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You won't find a better media center than the open-source XBMC, but most people don't have the space or desire to plug a noisy PC into their TV. Instead, I converted a cheap nettop into a standalone XBMC set-top box. Here's how.
In the spirit of our Winter Upgrades theme this week, this guide details how to turn a cheapo nettop (think netbook for the desktop) into a killer settop box running XBMC. It handles virtually any video file I throw at it with ease (including streaming Blu-Ray rips from my desktop), it looks tiny next to my Xbox 360, it's low energy, and it's whisper quiet.
Huge props to this guide on the XBMC forums, which served as the starting point for much of what I did below.
What You'll Need
Acer AspireRevo: This $200 nettop ships with 1GB of RAM, an Intel Atom 230 processor, 160GB hard drive, Windows XP (which we won't use anyway), and an integrated graphics chip that handles HD video and can output it to HDMI. It also comes with a small wired keyboard and mouse, but once you're done here, you shouldn't need either of them. Oh, and it's tiny. (Other, more powerful nettops will work [like this one's beefier, $330 older sibling], but this is the cheapest one I could find with the NVIDIA ION graphics powerful enough to handle the HD playback.)
XBMC Live: This is a Live CD version of XBMC that boots directly into XBMC and has a tiny footprint. Basically all you're running is XBMC, so your media center stays light and snappy. You can find the download specifically set up for these NVIDIA ION machines on this page, you can grab the direct download here, or download via BitTorrent here. UPDATE: The latest versions of XBMC Live should support the ION machines by default, so you should be able to go straight to the regular download page and use the XBMC Live download offered there.
A thumb drive: It doesn't have to be huge, but it'll need to be at least 1500MB of capacity, according to the installer. You should also format it to FAT32.
An IR receiver/Windows Media Center remote: This isn't strictly necessary, but if you want to control your shiny new XBMC via remote control, you'll need some sort of supported remote with a USB receiver. I bought this $20 remote because it was the cheapest I could find. (Incidentally, it also works like a charm with XBMC as soon as you plug it in.)
Getting XBMC Live up and running on your nettop is a breeze if you follow a few simple steps, so let's get started.
Install XBMC Live on Your Thumb Drive
XBMC Live allows you to try XBMC on any computer from a bootable CD or thumb drive, then optionally install the lightweight, XBMC-focused Linux distro directly to your device if you like. Since our nettop doesn't have a DVD drive, we'll need to first install XBMC to our thumb drive.
(There are ways around this. If you had a USB optical drive, you could probably burn XBMC Live to a disc and go from there. The thumb drive method isn't much more difficult, though.)
Here's how it works:
1. Download the XBMC Live installer by clicking on the Live link on this page.
UPDATE: If you've got access to a Windows or Linux machine, I'd recommend using UNetbootin to install the XBMC Live installer straight to your thumb drive. If you take that route, you can skip the next two steps. Just download UNetbootin, run it, set Ubuntu as your operating system and 10.x Live as your distribution. Assuming your thumb drive is plugged in and freshly formatted, choose your thumb drive as the drive you want to install to and let UNetbootin work its magic. When it's done, you'll have a thumb drive running XBMC Live and ready to install to your Aspire Revo.
2. Burn XBMC Live to a CD
Once the download completes, unzip the xbmc.zip file. What you're left with is an xbmc.iso file—the disc image of the XBMC Live installer. Now you need to burn this ISO to a CD. Install our favorite tool for the job, ImgBurn, then right-click the xbmc.iso file and select Burn using ImgBurn. (If you're running Windows 7, you can use its built-in ISO burner, too, by selecting Burn disc image.)
3. Install XBMC Live to Your Thumb Drive
Now that you've burned XBMC to a CD, you're ready to install it to your thumb drive. To do so, plug in your thumb drive, put the XBMC Live CD in your DVD drive, and reboot your computer. If it's not already your default setting, go into your system BIOS (for most computers hitting Delete at the first boot screen will launch your BIOS) and set your optical drive as the primary boot device.
(All this means is that when your computer boots, it'll first check to see if there's any bootable media in your optical drive. If not, it'll continue booting to your secondary device—generally your hard drive. If your optical drive does contain bootable media—like your XBMC Live CD, for example—it'll boot it up.)
When XBMC Live loads, select "Install XBMCLive to disk (USB or HDD)", then accept the first prompt (by pressing any key). Next you'll end up at the "Choose disk to use" prompt, where you'll tell the installer that you want to install to your USB stick. Be careful here not to choose your hard drive, because it would be happy to overwrite your operating system if you told it to. Remember, your thumb drive is the Removable disk. After you pick the disk you want to use, confirm that you want to proceed and let the installer do its magic. (It'll only take a few minutes.)
Eventually the installer will ask you if you want to create a permanent system storage file, which presumably you'd want if you're not sure whether or not you want to install XBMC Live to your Acer's hard drive. I went ahead and created the system storage (even though we'll install XBMC Live directly to the hard drive in the next step.) Once the installation finishes, you're ready to proceed to the next step.
Set Your System BIOS
You'll need to make a couple of tweaks to your system BIOS to get it working smoothly with XBMC Live. So plug in your thumb drive, boot up your Acer AspireRevo, and hit Delete at the first boot screen to edit your BIOS. Look for the "Boot to RevoBoot" entry in the Advanced BIOS features menu and disable it. While you're there, set your XBMC Live thumb drive as the primary boot device. (You can set the primary boot device back to your hard drive later, after you've installed XBMC Live to your drive.)
Then go to the Advanced Chipset Features menu and set the iGPU Frame Buffer Detect to Manual and set the iGPU Frame Buffer Size to 256MB. (This is detailed here; the actual guide says 512, but that requires that you install more RAM—something I may do in the future, and will detail with a guide if I do. The 512 buffer size will help you stream the larger HD videos without hiccups.)
Now that your BIOS are set, you're ready to try out XBMC Live on your Acer AspireRevo.
Boot Up/Install XBMC Live to Your Hard Drive
At this point, you've got two choices. You can either restart your Acer AspireRevo and boot into XBMC Live to play around a little before you install it to your disk. If you're sure you're ready to install it for reals, just go ahead and run through the exact same installation as you did above, only this time install it to your nettop's hard drive. When you install to the hard drive, you'll also set a system password. This'll come in handy later.
The Final Tweaks
Okay, so far so good. XBMC should boot up directly from your hard drive now, and if you've plugged in your Windows Media Center remote, it should also be working without a hitch. You've just got to make a couple of adjustments to make it shine.
Now, what makes your little nettop work so well is that its onboard graphics processor can handle all the HD business without eating up your regular processor power, so you'll want to enable this in the XBMC settings. So head to Settings > Video > Play, find the Set Render to section, and set it to VDPAU.
Now, depending on how you're planning on hooking up your XBMC Live box to your television, you've got a few more tweaks you'll want to make. Namely this:
If you want to use HDMI for your audio out, head to Settings > System > Audio hardware, then set the audio output to Digital. Set your Audio output device to hdmi, and set the Passthrough output device to hdmi. Last, enable Downmix multichannel audio to stereo.
If you are using HDMI as your audio out (I am, and it's pretty nice), you've got to make one final tweak if you want the audio output to work with menu sounds. (It'll work fine with video without making this tweak, but the click-click sounds that play when you move around the XBMC menu are nice to have.) If that applies to you, create a new text file on your regular old computer (name it asoundrc.txt) and paste the following code (again, this awesome tweak comes from this post):
pcm.!default {type plugslave {pcm "hdmi"}}
In the next step, I'll show you how to copy that file over to your nettop (a little trick that'll also come in handy for manually installing plug-ins and copying files to your nettop).
SFTP to Your XBMC Box
If you want to transfer files to your XBMC Live box from another computer, you'll need to get yourself an FTP client (I like FileZilla) and log into your nettop with the password you set when you were installing XBMC Live. To do so, create a new connection in Filezilla that looks something like the screenshot below (the default user is xbmc).
Once you're connected, make sure you're in the /home/xbmc/
directory, then copy over the asoundrc.txt file we made above. (The one you want to use if you're running your audio through the HDMI output.) Once it's copied over, rename the file to .asoundrc
, restart XBMC, and the click-click menu sounds should be working along with regular old A/V playback.
The same SFTPing method here will be useful if you ever want to manually install any plug-ins or skins down the road, or just copy over media directly to your nettop's hard drive. (Though we'd recommend streaming—see below.)
Other Options
As I said above, you can buy more expensive, meatier machines, but for my money this Acer nettop has worked perfectly. Apart from upgrading to better equipment, you can also add up to 2GB more RAM if you're up for the job (RAM's so cheap these days, anyway). Like I said, though, so far I haven't seen the need for it.
I also quickly switched the skin to the MediaStream skin, which is the one you see in the photo at the top of the page. For a look at some other great skins you may want to apply to your XBMC box, check out these five beautiful skins—or just head to XBMC's main skins page.
Now that you've got it all set up, you've probably also realized that 160GB isn't all that much space for your media. You'd be right, of course. You've got two pretty good options. First, the nettop should have something like four free USB ports still, so you can easily plug in a big old drive that way. Assuming, however, that you can run an Ethernet wire over to your nettop, your best option is just to connect it to a shared folder on your home network. XBMC works like a charm with Samba shares (Windows shared folders use this).
Whichever method you use, you just need to add your extra hard drive space as a source in XBMC. You can do so through any of the individual menu items (videos, for example), or you can add a default Samba username and password in the settings so it can connect automatically without asking for a password each time you add a new watch folder on that machine.
At this point I could go into more detail on how to use and get the most out of XBMC (it can be a little hard to get your head around at first, even though once you do, it's not actually confusing). We've covered souping up your XBMC—and building your classic Xbox XBMC machine—and both offer some help in those directions. But stick around; tomorrow we'll follow up with an updated guide to some of our favorite XBMC tweaks.
This guide covers in pretty close detail one method for putting together a dedicated, quiet XBMC media center without breaking the bank, but it's certainly not your only option. If you've gone down this road before, offer your tips and suggestions in the comments. For my part: I'm completely in love with my new little media center.
Adam Pash is the editor of Lifehacker and loves a good computer-based DIY, especially when the results are as beautiful as XBMC. His special feature Hack Attack appears on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Hack Attack RSS feed to get new installments in your newsreader, or follow @adampash on Twitter.


