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Vacation time! orders placed after the 12th will be delivered after the 25th of June
A pair of ceramic stud earrings in a fresh white color, dipped in half in 24K Gold varnish. Simple yet elegant earrings that you can wear from morning till evening and all year long.
The clay part of the earrings is being fired at a high temperature (1000 - 1200 degrees Celsius). All Nunako jewelry pieces get fired three times. During the third time, the gold plating is being applied as a varnish.
Diameter: 1.5 cm
24K yellow gold varnish
Earring base: Titanium AAA, free from nickel and cadmium (hypoallergenic)
Designed and Made in Greece
See more ceramic jewelry by NUNAKO
All handcrafted objects need love and care to maintain their beauty. For jewelry that has been gold-, silver- or rhodium-plated expect the plating to fade over time. This happens unavoidably to all plated jewelry but with extra care you can extend the life of the plating. The speed at which the plating fades depends on multiple factors like your skincare products, level of perspiration or even your skin PH. Avoid contact with soap, perfume, hairspray, lotion or other face or body products. We recommend that you remove your jewelry when showering, swimming, washing your hands, styling your hair or using cleaning agents, as this will damage the plating. Be extra careful with ceramic jewelry. They are fragile and may break if you drop them. Be careful not to knock or hit your jewelry against a solid object. Store your jewelry away from direct sunlight and in their original packaging or in velvet jewelry boxes to avoid damage from air, humidity and contact with other items. Make sure that the storage area has low humidity. You can place a piece of chalk or a small bag of silica gel in the storage area to minimize tarnish. If in doubt, it is preferable to seek professional cleaning services from a goldsmith or a reputed jewelry shop.
SHIPPING We are open 7 days a week, excluding holidays. All orders with items in stock are shipped as soon as possible, in most cases on the next business day. Exception are the bespoke items and made-to-order pieces that have different shipping times. QATAR Shipping within Qatar is free and you will receive your order on the next business day. There is also the option of same-day delivery, but you must place your order before 12.00 noon (local time). A flat fee of 40 QAR applies. GCC At the moment we ship only to Qatar and the neighboring Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, but we will start shipping to more destinations soon. All orders are shipped with DHL Express. Allow 3-5 business days for delivery. For orders over 1000 QAR, shipping is free. For all other orders, there is a flat shipping cost of 79 QAR, that will be added to your total cost at checkout. RETURNS We are confident that you will love your purchase, but if for some reason you don't, you can send it back to us within 15 days of receipt and you will get an exchange item or store credit.
Nunako is a brand of handmade ceramic jewelry based on the principles of slow and ethical fashion, created by Tassos and Inga. Inga, is a German ceramist, with a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona. After moving from Spain to Greece, she discovered the magical world of ceramics. Inspired by the long history of Greek pottery, she started experimenting with different techniques and materials, until she created her own collection of elegant and minimal ceramic jewelry. Tassos, Inga's other half, with Business Studies but also a Master's Degree in Art Therapy from the University of Barcelona, is the business mind of the brand. Inga designs and makes by hand each piece in her 'quiet corner', her studio in the couple's home in Kalamata, Greece.


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Good visual design matters in software and in visualization. Sadly, most of us engineers are lucky to put on two matching socks in the morning, much less master the subtle art of graphic design. Fortunately, there are resources for the rest of us.
- The Non-Designer's Design Book
- Color Scheme Designer 3
- Colors on the web
- Adobe's Kuler
- One Photograph, Five Color Schemes
- 0 to 255
- COLOURlovers
- net tuts
- Designing for the web
- ColorBrewer
...or just google for color scheme

subset: commoncrawl


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Over at Bluff City Ed, Ezra Howard is back with some pointed criticism of the way the TN Achievement School District (ASD) is doing business.
Specifically, Howard notes:
I find the rhetoric to be a deflection from real and valid criticism of the ASD and its approach to school turnaround. While collaboration is certainly a virtue in education, a hard look should be taken at the ASD's approach. All this nice talk about collaboration avoids these courageous conversations. I think people will find that there are some serious flaws in the way in which the ASD and its operators are taking on the arduous task of school turnaround. I agree with Mr. Manning that working together is important, but if the ASD's has fundamental flaws and does not address them then no amount of collaboration will help.
Howard notes that schools in Shelby County's iZone significantly outperform ASD schools and that the ASD is now taking credit for iZone's success. Rather than address it's own disappointing numbers, the ASD suggests that it "caused" the iZone and therefore, changed education in Memphis.
Howard offers some interesting, data-based comparisons and proposes a way forward. But the bottom line is, the ASD needs to approach education with a dose of reality, not more hyperbolic rhetoric.
More on the ASD:
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport


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Gift Basket For Pets & Pet Owners In Port Moody
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Stephen Cole Kleene ⇝
Stephen Kleene
Professor Stephen Cole Kleene (1909-01-05 - 1994-01-26) /steev'n (kohl) klay'nee/ An American mathematician whose work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison helped lay the foundations for modern computer science. Kleene was best known for founding the branch of mathematical logic known as recursion theory and for inventing regular expressions. The Kleene star and Ascending Kleene Chain are named after him.
Kleene was born in Hartford, Conneticut, USA. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College in 1930. From 1930 to 1935, he was a graduate student and research assistant at Princeton University where he received his doctorate in mathematics in 1934. In 1935, he joined UW-Madison mathematics department as an instructor. He became an assistant professor in 1937. From 1939 to 1940, he was a visiting scholar at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study where he laid the foundation for recursive function theory, an area that would be his lifelong research interest. In 1941 he returned to Amherst as an associate professor of mathematics. During World War II Kleene was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy. He was an instructor of navigation at the U.S. Naval Reserve's Midshipmen's School in New York, and then a project director at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. In 1946, he returned to Wisconsin, eventually becoming a full professor. He was chair of mathematics, and computer sciences in 1962 and 1963 and dean of the College of Letters and Science from 1969 to 1974. In 1964 he was named the Cyrus C. MacDuffee professor of mathematics. An avid mountain climber, Kleene had a strong interest in nature and the environment and was active in many conservation causes. He led several professional organisations, serving as president of the Association of Symbolic Logic from 1956 to 1958. In 1961, he served as president of the International Union of the History and the Philosophy of Science. Kleene pronounced his last name /klay'nee/. /klee'nee/ and /kleen/ are extremely common mispronunciations. His first name is /steev'n/, not /stef'n/. His son, Ken Kleene <[email protected]>, wrote: "As far as I am aware this pronunciation is incorrect in all known languages. I believe that this novel pronunciation was invented by my father." gopher://gopher.adp.wisc.edu/00/.data/.news-rel/.9401/.940126a.Last updated: 1999-03-03
Nearby terms:
Stephen Cole Kleene ♦ Stephen Jobs ♦ Stephen Kleene ♦ stepper motor ♦ Stepstone Corp
Try this search on Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Google, OneLook.


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HP buys Palm
Thursday, April 29th, 2010HP has been on a buying spree. They bought 3Com, and now they have just purchased a former 3Com company, Palm Corp. for $1.2 billion.
The article I linked talks about what HP could do with Palm's webOS for mobile devices, including using it in netbooks and tablet devices.
What it doesn't talk about is Palm's patent portfolio, which could be worth the price of the sale alone.
Originally posted at Urbin Technology
Tags: gadget, Gear, Palm, Technology


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Computer Science: Foundations of Computing
The Foundations of Computing specialisation consists of a full-time, two-year master's programme (120 EC).
Year 1&2
The required Core component Foundations of Computing (36 EC)
A selection of Specialisation courses and seminars (42 EC)
Year 2
- The Master's Thesis Research Project (42 EC) (including Master Class, Written Master's Thesis and Master's Thesis Presentation)
See also
For more information on the specific requirements of this specialisation, see the appendix of the Course and Examination Regulations.
More information
For specific questions about programme content, curriculum choices and/or study planning, please contact the Computer Science study advisor.


