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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police said one male is in custody and another male has been identified in connection with what they believe is an industrial theft for profit after more than 40 tanks of propane gas were stolen from two facilities in the city.
49-year-old Stephan Williams is charged with: Burglary, Criminal Trespass, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Mischief and related offenses.
Williams and another man are believed to be scrappers, police said.
An investigation led police to a lot in the 2600 block of Wheatsheaf Lane where police said they recovered two vehicles and a number of tanks
The location is being held, awaiting a search warrant.
Surveillance footage of the first theft that occurred on Dec. 16 at the Praxair, Welding Gas and Supply Center shows a suspect organizing the tanks, then a Dodge or Chrysler minivan pulls up and the two suspects load the vehicle.
A lookout vehicle, a light-colored Ford Escape, pulls into the parking lot, then pulls away, the video shows. A suspect then emerges from out-of-camera view and hops the razored fence, and later cuts a hole in the fence so the minivan can pull in.
"When you talk about the quantity that's been taken, there's been like 40-something tanks taken, that adds up to a lot of propane that would last you a long time so that's what we are worried about," said Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum of Northeast Detectives.
Investigators believe the industrial thefts are likely for money, but with so many tanks stolen, Homeland Security is involved in the investigation as a precaution.
"What's concerning about some of the sizes of these propane tanks are 100-pound tanks, which hold 100 pounds of propane each," said Rosenbaum.
He tells Action News market prices for propane are at historically-low levels, which has detectives concerned, adding the thieves could be using the stolen loot for a variety of reasons.
The thieves also stole several tanks from James D. Morrissey Inc. Construction on the 4700 block of Pennpack that same night, police said. They returned to Praxair a week later and stole even more tanks.
Neither company had comment.
Police and Homeland Security want people to be on alert.
"We're trying to figure out why," said Rosenbaum. "If anybody has a reason why, you know, we'd like to know."
Police estimate the total street value of the 40 or so tanks at roughly $7,000 dollars.


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HealthDay News) — Diabetes-attributable nursing home costs are substantial, but vary greatly across the nation, according to a study published online May 14 in Diabetes Care.
Simon J. Neuwahl, MSPH, from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and colleagues estimated nursing home costs attributable to diabetes (in 2013 $) in aggregate and per person with diabetes in each state.
The researchers found that the fraction of total nursing home expenditures attributable to diabetes ranged from 12.3% in Illinois to 22.5% in Washington, D.C., with a median attributable fraction of 15.6% in New Jersey. Diabetes-attributable nursing home costs nationally were $18.6 billion. At the state level, diabetes-attributable costs ranged from $21 million in Alaska to $2.0 billion in California. Per-person diabetes-attributable nursing home costs ranged from $374 in New Mexico to $1,610 in Washington, D.C., with a median of $799 in Maine.
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"These estimates could serve as critical inputs for planning and evaluating diabetes prevention and management interventions that can keep people healthier and living longer in their communities," the authors write.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Story: Don't eat the fruit in the garden, Eden,, It wasn't in God's natural plan., You were only a rib,, And look at what you did,, To Adam, the father of Man.
The Story: You smell like goat, I'll see you in hell
The Story: All the b***h had said, all been washed in black
The Story: And my blunt is my ho now
The Story: At home, drawing pictures, Of mounds of tots, With ham on top
"Oxygen" Funny Misheard Song Lyrics
by Colbie Caillat
Did you or a friend mishear a lyric from "Oxygen" by Colbie Caillat? Click here and tell us!
Misheard "Oxygen" LyricsCame apart inside a worm made of angry p
Other Songs by Colbie CaillatBubbly
Funniest Misheards by Colbie Caillat


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Strong and healthy company and workplace cultures do not happen by accident – they are intentionally designed – and are key to growing a strong and healthy brand. We offer a variety of organizational culture and leadership solutions to help design and build a strong and healthy culture.
Our online assessment measures your Leadership Team's perspective on 23 dimensions of culture and identifies gaps between where your company and workplace culture currently is and where it needs to be. This tool helps align teams, describes how your culture drives performance, and serves as an input to aligning people processes with your culture.
Our culture-building process captures your Leadership Team's vision for the future of your company and how it is to be achieved. Teams who engage in this process achieve team alignment with your intended culture and strategy, build best-in-class brands, are able to articulate and internalize meaningful company values, and increase performance and accountability.


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Allegion has mobilized a cross-functional ESG Council to support our ongoing commitment to environmental, social and governance matters.
Our eight values are at the very heart of Allegion and the way we run our business.
These values are an important guide for our ESG efforts and approach.
"Serve others, not yourself" represents the idea of helping the people you work with and the people around you. Allegion encourages employees to be good corporate citizens by doing more for the communities in which they work and live. Many locations have developed a dedicated team of employees who plan, decide, and coordinate volunteer service projects for their campus, lifting up their local communities. Events like volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, building a home with Habitat for Humanity, and environmental beautification projects are some of the most popular initiatives.
"Do the right thing" encourages employees to act honorably in everything that they do. This value also reminds employees that if there is an inner voice telling you that something is wrong, it probably is - so don't ignore it! Like all of its values, Allegion hopes that employees always do the right thing both at work and in their personal life.
Fabrizio is the Regional Specification Leader for Italy and Spain, working specifically with project based business. We asked Fabrizio why this was his favorite value, and he had this to say: "I mean, this reminds me that we always have a choice, and often the best thing to do is the tough path. Nevertheless, we do this because doing the right thing always leads to better results."
Fabrizio considers this value core to all of Allegion's values. "Customer experience is a part of our DNA. Ensuring that we do the right thing by our customers is always a focus of mine, and I believe that is true for many others at Allegion as well. This is the value that makes all the other values fall into place."
"Be curious beyond the obvious" encourages employees to be continually interested in everything, everywhere. The core of this value is a continual pursuit of innovation and creativity.
Learn how Dalton uses this value at work.
"Have a passion for excellence" emphasizes the idea of making Allegion a better company. In turn, having a passion for excellence makes us all a better version of ourselves as both an employee and as a person.
Kevin is the Specification Consultant Development Director for Allegion's Specification Writing division. He serves as the trainer for the Specification Writers Program, and he is honored to be have an impact on people's careers. "This is the most rewarding opportunity of my hardware career. I get the opportunity to shape the lives of these young people and provide them with a skill that will serve them regardless of where this company leads them." Kevin lives this value every day, and in every part of his job. "Allegion has allowed me to develop and grow in many different ways. I've been trained in many different areas and offered opportunities to fulfill those trainings."
This value honors Allegion's past, present and future, while bringing a spirit of play to work. Enthusiasm is contagious, and work is better when we love what we do. We take an honest interest in each other, celebrating all of our unique diversity.
Allegion promotes good safety and health habits, both inside and outside the office. Whether it's wearing protective gear, getting some fresh air and exercise, or taking a quick zen break, Allegion wants employees to protect their physical, mental and emotional well-being every day.
Allegion encourages employees to give themselves and others the tools needed to succeed. There isn't needless red tape, or bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy. Employees have the freedom to be bold and take action, learning as much from failure as success.
Jessica H. feels that this value gives her the freedom to be creative and test out new possibilities, exploring new technologies.
Your work is important! Question process. Cut out inefficiency. Look for ways to continually improve our business by making it your own. Never be satisfied with "Good enough," and always think of ways we can be better – then work to make it a reality.