text:
2011 Chicago Marathon: Making the best of a bad situation
For eight miles, everything was perfect. For the next 18.2 miles, nothing went right.
I came through the first mile marker of the 2011 Chicago Marathon at about 8:05 and comfortably held a steady pace for the next seven, soaking in the energy from the incredible crowd, taking in the view of the city and thoroughly enjoying the start of my first marathon. It was a pristine morning, with the race's 45,000 participants treated to 64-degree temperatures and a gorgeous blue sky, and my goal of savoring the moment early on instead of obsessing about my time had thus far unfolded as planned.
I crossed the eight-mile marker in just about 64 minutes and prepared to settle in for the next 12 miles, hoping to start shaving some time off my pace before hitting the final six-mile stretch. I knew I'd need to have something left in the tank to finish strong, having topped out four weeks earlier with a 21.5-mile training run, so I was planning on listening to my body to see just how much I could safely push the pace.
I didn't like what my body had to say.
The good news? My shoulder felt fine. Actually, it felt great. I had a case of subscapular bursitis crop up the previous weekend (NOTE: the injury has since been diagnosed as nerve compression), and while it was a painful injury, I learned during a six-mile run on Thursday and a slow two miler Saturday morning that it actually felt better while running. Hoping to prevent any late-race soreness, I slapped Icy Hot medicated strips onto three different spots of my back, just to be safe. That may very well have been my first mistake of the day.
The bad news? My legs weren't feeling nearly as good as my shoulder. At a time when I should have been finding a mid-race groove, my legs were tired. Too tired. Certainly too tired for mile 8 of a 26.2-mile race. I knew I would be pushing my body to an extreme that day, but I wasn't ready to do it yet. Okay, I thought, I'll just maintain pace for now and hope my legs recover in time for a strong finish. They didn't.
Posted in: Fitness, On Location, Recreation, Sports
Tags: Amber Miller birth, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Chicago Marathon, first marathon, Jamey Codding, Jamey Codding runner's journal, marathon birth, marathon death, marathon running, marathon training, racing a marathon, runner's journal, running your first marathon, training for a marathon, training for your first marathon, Will Caviness, Will Caviness death