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by Cate Masters
With a
little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn
A descendant of the goddess Iris,
Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn't
forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to
battle the evil and save the town's awkward, but endearing, vet…who also
happens to be the man she loves.
Joss's new inn, a culinary career
specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe
of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she
never knew she had before it's too late.
Goddess Connection, Book 1
romance novel
89,700 words
Goddess Connection Series
Every woman should embrace her inner
goddess. What's your connection?
In each novel of The Goddess Connection series, the heroine is somehow
connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become strengths once she
finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for who she really is.
And in each, the heroine is encouraged to embrace her inner goddess. And
the hero treats her like one! As it should be for every woman.
the Author
Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she'll always be
a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be
found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and
fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company.
Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com
and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Website: http://catemasters.blogspot.com
Email: email@example.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts
Twitter: @CateMasters
link: http://youtu.be/_HZ2hb_wcz0
Mini excerpt for GODDESS,
In starting
her life over, Joss had expected some resistance, even some trouble, but not
this. The bedroom floor boards trembled beneath her golden-slippered feet.
Tendrils of an unseen power curled upward from deep within the ground, tingling
through her toes. She paused to steady herself, then continued to put the
finishing touches on her costume. The tremors grew into rumbles and their hum
seeped beneath her skin. When their tiny wisps twined through her mind, she
clenched her hands. Enough. Go away.
Thick as
starlight on a clear summer's eve, sweet as the lavender blossoms she had yet
to plant, energy whooshed up through the cracks of the worn wood and out into
the October night.
She gripped
the bureau until it passed, the vibrations rolling over her in lessening waves.
Bubbly, effervescent waves. "Third time tonight, Taz." Each departure took
longer, and more of the essence remained.
When the
dog whined, she stroked his fur. "Don't worry, it won't hurt you."
Even if
tonight the waves were palpable enough to make her hairs stand on end. Oh, no, please.
could ruin tonight. More than a party, this event would determine her future.
And after three years of grief, she'd never allow anything to trap her in its
clutches again.
The sting
remained with Joss long after Eric fled the inn. Deep-rooted pain emanated from
him when he'd first entered, and his palm against her arm sent an electric
shock straight to her bones. The poor man. Grief kept him its prisoner. Joss
understood how easy it was to fall into that dark trap. The way he'd held her,
he sought escape. Comfort.
He awakened
deep-seated sensations in her. In the few moments with him, she'd felt more
alive than she had in three years.
So strange.
Normally, one look allowed her to see the person inside. With Eric Hendricks,
her receptivity went into overload. His soul, pent up for years, stirred to
life and churned up love, fear, joy, hopelessness, yearning, jumbled and
shifting faster than light. He displayed great strength in his firm stance and
gentle touch. Beneath a hard veneer of sheer pain, one other trait came through
clearly—purity of spirit, and integrity enough for many men.
The arrival
of more guests drew Joss to the foyer again. Another matronly witch and an
older man wearing a checked flannel shirt, jeans, and boots stepped inside,
followed by a princess and a boy in a fabric turtle shell.
recognized the girl as one of the riders whose horse was boarded at the inn's
stable. After greeting them and pointing them toward refreshments, she returned
to Lydia. "Sorry about Dr. Hendricks."
apologize. It's wonderful you have so many guests." Lydia fingered the flowers
in the vase on the table.
One woman
stood in the archway to the front room, her bright-eyed glare directed at Joss.
Wearing a short white shift adorned with large red hearts, the woman held a
wand topped with a glittering red heart.
Confused by
the woman's malevolence, Joss approached and fought to overcome the negativity
oozing from her. "Did you try some of the booscotti?"
The woman
tilted up her chin. "I'm not hungry, Mrs. Gibson," came her familiar nasal
finally hit. Of course—the girl who worked at the diner in town. "Sheree?"
At her curt
nod, Joss forced a smile. "I love your costume."
gaze darted her length. "Likewise."
What could
be her problem? The woman wielded her wand like a weapon, ready to strike.
"Please have a drink and make yourself at home."
you." Her narrowed eyes swept the room as if suspecting an ambush, and then she
moved stiffly away.
crossed the room to Lydia. "That was weird."
whispered, "Be careful of her."
"Sheree? I
can't imagine why." Could she be nervous the inn would take away some of the
diner's business? Though Joss would have liked to think it was the cause of her
strange behavior, Sheree's vibes told Joss otherwise. Business had nothing to
do with it. The waitress directed her bad juju at Joss personally. Had Joss
unintentionally insulted Sheree? She'd barely met the woman.
close, her aunt spoke sternly, "I warned you to watch for others who seek the
power of this place."
Sheree? Her
aunt must be mistaken. The woman's terrible attitude resulted from something.
Maybe an imagined slight? Joss would find a way to put Sheree at ease.
More guests
entered, and Joss excused herself. She left Lydia deeply inhaling the air. Joss
couldn't deny the charged atmosphere was one of the reasons she'd bought the
place. Not to tap into any lines of power for herself, but maybe to enhance the
lavender field she planned. Joss needed the garden to thrive so the inn would
as well.


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Azure HDInsight is an Apache Hadoop distribution powered by the cloud. This means that it handles any amount of data, scaling from terabytes to petabytes on demand. Spin up any number of nodes at any time – we charge only for the compute and storage that you use.
We are pleased to announce an easy way to distribute, discover and install solutions or applications that you have built for the Apache Hadoop ecosystem. These solutions can span a variety of scenarios from data ingestion, data wrangling, monitoring, visualization, optimizing performance, security, analyzing, visualization, reporting, and many more.
The following are some key highlights of this experience:
Ease of authoring, deploying and management
- You can install these apps on an existing HDInsight cluster as well as while creating new clusters.
Native access to cluster
- The apps are installed on the Edge node and have access to the entire cluster.
Ease of configuring the app on the cluster
- End users of these applications do not have to install or manage packages on each and every node and configure the application.
Install solutions on existing HDInsight clusters.
- Solution providers can make their solutions available to users who already have an HDInsight cluster running. This allows users to use these solutions easily and increase their productivity.
As a user, you can select the Applications blade to discover and install apps on your cluster.
In the following screenshot, I had an existing cluster and I can discover the Datameer application. I can then click on the Datameer application for fast, easy installation on my existing cluster.
Once I've installed Datameer on my cluster, I can now see it on my list of Installed Apps.
With Datameer installed, I can now access the Datameer Studio from the Installed Apps blade to let me start a new project with Datameer's end-to-end, self-service big data analytics platform running on HDInsight. The following screen shot shows the Datameer Studio:
You can also delete an installed application. In this screen shot, I had installed the Hue application, which I can easily delete by right-clicking on the application. Learn more about installing Hue here.
The following screenshot shows how to delete an application:
This is a super easy way of discovering and installing solutions that help an end-user to be more productive with Hadoop. Using the same approach, you can create custom applications and share them with your team.
Datameer has been developing this experience to make their solution easily available. According to Datameer's Sr Product Manager of Cloud Solutions, Alejandro Malbet:
"Azure HDInsight Application Platform is the most robust and stable framework we've seen to quickly configure and test Datameer deployments in the cloud. We had all the flexibility to iteratively test different deployment options for our solution as well as Marketing collateral within the same Portal. By far the easiest and fastest way to take your cloud-based solution to Market."
If you would like to learn more about Datameer, please visit the Datameer listing in the Azure Marketplace.
If you have solutions that you have built for the Apache Hadoop ecosystem and would like to make them available to HDInsight, then please do read the following documentation on how to make them available.
Documentation & How-To's
Install custom HDInsight applications
Customize Linux-based HDInsight clusters using Script Action
Publish HDInsight applications into the Azure Marketplace
We hope that you find this experience an easy-to-distribute solution to increase productivity of customers using Big Data. We invite independent software vendors (ISVs) to leverage this capability to make it easier for customers to discover and use your solution. Please reach out to email@example.com if you would like to participate.


