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Code: AA-2013-03
Download signed PDF Version
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504) require that qualified individuals be provided equal access to programs, services, and activities. California Government Code 11135 applies Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, as amended in 1998, to State entities and to the California State University (CSU). Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.
The CSU policy statement on accessibility is articulated in Executive Order 926. Implementation of this policy is guided by the Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) as established in Coded Memo AA-2006-41 and revised in the following coded memos: AA-2007-04, AA-2007-13, AA-2008-21, AA-2009-19, AA-2010-13, and AA-2011-21. This coded memo supersedes all previous coded memos.
All CSU programs, services, and activities should be accessible to all students, staff, faculty, and the general public. This encompasses all technology products used to deliver academic programs and services, student services, information technology services, and auxiliary programs and services.
The CSU's Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) implementation approach is driven by the following principles:
The CSU Accessible Technology Initiative targets the elimination of accessibility barriers across the university. The CSU is using a "capabilities maturity" strategy to achieve its vision for accessibility. This strategy focuses campus and system efforts on continuously improving and institutionalizing its business and academic processes that will reliably, sustainably, and successfully deliver accessible educational, administrative, and community services for all. The implementation of the ATI is based on the following key components:
Campuses are required to accomplish the ATI goals listed below. Each ATI goal is supported by a set of success indicators that describe the processes, procedures, and activities that need to be accomplished in order to meet the goal. As changes in technology occur, the success indicators may be modified following consultation with campus executive leadership.
The ATI recognizes that each CSU campus faces unique challenges with implementing the ATI. The implementation approach outlined below was therefore developed in collaboration with the Executive Sponsors Steering Committee (ESSC), the ATI Leadership Council and the ATI Priority Area Communities of Practice to ensure that campuses have adequate flexibility to manage their ATI implementation.
Each year, the CSU will make progress toward accomplishing the ATI goals by using a combination of systemwide and campus-based activities. Campuses will assess their capacity, select specific success indicators to work on, engage in a variety of projects and activities that address these success indicators, and report on their progress in the ATI Annual Reports. In addition, the ATI, in consultation with campus leaders, will select success indicators to work on collaboratively at the systemwide level.
The ATI department is part of systemwide Academic Technology Services (ATS) within the Academic Affairs division. ATS will continue supporting the ATI by providing staffing and resources. The ATI is committed to helping campuses accomplish the ATI goals by engaging in the following activities:
The ATI Steering Committee on each campus and at the Chancellor's Office will oversee the ATI implementation including reviewing and revising the ATI Campus Plan, implementing project and activities to meet ATI goals, and documenting progress toward these goals using the ATI Annual Report process. Each of these responsibilities is described in more detail below.
Each year, the campus Executive Sponsor, working with the campus ATI Steering Committee, will review and update the ATI Campus Plan to guide their implementation. The Plan will indicate the specific success indicators on which the campus will focus its efforts across the 3 priority areas. Campuses may adopt the ATI Campus Plan Template provided by the ATI or develop their own plan format. The Campus Plan Template is available on the ATI website.
When developing the Plan, campuses should consider the following information:
Ensuring the accessibility of information technology and resources is a shared responsibility of the entire campus and requires a coordinated, ongoing effort to ensure its success. Campus executive sponsors should lead the implementation effort on their campus through the following activities:
Campuses will submit an ATI Annual Report to the Chancellor's Office each year which details campus progress towards accomplishing the ATI Goals. The Chancellor's Office ATI department will provide the framework and methodology for submitting ATI annual reports to campuses.
When completing the Annual Report each year, campuses will:
The timeline associated with ATI implementation tasks is provided below.
The Chancellor's Office ATI department will support the implementation timeline through the following activities:


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Product Highlights
This item is noncancelable and nonreturnable.
This 328 ft SMPTE Hybrid opticalCON DUO to FUW LEMO Singlemode Outdoor Fiber Cable from Camplex is a SMPTE 311M compliant broadcast interconnect cable suitable for outdoor and indoor use. It features a Neutrik OpticalCON DUO NO2SX connector and FUW LEMO connector. The OpticalCON connector is COCA factory terminated and interferometrically tested to GR-326-CORE endface standards. It has common LC contacts and a mechanical shutter system that shields against endface contamination. The cable is tested for < -55dB typical return and comes with diagnostics documentation.
The opticalCON connectors are assembled using the Neutrik opticalCON ADVANCED system, which adds lockable, waterproof metal caps and rubber guards, especially critical for outdoor applications. This improves the cable protection and water resistance in long-term use.
|Connector 1
|Connector 2
|Coupling Type
|LEMO (SMPTE), OpticalCON DUO
|Cable Length
|328.1' / 100 m
|Fiber Type
|Single Mode
|Core Size
|9 �m
|Return Loss
|-55 to -45 dB
< 0.45 dB/km @ 1310 nm
< 0.45 dB/km @ 1550 nm
|Physical and Environmental
|Wire Gauge
|Operating Temperature
|-13 to 167°F / -25 to 75°C

subset: commoncrawl


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Performances & Special Events
SIGGRAPH 2009 offers a variety of one-time-only events throughout the week. They offer attendees unusual experiences that are designed to be provocative and memorable, that challenge exisiting ideas and stimulate new ones. These performances and special events go beyond the regular SIGGRAPH content to create a series of special experiences that stretch the imaginations of all SIGGRAPH 2009 attendees.
- siggraph by focus
- First-Time Attendees
- New for SIGGRAPH 2009
- Art & Design
- Education
- Games
- Music & Audio
- Production/VFX
- Professional Development
- Research
- Students
Listen to some of the city's finest music, then download the entire album for $9.99. Proceeds from album sales go to support the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp.
Listen Now! >
More Info >


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Ford plans on showing off four Mustangs here at the 2007 SEMA show, with two of the four coming from the classic customizers at Classic Design Concepts. One of the two CDC 'Stangs is a little dreamboat they're calling the '67 "Flashback" — it's actually CDC owner George Huisman's personal car. It's an all new revisioning of the '67 Mustang built from the ground up with new parts starting with a Dynacorn body authorized by Ford. Finished with a custom Metal flake Sherwin Williams Pearl Blue paint, the Flashback sits pretty on top of the 18" Forgeline wheels. Under the hood the base model — yes, you too will be able to order one of these complete from CDC — will be a 302 cubic-inch V8 with 375 HP and a 5-speed transmission, but the real fun's in the optional accessories. Like how about a 600 HP 5.4 liter supercharged V8 mated to a 6 speed Tremec transmission? Yes, please. Actually, we're just excited to see what a '67 Mustang would look like designed from the ground up today. The answer, as you can obviously tell, it that it'd be retro-cool and retro-hot. And just for you, we've got — unlike some folks out there — full frontal shots, all galleried up for your enjoyment and the press release below the jump.
October 22, 2007 - Novi, MI Baby Boomer, Baby Boomer, Baby Boomer...
Classic Design Concepts, LLC recognizes that Baby Boomers have wants... They want to rejuvenate the past, they have worked hard and want to enjoy the rewards of working hard and have the best and they demand quality. CDC recognizes the love of cars that Baby Boomers have. So CDC has designed and engineered an all new '67 Mustang—as a matter of fact they will be building four distinct versions of the '67 Mustang.
CDC will be debuting two of their four baby boomer '67 builds at the 2007 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The first of the four will be a re-creation of a base 1967 Mustang using all Ford licensed products, with a few necessary amenities to make it more appealing to today's drivers. The second will be George Huisman's vision of a '67 Mustang, code name "Flashback".
George Huisman, owner and Baby Boomer, has taken his passion of the Mustang and superb design vision to create the '67 Flashback. This vehicle is new from the ground up. Though the styling cues may shadow the past, the Flashback is loaded with modern amenities, attention to detail and quality. As a Baby Boomer, previous Concourse Judge and enthusiast, Huisman has created a vehicle with tight fit and finish on the exterior, the interior and the drive train and engine bay, while maintaining many key cues that make it a classic... An engine that is anticipating over 600 horses!
Huisman partnered with key quality-conscious aftermarket companies to create this all new "Flashback". These vehicles are not just an exercise; these will be available as complete vehicles through CDC in 2008. The vehicles can be equipped with base components, or you can add the features you want to make it your own.
Standard Equipment
Starts with a Dynacorn, Ford authorized body. This is the base to an extraordinary exterior design. The Flashbacks will be standard with the CDC redesigned, front fascia (with functional brake ducts), fog light package, bright mesh grille, rear fascia with opening for twin dual 2 7/8" exhaust tips highlighting the 2 ½" dual exhaust, functional lower side vents, molded scalloped upper sail panels, Flashback badging, taillights with integrated reverse lights, high capacity cooling system, external oil filter system, stainless steel brake, fuel and coolant lines, Ford 9" rear end, dramatically increased head and leg room, power windows, locks, and power driver seat and interior trunk release.
The standard equipment does not end there! There is also custom gauge package including: speed, tachometer, temperature, fuel, oil, boost, and fuel pressure, all built under a leather dash pad. The standard electronic air condition system provides comfortable cruising in the dead of Summer or those slow moving parades. The standard center console with shifter, secondary gauges, cup holders and storage adds the perfect touch of current amenities while maintaining some key classic touches. Yet another touch of Huisman style, stitched leather sport seats and fold down rear seat. The CDC engineered and designed modular interior includes door panels, headliner, rear seat panels, rear sail panels, resulting in a 2008 standard of fit and finish. The stereo system is a JVC Bongiovi tuned head unit with a Rockford Fosgate components and amplifiers. All in all, the standard features alone make a high end package, now for the options.
Optional Equipment
With the extensive list of standard equipment what is left for options? Plenty.... A prospective owner can choose from a laundry list of high quality suspension options from RRS. This vehicle will be equipped with the RRS Phase 4 package. This package includes front 13.6" two piece molycarbide rotors, directional vented, six piston calipers, and adjustable performance shocks with fully adjustable ride height. The rear brake kit is 12.5" Molycarbide rotor. All of this fitted to a Watts link rear suspension with extra long torque tube and fully adjustable rear height coil over shocks. The engine that these components will support is the 600 HP 5.4 liter supercharged V8 and a 6 speed Tremec transmission. This Flashback will be equipped with the CDC designed heat extracting Cowl Hood with built in turn signal indicators. This custom painted Metal flake Sherwin Williams Pearl Blue Flashback is highlighted with 18" Forgeline Wheels color matched to the stripe on vehicle. This car is the ultimate Baby Boomer's build.


