text:
Greetings MiniTrail enthusiast!
Just a personal note from me, Enzo.
The demand for my engine restoration services is at an all time high. When you have an engine restored here at MotoEnzo.com, you are getting personalized, individual service by a modern day craftsman who is certified by Honda Motor Corporation in the repair & service of their product.
Only under extenuating circumstances will someone else touch any part of your engine. No part of my work is outsourced & only I carry out the very careful, detailed & meticulous job of restoring your engine back to it's former glory.
As of 3/28/17, the current turnaround time for an engine restoration is 8 weeks from the day it arrives.
Customer satisfaction is my number one goal.
Having my customers understand what they are getting for their money as well as how long it takes to carry out the type of work that I do is also very important.
By clicking the box below, you are assuring me that you understand that if you were to send an engine in to be restored, that it will be 8 weeks before it is completed. As this time frame changes, this part of the web site will be updated to reflect that change.
Please email me @ firstname.lastname@example.com for the information necessary to ship an engine.
Thank you.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tagaytay Art Beat: Redefining a cultural experience
Those "mature" enough would remember the Woodstock Festival in 1969 in a farm (hay field, actually) in Bethel, New York where such acts as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Band, Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, Ten Years After, Joan Baez, Santana, Joe Cocker, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young performed before a mammoth audience composed of over 400,000 people. It was, indisputably, an event that reshaped American pop culture and history.
The upcoming Tagaytay Art Beat may not have the magnitude or proportion of Woodstock, but the much-anticipated mini festival promises to be an electrifying event with a unique smorgasbord of emerging independent music acts plus an art exhibit featuring young and upcoming artists.
To be held this September 19 at the Museo Orlina that is nestled in the lush, green district of Tagaytay City, this event features an eclectic lineup of performers that range from headline-ready favorites (Autotelic, Bullet Dumas, Farewell Fair Weather, The Ransom Collective) to sensual jazz-soul crooners (Jensen and the Flips, Sud, Miles Experience and BannaHarbera), from accomplished young singer-songwriters (Anj Florendo, Paolo Mallari, Niki Colet and Reese Lansangan) to indie upstarts (Austin, Dayaw, Fools and Foes, Tom's Story).
DocDef Productions – whose stated advocacy is to make sure that the music of local independent bands are "heard one chord at a time" – collaborated with Museo Orlina to bring an entirely new cultural experience to the public. The four-story Museo Orlina is home to an art gallery, a museum, an amphitheater, an interactive display system, a sculpture garden, and a rooftop deck with a picturesque, overlooking view of Taal Volcano.
The countryside scenery and the museum's state-of-the-art facilities will certainly make a perfect backdrop – a fun-filled nest actually – for festival aficionados, art and music geeks, travel buffs, foodies, and partygoers who are tired of the bustling urban noise of Metropolitan Manila.
Art lovers will find the accompanying art exhibit interesting, with the work of young and talented artists from various local schools and universities featured, among them Archie Geotina, Ayka Go, Erica ng, Jessica De Leon, Ku Romillo, Jason Sto. Domingo, Lee Caces, Ivana Tyler, Lyka Orhel, Miggy Antonio, Monica Castillo, Rae Toledo and Tammy dela Fuente.
Alongside the music performances would be live mural paintings by DocDef resident artists Cinos and Mr. S. Definitely, Tagaytay Art Beat will provide a full-fledged quality music experience that goes beyond form and style.
So put your warm coat on, and be ready to experience the fuzzy festival feel that Tagaytay Art Beat is sure to bring.
Tagaytay Art Beat starts at 4 p.m. P250 gets you in with one free drink! Festival attendees who want access to the art space vicinity showcasing Ramon Orlina's globally acclaimed masterpieces will only need to pay an additional P100. His masterful collection of glass sculptures combined with pieces made from bronze, wood, and jewelry not only warrants attention, but a well-deserved tribute.
TICKETS ARE LIMITED so everyone is highly encouraged to buy tickets in advance to ensure entrance to the event, although concert goers may also buy them at the event itself. For ticket inquiries, contact Ning Orlina at 09178285108 or visit this link: bit.ly/tagaytayartbeat.


text:
JERUSALEM (Jan. 24)
Sunshine broke through the clouds this morning, swiftly melting the blanket of snow that virtually paralyzed Jerusalem yesterday and kept all but emergency vehicles off the roads. But a new freeze-up was predicted for tonight and motorists were warned again to keep their cars at home.
Yesterday's inundation of snow forced schools and government offices to close and the Knesset to cancel its morning session. Snow plows cleared the blocked Jerusalem-Tel Aviv road by noon yesterday but travellers were advised to take the train and most did, putting a severe strain on the single track line. Many offices remained closed today despite the thaw and some factories worked at half strength because employes stayed home.
Safad, in the Galilean hills, was worse off than Jerusalem. It was isolated by snow drifts for two days and began to dig itself out only yesterday. Tel Aviv, which normally enjoys a moderate maritime climate, shivered in sub-zero temperatures yesterday but had no snow. The Negev was plagued by floods. One truck driver was reported missing and others had to be rescued from stalled vehicles by army units.
The severe cold wave, more typical of northern Europe than the Middle East, reportedly caused the death of two Arab infants. Many other children suffered frostbite. There was 20 feet of snow on Mt. Hermon and nearly the same on the Golan Heights. Meteorologists said the abnormal weather was due to a vast barometric low over central Russia.


text:
New Vaccine Takes the Fun Out of Cocaine
Most of us are used to thinking of vaccines as a preventative treatment for bacterial and viral diseases — you expose the immune system to a dead or weakened version of the disease, and your body learns how to fight it off in the future. It turns out you can use vaccines to train the body to fight off all sorts of things, including drugs like cocaine.
The way the cocaine vaccine works is by combining norcocaine, a drug very similar to cocaine, with an inactivated common cold virus. When the immune system tries to fight off the virus, it creates antibodies to the virus and to the drug. Then, if someone who's received the vaccine in the past tries to abuse the drug, their body attacks the cocaine and destroys it before it can reach the brain and have any mind-altering effects.
So far, the vaccine has worked well in lab rats and non-human primates, both lowering the amount of cocaine in the blood directly after receiving a dose, and resulting in animals who seem to be less likely to develop an addiction in the first place. The results have been so promising that one study is on its way to human clinical trials.
It's not yet clear exactly how long the effects would last in humans, as the vaccine has only been shown to remain effective for about 13 weeks in mice and 7 weeks in primates. It's possible addicts in recovery would need booster shots every few weeks.
The vaccine is a promising treatment option for narcotics addicts who just can't kick their drug habit — currently, there are very few effective medical treatments for treating addiction. But what if doctors or policymakers decide to require the vaccine be given to populations that are merely "at risk" for developing an addiction?
Is it ethical to inject children or teens with the vaccine to prevent them from potentially abusing hard drugs in the future? Would it be ethical to force pregnant addicts to take the vaccine to protect their unborn children from developmental problems or birth defects? Will we require welfare recipients to take the vaccine? Will health insurance cover the cost?
The vaccine also isn't without risks for cocaine addicts. People who already know what kind of high to expect from cocaine might try to compensate for the diminished effects by simply taking larger doses of the drug — potentially resulting in overdose.
At the moment, researchers are also working on vaccines for other drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin and nicotine, which work in a similar way. As these vaccines get closer and closer to approval, the American public is going to have to start asking some tough questions about addiction and free will.
Photo credits: Thinkstock


text:
On Apr 2, 2013, shares of Coventry Health Care Inc. (CVH) reached a 52-week high of $48.67.
Coventry reported positive earnings surprise in 3 of the 4 quarters in 2012, with an average beat of 12.2%. Further, our proven model shows that this healthcare company is likely to beat earnings in the first quarter of 2013 because it has a right combination of Positive Zacks ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method) and Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
ESP (Earnings Surprise Prediction), which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate is 9.09%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Coventry's first quarter is currently pegged at 77 cents, representing a year over year increase of 24.7%.
Moreover, Coventry is improving its operating efficiencies through acquisitions and expansions. The impending takeover by Aetna Inc. (AET), scheduled to close by mid-2013, will allow the company to cater to a larger market and open avenues for future partnerships to improve the quality and affordability of its services.
Further, with no debt repayment scheduled in the next couple of years, the company has ample scope for strategic acquisitions as well as share repurchases and dividend payouts. A strong balance sheet, efficient capital deployment and stable ratings are the other positives.
The valuation of Coventry looks stretched. Although the forward price-to-earnings ratio is higher than peers, the price-to-book value ratio lags peers and the return on equity of 8.9% is substantially lower than the peer group average of 12.3%. However, the 1-year return from the stock is 35.7%, much above S&P's return of 11.5%.
Other healthcare stocks worth considering are Health Net Inc. (HNT) – Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and LCA-Vision Inc. (LCAV) – Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Read the Full Research Report on CVH
Read the Full Research Report on AET
Read the Full Research Report on HNT
Read the Full Research Report on LCAV
More From Zacks.com


text:
For Asset Managers…
How can you better focus on your core competencies? Remove fixed costs? Improve resiliency? Transfer risks? And create strategic partnerships? Those are just some of the challenges facing today's asset managers.
At Citi, we are uniquely qualified to help you meet these challenges, no matter where they are - asset retention, product innovation and diversification, or branding. We provide you with a complete range of transaction processing solutions to help you improve performance, reduce cost, minimize risk, and grow your asset base.
When you choose Citi, you're choosing a global leader with an on-the-ground presence in 100 countries. We are an innovative provider of Internet-based banking solutions, backed by dedicated industry expertise and focus.