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Essentrics® Stretch & Tone & Essentrics® Barre
Essentrics is a full-body workout with a dynamic combination of strengthening and stretching. The technique rapidly changes the shape of your body- developing lean, strong, flexible muscles with immediate changes to your posture.
Perfect for men and women of all fitness levels, this program rebalances the body, prevents and treats injuries and unlocks tight joints.
DISCOVER...ESSENTRICS SPECIAL: Learn the benefits and all that the workout offers in this intro workshop.


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In Mariborska livarna we are striving to have a good relationship with the employees. We are striving to employ expert workers with a wide range of knowledge and experience. We are continually enriching the skills of our employees and we are enabling their growth. We are encouraging their creativity and the realisation of new ideas and thoughts.
Satisfied employees are the key of our success. Therefore we are constantly monitoring the state and the dynamics of the organisational climate and culture. The results of the surveys give us the basis for creating a more positive and pleasant atmosphere, that will contribute to the creativity, the working impetus and to the satisfaction of all the employees.


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I have seen flowers come in stony places, And kind things done by men with ugly faces, And the gold cup won by the worst horse at the races, So I trust too.
(John Masefield)
We must bear any pain, travel any distance, climb any mountain, cross any ocean to complete this journey to freedom, there is no greater honor….dogma has prevailed, in place of transparency, secrecy has taken root, in place of democracy, oppression has intensified, and in place of merit, patronage has been rewarded.
(Eskinder Nega)
Together for a healthier World.
(Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus)
Earlier this year, it was announced that the notorious Kaliti prison holding Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega was to be shut down in order to foster national reconciliation; all incarcerated political prisoners held there, were to be freed. Seven years earlier the government of Ethiopia arrested at least 114 journalists and opposition politicians. When Nega's freedom came it was conditional on his signed confession saying that he was a member of the Ginbot 7 group, a group designated terrorists by the federal government. Nega refused to make a false confession. He was however freed on February 14, 2018, along with several other political prisoners. He was never silenced and chose peaceful means to bring the world's attention to the repressive political environment in Ethiopia. The region in the Horn of Africa has an abundance of natural resources but contains some of the poorest nations on earth. It has suffered protracted political strife, frequent conflict and drought making the region most food insecure. It is one example of a region that has undergone a creeping disaster. Gains have been made but the population remains at the mercy of preventable diseases and poverty.
Eskinder Nega faced the death penalty, continually. He was arrested late in 2011 under Ethiopia's Anti-Terrorism Proclamation of 2009. Over a period of two decades he was detained several times and put back in jail on September 14, 2011. Prior to arrest, he published an online column, critical of the use of anti-terrorism laws to silence dissent and called upon the Ethiopian government to respect freedom of expression and end torture in the country's prisons. At the time an international group of journalists, writers and human rights activists called upon the Ethiopian government to unconditionally release Mr. Eskinder Nega. Finally it has happened this year. As part of political reform by the federal government 740 prisoners were set free. Nega's recent release signals significant improvement and a major step on the road to democracy for Ethiopia. He however suggests caution, for the journey is incomplete. …the only certainty being that the immediate future holds more hardship, more sacrifice, more tears, more imprisonment, exile and even death.
Seven years ago I also raised my small voice in support of Eskinder Nega, a man of great courage, always wearing a baseball hat. Once when young, I had been enthralled with Abyssinia, the oldest independent nation in Africa, with its legendary Prestor John, real and imagined, with wonderful Abyssinian postage stamps and much more. His legend emerged at the time of the Crusades when Christian Europe hoped to regain the Holy Land (Palestine) from the Muslims. My personal petition represented a small spontaneous act to help swell the ranks of those calling for an end to the life-threatening predicament of Eskinder Nega. The Ethiopian Youth National Movement condemned the arrest both of Eskinder Nega and Andualem Andargie and urged the use of all avenues to pressure the government into immediately and unconditionally, releasing them. Accordingly, these courageous men played key roles in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Ethiopia. As a result, they were harassed, imprisoned and tortured.
In spite of mine and many louder and more important voices of influential protest, Nega remained incarcerated. The charges against him were baseless and according to the Committee to Protect Journalists it fell into a long and well-documented pattern of persecution, a result of critical coverage of the government. Amnesty International went on record of calling on the Ethiopian authorities to end their persistent crackdown on dissents, following on from arrests of a prominent journalist and four senior opposition politicians on accusations of terrorism-related activities. Reporters Without Borders called on the Ethiopian government to guarantee a fair and transparent legal process and assure the press, that the law will not be used to persecute critical journalists and thereby stifle dissident voices. The International Federation of Journalists urged the authorities to drop all accusations of terrorist activity levelled at five journalists including two Swedish reporters. PEN International protested the arrest and detention of two more journalists under Ethiopia's sweeping anti-terrorist legislation. The New York Review of Books presented the case of Eskinder Nega in the name of several prestigious individuals, calling upon the then Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton to publicly repudiate Ethiopia's efforts to use terrorism laws to silence political dissent. World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index 2011, Ethiopia, stated that accountability is weak, even by regional standards; when it comes to incorporating the principles of the rule of law, there are great obstacles and poor performance of its regulatory agencies and courts but comparable to other countries in the region. Its record in the area of fundamental rights, ranked it 65th globally and came last in the region. The greatest concerns were restrictions limiting fundamental freedoms; freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and illegal detentions and violations of due process. The case of Nega was but one of many…
In 2011, my personal appeal to the Ethiopian authorities went through the collective conscious of international public health which speaks out in support of civil liberties, promotion of human security and protests support given tor human rights-violating regimes. At the time, an opportunity presented itself to urge restraint on harassment and intimidation, to respect freedom of the press and the rights of children, to emphasize social protection of people, and to reinstate public health as a social enterprise. At the time the international public health community was rightfully worried that any statement in its name would prove detrimental to those detained. I was suggesting that an upcoming Congress could also be a platform to appeal for the exoneration, release and medical treatment of Eskinder Nega and all other national and foreign journalists lingering in Ethiopian prisons.