subset: commoncrawl


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Thessaloniki, Greece
Thessaloniki (also known as Thessalonika, Salonica, Solun, and Selanik) is the second-largest city in Greece, located 320 miles north of Athens. Thessaloniki may be second to Athens in size and political importance, but in popular songs, Thessaloniki is celebrated as "the most blessed of cities" and "the city whose praises are sung." Thessaloniki is also very popular with visitors, thanks to its beautiful sea views, tree-lined streets, many museums, Turkish-influenced food, thriving modern culture and ancient Byzantine churches. It also makes an excellent base for exploring Mount Athos and the historical sites of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.
Thessaloniki has a long and fascinating history. Founded in 315 BC and named for Alexander the Great's sister, Thessaloniki became an important Roman trading center and an early center of Christianity. The Apostle Paul preached here in the first century and many churches were built in the Byzantine era. In the Middle Ages, Thessaloniki was repeatedly invaded: it was successively occupied by the Slavs, the Saracens, Crusaders, and Ottoman Turks until its return to Greece in 1913. The city suffered a major fire in 1917 and was occupied again in the 1940s by the Nazis. Today, it has a population of over 300,000 and is known for its lively nightlife.


text:
Version August 2020
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Table of Contents
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- Your brain is like a supercomputer and your thoughts program it to run.
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The Federal Reserve has only two meetings remaining before the presidential election. Would it dare change policy in the midst of such a tense political climate?
The answer is, yes, it probably would.
Burton Abrams, an economics professor at the University of Delaware and research fellow for the Independent Institute, has studied the most recent six Fed chairmen. Aside from one obvious case under President Richard Nixon, he has found little evidence that elections sway the Fed.
In that case, evidence from the Nixon tapes shows that the president pressured then-chairman of the Fed, Arthur Burns, to stimulate the economy in the run-up to the 1972 election. Burns pushed back at first, but eventually caved to Nixon's demands. (Related: A tax plan left and right can agree on)
"Arthur Burns was a staunch Republican loyalist, more susceptible to pressure by Nixon than might normally be the case," Abrams said. "Ben Bernanke would not be a good candidate for falling into that trap. He wouldn't have any real party loyalty to the Obama administration above and beyond conducting monetary policy as he sees fit."
Bernanke has not played to either party -- not even his own. A Republican appointed originally by President George W. Bush, he's facing intense criticism from conservatives in Congress, including threats to "audit" the Fed's decision-making process -- even though its financial books are already audited -- and scale back its mandate.
Despite those threats, Bernanke has proceeded with unconventional policies to stimulate the economy. And on Friday, he hinted that more may be coming.
Speaking in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernanke characterized the economy as "obviously far from satisfactory." He cited the weak job market in particular as a "grave concern" causing "enormous suffering and waste of human talent."
He reiterated a commitment that the Fed "will provide additional policy accommodation as needed to promote a stronger economic recovery."
Those comments were seen as the strongest sign yet that the Federal Reserve is leaning toward more stimulus, either in the form of bond purchases called quantitative easing, or a pledge to keep interest rates low well into the future.
If the Fed launches either of those programs at its next meeting on Sept. 12-13, it will likely boost the stock market and be seen by critics as an attempt to help President Obama win re-election.
"Of course, this QE signal by Chairman Bernanke will be followed swiftly by libertarian, right-wing claptrap hailing it as one more indication of the Fed gone rogue," said Cornelius Hurley, director of the Boston University Center for Finance, Law and Policy and former counsel to the Fed Board of Governors.
That said, if the Fed does just the opposite, Bernanke could be seen as caving to pressure from the Republican party, and likewise, failing to uphold the Fed's legal mandate to try to maximize employment.
Should Mitt Romney win the presidency, he has already said he will replace Bernanke, whose second term as chairman expires in January 2014. And if Republicans also win the Senate, "audit the Fed" legislation will have a greater likelihood of becoming law -- a prospect Bernanke has called a "nightmare scenario."
"They could be political by holding back, or if they do more, they will be accused of being political too," said Susan Collins, dean of the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. "They'll be accused of being political no matter what they do, and I think that's just the territory before a major election."
Likewise, former Fed members say Bernanke is unlikely to factor political pressure into his decision.
"The chairman has done his darndest to make decisions based on his judgment for what is best for the economy," said Randall Kroszner, a governor of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2009 and now a professor at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. "That's the key consideration, and if an action needs to be taken in a politically sensitive time, I think he will take that action independent of the political situation."


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What we did with our Honeyfund:
Our Honeyfund funds made our dream honeymoon to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London a reality! Tickets to two Olympic events (Beach Volleyball and Women's Gymnastics), a tour of London, two plays in the West End theatre district, Madame Tussaud's Museum, a day trip to Windsor Castle, Bathe, & Stonehenge, the Harry Potter Backlot Studio tour, countless rides on the Tube and many late night pub meals!
Our reason for using a honeymoon registry:
We chose a honeymoon registry because it was a creative way to allow our guests to participate and choose where they wanted their generous gift to go towards our new adventure as a married couple. The registry items that we had available ranged from $20 (ie a pub meal) - $100 (a ticket to a play) which could fit almost any budget!
What our guests thought:
Our guests thought the idea was fresh, creative, and accessible.
Why we liked Honeyfund:
Thank you for creating an online platform for newlyweds to have the opportunity to fulfill their first adventure as Mr. and Mrs!


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Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front
Drawing upon 40 years' experience as an ecological farmer and marketer, Joel Salatin explains with humor and passion why Americans do not have the freedom to choose the food they purchase and eat. From child labor regulations to food inspection, bureaucrats provide themselves sole discretion over what food is available in the local marketplace. Their system favors industrial, global corporate food systems and discourages community-based food commerce, resulting in homogenized selection, mediocre quality, and exposure to non-organic farming practices. Salatin's expert insight explains why local food is expensive and difficult to find and will illuminate for the reader a deeper understanding of the industrial food complex.