text:
Discussion (17) ¬
…whoa, awesome.
LOL at Kitty.
Nin Wah is the one aiming at the window, and the blast goes out the window.
I guess we know who blasted who!
Now, who's going to pay for the damage to the hotel room, that's what I want to know.
Um… wow, Nin Wah's megabuster packs a wallop! Also, KC in the first panel is hilarious. Also, also, I thought that Bluie's gun thingamabob was a tagging device, you know, like them naturefolk use to tag animals, not a blaster.
it could very well have gone through the hotel, if cartoon physics are at work here.
i thought that too, but it might have a couple of functions. After all, if I was about to be shot from across the room with a laser cannon, I certainly HOPE I wouldn't counter with an ear-piercing device…
@Val Kilmer Batman:
Well, yeah, BUT on the other hand maybe she didn't have anything on hand and tried to bluff her way out using the first thing that she could find that resembled a weapon? Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Remember, if she was sucessfull at taging, then Nin Wah would be helpless. Given the blast though, I suspect not. I too think it's especially funny that the III was right about her arm all along.
It seems like an abrupt end to a well rounded villan, maybe she will survive in a sort of Wily Coyote "burned to a crisp" scene??
Cat Fight! Well…Red panda and blue fox thingy fight.
Well, here are some new developments! Ol' CK and crew are in the middle of trying to put up a good front, when Nin Wah turns her mech-arm into a beam-cannon (quite a powerful one, too)… and turns out to have a back history with the Her Blueness! Who knew?
@Joey1058 Bearcat and Blue Fox Thingy fight!
Okey, the first pannel is funny…
Calling her "yeoman", CK? Not a very convincing way to keep the "she's not with me" argument!
@JP: who knew? Well, anyone who managed to squint against the backlight in this scene, for one…
Now that I think of it, it was lucky the thugs were hiding in the closet and not on the balcony, based on the last panel.
@ RAGS: Oh… yes, that's right. I was only pretending I forgot. ;D
I am so very glad there was no Shoopus Tha Woopus involved.
I'd no idea that "spin-back" was a part of onomatopoeia.


text:
House passes short-term fix for highways as deadline nears
Published 5:54 pm, Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Washington --
With an August deadline looming, the House voted Tuesday to temporarily patch over a multibillion-dollar pothole in federal highway and transit programs while ducking the issue of how to put them on a sound financial footing for the long term.
The action cobbles together $10.8 billion by using pension tax changes, customs fees and money from a fund to repair leaking underground fuel storage tanks to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund, which pays for transportation programs nationwide, solvent through May 2015. The vote was 367 to 55. A similar bill is pending in the Senate.
- West Oakland Station Body Camera Video San Francisco Chronicle
- The family of Sahleem Tindle watches body cam footage Courtesy of the Tindle family
- They Survived the School Shooting. Now They're Calling for Action. New York Times
- Snow showers over Reno, Feb. 18, 2018 National Weather Service Reno
- SF City Guides tour of Chinatown San Francisco Chronicle
- Hail falls in Berkeley during California cold snap San Francisco Chronicle
- Bob Melvin on pace of play changes Susan Slusser
- Giants Start Rolling San Francisco Chronicle
- View of large fire in Bishop from the road Emma O'Neill, San Francisco Chronicle, SFGATE
- Pod of orcas seen playing in Monterey Bay Randy Straka / Princess Monterey Whale Watching
Without congressional action, the Transportation Department says that by the first week in August the fund will no longer have enough money to cover promised aid to states, and the government will begin to stretch out payments. Congress has kept the highway trust fund teetering on the edge of bankruptcy since 2008 through a series of temporary fixes because lawmakers have been unable to find a politically acceptable long-term funding plan.
The most obvious solution would be to raise the federal 18.4-cents-per-gallon gasoline and 24.4-cents-per-gallon diesel tax, which haven't been increased in over 20 years. But lawmakers are reluctant to raise taxes in an election year.
As a result, Congress has had to look elsewhere for transportation money while not increasing the federal deficit. The bill by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., relies on tax changes that are forecast to generate revenue over 10 years, but provide only enough money to keep the highway and transit programs going for another 10 months.
The largest chunk of the money, $6.4 billion, results from allowing employers to defer payments to their employee pension plans. Funding pension plans normally results in a tax savings for companies, and deferring those payments means they will pay more in taxes and increase federal revenue. But several lawmakers suggested the revenue from the pension changes is illusory.
"Come on, really, it's pretty phony stuff," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. "Let's get real about how we're going to fund our transportation" programs.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, defended the bill while acknowledging its limits. "Listen, these are difficult decisions in difficult times in an election year," he said. "The long-term problem is still there and needs to be addressed."
President Obama, touring a transportation research center in Virginia, said he supports the House and Senate bills to keep aid flowing to states, but wants more.
"All this does is set us up for the same crisis a few months from now. So Congress shouldn't pat itself on the back for averting disaster for a few months," he said. Earlier this year, Obama offered a $302 billion plan to increase transportation spending and keep programs going for another four years. The plan, which was paid for by closing business tax loopholes, was received coolly by Republicans.
Democrats and some Republicans complained that it won't be any easier under the GOP bill to reach a compromise on sustainable, long-term means to pay for programs by pushing off a decision until next year when the presidential campaign is heating up. Republicans, however, may be in a better position to shape a transportation bill to their liking next year if they retake control of the Senate in this fall's midterm elections.


text:
The Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Agents (GAE4-HA) held its annual professional development meeting at Lake Blackshear in April. The theme for the week was "Leadership at the Lake" and gave extension professionals from across the state of Georgia the opportunity to strengthen communication and develop affiliation. GAE4-HA provides a medium for the exchange of ideas, methods and techniques as they relate to planning and implementing the educational 4-H Youth Programs within Georgia.
Abby Smith, 4-H Agent for Effingham County, was elected to serve as GAE4-HA state secretary for 2012-2013, beginning her term in August.
"I am proud to be a part of an organization such as the Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Agents that works to serve the needs of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension professionals and 4-H program," said Smith. "Our goal in Effingham is to promote and increase positive youth development within the kids of Effingham County using 4-H as our platform."
Growing up a member of the Effingham County 4-H program, Smith has a deep rooted appreciation for the expansive life skills the 4-H program has to offer a young person.
"I remember running for secretary of my fifth-grade 4-H club meeting many years ago. In a lunchroom of about 100 fifth-grade 4-H'ers I was a nervous wreck giving my campaign speech and hoping that my peers would vote me in as their secretary. It was a learning moment that has stuck with me for years and serving as that 1992 fifth grade secretary was just the beginning of my dedication and leadership in the 4-H program," she said.
Smith started her current Extension career in November 2011.
For more information on how you can get involved with your local 4-H program, contact the Effingham County Extension office at 912-754-8040 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Two Steps from Hell
The energetic rhythm of vibrant strings,
And a sudden rush flows through my body.
Cacophony of euphoric melody rises to my ear,
Emerging bass and swelling choir begin to mix.
A Heavenly sound pushing me closer to Hell,
Surely to hear this epic trailer score is a sin!
I cannot stop listening for hour after hour,
Each album captivates my imagination.
Every last track a priceless piece of treasure,
My heart fervently pulsing to the very last note.
With each beat I take another daring step down,
Until the music stops I am two steps from Hell.


text:
New Orleans was founded by the French, governed for forty years by the Spanish, and was also settled by large numbers of Germans, Italians, Irish and those of African-Caribbean descent. But the city also has a sizable population of Greeks, and every year descendents of one of the Western world's oldest cultures celebrate their heritage with a festival celebrating all things pan-Hellenic.
Anyone who saw the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding knows the Grecians love to party and celebrate (as well as brag about) their glorious history. Here in New Orleans it happens every year during Memorial Day weekend at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Robert E. Lee Boulevard adjacent to Bayou St. John.
As you enter, you may be pleasantly greeted with a "Kalos Orisate" (ka-los-o-REE-sa-te), meaning "Welcome" in Greek. From there the lively sounds of Greek music and the wonderful aroma of Greek food in the air will also greet you.
Aficionados of souvlaki, baklava, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), spanakopita (spinach pie), and gyro sandwiches (pita bread pockets stuffed with lamb, pork and zesty sauce) will find more than their share of it -- and more -- at the New Orleans Greek Festival, where dozens of unique food specialties are served up. Fans of Greek music, especially the distinctive sounds of thebouzoukiguitar, will find more than their share of that too, as Hellenic dancers in colorful native costumes sway to the driving rhythms. Before long, you, too, will be shouting "Opa!" like they did in the movie's wedding reception scene.
There is entertainment for all ages, from kids' activities to fun things for the adults to do, like dancing or renting a canoe to ply the serene waters of Bayou St. John. Lucky winners of random drawings may win trips to Greece and the fabled Grecian isles of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. Those who wish to take something Greek home with them can purchase the latest festival poster or other souvenirs and handcrafted items.
The cathedral houses what is reported to be the first and oldest Greek Orthodox congregation in the United States, founded in 1866. Visitors may tour the ornate structure with its magnificent, Byzantine-style dome. Frescoes and stained glass windows in the distinctive Eastern Orthodox artistic style greet the eye in every direction one looks. Some visitors have likened it to touring an art museum.
The cathedral and festival site are located at 1200 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans. Donation is $5 -- children under 12 admitted free. Free off-site parking and shuttle service is available.
For more information call 504-282-0259 or visit their website at www.greekfestnola.com.


text:
Max Gresham has re-signed with Eddie Sharp Racing to drive the No. 8 Made In USA Brand (MIUSA) Chevrolet Silverado for the 2013 season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Ryan Blaney won the second stage of the Daytona 500 and will add one bonus point to he playoff total if he qualifies for the post-season.
Danica Patrick was involved in a lap 102 crash in the Daytona 500 to end her NASCAR Monster Energy Cup career in the garage.
Brad Keselowski spun Chase Elliott with 17 laps remaining in stage two in the Daytona 500
After getting collected in a Big One Crash on lap 59 of the Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson retired in 38th with his third crashed car of the weekend.
Kurt Busch won the first stage of the Daytona 500. He was alone in the lead when a six-car accident erupted behind him.
Erik Jones was forced to check up for a wiggly Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the end of the first stage of the Daytona 500 and when he did, he was run into from behind by Jimmie Johnson.
On lap 50 of the Daytona 500, Kyle Busch cut a left rear tire and crashed. It was his second cut tire on that corner of the car.
Jordan Anderson (No. 3 Jacob Companies/Bommarito.com Toyota Tundra) finished 9th in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.
Cole Custer (No. 00 Haas Automation Ford) finished 14th in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 at Florida's Daytona Int'l Speedway.
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announces that Kyle Benjamin will pilot the No. 18 NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) Toyota Camry for two races throughout the 2018 season.
Cody Coughlin (No. 2 JEGS.com Chevrolet Silverado) finished 17th in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona Int'l Speedway.