My Petition noted the good things achieved in the fight against poverty and the gains in equality. It noted the development of educational tourism and the work of the government in collaboration with notable scientists as well as the engagement of well-meaning international philanthropists. New development plans were underway in which the state would replace the private sector as the main engine of economic growth. The ongoing progress in health and agriculture was improving the economy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under his Excellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi from 1995-2012. He died in Belgium from an infection. According to Freedom House, his government discriminated against and repressed the Oromo people for which Eskinder Nega was a top Oromo activist. President Barack Obama upon learning of Meles' death said that he deserved recognition for his lifelong contribution to Ethiopia's development, and his commitment to Ethiopia's poor. At the time and in concert with the international community an effective education in public health system was being created and already a School of Public Health (2010) had emerged. It was built on earlier developments in community health.
Between 2005-12 infant mortality and overall child deaths fell significantly. More recently the UN cited Ethiopia as a success story in its achievement of some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in reducing child mortality, Improving maternal health and in combating transmisable diseases. But there was a long way to go.
In 2012 The 13th World Congress on Public Health was held in Addis Ababa, under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus [1], Minister of Health for Ethiopia (2005-12). It was conducted by the World Federation of Public Health Associations, presided over by Ulrich Laaser, who recently told me that as the Western World falls apart, terrorism and armed conflict should become a subject in teaching and research in public health and that now it is more important than ever.
The Congress resulted in a boost for the Ethiopian Public Health Association and influence gain for Ethiopian public health at the regional and international levels. It helped formulate a better understanding of Africa's major public health challenges, provided instruments of healthy ways forward, and pushed for increased equitable and sustainable access to health services for the poor. It showed how the Millennium Development Goals for health are slowly progressing. Indirectly, it helped bring the two Bills to Ethiopia, promote Ethiopia and the work of its Ministry of Health. In 2012, Tedros was named as one of the 50 people who will change the world. There is now a commitment to eliminate Yellow fever in Africa, through a programme launched by Dr Tedros now WHO Director-General, in partnership with Nigeria. By 2026 nearly one billion people will be vaccinated against yellow fever in 27 high-risk African countries and UNICEF will make the vaccines available.
Other events have also inspired. It includes the vision of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, an independent, non-governmental organization. The Center is dedicated to the advancement of human rights and strongly supports training for youth, civil society and governments. Its work stresses that the principle of equal citizenship rights is a good way to defuse tensions resulting from migration and seeks to create more resilient and cohesive societies while urging international decision-makers to provide a special funding priority to countries in the Sahel region of Africa that are victims of both the adverse effects of climate change on standard of living and precipitated enormous economic deprivations. The Center promotes equal citizenship rights to deconstruct and eliminate the vulnerability of people. In 2017 it promulgated the important statement the Geneva Declaration and will soon convene a world conference entitled Religions, Creeds and/or Other Value Systems: Joining Forces to Enhance Equal Citizenship Rights. It will take place in the Offices of the United Nations, Geneva. In 2015 and in Addis Ababa Dr.Tedros now as Minister of Foreign Affairs orchestrated an Action Agenda which became known as AAAA., it set policy actions by Member States, which draws upon all sources of finance, technology, innovation, trade, and data in order to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. In the arena of public health it pointed to development of health diplomacy. In 2018, leaders of Africa's 55 countries took a long drawn step towards greater integration and closer unity. It brought forth a historic pact 4 decades in the making that will make the continent the largest free trade area created since the formation of the World Trade Organization…
Looking back to the Cairo Consultation, 2002, Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, Regional Director of WHO/EMRO, noted that the concept of health and human security are deeply rooted in the culture of the Eastern Mediterranean region. The consultation emphasized that public health provides a unifying framework for human security development which presents an opportunity for a deeper understanding of human security. It provides a context through which an array of partnerships across scientific disciplines, governmental sectors and national and international agencies can be built. UNDP noted then that more than 50 nations were poorer than just one decade earlier, with 20 in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 17 in Eastern Europe. Twenty years ago security and health for all, within inclusive societies (UN) were firmly on the world agenda.
At WHO, Geneva, Director General, Dr. Tedros has identified universal health coverage as his top priority. His appointment to the position came with criticism, from for example the editor-in-chief of Lancet, the prominent medical journal, calling him Dictator-General. For some unknown to me reason his credentials and accomplishments were by many considered inflated. I want to believe that this has made a difference for better heath and health education in solidarity for all Ethiopians. The knock on effects for the rest of the world can be considerable. Will they be is a more realistic question.
Eskinder Nega was arrested as a suspected terrorist, identified as a spy for foreign forces by state controlled media and jailed for seven years. After his harsh treatment at the hands of the Ethiopian authorities and after his release the world wishes him well and in the hope that he will continue to expose government bad practices. Will he stay free remains to be seen. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus should be left alone to fulfil his promise as Director General of the WHO. He has the sensibility to steer towards health equality having known the needless suffering caused by malaria in Eritrea and having rubbed shoulders with two presidents, Carter and Clinton as well as with Bill Gates as a politician he has the clout to get things done. Perhaps I could bring them together in close conversation on terrorism as a public health issue? Now that is a challenge!
His Excellency Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, Cultural and religious diversity at a crossroad. The promotion of equal citizenship rights to deconstruct and eliminate the vulnerability of people, 26 May 2018
His Excellency Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim ,Geneva declaration. Mobility and human solidarity, a challenge and an opportunity for Europe and the MENA region, 26 December 2017
Donev, D., Laaser, U., Levett, J., Skopje Declaration on Public Health, Peace & Human Rights, Dec 2001 Croat Med J. 2002; 43(2): 105–6 Adopted by World Federation of Public Health Associations, 2003
Jeffrey Levett. Defense against Terrorism: Role of Public Health and Health Diplomacy. Proceedings of an Advanced Research Workshop, NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme, SKOPJE, April 2018
Abderrahmane Naji, AU Extraordinary Summit, The Summit for African Continental Free Trade Area, 17 April 2018
Donev, D., Laaser, U., Levett, J., Skopje Declaration on Public Health, Peace & Human Rights, Dec 2001 Croat Med J. 2002; 43(2): 105–6 Adopted by World Federation of Public Health Associations, 2003