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Lessons from Katrina
Someone forwarded a letter to me — unfortunately without the signature — by some pundit "explaining" that Katrina hit New Orleans because Louisiana is the home state of Condoleeza Rice. This catastrophic hurricane with all its attendant loss of life and property is punishment for Condoleeza Rice's "forcing" Israel to abandon Gaza.
Probably it isn't even necessary to comment on such convoluted reasoning, but I will anyway. First of all, Condi Rice is a lifelong, very warm and very vocal friend of Israel. And needless to say, Sharon's four-year, single-minded program of imposing a unilateral "solution" to the Arab question long predates her accession to the State Department. Second of all, if she was really the cause of the hurricane, then Divine wrath should have struck Washington and not New Orleans. In fact, there should have been a fire in her own personal kitchen. Why are all these other people suffering for her?!
Aside from all of that, the larger question of understanding G-d's ways cannot be addressed by facile and ad hoc "reasoning" like that of my unknown correspondent. The entire Book of Koheles addresses the question of the suffering of the righteous, and concludes that human beings can never fully fathom G-d's ways.
There is no question that a blow like Katrina will hit the whole country and not just New Orleans, Biloxi and Gulfport. One can easily point to a long list of sins committed by America and say this one or that one must be "the reason." The left might say it's because we unlawfully removed Saddam from his rightful position as beloved leader of his innocent country. The right (with rather more sense) might say it's because of the pornography and immorality that pollute the land. It's always a good idea, when tragedy strikes, to examine one's deeds and repent. But no one really knows "the" reason.
Furthermore, every single individual who lost his life or his home was struck for his own separate reason, known only to G-d. For one person it might have been a punishment for deeds known only to himself, while for another person it might have been simply his time to die, because his mission on earth was complete. Why G-d saved certain individuals and allowed others to die is simply beyond our ability to know or even to conjecture.
There are certain classic Jewish responses to catastrophes, and all of these are appropriate. One such response, as I said, is to consider one's deeds and repent. This can be done privately by each and every person whose heart is moved by scenes of great suffering.
Another classic Jewish response is the urge to do chessed, to make donations and to help suffering victims in any way possible.
And still another classic Jewish response is to pray for the welfare of those in need of succor. Although we do not understand G-d's ways we do believe that He hears our tefillos. In Pirkei Avos we are exhorted to "pray for the peace of the kingdom." In particular, when we have been the beneficiaries of such a malchus shel chessed, a government and a country that has been incredibly good and generous to us Jews, it behooves us to pray for the welfare of this country, and especially so in this hour of tragedy.
Finally, it is possible to learn any number of lessons from seeing what is unfolding. Anyone whose home is intact and whose family is safe should be moved to gratitude for the daily Divine goodness that we take for granted. And anyone who looked on with equanimity at the sight of thousands of Jews being uprooted from their homes in Gaza — anyone who said to himself, "Well, thank goodness I'm safe in America and not in Israel" — should realize that safety and security are guaranteed nowhere.


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J-Life Cherry Blossom Tan Buckwheat Hull Pillow - COVER ONLY
J-Life Cherry Blossom Tan Buckwheat Hull Pillow - COVER ONLY
Customize the look and firmness of your J-Life Buckwheat Hull Pillow, or Soba Gara Makura, with our Japanese pillow covers and loose buckwheat hull (available by the pound).
Our handmade buckwheat pillow covers allow you to easily transfer the buckwheat pillow filling from an existing pillow cover into a different one, so you can refresh the look of your Japanese bedding, or replace a damaged/ worn pillowcase.
This Japanese pillowcase features a sakura blossom pattern in white, pink, and red on tan fabric. Visit our blog to learn more about cherry blossoms in Japanese culture.
Traditional Japanese Comfort
Faithful to Japanese tradition, your sobakawa pillow case is composed of:
An outer sheath that functions like a pillowcase and is available in White Ultra Sateen or in the same matching fabric as the outer case. In Japan, the color white is considered sacred and is associated with purity, humility, and cleanliness. It holds great significance in the Shinto religion.
An outer case made with 100% cotton imported traditional Japanese fabric.
Our buckwheat pillows are available in two styles: the buckwheat neckroll pillow and the rectangular buckwheat pillow (each sold separately).
Rectangular Buckwheat Pillow: 13" x 18"
Buckwheat Neck Pillow: 3.5" x 15"
Visit our blog to learn more about the benefits of Soba Gara Makura and to view our care guide.


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Our Short Sleeve Junior Bib is a must have for messy toddlers! With a handy crumb catcher / catch-all pocket for containing spills. Made from Bumkins lightweight, waterproof, easy-wipe, stain and odor resistant fabric. Single ply construction means no worrying about icky stuff growing between layers of fabric. Without a cotton layer, stains and smells don't stick. Wipeable and machine washable for easy cleaning so you can use it over and over again! The back hook and loop closure allows for a quick, adjustable and tug-proof fit.
- Machine or hand wash; air dry completely before storing
- BPA-free, PVC-free, vinyl-free, phthalate-free and lead-free
- 100% polyester with TPU coating for waterproofing
- Measures approximately 15" across, 14" from neck down and 16" sleeve to sleeve
- Sized to fit ages 1 to 3 years
To extend the life of our bibs, we recommend hang drying our quick-dry fabric.