text:
Here's another review of the fine Porsche 911 GT2.
The entire suspension system has been uprated to cope with this extra urge and includes Porsche's Active Suspension Management system as standard. Also included within the cost is Porsche's ceramic brake discs, an option on lesser models, virtually guaranteeing fade-free retardation whatever the conditions and considerably reducing weight by 5kg per corner.
Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Porsche 911 GT2
Source: Channel 4


text:
# Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Kevin Ryde
# This file is part of Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits.
# Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
# modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
# by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any
# later version.
# Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
# Public License for more details.
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
# with Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits. If not, see .
package Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits;
use 5.008;
use strict;
use warnings;
use Carp;
use Gtk2;
use List::Util;
use Exporter;
our @ISA = ('Exporter');
our @EXPORT_OK = qw(type_to_format
our $VERSION = 48;
# uncomment this to run the ### lines
#use Smart::Comments;
sub type_to_format {
my ($type) = @_;
return List::Util::first {$_->{'name'} eq $type}
# Not absolutely sure of the BMP limit, but io-bmp.c reads and writes it as
# a signed 32-bit, hence 2^31-1.
# PNG spec requires width>=1 and height>=1.
my %type_max_size = (ico => 255,
jpeg => 65500,
png => 0x7FFF_FFFF,
bmp => 0x7FFF_FFFF,
tiff => 0xFFFF_FFFF,
sub type_max_size {
my ($type) = @_;
if (my $size = $type_max_size{$type}) {
return ($size, $size);
} else {
sub type_supports_size {
my ($type, $width, $height) = @_;
if (my $size = $type_max_size{$type}) {
if ($width > $size || $height > $size) {
return 0;
return 1;
# Could extract the tEXts from get_option() as defaults to save back. But
# can't list what's in there, so maybe only the png specified ones.
sub save_adapt {
my $pixbuf = shift; # ($pixbuf, $filename, $type, key=>value, ...)
$pixbuf->save (save_adapt_options($pixbuf, @_));
my %tiff_compression_types = (none => 1,
huffman => 2,
lzw => 5,
jpeg => 7,
deflate => 8);
sub save_adapt_options {
my $pixbuf = shift;
my $filename = shift;
my $type = shift;
if (@_ & 1) {
croak 'PixbufBits save_adapt(): option key without value (odd number of arguments)';
my @first = ($filename, $type);
my @rest;
my %seen;
while (@_) {
my $key = shift;
my $value = shift;
if ($key eq 'zlib_compression') {
next unless $type eq 'png';
# png saving always available, but compression option only in 2.8 up
next if Gtk2->check_version(2,8,0);
$key = 'compression';
} elsif ($key eq 'tiff_compression_type') {
next unless $type eq 'tiff';
next if Gtk2->check_version(2,20,0); # new in 2.20
$key = 'compression';
$value = $tiff_compression_types{$value} || $value;
} elsif ($key =~ /^tEXt:/) {
next unless $type eq 'png';
# Gtk2-Perl 1.221 doesn't upgrade byte values to utf8 the way it does
# in other wrappers, ensure utf8 for output
# text before "compression" or Gtk 2.20.1 botches the file output
push @first, $key, $value;
} elsif ($key eq 'quality_percent') {
next unless $type eq 'jpeg';
$key = 'quality';
} elsif ($key eq 'x_hot' || $key eq 'y_hot') {
# no xpm saving as of 2.20, but maybe it would use x_hot/y_hot
# if/when available ... || $type eq 'xpm';
next unless $type eq 'ico';
$seen{$key} = 1;
next if ! defined $value; # undef means no hotspot
# } elsif ($key eq 'depth') {
# next unless $type eq 'ico';
# } elsif ($key eq 'icc-profile') {
# # this mangling not yet documented ....
# next unless $type eq 'png' || $type eq 'tiff';
# next if Gtk2->check_version(2,20,0);
push @rest, $key, $value;
if ($pixbuf && $type eq 'ico') {
foreach my $key ('x_hot', 'y_hot') {
unless ($seen{$key}) {
if (defined (my $default = $pixbuf->get_option($key))) {
push @rest, $key, $default;
return @first, @rest;
# Currently all pixels if <= 1800, or 900 pixels at random otherwise, with
# transparents skipped but only up to an absolute limit of 3600 attempts.
# The worst case is every pixel different and a hash entry for each. If
# that was done for every pixel of a big image then it might use a lot of
# memory. An in-place sort could put same pixels adjacent to find the
# biggest count, but a sort of a big image might be a bit slow.
use constant _SAMPLES => 900;
sub sampled_majority_color {
my ($pixbuf) = @_;
my $bytes_per_sample = $pixbuf->get_bits_per_sample / 8;
my $n_channels = $pixbuf->get_n_channels;
if ($pixbuf->get_colorspace ne 'rgb'
|| $bytes_per_sample != 1) {
croak "sampled_majority_color() can only read 8-bit RGB or RGBA";
# || $bytes_per_sample != int($bytes_per_sample)
my $width = $pixbuf->get_width;
my $height = $pixbuf->get_height;
my $row_stride = $pixbuf->get_rowstride;
my $pixel_bytes = $bytes_per_sample * 3;
my $pixel_stride = $bytes_per_sample * $n_channels;
my $zero = "\0" x $bytes_per_sample;
my $data = $pixbuf->get_pixels;
my %hash;
# return true if accumulated, false if skip a transparent pixel
my $acc = sub {
my ($offset) = @_;
return (substr ($data, $offset+$pixel_bytes, $bytes_per_sample) ne $zero
&& ++$hash{substr ($data, $offset, $pixel_bytes)});
if ($width * $height < 2 * _SAMPLES) {
foreach my $y (0 .. $width-1) {
my $offset = $y * $row_stride;
foreach my $x (0 .. $width-1) {
$offset += $pixel_stride;
} else {
for (my $i = 0; $i < _SAMPLES; $i++) {
unless ($acc->($pixel_stride * int(rand($width)) # x
+ $row_stride * int(rand($height)))) { # y
$i -= .75;
if (! %hash) {
### oops, only saw transparent pixels, what to do?
return '#000000';
return sprintf '#%02X%02X%02X', unpack ('C*', _hash_key_with_max_value (\%hash));
# sub _pixel_bytes_to_color_string {
# my ($pixbuf, $bytes) = @_;
# if ($pixbuf->get_colorspace eq 'rgb') {
# if ($pixbuf->get_bits_per_sample == 8) {
# return sprintf '#%02X%02X%02X', unpack ('C*', $bytes);
# }
# # if ($pixbuf->get_bits_per_sample == 16) {
# # return sprintf '#%04X%04X%04X', unpack ('S*', $bytes);
# # }
# }
# croak "sampled_majority_color() can only read 8-bit RGB or RGBA";
# }
# $hash is a hashref, return the key from it with the biggest value,
# comparing values as numbers with ">"
sub _hash_key_with_max_value {
my ($hashref) = @_;
my ($max_key, $max_value) = each %$hashref;
while (my ($key, $value) = each %$hashref) {
if ($value > $max_value) {
$max_key = $key;
$max_value = $value;
return $max_key;
=for stopwords Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits Ryde pixbuf Gtk Gtk2 PNG Zlib png huffman lzw jpeg lossy JPEG filename PixbufFormat Gtk2-Perl fakery hotspot ico ICO XPM RGB RGBA GdkPixbuf libpng malloced WidgetBits
=head1 NAME
Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits -- misc Gtk2::Gdk::Pixbuf helpers
=head1 SYNOPSIS
use Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits;
=head1 FUNCTIONS
=head2 Saving
=item C<< Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::save_adapt ($pixbuf, $filename, $type, key => value, ...) >>
=item C<< ($filename, $type, ...) = Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::save_adapt_options ($pixbuf, $filename, $type, key => value, ...) >>
C saves a C with various options adapted
for the target C<$type> and the options supported by the Gtk in use.
C<$type> is a string per C<< $pixbuf->save >>, such as "png" or "jpeg".
C adapts options and returns them without saving. The
return can be passed to a C<< $pixbuf->save >>,
$pixbuf->save (save_adapt_options($pixbuf, $filename, $type,
zlib_compression => 4));
The idea is to give a full set of options and have them automatically
reduced if not applicable to the C<$type> or not available in the Gtk
version. For example the C option must be set differently for
PNG or for TIFF. The two separate compression options here are used
according to the C<$type>.
=item C (integer 0 to 9 or -1)
A Zlib style compression level. For C<$type> "png" and Gtk 2.8 up this
becomes the C option.
=item C (integer, or names "none", "huffman", "lzw", "jpeg" or "deflate")
A TIFF compression method. For C<$type> "tiff" and Gtk 2.20 up this becomes
the C option. String names "deflate" etc are converted to the
corresponding integer value.
=item C (0 to 100)
An image quality percentage for lossy formats such as JPEG. For C<$type>
"jpeg" this becomes the C option.
=item C (string)
A PNG style keyword string. For C<$type> "png" and Gtk 2.8 up this is
passed through as C, with a C if necessary for
Gtk2-Perl 1.221.
These C options are moved to before any C option as a
workaround for a Gtk bug where if C is after C then wrong
text strings are written.
=item C, C (integer or C)
The cursor hotspot position for C<$type> "ico". C means no hotspot.
The default is the pixbuf C C,C which is set when
reading an ICO or XPM file.
XPM is not writable as of Gtk 2.22 but if it becomes writable then perhaps
its hotspot could be set from these options too.
For example
($pixbuf, # Gtk2::Gdk::Pixbuf object
$users_filename, # eg. string "/tmp/foo"
$users_type, # eg. string "png"
zlib_compression => 9,
quality_percent => 100,
tiff_compression_type => "deflate",
tEXt:Author => "Yorick");
=head2 Colours
=item C<< $str = Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::sampled_majority_color($pixbuf) >>
Return a string which is the apparent majority colour in C<$pixbuf>,
established by sampling some pixels at random. For an 8-bit RGB pixbuf the
return is a string like "#FF00FF".
This function only makes sense for images which have a particular dominant
background (or foreground) colour, it's no good if there's lots of shades of
grey etc.
The current code only supports 8-bit RGB or RGBA data formats, which is all
GdkPixbuf itself supports as of Gtk 2.22. Transparent pixels (alpha channel
zero) are ignored.
The idea of sampling pixels at random is to avoid a fixed sampling algorithm
hitting a grid or pattern in the image which is not the majority colour.
For small images all pixels are checked (currently anything up to 1800
=head2 Type Info
=item C<< ($width, $height) = Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::type_max_size ($type) >>
=item C<< $bool = Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::type_supports_size ($type, $width, $height) >>
C returns the maximum which file format C<$type> supports,
or no values if there's no maximum known. C returns
true if the given size is supported by C<$type> (and true if unknown too).
The maximum sizes are
png 2**31-1 x 2**31-1
jpeg 65500x65500
tiff 2**32-1 x 2**32-1
bmp 2**31-1 x 2**31-1
ico 255x255
The PNG spec allows 2^31-1 and that's given here, but libpng (in
C) restricts the width to 2^29-130 (RGBA row in 32-bit
malloced block), and also has compiled-in C and
C defaulting to 1,000,000. Might try to include those
limits here, if they can be identified reliably.
=item C<< $format = Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits::type_to_format ($type) >>
Return a C object for the given C<$type> string.
C<$type> is the format name, such as "png", "jpeg", etc (lower case). If
C<$type> is unknown then return C.
C is new in Gtk 2.2. It's unspecified yet what
this function does in Gtk 2.0.x.
=head1 EXPORTS
Nothing is exported by default, but all functions can be requested in usual
C style,
use Gtk2::Ex::PixbufBits 'save_adapt';
save_adapt ($pixbuf, $filename, $type,
'tEXt::Title' => 'Picture of Matchstick Men');
There's no C<:all> tag since this module is meant as a grab-bag of functions
and to import as-yet unknown things would be asking for name clashes.
=head1 SEE ALSO
=head1 HOME PAGE
=head1 LICENSE
Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Kevin Ryde
Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any later
Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for
more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
Gtk2-Ex-WidgetBits. If not, see L.