text:
Using Machine Learning to Predict Epileptic Seizures from EEG Data
By Gareth Jones, University College of London
Approximately 20-40% of epileptic seizures do not respond to anticonvulsant medication. As a result, individuals with epilepsy have no way of knowing if a seizure will occur when they are driving, swimming, or engaged in some other activity that would make a seizure particularly dangerous.
A recent Kaggle competition addressed this issue by challenging participants to develop algorithms that could predict epileptic seizures from human intracranial electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings (Figure 1).
Sponsored by MathWorks, the National Institutes of Health (NINDS), the American Epilepsy Society, and the University of Melbourne, the competition attracted 478 teams and 646 competitors from around the world.
The algorithms I developed in MATLAB® scored highest among individual participants and third highest in the competition overall.
Accessing and Preprocessing the EEG Data
The EEG data came from a long-term study conducted by the University of Melbourne.
In this study, intracranial EEG recordings were collected from 15 epileptic patients via 16 surgically implanted electrodes sampled at 400 Hz for several months. In the original study, researchers were unable to reliably predict seizures for about 50% of the test subjects.
Kaggle competition participants received almost 100 gigabytes of EEG data from three of the test subjects. Each ten-minute-long segment contained either preictal data, recorded before a seizure, or interictal data, recorded during a long period in which no seizures occurred. Our job was to develop algorithms that could classify previously unseen segments as either preictal or interictal.
Kaggle competitors were given free access to MATLAB, but use of MATLAB was not required. I decided early on that I would use MATLAB. The competition data was provided in MAT files, making it easy to access in MATLAB. In addition, I use MATLAB for data collection and analysis in all my research work.
I began by concatenating any sequential 10-minute-long segments (Figure 2). I then partitioned all the data into epochs, or windows, with lengths varying from 50 seconds to 400 seconds. It was important to try a variety of epoch lengths because it was not obvious from the data at what time scale predictive features might be present in the data, or how quickly they might change over time.
Extracting Features and Identifying the Best Machine Learning Models
Unlike many data analysis competitions, the seizure prediction competition provided an opportunity to work with raw data rather than ready-made tables. Apart from re-referencing, the data provided had not undergone any additional preprocessing. The unstructured nature of the data allowed me to make the most of this data by performing my own preprocessing and feature extraction.
I worked in MATLAB to extract features from the data that I could use to train machine learning models. Specifically, I developed algorithms that, for each epoch, computed the frequency band powers, summary statistics on each channel (including mean, standard deviation, root mean square, skewness, and kurtosis), and correlation between channel pairs in temporal and frequency domains. I cut processing time almost in half by using Parallel Computing Toolbox™ to simultaneously process the training and test data on different cores.
Because I was developing algorithms for the competition in my spare time, and not as a principal research activity, I wanted to develop a solution as quickly as possible. I have experience with supervised machine learning in other environments, but chose to use the Classification Learner app in Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox™ to quickly search for the best classification model type for the features I had extracted. In a matter of minutes, the app had automatically trained and assessed models based on decision trees, discriminant analysis, support vector machines, logistic regression, nearest neighbors, and ensemble methods using boosted trees. It would have taken me days if not weeks of development time to construct and test all these machine learning models in Python or R.
Improving Prediction Accuracy
Next, I set about improving the performance of the two most promising machine learning models identified by the Classification Learner app: quadratic support vector machines and random undersampling (RUS) boosted trees. I tested various features and epoch lengths, ultimately identifying the 80-second, 160-second, and 240-second epoch lengths as the most important to the classification (Figure 3). Because I was working with multiple training and test sets, I had to manage and name numerous tables representing various combinations of features and epoch lengths. I used the new String class in MATLAB to programmatically generate labels for the tables. The String class eliminated a block of complex code that I had previously used for generating labels.
After testing the machine learning algorithms on local data, I submitted them to the Kaggle competition website, which ran them against a set of undisclosed test data. Algorithms were scored by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), which is a common measure for evaluating binary classifiers and the competition's official scoring metric. The results of this scoring were published on a frequently-updated public leaderboard so that contestants could see how well their algorithms were performing relative to others in the competition.
To further improve the accuracy of my algorithms, I tried several other techniques, including hyperparameter optimization. One of the most effective techniques I used was to implement an ensemble classifier by combining the SVM and RUS boosted tree models. Averaging the predictions of the two models resulted in a dramatic improvement in accuracy, enabling the ensemble classifier to score higher than either of its component models individually. The results were as follows:
SVM alone: ~0.65 AUC
RUS alone: ~0.72 AUC
SVM and RUS ensemble: ~0.80 AUC C
An Early Step Towards Better Epilepsy Management
Most of the contestants trained three separate machine learning models, one for each epilepsy patient. I created a single general model that worked for all three patients because I felt that in clinical practice, this solution would be more efficient than one that required EEG data to be collected from each patient. Clinically, a key aim (and difficulty) is to create models that can generalize across patients and make predictions for unseen individuals rather than training separate classifiers for each patient. It remains to be seen how effective the models produced in the competition are at predicting for new patients. As a first step toward incorporating the competition algorithms into clinical studies, University of Melbourne researchers are conducting further evaluation of the submitted algorithms using data that was not made available as part of the competition.
Aside from the competition's potential benefits to epilepsy research, I benefitted personally from the opportunity to participate. For me, the competition was a deeply engaging way to learn new skills while potentially advancing research in an area that will benefit millions of epilepsy sufferers worldwide.
Published 2017 - 93132v00


text:
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Providence police have arrested a man who allegedly wielded a potato disguised as a gun during a robbery attempt last week.
WPRI-TV reports (http://bit.ly/QCQan7 ) 34-year-old Gary Deming of Cranston was arrested on robbery charges. Authorities say he pretended he had a gun when he demanded money from a convenience store and dry cleaner April 21.
The convenience store manager chased him off with a baseball bat. A dry cleaner employee gave him a fake $20 from a decoy register.
The station reports Deming is also accused of breaking into his sister's home on the same day as the alleged potato incidents. She told police he took a purse, debit card and $100 in cash.
A telephone listing for Deming couldn't be found. It's not clear if he has legal representation.


text:
opt-15 - Man Page
LLVM optimizer
opt [options] [filename]
The opt command is the modular LLVM optimizer and analyzer. It takes LLVM source files as input, runs the specified optimizations or analyses on it, and then outputs the optimized file. The optimizations available via opt depend upon what libraries were linked into it as well as any additional libraries that have been loaded with the -load option. Use the -help option to determine what optimizations you can use.
If filename is omitted from the command line or is "-", opt reads its input from standard input. Inputs can be in either the LLVM assembly language format (.ll) or the LLVM bitcode format (.bc).
If an output filename is not specified with the -o option, opt writes its output to the standard output.
- -f
Enable binary output on terminals. Normally, opt will refuse to write raw bitcode output if the output stream is a terminal. With this option, opt will write raw bitcode regardless of the output device.
- -help
Print a summary of command line options.
- -o <filename>
Specify the output filename.
Write output in LLVM intermediate language (instead of bitcode).
- -{passname}
opt provides the ability to run any of LLVM's optimization or analysis passes in any order. The -help option lists all the passes available. The order in which the options occur on the command line are the order in which they are executed (within pass constraints).
- -strip-debug
This option causes opt to strip debug information from the module before applying other optimizations. It is essentially the same as -strip but it ensures that stripping of debug information is done first.
- -verify-each
This option causes opt to add a verify pass after every pass otherwise specified on the command line (including -verify). This is useful for cases where it is suspected that a pass is creating an invalid module but it is not clear which pass is doing it.
- -stats
Print statistics.
- -time-passes
Record the amount of time needed for each pass and print it to standard error.
- -debug
If this is a debug build, this option will enable debug printouts from passes which use the LLVM_DEBUG() macro. See the LLVM Programmer's Manual, section #DEBUG for more information.
- -load=<plugin>
Load the dynamic object plugin. This object should register new optimization or analysis passes. Once loaded, the object will add new command line options to enable various optimizations or analyses. To see the new complete list of optimizations, use the -help and -load options together. For example:
opt -load=plugin.so -help
- -print-passes
Print all available passes and exit.
Exit Status
If opt succeeds, it will exit with 0. Otherwise, if an error occurs, it will exit with a non-zero value.
Maintained by the LLVM Team (https://llvm.org/).
2003-2024, LLVM Project


text:
- French Valley Elementary School
- Guidelines and Information
Hot Day Guidelines
The District is concerned about the welfare of students and has developed some basic guidelines related to hot weather. A high level of student activity can affect a student's ability to learn and can create health problems for some students on unusually hot days.
- Each site should have a thermometer in place to read outside temperatures.
- When temperatures are between 85° and 95°, the principal will evaluate weather conditions related to temperature such as shade structure, breeze factor, humidity and pollutants. A decision will be made concerning a reduction in directed physical activities.
- When temperatures are 95° and above, the principal should consider a reduction in PE activities such as running, jumping, prolonged exposure to the sun. Activities should be adjusted to reduce strenuous exercises. Lunch should be under shade structures or in a classroom/building, with limited time given for free outdoor play.
- When temperatures reach 100° or over, outside PE activities should be discontinued.
- High humidity is a factor related to the comfort level and can increase possible harmful affects of hot weather on students. When the relative humidity reaches 50% the above temperatures should be lowered by 5° when considering or taking action.
- With all warm days, teachers and aides should be encouraged to remind students to reduce running/exertion activities and allow any student who complains of overheating to go to the office for rest and observation. With direct sun, certain areas of a school site may increase heat exposure, such as blacktop or concrete areas. Caution should be taken to observe all students for signs of overexposure.
- Students who are abnormally affected by high temperatures and humidity should be given special consideration, and require follow-up by the school nurse. These students are identified by parents, health providers, teachers and outdoor activity staff.
- The health office of each school has written procedures on actions to be taken should a student become ill due to high temperature/humidity. Health clerks have also been instructed on action to take when they believe a student has been negatively affected by heat.
- Each site should develop activities which students may be involved in during critical temperature periods.
These guidelines are not to be considered exhaustive. Reason and good judgment must be used at each site to protect students and to indicate to parents and the community that the district continues to provide a safe environment for students.Weather Participation Guidelines for TVUSD Athletic ProgramsCoaches at all levels are responsible for the safety and well-being of all players and spectators. Heat related illness is the most preventable form of sports related injuries/fatalities. These guidelines differ slightly from our normal school day protocols due to the fact that our athlete's activities are closely monitored by coaches. Site Athletic Departments will monitor and report Heat Index (combination of temperature and humidity) as follows:
- Green (Heat Index under 95 degrees) Unlimited activity
- Yellow (Heat Index 95-99 degrees) Modified activity including ample water, breaks every 30 minutes, and equipment removed when not in use such as helmets.
- Orange (Heat Index 100-104 degrees) Limited activity, breaks every 20 minutes, alter uniforms/equipment, monitor athletes closely.
- Red (Heat Index above 104 degrees) No Outdoor Activity.
Heat Index Weather Calculator
Click here to access the Heat Index Weather Calculator for Athletic Programs, located on the National Weather Service website.