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Big Island: 50s Highway Fountain
There's a '50s diner in Laupahoehoe. Sure, why not?
'50s Highway Fountain, complete with jukeboxes, booths and black-and-white checkered floors, only opened in 2004, but it's filled with enough relics (Elvis paraphernalia, vintage Coke posters and classic model cars) that it feels '50s era-ish. And it's got at least one thing over a diner in Anytown, USA: The back dining room looks straight out over the Pacific.
More authentic diners along Route 66 would also have a hard time beating the freshness of Highway Fountain's fish and chips. When we go, a light and crispy beer batter reveals moist and meaty ono. Hamburgers are made with Big Island beef, with just the right amount of char. Fries and a malted vanilla milk shake complete the nostalgic trifecta.
And though it might be easy to forget we are still in Hawaii, the menu has all the local favorites, from loco moco to pork katsu.
It's the perfect pit stop, on the one island that might actually warrant such things as road trips. I'd even go so far to say, with its food and friendly servers, it's a destination in itself.
35-2704 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Laupahoehoe, Hawaii Island, (808)962-0808, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Back-to-the-50s-Highway-Fountain/116767694341?sk=wall


text: From: beowulf-bounces at beowulf.org [mailto:beowulf-bounces at beowulf.org] On Behalf Of Peter St. John Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 10:23 AM To: Beowulf List Subject: [Beowulf] modular motherboard prototype Slashdot pointed out a prototype modular motherboard; a big mobo is made from snapping together a bunch of little ones: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/modular-motherboard/ 'David Ackley, associate professor of computer science at the University of New Mexico and one of the contributors to the project [says] "We have a CPU, RAM, data storage and serial ports for connectivity on every two square inches." ' ... Each X Machina module has a 72 MHz processor (currently an ARM chip), a solid state drive of 16KB and 128KB of storage in an EEPROM ... chip. There's also an LED for display output and a button for user interaction.' The modules share power & data through a single connector, recognize the presence of neighbors and can load each others programs automatically. If the connectors are the usual male/female (not certain from the picture) then snapping them together would be a bear, since the vertical pair of pins wouldn't be aligned when the horizontal pair hasn't been snapped in yet, and vice versa. Peter ---- There are lots of hermaphroditic connectors around, or, for that matter, you arrange both male and female contacts in the connector. There is probably also a relative orientation requirement for these boards.. e.g. they are all in a plane, and they all have to have the same 2D rotational orientation (North up on all boards, or something similar), so then you could have gendered connectors, and still flexible interconnects.. The left side has female, the right male, for instance. In the case of the Illuminato boards, it looks like they're simple female 0.1" spaced connectors, and you'd put a 7x1 pin header in between to connect them. (it might be a 2x7 array for 14 pins.. the picture isn't totally clear on the website. These days, with high speed serial interconnects, especially with wireless (optical or RF), one should be able to build nodes that can be literally thrown together any old way, except for the power. And there are solutions for power distribution as well. The folks doing swarms and emergent behavior are big into this kind of thing. AS far as the architecture goes, I wonder if these guys ever looked at transputers and their related architectures. And anyone on this list is well aware that the real challenge isn't the hardware, but the software, and making use of that amorphous blob of processing with random interconnects for anything other than "toy" applications. As the Wired article says: "..there are many details that need to be worked out..." "..haven't benchmarked .. power consumption and speed.." We can guess, though.. It's an ARM running at 72 MHz, for which they claim 64 Dhrystone MIPS. Some of those are going to be burned in interprocess communication. The LPC2368 (which is what they use) datasheet says it draws 125mA at 3.3V running at 72MHz. (I'm pretty sure that doesn't include power to drive I/O pins, which is separately supplied). That's about half a watt. So they're getting about 128 DMIPS/Watt. Let's compare to, say, a Core2 Duo at 2.4GHz, with 7000 DMIPS, burning about 35W, or 200 DMIPS/Watt. They're in the same ballpark, but I suspect that in a "real" system doing "real" work, the overhead moving data from one tiny processor to another will consume easily half of the overall resources. SO right now, this is a cute toy. I wouldn't mind having a few dozen modules to fool with. (they're about $60 each) (compare also, what if you went out and got a box of Gumstix) Jim


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I went to the grocery store over the weekend, and while I was there my husband texted and asked me to pick up a can of red hair spray for his Halloween Costume (he dressed up as Ron Weasley). I went to the Halloween section, which just days before had been full of costumes, candy, and Halloween decor. But now, just 3 days before Halloween, the section was reduced to a measly and picked over half-aisle. I wandered down the aisles to see if there were any other Halloween supplies, but only found aisle after aisle of Christmas merchandise. It was red and green as far as the eye could see.
It's all a little bit ridiculous, isn't it? Christmas seems to come earlier every year. I'm just not ready for it — for all the holiday crowds and obnoxious renditions of Jingle Bells playing on repeat in department stores (does a non-obnoxious version of Jingle Bells exist?).
And yet, here I am posting about Christmas on Halloween. I'm just as bad as the grocery store, apparently.
But, the actual recipe has nothing to do with Christmas. The recipe is for Crema Di Limoncello, which is a creamy lemon liqueur that can be enjoyed year-round. I made a batch of limoncello a couple of weeks ago, with the idea of getting a head start on my Christmas presents this year. You see, I make most of my Christmas gifts by hand and so I figured that if I got started on gifts in October, then I'd be less stressed in December.
This idea was good in theory, until my husband and I consumed all the limoncello (OK, we didn't consume all of it…I did swap some of it at the last PDX Food Swap). Oops. This stuff is dangerously delicious. I suppose this is one gift I'll have to wait and make in December, as it simply won't last long at our house. It is too good!
That being said, maybe I shouldn't recommend that you make limoncello for Christmas gifts. Maybe you should just make a batch and drink it with friends and loved ones. However, if you're one of my friends or loved ones, you probably shouldn't make any as I will most likely be giving you a bottle for Christmas. ;)
Anyway…Happy Halloween (and Happy Reformation Day)! I'm going to celebrate with a big bowl of pumpkin curry, and I might just drink the last few drops of limoncello that I have left. Be warm, safe, and happy tonight.
Crema di Limoncello
Adapted from Vanilla Garlic
(**Note the original recipe makes twice this amount. My recipe starts with a pint of Everclear, as opposed to a full 750ml bottle. In addition, the ratio of milk to alcohol is 2 to 1, and yet this limoncello still packs a punch. I was dubious about the 4 cups of milk to 2 cups of Everclear, but it works, trust me.)
5 lemons
2 cups Everclear (You could substitute another brand of vodka in this recipe, but Everclear has a higher alcohol content than other vodkas. If you use another vodka, reduce the amount of milk used)
4 cups of whole milk
1.5 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (or half a a vanilla bean)
Cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer
Zest the lemons (using a grater, or by peeling strips off with a knife/peeler). Place Everclear and lemon zest into a jar and seal. Store in a cool, dry place for one week (or more. I let mine steep for two weeks). Strain using cheesecloth or strainer to remove zest.
In a small pot or saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat. Add in the sugar and the vanilla, and cook (stirring frequently) until the sugar has dissolved. Remove milk mixture from heat and allow to cool.
Once cool, mix milk and infused Everclear together in a large bowl or pitcher. Funnel into bottles, jars, or other tightly sealed containers. Store in the fridge or freezer. Serve chilled.
Note: Limoncello is usually served as an after dinner cocktail. I like to serve it in small glasses, poured straight out of the freezer. The colder the better!


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Gifts from God
Wende Trew 1/2/2007 3:51:20 PMThis is a wonderful portrait Tammy!!! Your lighting is fabulous!!! #581406
Lindley Johnson 1/2/2007 4:07:26 PMBeautiful portrait, Tammy! #3773326
Janine Russell 1/2/2007 5:05:08 PMTammy, very nice clarity and lighting. #3773511
Donna K. Kilcher 1/2/2007 5:28:22 PMvery beautiful #3773583
Chastity Abbott 1/2/2007 5:35:41 PMBeautiful lighting! LOVE the angle of the bodies as they lean into one another and the eye contact! Beautiful~ #3773614
Jill E. Curnutt-Howerton 1/2/2007 6:20:06 PMThis is gorgeous!!!!
Shawna Engols 1/2/2007 7:22:00 PMExcellent photo. Love the lighting and arrangement, looks natural. Love it! #3774051
Kay E. Mahoney 1/2/2007 8:17:13 PMBeautiful capture. #3774177
Valarie Paris 1/3/2007 2:14:46 PMAbsolutely gorgeous! The tones are awesome, lighting is excellent. Great job! #3777265
Cindy Harter 1/30/2007 10:06:40 AMThis is my absolute favorite in your gallery and you have so many amazing images!!! Your lighting is to die for!! #3891891
Christy Nichols 2/24/2007 12:12:21 PMThis is beautiful, Tammy! Congratulations! #3982935
Janine Russell 2/24/2007 3:07:34 PMTammy, congratulations on your finalist. #3984809
Crystal L. Craig 2/24/2007 4:18:54 PMCongratulations Tammy on making finalist! Wonderful portrait work! #3985458
Kay E. Mahoney 2/25/2007 6:24:24 AMCongratulations on your beautiful finalist. Good luck in the next round. #3989973
Jolynne Woodcock 2/25/2007 8:31:57 PMBeautiful Tammy! #3994733
Liz Hincka 2/28/2007 5:13:00 PMYour work is always beautiful. Wonderful porttait. #4008483
session in my studio
Uploaded on 1/2/2007 3:49:41 PM
Camera: Nikon D2X Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Tammy L. Jolley. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


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New Moon, Rising Stocks
Making money in the financial markets has never been easy.
Whether it's through macroeconomic analysis, technical tools, algorithmic trading, or just old wives' tales—"sell in May and go away" springs to mind–investors have often searched for any kind of advantage.
With this in mind, those seeking their fortunes through the equity markets may well find help from above, as moon phases could influence financial markets–at least according to www.FutureAnalyser.com.
The group has studied all the lunar cycles between 1915 and 1994, comparing these with the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and has concluded:
"There is a strong correlation between the period when the seen part of the Moon increases in size and the price of the stocks going up; and between the last 14 days of the lunar month (visible part of the Moon getting smaller) and the price of the stocks going down."
So you've been told. When in difficulty, look to the heavens.


