. We've included Air Support Back Panel, lightweight materials, and max ventilation to keep you feeling and looking cool on the trail. Repurpose Gold Sustainability Badge: Made with recycled materials, made with safer chemicals, and designed to preserve resources and diminish disposables. Finally, our reservoir with Quicklink System ensures you get all the hydration you need on the move, with no fuss.
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN | Store SKU |
Aluminum/Black / 3L / 12L | 886798034843 | 2654003000 | CAM32929994K |
Black / 3L / 12L | 886798034850 | 2654001000 | CAM24812526K |
Fired Brick/Black / 3L / 12L | 886798034867 | 2654601000 | CAM34723555K |
Moroccan Blue/Black / 3L / 12L | 886798034874 | 2654401000 | CAM36332028K |


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From Water Levels to Laser Levels
You may be old enough to remember water levels, but you're still young enough to get hooked on lasers.
Like cell phones and Palm Pilots, laser levels are rapidly becoming high-tech staples in many contractors' tool bags. If you don't use them yet, you'll probably find yourself left behind on layout speed, daunted by complicated designs. A single laser however, won't perform all the functions you need as efficiently as you'd like. I've found that a fixed-point laser and a separate rotary laser is the best combination for me.
For the last 10 years, I've been a contractor in the New York metro area. I focus on high-end residential and commercial office projects. This work generally requires complex layouts that laser levels can make quick work of. Whether we're laying out a foundation for a new home or establishing perimeter lines in a pre-war office building, Johnson laser levels and chalklines are first out of the box and all of my layout guys use them throughout the job.
Building Foundations
The more accurate and level a foundation is, the easier it is for all other trades to do their work. If the foundation grades and subsequent floor framing were perfectly level, theoretically you'd only need a tape measure and framing square to build a square and level structure. But we all know that's impossible given the realities of jobsite conditions and lumber variations. Some of us remember laying out foundations with water levels and transits, but these devices have shortcomings that laser levels don't.
Anyone who's used a water level knows how frustrating it is to operate. Transits are a major improvement over water levels, but they're susceptible to human error: The slightest change in position throws a transit fatally out of accuracy. If the set-up man doesn't read the leveling vials properly or bumps the tripod, it knocks everything out of level -- including your foundation.
A good self-leveling rotary laser level can eliminate those problems. Set one up, turn it on, and the laser automatically finds level and shoots a red dot up to 200 hundred-plus feet that's accurate to within an 1/8-inch. With remote-controlled operation and remote receivers, your layout man needn't be near the laser, reducing the chance of bumping into it. If, however, it does get bumped or jostled by a shaky floor, the tool signals you there's a problem. Layout becomes a one-person job and given today's labor rates, those substantial savings justify purchasing the tool.
We use our rotating laser level to lay out excavation stakes. Then our excavator gives us a nice 8- to 10-foot-deep hole so we can start pouring footings and setting up wall forms. Our laser level makes its second appearance for marking footers. It shoots a constant level line, acting like a transit that's infinitely easier to set up and use. Thanks to the tool's automatic leveling feature, a layout man presses the on button and can be completely confident that the laser will shoot a red dot in perfect level.
Since the laser spins, it projects level points 360 degrees. Using a marking stick, footing form boards are easily brought up to level. A remote-controlled device lets us position the laser's red dot exactly and keep it there as long as necessary, which is essential for setting forms -- especially warped or damaged ones. After we've set the wall forms on the footings, we use the laser to set grade for the top of the foundation walls before the pour.
Construction Framing
We also use our lasers to establish level and plumb lines during framing whether it's a new home or an old building. With an old building, we often need to establish a reference line on the floor so we can lay out the rest of the space. For this task, too, I suggest springing for the cost of a self-leveling device. In a few seconds, you can establish a top wall plate location and create a line from which you can then pull measurements to establish your other walls. With the laser mounted horizontally, soffits, doors, and knee walls are quickly laid out. The numerous mounting devices available -- pole stands, adjustable tripods, and mounting brackets -- let you do many layouts on the mark without having to extend points with a tape measure.
On new construction, we return to the site with laser in hand once the foundation has cured. Putting the laser on a tripod, we set the sills and easily bring them to level. Because we shot the foundation with the same tool, it takes only small adjustments to level the sills, which we accomplish with a handful of shims inserted here and there.