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10% Off Use Code REPEAT10 | FREE Shipping Orders $50+ | 3 Day Delivery Available | Ships In 24 Hours
10% Off: REPEAT10 | FREE Shipping Orders $50+
TOP QUALITY UNIFORMS – Introducing our exceptional volleyball jerseys and uniforms that combine style, functionality, and endless customization options. This volleyball jersey and uniform is not only lightweight and durable, but is also engineered with advanced moisture-wicking technology, ensuring you stay cool and dry even during the most intense games. The vibrant colors will captivate both teammates and opponents alike, making you stand out on the court with unrivaled style. All designs can be fully customized. We have thousands of templates, colors and clipart to choose from. You may also upload any custom artwork or images. For any additional designing required, please leave a comment and we will update your uniform accordingly. We have a full team of expert designers working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet your needs. We can fully modify any design to make your 100% custom jerseys and uniforms unique and one-of-a-kind. We cater to all sizes, from Men, Women, Youth, and Toddler, offering a perfect fit for every member of your team. All jerseys and uniforms are made in 100% polyester, dry-fit, moisture-wicking cooling fabric. Embrace the softness and enjoy the ideal fit provided by our classic design, complete with our signature V-neck collar and if you prefer a different neckline, we offer various options to suit your preferences. All of our templates are fully in stock. All custom jerseys and uniforms are made using sublimation for printing vibrant color. We also offer additional printing methods. Once your order is submitted, we will email you a digital proof or preview for your review in less than 1 hour. The digital proof is a summary of your custom design, roster, artwork, and more allowing you to review every detail. You can request as many revisions as you would like to your digital proof. Only after receiving your approval, our production process commences, ensuring a seamless transition from design to delivery. No minimum order quantity is required. PERFECT CHOICE - This jersey and uniform is designed to withstand all seasons and weather conditions, ensuring you stay cool and comfortable no matter the game. With this high-performance apparel, you can play like a pro while exuding confidence and style. Elevate your game and proudly represent your team in these elite custom jerseys and uniforms.
FULLY CUSTOMIZED - Discover the power of complete customization with our product. We can print any design for you. You can use the Custom Design tab to upload files of your product design on the Choose Your Style step. Let your creativity soar and create a truly unique and personalized product that reflects your individuality.
CHOICE OF APPAREL – For most products, we offer multiple types of apparel to choose from. These may include reversible jerseys, non-reversible jerseys, reversible uniforms, and non-reversible uniforms on the Choose Your Apparel step. EXCELLENT FABRIC - Crafted from premium safety standard material, our product is made of 100% polyester cloth microfiber material. With its moisture-wicking properties, it keeps you dry and comfortable throughout any activity. Suitable for all ages, this apparel is available in a wide range of sizes, including Men, Women, Youth, and Toddler, ensuring a great fit for everyone.
FABRIC TYPES – For most products, we offer different fabric types to choose from on the Choose Your Fabric Step, allowing you to select the material that best suits your preferences and needs.
Poly-Knit: Our standard choice. This includes 150 GSM, solid finish, lightweight, 100% polyester, and double-knit fabric.
Poly-Mesh: Our upgraded choice. This includes 180 GSM, micro-mesh finish, lightweight, 100% polyester, softer, shinier, and more durable fabric.
Pro-Wick: Our premium choice. This includes laminated 220 GSM, solid finish, lightweight, 100% polyester, superior in breathability, durability, shine, thickness, softness, and double-sided cloth.
PRO-Air: Our premium choice, featuring a lightweight laminated 260 GSM multi-blend cloth with enhanced moisture-wicking fabric. Made of 90% polyester and 10% spandex. This fabric is superior in breathability, highly durable, fashionable, soft, and smooth, designed for elite all-day, game-day performance. With its thicker fabric and solid finish, PRO-Air is the ultimate choice for those seeking top-quality activewear.
PRINTING METHODS – For most products, we have two printing methods to choose from on the Choose Your Print Step.
Sublimated: Sublimated method is smooth, embedded, and a vibrant finish. Your text, numbers, and/or artwork will be ingrained into the fabric.
Embroidered: Embroidered method includes premium, thick, pronounced, and a classic finish. Your text, numbers and/or artwork will be stitched onto the fabric.
COMFORTABLE TO WEAR – This jersey and uniform is tailored for a classic loose fit, ensuring optimal comfort and style. The inner layer is made of soft fabric, no dye, gentle to the skin.
CHOICE OF NECKLINES – For most products, we offer 2 types of necklines which you can choose from on the Choose Your Neckline step. The necklines include V-Shape and Round Shape.
CHOICE OF LENGTH - For most products, we offer three types of jersey lengths that you can choose from at the Choose Your Length step. Elevate your game with our premium selection of jersey lengths: Sleeveless, Short Sleeve, and Long Sleeve.
ROSTER AND ARTWORK - For most products, you can add your text and numbers (Roster) on the Add Names & Numbers step. You can also add your logos (Artwork) on the Customize Your Apparel step.
LOGO - Full-Color printing. Sublimation printing is used to leave a durable, vibrant finish that truly captivates the eye. Non-sticky, ingrained in the fabric print.
MATERIAL - Embrace the undeniable advantages of 100% polyester and indulge in a luxurious and long-lasting garment that includes both style and functionality.
DELIVERY DATES - For most products and quantities, we can deliver in as little as 3 days. Your satisfaction is our priority, which is why we provide you with a range of 5 delivery dates to choose from. You will see the delivery dates on the Choose Delivery Date step.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES - You can choose to add optional accessories to your order. These include but are not limited to Hoodies, Long Sleeves, Polo Shirts, Socks, Caps, Headbands, Medals, and more on the Choose Optional Accessories step.
DIGITAL PROOF - We will email you a digital "proof" or preview for your approval in less than an hour allowing you to approve or request changes. Please note production will not begin until you approve of the proof.
SIZING - Most apparel is available in Men, Women, Youth, and Toddler sizes. We have all sizes available to meet your needs. For custom sizing, please feel free to call, email, or chat with us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
PAY LATER OPTION - "See Design Pay Later," available at Checkout for a hassle-free ordering experience. This will submit your order for free, and you will receive a proof for your review with no obligation to order. You are not required to pay until you Approve your proof for production. Enjoy the freedom to explore and finalize your design without any financial commitment upfront.
For repeat orders, visit the provided shopping cart link, click , update sizes, quantity, and roster. In the comments section mention your old order number. You may skip choosing your style, colors, and formatting your order.
After submitting your order, you will receive a digital proof in 1 hour for your review that is identical in style and colors to your old order. Once approved, we will begin production.
For questions please call +1 833-301-6511 , message us on our Live Chat , or email firstname.lastname@example.com
$5.99 for samples.


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HTC released the kernel source to the Thunderbolt late last night and already, we're seeing developers take a crack at overclocking the device. Early reports had a 1.5GHz overclock in the wild, but on a 1.8GHz overclock created by @drod2169, our buddies @TheRealBeesley and @JsinLegacy dropped 2772 and 3047 Quadrant Benchmarks on us. It's about to get nutty around here.
Via: Twitter
Cheers Wade!


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Garment Measurements
For the size selected: XS
- hip: 57CM
- hip: 62CM
- hip: 67CM
- hip: 72CM
- hip: 83CM
- hip: 93CM
- Fabric Content: 100%Nylon
- Style Name: Dvf Dariella Reversible Skirt
Size Guide
Please note: All DVF garments are produced in US sizing. The size conversions for United Kingdom and Europe are suggestions. Because sizing and cut will vary between styles, please use this chart as a general guide. If you are between sizes or need assistance, please contact Client Services.
Size Chart 00 - 16
Scroll to view more
Size Chart XXS-XL
Scroll to view more
77-80 cm
58-61 cm
84-86 cm
83-85 cm
64-66 cm
90-92 cm
88-90 cm
69-71 cm
95-97 cm
93-96 cm
73-76 cm
100-102 cm
99-103 cm
80-84 cm
106-110 cm
107-109 cm
87-89 cm
112-114 cm
How to Measure:
Measure underneath your arms at the fullest part of your chest.
Measure around your true waist, allowing for some slack in the tape.
Measure around the fullest part of your hips.