text:
3. How to Create an Online Casino Account
Downloading the online casino software through the Casino.org website is the first step to gaining access to a reputable online casino. But downloading and installing the online casino only puts the casino software on your laptop or desktop. It doesn't actually let you gain entry to the casino.
Think about it like this. In the real casino world, downloading and installing would be like taking a flight to Vegas, hopping into a taxi, and driving straight to your casino hotel. But casinos ask you for ID, even if you look over 21. Create your account is like showing the security guard your ID. And creating an online casino account is easy.
Most account creation happens right after you've downloaded and installed the online casino software to your PC. Once installed, you'll be invited to log in. If you don't have an account, you can tell the software you want to create one. You'll then be taken to a screen where key pieces of information are required.
At some casinos, you can choose a username during the online casino account creation process. Other casinos will give you a temporary username to log in with, which you can change at your convenience.
To log in, enter your username/email address and password if it's not already filled in for you. Then, hit Real Money or Practice play. At some casinos, these buttons could be called Play for Real and Play for Fun. If you choose Real Money, you'll be taken to the cashier where you'll be invited to make a deposit. If you click Practice Play, you'll be taken to the free version of the online casino software.
Next section - 4. Depositing at an Online Casino


text:
Chorley put in a superb performance to make it four wins out of four National League meetings against Stockport County.
In an enthralling yet evenly contested opening forty five minutes both sides had chances to open the scoring before Jake Cottrell eventually netted on 40 minutes.
County started strong and had three sights of goal in the opening minutes, but a combination of poor finishing and goal keeper from Sam Ashton prevented the Hatters from taking an early lead.
Chorley first opening was a header from Marcus Carver, but pressure from the defence meant he couldn't get any power behind the ball.
Darren Stephenson then raced down the left flank, taking on a long ball from Sam Ashton and won a corner. Andy Bonds deliver found ex-County player Keiran Charnock, but the centre back couldn't find a way past keeper Ian Ormson.
The hosts, who had plenty of pace on the wings, broke with Kayode Odejayi who played Jake Kirby in but the strikers shot flew well wide of Ashton's goal then minutes later Abudalia Baggie stung Ashton's palms from 25 yards.
Josh Hine intercepted a wayward header from Leeds United loanee Ross Killock, but Ormson denied Josh with a near post save.
On the half hour mark the Magpies breathed a sigh of relief as Odejayi missed a sitter then the same player was denied by a solid block from Charnock.
It looked like it was going to be goalless at the interval, but then Cottrell decided to try his luck from distance and somehow Ormson allowed the 25 yard drive to squirm under his body into the goal, but the lead lasted barely a minutes.
Kirby, a danger throughout the first half, latched onto the ball on the edge of the area and let rip with a shot that gave Ashton little chance to net Counties first goal against the Magpies in 116 years, though there was a hint of a foul on Max Cartwright in the build-up with the referee chose to ignore.
Mo Cham fired over for the hosts and Chris Doyle headed in a similar direction for the visitors at the other end, but neither side added to the score line before the referee called a halt to a frenetic first half.
As even as the first half was, the second period was completely different as Chorley upped a gear and strode on to collect three points.
Stephenson and Carver combined, but the latter failed to make a clean contact with the ball from six yards then a minute later Paul Connolly somehow prevented an almost certain goal. Andy Bond superbly cut in from the left and lofted the ball over the helpless Ormson, but Connolly recovered and hooked the ball off the line in similar fashion to Salford City's Stuart Howson the night before.
Chorley were making all the running's in the early stages of the second half and got a richly deserved second on 54 minutes when Stephenson put Ormson under pressure when receiving a back pass; the home keeper made a complete hash of his attempt to control the ball and the Chorley striker pounced for his sixth goal of the season.
The one goal advantage lasted just six minutes, when struck to double the lead with his ninth of the campaign. Hine chased a through ball as the Magpies his on the break and slotted easily past the now dejected and drenched Ormson.
County attempted to regroup in the final twenty minutes, using all three subs before the 70th minutes, but Chorley continued to dominate the once loftier hosts.
Carver received a standing ovation from the travelling supporters when he was replaced on 76 minutes with James Dean entering the fray. Carver's goal tally might not have been as many as he'd have liked but his work rate during his three months he spent at Victory Park were phenomenal.
Dean was immediately called into action, but this time Ormson made himself big to deny the Magpies sub.
Any faint hopes the hosts had of getting back into the game disappeared with a little over five minutes remaining. First Yusuf Coban left the field with an injury and with no substitutions available to Neil Young they had to soldier on with ten, then it was down to nine following a straight red shown to Lewis Montrose, Counties seventh dismissal of the season, for a horror challenge on Mark Ross.
At the final whistle the supporters, players and coaching staff celebrated a superb win, which moves the Magpies up to ninth in the league, just three points from a play-off place.
Starting XI: Sam Ashton, Mark Ross, Max Cartwright, Chris Doyle, Keiran Charnock, Cottrell, Hine, Whitham, Carver, Bond, Stephenson
Subs: James Dean (), Paul Jarvis, Jack Lynch (), Dean Rittenberg (), Adam Roscoe
Goals: JAKE COTTRELL (40), Jake Kirby (41), DARREN STEPHENSON (54), JOSH HINE (63)
Att: 3,408 (249 travelling fans)
Red Card: Lewis Montrose (85)
Chorleyfc.com Man of the Match: Dale Whitham


text:
Columbus, Ohio Street Style
Adria went to Columbus, Ohio last week for a marketing conference and came across this fashionable duo while eating lunch at the North Market. She noticed the gentleman's sock first, hot pink glimpsing from underneath his pants as he got out of a car. They seemed quite alarmed to be stopped on the street (not used to it much in Columbus?), but we loved their pops of color paired with a very work-appropriate look.
Other Articles You Might Like
6 Comments on Columbus, Ohio Street Style
What a handsome outfit!
My daughter, Carissa, and her husband, Paul. Style is a family trait on both sides. Highlighting what God already made beautiful, more than a lifestyle, a calling.
The shoes are glorious! My partner refuses to accent shoes with fun socks but this young man takes risks and i LOVE it. Thanks for being brave young sir!
Simple outfit.But you both look super awesome.
What a handsome couple.


text:
WASHINGTON - In a rare bipartisan gesture early yesterday afternoon, the top Republican and top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee unveiled a draft of an $85 billion bid to create jobs and promote business interests. (Full article: 566 words)
This article is available in our archives:
Globe Subscribers
Purchase an electronic copy of the full article. Learn More
- $9.95 1 month archives pass
- $24.95 3 months archives pass
- $74.95 1 year archives pass


text:
Green Chalcedony Bar Ring
Classic yet edgy in style, with subtle luxury, this elongated rectangle cut gemstone solitaire ring can be worn alone or stacked with a band.
Made in the USA from imported materials
Color treated green chalcedony faceted gemstone
Sterling silver with 2 microns nickel free 18k gold electroplating
3/16 x 5/8" long" gemstone
Comes in a signature pouch with box
Let us help you select the correct size ring here.
See care instructions for electroplated rings here.
Return Policy: If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, Cynthia Rybakoff will gladly issue an exchange, store credit or refund within 30 days of receipt of goods. Item must be returned unworn, with tags, in its original packaging. Any returns made after the 30 day grace period will be for exchange or store credit only.
View complete return details »


text:
Latest posts by techwriter (see all)
- 15 Questions to Ask After You Finish a Technical Document Project - February 12, 2018
- THY's Perfect Information Design - February 9, 2018
- Waterfall vs. Agile Models in Technical Documentation - February 7, 2018
© 2010 Ugur Akinci
I have used Microsoft Office for god knows how many years and I'll continue to use it in the foreseeable future. But OpenOffice is a great productivity suite too, and it's free as well.
Here is a quick look at Impress, OpenOffice 3.0's impressive slide presentation program, the full equivalent of MS PowerPoint. Create your presentations for free and then save them in MS PowerPoiınt format or a dozen others. No one will know the difference.
Click the Impress icon to launch the Presentation Wizard:
You create a presentation from scratch, use a template, or open any other presentation, including those created with MS PowerPoint.
The Template option offers 2 main presentation style, each with built-in default "pages" (slides).
Here we have selected the WINE background graphics from many that Impress offers. Note that, once you're done, you can save your presentation in many different output formats including hardcopy paper print, slide, and overhead transparency.
Impress offers dozens of transition EFFECTS and three transition SPEEDS. You can even specify how long each slide will be presented and the duration of pause between the slides.
On Wizard Screen #4, you enter such general info as Company Name, subject of presentation, and other ideas to be presented.
The template presents a list of built-in default pages. If you click the + sign next to a page name, Impress will present useful hints to help you structure the page properly:
Select a page and click Next to display the EDIT screen for that page (slide):
Please click the above image to see its larger version. Here you can click with the TEXT tool and insert any content you like (just like in MS PowerPoint).
But Impress is not all about text. By using any of the page templates on trhe LEFT sidebar and GRAPHIC TOOLS at the bottom graphics toolbar you can insert photos, images, and a vast number of shapes and callouts provided by Impress.
The TABS on top of the edit screen allow you to create averything you need for a successful presentation. The OUTLINE tab displays the outline of your presentation by slide and topic. You can make any changes you like directly on this outline and the changes will carry back to the respective slides.
NOTES tab will alow you to prepare speaker notes for each slide.
SLIDE SORTER tab will display the thumbnail sketches of all slides. You can select and drag each slide to a new position in the presentation order.
And here's one of the BEST features of Impress — trhe abiliıty top SAVE your presentation in over a dozen popular presentation formats, including MSPowerPoint:
No more compatibility problems.
Try Impress. You'll be impressed too.