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Two Super Seal Products are Available
Cliplight Mfg., Toronto, Canada, has marketed its original, Super Seal air conditioning/refrigeration system reactive leak repair sealant, as Super Seal "Classic," to differentiate it from Super Seal Total, a preventative leak product that combines a sealant, drying agent, and UV dye tracer.
The Super Seal Classic line consists of Commercial Super Seal (one three-oz. can for systems over 5 tons); HVACR Super Seal (one three-oz. can for systems between 1.5 and 5 tons); and ACR Super Seal (one, one-oz. can for systems under 1.5 tons). The line is formulated for repairing a known pre-existing system leak.
Super Seal Total 1 (for systems up to 5 tons) and Super Seal Total 2 (for systems of more than 5 tons) has only a preventative maintenance dose of Classic sealant, Cliplight's Dry R drying agent, and Flash UV tracer dye in a single can.
Super Seal Classic is a reactive product that is applied to systems when a refrigerant leak can't be located, or is inaccessible for conventional repairs.
Super Seal Total is a proactive preventative maintenance product that includes Dry-R stabilizer/drying agent for small amounts of system moisture, a small dose of Super Seal Classic for potential leaks, and a UV dye, to trace and diagnose future leak points. — Cliplight Manufacturing
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Walk-in Cooler Kit Complies with Energy Codes
Berner International Corp., New Castle, PA, a manufacturer of air curtains and accessories, has introduced the Walk-In Cooler Efficiency Kit, an easy-to-install air curtain and control package that helps foodservice operators, retailers, and restaurants comply with energy code mandates for new and existing walk-in coolers. The Walk-In Cooler Efficiency Kit is a pre-wired 24 volt, 7 × 5 × 4 -in. control/load center with enclosure, and a magnetic reed on/off door switch. It features Berner International's K-Zone air curtain, engineered specifically for walk-in coolers/freezers. The NSF-approved K-Zone ranges from 3- to 6-ft. in length, and features a low profile, for unobstructed walk-in cooler access. Opening the walk-in cooler door activates the one-speed K-Zone via the magnetic reed switch, and immediately limits air infiltration with an airstream across the door opening. The airstream is factory-engineered for precise volume, velocity, and uniformity. — Berner International Corp.
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July 17, 2012 - Once The Warning takes place there will be much confusion.
My dearly beloved daughter time is moving quickly now. I have been preparing all of you now for some time.
You, My followers, know what you must do. Your own confession is important and you must try to get this once every week from now on.
Be at peace. I am pleased at the way in which you follow My instructions. Please keep going back to My Crusade Prayers and concentrate on the prayers to save the souls of others.
Once The Warning takes place there will be much confusion.
People, everywhere, will be humbled in a way which is out of character.
Many will be too distressed to go back to their place of work immediately. People in powerful positions, in governments, will question their laws.
Those murderers and criminals amongst your communities will feel a terrible sorrow and despair but many will atone for their sins.
My priests and My other sacred servants will immediately know that these messages come from My Divine Lips.
Then they will rise and follow My loyal followers to help Me prepare the world for My Second Coming.
Some among them will know that it is I who speaks to them but will lack the courage to openly proclaim My most Holy Word.
In time they will be given the graces to uphold My Sacraments when they realise that they are to be desecrated. Then they will be given the proof of these prophecies.
Many parents will need to instil, in their children over the age of 7 years, the importance of prayer and repentance from then on. Parents, you have a duty to teach your children the Truth.
Their hearts will be open to My love after The Warning and you must keep guiding them in spiritual matters.
Ensure that you keep Holy Water in your homes and a Benedictine Cross from now on along with the Seal of the Living God hanging in your home. All of these will protect your family.
Follow My instruction and all will be well.
My daughter you must now go and ensure that the Book of Truth is published as quickly as possible. It is important that those souls who have no access to computer are given this.
Have no fear for I will guide you and send you help to ensure that it is sent all over the world.
Go in peace. Go in Love. I am with you always.
I stand by you every moment of the day guiding you even when you do not realise it. I am in your heart.
Your beloved Jesus


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Find A Florist
Finding Ontario grown floral products is easy! Find the nearest florist and ask for Ontario grown product. pickOntario means Freshness..... Variety..... Local..... Quality.....all come to mind with Ontario grown flowers and plants!
Buy Flowers
Use the form below, or browse our directory of florists, garden centres, and grocery stores.
Browse Our Retailers
Browse the directory of retailers below. To browse by name, use the links below.
Search results for items starting with 'o'
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Pole to Pole
The epic journey begins!
Fly from frozen pole to frozen pole in a challenging odyssey that tests your flying skills to the limit. Experience the planet as you have never seen it before as you head south from the most desolate wilderness on Earth.
Fly over vast unpopulated tracts of Canada. Relive the gold rush in the Yukon and fly from cosmopolitan Vancouver into the continental United States.
The route continues with a very special traversal of the USA showcasing some of the finest scenery and trickiest airport approaches in the world.
Head out across the tropical paradise of the Caribbean and make landfall for a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore South America.
The majesty of the Andes, the awe-inspiring Amazon basin and the carnival city of Rio De Janeiro all pass below the wings of your aircraft as you track ever southwards.
Perhaps, the greatest adventure is yet to come, as you depart the coast of Chile and aim to cross the continent of Antarctica, following in the footsteps of the great explorers as you endeavour to conquer the ravages of Mother Nature and to reach the South Pole.
Each of the flight legs can be flown individually or consecutively and are comprehensively detailed, with a flight plan, pilots notes, full briefing and a guide to many of the wonders of the world that unfold before your eyes in this adventure of a lifetime!
System Requirements
Required Software | Microsoft Flight Simulator X / 2004 |
Operating System | Windows XP(SP3) / Vista / 7 |
Processor | Intel 2 GHz or greater |
Memory |
1 GB system memory |
Graphics | Dedicated graphics card with 128 MB memory |
Hard Drive | 500 MB available space |


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Click on a headline to read the full story. Click here to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
08 Jul 2024
The UK's business groups have pledged to work in partnership with the new Labour government to revitalise the nation's economy.
The UK's tax gap estimate rose to a record to £39.8 billion in 2022/23 as small businesses accounted for almost two thirds of unpaid tax, according to HMRC's data.
HMRC has not fined a single enabler of offshore tax evasion in five years, data released in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed.
The UK economy grew by more than initially estimated at the start of this year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Real average earnings are just £16 a week higher than they were 14 years ago, according to research conducted by the Resolution Foundation.
The UK government must stop 'walking on eggshells' around improving EU trade ties, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned.
The UK has the lowest rates of investment of any other country in the G7, according to analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
UK savers are dangerously underestimating the minimum amount needed to retire, according to research from pension provider PensionBee.
Click here to access our full archive
A review of measures for UK businesses and individuals.
Read more
Details of the Spring Budget 2024. Our summary focuses on the key issues.