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Throwback Thursday – D
Note: Review was originally published July 7, 2003
Released in 1996 [the Japanese version was released in December of 1995 – Randy], Acclaim's horror adventure D is set in Los Angeles. There has been a mass murder at a hospital and the renowned doctor Richter Harris is responsible. Richter is apparently still in the hospital with a large number of hostages and the police can't get to him. Upon hearing the news, his daughter Laura immediately drives to the crime scene and marches right into the hospital the police are incapable of entering. Once inside, she encounters a strange substance that transfers her to a world born of her father's imagination. Alone in what appears to be a large house full of deadly traps and mutilated corpses, it is up to Laura to solve the mystery and discover what has driven her father to commit such horrible crimes.
In the role of Laura, players explore the strange house solving various puzzles along the way. The plot unravels as Richter communicates with Laura at various points in the game and as Laura has flashbacks when she finds glowing bugs around the house. At the climax of the game, Laura confronts her father and players find out why the game is called "D". Unfortunately, there is not much to the mystery, making the story easily forgettable. What lacks in story depth is, however, made up for by the atmosphere of the game. D is dark and scary with its detailed if not particularly gory environments. The game also succeeds in creating a sense of tension, giving the players the feeling that something big is about to happen at any moment.
The graphics are very good considering the age of the game. Players experience D from a first person view. The arrow keys are used for movement and the inventory is accessed with the 'I' key. The space bar handles actions like picking up and using inventory items. Laura's movements are smooth, even though she is rather slow. Especially when Laura is going up the stairs or leaning towards an object of interest, it becomes obvious how much effort was put in making the camera movement realistic. However, Laura's character animation could have been handled a lot better during the video sequences. Her face hardly conveys any emotion even when she is in mortal danger, while her movements seem sharp and forced.
The sound effects and the music are excellent in setting the game's dark mood. The sounds are very realistic with an eeriness that adds much to the game's atmosphere. The music, performed by an orchestra, is chilling and very successfully reflects the mood of the game. The voice acting on the other hand, is way below average. Granted the only person who talks in the game is Laura's father, but I found myself barely able to tolerate his voice when I played through the game a second time.
What makes D a failure and the reason it is on Just Adventure's list of "turkeys" is exactly what is supposed to make it stand out. From the moment the game starts, players have exactly two hours to complete the game and there is no save function. While this seems to be a nice touch at first, what it really means is that the game is very short. The puzzles, although entertaining for the most part, will not be challenging for experienced adventure gamers, especially since Laura is confined to a relatively small portion of the house at any point in the game with a limited number of things to examine. She is even equipped with a mirror that can be used to get hints about the current puzzle three times before it shatters. Furthermore, since some puzzles only exist to provide hints about other puzzles, it is possible to get through the game without solving all of them. In fact, the first time I played the game, I solved one of the major puzzles accidentally while experimenting to see how it worked, before solving the two puzzles that lead to the clues that were supposed to help me with it. I completed the game successfully on my first attempt and when I played it again to see the alternate ending, I was able to get through it within half an hour. Although the multiple endings do add some replay value, I highly doubt that such a short game with a thin story will leave very many players satisfied. I can only recommend D to those adventure gamers looking for an easy horror game. My final grade is a C.
Final Grade: C
System Requirements:
Win 95/DOS
4 MB free hard disk space
2x CD-ROM
1MB VESA Compatible SVGA video card
Sound Blaster & 100% Compatible


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CHICAGO—Davidson Hotels & Resorts has taken over management of the rebranded 417-room Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile, which will undergo a $25 million capital improvement program. Owned by Sunstone Hotel Investors, the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile marks the second hotel that Davidson operates on behalf of Sunstone, and its seventh Hyatt-branded hotel.
Located at 633 North Saint Clair Street in Chicago, the 17-story hotel is adjacent to Northwestern University's Downtown campus and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chicago's Gold Coast, Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile retail district are also in close proximity to the hotel.
Details of the capital improvement program include the addition of a new check-in space, new restaurant, lounge and public spaces, new furniture, artwork, lighting and flooring.
In addition, the fitness center will double in size and get updated equipment. A newly updated business center is also planned.


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It is time to celebrate! Wedding dress: check, tuxedo: check, wedding rings: check, reception hall: check, wedding cake: check! Well, almost.
A wedding is a time of celebration and happiness with the love of your life, family, and friends; however, it is time consuming. You are about to embark on a new, exciting adventure so why not make your wedding one to remember? Sure, the wedding dress, wedding ring, reception, number of guests, and caterers are the essentials; however, what about the taste of the wedding cake? If you want you're wedding to stand out from the rest, take this advice: Cake is the new centerpiece. Choose a cake flavor that will have your guests coming back for seconds. Pound cake, chocolate, vanilla, and marble are too original. Rather, try circumventing negative reactions from your wedding guests by displaying beautifully presented decorations as well as uniquely displaying a taste that will spark you and your guests` taste buds. How about attending a cake testing when visiting a bakery? If you are unsure of how the guests will react, taste it yourself! Visit a cake testing, discover what new flavors are brewing in 2012, and maybe even combine flavors to your liking. According to New York Weddings, here are the top ten cake flavors:
10. Chocolate-almond cake, chocolate ganache, and mocha buttercream
9. Banana cake and chocolate buttercream
8. Coconut cake and lime buttercream
7. Hazelnut-almond cake, chocolate ganache, and raspberries
6. White cake, lemon buttercream, and raspberries
5. Chocolate devil's food cake, chocolate ganache, and praline buttercream
4. Lemon cake, lemon curd, and vanilla buttercream
3. Yellow butter cake and chocolate buttercream and/or chocolate ganache
2. Chocolate devil's food cake, vanilla buttercream, and raspberries
1. Chocolate devil's food cake and vanilla buttercream
Sidenote: A ganache is a light, velvety icing, buttercream is a type of icing containing fat and sugar, and lemon curd is thick, creamy spread.
The traditional wedding cake flavors are delicious; however, these ten cake flavors are combinations of various flavors rather than just one flavor. Do not be afraid to search from bakery to bakery to find a great cake flavor. Enjoy your wedding reception, create new memories, and invite a new guest: a tasty wedding cake flavor that will never be forgotten.
See our favorite cakes HERE!


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2 large tender ridge gourd
5-6 dry red chillies
2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp jeers
2 tsp tamarind pulp
2 tsp oil
salt to taste
for Tadka:
1 tsp ghee/oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of hing
1 red chili, broken
3-4 garlic pods
7-8 curry leaves
- Peel the outer skin of ridge gourds and use the chopped ridge gourd pieces for other preparations like making dal,kootu,pacchadi etc.Check the taste of it as sometimes the ridge gourd can be bitter too,if it is bitter its better to discard it and use another one.
- Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and add ridge gourd peels and fry until they are tender and keep it aside until it cools.
- Heat again a tsp of oil in the same pan and add chana dal,urad dal,jeera and fry until turn slight red in color.
- Add red chillies and fry again and add tamarind pulp at the end and switch off the flame.
- Grind the fried dal's.red chillies along with tamarind pulp and salt to a slight coarse powder.
- Now add the fried ridge gourd peels and blend in whipper mode to a coarse paste.Do not grind it to a fine paste.
- Heat ghee in a small pan and crackle mustard seeds and add garlic pods,broken red chili,curry leaves and hing and fry well and add to the ground paste.
In the above photo you can see the rice ball made with the prepared pacchadi with a dollop of ghee and in the background you can see ridge gourd dal and vankaya kotthimeera karam(stuffed brinjal with coriander) which I will try blogging them soon too.
- You can follow the same method and prepare the pacchadi with bottle gourd peels and ridge gourd pieces and skipping the peels of ridge gourd.
- For a Vegan version use oil instead of ghee for tempering.


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6 years
That next one is just about to fall out, too!
This month, my affiliate partner Mindful Nurturing has teamed up with the Nourished Living Network to bring you the Mindful Holidays eBook Bundle Sale, a collection of 7 inspiring eProducts for the winter season with a total retail value of almost $70! It's on sale now for only $9.97. This bundle is available only until November 4.
Do you crave a simpler, calmer holiday season? Read more about the resources that will help you here.
Dudes, my $150 giveaway is ending SOON SOON SOON:
Giveaway: Rock out with Monster N-Tune HD headphones!
All you have to do is choose which color you'd love the most (Candy Tangerine, Candy Purple, Candy Blue?), and you'll be entered into a joint drawing to win one of 25 pairs up for grabs. Did I mention these headphones are worth $150? Yup. Your ears will feel so spoiled.
Cat wearing headphones. Because.
at my super-cool collection of Wordless Wednesday linkies
(now freshly updated & expanded!),
and add your own linky to my collection if you have one.
You can also link up a thumbnail from your post below!


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Dino Riders
Dino-Riders was a cartoon that first aired in 1988. Like many shows of the time, it was meant to basically promote a new Tyco toy line. The cartoon revolved around the battle between the good-guy Valorians and the evil Rulons. The Valorians were super humans that had befriended dinosaurs. The Rulons were humanoid-like, and had both groups had traveled from the future and gotten trapped in prehistoric times.
The Tyco line of Dino-Riders were dinosaurs that came with riders and their weapons. The Valorian characters had names like Questar, Mind-Zei, and Yungstar. Within the Valorians were a special group of commandos with names like Astra, Kameelian, and Bomba. The evil Rulons included characters like Krulos, Rasp, Hammerhead and Antor. There were four different Tyco toy series released, with the final one featuring ice-age beasts.


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Food & Drink
Central Massachusetts is a region of locavores and a hub of culinary talent. From Restaurant Row on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester to Main Street in Sturbridge, and everywhere in between, you can enjoy farm-to-table, artisanal restaurants that use the best of local ingredients and local harvests. There are decadent dessert bars and bakeries, amazing diners that bring back yesteryear and charming restaurants in picturesque small towns. In Central Massachusetts, we believe no meal should be ordinary.