The tighter the sill is to the foundation (i.e., fewer shims), the stronger the structure is. It's less likely to settle or squeak. Once the sill is on and leveled properly, the rest of the framing could be done with a tape measure, right? Given today's lumber quality and new guys' inability to read tape measures properly, it's always a good idea to keep a laser level handy. Shooting a level line periodically during the project's course ensures that all framing is built level, which gives you a chance to find problems early on.
Finish Carpentry
After the rough framing is complete, it's time for all those crazy half walls, dropped soffits, and vaulted ceilings architects love. With the advent of CAD, architects are developing increasingly complex designs and I've found that using a laser level is the only way to keep up. Because we can set one up in virtually any location with the right mounting device, my crew can lay out almost anything an architect can come up with. Even arched vaulted ceilings are fairly easy; once you establish a level line around the room, you can swing your arc using a chalk line or a long, straight 2x4.
Laying out door and window heights with lasers increases the efficiency and quality of our work with very little effort. Using the tools to establish consistent heights on those openings ensures that all interior trim is also consistent. That's especially important for elaborate and expensive moldings. And when your siding crew sees that you've aligned all the doors and windows consistently, they'll probably buy you lunch for making their job easier and their work better-looking.
Uneven window and door heights become a nightmare when siding crews try to maintain reveals and proper spacing. Your siding crew might even have their own laser setup to level and check their courses.
Finish carpenters are also fans of laser levels. Shooting a level line around a room gives our carpenters instant points for chair-rail heights, cabinet locations, and shelving. It's a hassle to wrap a 4- or 6-foot level around a room. It's invariably inaccurate, and measuring off the ceiling or floor for level is a risky proposition.
With a laser tool, there's no need to question floor unevenness or level because self-leveling lasers operate independently of floor imperfections and establish a level line no matter what.
Other Trades, Other Phases
Suspended Ceiling Installers - These guys were among the first to use laser levels on their jobs, especially in commercial situations where runs are really long. They establish one good reference line, then clip a rotating laser to the ledger. Now they've got a perfect line for the rest of the ledger, track, and all their tie wire. Unlike a pencil line, you shut the laser off and the mark disappears. That's especially nice for painted walls.
Plumbers - These subs often use point-to-point lasers to mark pipe layouts and establish pitch over long runs. A point-to-point laser shoots two to five points: parallel, plumb, square to each other, or some combination of the three. This makes it easy to mark overhead fixture locations like showerheads and A/C units. Fixture locations are laid out on the floor; then the laser transcribes the marks right up to the ceiling like a plumb bob working in reverse.
We increasingly find our projects being marked out on the floor and then shot up to the ceiling. This makes layouts faster, more accurate, and safer. Nobody has to reach up from the top of a ladder to pull measurements off ceilings and walls or fiddle with a plumb bob.
Electricians - Many electricians are fond of using lasers for easy fixture placement. Nothing is better suited for outlet and switch height layouts or marking recessed cans or chandeliers. The simple point-to-point devices work well for these tasks. My clients often ask me to center a lighting fixture over a dining room or conference table. After we lay out the table placement on the floor and find its center, the laser does the rest by shooting it straight up to the ceiling.
Tile Installers and Masons - Some of the better point-to-point lasers shoot three or more points perpendicular to each other, giving a tile installer an instant grid to lay out a floor. There's no need to rely on a bent framing square, Pythagorus, or those awkward, oversized squares to establish lines. Place the laser in the right location, press the on button, and the tool creates an instant set of points. Snap a few lines and you're ready to roll. Or, if you're climbing a wall with tile, a rotary laser's level line won't disappear under your thinset like chalk does.
Even our painters and landscape contractors use laser levels - The painters use them to set paint breaks on walls so they can tape perfectly straight lines across numerous corners or breaks. And our landscaper tunes his grading and sets retaining wall heights by shooting them with laser tools.
Keep in mind that lasers are only accurate when they're actually in use. Keeping them locked away in a gang box, shop, or office won't help you speed up layouts or improve your accuracy. You must insist that your crew use laser levels as often necessary, not just in the beginning of the project.
The construction industry is slow to change, especially when it comes to tools. But technology is changing fast, and old-school carpenters and tradesmen have to change with it. If you equip an experienced crew with point-to-point and rotary lasers they'll be able to tackle almost anything.
Erik Elwell is a contractor in the New York metro area who specializes in office build-outs and high-end residential construction.


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Washington's latest answer to the worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression is $26 billion in aid to state and local governments. This still leaves the states and locales more than $62 billion in the hole this fiscal year. And because every state except Vermont has to balance its budget, the likely result is 600,000 to 700,000 more state and local jobs vanishing over the next 12 months (including private contractors and other businesses that depend on state and local governments) according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Say goodbye to even more of the teachers, firefighters, sanitary workers, and police officers we depend on.