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The Republican primary in Florida brought discussions of healthcare, particularly Medicare, back to the forefront of the national discourse. With its sizeable senior population, Medicare and Social Security were top of mind to Florida voters.
It is certainly important that health care, and particularly Medicare, be debated thoroughly during the Presidential campaign, as entitlement reform is one of the most pressing issues that Congress and the White House will face next year. Indeed, the latest annual Medicare and Social Security Trustees report projected that the Medicare trust fund will run out in 2024 — five years earlier than previously expected — and the Social Security trust fund will run out by 2036.
The good news is the emerging national consensus, across the ideological spectrum, that we must address the nation's budget problems and that Medicare reform must be a part of any agreement. It's essential, though, that changes to the Medicare program be made responsibly, starting with the principle that reform must protect the elements of the program that are working efficiently now.
One Medicare program that should be kept intact is Part D, the prescription drug benefit program. Part D is the most cost-effective and successful entitlement program the federal government runs. Even Newt Gingrich, presenting himself on the campaign trail as the champion of conservative voters, has spoken up several times in support of Part D. He has touted the market-based program's success and effectiveness in saving lives, saving money and offering people more choices.
Thanks to competition among insurers, the prescription drug program costs the government and beneficiaries far less than initially projected. Last year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reduced its baseline 10-year spending projection for all of Medicare by $186 billion, two-thirds of which is accounted for by a reduction in Part D spending.
The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) that was created with the passage of President Obama's health care law is one such provision that should be eliminated. IPAB would allow an unelected and unaccountable board to make program cuts to meet spending targets.
Proponents of the board have argued that IPAB will improve the quality of care as a result of the cost-cutting measures it enacts. In fact, IPAB is a threat to critical medical treatments and services for all Medicare beneficiaries. The cuts it imposes will only reinforce systemic problems, not fix them, and create unsustainable savings.
Major changes in the Medicare program should not be decided by bureaucratic fiat in a process lacking transparency and oversight. Rather, they should be debated and decided by elected officials who will be held be accountable for their decisions. Everyone knows that tough choices lie ahead. It's up to our political leaders to explain that reforms are essential to make Medicare secure for future generations of seniors.
There are many possible ways to reduce Medicare spending. A broad reform debate will enable people to better understand the tradeoffs involved.
To make sure program benefits remain available for those who need them most, lawmakers should consider eligibility requirements and need-based benefits. By raising the eligibility age for Medicare to 67 from 65, for example, $124 billion would be saved.
The bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission has proposed gradually limiting the Medicare benefits the wealthy receive. Last fall, President Obama proposed higher Medicare premiums for high-income seniors as part of the deficit reduction plan that he submitted to the Congressional "supercommittee." Obama's plan would save about $20 billion over 10 years in Medicare.
Increasing premiums beneficiaries pay for Medicare doctors' coverage to 35 percent of program costs from the current 25 percent could save $241 billion. Modernizing Medicare's benefit package to include copayments, deductibles and an out-of-pocket maximum could save about $14 billion through 2018. A cutback in subsidies for "Medigap" supplemental insurance would save $92 billion.
A still-bolder proposal going beyond Medicare itself would be to remove the distortion in the tax code that keeps health insurance tied to employment. The tax write-off for employer-provided health care benefits is the single largest tax expenditure. It is estimated to cost the government more than $1 trillion over the next five years. Capping the tax exclusion in 2018 and then phasing it out over 10 years would result in massive savings that could be devoted to shoring up Medicare and other programs for seniors.
The American people are ready to accept some difficult choices as part of a comprehensive deficit reduction program. It is time for Congress to begin the debate.


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'Britain is not institutionally racist': what government-backed race report says
Britain is not institutionally racist but overt racism does persist, despite wider issues of race becoming "less important", according to a major new study by the Commission on Race and Ethnic disparities.
The report, which is due to be published in full later today, will recommend ending the use of the term BAME and for organisations to stop funding unconscious bias training.
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Hide AdClaims that Britain is still institutionally racist are not borne out by the evidence, but overt racism remains particularly online, the Commission said.
The report, which was commissioned in the wake of last year's Black Lives Matter protests, said there have been improvements such as increasing diversity in elite professions and a shrinking ethnicity pay gap, although disparities remain.
It also found that children from many ethnic communities do as well or better than white pupils in compulsory education, with black Caribbean pupils the only group to perform less well.
And it said the pay gap between all ethnic minorities and the white majority population has shrunk to 2.3%, and is not significant for employees under 30.
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Hide Ad'A model for other white-majority countries'
The commission said education is "the single most emphatic success story of the British ethnic minority experience" and the most important tool to reduce racial disparities.
Success in education and, to a lesser extent, the economy "should be regarded as a model for other white-majority countries", it added.
It also said that issues around race and racism are becoming "less important", and in some cases are not a significant factor in explaining inequalities.
Different outcomes are complex and involve social class and family structure along with race, it said.
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Hide AdThe report states: "We found that most of the disparities we examined, which some attribute to racial discrimination, often do not have their origins in racism."
However, it notes that some communities continue to be "haunted" by historic racism, which is creating "deep mistrust" and could be a barrier to success.
What does the report recommend?
The 264-page report makes 24 recommendations, including for extended school days to be phased in, starting with disadvantaged areas, to help pupils catch up on missed learning during the pandemic.
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds should also have access to better quality careers advice in schools, funded by university outreach programmes.
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Hide AdAnd it is calling for more research to examine the drivers in communities where pupils perform well, so these can be replicated to help all children succeed.
The Commission also recommends that the acronym BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) should no longer be used as differences between groups are as important as what they have in common.
And it calls for organisations to stop funding unconscious bias training and for the Government and experts to develop resources to help advance workplace equality.
Some groups from the white majority are 'stuck'
Commission chairman Tony Sewell said: "The report highlights the significance of education as the single most powerful tool in reducing ethnic disparities. The effect of education is transformative on individuals but also their families and their communities, sometimes within a generation.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"Another revelation from our dive into the data was just how stuck some groups from the white majority are.
"As a result, we came to the view that recommendations should, wherever possible, be designed to remove obstacles for everyone, rather than specific groups."
Dr Sewell added: "Creating a successful multi-ethnic society is hard, and racial disparities exist wherever such a society is being forged. The Commission believes that if these recommendations are implemented, it will give a further burst of momentum to the story of our country's progress to a successful multi-ethnic and multicultural community – a beacon to the rest of Europe and the world."
A version of this article originally appeared on our sister title, NationalWorld


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Monday, November 08, 2010 at 12:02 AM.
on putValue (value) { local (x = binary (value)); return (clipboard.put (getBinaryType (x), @x))}
This listing is for code that runs in the OPML Editor environment. I created these listings because I wanted the search engines to index it, so that when I want to look up something in my codebase I don't have to use the much slower search functionality in my object database. Dave Winer.