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Fantone's Friday Top 5: Reasons To Be Pumped For The 2012 Tigers
Man, there is nothing like the opening day of baseball. The Tigers took care of business and started the season with a win, with many more to come this season. Check out my top 5 reasons to be pumped for this baseball season.
Everybody is a fan on Opening Day, but this Tigers team should keep you cheering all season long, and here's the main reasons why.
Number 5: Jim Leyland
Jimmy "Smokes" is one of the better skippers in MLB right now, and I think he's wise enough to know that this team offers one of his best shots at another hoisting of the World Series Trophy. The dude has a knack for helping players maximize their potential, and with the talent he has on this team, that's a lot of potential.
Number 4: Easy To Win American League Central
I'm going to be shocked if somebody even contends with the Tigers when it comes to being AL Central champs. The White Sox are going to be at the bottom of the league, The Royals are young with no pitching, The Twins are depending on Joe Mauer's health, and The Indians are from Cleveland. I see the Tigers being the first team in baseball to wrap up their division.
Number 3: Big Bats
The Tigers are here to swing. Miguel Cabrera is arguably the best hitter in baseball, and if he's not #1, he's #2 unquestionably. Miggy has hit over 30 homers in 6 of his 8 pro seasons, with a lifetime batting average of .314. He's also seen his strike out percentage drop each of the past 3 years. The pick up of slugger Prince Feilder makes the most powerful 3-4 in baseball, even in if it cost $214 million. If Brennan Boesch can up his HR count to 20 this year, there will be 5 Tigers with 20+ HR potential in the line up. Be pumped for the Big Bats people.
Number 2: Justin Verlander
Make no mistake about it, JV is the best pitcher in the game. Last year he proved it, winning both the Cy Young and MVP. Verlander looked in mid-season form on Opening Day and the fate of the team sits heavier on his shoulders than anyone else. Looking back at last year, the dude was just unreal. His ERA, the no hitters, the wins, and the 14 strikeouts in one game, it was all awesome. This year, he seems focused and ready to lead his team.
Number 1: This Team Is Built To Win It All
I don't want to say that you just get that feeling sometimes, but sometimes, you just get that feeling, and a lot of Tigers fans have it. I think the Tigers have one of the top rotations in MLB, with JV, Fister, Scherzer, Porcello, and Smyly. Coke coming out of the bullpen should help him bounce back and Ververde is trying to exceed his already high expectations. I've already alluded to the offensive firepower on our bench and the Tigers are a really deep, flexible team, headed up by one of the best mangers in baseball. I think the Tigers are the real deal, and hopefully, this summer, they'll prove me right.


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Preserve your wedding dress even after your Big day by turning it into a Miniature! This lovely keepsake is a beautiful gift for the Bride. It can be gifted to her by her bridesmaids or family before the wedding or at the Bridal Shower. Miniature replicas have been used as pretty Centerpieces at weddings as well.
A Miniature Wedding Gown Replica is a miniature dress in 1:6 Scale that is displayed on a doll or on a dress form/mannequin. It resembles your wedding dress and is a wonderful heirloom keepsake.
This is a Miniature Replica of a Lace Trumpet Wedding Dress along with a floral wreath
This is a Miniature Replica of a Tulle and Satin wedding dress with Lace applique. The sash was changed by the bride from Brown to Pink and she wanted the miniature replica to match the color
A Vintage Lace and Satin wedding Dress Miniature along with a Headband, Veil, Floral Bouquet and Gloves.
An A-line miniature wedding dress with a floral head wreath
This miniature version is made with Pure silk Satin, Tulle, Chiffon and Shimmer Tulle. Pearls have been used as buttons on the back of the dress. The sash is made of chiffon and satin flowers along with rhinestones. The bride had a ribbon edged veil which was created for the miniature version as well.
This is a Miniature Replica of a Lace Trumpet Wedding Dress along with a Beaded edge 2 Tier Veil
The bride was wearing a Light Gold Lace Mantilla Veil and wanted to include this veil on her miniature replica.
Each flower on this dress and veil were hand drawn and cut on fabric. Then dyed and starched and sewed onto the dress to make a lovely keepsake.
This is a Satin Miniature Dress along with a Birdcage Veil with scattered rhinestones.
This is a ballgown Miniature Dress. The Veil is a Lace Mantilla Cathedral Veil with Plain tulle Blusher and Tiara
Veil Design: Elbow length with a thin trim of crystals around the edges and a smattering of crystals all over
Miniature Dress shown here is a Vintage Mexican wedding dress with bell sleeves. This customer already had the miniature dress created(by another designer) in the 1:12th scale but she wasn't quite happy with it and wanted a larger version. So the 1:6th Scale miniature was perfect!
Miniature Replica of a Beaded Ballgown wedding dress with lace applique and rhinestones
This is a Jewel Lace Wedding Dress with Scalloped V-Neck
The Veil shown here is a Single Tier Royal Cathedral Mantilla Veil
This is a miniature replica of a ballgown wedding dress
Miniature Dress : High Neck Tank Lace Wedding Dress
This is a Miniature Replica of a Custom Wedding Dress with a blue sash
Miniature Replica of a Custom Made Satin Wedding Dress with Lace Applique, pleats and a tie up back.The miniature also includes a 2 tier scalloped edge veil with lace applique


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CBS 58 Endzone: High School Football Week 3
SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN (CBS 58) – The CBS 58 Tailgate's whirlwind tour of high school football, week three starts at a matchup so big it's at a college stadium.
Arrowhead and Catholic Memorial battle it out at Carroll University.
Arrowhead walks in hungry at a game that would have the defending Classic 8 champs, Catholic Memorial trailing nearly the entire first half.
It's a night rich in rivalries and stocked with stories. Like Waukesha West coach Steve Rux leading his wolverines into Ed Rux stadium, the Oconomowoc stadium named for his dad. West, undefeated and trying not to get bitten by Oconomowoc's Raccoons wins 49-7.
The Kettle Moraine Lasers, fresh off a shutout last week host Waukesha North. It was a nice 17 point win for the Lasers with a final score of 38 to 21.
The Homestead Highlanders take the win against Grafton, 50-0.
Menomonee Falls wins 20-18 against Wauwatosa West.