In July alone, state and local employment dropped 48,000. Not counting temporary census workers, the federal government shed 11,000. So with private payrolls increasing a paltry 71,000, July's overall increase in payrolls was just 12,000.
12,000 new jobs in July — when 125,000 are needed monthly just to keep up with population growth, when more than 15 million Americans are out of work, and when more than a half million more state and local jobs are on the chopping block.
With the worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression worsening, you might expect emergency action out of Washington. But the biggest upcoming debate there is whether to extend the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2 percent, or for everyone, or for no one. This is like debating whether to get a mousetrap when your home is sinking in quicksand.
We need a response proportional to the crisis. Obama, Pelosi, and Reed should summon Congress back to Washington for action on the jobs emergency.
First item on the agenda: establishing a federal bank that will provide states and locales zero-interest loans, to be repaid when their unemployment rates drop to 5 percent or below.
Second item: eliminating payroll taxes on the first $20,000 of all incomes and make up the difference by subjecting all income above $250,000 to the payroll tax. (Remember, the wealthy save most of their after-tax income, lower-income Americans spend it.)
Third item: recreating the WPA to hire Americans directly. The Works Progress Administration put Americans back to work during the Depression rebuilding the nation's infrastructure.
The jobs emergency requires no less.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!


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Home >
News & Policies >
May 2003
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 7, 2003
Personnel Announcement
President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate two individuals to serve in his administration:
The President intends to nominate James G. Roche of Maryland, to be Secretary of the Army. He currently serves as Secretary of the Air Force. Prior to returning to the Department of Defense in 2001, he served as Corporate Vice President and President of the Electric Sensors and Systems Sector of the Northrop Grumman Corporation where he served since 1984. Earlier, Roche served as Democratic Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services from 1983 to 1984 and served at the State Department as Principal Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Staff. He was a senior professional staff member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1979 to 1981, and served as Assistant Director of the Office of Net Assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1979. Roche is a twenty-three year veteran of the U.S. Navy, received his bachelor's degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, his master's degree from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and his doctorate from Harvard Business School.
The President intends to nominate Colin R. McMillan of New Mexico, to be Secretary of the Navy. Currently, he is Chairman and CEO of the Permian Exploration Corporation. In July 2001, McMillan was appointed by the President to serve as Chairman of the Board for Sallie Mae, Inc. Earlier in his career, he served as Pecos River Commissioner for the State of New Mexico and as Secretary of the New Mexico State Board of Finance. In March of 1990, McMillan was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be Assistant Secretary of Defense (Production and Logistics). He served as Assistant Secretary until 1992, the same year he was honored by the Department with a Medal for Distinguished Services. McMillan served as a member of the New Mexico Legislature from 1971 to 1982. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and then went on to serve on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserve.


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Maggie Rose's Redskins Theme Song Earns Her an Emmy
Maggie Rose has scored herself a big prize, thanks to her love of football. Her song 'Get Ya Game On,' which she wrote for the Comcast SportsNet's coverage of the Redskin's 2013 season, has earned an Emmy.
Rose grew up rooting for the Redskins at their games, so she was honored to be asked to write the song and film the music video. And her hard work paid off, because the song has since earned her some big recognition. Rose recently got the call that she was nominated by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences -- and she couldn't believe it.
This is the very first award Rose has been nominated for as a country artist.
"I remember thinking, 'This is so cool, but I'm a country artist,'" she tells Rolling Stone Country. "I didn't dream an Emmy would be the first award I'd be nominated for! It's such an honor."
Unfortunately, Rose's No. 1 love (music) came in the way of her attending the ceremony, as she had prior obligations to play a festival in Georgia. Instead, the songstress sent her proud parents to attend for her.
"I was on stage when the [Emmy] announcement was made," Rose explains. "I was nervous during the show, knowing I'd find out as soon as I got off stage what the results were. And I got a text from my mom and dad with a picture of them holding the Emmy. It was so cute -- they had such huge smiles."
Now that she's won an Emmy, she's definitely not stopping her support of the Redskins and NFL. Rose has already shot the promo video for the upcoming season and is busy recording a new album!
Startling Facts About Women and Country Radio


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"We wanted to make financial administration faster and more efficient," said Henrik Kiviluoto, Controller at Salmela Companies Oy, which is responsible for managing the purchase invoice life cycle for Hesburger Group's restaurants. "In practice, this means more automated operations that reduce manual work. Rondo Procure-to-Pay proved to be the leading solution on the market."