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Color Manila recently held a grand presscon to announce the launch of CM Blacklight Run Tour at F1 Hotel, located at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The launch announced its 3-city tour for the CM Blacklight Run, covering Manila, Bacolod and Davao City; which will be held May 27, June 3 and August 12, 2017, respectively.
Now on its fifth year, Color Manila has established itself as the most aggressive 'concept fun-run' organizer in the country. Over 120,000 runners have participated in its various franchises, which include the CM Challenge, CM Blacklight Run, CM Costume Run, CM Glitter Run, and CM Classic Run. It has broken its own record with its biggest event to date, CMR5, which had 12,000 runners that participated last January 2017.
"We created the CM Blacklight Run Tour so that our followers can have the option of signing up for all three events, and give them the opportunity to experience the most colorful night run in the country today. Thus, more than just enjoying the run with your friends, you're also able to see more of the Philippines," says Justine Cordero, VP of COLOR MANILA.
The CM Blacklight Run in Manila, which will be held in Filinvest City, Alabang, on May 27, 2017, is targeting 12,000 runners. This was also the total number of runners they had during their earlier event this year, which celebrated COLOR MANILA'S fifth year - called CMR5.
Participants for this run may choose between four (4) race categories, 3K, 5K, 10K and the 6K Challenger category. They also have the option of choosing between 3 types of kits - the Deluxe kit, the Rockstar kit, and the 6K Blacklight Challenger kit.
The Deluxe kit, priced at Php950, includes a drifit shirt, headlamp, race bib, color packet and finisher's medal. While the Rockstar kit, priced at Php1,500, includes a drifit shirt, race bib, headlamp, drawstring bag, foldable water bottle, face paint tube, color packet and finisher's medal. The 6K Blacklight Challenger kit, priced at Php2,000, includes two (2) drifit shirts, race bib, headlamp, drawstring bag, foldable water bottle, face paint tube, color packet and the finisher's medal.
Race kit claiming will be from May 23 – 27, 2017 at 2nd Level, Node Expansion, Festival Mall, Alabang, from 10am-7pm.
The CM Blacklight Bacolod leg on the other hand, is set to take place on June 3, 2017, at The District North Point, Bacolod City. While the CM Blacklight Davao leg, is scheduled to take place on August 12, 2017, at SM Lanang Premier, Davao City.
Participants for both CM Blacklight Bacolod and Davao can choose between three race finishes - the 3K, 5K and 10K categories and can choose between the Deluxe, Rockstar and Superstar kits. The Deluxe kit is priced at Php750, with the kit containing singlet, prop, race bib, drawstring bag, finisher's medal and color packet. The Rockstar kit, priced at Php1,050, comes with drifit shirt, race bib, headlamp, drawstring bag, color packet and finisher's medal. The Superstar kit, priced at Php1,500, comes with drifit shirt, race bib, headlamp, 3 drawstring bags, headwear, CM sticker, color packet and finisher's medal.
Registration is ongoing at www.colormanila.com and SM Tickets counters. For Manila leg, registration may also be done via Runnr (Trinoma, ATC, BHS), Second Wind and Toby's (Glorietta, SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall branches). For CM Blacklight Bacolod leg, registration is already ongoing at Planet Sports at Robinson's Place Bacolod. And for CM Blacklight Davao leg, registration via Chris Sports SM Lanang Premier Mall and Toby's Abreeza Mall Davao would start June 1, 2017.
Sponsors for the CM Blacklight Run Tour include F1 Hotel, Filinvest City, Festival Mall, Tiga South Ka Ba?, Skechers, Starbucks, Manilascope, Business Mirror and Philippine Graphic.
CM Blacklight Run will also be back in Cebu and Clark this year, more details will be announced soon.
For more information about the CM Blacklight Run Tour, please visit www.colormanilarun.com or https://www.facebook.com/ColorManilaRun.