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President Signs Disaster Relief for Black Hills
President Obama signed the disaster declaration pledging funds to help 14 South Dakota counties and two Native American Reservations financial help to recover from the October blizzard.
The storm dumped over four feet of snow in areas of western South Dakota, causing an estimated $38 million in damage including tens of thousands of head of cattle. The disaster declaration allows the federal government to cover up to 75% of eligible costs.
Six counties experienced record snowfall October 4-5, 2013. Counties eligible for assistance are Butte, Corson, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Haakon, Harding, Jackson, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Perkins, Shannon and Ziebach, as well as the Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge reservations.


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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Baggies turn down Odemwingie request
West Brom have rejected a transfer request from striker Peter Odemwingie, the club's sporting and technical director, Richard Garlick, has confirmed.
Odemwingie is a target for QPR who have already had a bid of £2 million turned down by Albion during the current transfer window.
Garlick stressed that the Baggies have "no need" to sell any of their players.
Odemwingie has played a leading role in Albion establishing themselves in the Barclays Premier League and has been their top scorer for the past two seasons.
West Brom are keen to hold onto the services of a player who has 18 months remaining of a three- year contract.
Garlick said: "Peter is hugely popular with our supporters and it is disappointing that he has decided to hand in a transfer request.
"It was immediately turned down and has done nothing to change our stance during January.
"Peter is under contract until the summer of 2014 and we have no need or desire to sell our core players. We want to keep the squad intact to enable us to build on an encouraging first six months of the season."
Baggies head coach Steve Clarke has also delivered the same message on several occasions since the transfer window opened on January 1.
West Brom have also already rejected a £5 million bid from QPR for central defender Jonas Olsson.


text: Hi all! We have a cluster consisting of 30 athlon 2000+ nodes on a KT3 Ultra MS-6380E mainboard (using ide discs) connected by a fast Ethernet network. For the nodes we use 2U chassis, and the NIC and the graphic card sit on a PCI-301 riser card. We are experiencing odd problems; On one of the nodes we can newer get the network to function, there are messages about bus-master dirty, PCI bus error, etc, and we never get any contact with the rest of the cluster. The other nodes "seem" to work OK, but for some parallel applications one or more of the nodes just "give up" after some time, and in those cases we get similar messages as above - but it have also happened that a node just died in which case we have to use the reset button to get it back. We start to suspect that mainboard and the riser card are in some way incompatible, but we would greatly appreciate any hints of other reasons for these problems. /jon


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LearnYuWenInc necesitaba un nuevo diseño de impreso o envases y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 11 diseños de 4 diseñadores freelance.
East West Language, Business and Culture Institute
We are passionate and well-seasoned educators focused on your business, travel, and communication needs in Chinese, English, and Spanish. We are dedicated to bringing you functional and practical knowledge of Chinese language, culture, business practices, and customs to help you effectively operate in China. We also have deep experience and expertise in teaching English and Spanish.
Business professionals conducting business with China or Chinese doing business in the USA. These are busy professionals in the downtown Boston area. Our proximity to the central Boston business area is an important selling point. The prospects would generally be over 30. They are business owners or mid-level to high-level employees in their companies.
1 Letter sized brochure, front and back.
We do not have a logo to use.
You do not have to match the colors of our website. Use any colors you feel are appropriate.
Include information about some the classes we're offering:
Include information about our company contact information (address, website, email, phone, etc.):
Style should be modern business professional. Incorporate a small amount of Chinese elements in the design in an effort to show that our company bridges the gap between East and West.
You may use stock photos in the design.
Files Required
* 300 dpi PDF for printing
* 72 dpi JPG for web
* Original file from designer (Photoshop, InDesign, etc) with all layers and supporting files needed, including fonts if possible.


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USA Calls Our Boomers Annoying As They Make It To Semis
In a glowing piece about Australia's Olympic basketballers, the esteemed Wall Street Journal said "they take pride in being annoying".
It was meant in the nicest possible way.
The Boomers were at their annoying best against Lithuania in their Olympic quarter-final in Rio on Wednesday.
The 90-64 thrashing was some sort of payback against the world No.3 Lithuanians who have twice knocked Australia out of a medal at the Olympics.
Patty Mills darting about court and potting three pointers would have annoyed them.
Aaron Baynes' top knot is annoying, but his strength, size and scoring power under the basket must have annoyed them even more.
Lithuania's free throw percentage of 33 annoyed coach Jonas Kazlauskas.
Andrew Bogut's deft hand-off around the massive body of Lithuanian enforcer Jonas Valanciunas to Baynes to dunk definitely annoyed big Jonas.
And the way Damian Martin from the little old Perth Wildcats shut down Lithuania's points-scoring machine Mantas Kalnietis annoyed the vocal Lithuanian crowd.
But there was nothing more annoying than that Lithuanian crowd.
Passionate and loud in their red, gold and green, many of them travel the world following their national team in their national sport.
And they let you know they're in the house.
Whistling, jeering, booing, blowing horns whenever Australia had the ball, chanting "Lietuva, Lietuva" when they didn't.
"We didn't hear it, we're locked into what we're trying to do," Bogut said.
"European crowds, they throw everything at you, clappers, vuvuzelas, you try to block it out."
The American media can no longer block out the prospect of Australia challenging the US, especially after they pushed the Dream Team in their pool match last week.
The Wall Street Journal is part of a wave in American media taking notice of, and admiring, the Boomers.
The Americans have seen many of them for a while in the NBA and grown to respect them.
Especially the likes of Mills ("faster than almost anyone in the league", says the WSJ), Bogut (sets "the vicious screens") and Matthew Dellavedova ("the NBA's foremost pest").
The Journal says the Australians are "the guys who everyone wants on their teams", they're selfless, they're role players and they're not intimidated.
They're even "the country that could beat the US in the Olympics".
Now, that would be annoying.


text: The iPhone platformer Demolition Dash just got a free update by developer dreamfab. The developers fixed some bugs, made loading times shorter, improved background music and made the first level of the game a big easier for the noobs who try the game for the first time. There aren't any big new things in this update, it's more of a fix for some nasty things that were in the prior version of the game. The Endless Run mode will be released in the version 2.0 of the game, it's due to come out soon.


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Find hotels in Forestville using the list and search tools below. Search for cheap and discounted hotel and motel rates in or close to Forestville, MD for your corporate or personal leisure travel. We show the best Forestville Maryland hotel rooms. Review the Forestville hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. We also have a map of the Forestville hotels. Booking 5+ Rooms? Find Forestville Group Hotel Rates
The Forestville center is approximately the area of Capital Sports Complex and 3 miles southeast of Southeast.
How should we direct your call?


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PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. -- A bill that bans the use of elephants in circuses and other forms of entertainment is headed to Governor Andrew Cuomo's office for his signature, following passage in both houses of the New York State legislature.
The Elephant Protection Act originated and was lobbied for by students of the Pace University Environmental Policy Clinic in conjunction with State Senator Terrence Murphy (R-40) and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88). The bill cites the "physical and psychological harm due to the living conditions and treatment to which [elephants] are subjected."
Students of Pace's Environmental Policy Clinic devoted their spring semester to assuring passage of the legislation, which would make New York the first state in the nation to institute such a ban. They maintain that the methods used to train elephants have a direct impact on the survival of the species.
"The Elephant Protection Act reflects the values of my generation, who don't want animals to suffer for the sake of human entertainment," said Paola Idrovo, a student in Pace's Environmental Policy Clinic. "Through the experience of writing and lobbying for the bill, we gained a first-hand understanding about the cruelty to which entertainment elephants are subjected and how that threatens the entire species."
During their research of circus living conditions, students uncovered that many elephants in captivity spend a large portion of their lives on the road, crammed inside trucks, trains and trailers. Once freed, they are poked, prodded and shocked into performing tricks for entertainment.
Students and faculty hope that the bill will protect elephants in captivity and allow those in the wild to flourish as a species. "Given the global controversy about elephants in the wild, New York State has a duty to end these practices that foster false values and misinformation about the species," said Michelle Land, Pace clinical professor of environmental law and policy.
The Pace Environmental Policy Clinic trains undergraduate students through a program of learning and service which encourages students to apply their Pace University education to the solutions of real-world problems in the professional world. For more information, click here.