text:
What does RBM mean in Physiology?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand RBM in the Medical field in general and in the Physiology terminology in particular.
Reproductive Bio Medicine
Find a translation for RBM in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss this RBM abbreviation with the community:
Use the citation below to add this abbreviation to your bibliography:
"RBM." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2018. Web. 24 Feb. 2018. <https://www.abbreviations.com/term/183399>.


text:
Easy does it
Johny's Diner offers casual fare from breakfast to dinner, and is not above a bit of improvisation
Published 5:24 pm, Thursday, July 19, 2012
It was sweltering. It was so hot, lower Central Avenue in Albany was deserted at 7:30 on a weekend night. The businesses on that increasingly vibrant stretch of urban corridor were uncharacteristically quiet, and it was easy to find an empty parking space at a meter (not in effect at night).
We scuttled into Johny's Diner, formerly Johnny's Hot Dogs, and were grateful for the air conditioner, which promptly inspired sweaty shivers. The kids and I gravitated to the low counter and short red barstools, and, for once, our feet touched the floor instead of dangling. Apparently, people were shorter in the 1940s, when the diner was constructed.
We had chef/owner Michael Ward's undivided attention. He told us he tries to use produce from local farms whenever possible, which I suspect shows up more at breakfast than on the burger-and-hot dog-centric dinner menu. (Since our visit he has also added 10 classic diner entrees, including pork chops, country-fried steak and meatloaf, as well as a handful of crepes, sweet and savory.) Early morning and weekend breakfasts are the diner's busiest shifts currently, with low prices and a wide selection of eggs, hotcakes, waffles, French toast and breakfast sandwiches.
Johny's stays open overnights during the week, and from late night through early afternoon Friday night through Sunday to try to lure revelers from nearby bars such as Waterworks, Fuze Box and Rocks. I learned that Ward once worked at the Saratoga Springs Bruegger's Bagels, next door to a place called Compton's Restaurant, which starts serving in the wee hours, just as the city's bars are emptying.
Johny's non-breakfast menu has eight styles of burger, ranging from $5.50 for a plain burger to $8.50 for a Cuban burger, all half-pounders served on rolls from Prinzo's Bakery in Albany with fries. Seven styles of hot dog range from $1.55 — for a wiener with onions, relish, kraut, mustard and ketchup — to $2.95 for a several kinds piled with various toppings. Eleven varieties of grilled, toasted or cold sandwiches range from $5.95 to $8.95. Thirteen wraps and nine salads are priced from $4.25 to $7.50.
The only logical thing to do on a steamy night like this was to have dessert first. There was an ample variety of milkshakes on the menu, but Ward was still happy to improvise an excellent coffee shake recipe on request. All four of our shakes were thick and creamy, served in tall, old-fashioned, scalloped-glass flutes.
Michael's wife, Cassie, toting a barefoot toddler on one hip, couldn't find a fourth dinner menu, which was OK because my 6-year-old was picking an inconvenient moment to want something other than "kid food." Chef Michael, a father of five, creatively solved my daughter's dilemma by offering her a Belgian waffle piled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It promptly cured her of delusions of maturity and inspired a kid-sized grin.
My Greek burger was good, although for some reason I was expecting something with tang or vegetables. I don't think I was asked how I wanted the patty cooked, but it came out medium-well with a thick, creamed-feta spread. A little brightness in the sauce, or a fresh topping of cucumber, lettuce or tomato might have brought out the garlic, cumin and mint that, according to the menu, was cooked into the beef. It was served with a crisp sliced pickle and crinkle-cut fries. I suspect that, as we came in after a lull in business, Ward was rushing to get the fryer up to temp; as a result, the fries were a little pale and soft.
The Southwestern burger (no longer on the menu) was more successful. The patty was also thoroughly cooked, but it was piled with so much hot pepper, tomato, pepperjack cheese and bean salsa that each bite seem juicy. Fried rings were also soft but tasty, with juicy, thick onion slices.
Grilled ham and cheese with fries was a generous plate for $5.95, with nicely browned, buttery toast and a thick, gooey filling.
The Wards are still working out some quirks. He had an espresso machine when he opened it in March, but got rid of it when he realized too few people were ordering espresso and cappuccino to pay its rent. Garden-patio seating is planned for the coming weeks. Credit cards are accepted by a reader attached to Ward's smartphone, in an effort to keep processing fees to a minimum. (The tip line is at the top of the paper slip, rather than the bottom.) Since the Wards are doing the cooking and serving themselves, it would speed things up to pay in cash during busier times, such as weekend brunch and post-club rushes.
Johny's seems like a work-in-progress that changes frequently as it tries to gauge what it wants to be and what its clientele needs. If Johny's achieves financial success, it seems destined never to succumb to a shiny reproducible formula, but to be a constantly evolving organism that will be interesting to watch grow.
Cheryl Clark is a journalist and former restaurant owner from Malta.
More Information
Johny's Diner
66 Central Avenue, Albany
Phone: 390-0963
Web: http://johnysalbanydiner.com
Cuisine: Burgers, hot dogs and diner breakfast (no alcohol)
Style: Casual
Ambience: Old school counter service
Price: $
Hours: 10 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, 10 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday, 9 p.m. Thursday to 2 p.m. Friday, midnight Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday, 10 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday
Credit cards: AE, MC, V, D
Parking: On-street
Handicapped accessible: No


text:
Centered in the breadbasket of the High Plains, the Dodge City area is home to dozens of agricultural and support industries. Taking center stage is the meat processing industry. Nearly 28% of all the beef cattle processed in the USA is done within a 90-mile radius of Dodge City.
Along with meat packing and associated food processing, the area supports hundreds of agricultural production jobs in the farming and ranching industry. Jobs range from feedlot cowboys to ag publishing, executive and administrative agricultural jobs.
Ag machinery production is also an important area industry. Hundreds of people also support the ag industry with jobs that cover everything from irrigation to electrical to ag construction.
If "ag's your bag," you've come to the right place. Dodge City is home to agriculture on the High Plains.


text:
First and foremost, we hope anyone attending our several weekend services will feel warmly welcomed! We realize that coming to a church for the first time can be a bit stressful, so we do our best to create a comfortable atmosphere. We hope that regardless of your background, past church experience, or current beliefs, you will be able to relax and feel free to explore important questions about God and life. Each service lasts about 75 minutes, consisting of a time of worship through songs and a relevant message that is based on the Bible.
One of our primary values is enjoying the presence of God. God is a living being that we can get to know and who wants to have a relationship with us. The Bible says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). One of the ways that we "taste and see" is through our corporate time of worship. During our services, the worship band leads us in a contemporary, soft rock style for 25 to 30 minutes at the beginning of the service. Our songs are sung directly to God and are more like prayers that we sing together. People often say that this worship experience helps facilitate a sense of being more connected to God.
Our sermons are usually delivered by our Senior Pastor. During this time, we seek to discuss relevant and practical biblical truths that can help us connect with God and navigate through some of the complexities of life. These messages usually last about 30 to 35 minutes. CLICK HERE for our "Watch & Listen" page where you can access our sermon podcasts.
Prayer Ministry
Life is hard, and most of us usually come to church facing some real challenges in our lives. In response to this need, we have a trained prayer ministry team that is ready to pray one-on-one with anyone who is in need. This opportunity for ministry is provided at the conclusion of each sermon. We often see physical healings and significant emotional weight lifted during these prayer times.