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When it comes to caring for your cat, I have a few simple recommendations:
- Maintain A safe environment (keep him indoors)
- Feed a high quality food (e.g., a meat-based protein)
- Think about preventative care (e.g., an annual physical examination, laboratory tests, and the appropriate vaccines)
- Provide lots of affection and exercise
By following these basic tips, you can help keep your four-legged, feline friends healthy--potentially for decades! But as cat guardians, you should also be aware of five "silent" killers in cats. By knowing what the most common silent killers are, you can know what clinical signs to look for. With most of these diseases, the sooner the clinical signs are recognized, the sooner we veterinarians can treat.
1. Chronic kidney disease
One of the top silent killers of cats is chronic kidney disease (CKD) (This is sometimes called chronic renal failure or chronic kidney injury). These terms are all semantically the same, and basically mean that 75% of both the kidneys are ineffective and not working. Clinical signs of CRD include:
- Excessive drinking
- Excessive urinating
- Larger clumps in the litter box
- Weight loss
- Bad breath (due to toxins building up in the blood and causing ulcers in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach)
- Lethargy
- Hiding
Thankfully, with appropriate management, cats can live with CKD for years (unlike dogs where CKD usually progresses more rapidly). Chronic management may include a low-protein diet, frequent blood work, increasing water intake (e.g., with a water fountain or by feeding a grueled canned food), medications and even fluids under the skin (which many pet guardians do at home, once properly trained).
2. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This is seen in middle-aged to geriatric cats, and can result in very similar clinical signs to chronic kidney disease including:
- Excessive thirst
- Increased water consumption/urination
- Vomiting/diarrhea
- Weight loss
However, as hyperthyroidism increases the metabolism of cats, it causes one defining sign: a ravenous appetite despite weight loss. It can also result in:
- A racing heart rate
- Severe hypertension (resulting in acute blood loss, neurologic signs, or even a clot or stroke)
- Secondary organ injury (e.g., a heart murmur or changes to the kidney)
Thankfully, treatment for hyperthyroidism is very effective and includes either a medication (called methimazole, surgical removal of the thyroid glands (less commonly done), a special prescription diet called y/d® Feline Thyroid Health), or I131 radioiodine therapy. With hyperthyroidism, the sooner you treat it, the less potential side effects or organ damage will occur in your cat.
3. Diabetes mellitus
Another costly, silent killer that affects cats is diabetes mellitus (DM). As many of our cats are often overweight to obese, they are at a greater risk for DM. With diabetes, the pancreas fails to secrete adequate amounts of insulin (Type I DM) or there is resistance to insulin (Type II DM). Insulin is a natural hormone that drives sugar (i.e., blood glucose) into the cells. As a result of the cells starving for glucose, the body makes more and more glucose, causing hyperglycemia (i.e., a high blood sugar) and many of the clinical signs seen with DM. Common clinical signs for DM are similar to those of Chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism and include:
- Excessive urination and thirst
- Larger clumps in the litter box
- An overweight or obese body condition with muscle wasting (especially over the spine or back) or weight loss
- A decreased or ravenous appetite
- Lethargy or weakness
- Vomiting
- Abnormal breath (e.g., acetone breath)
- Walking abnormally (e.g., lower to the ground)
Treatment for DM can be costly, as it requires twice-a-day insulin injections that you have to give under the skin. It also requires changes in diet (to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet), frequent blood glucose monitoring, and frequent veterinary visits. With supportive care and chronic management, cats can do reasonably well; however, once diabetic complications develop (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar, hyperglycemic syndrome), DM can be life threatening.
4. Cardiac disease
Heart disease is very frustrating for both cat owners and veterinarians. That's because, while dogs almost always have a loud heart murmur (i.e., one we can hear with our stethoscope) indicative of heart disease, cats often don't have a heart murmur present. In fact, it's estimated that 50% of cats with heart disease have no auscultable heart murmur. Clinical signs of heart disease include:
- A heart murmur
- An abnormal heart rhythm (e.g., an abnormal beat and rhythm)
- A racing heart rate
- Collapse
- Passing out (e.g., syncope)
- Increased respiratory rate
- Difficulty breathing
- Blue-tinged gums
- Open mouth breathing
- Acute, sudden paralysis (e.g., typically of the hind limbs)
- Cold, painful hind limbs
- Sudden pain
- Sudden lameness
- Sudden death
Once cardiac disease is diagnosed (typically based on physical exam, chest radiographs, Cardiopet® proBNP Test, and an ultrasound of the heart called an "echocardiogram"), treatment may include emergency care for oxygen therapy, diuretics, blood pressure support, and heart medications. Long-term prognosis is poor, as the heart medication does not cure the heart disease; it prevents cardiac disease from getting worse. The exception is when cardiac disease is caused by hyperthyroidism, which often gets better once the hyperthyroidism is treated!
5. Cancer
As dogs and cats live longer, we as veterinarians are seeing more cases of cancer. The most common type of cancer in cats is gastrointestinal cancer, often due to lymphosarcoma. Clinical signs of cancer include:
- Weight loss
- Not eating
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Abdominal distension or bloating
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Hiding
- Fever
- Generalized malaise
Once diagnosed, the prognosis for cancer is poor. For this reason, the sooner you notice clinical signs, the sooner diagnosis and treatment may be initiated.
Note that there are other common emergencies that can cause death in cats, including trauma, urinary obstructions, poisonings, and more. When in doubt, to keep your cat safe, follow these 5 simple tips:
- Keep your cat indoors to prevent any trauma (e.g., being hit by a car, attacked by a dog, accidentally poisoned, etc.)
- Make sure to keep your cat's weight down – this can help prevent costly problems due to obesity such as diabetes down the line.
- Make sure to schedule your annual visit with your veterinarian. This is especially important as we can pick up on physical abnormalities sooner. Note that even if your cat is indoors, she still needs an annual exam; you may be able to skip some of the vaccines (and schedule them to every third year instead) but don't skip on the exam!
- Keep the litter box clean. While this sounds simple, frequent and daily cleaning of the box is a must. Not only will this alert you to life-threatening emergencies like feline urethral obstructions, but it'll make you aware if your cat is urinating more or less than usual — and help you pick up medical problems sooner!
- Seek veterinary attention as soon as you notice any clinical signs – not months after your cat has been urinating and drinking excessively!
When it comes to your cat's health, make sure you're aware of these common silent killers. The sooner you notice the signs, the sooner we can run blood work and diagnose the medical problem. The sooner we diagnose the problem, the sooner we can treat it!
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian -- they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
Article from Pet Health Network


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As it winds from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River is in constant flux. Fast water carries sediment while slow water deposits it. Soft riverbanks are continuously eroded. Floods occasionally spread across the wide, shallow valley that flanks the river, and new channels are left behind when the water recedes. This history of change is recorded in the Geological Investigation of the Alluvial Valley of the Lower Mississippi River, published by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1944.
This map of an area just north of the Atchafalaya River shows a slice of the complex history of the Mississippi. The modern river course is superimposed on channels from 1880 (green), 1820 (red), and 1765 (blue). Even earlier, prehistoric channels underlie the more recent patterns. An oxbow lake—a crescent of water left behind when a meander (bend in the river) closes itself off—remains from 1785. A satellite image from 1999 shows the current course of the river and the old oxbow lake. Despite modern human-made changes to the landscape, traces of the past remain, with roads and fields following the contours of past channels.
In the twentieth century, the rate of change on the Mississippi slowed. Levees now prevent the river from jumping its banks so often. The levees protect towns, farms, and roads near the banks of the river and maintain established shipping routes and ports in the Gulf of Mexico. The human engineering of the lower Mississippi has been so extensive that a natural migration of the Mississippi delta from its present location to the Atchafalaya River to the west was halted in the early 1960s by an Army Corps of Engineers project known as the Old River Control Structure (visible in the full-size Landsat image).
The delta switching has occurred every 1,000 years or so in the past. As sediment accumulates in the main channel, the elevation increases, and the channel becomes more shallow and meandering. Eventually the river finds a shorter, steeper descent to the Gulf. In the 1950s, engineers noticed that the river's present channel was on the verge of shifting westward to the Atchafalaya River, which would have become the new route to the Gulf. Because of the industry and other development that depended on the present river course, the U.S. Congress authorized the construction of the Old River Control Structure to prevent the shift from happening.
Map courtesy the US Army Corps of Engineers, Landsat image by Robert Simmon, based on data from the UMD Global Land Cover Facility.