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New York, October 8, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Chinese government to end its pointless attempts to block the news by blacking out domestic and foreign media coverage of the Norwegian Nobel Committee's announcement awarding jailed human rights activist Liu Xiaobo the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.
According to foreign news agencies' reports from China, news of the award is almost non-existent in
Researchers at
Despite such efforts to suppress the news, social media websites and telephone texting have spread the story widely. This recalls a similar reaction in Tibet in March 2008, when activists and visitors used cell phones to spread images of civil unrest there, thwarting efforts by the Chinese government to suppress the news.
In announcing the award, the Nobel
Committee said, "The campaign to establish
universal human rights also in
An English language statement from Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu posted on the ministry's website responded: "This is an obscenity against the peace prize. Liu's actions are diametrically opposed to the aims of the Nobel Prize. Nobel's behest was that the Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to somebody who promoted peace between peoples, promoted international friendship and disarmament." The Chinese language version of the statement can be found here.
Liu, 54, was sentenced to an 11-year term on subversion
charges on December 25, 2009. A longtime activist
who had spent several years in prison during the 1990s, he was arrested
in December
2008, the day before a manifesto he wrote with other dissidents and
academics appeared on the Internet. That manifesto, Charter
'08, demanded guarantees of civil liberties, judicial independence and the
end to the Communist Party's hold on state power. The Nobel committee cited
Liu's role in the
Liu's final statement before being jailed, I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement, is available in English on the web site China Digital Times. The site also has a link to the original version in Chinese.


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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Barry University women's basketball team will play at Eckerd 2 p.m. Saturday.
The game will be broadcast on the RADIOand VIDEO. Fans can follow along via LIVE STATS as well.
Barry (8-5, 1-3 Sunshine State Conference) is trying to put an end to a two-game skid after falling in a narrow loss to No. 3 Nova Southeastern Wednesday. Eckerd (7-6, 1-3) has lost its last two.
The Tritons have won the last two games in the series, but Barry owns the overall lead in the series, 33-19. Barry is 13-9 on the road when the two teams meet.
Liga Vente is averaging 12.5 points and 8.2 rebounds, and Amy Buccila (11.0) and Kayla Bowlin (10.7) are both scoring in double figures for the Tritons. Bowlin leads the team in assists at 4.3 per game. Eckerd is scoring 65 points per game.
Buccaneers junior guard Ines Kerin ranks 19th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.12). She leads the SSC in that category. Senior guard/forward Tyler Hardy is the nation's 28th leading scorer at 19.8 points per game. She leads the league in scoring. Hardy also ranks 23rd in the nation in field goal percentage (56.9). She is pulling down 8.6 rebounds per game.
The Bucs are scoring 73.5 points per game.


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Kate Buesser netted three goals in Harvard's 8-3 win over St. Lawrence Saturday (Gil Talbot).
Katey Stone Postgame Comments
Kate Buesser Postgame Comments
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior Kate Buesser posted Harvard's first hat trick of the season as the Harvard women's hockey team netted four goals each in the first and third periods of an 8-3 win over St. Lawrence in the ECAC quarterfinals, Saturday at Bright Hockey Center. With the win, the Crimson sweeps the quarterfinal series with the Saints and advances to the ECAC semifinals for the 12th consecutive season.
Harvard matched its first-period output from game one, scoring four goals in the opening frame to take a 4-0 edge in to the first break. Buesser started the scoring for Harvard at 5:03, putting home passes from Katharine Chute and Ashley Wheeler for an early 1-0 edge. Wheeler was the next scorer, putting home her fourth goal of the season just 11 seconds in to Harvard's first power-play of the game at 7:10.
Gina McDonald worked her way onto the scoresheet at the 16:05 mark, netting her second goal of the season off feeds from Whitney Kennedey and Kelsey Romatoski. Buesser notched her second goal of the night, burying the puck off assists from Josephine Pucci and Chute on a Harvard power-play with one minute left in the period. The Crimson outshot the Saints 18-6 in the period and entered the first break with a four-goal lead.
St. Lawrence managed to draw blood past the halfway point of the second as Vanessa Emond took advantage of a Harvard penalty to make the score 4-1 at 12:02. Rylee Smith closed the gap to 4-2, 3:28 later when she picked off a pass in the Harvard zone and bested Laura Bellamy on an unassisted effort. A second goal from Emond with just 37 seconds to play in the second period shrunk the Harvard lead to one and the Crimson went into the locker room clinging to a 4-3 advantage. The Saints held a 13-7 edge in shots in the second stanza.
The Crimson needed exactly one minute to build its lead back to three goals as Buesser completed her hat trick just 15 seconds into the third frame, blasting home a shot from the right faceoff circle. Jillian Dempsey followed with her third goal of the series just 45 seconds later, sliding home a Leanna Coskren feed to push the score to 6-3. Dempsey added another tally, this time on a power-play, depositing a close range shot off feeds from Liza Ryabkina and Pucci. Marissa Gedman capped Harvard's offensive outburst with 4:40 left to play, winging a puck the length of the ice for an empty-net goal to seal the 8-3 final.
Bellamy finished the game with 23 saves and the Crimson converted three of eight power-play chances. Pucci logged three assists on the night and Coskren, Chute and Romatoski all finished with a pair of helpers each.
The Crimson will now host either Dartmouth or Quinnipiac in the ECAC semifinals, Thursday, March 3. Fifth-seeded Quinnipiac secured a spot in the semifinals with a 2-0 series win over fourth-seed Princeton, and six-seed Clarkson and three-seed Dartmouth are tied at 1-1 in their quarterfinal series.


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Connexion.org: An LGBT Social Networking Website
By Kevin Maloney
March 15, 2011
I reached out to connexion.org and an admin of the site replied to me with the below information. Personally. I have been a member of connexion.org for a long time now and compared to MH, A4A and numerous other sites I find this site to be top notch. They do not allow nude photos, and they have a verification process whereby you can have your picture certified or "authenticated." They have instant message and video capabilities built into the site as well. You can post questions on their message boards and participate in one of their groups. You can also import your blog, and favorite music. You can taylor your profile to your liking. This site is the LGBT facebook of the internet. They have various groups you can join and one such group is a HIV positive support group.
If you are looking for quick sex then stick with MH, or A4A. If you are looking for quality conversation, and dating then I would prefer connexion.org. Though I cannot discount that no matter which site you meet from, as connexion says, "anything is possible when two people meet."
Message From Connexion.org
Tim Gill, founder of Quark, Inc. and the Gill Foundation (advocates for LGBT equality) started Connexion in 2003. Connexion.org is a LGBT social networking site with over 175,000 active members worldwide. Members of Connexion.org enjoy access to a variety of features that help bring the gay community together. These include: daily news feeds, community message boards, calendars, instant messaging, email, party and social invites, and updates on philanthropic and LGBT community events. While not specifically a dating site, Connexion believes that anything is possible when two people chat. Membership is free.
With regard to HIV, Connexion took an innovative and unique approach to enabling users to self identify as HIV-positive. While most sites allow users to select negative or positive, Connexion felt that forcing users to choose leads to deception from people not ready to disclose their HIV status and a false sense of security that the person you are chatting with is actually negative. Instead, Connexion gave users the option to disclose that they are HIV positive if they choose to, but didn't give an option to state that you are negative. This was seen as a way to allow newly positive people to not have to lie about their status until they were ready to disclose it, without asking them to lie about being negative.
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adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)
Rising Up and Speaking Out About HIV and Hepatitis C
Kevin Maloney
Random things about me: I am kind, caring, respectful and wanting to make a difference/impact in the World. I've been to Australia, New Zealand and 13 countries in Europe, and have traveled and lived all over the United States. I have a Bachelor's degree in Health Services Management and will be working towards my Master's In Public Health. I am an uncle of two of the MOST adorable girls in the World, and have one brother. I am a Momma's boy, and it is hard to see my mother's health in such a deteriorated state -- she has severe COPD (from 40 years of smoking). In March 2010 I was told that I have HIV and a month later, with follow-up labs, was then told I also acquired hepatitis C (not through IV drug use). I aspire to great things. Stay tuned.
Check out Kevin's YouTube channel!
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Recent Posts:
January 23, 2013 - Take a Photo and Be Part of the "No Shame About Being HIV Positive" Campaign! A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney
September 21, 2012 - Contest: Write a Poem About HIV/AIDS and/or Hepatitis C and Win a Gift Card of Your Choice -- A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney
August 26, 2012 - A Letter From My Dad Regarding Life Challenges, My New Career Path and My Recent Award: A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney
April 26, 2012 - Join the Campaign to Trend #HIV #AIDS and #IAC on Twitter During the International AIDS Conference: A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney
March 5, 2012 - Tell Gilead to Reduce the Cost of HIV Medications Now! A Blog Entry by Kevin Maloney
A Brief Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself.


text:
Baby Ferrari cotton Shield cap
Scuderia Ferrari Store Exclusive
In iconic Ferrari red, this cap with its flat visor is dedicated to the team's future fans.
Made from soft cotton twill and featuring an elasticated band at the back, this sporty cap is designed to gently embrace and protect the baby's head. The Ferrari Shield on the front and Scuderia Ferrari logo on the side point to its sports DNA, while the embroidered Italian flag on the rim is an emblem of the Italian pride of the Maranello team and its fans.
- Elasticated rear band
- Composition: 100% Cotton
We offer both Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at checkout.
We provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure.


text:
Alan Carr: I won't be a sycophant
Alan Carr has admitted that he worries what his Hollywood guests make of him.
The star said he would hate to be a "sycophantic" chat show host, but that he wonders whether his A-list guests think that he goes too far.
He told What's On TV: "It's always the worry that they'll come on and look at me thinking: 'Has he won a competition?'
"You see them looking at their agent off-camera mouthing: 'Help' when I offer them fish and chips or a green drink!"
He added: "Sometimes I worry about pushing things too far, but I don't want to be one of those chat show hosts that are really sycophantic. I like to sail close to the wind!"
Alan is preparing for his one-off Chatty Man Summer Special, with Vin Diesel, Miranda Hart and The Inbetweeners cast as guests and Rizzle Kicks performing.
"It's a mix of what I'd normally do for my Summertime Specstacular and Chatty Man shows. But it's longer - at an hour and a half - and bigger. There's more of a summertime feel, with a barbecue, water fights, swing ball and me in Speedos! It should be a lot of fun," he said.