"We have a huge number of Rondo users," he added. "It is characteristic of the industry that when restaurant managers who review invoices take a vacation or switch restaurants, they must always have a delegate. Keeping up with delegate access rights was laborious before the current system," said Henrik. "Rondo Procure-to-Pay simplifies the process."
Read our case study.


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By Wendi Wheeler '06
Imagine writing one play every day for a year. Also imagine the challenges presented to 14 actors each playing several roles in 54 plays presented in one evening. That is the task of the cast of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays, directed by Augsburg theater professor Martha Johnson.
In the fall of 2002, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks decided to take on the challenge of writing one play a day for a full year. 365 Days/365 Plays is the successful result, featuring 365 short plays exploring such divergent topics as sex, war, fairy tales, Indian mythology, American historical figures, love, politics, race, contemporary celebrities—and numerous other issues from American life.
In the introduction to the play, a 374-page book that looks like a formidable novel, Parks writes, "The plan was that no matter what I did, how busy I was, what other commitments I had, I would write a play a day, every single day, for a year. It would be about being present and being committed to the artistic process every single day, regardless of the 'weather.' It became a daily meditation, a daily prayer celebrating the rich and strange process of a writing life."
This is the first work by an African American playwright to be presented on Augsburg's main stage. Jasmine Gilbert '13, a theater performance major from Minneapolis, said that is precisely why she was interested in the play. "I wanted to be a part of it in any way I could."
Gilbert [shown here with Jackson Mboma] plays the role of Parks. She said performing 54 short plays—some less than one minute in length—has been challenging. "One of the main things is that doing these plays isn't easy because you want the audience to get her point, and you only have a short amount of time to get that across."
Selecting only a portion of the 365 plays presented something of a challenge for Johnson in finding a "frame" for the pieces. The setting for each play is Parks' apartment, and her mind serves as the unifying theme to help the plays connect to one another and to move the audience along through the story arc.
This is the first time that Leah Tillman '13, a psychology major with a theater minor, has been in the cast of an Augsburg play. "So far," she said, "I have learned that what you represent on stage could be interpreted by the audience differently when it comes to performing gender roles, ethnicities, or stereotypes." Tillman said the cast has been very mindful of how their performances might be received by the audience.
Johnson said the production has required a great deal of artistic and logistical discipline from the actors. Usually an actor will develop the details of one character throughout the six- to seven-week period of rehearsal and performance. "This time, they create many characters, have to let go of a character, and support everyone around them through the process."
Both Gilbert and Tillman encourage the community to see the production because of the themes in the play and because it is written by an African American. "We all worked really hard on it, so we want everyone to come out and see it. It was challenging, and we hope our hard work pays off."
About the production:
The plays are organized into two acts, and each act is under an hour. With the intermission, the production is about two hours in length. Some of the plays contain adult language and themes, with some controversial content. 365 Days/365 Plays may not be appropriate for children 12 years of age or younger.
Performances are February 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 at 7 p.m. February 5, 12 at 3 p.m. Tjornhom-Nelson Theater. Click for ticket information


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Oil, Filters and Fluids
Critical parts of your engine are lubricated, cleaned and cooled by your cars oil and filter. Other specifically formulated fluids are used for the operation and protection of systems and components such as brakes, cooling, power steering, automatic and manual transmissions, and transfer cases. Your car may also be equipped with a variety of filters including those for the transmission, fuel system and interior ventilation.
Periodic oil and filter changes help keep your engine clean on the inside. Dust, metallic shavings, condensation and even antifreeze can contaminate motor oil. Additives, which break down over time, are also subject to contamination. Other fluids in your vehicle may require periodic replacement For example, the majority of automatic transmission failures are heat-related, and automatic transmission fluid breaks down rapidly when subjected to high temperatures. Your car owner's manual may specify periodic flushing and filling of the brake hydraulic system because contaminated brake fluid may lead to erosion and other problems in the hydraulic system, especially on vehicles with antilock brakes (ABS).
- Change oil and filter every 3,000 to 5,00 miles or three months.
- Many car manufacturers recommend extended oil drain intervals for some drivers.
- In severe driving conditions such as in major cities frequent oil changes are required.
- For automatic transmissions, brakes, power steering and axles, vehicle-specific fluids should be used.
- Coolant should be changed every two years or 24,000 miles on cars with ethylene glycol antifreeze. Extended life coolants require less frequent changes.