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Celtic Roots Studio
Wishstone DÚSHLÁN Challenge Irish bog oak 5600 ears old
The wishstone story comes from an ancient tradition of tossing a stone three times while crossing a stone wall and making a wish. Five magical trees were believed to protect Ireland; three ash, an oak and a yew.
In ancient times the yew tree was connected with wisdom and rebirth. The ancient oak was associated with strength and endurance.
This ancient wood has been lovingly and carefully carved to release the natural form and etched with a message for you. When you need it carry this stone with you; know it connects you back through 5000 years of our ancient traditions.
Irish Bog Oak is 5600 years old and Irish Yew is 4800 years old found locally in Boora Bog, Co. Offaly
Please find some of the questions we are often asked about orders
Delivery and Returns
Deliveries within Ireland are with An Oost express post. An Post have the most sustainable delivery service of all delivery systems in Ireland. Free shipping for all orders over €150 within Ireland. Overseas deliveries are also An Post. Shipping costs where not calculated; as part of the order process can be completed by emailing us details of where you would like delivery and we will revert to you as quickly as possible.
Cost of returns are the responsibility of the customer; except where product is damaged. Please notify us of damages within 48 hours of delivery.
How Long will my Order take to arrive
Once an item is ordered and payment has been taken, an email will be sent as confirmation. Usually all orders are dispatched in 3/5 working days via our nominated carrier. Shipments within Ireland, Europe, UK and the United States of America are sent via an Post and can take slightly longer. The confirmation email will have full details enabling you to track your order.
What method of Payments to do Accept
At Celtic Roots we use Stripe, as it is a trusted and secure payment method. We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard.
We are also pleased to accept Paypal.


text: Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. Based on a true story, The Conjuring tells the horrifying tale of how world renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives. The Conjuring stars Academy Award® nominee Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, Orphan) and Patrick Wilson (Young Adult, Prometheus) as the Warrens, and Ron Livingston (HBO's Band of Brothers) and Lili Taylor (Public Enemies) as Roger and Carolyn Perron, residents of the house. Joey King (Crazy, Stupid, Love), Shanley Caswell (Detention), Haley McFarland (TV's Lie to Me), Mackenzie Foy (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn) and newcomer Kyla Deaver play the Perrons' five daughters, and Sterling Jerins (World War Z) is the Warrens' little girl, Judy. James Wan (Saw, Insidious) directs from a screenplay by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes (The Reaping).


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Locate Your Model Number
Knowing the model number of your Briggs & Stratton engine or product will make it easy to order parts, download an operator's manuals or illustrated parts list for your equipment. The location of the 11- or 12-digit number for your engine or 6- or 7-digit number for your product varies by application. Select the type of equipment you own to below to get started.


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Spanish Version
We can offer you excellent quality pregnant females, gelding pet males and stud males for sale in a range of prices to suit all budgets whether large or small.
Several years ago we imported a group of stud males and high end females from Australia carrying bloodlines like Purrumbete Highlander, Purrumbete Inti, Jolimont Stefano, Colorado Extreme, Somerset Peruvian Excellence, Purrumbete Ledger's Boy, Jolimont Sculptor, Peruvian Primero, Cedar House Lucifer and Shanbrooke Accoyo Tulaco. Whilst from America we have the great Peruvian Vengador and Peruvian Hemingway. We have offspring descended from these animals who were born in this country for sale at reasonable prices. You can obtain these bloodlines in Britain without going to the expense of importing.
We are committed to supporting our clients offering 24 hour telephone support and free training at your farm in husbandry and shearing along with guidance on field and barn layout and help with business plans.
We can put together groups of animals to fit every budget, however large or small. The females are sold pregnant with a veterinary health certificate and a live cria guarantee.
Our farm and alpaca biosecurity is very important to us. Please click here to read our full biosecurity statement.
From time to time we will highlight certain alpacas for sale with larger pictures, full pedigrees and in depth descriptions. You will also be able to print this out as a full sale leaflet. Keep an eye on these for some excellent quality stock at special prices.
CHECK OUT OUR FULL sale stock listing below.
Click the alpaca name for their full details and see further down the page for details of alpaca packages we are offering. It is impossible for us to list all of the alpacas so do contact us if you do not find what you are looking for or would like to see fuller details on a particular alpaca using the featured alpaca layout.


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NEW YORK — A onetime aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sued him Wednesday, saying he sexually harassed her and then smeared her reputation after she became the second woman to publicly accuse him of misconduct.
Charlotte Bennett's lawsuit, filed in a federal court in New York City, repeats many of the allegations she has talked about publicly in the year and a half since she first began telling her story.
She said the governor subjected her to unwanted advances, including telling her he was "lonely" and on the hunt for a girlfriend and asking her if she would be open to sex with an older man.
The lawsuit is at least the second to be filed by one of the multiple women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment before the scandal led to his resignation last summer. Bennett has also sued three Cuomo aides.
The suit seeks unspecified damages, saying Bennett experienced near-debilitating anxiety, symptoms of depression and a neurological disorder after a barrage of inappropriate comments by the governor spoiled her job as a health policy adviser in the governor's administration.
In a statement, Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin said Cuomo "has always said he didn't harass anyone and with each day that goes by more and more information is uncovered showing how evidence favorable to the Governor was suppressed and crucial facts ignored or omitted that undermined witness credibility."
"We'll see them in court," she added.
Cuomo resigned after New York's attorney general released the results of an investigationthat concluded Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women, including Bennett.
Those women had told of being subjected to unwanted kisses and touches, or inappropriate comments about their looks and their sex lives. One aide filed a criminal complaint alleging that Cuomo had groped her breast. The charge was later dropped by the Albany district attorney, who cited a lack of proof. Cuomo denied the allegation.
Bennett played a critical role in Cuomo's downfall. At the time she came forward with her accusations, only one other woman, Lindsey Boylan, had spoken publicly about being harassed by the governor.
By adding her voice, Bennett emboldened other women to speak up.
"I was really scared to come forward," Bennett later told The Associated Press. "But something that reassured me even in that moment of fear was that there were women before me ... (it wasn't) Charlotte versus the governor, but a movement, moving forward. And I am one small event and one small piece of reckoning with sexual misconduct, in workplaces and elsewhere."
When Bennett initially told her story to The New York Times, Cuomo appeared to acknowledge that he had hurt her with comments inappropriate for a workplace, but denied that he was making sexual advances. He claimed Bennett had misinterpreted his comments.
Bennett, who turned 25 when she worked for Cuomo, said she had no doubt that Cuomo's comments — some of which were delivered in a whisper — were intended to probe her interest in a sexual relationship.
Bennett's lawsuit came a day after Cuomo filed an ethics complaint against New York Attorney General Letitia James, claiming the sexual harassment investigation she launched against the governor was biased and intended to drive him from office.
In February, Cuomo was sued by a New York State Police trooper who said Cuomo subjected her to sexual remarks and on occasion ran his hand or fingers across her stomach and her back.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Currently, there is a 40% (updated Nov 9, 2012) rejection rate on migrations from Stack Overflow to Server Fault.
Here are some samples of rejected questions from the last few days:
This rejected/deleted question about Amazon EC2 for personal use.
The first example is from 2009 and already had an accepted answer (in addition to being bad and off-topic on SF). There was no reason to migrate it. The second two, while seemingly on-topic for SF based on the title, are borderline unintelligible in regards to the content. They contained no details, no relevant information, and amount to "Halp! Halp! Itz broked!"
I realize that there is a much larger number of users on Stack Overflow that are capable of voting to migrate and as a result, it takes 4/5 votes to migrate, while every other site is 3/5. This, unfortunately, does not appear to be an effective solution.
Questions should not be migrated based on their title, they should be judged on their content and topicality on the target site. This, obviously, is not happening as there is a 40% rejection rate on Server Fault.
What can we do to further educate Stack Overflow users about what is and is not on-topic elsewhere? Should SO have a higher reputation threshold than the other sites for vote-to-migrate privs? Should a migration require 5/5 votes instead of the current 4/5?


text:
Text inputs and textareas are coded with standard HTML elements, then enhanced by jQuery Mobile to make them more attractive and useable on a mobile device. View the data- attribute reference to see all the possible attributes you can add to text inputs.
To collect standard alphanumeric text, use an input with a type="text" attribute. Set the for attribute of the label to match the id of the input so they are semantically associated. It's possible to accessibly hide the label if it's not desired in the page layout, but we require that it is present in the markup for semantic and accessibility reasons.
Text Input: <input type="text" name="name" id="basic" value="" />
This will produce a basic text input. The default styles set the width of the input to 100% of the parent container and stack the label on a separate line.
For a more compact version that is useful in toolbars and tight spaces, add the data-mini="true" attribute to the element to create a mini version.
Text Input: <input type="text" name="name" id="basic" value="" data-mini="true" />
This will produce an input that is not as tall as the standard version and has a smaller text size.
Optionally wrap the text input in a container with the data-role="fieldcontain" attribute to help visually group it in a longer form.