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Hurricane Florence Is Heading for the East Coast. Who Will Be Affected?
As Hurricane Florence hurtles toward the East Coast, residents are gearing up to face floods, mudslides, and winds of up to 130 miles per hour. Forecasters expect the storm, a Category 4 as of Tuesday, to stall over North and South Carolina, creating "life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding and significant river flooding" across the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic states, the National Weather Service announced. The storm is expected to make landfall Friday.
More than a million people have already evacuated, but some may not be able to escape the storm's larger impact. Its path includes communities in North Carolina that lack the resources to prepare, rebuild, or, in some cases, even evacuate.
According to the Charlottesville Observer, Florence is headed toward several nuclear power plants, industrial waste disposal pits, and, in the east, hog farms where animal waste is stored in "massive open-air lagoons." Greg Jenkins, professor of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University, said structures like these may not survive a massive storm, making them a serious risk to nearby communities.
If the lagoons flood the state's eastern counties, inundating fields and waterways with waste, spillover could contaminate water for drinking and farming, Bloomberg reports. Already, the area's primarily low-income, African-American residents have experienced harmful health effects from the industry's air pollution, North Carolina's Indy Week found.
Now, as the storm intensifies, experts predict the state's most vulnerable residents could experience Florence's effects for years to come; as research on previous hurricanes shows, disasters often exacerbate existing racial and economic disparities, leaving a trail of destruction that's not always immediately visible.
"People's ability to rebuild is dependent on them having resources," Jenkins says. "There are people who don't have jobs or who are underemployed. They can't afford a disaster. They might not even be able to afford a proper evacuation."
Disasters have been found to disproportionately affect low-income people and people of color. This inequity includes everything from vast environmental impacts to individual income. For example, research shows that hazards such as hurricanes increase food insecurity along racial and ethnic lines; one 2011 study found that people living in African-American neighborhoods in New Orleans, who already lacked access to supermarkets, found it increasingly difficult to buy food in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Once they survive the storm, these communities also face lackluster disaster response. One study details how white people in counties with extensive damage from natural disasters benefit financially from Federal Emergency Management Agency aid, while black, Latino, and Asian people do not. In 2017, another study found that environmental and economic recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina, such as landscaping and rebuilding, did not benefit historically marginalized communities.
After Katrina, scholars contended that racism influenced government decision-making that "magnified the death, destruction, and misery the storm produced." In Puerto Rico, where President Donald Trump notoriously belittled Hurricane Maria's impact, a Politico investigation found FEMA neglected to provide adequate aid to the island, compared to their response to Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
With Florence, Jenkins fears a similar outcome. Jenkins has been studying storms' impacts on the West African coast, where residents also lack access to information and resources needed for basic preparation. "In general, it doesn't matter if you're in North Carolina or in Africa," Jenkins says. "When you have people who are in underserved communities and lack resources, it's hard for them to be resilient."
Many of Jenkins' relatives live in North Carolina, where they've weathered several hurricanes—but few as strong as this one. A few are elderly; some are living in trailers that cannot stand up to a Category 4 storm. This week, he warned them to pick up prescriptions, pack their belongings, and head to local shelters—in other words, to prepare for the worst.


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Palos Verdes Real Estate Sales Palos Verdes Drive East Neighborhood 2017
2017 Palos Verdes homes sales for the Palos Verdes Drive East neighborhood increased to 63 single family homes sold compared to 54 in 2016. Price per square foot for Palos Verdes Drive East houses that sold in the first half of 2017 stayed the same at $531 for both 2017 and 2016. Average sale price for Palos Verdes Drive East homes sold in 2017 was $1,519,122 compared to $1,321,970 in 2016. The most expensive home sold for $3,850,000 and the lowest priced home sold for $830,000.
Currently, Palos Verdes Drive East has 14 active Palos Verdes homes for sale. There are 14 single family homes ranging in price from $1,100,000 for a 4 bedroom/3 bath, 2,308 square foot home, to $4,120,000 for a 7 bedroom/7 bath, 6,000 square foot home. There are no condo/townhomes for sale in this area.
For background and history on Palos Verdes Drive East Listing Area 167, please click here to read my prior article on this neighborhood.
To view current Palos Verdes real estate statistics for the entire Peninsula, please click here or on the "Statistics" tab above.
Many of the homes have harbor views and/or views of the Vincent Thomas Bridge and sparkling night time city lights views (photo above).