Stop and see Country Auto anytime!


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The Origins of innovative and creative mind
In 1919, Mr. Ri-ichi Ezaki - the firm's Founder -, tested and confirmed that oyster broth contains generous amounts of glycogen. Based on this result, he took the necessary steps to commercially offer food products incorporating glycogen and therefore, spread its healthful benefits to the world. Underlying this goal was the fact that glycogen extract had contributed to Mr. Ri-ichi Ezaki's son overcoming the symptoms of typhus.
In due time, the nutritious confection "Glico Caramel" was introduced into the marketplace and Glico came up with the objective of "Enhance health through food!".
Glico was established on February 11, 1922, the day that "Glico Caramel", in its distinctive red box, was offered to the public for the first time at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Osaka. As demand grew, factories were built outside of Japan too, starting with Dalian, China. However, all domestic and foreign facilities were completely destroyed by the end of the Second World War in 1945.
Remarking on the destruction he observed, Mr. Ri-ichi Ezaki stated, "Though war destroyed all else, the remaining asset is Glico itself". First, the production of "Bisco" was revived. Following this, the "Glico Caramel" product was brought back and other long-selling products such as Almond Chocolate, PRETZ, Giant Cone, and Pocky were successively introduced afterwards.
As the Japanese economy recovered, a focus on the development of desserts emerged and resulted in the introduction of "Putchin Pudding","Café au Lait", "Panapp", and "Seventeen Ice". In addition, laboratory facilities were set up with full-scale research and development efforts that took place during the time.
Consumers today are becoming more health conscious than ever before and their attention is focused on functional factors such as the enhancement of relaxation and the prevention of tooth decay, products which are the low calorie and sugarless. To meet consumers' demands, our Glico products are enjoyed internationally as a result of the advancement of globalization together with the greater dissemination of related information.


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Dr. Eric Westman Takes Your Questions On How Low-Carb Diets Work, Live Thursday
Westman, director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic, answers viewer questions about the Atkins diet
The low-carbohydrate Atkins diet has drawn skeptics and true believers in the 40 years since the late Dr. Robert Atkins presented it in his book "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution." One influential advocate of the weight-loss program is Dr. Eric Westman, director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic and co-author of "The New Atkins for a New You."Westman will take viewer questions about practicing the diet and his research on its efficacy during a live "Office Hours" webcast interview Thursday, Jan. 19, beginning at noon on the Duke University Ustream channel. To submit a question for Westman, send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com, Tweet with the hashtag #dukelive or post to the Duke University Facebook page.
"The Atkins diet was labeled as a high-fat diet," Westman said in an interview with the New York Times. "We've been told over the past 40 years that fat in the diet is bad. Now we know that fat is not bad. What's happened is that there is a paradigm shift in thinking about carbohydrates, fat and protein and health."
Atkins Food Guide Pyramid"One size does not fit all," he said about diets. "If there is anything we've learned over the last four years, it's just that the low-carb or Atkins approach should be a viable option."Westman is an associate professor at Duke's School of Medicine and an associate editor for the journal Nutrition & Metabolism. He was commissioned to write "The New Atkins for a New You" by Atkins Nutritionals. He is an author on more than dozen scientific papers on low-carbohydrate diets and has a Facebook page dedicated to research updates and diet tips.
Duke's "Office Hours" webcast series allows members of the Duke community and others to engage in live conversations with faculty about their research and scholarship. Visit the Office Hours website to see a schedule of upcoming topics, watch past episodes and sign up for email reminders.


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Overview and Project Goals
The Fort Worth Avenue Development Group is happy to announce the return of the Spare pARTS Public Art Initiative. We are requesting proposals from Dallas area artists for functional, site-specific artwork that encourages pedestrian activity and makes use of recycled/repurposed materials. Our goal is to encourage street life and pride along Fort Worth Avenue by recruiting and supporting the artistic ingenuity that epitomizes the DIY spirit of the area.
-Reuse, repurpose: Installations must make useof recycled, re-used, and re-defined materials inkeeping with the spirit of the incremental redevelopment of the neighborhood.-Utility: The art is required to fill a utilitarian role, such as providing shade, seating, bike parking, lighting, etc.-Location: The installation(s) will be placed on private property along Fort Worth Avenue. Artists are encouraged to visit the site and must tailor their proposal to that specific location.