 Text Input: <input type="text" name="name" id="name" value="" />

The text input is now displayed like this:
In jQuery Mobile, you can use existing and new HTML5 input types such as password, email, tel, number, and more. Some type values are rendered differently across browsers. For example, Chrome renders the range input as a slider. jQuery Mobile standardizes the appearance of range and search by dynamically changing their type to text. You can configure which input types are degraded to text with the page plugin's options.
One major advantage of using these more specific input types if that on mobile devices, specialized keyboards that speed data entry are offered in place of the standard text keyboard. Try the following inputs on a mobile device to see which display custom keyboards on various platforms.
For multi-line text inputs, use a textarea element. The framework will auto-grow the height of the textarea to avoid the need for an internal scrollbar.
Set the for attribute of the label to match the id of the textarea so they are semantically associated, and wrap them in a div with the data-role="fieldcontain" attribute to group them.
Textarea: <textarea name="textarea" id="textarea-a"> I'm a basic textarea. If this is pre-populated with content, the height will be automatically adjusted to fit without needing to scroll. That is a pretty handy usability feature. </textarea>
This will produce a basic textarea with the width set to 100% of the parent container and the label stacked on a separate line. The textarea will grow to fit new lines as you type:

 Textarea: <textarea name="textarea" id="textarea"></textarea>

The textarea is displayed like this and will grow to fit new lines as you type:
This plugin will auto initialize on any page that contains a textarea or any of the text input types listed above without any need for a data-role attribute in the markup. However, if needed, you can directly call the textinput plugin on any selector, just like any jQuery plugin:
jQuery Mobile degrades several HTML5 input types back to type=text or type=number after adding enhanced controls. For example, inputs with a type of range are enhanced with a custom slider control, and their type is set to number to offer a usable form input alongside that slider. Inputs with a type of search are degraded back to type=text after we add our own themable search input styling.
The page plugin contains a list of input types that are set to either true which means they'll degrade to type=text, false which means they'll be left alone, or a string such as "number", which means they'll be converted to that type (such as the case of type=range).
You can configure which types are changed via the page plugin's degradeInputs option, which can be manipulated externally via $.mobile.page.prototype.options.degradeInputs, which has properties: color, date, datetime, "datetime-local", email, month, number, range, search, tel, time, url, and week. Be sure to configure this inside an event handler bound to the mobileinit event, so that it applies to the first page as well as subsequent pages that are loaded.


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The human heart holds a special place among bodily organs, a romanticized symbol of love, courage and compassion. But its functions in the body are as practical as they are necessary. Located in the center of the chest (but tipped to the left), this pump sends blood circulating throughout our body, ensuring that oxygen and nutrients are brought to organs and tissues and that harmful wastes are carried away.
Your heart may be only slightly larger than your fist but it's one tough muscle. The average heart expands and contracts about 100,000 times each day, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body.
Pump it Up The heart is a muscular pump with four chambers. The two upper ones are called atria and the two thicker, lower ones are called ventricles. The left atrium and ventricle are separated from the right atrium and ventricle by a muscular wall known as the septum.
Your heart also has four valves, located at the exit of each chamber. When a chamber contracts, the valve at its exit opens so that blood can flow through. At the end of the contraction, the valve closes so that blood doesn't flow backwards.
Several large blood vessels connect to the heart:
- The aorta carries oxygenated blood to the entire body from the left ventricle.
- The pulmonary artery leaves the right ventricle and branches to carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
- The pulmonary veins carry newly oxygenated blood back from the lungs to the left atrium.
- The superior vena cava carries used blood from the head and arms into the right atrium.
- The inferior vena cava brings used blood from the legs, pelvis and abdomen into the right atrium.
Your Beating Heart
Used, deoxygenated blood from your body enters the heart's right atrium. The right atrium contracts, pumping blood into the right ventricle. When that in turn contracts, the blood is sent to the lungs via the pulmonary arteries. There, it's reoxygenated and returned to the left atrium via the pulmonary veins. The left atrium contracts, sending the blood into the left ventricle, which then pumps it to the rest of the body via the aorta.
Keeping Pace How does your body maintain all that pumping on a regular basis? The body has a natural pacemaker located in the sinoatrial node, which is located in the right atrium. It generates electrical impulses, which cause the atria to contract. Once the ventricles have filled up with blood, the electrical impulses also cause them to contract simultaneously.
For more information about the heart and keeping it healthy, see the links on the next page.


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Lately we've been receiving feedback from users seeing non-events like coupons or vouchers showing up in search results where "events" snippets appear. This is really confusing for users and also against our guidelines, where we have added additional clarification.
So, what's the problem?
We've seen a number of publishers in the coupons/vouchers space use the "event" markup to describe their offers. And as much as using a discount voucher can be a very special thing, that doesn't make coupons or vouchers events or "saleEvents". Using Event markup to describe something that is not an event creates a bad user experience, by triggering a rich result for something that will happen at a particular time, despite no actual event being present.
Here are some examples to illustrate the issue:
Since this creates a misleading user experience, we may take manual action on such cases. In case your website is affected by such a manual action, you will find a notification in your Search Console account. If a manual action is taken, it can result in structured data markup for the whole site not being used for search results.
While we're specifically highlighting coupons and vouchers in this blogpost, this applies to all other non-event items being annotated with "event" markup as well -- or, really, for applying a type of markup to something other than the type of thing it is meant to describe.
For more information, please visit our developer documentation or stop by our Webmaster Forum in case you have additional questions!
To improve our users' experience with AMP results, we are making changes to how we enforce our policy on content parity with AMP. Starting Feb 1, 2018, the policy requires that the AMP page content be comparable to the (original) canonical page content. AMP is not a ranking signal and there is no change in terms of the ranking policy with respect to AMP.
The open source accelerated mobile pages project (AMP) launched in 2015 and has seen tremendous growth with over 25M domains having implemented the AMP format. This rapid progress comes with a sense of responsibility of ensuring that our users continue to have a great content consumption experience that ultimately leads to more engagement with publisher content.
In some cases, webmasters publish two versions of their content: a canonical page that is not based on AMP and an AMP page. In the ideal scenario, both these pages have equivalent content leading the user to get the same content but with a faster and smoother experience via AMP. However, in some cases the content on the AMP page does not match the content on its original (canonical) page.
In a small number of cases, AMP pages are used as teaser pages which create a particularly bad user experience since they only contain minimal content. In these instances, users have to click twice to get to the real content. Below is an example of how this may look like: a brief text of the main article and then asking the user to click to visit another page to complete reading the article.
AMP was introduced to dramatically improve the performance of the web and deliver a fast, consistent content consumption experience. In keeping with this goal, we'll be enforcing the requirement of close parity between AMP and canonical page, for pages that wish to be shown in Google Search as AMPs.
Where we find that an AMP page doesn't contain the same critical content as its non-AMP equivalent, we will direct our users to the non-AMP page. This does not affect Search ranking. However, these pages will not be considered for Search features that require AMP, such as the Top Stories carousel with AMP. Additionally, we will notify the webmaster via Search console as a manual action message and give the publisher the opportunity to fix the issue before its AMP page can be served again. The AMP open source website has several helpful guides to help produce fast, beautiful and high-performing AMP pages.
We hope this change encourages webmasters to maintain content parity between the canonical and AMP equivalent. This will lead to better experience on your site and ultimately happier users.
In June, we announced a new experience that put the convenience of Search into the hands of job seekers. Today, we are taking the next step in improving the job search experience on Google by adding a feature that shows estimated salary information from the web alongside job postings, as well as adding new UI features for users.
Salary information has been one of the most requested additions from job seekers. This helps people evaluate whether a job is a good fit, and is an opportunity for sites with estimated salary information to:
If your site provides salary estimates, you can take advantage of these changes in the following ways:
Specify actual salary information
Actual salary refers to the base salary information that is provided by the employer. If your site publishes job listings, you can add JobPosting structured data and populate the baseSalary property to be eligible for inclusion in job search results.
This salary information will be made available in both the list and the detail views.
Provide estimated salary information
In cases where employers don't provide actual salary, job seekers may see estimated salaries sourced from multiple partners for the same or similar occupation. If your site provides salary estimate information, you can add Occupation structured data to be eligible for inclusion in job search results.
Include exact location information
We've heard from users that having accurate, street-level location information helps them to focus on opportunities that work best for them. Sites that publish job listings can do this can do this by using the jobLocation property in JobPosting structured data.
Validate your structured data
To double-check the structured data on your pages, we'll be updating the Structured Data Testing Tool and the Search Console reports in the near future. In the meantime, you can monitor the performance of your job postings in Search Analytics. Stay tuned!
Since launching this summer, we've seen over 60% growth in number of companies with jobs showing on Google and connected tens of millions of people to new job opportunities. We are excited to help users find jobs with salaries that meet their needs, and to route them to your site for more information. We invite sites that provide salary estimates to mark up their salary pages using the Occupation structured data. Should you have any questions regarding the use of structured data on your site, feel free to drop by our webmaster help forums.
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Deloitte Consumer Spending Index falls
New York City -- The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, released Thursday, continued downward in January and consumer spending will face additional economic headwinds in 2012, according to Deloitte. The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.
"A sharp fall in real home prices primarily contributed to the decline in the Index," explained Carl Steidtmann, Deloitte's chief economist and author of the monthly Index. "While initial unemployment claims ticked lower, real wages and the tax burden showed no improvement leaving little to offset the housing market's negative effect on the Index."
Deloitte's analysis of U.S. Commerce Department data indicates that the weakness across economic fundamentals over the past several months may continue and further crimp consumer spending in 2012.
Real incomes declined on a year-over-year basis for the fifth month in a row. While a social security tax cut boosted incomes in January 2011, incomes are set to continue falling without an additional cut this year.
New and existing home sales remain weak, and prices continue to decelerate. Current government proposals to improve the situation, even if approved, will take time to develop, implement and affect the housing market.
Tax increases at the state and local level are raising the overall level of taxation and reducing consumer purchasing power.
The Index, which comprises four components — tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices — fell to 1.73 from a revised reading of 1.90 the previous month.
"The likelihood that consumer spending power will be further stretched this year puts a brighter spotlight on one area of retail -- pricing," said Alison Paul, vice chairman and Deloitte's retail & distribution sector leader. "While consumers may be price conscious, retailers need to pursue strategies that drive profitability, not just traffic and sales volume, while also taking into account broader economic events that affect their entire operation."
A cross-functional approach that includes technology, store operations, inventory management, merchandising and marketing, said Paul, is necessary to develop an effective pricing strategy for a retailer's multiple sales channels.