text:
Removing bias from survey answers about the future
I recently had the pleasure of seeing Guy Currier, of Ziff-Davis Enterprise, give a talk about their research on spending. His approach seemed more like an engineering analysis than what I've come to expect from a survey-based researcher. And that is a GOOD thing.
The breath of fresh air in his presentation was simple: he had "confidence factors" or "proposed adjustments" for survey results based on historical data that points our bias toward what I refer to as "out with the old, and in with the new."
I've grown to hate research which is simply a list of questions asked and answers given. We all answer questions with a bias - in my observation, generally because we are all positive and hopeful about a better tomorrow.
This generally means we believe in "out with the old, and in with the new." So, Fortran, COBOL, mainframes and old fashioned servers would seem on the way out. Hence, surveys predict their demise more quickly than what their action actually cause. All of these are far to useful to dump as quickly as we might think as we answer surveys.
As for "in with the new category" - surveys tell us Java is growing quickly, VOIP can't happen fast enough, the future is all about services oriented architectures (SOA) and software as a service (Saas), we are shifting a lot to business-process outsourcing and RFID are all in our immediate future. Guy showed us data that told a different story. Each of these will get its share of spending - but "in with the new" happens at a different rate than we tend to optimistically predict.
I don't mind the optimism we show in our survey answers - I think it is healthy. But if you are planning a business, it seems to me that before you believe this year's spending surveys - you should do two things:
(1) look at how accurate prior surveys are
(2) put yourself in the decision-makers shoes, and consider what they will really do
For (1), Guy took an addition step and actually saw consistency in the biases year-after-year and has proposed adjustment which seem pretty stable. As I watched him explain item by item, I realized that this was simply what I call "out with the old, and in with the new" bias.
For (2), Guy suggested in his articles that items which can show very short term savings will be funded much more easily in this climate than those with long term benefits.
With optimism, we all bias our survey answers toward "out with the old, and in with the new" but when reality hits we go with the proven and trusted solutions more than we'd like to admit, and our management approves spending most easily on that which shows a quick return.
While that seems obvious - I still found it refreshing to have a research stand-up and try to quantify it - and give us details we could trust more than just the survey results from this year.
Guy's article which is closest to the talk that I saw is at http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Research/Finding-a-Happy-Medium along with information on how to reach him.


text: GNOME(1) General Commands Manual GNOME(1) NAME GNOME Default session configuration file. The /usr/share/gnome/default.session file contains a list of programs to be launched the first time a user logs into the GNOME environment. The format of the file is the one used by the gnome_config libraries, and it looks like this: [Section] SEQID,id=uniqueID SEQID,Priority=PRIO SEQID,RestartCommand=command num_clients=TOP There are three possible names for Section And they are: Default This specifies the Default session to load Chooser Lets the user configure which non-session aware programs should be started up when the session begins Warner Since the gnome_config file format is not very flexible, an array of data is emulated by listing starting from 0 chunks of "id,Prior- ity,RestartCommand", and at the end the num_clients variable lists the number of chunks listed. The uniqueid key provides a name that is unique within this file and passed to the app as the client id which it must use to register with gnome-session. The RestartCommand specifies the command to run from the $PATH. The Priority determines the order in which the commands are started (with Priority = 0 first) and defaults to 50. The clients must be numbered from 0 to the value of num_clients-1 GNOME 1.0 GNOME(1)


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Dora Marquez, as the pint-sized global superstar herself might say, has gotten muy grande.
The beloved cartoon character first walked her tiny feet into the hearts of children 14 years ago with the premiere of "Dora the Explorer" as part of Nickelodeon's preschool programming block. Save for a few glimpses of her future self in a couple of TV specials and a doll, Dora has barely looked a day older than 7 in her run of 200 episodes.
Now, a new look is coming to the old favorite in a very big way.
"Dora and Friends: Into the City," a spinoff of sorts to "Dora the Explorer," launches Monday on Nickelodeon. The bilingual tot with the unmistakable bangs is looking more akin to a 10-year-old. She is taller, her hair longer, her wardrobe less boxy. She has ears and eyebrows.
It's a risky move for the Viacom-owned cable network to change such a cherished character. But her maturation allows Nickelodeon to expand the Dora franchise (including the "Go, Diego, Go!" spinoff) even further while keeping "Dora the Explorer" alive. And it lands as the network carries ratings momentum with its preschool programming after being challenged last year by Disney's newly formed kiddie channel Disney Junior.
Nickelodeon stands as the ruler of the sandbox, with four of the top five preschool programs, according to Nielsen Co. Only PBS' "Curious George" at No. 2 has been able to crack that list. Despite being an oldie, "Dora the Explorer" is still kicking, ranking No. 6. The program that averaged 2 million viewers when it launched still commands 1.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and she remains a lucrative franchise with $13 billion in retail sales.
Teri Weiss, Nickelodeon's executive vice president of preschool programming, pointed to Dora's longevity and global appeal as indicative of why the gamble was worth taking.
"Aging-up a cartoon, especially one kids are so protective of, is not something you can necessarily do with every series," Weiss said. "I think that because she has a continuous appeal to new generations of Dora fans, it seemed like the type of property that if we were going to do this sort of extension, this sort of growing-up move, it would be the one to go with. In some ways, that protectiveness is our safety net."
Despite her preteen look, the older Dora is not necessarily intended for older kids. The show's target audience, much like "Dora the Explorer," is the preschool set of 2- to 5-year-olds. Older Dora is meant as a companion piece — an aspirational figure to little ones — according to creators Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes, who also were behind the original show.
Gone are the rain forest and Dora's trusty sidekick, Boots the monkey. The aged-up Dora takes on city life and is in a school where she has human friends who take part in real-life and magical adventures. She's armed with a magical charm bracelet, and in a true sign of the times, her dependable Map has been upgraded to a Map app on her phone. Music is also a heavy player in the new series.
The Latina heroine still seeks the participation of viewers and continues to mix in Spanish words, but she is presenting curriculum that is aimed slightly older and is dealing with themes such as community service and friendship skills.
"It's been great for us to think about modeling friendship skills," Walsh Valdes said. "There has been so much attention now to how kids are getting along. Bullying has become such a large issue.... There's this whole life that Dora has now as part of a peer group that we can really exploit to come up with great, unique stories that we can't really explore in the other series."
Gifford maintains that older Dora still has the moxie that her young admirers have come to appreciate.
"She's still our girl," Gifford said. "And it's still a heroes' journey, but there are many more reversals and twists and turns and surprises. After doing eight seasons of 'Dora the Explorer' and four of 'Go, Diego, Go!' it was nice to do something that was a little more narratively driven, character driven."
Nickelodeon's approach to the evolution of Dora is unique and worth noting, said Sandra L Calvert, director of the Children's Digital Media Center at Georgetown University.
"Kids become so attached and develop intense relationships with characters when they're young," she said. "And then they outgrow them because animated characters often don't age up, but children do. So children, in essence, break up with characters. Older Dora could allow for a longer-lasting relationship. It'll be interesting to see how long kids will stick with her now."
The idea to have Dora mature, albeit it modestly, has been explored before. Viewers got a glimpse of a less polished older Dora in the 2009 holiday special "Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure." Also in 2009, in the "Dora's Explorer Girls" special, viewers met a preteen Dora — whose look was the basis for this version — as she experienced her first concert. To promote the special, Nickelodeon teamed with Mattel to create a preteen Dora doll with new friends called the Dora Links Dolls, which initially generated concern about what an older Dora would look like.
"I totally understand why the parents are so protective of Dora," Walsh Valdes said. "She will continue to be a great role model for kids. And that won't change with this new show. I guarantee it."
Older Dora also will likely remain a money maker. To coincide with the expansion, Nickelodeon teamed with Fisher-Price to release interactive dolls, play sets and accessories that launched this month. Nickelodeon has signed more than 130 new licenses across apparel, publishing, home goods, electronics and other products for fall and early 2015.
And, who knows? It could lead to a teenage Dora, a twentysomething Dora — eh, not so fast, Weiss said.
"We're kind of taking it one step at a time, but we are hopeful this show will really connect with kids," she said. "We spent 14 years making 'Dora the Explorer.' Wouldn't it be fantastic to spend 14 years making 'Dora and Friends'? So maybe in maybe in 14 years, we'll check back in with her."
Twitter: @villarrealy


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SCC Inducts Students into Phi Theta Kappa
The Somerset Community College Omicron Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the academic honor society for two-year colleges, recently held an induction ceremony for new members.
In order to qualify for admission to Phi Theta Kappa, a student must have a 3.5 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and have earned at least 12 transferable hours or hours that apply toward their degree.
Names and hometowns of pictured 2014 Phi Theta Kappa Inductees:
Front Row L-R:
Braden Bigelow, Somerset
Ryan Bishop, Albany
Priscilla Burchfield, Nancy
Courtney Carpenter, Kings Mountain
Donovan Crabtree, Monticello
Tina Fox, Somerset
Crystal Frazier, East Bernstadt
Second Row:
Linda Baltimore-Gaines, Somerset
Rebecca Perine, Tyner
Charlie Hardin, Albany
Janis Hatfield, Somerset
David Hubbard, London
Chelsea Westerfield, Tyner
Rebecca Sizemore, Stanford
Lisa Hunter, Somerset
Cynthia Johnson, Crab Orchard
Theresa Oakes, Waynesburg
Matthew Robinson, Somerset
David Young, Nancy
Chloe Whitaker, Stanford


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WASHINGTON, DC — Americans may soon have a financial incentive to join a fitness facility. A bill introduced in Congress proposes the expansion of medical flexible spending accounts to include health club memberships, home exercise equipment, sports league registration costs and healthy lifestyle programs like Weight Watchers. With a $1,000 limit for tax-deductible exercise expenses, Americans could save 25 to 30 percent on the cost of keeping fit, depending on their income tax bracket.
"This bill treats exercise as preventive medicine, which it should," says Tom Scanlon, the president of the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, which supports the Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2006. "It enables people to pay for their YMCA, JCC or private health club membership out of pre-tax dollars. The bill relieves some of the financial burdens of being physically active."
The PHIT bill focuses on prevention rather than treatment, says Jay Sweeney, a lobbyist for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.
"With rising health care costs, we have to find a way to get people healthy, or we'll bankrupt our health care system," he says.
The Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to look at the HR 5479 bill, which was introduced on May 25 by Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL), and if approved, the bill will be considered by the House of Representatives.
Another piece of legislation could also have an effect on the fitness industry. The Preventive Medicine for a Healthier America Act of 2006 (HB 5657) has three goals — to increase the number of individuals pursuing careers in preventive medicine, make the public more aware of the importance of preventive medicine and encourage businesses to offer employee wellness programs.
A proposed amendment in the IRS code would give employers a $200-per-employee credit if the businesses develop and implement their wellness program with the help of a physician, provide at least two preventive health screenings and offer health resources for employees.
To review copies of the bills, visit the Web site for the Library of Congress at http://thomas.loc.gov.