The site for 2013 is:
-Vendor Trailer area fronting Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on W. Commerce St.-Budget: The project budget is $5000. This amount is to cover materials, supplies, labor, and installationcosts. Please consider the cost of anchoring, lighting, and any landscaping in your proposal.-Lifespan: It is understood that due to the material nature and budgetary limits these works will not lastforever, but they should be designed and built to remain functional for a period of at least five years.-Artist Eligibility: All artists must be at least 18 years of age.
Selection Process:
Any artist/artist team over 18 years of age can submit one or more proposals. There is no fee for submissions. The selection panel jury consists of 5 local area arts professionals, chaired by Kay Kallos, Office of Dallas Cultural Affairs.
All submissions will be reviewed by the selection panel.Three submissions will be selected as finalists, and the artists must present their projects to the selection panel in person. Each of the three finalists will receive a $100 stipend to cover additional time and materials spent on project details such as final illustrations and /or 3D renderings.
Submission Requirements
Mailing or Drop-Off Location:
Red Arrow Contemporary, 1130 Dragon St. Suite 110, Dallas TX 75207Phone: 214 426.9783Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
April 19, 2013 — Initial proposals dueMay 4, 2013 — Finalists announcedMay 25, 2013 — Finalist presentations to selection panelMay 26, 2013 — Award/Commission, 1st cash installment $3000August 24, 2013 — (no later than) — Installation, balance $2000September 7, 2013 — Christening ceremony
About the Fort Worth Development Group
The purpose of the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group is to improve the West Commerce/Fort Worth Avenue corridor and maintain a high quality of life for the area's residential neighbors, property owners, and businesses. Learn more at www.fortworthavenue.org


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Please add more maps to the rotation, like, atleast 3 new ones. That would be awesome!
I'm open for suggestions.
Btw. what's the max ping allowed on the server? Yesterday I faced pretty annoying one with constant 250 ms ping that was blinking continuously what made one extremely harder to hit with Ruger.
After 7 years and a half Zabijaka.pl servers have been shut down permanently. I would like to thank Bonecrusher and other admins, it was a pleasure working with all of you.
Heart-Breaking shut down
I hoped at least the best servers would remain around
Quote from: machina on June 12, 2017, 02:32:42 pmI hoped at least the best servers would remain around I'll figure something out edit: Already found a host - will probably set 2 servers in the next few days. So stay tuned!
Good job Bonecrusher. Especially in times when all news is developer bail out and servers shut down. Almost as we did not notice. Nothing lost, nothing gained.....maybe .
Quote from: Blastoize2 on June 13, 2017, 01:01:43 pmGood job Bonecrusher. Especially in times when all news is developer bail out and servers shut down. Almost as we did not notice. Nothing lost, nothing gained.....maybe .We did replace the servers within an hour of zabijaka going down, though.
Well, zabijaka or even zabijaka.pl is not registered trademark/name in Poland and EU, its just registered domain site by Consulting Service Sp. z o.o. Quick look on KRS(sprawdzałem też listy: uprp.pl euipo, tmdn.org i ZTUE i tylko nazwa "INSTINKT ZABIJAKA" jest zarejestrowana) and you will find out that only company "Logika" and another domain "wave.com.pl" are related to zabijaka.plAnd because of that, I dont see any legal obstacles to use that name for game server, even if its used by other company(that if really wanted to keep it, should register it properly)Of course with all due respect to Helloer, he can ask you to not use it, but if we take in to the account that zabijaka servers are one of most known in Soldat, restoring name of this servers will seriously help keeping good atmosphere and bring back users that thought its dead. So as a player(even if not active) I would suggest restoring its name, even as "Zabijaka" without .pl at end because it would be just good for game and players


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How to Make Beer
Making beer is easy, inexpensive, and most of all, fun. With the rise in popularity of homebrewing, there are a wide variety of top quality ingredients available.
You can literally make hundreds of styles of beer that will taste great and impress your friends. Getting started making beer will only cost you a small amount of money, depending on your level of interest. Most beer making kits range from only to 0 and make great, unique gifts.
How to Make Beer
Making Beer is just like cooking. Each recipe requires different ingredients and techniques. This page is an attempt to go over the basics of homebrewing in order to give you an understanding of how beer is made.
First of all, beer is made from 4 basic ingredients: water, malt (malted barley), hops, and yeast.
Water is the most abundant ingredient in any style of beer. When making beer at home try to use filtered water instead of plain tap water. If your water doesn't taste good from the tap, you probably won't like it in your beer either. Do not use distilled water because it has been depleted of its oxygen.