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They say you can jinx a poem
if you talk about it before it is done.
If you let it out too early, they warn,
your poem will fly away,
and this time they are absolutely right.
Take the night I mentioned to you
I wanted to write about the madmen,
as the newspapers so blithely call them,
who attack art, not in reviews,
but with breadknives and hammers
in the quiet museums of Prague and Amsterdam.
Actually, they are the real artists,
you said, spinning the ice in your glass.
The screwdriver is their brush.
The real vandals are the restorers,
you went on, slowly turning me upside-down,
the ones in the white doctor's smocks
who close the wound in the landscape,
and thus ruin the true art of the mad.
I watched my poem fly down to the front
of the bar and hover there
until the next customer walked in--
then I watched it fly out the open door into the night
and sail away, I could only imagine,
over the dark tenements of the city.
All I had wished to say
was that art was also short,
as a razor can teach with a slash or two,
that it only seems long compared to life,
but that night, I drove home alone
with nothing swinging in the cage of my heart
except the faint hope that I might
catch a glimpse of the thing
in the fan of my headlights,
maybe perched on a road sign or a street lamp,
poor unwritten bird, its wings folded,
staring down at me with tiny illuminated eyes.
Billy Collins
Morning Sky
November 12, 2007


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Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction
Aging, excess, and unstable stockpiles of conventional weapons and munitions pose dual threats of illicit proliferation and accidental explosion, which could cause humanitarian disasters and destabilize individual countries or regions as a whole.
RASR encourages affected governments to develop a pro-active, coordinated, regional approach to secure and destroy SA/LW, by building local capacity, sharing best practices and lessons learned, and pooling resources in order to maximize their efficiency. The ultimate aim of the RASR initiative is to prevent disastrous explosions or destabilizing diversions of conventional weapons and munitions.
Since 2017, RASR is being funded by the European Union through its Council Decision 2016/2356/CFSP adopted on 19 December 2016.
"SEDM Ministers reached a consensus regarding the threats of illicit proliferation and accidental explosion posed to the security of Southeastern European citizens, by the accumulation of obsolete and/or excess weapons, munitions and explosives, as well as their detrimental impact on defense readiness. Ministers expressed their understanding concerning the negative impact of the enduring existence of large amounts of small arms and light weapons on the security environment of the SEE region, as well as their will to work on coordinating the control and downsizing of small arms and light weapons in the region, in order to substantially reduce the risks stemming from uncontrolled transfers and use of armaments.In addition to that, SEDM Ministers reiterated the will to work together and render assistance to requesting member states to destroy excess national stocks of conventional weapons and munitions, to strengthen the implementation of national and international standards, as quickly and safely as possible, consistent with safe and secure disposal procedures, and to secure and manage the stockpiles that remain for legitimate national defense."
- Excerpt from the Joint Statement of the South Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) Ministers of Defense Meeting, Tirana, Albania, 12 October 2010.
- Excerpt from the Joint Statement of the South Eastern Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) Ministers of Defense Meeting, Tirana, Albania, 12 October 2010.


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Dear colleagues,
welcome to the Foreign Rights Page of Residenz Verlag. Feel free to browse our online catalogues to find more information on the authors and titles to which we control world rights. You can also download our most recent Foreign Rights Catalogues. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in translation rights or if you wish to receive a reading copy.


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Shenoah Grove owns and operates the Houston RENC the premier Real Estate Investment Association (REIA) in Houston, along with her husband, national real estate speaker & trainer, Phill Grove. She's been operating the club since 2004 and has seen it grow over the years, in up markets and down.
Shenoah operates the club with a high degree of integrity and makes every effort to provide a valuable experience to the club members. To that end, she brings in (mostly local) speakers that provide content and value to the club members. All past speakers can be viewed on the Past Speakers tab of the website. From there you'll quickly see that this club does not promote national gurus who come in to town just to sell books and tapes.
Every single presentation and speaker must pass Shenaoh and Phill's critical standards before they are allowed to present at the REIA. The reason they sticks so strictly to this policy is because of their own experience as real estate investors and being in the audience. They know that a club will only grow and thrive in an environment where the club members feel supported and are able to get truly valuable information.
Most REIAs bring in out of state speakers to make money and support the club. However, if the vision of the speaker is not congruent with the mission of the club, they will forgo the short term revenue to build relationships with the REIA members instead. That's their philosophy and they stick to it.
In all truth, while the REIA brings in some revenue from memberships and vendors, it doesn't come any where near paying for the expenses needed to host the events, update the website, create promotions or the time involved to manage it. They consider the REIA a "loss leader" from that respect, but continue to operate it because of the relationships they've formed in the local community as a result of operating it. In fact 50% of their local deals come from networking with other investors in the REIA. This does make a lot of money. It's not about making money off the people in the REIA – it's about making money with the people in the REIA!
In addition to their presence and leadership at the REIA, Phill and Shenoah are well known local investors and well known national speakers with tens of thousands of customers and followers nationwide, and around the world. They are prized speakers because of their no B.S. approach to investing and teaching and because they are some of the few national gurus that actually invest in real estate.
Shenoah has been investing in real estate since 2003. She holds a B.A. from the University of Texas and an M.B.A. from Rice University. She's also a REALTOR and Broker licensed in Texas. Phill has also been investing in real estate since 2003. He hold a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from George Washington University.
Together, at any moment, they typically hold title to 20 or more residential rental and/or fix and flip properties in central Texas. They live in Barton Creek with their son, Zilker.
You can learn more about Shenoah and Phill and their other companies and products at their website, www.LoveAmericanHomes.com


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We'll start with some favorite traditions close to home (warning: most of them involve food!):
- Pork is a symbol of good luck because pigs root forward, which is obviously the direction you want to go in the new year. (Chickens and turkeys scratch backwards — so steer clear of the poultry aisle if you're superstitious.)
- Black-eyed peas and other legumes symbolize prosperity because they resemble coins. For those who associate good luck with good money, be sure to add some peas to your New Year's dinner.
- While you're at it, heap on some leafy greens like collards, kale, or cabbage, which represent paper money — and more prosperity. They're good for your health too, but the point is, the more foods that resemble money, the better.
- A New Year's smooch when the clock strikes midnight brings good luck in love for the year to come. So whether you're single or have a steady honey, prepare to pucker up.
- In Spain, wearing red underwear on New Year's Eve means that you will have prosperity and good luck in the upcoming year.
- Also in Spain and many Latin American countries, eating 12 grapes at midnight ensures good luck and health in every month of the new year. (The trick is to stuff in one grape for each strike the clock makes, so grab the smallest ones you can find!)
- In order to chase out the bad luck of the New Year, the Irish bang white bread against the walls.
- In Ecuador, it's customary for each family to burn a scarecrow at midnight. The scarecrow represents the negativity of the previous year, so burning it ensures positive energy and good luck as the new year begins.
- Brazilians jump seven waves for good luck — one jump for each day of the week.
- In Greece, smashing a pomegranate outside one's door at midnight is said to bring good fortune. The red color and seeds of the pomegranate represent fertility, love, happiness... and a big mess on your doorstep.
- If you're in Germany, be sure to find a chimney sweep or a fireplace, because touching ashes is the key to good luck in the new year. Like seeing Santa Klaus on Christmas, the appearance of the chimney sweep is a good omen.
- In Japan, cleaning and sweeping on New Year's Eve is good luck, but doing so on New Year's Day could actually sweep away all of the good luck of the year! So consider this your free pass not to do any household chores after your New Year's Eve celebrations. (Better stock up on those paper plates.)
Need more ways to court good fortune for 2014? Consider these traditions from around the world:
Happy New Year and best of luck!