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|LaFreniere Park
New Orleans is the only city in the United States with its own culture, food, architecture, music, and customs.
The beautiful parks of New Orleans find their legacy in the French Monarchy appreciation for the palaces with expansive gorgeous gardens such as the Palais de Versialles. The French Aristocracy played games in gardens surrounded by flowers, birds and animals.
La Freniere Park is a magnificent park located in Metairie Park in Jefferson Parish. The 155 acre park features a lagoon with various species of ducks, geese, swans, rabbits, roosters and beavers.
You escape the crowds of the French Quarter to appreciate the nature of French Aristocracy at La Freniere Park.


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The history and progress of the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration is documented in annual and legislative reports, both required or requested by the General Assembly.
The Records and Information Management Update or the "RIM Update" is issued quarterly and provides information about public records that is pertinent to State records officers, records liaisons and municipal officials.
The Keeping Appraised newsletter is issued quarterly to researchers and interested members of the public. It contains information about Vermont's archival public records.
Although no longer published, For the Record, a joint newsletter by VSARA and the Department of Information and Innovation (DII), provided valuable information and consistent advice about the managing electronic information.
Columns & Presentations
The "Voice from the Vault" is the State Archivist's column in the Secretary of State's monthly publication, Opinions. The State Archivist and VSARA staff often speak at conferences and submit articles to professional journals. Select presentations are available online.
Formal Publications
The State Archivist position evolved from the formal position of "Editor of State Papers" within the Secretary of State's Office. "State Papers of Vermont" takes you to titles of the State Papers series, first authorized in 1912, which are primarily annotated texts from 18th Century documents but which also include some published finding aids. Additional publications that were not part of the State Papers series are also available online.


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Ed Sheeran Endures the Waiting Room in New 'Small Bump' Video
Ed Sheeran has released a brand-new video for his latest single, 'Small Bump,' in which he endures what may be hours in a hospital waiting room, observing all that happens around him.
In the clip, we see the ginger-haired singer sitting and singing, as a single camera floats slowly through the space and around the U.K. native. He flutters out his heavy-hearted tune, while fans see a woman sitting behind him, a child running through the halls and two men carrying their beat-up friend into a room.
Sheeran looks notably somber singing the gorgeous acoustic tune, which artfully describes the painful emotions surrounding the loss of a child. In short, it's impossible not to be moved by the video.
'Small Bump' appears on the 21-year-old's debut album, '+,' which was released last year and went on to reach triple-platinum status in the U.K. Sheeran won British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act at the 2012 BRIT Awards, following his wins for Breakthrough Artist and Best Single for 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You' at the 2011 Q Awards. The deluxe version of his '+' LP is set to arrive on June 12 on iTunes, and is available for preorder now.
Watch the Ed Sheeran 'Small Bump' Video


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Your personal information isn't safe.
That doesn't apply only to the 40 million Target shoppers whose credit and debit card numbers may now be in the hands of hackers.
It's a trend that's been clear for many years: The stewards of consumers' personal info — businesses, hospitals, government agencies — are woefully negligent when it comes to safeguarding data.
Too often, sensitive computer files are unencrypted or left on laptops that get stolen. Aggressive moves by hackers are met with only the most cursory security upgrades.
And it's not just illegal activities that people have to watch for.
A multibillion-dollar industry has emerged to profit from the buying and selling of perfectly legal consumer data, regardless of whether you've given permission for your ostensibly confidential information to be hawked on the open market.
On Wednesday, a leading privacy advocate told Congress that professional data brokers are selling lists of rape victims, people with HIV or AIDS and even police officers' home addresses to marketers.
"Few people know that data brokers exist, and beyond that, few know what they do," said Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum.
"Even a knowledgeable consumer lacks the tools to exercise any control over his or her data held by a data broker," she said. "It doesn't matter that the data is about the consumer. The data broker has all the rights, and the consumer has none."
Digital technology has brought many advances to the world. But all those bits and bytes have become low-hanging fruit for legal and illegal enterprises eager to exploit the ready availability of information about where people live, what they buy, who their friends are and how they live.
For marketers, this is a golden age of targeted ad campaigns that allow companies to pitch their goods and services to people with a high likelihood of interest in such things.
It's no coincidence that if you buy some shampoo online, you'll be bombarded with ads for all types of hair products. If you subscribe to "Field & Stream," it's guaranteed that you'll receive marketing pitches for all manner of outdoor activities.
Meanwhile, 1 of every 14 Americans aged 16 or older was a target or victim of identity theft last year, according to the latest government statistics. Financial losses approached $25 billion.
On Thursday, Target disclosed that hackers broke into its customer database around Black Friday in late November or early December, making off with millions of purchase records.
For cyber-thieves, ID theft is an almost risk-free crime. Only about 2% of perpetrators end up facing a penalty or prison, according to law enforcement authorities.
With odds like that, many bad guys view all those corporate and public databases of consumer information as easy pickings.
Nearly 622 million consumer records have been made vulnerable by more than 4,000 security breaches since 2005, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a San Diego advocacy group.
And those are just the breaches we know about. State and federal privacy laws are dodgy when it comes to holding companies accountable for letting sensitive info go astray.
California, for example, has some of the toughest privacy rules in the country. But when it comes to security breaches, businesses are only required to notify consumers if it's "reasonably believed" that their personal info has been "acquired by an unauthorized person."
Who makes that call? The businesses, of course.
"These companies aren't mind readers," said Beth Givens, director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. "They have no idea where data will end up."
Businesses routinely declare their commitment to customer privacy. A Google search for "we take privacy seriously" will reveal how widespread this sentiment is.
But when it comes to demonstrating that commitment, many businesses sing a different tune. In 2011, for example, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 13 other leading business groups lobbied Congress not to strengthen consumer privacy protections.
"Self-regulation is best suited to safeguard consumer privacy," the groups declared.
Kent Yeargin, a Sacramento privacy consultant, said that would be fine if businesses did what was necessary to keep customer data safe.
This requires powerful security software, diligent oversight of databases and an ongoing commitment to keeping employees trained in the latest preventive measures, he said.
"Most businesses do the minimum required, if that," Yeargin said. "It's cheaper."
For consumers, this means the default setting is that your personal info will fall into the hands of the wrong people at some point. It's almost inevitable.
That means it's up to you to be your own privacy watchdog. If you don't do it, no one will.
There are various services out there, such as LifeLock, that say they can protect you from ID theft and fraud. But at up to $25 a month, or $275 a year, that can be a pricey path to peace of mind.
I generally advise people to invest in premium protection services or full-time credit monitoring only if they know for a fact that they're ID theft victims. If your Social Security number is up for grabs, it's smart to circle your wagons.
Otherwise, you may be able to keep adequate tabs on your ID by obtaining free credit reports from the top credit-reporting companies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
You're entitled to one such report from each company once a year. Space them four months apart and you can keep tabs on your credit files year-round at no cost. You can order your free credit files online at AnnualCreditReport.com.
A key benefit of being a member of the Automobile Club of Southern California is that you can get free monitoring of your credit file through Experian.
Also, make a regular habit of reviewing your credit and debit card statements online. They're usually the first place you'll spot fraudulent activity.
"You should never assume that your personal information is safe," Givens said.
Once you accept that, you're on the right track.
David Lazarus' column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to email@example.com.


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The softly-spoken finance officer, the veteran ICT expert, the young staff assistant preparing training documents, the receptionist everyone loved for her smile and the meticulous finance assistant she was talking to -- these were the victims of the October 5 bomb at WFP HQ in Islamabad.
BOTAN AHMED ALI AL-HAYAWI (ICT Officer in Dubai)
Botan went back a long way with WFP, joining in 1991 in northern Iraq. His skills and smiles were always appreciated by those around him. He worked in Jordan and Sudan before coming to Pakistan.
FARZANA BARKAT (Staff Assistant-Logistics)
At the time of blast, Farzana was at her desk, preparing documents for a training session scheduled later in the day. She would have celebrated her 23rd birthday on 10 October. She leaves a brother.
ABID REHMAN (Senior Finance Assistant)
Abid was humble and quietly spoken. If you wanted to hear what he was saying you had to come really close. With WFP since 1998, he was known as a thorough professional, who smiled under pressure.
GUL RUKH TAHIR (Receptionist)
As soon as you entered the WFP office, the first face you encountered was Gul Rukh Tahir. She was known and loved for her shining personality and her smile. She was at her desk when the terrorist blew himself up.
MOHAMMAD WAHAB (Finance Assistant)
Wahab, who leaves a wife and three children, came from the Swabi district. Meticulous and industrious, he will also be missed for his Pashtun jokes. He was standing at reception, checking something with Gul when the blast came.