Malted barley is barley grain that has been carefully soaked in water until it sprouts and then dried. This malting process develops the necessary sugars and soluble starches needed for fermentation.
The malt is then taken through a process called mashing which extracts the sugars and starches from the grain. Although advanced homebrewers can accomplish this step at home, most will buy the malted barley already mashed in a product called malt extract.
Hops are green flowers that grow on a vine and look similar to pine cones. They perform several roles in the beer making process. Most notably are the taste and aroma they impart on a beer.
Since not all of the sugars will ferment, the malt will cause the beer to be really sweet. Hops will balance out the sweetness by adding a degree of bitterness. Hops will also add a distinctive aroma to the finished brew.
Yeast is the catalyst that makes it all happen. In short, yeast is a living organism that feeds off of the sugars in the malt. The yeast will convert the sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide in a process called fermentation.
There are many strains of yeasts (even in the air we breathe). In order to get the results needed for making beer, a specially cultured beer yeast is required. The yeast will also impart taste and mouthfeel qualities to the beer.
The Beer Making Process
To summarize, the malt, hops, and water are boiled for a period of time. This mixture is called wort (pronounced wert). Then the wort is poured into fermenter and allowed to cool.
Next, the prepared yeast is pitched into the fermenter and an airlock is placed over the opening. Now it's the yeast's job to do its thing.
The yeast will multiply like crazy as it consumes the sugars in the brew. After a period of time, usually within 7 to 10 days, the yeast will have consumed all that it can and fall to the bottom of the fermenter.
Finally, the beer is bottled and set aside for a couple of weeks to mature and carbonate.
Making beer at home really is a fantastic hobby and can be a great social activity. Have some friends over and let them try your new brew. Better yet, get them involved and see who can make the best batches. Have blind taste tests with your buddies. Most of all, have fun!
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Love Letter Life (Hardcover)
More than 2.3 million people watched as Jeremy and Audrey Roloff shared their vows and committed their lives to each other. Now for the first time, the former co-stars of TLC's hit show Little People, Big World share their imperfect, resilient, and inspiring love story.
As Jeremy and Audrey write, if you can fall into love, you can fall out. True love is something you choose to live out each day through your actions, decisions, and sacrifices. To find and still seek, now that is love. From the moment you meet your potential spouse, you can be intentional about shaping a beautiful love story, uniquely written for who God created you both to be. Whether you're single and searching, in a serious dating relationship, or desiring to love your spouse better, Jeremy and Audrey equip you to pursue an intentional, creative, and faithful love story by sharing theirs.
The journey to their wedding day was the culmination of a bumpy and complicated dating relationship. From health problems, to emotional walls, to being separated by one thousand miles, the couple faced daunting obstacles. But their unique approach to dating empowered them to write an uncommon love story and prepared them for married life. Because as beautiful as their wedding was, the Roloffs made a point to prepare more for their marriage than their wedding day.
Told through both Jeremy's and Audrey's voices, A Love Letter Life tells a passionate and persevering story of relatable struggles, hard-learned lessons, practical tips, and devout commitment. In these pages, they encourage you to stop settling for convenient relationships, offer perspective on male and female differences in dating, tackle tough topics like purity, give their nine rules for fighting well, suggest fun ideas for connection in a world of technology, and provide fresh advice on how to intentionally pursue a love story that never ends.


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LePage's critical wind-power stance creating uncertainty
Credit: By Kevin Miller, BDN Staff | bangordailynews.com 27 May 2012 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
ELLSWORTH, Maine – Recent statements from Gov. Paul LePage regarding wind energy are causing some angst in Maine's wind power industry at a time changes in Augusta and Washington, D.C., are creating uncertainty over political support for renewable energy.
Since his election in 2010, LePage has questioned the economics behind wind power as part of his administration's focus on lowering energy costs for Maine ratepayers. But the Republican governor's rhetoric has intensified in recent months, suggesting that the technology is increasing energy costs and padding the pockets of "special interests."
"We have people in Maine who say that wind is the answer. And it is the answer for people who lobby for wind," LePage told a crowd in April. "Wind is costing us dearly. It's costing us jobs, it's costing us investment and it's costing us big."
Those comments came months after LePage repeatedly suggested that state policies designed to encourage development of wind power were partly responsible for Maine's higher electric rates – a claim sharply disputed by renewable energy proponents.
More recently, LePage has used the debate over wind power to attack independent U.S. Senate candidate and former governor Angus King, repeatedly calling him "the king of the wind cartel" and suggesting he made "a fortune" on ratepayers backs. King was until recently a large stakeholder in Independence Wind that built the 22-turbine Record Hill wind farm.