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Christmas food
Discover Pinterest's 10 best ideas and inspiration for Christmas food. Get inspired and try out new things.
Little Straberry Santas with a fluffy vanilla center for the Holidays!
3 ingredients
- 1 Strawberries, Fresh
Baking & Spices
- 1 Icing gel, Black
- 1 Vanilla frosting
Christie Keylon saved to Holidays
22 · A super easy Christmas Salad that is as fun and festive as it is delicious. Drizzle with a delectable Honey Mustard Champagne Vinaigrette.
12 ingredients
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 12 oz Greens, fresh spring
- 1 Pomegranate
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp Honey
Baking & Spices
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper, fresh ground
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Oils & Vinegars
- 2 tbsp Champagne vinegar
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
Nuts & Seeds
- 2/3 cup Almonds
- 2/3 cup Feta cheese
- 4 Seedless mandarin oranges peeled and segmented
Abbigail Furnish saved to Christmas/ Winter
With only 4 ingredients you can make these adorable frosted Gnome cookies with strawberries. Perfect for a Christmas cookie exchange!
Shannon saved to Holiday - Christmas
Making a Christmas Charcuterie Wreath is an easy and fun holiday appetizer idea. A show stopping dish for all of your parties and feasts.
Michelle DeMaagd saved to Christmas recipies
Whether you want to stick with the classics or try something new, you'll find what you're looking for in these 60+ Christmas Cookie Recipes!
Colleen Dyer saved to Christmas party
Delicious Christmas sausage rolls that would be ideal for a festive snack in the lead up to the big day or to use up leftovers on Boxing Day.
9 ingredients
- 400 g Pork sausage meat
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 Herbs, Mixed
- 1 tsp Zest, orange
- 1 Egg
- 1 Cranberry sauce
Baking & Spices
- 1 Salt and pepper
Bread & Baked Goods
- 1 Ready-to-roll puff pastry
- 1 Brie
Melissa LeClaire saved to Delicious Dishes
11 · 30 minutes · Quickly make a big batch of this Cinnamon Sugar Pecans Recipe to have on hand for the holiday season. Nosh on these easy roasted nuts for a snack, serve at a party, top desserts, or give as a Christmas food gift!
11 · 30 minutes · Quickly make a big batch of this Cinnamon Sugar Pecans Recipe to have on hand for the holiday season. Nosh on these easy roasted nuts for a snack, serve at a party, top desserts, or give as a Christmas food gift!
6 ingredients
- 1 Egg white
Baking & Spices
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Nuts & Seeds
- 1 lb Pecans
Perihane Adly saved to Cooking Recipes
We are sharing 16 of our favorite Christmas snack ideas on the blog! From charcuterie boards, to snack ideas and treat boards!
Nomi Seastead saved to Charcuterie Board Holidays
40 of the BEST Christmas Appetizers - All of these are so festive and delicious. Perfect for serving at a party or with family and friends.
Kelley Pierce saved to Christmas Family Party
Stressing over your holiday menu? The Barefoot Contessa is here to help. Here the 20 best Ina Garten Christmas recipes of all time.
E K saved to dec winter 22 real


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Indonesia has made good progress towards increasing enrolment in higher education but it still has a long way to go to improve equity – especially for people with disability. Stigma, physical barriers and a lack of supportive policies and academic services continue to keep most Indonesians with disability locked out of higher education. To have any hope of earning a degree they need support from families, the community and the government – and a huge amount of personal determination.
Zilfathanah Arranury, or Ifha, is a 25-year-old teacher at a special school in Gowa in South Sulawesi, and is deaf. Of the estimated 36,000 people with disability who live in Makassar, she is one of the very few with a bachelor's degree. Although Ifha was able to attend university, she says she was reluctant to apply because she felt embarrassed about attending classes with non-disabled peers. It was her father, a lecturer at Alauddin State Islamic University (UIN) in Makassar, who convinced her to try. After two attempts at the entrance exam, she was accepted into Makassar State University (UNM), the first ever student from her special school to make it.
Ifha's anxiety is common among people with disability. It is an unintended consequence of the segregated special school system introduced in 1967. Most children with disabilities go to special schools for their primary and secondary education. Although the schools were created to provide an avenue to access education, the quality of these schools is often poor, and minimal efforts are made to prepare students to study alongside non-disabled students.
Some Indonesians with disability attend state high schools. Hamzah, a 32-year-old blind activist, also from Makassar, says he often had to put up with negative comments from teachers who complained about his performance in class but never offered additional support (extra tutorials, for example) or adapted materials or equipment to help him participate. While Hamzah was tolerated in the state school system, almost no efforts were made to ensure his experience was inclusive.
Despite a lack of encouragement from his teachers, Hamzah was adamant about pursuing higher education like his non-disabled peers, and dreamt of becoming a teacher at an Islamic school. But Hamzah's enrolment was refused in 2003 by the education (tarbiyah) faculty at Alauddin UIN. He was told that a blind man could not become a teacher and the institute could not accommodate him. He was eventually accepted into the English literature department at UNM, which Ifha also attended.
Hamzah's experience is far too common among people with disabilities. Until last year, the National Higher Education Entrance Exam (SNMPTN) excluded participants who were deaf, blind, physically disabled or colour-blind. Following a national outcry, this was changed. Yet students with disabilities remain challenged by inadequate support and a lack of accessible teaching and learning facilities in Indonesian higher education.
Without help from the educational sector, family support becomes critical. It played a significant role in both Hamzah's and Ifha's transition to higher education. Other children are not so lucky. Although attitudes are improving, many Indonesian parents consider children with disability a burden on the family. Education is not seen as a pathway for their children to participate in employment or public life.
More than a decade ago, the Indonesian government included provisions on the need for education for people with special needs in Law No. 20 of 2003 on National Education. It eventually ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2011 (through Law No. 19 of 2011). This obliges it to provide people with disability with access to education, employment and health care. It was not until the Ministry of Education and Culture published Regulation No. 46 of 2014, however, that requirements for accessible higher education were spelled out in greater detail.
Although progress is slow, some institutions have taken major steps. Brawijaya University in Malang and Sunan Kalijaga UIN in Yogyakarta, for example, have pioneered centres for disability studies and services that provide educational assistance for students. They started by building accessible infrastructure to help students with physical disabilities, and have recruited volunteers to assist students with disabilities in class, and run training programs to build awareness among educators.
Change may also be starting to occur within the government. This year, it made efforts to ensure disabled applicants were not excluded from entrance exams, and reminded exam organisers they could not refuse disabled applicants. At a recent conference on higher education for people with disability organised by Australian Catholic University and Sunan Kalijaga UIN in Yogyakarta, the director general of Islamic higher education, Professor Amsal Bakhtiar, said his office planned to reform policies on accessible higher education and start introducing inclusive education at Islamic institutions. Despite the strong emphasis on social justice in Islam, and the pioneering work of Sunan Kalijaga UIN, the reality is that Islamic higher education institutions have historically been among the worst performing institutions in this field.
Using Islamic texts to justify inclusive policies could be a vital first step in changing discriminatory attitudes. But a lot more will be needed. Sunan Kalijaga UIN, for example, said that to improve its services it needs more support from the ministry, including better training for staff, funds for accessible infrastructure, and adapted academic resources. None of that comes cheap but it has to happen. Access to education for people with disability is a right, not something only available to those very determined students lucky enough to have committed and supportive families.