text:
You are viewing a story from harrypotterfanfiction.com
No Glory in Death by BluebirdBrigade
Format: One-shot
Chapter 1: The Final Cut
The Glory of Death
The Final Cut
By BluebirdBrigade
If memories are all we have then what do we have to live for when they start to fade like a handprint on a cold window. Sometimes being naïve and oblivious to a horrifying reality is our only hope of surviving. Our only hope of dodging an obstacle that can only make us weaker. I wish I hadnt noticed. I spent half my life noticing. Pretending I didnt had made it harder than I could bear. But it is nothing to what he went through.
The love I felt for my father was greater than my love for anything. My passions dulled in comparison, my ambitions displayed weakness and my adoration for the joys of life would have ceased had he commanded it. But he never did, never once did he lift his finger to reprimand me or butcher my dreams. In his eyes I was his precious little baby. Through the fogged up, invisible, rosy red glasses he wore, I was still the little girl in the pink frock whod do cartwheels in the back garden and twirl about the house unceasingly for her parents. And for a while I was fine with that, I even enjoyed it and had it not been for a disruptive occurrence I would have been satisfied for my whole existence. But that disruptive occurrence punctured a hole in his perfect princess bubble. I grew up.
But I like to think that even so, I adored my father more than any glittery, shiny object or trinket in the world and I always would but little did I know that he would soon start to crumble before my very eyes into the pile of dirt that he was at present.
I hate the day I noticed. I loathe it with my entire being but I cant help but be grateful that it happened, that I had stopped being so self absorbed and glimpsed what was going on right in front of my very eyes. Even if it was just for a second.
I had been in the car that he had tirelessly built with the help of his eccentric, muggle-fascinated father and my loving grandpa. It was a bizarre contraption but a vehicle non-the-less. It flew with the push of a button, turned invisible with the pull of a lever and most importantly, it could become completely inconspicuous to the curious eyes of muggles. Theyd added effects to it, amended problems that had once occurred with grandpas old flying Ford Anglia that had died a sudden death when Dad had flown it into the Whomping Willow.
And so, there I was. In that car. As the wind blew harshly against the safe exterior, Mum had glanced out of the window and gestured at Merry-weather Cottage. It was a beautiful, homey place right in the centre of a huge pile of land and along side it was a shimmering lake. The owners would rent out the pretty thing during the holidays. Wed been going there for five years for about a week or so each summer. Mum had always wanted to live on an actual muggle farm. Hugo and I had grown fond of the creaking cottage with its mulberry bushes and its left behind dusty books. We began to discuss it, comparing memories and laughing when Hugo had talked about pushing Dad into the river. It had been a highlight of this years holiday.
And then it happened.
When was that? Dads voice echoed through the car like the clearing of a throat, out of place.
This year, Dad! I pushed you in while you were trying to look at the problem with the tiles on the roof, remember? Hugo was smirking at him, reminiscing how elated he had felt to get a one up over Dad after he hadnt let him go to a party that he had been wanting to go to for weeks.
I dont recall that.
I don't remember why I did it, it seems stupid that I don't remember why I did something that has haunted me for so many years.
I had looked up at the rear view mirror and our eyes had locked. And chills began to tingle down my spine, my heart gave an almighty thwack against my ribcage or perhaps thats how it felt. Dad looked scared. Lost. The tension within him had caused his shoulders to rise up and his arms were nervously shaking. I didnt understand the true meaning, but I understood that he was scared and it tore off something with in me. I found myself becoming paralysed with fear because my own father who had overcome everything was looking at me like he was terrified. My whole chest felt like it was slowly splintering. Cracks had started to appear, chips in my armour of crystallised carbon. And then my mother reached over and clasped one of his arms, tugging slightly on the sleeve. She hadnt noticed. She began to blather on about how Aunty Ginny had been making this incredible hazelnut cake. His shoulders relaxed. His eyes left the mirror. But mind never stopped questioning what had happened that day. I found myself constantly looking out for things. When he couldnt find something, Id freeze like I was about to be attacked. And what I was about to be attacked with was the truth.
Wed gone to the burrow as it was Lucys birthday and the snow was falling thick and heavy even though it was only November. As soon as we entered the burrow, we wrestled our way over to the warm inviting fire. I had been noticing some small, some that were bigger and frightened me. I hated myself, I was meant to be a brave Gryffindor but I was no less than the little child my Dad still believed I was. It was a good day if hed misplaced small things, glasses, books, files or shoes. But sometimes the problem was engorged. He had gotten lost in town, and couldnt find his way back. Hed retell stories over and over. The worst thing for me was when he couldnt remember Mrs Battersby, our little next door neighbour that wed known for years. Id told my mother but I saw the way she pretended it was just him getting old. She knew what was going on as much as I did. I caught the way her lip trembled when hed forget a special place that they had discovered together or memories they had made together. I saw the undying pain in her eyes, the sweat that beaded on her forehead with the strain of keeping it all locked up inside. But this particular night, at the burrow, had been the worst. Hed gone to the bathroom while we all munched on the delicious parsnips, beef and Yorkshire puddings that Grandma had laid out for us.
And he didnt come back.
No one noticed really. But I was watching the ever ticking clock, my eyes nervously darting towards my Mothers wilting features. I felt like shed given up hope. Like shed just let him get lost. She was meant to guide him through times of trouble, meant to be the map that would help him find his way back. But now I was going to have to be that for him.
I left the table, trying to be silent but failing when my hip bumped against the plate filled with the pile of food. Grans gaze turned on me and she asked me where I was going. There was nothing to say but the truth.
Dads not back yet. I could feel my eyebrows forming a worried wobble as my eyes found Hugo. And in that one glance, I knew that he had noticed. He had began his suffering. His eyes had been prised open cruelly and he had to deal with the consequences.
"Dad?" I had called out, shakily rounding the corner and pacing slowly towards the bathroom. My feet couldn't seem to go any faster but my head hurt with the torture of waiting...waiting for what? Had I expected it? I stopped in front of the long and wide bathroom and pushed on the door but there was no one there.
Panic coursed through me, the joints in my knees felt cut off from the rest of my body. I felt heavy like I was running through a thick stream of water. The bathroom light was off but I walked in anyway, calling for him, wondering if hed just forgotten to switch the light off when hed gone to the bathroom and couldnt find the exit. I remember feeling at that one moment that the entire world that I had known, known like the back of my hand, was gone. The cities were crumbling, the skies were falling and the earth beneath my feet was no longer there and I was tumbling down into a gaping hole of nothingness
As I turned, my whole body seemed frozen in a state of absolute terror as I saw something out of the corner of my eye. The front door was open.
The cold air was whipping at my face, and my hair was being blown off of my forehead and my pink cheeks. I heaved my shaky bones outside where the snow was falling thick and fast. It was piled up to my knees, the cold ice soaking through my jeans and sliding down into my boots to say hello to my toes. I saw him, stood in the neighbours field, looking around dazed and confused. His red hair was glinting in the moonlight and his eyes displayed nothing but distress. Reaching him was difficult but I willed myself, stepping in the tracks he had made before. He had looked at me blankly, and I reached for his scarily pale hand.
Dad? My voice had sounded scratchy and rough, and my vision had begun to cloud with tears. I loathed not knowing what to do, not knowing how to take control of the situation. His face crumpled like burning paper and with that, so did my heart.
Rosie, He murmured, the fright present in his quivering muscles and his unwavering eyes. Where am I? And with those three words, I finally knew what to do. What I needed to do. For him.
Its been two years since that night. Two years since I found out that my father had been hit with a spell on his last auror mission, one that would infect his brain with something more frightening than death itself. The spell itself was magnificent. When cast correctly it had the power to reduce a man to nothing. It would cut everything away. That is how it worked, by cutting. Sniping away sources of life, skill and love. It had already begun with memories, with places and soon it would become more. Soon everything would disappear and I would be empty.
He had lost his ability to remember the simplest of things. Since hed been in St. Mungos hed slowly lost the ability to write, use the bathroom properly and use cutlery. It was heartbreaking to watch him stare at a plate and know that he no longer knew how to use the utensils that he had been taught to use since he was three. He used to love food, and now he loathed it because he had to be fed like a child. Mum was always trying to help but she she was just so sad. I would talk to Dad as he struggled, acting as if life was back to normal. But harsh reality was always looming over me. Sometimes it was too painful to watch.
He couldnt play chess with me.
The moment when he forgot was the hardest. I had cried for what felt like years, each tear on my cheek stung like a slap because I was being so fucking selfish.
The doctors were adamant that he would live for at least one more year. But I knew he was fading quicker than that. He couldnt walk anymore, he was bed bound. Soon, he would forget how to talk. And then finally how to breathe.
I didnt understand, every child was born into the world, able to breathe normally. But the infection was so deep that it was starting to cut everything. He would never be the same again and I dont think he would ever want to.
And in the end, everything was worth nothing. And my father who once stood proud and tall was reduced to a state that could only be described as pitiful. Because there is no glory in illness. There is no meaning to it. There is no honour in dying of. The poison was consuming him, extracting everything he ever loved, ever enjoyed from him
And finally. It happened.
He was sat up in his bed, his quidditch blanket splayed over the top of it. He was staring out of the window. He enjoyed watching the sun rise in the mornings, he found the colours pretty. He had looked at me, face blank and eyes drooping. I smiled wanly, my own eyes fixated on his yellowing face, one that looked like aging parchment. He had gone through so much to just forget it all. I hate the word forget. Forget, Forgotten, Forgot. Fuck it all. The lack of life in his eyes made me wince and I remembered the times when there was so much spark and vitality within them. He used to laugh so much but you wouldnt have known that from the dull brown of his eyes. The only way you could have possibly guessed was from his fading laugh lines at the corner of his eyes and mouth.
He had leaned back into his pillow, his breathing soft but slow. I was reading to him, as I always did, the same set of wizard fairy tales that he had adored. He never moved whilst I read; I guess I should have known from that.
As I hit the end of a paragraph and my voice no longer echoed around the ward, I heard the small rasping gasps he was making. I snapped my head up and saw his face, blank except for his open mouth, his body stock still paralysed with parasites that inhabited his mind. But his eyes were terrible. Huge, wide and welling with fear.
I grasped his hand in mine, as he blinked once, then again and then fell into a deaths awaiting arms.
Thank you very much for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it. This was writting for the John Green Quotes Challenge over at HPFF forums, a competition started by Jess The Enthusiast. The quote that was used in this story was: Because there is no glory in illness. There is no meaning to it. There is no honour in dying of. - from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.
This story was written with some very important people in mind, so I hope that this touched you and that you felt something through my words.
Lots of love,


text:
Muhammad Muzaffar Hameed (www.Muzaffar.net)
Career Objective:
To pursue my career in a challenging and competitive organization with dynamic environment where I can utilize my potential to develop my professional growth and enhance my engineering and managerial skills.
Mehmood Abad Colony, Khanewal Road, Multan, Pakistan.
Mobile No.:
Copyright © 2005 - 2018 M. Muzaffar Hameed.