While LePage's statements have been welcomed by wind power critics in Maine, they've caused some discomfort in an industry that supporters point out has invested more than $1 billion in Maine – and much of that during a recession. They also suggest the comments stand in stark contrast to LePage's mantra of being a pro-jobs and pro-business governor.
"The current administration has made some negative public comments which are not conducive to attracting investment and to the growth of the industry in the state of Maine," said Paul Williamson, director and principal coordinator for the Maine Wind Industry Initiative.
Williamson, whose organization is a coalition of companies, researchers and port authority officials, said LePage's comments are not factually based.
"Any time you have the top elected official in the state questioning whether wind energy is a good thing in Maine, that creates concern," added Jeremy Payne, executive director of the Maine Renewable Energy Association, an industry trade group. "However, legislators have been very clear about their support for the industry over the years."
Maine is New England's largest producer of wind energy, with 205 commercial wind turbines spinning at seven wind farms built since 2006. Construction of those projects involved hundreds of workers at a time with contributions from more than 300 Maine companies, according to a February 2011 study by Charles Colgan at the University of Southern Maine.
But despite the rapid growth of the industry, wind energy represented just 6.6 percent of the total electricity generated in Maine in January 2012, compared with 25 percent generated by hydropower. And there remains significant debate over whether wind power would be cost-competitive without subsidies, federal tax credits and state policies meant to encourage the development of renewable energy sources.
Kenneth Fletcher, director of the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security, is less brash than his boss in talking about wind energy. But he insisted the administration's policy has been consistent.
"I think what the governor is saying is if wind power is a source of energy that will lower the price of electricity, then he is in favor of it," Fletcher said. "Our concern is: is this going to be sustainable over time?"
A big part of that equation depends on what happens in Washington, D.C., over the coming months. Action in Congress has been stalled on whether to renew so-called "production tax credits" that help wind power compete with cheaper fossil fuel-derived electricity generation.
On the state front, the LePage administration has also sought – without success – to rewrite Maine policies known as the "renewable portfolio standard," or RPS, that require utilities to increase the amount of electricity they receive from renewable sources, such as wind.
Fletcher said the governor argues that both of those policies mean taxpayers and ratepayers are supporting the wind industry's investment in Maine.
"If the federal tax credit wasn't there and the RPS wasn't there, you would not see the investment," Fletcher said.
Regardless of the political debate over subsidies for wind energy, it is clear that the wind power industry was one of the few bright spots in the Maine economy during the recession.
The nine wind farms built in Maine since 2008 or currently under construction cost $974 million to build, according to industry data.
An independent January 2012 study commissioned by the Maine Public Utilities Commission estimated that construction of half of the wind energy proposals in Maine – or 625 megawatts of wind power capacity – could create 12,000 direct and indirect jobs and add $1.1 billion to Maine's economy.
"The governor has been very clear about his support for jobs and we hope he will come around to embrace the industry," Payne said.
One of the companies that benefited the most from Maine's entrance into the wind energy industry is Reed & Reed, a Woolwich-based firm that has helped build many of the facilities.
"For the past 5 years, [wind power] has been about one-half of our business and that is a sector that did not exist 7 or 8 years ago," said Jack Parker, president and CEO of Reed & Reed.
The company currently has about 200 employees working on a First Wind project in Hancock County as well as at a wind farm in Vermont. Those jobs range from carpenters and engineers to the skilled operators needed to run cranes with a 300-foot boom.
Asked whether his company could have provided jobs to employees during the recession without the wind power contracts, Parker said simply "not even close."
Parker steered clear of critiquing LePage's comments on the wind energy industry. But he said his company as well as others have had conversations with the governor and his advisors about wind power and lowering electricity rates, saying the two are aligned.
"I hope the Maine regulatory environment will remain stable," he said. "That is certainly critical to the success of the industry."
Fletcher speculated that some of the angst in the industry has to do with the fact that Maine shifted from a pro-wind governor in Baldacci to one who is more neutral.
"We aren't against wind," Fletcher said. "But we are saying let's be more objective and make sure we understand the economics."
But some industry representatives question whether the governor and his advisors truly do understand.
Williamson with the Maine Wind Industry Initiative – a coalition of companies, researchers and port authorities working to grow Maine's wind power industry – said he believes LePage's comments are based in ideology, not facts.
"It is incumbent on all of us within the industry to educate the governor and the public," Williamson said.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar "fair dealing" provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
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