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We are James and Merika, a husband-and-wife team specialising in natural, creative wedding photography. We have photographed hundreds of weddings in different parts of the world, and feel blessed to have had customers put their complete trust in us to share in, and convey, their love stories. We genuinely love what we do, and it is our aim to capture your day in a relaxed, friendly manner.
Fun Facts
– We live in a little seaside town called Cleethorpes with our dog, Stella.
– We love to travel as much as possible, but the Isle of Skye in Scotland has stolen our hearts – we've visited four years running. It is also Stella's favourite place in the world.
– We love kayaking! Whether it's in Thailand or at home on the Humber, we just love the water.
– We are very competitive and love playing VR games. We also love watching true crime documentaries.
– Merika is tea-obsessed, loves poetry, and is a self-confessed daydreamer that loves to be in nature as much as possible.
– James is a coffee fiend, dog whisperer and loves his gadgets.
Features & Publications
Rock My Wedding
Love My Dress
Real Weddings Magazine
Wedding Ideas Magazine
Your Wedding Magazine
Perfect Weddings Magazine
(Among others)


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ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, a 34-year leader in specialty coffee, today announced that select Bed Bath & Beyond® stores will carry the Company's new BREWSTICKS® cold-brewed liquid instant coffee beginning in February. This revolutionary, innovative coffee product was introduced late last year and has been met with strong positive response by consumers and retailers alike. Hannaford supermarkets, part of the Delhaize America Group, was the first retail launch partner for BREWSTICKS coffee. Delhaize America Group operates more than 1,300 locations nationwide. Several more retailers are scheduled to carry BREWSTICKS beginning in Q1 2015.
BREWSTICKS is a category changing, cold-brewed liquid coffee that makes iced or hot coffee instantly. Add the liquid coffee concentrate to iced, chilled or hot water for coffee on the go – perfect for the mobile consumer. This revolutionary new product is 100% Arabica coffee, all natural with no sugar or preservatives, allergen and gluten free.
Bed Bath & Beyond will offer multiple BREWSTICKS SKUs that include Barnie's Blend® and French Roast as well as proprietary flavored coffees such as Crème Brulee, Hawaiian Hazelnut and the year-round best-seller Santa's White Christmas®.
"BREWSTICKS is an ideal fit for Bed Bath & Beyond shoppers because of the multitude of uses beyond drinkable on-the-go coffee," said Jonathan Smiga, CEO of Barnie's CoffeeKitchen. "BREWSTICKS makes iced or hot coffee instantly by blending with water and it can be used as an ingredient in baking, cooking, smoothies, marinades and sauces. For anyone who enjoys the taste of coffee, BREWSTICKS adds the perfect touch of natural coffee flavor."
About Barnie's CoffeeKitchen®
Barnie's CoffeeKitchen was founded in 1980 as Barnie's Coffee & Tea and renamed Barnie's CoffeeKitchen in 2011, bringing its rich coffee heritage to the market in a fresh, innovative way by treating coffee as food. The company offers more than 40 hand-selected coffees, many of which are single origin, organic, Fair Trade Certified™ or Rainforest Alliance Certified™. Under the leadership of CEO Jonathan Smiga, Barnie's CoffeeKitchen now operates in three functional areas: retail cafés, its website and consumer products division. The company's cafés create an elegant, yet accessible, experience, inviting guests to elevate their expectations surrounding coffee and cuisine. The website and consumer products business offers individuals and wholesale customers a category-wide assortment of products, including packaged coffee, CupUp® premium single-serve coffee cups, BREWSTICKS liquid instant coffee and a host of other items. For more information or to shop, visit www.barniescoffeekitchen.com. Follow the company on Twitter @BarniesCoffee.


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|Watercolor Supplies - Materials - Tools & Equipment
|While I'm updating my website several links will take you back to my original "Tips" pages. I'll get them all moved and updated eventually!
Thanks for your patience!
There are many different kinds and brands of materials available for painting in watercolor.
Don't throw away your favorite brushes and paints if they are not mentioned here.
However, before you head to the art supply store, let's look at a few options that just might save you some time and money.
When beginning with watercolor, I believe that selecting proper tools and materials will greatly influence not only the rate
you learn but it also affects the results you get. And that does not mean buying the "most expensive."
Buying appropriate supplies that suit your needs, fit your budget, and have high performance levels
is different than purchasing the most expensive materials available.
Equal quality does not mean equal price.


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Choosing The Right Womens Athletic Shoes - (Part 1)
The days that women laced up their only pair of womens athletic shoes to go running, play tennis or play volleyball are over. With todays technology and a better understanding of human conditioning, womens shoes come in a wide variety serving many purposes. Owning more than one pair of athletic shoes for women is now a must if you do more than running.
As women go shopping for a pair of athletic designer shoes today they must understand it is a whole new ball game and another world. The mantra "One size fits all" doesn't work anymore . The multibillion-dollar industry offers an overwhelming number of styles, brands, colors, attributes and prices to choose from.
Should you run out and splurge on the latest pair of Adidas athletic shoes? Are they really better than the Reebok, Brooks or Puma athletic shoes? Not necessarily — the more expensive a pair of womens shoes are doesn't mean the shoes will fit you better and be comfortable. Women should pay special attention to comfort, not design or price. When choosing the right pair of shoes from your favorite athletic shoes store that basing your selection on comfort will save you pain and money in the long run.
The Internals Of An Athletic Shoe
Now let's run down the internals of an athletic shoe. Understanding these parts will bring you a clarity to what you are looking for in that perfect running, tennis or soccer shoe.
Insole - This is the portion of the sole that fits inside the shoe to provide cushioning and arch support.
Last - This component of the shoe is the footprint that the shoe is built around. The last comes in a curved, semicurved or straight style.
Outsole - This the outermost portion of the sole, hence the name, that makes the contact with the ground and is treaded for traction.
Upper - Top part of the shoe where the laces reside, fancy designs and bright colors that keep the shoe intact and keeps it wrapped around your foot during your athletic activity.
Midsole - Is usually the only real padded region that lies between the insole and the outsole and provides your foot with comfort, cushioning and shock absorption.
Counter - This region is located around the heel of the shoe and is rigid that provides the stability of the athletic shoe and keeps the heel of the foot in its proper place.
Toe box - Located at the tip of the shoe that gives the toes wiggle room.
Heel tab - Notched area of the ankle collar that reduces stress on the Achilles tendon.
Ankle collar - The region that is around the ankle and is padded for fit and of course comfort.
So, with this information you are now armed with some basics that should make your search at the athletic shoes stores to be more productive.
Remember, comfort in your designer athletic shoes should be priority number 1. With this in mind it should be such a mystery as to what athletic shoe for women is right for you.
Stay tuned to part number 2, where we will go into further detail and tie it all together as to what shoes are right for what athletic activity.
Source: Free Guest Posting Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
About Article Author
Bowe Packer is the Webmaster and content provider for http://www.clothes-4u.com. His website: http://www.clothes-4u.com is dedicated to providing free fashion advice and tips for women. Offering excellent tips and strategies for women to look good in the areas of Casual, Petite Size, Plus Size clothing, as well as dress, athletic and casual shoes. You can reach him at: email@example.com.