text:
The theme this past week on Prego was "Let's Hear it For the Boys!" The many and varied male dolls posted were hunky and fabulous.
In particular, Dalila's post blew me away. Doll after doll - she posted 16 - was drop dead gorgeous and photographed beautifully. I could not choose a favorite. I picked one. Then I changed my mind. This went on for at least one hour. I just kept looking at the pictures and fell in love with each one. Here's Thor.
Dalila told me that Thor is a former "Cole" ("Super Hero" male body sculpt) that has had an extensive makeover (all done by {her}): re-sculpted cheekbones, full repaint, haircut and style with rooted-in additional hair and "champagne blond" highlights. Loosely inspired by Dolph Lundgren.
Here is the original Aquaman. What a stunning difference.If you would like to see more of Dalila's wonderful dolls and great pictures of them, click here
and here.
Congratulations, Dalilah!
News, reviews and photographs of Modern Fashion Dolls including Sybarite, Kingdom Doll, Fashion Royalty, Tonner Doll, Gene Marshall, Barbie and my own experiences as a doll collector.
Sales Tabs
- Home
- Sales: Furniture, Backdrops, Props, Miscellaneous
- Sales: Fairyland PUKI PUKI BJD TINY DOLLS
- Sales: Tonner and Wilde Imagination
- Sales: Magazines, Books, Patterns
- Sales: Kingdom Doll, Ficon, Other 16"
- Sales: Barbie; Monster High, Hasbro, Mikelman
- Sales: Gene Marshall; Madame Alexander; Mod British Birds
- Sales: Superdoll Sybarite
- Sales: Integrity Toys 12" - 16"
- Sales: Wigs
Picture of the Week Award ~ September 13, 2009
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Stories invite us to belong.
Growing up we hear the big stories of a country or people. Americans learn about George Washington, the young boy chopping down the cherry tree and the brave general leading his troops across the Delaware River. Brits hear of the appetites of King Henry the Eighth and the courage of Sir Winston Churchill. Chinese recount majestic and enchanting tales of the Ming dynasty. So we learn our people are truth-tellers, full of dogged perseverance, or graced with ageless wisdom.
We also learn and live smaller stories– the tale of a family we love, a child we raise, or a pizza place we share with friend. These personally-sized stories help us find our voice and make sense of who we are.
This website offers a place to tell and hear stories about the biblical psalms. Who would expect a diverse collection of people like Bono and Kanye West, Leonard Bernstein and Abraham Lincoln, Bob Marley and Winston Churchill, or Desmund Tutu and Natan Sharansky would have so much in common? Generations of spiritual insiders and outsiders, monks and pilgrims, people from every continent have felt the same way. Tying our story to these ageless poems we find we belong, becoming "insiders" in a way we didn't think possible.
Tell your story and see what happens inside you. (share your own story).


text:
Hardware Review: Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
A few weeks ago, when I received the opportunity to be a part of HTC's ambassador project #TeamHTC I was also borrowing the Jetpack 4G LTE 4620LE mobile hotspot from Verizon for a product review. This MiFi device was an essential part of my trip, because it allowed me to stay connected when I was riding a bus from Louisville, KY to Chicago, IL passing some of the most wire-less areas and when I was deep in Chicago's music culture at the House of Blues. My travel was completed on a big bus service that boasted about having free wireless while travelers were on board, but when I finally settled into my seat, going to and from Chicago, I was disappointed to find the WiFi did not have a connection to the Internet. Thankfully for me and those around me that I shared the password with we had a solid connection with the Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE MiFi. And when I was in the House of Blues establishment to see The Starting Line my mobile phone was hardly able to pull a network signal so I had to resort to the power of the Verizon Jetpack again.
The Jetpack comes in a handy little form factor that mirrors in size to some of the portable battery packs I am known to travel with so I easily adapted to carrying it around with me. It is a rectangle-shaped device that is smaller than most smartphones, but thicker in comparison and a little heavier. Measuring in at 3.76″ (H) x 2.36″ (W) x 0.73″ (D) and the weight is 4.3 0unces. The mind controlling this speed monster comes from the same primary chip manufacturer that HTC is partners with, Qualcomm.
With only four physical buttons, the Jetpack was easy to turn on and operate the menu. There is a port on the side for USB charging of the removable battery and a hole for attaching an external antenna for better reception. Underneath the battery door and battery is the dock for the SIM card that links the way to ultimate 4G LTE.
Other features include:
- Connect up to 10 wireless endpoints in a 4G area or up to 5 endpoints while in 3G coverage.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon MDM9600 chipset
- OLED status display
- Wireless supported standards – 802.11 b/g/n
- Bands for global roaming
As mentioned earlier, navigation of the menu was easy to operate with the three main buttons (left, right, check) and the OLED display. From the menu one could find the password to connect to the MiFi, see how many users were connected, view signal strength and monitor battery life. I am not sure how it happened, but one time I could not get the MiFi to turn off. I would press and hold the power button, but it would not power down so I had to pull the battery to manually turn it off to clear the system of the issue.
Battery Life:
I was somewhat surprised with the performance of the battery in the Verizon Jetpack. There were times that I could tell that the 4G chip was working really hard, but it did not seem to faze the life of the battery substantially. An average time unplugged was about five hours and most of the time I had a minimum of two devices connected although they were not constantly pulling data through the MiFi.
The Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE 4620LE is a great device when a mobile data plan on your primary device is unavailable or when you are on the go and really need a network that is truly everywhere. When I had my phone connected to the Jetpack I had speedtests with results in the 8-10 MB/s download range, but the HTC Droid DNA review unit also loaded with a Qualcomm 4G LTE chipset pulled down data at 20 MB/s. I am not sure what the difference was here and now that I think about it, I forgot to verify that I was the only only user connected to the MiFi at the times I tested speeds.
The Jetpack 4G LTE 4620LE is a perfect device for those that travel often or need to stay connected throughout the day when a smartphone data plan is not a valid option. If you got a new personal laptop or tablet this Christmas and want to get online while you are at work this may be the way that you want to go. Maybe you could even get your close coworkers to pitch in on the monthly cost to use it at work.
About Andy Medders
With over a decade of IT experience working in and for the US Army, Andy has helped implement pilot programs using Android devices at work and helps others learn how to turn a smartphone into a tool for getting things done. He started a blog about HTC as an outlet to share HTC news without spamming his friends on common social networks, but decided to combine forces with HTCSource to have more of an impact on the HTC community. Andy has had an HTC in his pocket since the days of the T-Mobile MDA.
Clearly You Had Complementary Data Service. I Also Have A Verizon Wireless Mifi. Not Only Is It Extremely Expensive, It Has A Mind Of Its Own When Calculating Data Usage.We Used It With A Kindle Checking Email And Downloading A Dozen Books. It Used 14 Gig In 2 Weeks. The Service Is Good, But It And 4 Smart Phones Is Going To Cost Me Over $700 This Month. I Live In A Rural Area So Its Either This Or Satellite. I Had It Turned Off And Im Calling Hughes Net Tomorrow.


text: When visiting Launceston, Peppers Seaport Hotel is a great choice to consider. Guests looking for a bite to eat can check out the restaurant, and the bar/lounge is the perfect spot to grab a drink at the end of the day. Apartments at this luxurious property offer LCD TVs, refrigerators, and room service.


text:
Alle W.
Nanny in Box Elder, SD 57719.
Looking for full-time work as a nanny.
Enhanced Background Check not run.
Enhanced Background Check(Not Run)
Basic Background Check not run.
Basic Background Check(Not Run)
Motor Vehicle Records Check not run.
Motor Vehicle Records Check(Not Run)
Box Elder, SD
- Age 22
- 3 years paid experience
- Female
Last signed in: More than 6 months
Preferred Rate $7-$14 per hour
Alle's Bio
As an aunt to three girls, I have many years of experience ranging from infants to 12 year olds. I've currently been babysitting for a family for 2-3 years. I was homeschooled for all 12 years of my schooling. I love to care for kids, it's my passion in life.
I enjoy doing crafts with kids and doing fun things like movie nights. I like to plan many activities while still keeping a schedule and routine for the little ones.
If there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to ask!
Age Specific Experience
3 years of paid child care experience with:
- First year
- Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
- Preschooler (3 to 5 years)
- Grade School (6 to 11 years)
Availability & Job Preferences
Availability Duration
Willing to consider working as a live in care provider
- Temporary (4 to 12 months)
- Permanent (1 to 2 years)
Job Duration
- Will consider a full time position
- Start date is flexible
My availability is valid through 4/1/14
- Open (all day, everyday)
Skills & Abilities
Languages Spoken:
- English
Additional Services:
- Meal Preparation
- Laundry
- Light Housekeeping
- Crafts
- Potty Training
- Travel with Family
- Willing to run errands as needed
- Homework Help


text: neuhoff at mhccorp.com wrote: > Is this really a secure setup? no :) well, better.. not yet. > Why doesn't 'sudo' prompt for a root password? because we configured it like this. > How exactly was it configured so as not to even prompt for a password for the > normal user after bootup? > And how exactly was it configured so as not to have a root account? look at 10adduser resp. 15autlogin in live-initramfs/scripts/live-bottom/ resp. casper/scripts/casper-bottom/. > Is all the magic done via the /etc/sudoers file only? yep. Today, I've added 'noautologin', 'noxautologin' and 'nosudo' boot parameters to disable the respective features in live-initramfs in SVN. Will think of a 'clever' way to have --user-password and --root-password or similar in live-helper. -- Address: Daniel Baumann, Burgunderstrasse 3, CH-4562 Biberist Email: daniel.baumann at panthera-systems.net Internet: http://people.panthera-systems.net/~daniel-baumann/


text:
Make way for the Kiddie–ahem, excuse me–the Wallingford Family Parade and Festival, which kicks-off at 11:00am on Saturday, July 6. Now in it's 64th year, the parade is one of the longest running Seafair sanctioned community events. The snazzy new name and logo reflects Wallingford's "collective family" of neighbors, businesses, schools, and organizations.
This year's theme is "Wild For Wallingford!" and while kiddies still play a big role in the parade, you'll see all sorts of participants, including an Asian Small-Clawed Otter from Woodland Park Zoo serving as Grand Marshall. Kids/families are welcome to join in the "Wild for Wallingford" parade. Just come to the staging area at the Lincoln High School Parking lot on Interlake Avenue N., beginning at 10:00am.
The parade route begins at Interlake Avenue N. and N. 45th, traversing east on N. 45th Street, then north on Bagley, where it ends at N. 46th. The Festival portion of the day will take place at Meridian Park from Noon to 5:00PM, featuring food, games, bouncy houses and live entertainment on two stages.
(This article originally appeared on Wallyhood, the Wallingford neighborhood blog. For more news and chatter about Wallingford, join us there.)
To comment on this article, visit on Wallyhood.