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special guest:
Ian Ethan Case
18-string guitar magic
Many very
ovation guitars
on display ... anniversary,
historic models ...
and some
Big News from 2016
special guest:
Ian Ethan Case
18-string guitar magic
Tour dates
Sep 10th Thomann / Treppendorf / D
Sep 12th Music Store / Cologne / D
Sep 13th Musik Produktiv / Ibbenbueren / D
Sep 14th Bax Shop / Amsterdam / NL
Sep 16th Musik Meisinger / Burghausen / D
Sep 17th Klangfarbe / Vienna / A
Sep 21st Acustica Online SRL / Naples / I
Our Ovation Road Show will provide you with the chance to check out both latest news and historic instruments,
after 50 years of Ovation history. In addition, Ian Ethan Case a guitar virtuoso is looking forward to enchanting
you with his unique playing techniques and compositions. We are pleased to announce that we will raffle off a limited Ovation Road Show
guitar at each single event. Various American barbecue delicacies and of course beverages will be available.
Let's celebrate Ovation!
Ovation Road Show Guitar
at each
single event
The anniversary
of a unique idea
Fifty years has passed since Charles Kaman brought forward his idea of a modern era guitar to the global market. He himself being an ambitious guitar player, made his dreams come true by starting his own, slightly different guitar company. On the one hand inspired by traditional standards, the other hand equipped with an open mind, that came naturally as a result from his profession as a helicopter manufacturer. He dared to approach guitar making in a way that is still polarizing today.


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USC coach Ed Orgeron has avoided talking about himself since taking over for Lane Kiffin and stayed on message Tuesday when informed UCLA coach Jim Mora voted him Pac-12 coach of the year.
Orgeron claimed he didn't know about it until reporters informed him of Mora's vote.
"That's nice of him, but it's a compliment to the football team and coaching staff," Orgeron said.
Asked if he would be surprised to see an interim coach be considered for coach of the year, Orgeron again passed credit to the players.
"Just think about what the team has done," he said. "I'm just a part of it."
Arizona State coach Todd Graham, who led the Sun Devils to victories over USC and UCLA, figures to be Orgeron's competition for the award.
Tailback Tre Madden became the latest player to endorse Orgeron for head coach Tuesday.
"I definitely would want him to be our coach," Madden said. "But we need to win to make it an easier option for him."
Lee update
Wide receiver Marqise Lee returned to practice and will play despite being less than 100 percent, according to Orgeron.
Lee is certain to go pro after the season but said he hasn't thought about the NFL or whether Saturday will be his final game at the Coliseum.
Orgeron said he would meet next week with the parents of any junior player thinking of going pro. Safety Dion Bailey already said he is considering leaving early.
"We don't know what's going to happen (with the coaching situation)," Orgeron said. "Let's go through the process and do what is necessary."
Redd out
Tailback Silas Redd (knee) did not practice and is expected to miss the game.
"Silas and I really haven't played a together all season," Madden said. "It's tough this week but he'll be back for a bowl game."
Madden, who battled a hamstring injury the past few weeks, said he feels much better now.
"It's been frustrating lately but I'm pretty good this week," he said.
Kennard a Lott finalist
Defensive end Devon Kennard was named one of four finalists for the Lott Trophy, named after former USC safety Ronnie Lott. The other finalists as top defender are Anthony Barr (UCLA), Chris Borland (Wisconsin) and James Morris (Iowa).
Keeping clear of Jack
Offensive coordinator Clay Helton said UCLA linebacker Myles Jack is someone the Trojans must be aware of at all times Saturday.
"He does a good job rushing the passer and we have to do a good job protection-wise," Helton said. "They have stripped the ball 22 times and recovered 10 of them. That's impressive."
Helton said he expects Jack to play linebacker against USC. even though the freshman played running back last week against Arizona State.
"I don't know what was going on with the running back position," Helton said. "We expect to see him (at linebacker)."
Team dinner tonight
Orgeron said the Trojans will eat together tonight because they will spend Thanksgiving with their families. Asked what he would serve the team, he said, "Everything on the menu."


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June 17 marked the beginning of the 79th Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors. Mayors from across the country convened in Baltimore, Maryland for a five day meeting to share best practices and learn how to save their cities money, create jobs, and promote sustainable development as well as to discuss working internationally. This interaction of mayors during the conference provided a unique opportunity for the Department of State to facilitate a dialogue among a diverse set of local leaders eager to engage their foreign counterparts in informational exchanges regarding trade, investment, best practices, governance, and capacity building. To take full advantage of this opportunity, my office hosted and participated in a variety of events designed to enhance the international activities of U.S. mayors.
Department of State senior officials briefed both Mayor Edwin M. Lee of San Francisco and Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland. Mayor Lee and Mayor Quan both have significant interaction with their foreign counterparts on a wide range of issues including trade, education, and cultural exchanges. Mayor Lee will be hosting the APEC Senior Official's Meeting and the Women and the Economy Summit (WES) in San Francisco in September, and Mayor Quan serves as Chair for the U.S. Conference of Mayor's International Affairs Committee. This briefing was structured to educate both leaders on resources and methods available to them to facilitate and further develop these interactions. The briefing included remarks by Deputy Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Christopher Beede regarding the President's National Export Initiative (NEI) and by Deputy Director of the Bureau for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Robert Koepcke on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In addition, Senior Advisor for the Office of the Global Women's Business Initiative Shelly Porges spoke about APEC's Women and the Economy Summit.
On June 18, I participated in the U.S. Conference of Mayor's International Committee meeting. During the meeting, a resolution "Supporting Enhanced U.S. Mayors-International Partnerships" was approved in an effort to strengthen cooperation between cities and the Department of State, promote U.S. exports, and increase foreign investment in U.S. cities.
Additionally, my office hosted a "Smart Partnership Dialogue" on Tuesday, June 21, with the National Conference of Black Mayors in order to brief the mayors on a number of policy topics relevant to development, investment, and governance exchanges being conducted by their cities throughout the world. The full day of briefings included presentations on trade, Africa, Sister Cities, Colombia, CARICOM, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti and Senegal by their respective bureaus within the State Department. The session concluded with remarks from Under Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats and Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs William Brownfield.
Sub-national leaders at home and abroad share many of the same challenges as they face tight budgets, high unemployment, and infrastructure challenges; thus, creating partnerships across nations at the local level, offers a chance for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (S/SRGIA) to promote knowledge sharing that benefits all parties.
For more information on the 2011 U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Conference of Black Mayors, please visit: http://ncbm.org/.
Charles in the Virgin Islands writes:
Foreign investment and exports can posibly reduce our trade deficiets, improve employment, and raise our GDP (improve our economy). Go state go.
Nicolas S. in France writes:
I do appreciate this initiative.
In this context of globalization, Metropolization has become a key to create wealth.
I'm deepen some research on cities twinning strategy.
Well, i hope to bring my contribution to this dynamism in the future.
Nicolas S.


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Thanks for supporting EChO
On behalf of the staff, board of directors, and volunteers of Evergreen Christian Outreach, I would like to thank our wonderful and generous community for the outpouring of support and donations we have recently received.
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Measurements: The stones measure 15mm x 14mm. In the setting these measure 19mm long x 14mm.
Characteristics: 1 Loop Open Back Setting.
Color: Sapphire.
Material: Glass & Plated Brass.
Quantity: 2 pieces per pkg.
Country of Origin: The Stones are unknown. Settings are Made in the U.S.A.
Additional Information:
**These are made of brass and then plated with a layer of copper before being finished with a layer of matte black.
-Over time, the matte black finish will rub off revealing the copper underneath.
-If desired, this can be prevented by applying a clear lacquer to the piece to preserve the finish.
-Alternatively, this process can also be accelerated by using a cloth to vigorously buff the pieces. You can buff a specific area or all over to achieve the look you like. Finish with a clear lacquer to preserve the look.
Please Note: We make every attempt to represent an item's true color, but colors may vary on different monitors and devices or in different lighting situations.
*** This item is made to order. Returns are subject to a 20% Restocking Fee.
1 business day
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.


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Playboyand Christie'sare coming together in Chicago on December 8 to auction off more than 125 works from the corporate collection of Playboy Enterprises.
Hefner is also reportedly looking to sell the Playboy Mansion, with mounting debts and buyout bids threatening the company's future. The sale of Playboy art is speculated to be part of Hefner's need to raise cash.
Although this auction—aptly titled Year of the Rabbit—features some iconic pieces, the collection's curator describes it as the "tip of the iceberg," with over 5,000 pieces owned by Playboy.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Hefner said that "Playboy helped to change the very direction of commercial art — breaking down the wall between fine art and commercial art," commenting on the cultural influence these works have.
Click ahead for highlights from the much-anticipated auction of Playboy art.
By Paul Toscano
Posted 10 Nov 2010


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Welcome to HFC Bank
On 28 February 2013, HFC Bank Limited reached an agreement to sell part of the secured loan portfolio to a third party, Sancopia Portfolios No 1 SARL. All remaining accounts have been transferred from HFC Bank Limited to HSBC Bank plc, both are members of the same group of companies. All customers will have received a letter explaining what this means for them and how their account is affected. There is also a list of frequently asked questions on the Customer Services page of this website.
If you have a general enquiry about your account, why not visit the Customer Service section, which may be able to answer your question. If not, call the Customer Service team on 0370 010 0453.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, or feel you may in future, it's important to let HSBC know. You'll find plenty of useful advice, together with a link to the StepChange Debt Charity in the 'Financial Difficulties' section, or you can call HSBC on 0370 010 1138.
HSBC Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Its firm reference number is 114216. HSBC Bank plc is a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales with company registration number 14259 and its registered office at 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ. HSBC Bank plc's registered VAT Number is GB 365684514.


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Knife drawer organizers are a great way to keep your knives sharp while keeping them out of the easy reach of children. A knife drawer organizer is perfect for anyone who wants to extend the lives of their knives and keep their kitchen organized. And with a neutral wood finish, our drawer knife holder sets will also look great in every kitchen.
If you've got little kids around the house, knives are not a joking matter. Little fingers find their way to dangerous items far too easily, unless you take proper precautions. Drawer knife holders keep your knives securely in place and out of small hands. So you can breathe easier knowing your children are safer because you are
responsibly using a convenient knife drawer organizer.
Even if you haven't got little children to worry about, an in drawer knife organizer can also keep your knife blades super sharp and ready for use at a moment's notice. No more dull blades or misplaced cutlery when each knife has its own individual niche to fall into. An appealing cutting board in beautiful matching birch and maple wood is available with your drawer knife holder, and is a further expediency around the kitchen.
So keep your kitchen organized, your knives sharp and your home safe with the all-in-one drawer knife holder from Kitchen Cabinet Hardware.