text: On 08/08/07, Tim Finley <gofinner at hotmail.com> wrote: > I'm a newbie to programming and am trying to learn Python. Maybe I'm wrong, > but I thought a practical way of learning it would be to create a script. I > want to automate the gathering of mailbox statistics for users in a post > office. There are two lines containing this information for each user. I > want to find the two lines for each user and place the information in a > different file. I can't figure out how to find the information I'm after. > Can you provide me an example or refer me to some place that has it? Hi Tim, My first step in approaching a problem like this would probably be to parse the data. "parsing" means taking text data and adding structure to it. For example, suppose I had a data file "employees.csv" that looks like this: 1,joe,smith,ceo 2,fred,dagg,cio 3,karl,marx,cfo where the data format is: id, first name, surname, job I might proceed like this: #----- employees = {} # This is a dictionary. I will use this to store the parsed information. infile = open('employees.csv') # open the file for reading for line in infile: # go through the input file, one line at a time line = line.strip() # remove the newline character at the end of each line id, first, last, job = line.split(',') # split up line around comma characters employees[int(id)] = { 'first':first, 'last':last, 'job':job } # store data in dictionary #----- Once we get to here, we can do things like this: # What is employee 3's name? print employees[3]['first'], employees[3]['last'] # What is employee 1's job? print employees[1]['job'] This might not be the best data structure for you; it depends on what your data looks like and what you want to do with it. Python also has lists and tuples. I encourage you to go through the tutorial :-) -- John.


text:
Regency Square Mall Carnival
3/2/17Thursday @ 5:00 PM
This family-friendly event features Dreamland Amusements midway rides for all ages, games and favorite fair food.
Unlimited ride wristbands are $25 Monday - Thursday and $30 Friday - Sunday. (The Delusion spectacular ride also requires an additional purchase of a single ride ticket.) Ride tickets are $1.50 each, $25 for 20 tickets and $50 for 50 tickets plus 1 free ride. Rides take at least 3 tickets each.
The Regency Square Mall Carnival is open from 5 to 11 pm Monday - Friday and noon to 11 pm Saturday - Sunday. Visit http://DreamlandAmusements.com for coupon savings on ride wristbands, tickets and food.


text:
We're pouring some concrete walks to speed up our lily planting. All of a sudden we realized, oh, we need to keep the chickens from walking on it while it's wet!
(If you're just tuning in, we have 15 or so chickens of various sizes & shapes roaming our greenhouse to help with weeds and bugs. They lay eggs too!)
The current plan is to corral them in the enclosure where the cooler equipment is located. Lure 'em in with chicken feed and close the door.
But what about the new little flock of four who are pecked by the other chickens? How do we get them in because they are scared...... it's always something.
Getting ready for holly season. Berries look good this year. Picking up at the old farm (near St. Vincent Hospital) starting next week.
And the TRUCK WRAP is nearing completion. Our truck isn't exactly a spring chicken (ha ha) so it's been a little more difficult than anticipated. Now I just hope the truck lasts long enough to show off our wonderful rolling billboard for a couple of years!!!
When you have a farm, things are never PERFECT. But being out there makes it worth it, pretty much...
Special garnish: put rose petals on the table when you serve this cocktail!
With the new popularity of rose' this should be a hit.
(Rose petals are available from Peterkort Roses, give us a few days advance notice! Call (503) 628-1005 to order - wholesale customers only, please...)
I visited her store on Belmont to drop off some more flowers and she had centerpieces everywhere! Two events, one with Piano roses, the other with gold and fall tones.
Still waiting for our large delivery truck to get "done" with a truck wrap. It keeps getting delayed but pretty soon our truck will be transformed into a rolling billboard showing magazine covers of Portland Bride & Groom and Portrait of Portland, with arrangements done by Page of Sammy's Flowers, and Jill from Starflower.
That will really brighten up the driving scene...
We decided to do an art display this year but until we put it up I had no idea how ultra colorful and vibrant the whole thing would look.
What's new at the market: the Graffiti lily this week, a tango type, yellow with red splatters! It's wild. Only available this week....


text:
R is for Rubio's Fish Tacos!
(This is part of a series, Blogging from A to Z April 2014 Challenge.
My theme for the challenge is Quintessential San Diego from A to Z, focusing on those things that are typical, or perfect, or classic examples of San Diego life. Today is R.)
When it came to choosing Quintessential San Diego for the letter 'R', it had to be Rubio's! Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill is the San Diego home of Baja California-style fish tacos. Ralph Rubio, the founder, first tasted fish tacos in San Felipe, Mexico, during his college spring breaks. Ralph hand-crafted his own fish taco recipe, and in 1983, Ralph and his father opened the first Rubio's, and introduced America to the fish taco.
We love Rubio's fish tacos. Like Ralph Rubio, I was first introduced to fish tacos in Baja California, Mexico. He had his in San Felipe, but I bought mine off a cart on the street in Ensenada.
The original restaurant Rubio's in Mission Bay is still open, and always busy. For this blog post, Bill and I visited the Rubio's in Solana Beach, a location that opened in 1986. It is the only site still featuring a salt-water aquarium in the restaurant.
The decor of Rubio's restaurants is beachy. Every site has a surfboard on the wall. Fun, bright colors, Mexican tiles, lemons and limes, contribute to the cheery look.
Rubio's now has 190 restaurants in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada.
Two things I really like about Rubio's, besides the fish tacos – 1) Unsweetened ice tea is available as a drink option, and 2) One year ago they ditched the plastic. Now diners are served with real metal forks and spoons. Reusable, washable plates are used to serve the combo meals.


text:
Planet VI feat. G-Scott & Shawn Chrystopher – Doin' Here
Atlanta production collectives, SMKA & The Flush, have once again partnered with the legendary Stankonia Studios to produce Stankonia Sessions: A3C Edition 2012 presented by TrillHD. The collaborative project was recorded in 3-days during A3C Festival (Oct 11-13th).
U.S. Virgin Islands duo Planet VI, G-Scott and Shawn Chrystopher act as enforcers on this new song, Doin' Here, over SMKA member Kato's street-ready production. Stankonia Sessions: A3C Edition 2012 will be released on Tuesday, November 27.


text:
The Devil's Disciples: The Lives and Times of Hitler's Inner Circle
by Anthony Read
996pp, Cape, £25
Anthony Read has written a book on the uppermost tier of the Nazi elite. A publishing industry is built on Nazism, and ostensibly this appears difficult to explain - Hitler is dead and Nazism can no longer harm us; Germany has for decades been a safe zone for democracy and civil rights.
Yet the normalising process is not yet complete, with good reason. Nazi ideology propagated notions about society with exceptional verve. Hitler was a charismatic leader of tactical and strategic genius. Nazis invented symbolism of nationhood with enormous attractiveness to Germans. They were brilliant at melding crackpot notions of the past with the instrumentalities of contemporary technology. They had huge success in employing elements in society for their purposes and liquidating others. Yet although the Nazis were unique, they served as a model for contemporary dictatorships and continue to inspire ultra-nationalist political movements around the world. The need for sustained scrutiny of what went on in Germany under Hitler remains.
One of the subsidiary requirements is to cease reserving the spotlight exclusively for Hitler. Like other dictators, he could not have walked his long political road without leaning on the arms of the collaborators whom Read puts at the centre of his book. He turns Goering, Goebbels, Roehm, Himmler, Heydrich and Ribbentrop into principal characters in the German inter-war tragedy. Hitler comes into the chapters only as someone whom they consulted, advised and - just occasionally - criticised. Read concentrates on their early background and entry into politics as well as the jobs they discharged in the Third Reich. If he has a unifying theme, it is that the Nazi elite consisted of dynamic, ruthless politicians who had talents that could have made them successful in other arenas if they had so chosen.
The most colourful among them was Herman Goering. One of the German flying aces in the first world war, he cut a dash in business circles with his love affairs and his daredevil airplane displays. He was, however, dependent on drugs and his amorous life grew ever messier. The politics of the Weimar republic also disturbed Goering. Quickly he aligned himself with paramilitary nationalists and eventually he and Hitler found each other.
Goering was audacious, intelligent and expeditious; and he never challenged the Führer's position or ideas. The same was not true of Joseph Goebbels. Better educated than Goering and Hitler, he came late to committed anti-semitism - and indeed his wife Magda had once been the lover of the Zionist leader Victor Arlosoroff. Nor did he put total trust in Hitler's leadership until after the Nazi accession to power. Yet Hitler needed him. Goebbels had enviable skills at telling the German public what it wanted to hear while securing freedom for Hitler to do what he wanted.
Hitler rewarded both men handsomely. Goebbels got hold of homes, property and - despite Hitler's distaste - a succession of film-star mistresses on a gargantuan scale. Goering acquired more paintings by old masters than any one since the popes of the 16th century. Hitler regularly played the two men off against each other. Their rivalry served to conserve Hitler's dominance over them.
As Bertolt Brecht pointed out, the prominent figures in the Nazi elite were like the members of a street gang whose leader was Hitler. No one was allowed to get in his way. By and large, the members accepted this. Anyone who rebelled was thrown into the gutter. The most notable of these was the head of the SA (the Nazi militia), Ernst Roehm. It was Roehm's idea to put himself and the SA in the engine-house of the German military apparatus. For Hitler, this was one radical move too far, and in 1934 he ordered what became known as the "night of the long knives". Roehm was offered the chance to commit suicide. When he refused, he was shot.
Read makes clear that the gang had plenty of talented operators and that Hitler could afford to eliminate a few of them without harming Nazism's general cause. He also indicates that Hitler was often obscure in his utterances. Gang members had to divine what the Führer wanted without the meetings and correspondence used for other systems of rule. They had to carry out the tasks set for them and contribute to the growing might of the regime without interfering with his periods of rest. While the gang leader patted his alsatian dogs or relished the view over the mountains above Berchtesgaden, his cronies were frantically at work on his behalf.
Read has written a pacy book based on conventional sources. He gives sharp pen-portraits and has an eye for telling personal detail. Analysis, though, is eschewed as earnestly as the vegetarian Hitler avoided meat. Ideology and political structures hardly appear in these pages. The diaphragm of Nazism's appeal to millions of Germans is unexamined. The Wall Street crash and its effects are barely mentioned. It was a good idea to pick the Nazi elite as a topic. But this elegant book misses as many chances as British and French diplomacy did in the drift to war in the 30s.
· Robert Service's History of Modern Russia is published by Penguin; he is currently completing a biography of Stalin.