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Co-founded in 1892 by inventor Thomas Edison, General Electric's business ranges from aircraft engines, power generation, and oil and gas equipment to medical imaging, financing, and industrial products. This is a direct investment in General Electric stock.
On Stash, you can buy General Electric stock and invest in other companies you know for as little as $5
Disclaimer: Any investment you've selected here, which may be available to Stash customers on the Stash platform, is intended to be used for informational purposes only, should not be relied upon as the sole basis for making any investment decision, and is not intended to be a recommendation or advice by Stash that is based on your investment time horizon and/or risk tolerance. Investors who become Stash customers are offered investment advice and recommendations through various digital features such as Stash Coach based on what they tell us about their time horizon and risk tolerance.
Performance Data Disclosure
FOR MORE INFORMATIONVisit company website
Aggressive risk level
Help when you need it
With Stash, you're never alone when choosing how to invest. Our Coach is always ready with personalized guidance based on your risk profile. And remember, by law, it's our job to act in your best interests.
News, education, and quizzes
Stash Learn, our financial education and news platform, is included with your account. On it, you can read investing guides, take quizzes to test your knowledge, and stay up-to-date with current financial news.
Simple subscription pricing1
For just $1 a month, you'll get a personal investment account with unlimited trades, education, and fractional investing for as little as $5. (And balances $5k and over only cost 0.25% a year).
1Clients may incur ancillary fees charged by Stash and/or it's custodian that are not included in the monthly Wrap-Fee.
Lockheed Martin
The planet's largest defense contractor by revenue is also the U.S. government's top contractor.Ticker LMT
This international conglomerate produces a huge range of consumer and commercial products.Ticker HON
Northrop Grumman
This global contractor is one of the world's biggest defense and security companies.Ticker NOC
General Electric
The storied digital industrial conglomerate conducts business in approximately 180 countries.Ticker GE


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- collection of routines for handling and reducing (VISIR) data
- converting FITS files to JPGs for whole folders
Dear Visitor,
I'd like to welcome you to my homepage dedicated to my professional life as an observing astrophysicist. I work on the centers of nearby galaxies, trying to observe and understand the immediate surroundings of the supermassive black holes (SMBH) that lurk there. Many of these SMBH actively accrete material from their surroundings creating "bright fireworks" that can be observed all throughout the electromagnetic spectrum.
Here you will not only find all relevant information about me and my research but I will also post once in a while interesting information I encounter during my work.
Please feel free to contact me in case of questions or directly comment on my entries!
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
My first routines in Python with focus on VISR data reduction
Posted by Unknown at 1:24:00 PM
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Last year's collection of 10 Homes of Country Music Stars barely scratched the surface of the number of performers' homes on the market, recently sold, being purchased or getting unloaded.
What follows is a fresh batch of houses, mansions and compounds belonging to 13 performers, including three music-making married couples. This collection is about evenly divided between the young'uns ("American Idol" alumni), the stars who dominated the charts in the 1990s and classic country stars. It also includes homes of two country artists who feuded (and both are currently for sale).
Unsurprisingly, six of these homes, with photos from Realtor.com, are in Tennessee, and of those, three are in Nashville, but there are a few tropical getaways well. But for a genre so associated with cowboys, just one has stables.
By Colleen KanePosted 8 May 2012


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Airport Expansion Hearing Draws Large Crowd
The very mention of the proposed expansion of a small local airport automatically conjures up images of a giant 747 landing in some folks backyards. That's precisely what drew a standing room only crowd to the Berkeley Township Municipal building Wednesday night.
The Pinelands Commission held a public hearing on its Memorandum of Agreement (M.O.A) with Ocean County to expand the Robert J. Miller Airpark. Problem is, the plans call for construction on protected lands. Dr. Emile Devito with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation says their main objection is the county's plans to use open space trust money. "Dedicated open space trust funds should not be being used to mitigate habitat loss."
PREVIOUS: Robert J. Miller Airpark Runway Proposal
Carlton Mongomery with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance says their biggest concern is the impact on land that's not supposed to be developed any further. "This airport happens to be located in the Pinelands Preservation area. Here the Pinelands Commission is proposing to allow a certain amount of additional development at the airpark in exchange for protecting some other land." He and other advocates believe the use of the trust funds sets a precedent, creating a slippery slope that will encourage development in other sensitive areas.
However, Ocean County Freeholder Deputy Director John Bartlett said he was angry with Environmental Groups for spreading misinformation about the airpark and he came out to clear the air. "We did not buy the airpark fifty years ago for its natural lands opportunities. It was bought by the Freeholders for the purpose of building an airport and we'd like to now build a crosswinds runway at the airport that the F.A.A supports and in fact will fund and we would like to replace that land with our natural lands trust fund money which we already collect."
County officials and airpark advocates spoke mostly about the safety benefits of building a crosswind runway, parallel taxiway and additional hangers. James Candeletti of the Ocean Air Support Squadron says "mostly in the Spring and the Fall when the winds are strongest it creates a situation where the aircraft gets pushed off the runway." He says the crosswind runway allows planes to land with the wind.
Pinelands Commission Spokesman Paul Leakan says their hope was to have public comment from both sides and they're very pleased with the turnout. He says "Our Executive Director will look at the comments and ultimately respond and produce a document which will provide a recommendation to the Commission as to whether or not approve the agreement."
He says the Commission will overall weigh all the comments, information and factors to decide if the M.O.A is something that should be approved. The fifteen member Commission Board of Directors will ultimately decide on whether or not to approve it.
Written comments will be accepted until Friday April 20th and will not be extended. Comments can be e-mailed on the Pinelands Commission's website at nj.gov/pinelands


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Dj Kay Slay Moves Away When A Fight Broke Out In Front Of Police @ Somerville, MA
Footage courtesy of Ghetto Report DVD&IP=188.8.131.52
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Physical Sciences
Research Highlights
July 2007
Nanoparticles Shape Up
Iron nanoparticles show a different side when they are formed at room temperature
At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Idaho, scientists created metallic-iron nanoparticles with different shapes. This was done by creating the particles at room temperature, instead of the traditional high-temperature method. Enlarged View
Results: At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Idaho, scientists created metallic-iron nanoparticles with different shapes. This was done by creating the particles at room temperature, instead of the traditional high-temperature method. The shape of the particle affects its chemical and magnetic properties, which scientists are looking to control for potential applications.
Why it matters: Oxide and metallic iron nanoparticles have size-dependent properties that could make them valuable in applications such as medical imaging, drug delivery, information storage, and groundwater remediation. This research adds an important tool for tailoring iron nanoparticles' shape and hence their properties.
Methods: At the University of Idaho, researchers formed the particles using a sputter-gas-aggregation method at room temperature. The iron nanoparticle is initially composed of zero-valance (metallic) iron. When exposed to an atmosphere including oxygen, a shell of oxide crystals forms around the iron. In addition to influencing the magnetic behavior, the shape of the iron particle greatly influences the orientation of the oxide crystals. This orientation alters the chemical behaviors of the particles. The nanoparticles, which can be made in different sizes from 5 to 50 nanometers in diameter, are so small that red blood cells look like flying saucers by comparison.
The particles were then delivered to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The particles were examined in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national scientific user facility located at PNNL. In the laboratory, researchers analyzed the particles using transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and Wulff shape construction.
"When we started examining the particles," said principal investigator Chongmin Wang, "we noticed these were different from the others we had examined or those reported in the literature, and that piqued our interest."
These room-temperature-deposited nanoparticles had three distinct structures. The first was a simple six-sided cube; a shape not seen in high-temperature formations. The second was a truncated cube, which looks like a cube with each of the edges shaved off. The third was a rounded shape composed of 12 hexagons and 6 squares, a shape researchers have seen when particles are formed at higher temperatures.
"These new shapes expose high-energy surfaces to the environment," said PNNL scientist Don Baer. Particles created at high temperatures expose low-energy surfaces. The high-energy surfaces change the reactivity and magnetism of the particles.
These results, combined with those already reported, suggest that by using a low-temperature process, the synthesis parameters can be altered to select particle shape with the possibility of optimizing particles for specific chemical or magnetic properties.
What's next: The researchers are working to produce enough particles in specific shapes so that they can examine the particles' magnetic and chemical properties. One particular study will examine the particles impact on reactions that remove environmental contaminants, such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, from water.
Acknowledgments: The research team includes PNNL's Chongmin Wang, Jim Amonette, Don Baer, Mark Engelhard, University of Idaho's You Qian, and Stanford University's Jiji Antony (previously a graduate student at the University of Idaho). This work was supported by DOE Office of Science, Offices of Basic Energy Sciences and Biological and Environmental Research. A portion of the work was done at the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE user facility at PNNL.
Reference: Wang, CM, DR Baer, JE Amonette, MH Engelhard, Y Qiang, and J Antony. 2007. "Morphology and oxide shell structure of iron nanoparticles grown by sputter-gas-aggregation." Nanotechnology 18:255603 (7pp).


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Whether you're a seasoned professional or just out of college, PepsiCo offers a wide range of employment opportunities for anyone looking to add a little more flavour to their career path.
In October 2008, PepsiCo Canada's businesses reorganized into two business units - PepsiCo Beverages Canada, which includes brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade and Tropicana; and PepsiCo Foods Canada, which includes Frito Lay Canada and Quaker foods & snacks. In 2010, PepsiCo Canada merged its beverage bottling and brand business operations, forming one unified Canadian beverage organization - PepsiCo Beverages Canada.