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My challenge then, was to find material my students and I could use for instruction, and that in turn my students could take out and use in their middle school field placements. I decided that even though the subject was different, my philosophy and approach would not change. I tried to convince these students that they too could use children's books to develop literacy skills, even in a second language. All I needed to do was get my hands on some outstanding books.
This is where I learned about Kane/Miller, and came to love both their English and Spanish language books. One of the reasons I am so thrilled with the Kane/Miller catalog is because they specialize in foreign translated children's books. These books open a whole new world to readers. Their motto is "Open-minded books opening young minds to the world." Here is their mission as found on the Kane/Miller web site.
We are a very small, very specialized, very independent publishing company. We choose the books we publish with extraordinary care and attention. We think about them, we discuss them, we argue about them. We read them aloud, and then we read them to ourselves, to our families, and to each other. We live with them. In the end, we publish those books that speak to us - and those that we believe will speak to children.Some of my favorite books include:
We believe that children's books should comfort and challenge, that they should awaken the imagination and the conscience. We publish books we think are important to bring to American children. We truly believe in bringing the world closer to a child and the children of the world closer to each other. We want books that capture life's and lives experiences and present them in a way that will make children say both "wow, that's just like me" and also "wow, that's different."
We search the world for books that through great stories and arresting illustrations enrich the lives and the imaginations of the children who read them. American children need to learn not just about the United States, but about the world. They need to know that they can share adventures, and fantasies and dreams. Because the children of the coming millennium will not simply be citizens of their own countries, they truly will be citizens of the world.
- Learning to Fly by Sebastian Meschenmoser
- Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester
- Kali and the Rat Snake by Zai Whitaker
- Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen
In addition to a fabulous selection of books that truly meet the mission stated above, teachers can find a wealth of resources on a page of Teacher to Teacher Tip Sheets.
I can't say enough about how important it is for children to read about others who do not look or act like them. Kane/Miller does a fine job bringing to our shores a wonderful selection of books that expose children to the human experience in all it's varied forms. Do yourself a favor and visit Kane/Miller for some of the loveliest translated books on the market.


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LP (12"/10" Album)
Price: € 21.95
(VAT included)
Stock level: IN STOCK
Available for
immediate delivery
Read our FAQ before ordering.
Label: CARDINAL FUZZ
Release date: 29/03/2019
Barcode: 2090504765442
Catalog no.: CFUL0000138
Item ID: 476544
Following up on his acclaimed releases for Adhesive Sounds and Prairie Fire Tapes, Wasted Cathedral is the solo project of Saskatoon-based musician Christopher Laramee (Shooting Guns, The Switching Yard, The Radiation Flowers). 'Atmospheric Hangover' is a compilation of tracks from the last couple of years, engineered by Josh Rohs (who also contributes electronics on 'Freeway') and Barrett Ross and with Clayton Linthicum adding some divine acoustic guitar. On 'Atmospheric Hangover' Chris Laramee melds the vibe of extended disco edits, film music and endless drift, maybe if Flying Saucer Attack scored a Michael Mann crime flick it would sound like this? With pills, thrills and plenty of loops, 'Atmospheric Hangover' is some serious late night headphone ear message for all you insomniacs. 200 only vinyl pressing. Only few available here, so order fast.


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In 1946, Percy Spencer gave us the first commercial microwave, and it was purely by accident. Back then it was called the "Radarange". I'm not sure which name sounds more terrifying. It was 6ft tall, over 700 lbs and came with a modest price tag of $5000. 1967 saw these beasts reduced drastically, in price and size.
I can clearly remember the attention, negative and positive, from society as a whole about these new kitchen helpers. Some thought they would fry our brains. Others thought it was absolutely amazing. I was on the fence. Should I get one?
Yes it could possibly fry my brain but, wow, what an invention.
The manufacturers and sales people swore up and down that they were completely safe to use and would not harm you in any way shape or form. Nobody was sure, really. And we all took a chance and brought one home.
Imagine how much easier our lives will be now.
There are still many arguments about whether or not these, now 50 year old appliances, are safe or harmful.
I've done my research. Research is my thing. I'll research something to death to make sure I found the best possible answer and I'm happy with the result.
This is what I've uncovered about the microwave. Some of it, we already knew, some of it, we had our suspicions about. Here's what I consider the ugly truth, why I've tossed my microwave and why I think you should too.
1. Microwave radiation can and does leak out.
That in itself should convince you to toss it!
Remember how fast microwaves cook food and why? Ok so now imagine what all that radiation can do to your body if it can cook a potato in under 5 minutes. The energy inside a microwave is mind-blowing.
After a few years, the seal around your door eventually loosens and whammo. Radiation gets leaked all over the kitchen. You think you're safe? Think again.
Have you checked the seal on your door lately? Maybe it's time to do that.
2. More romance please.
I know, that totally sounds horrible but if you ditch the microwave and take the time with your loved one to cook a meal together, you may actually bond in ways you had forgotten
Everything these days is fast and furious. We often forget what it's like to spend time with each other the old fashioned way. At the kitchen counter, chopping veggies, boiling water, chatting about our day. Yes, those kinds of things.
Who knows, you may even ignite some romance back in your relationship.
3. Goodbye nutrients.
You bought that beautiful head of broccoli because of all the wonderful nutrients in it. Plopping it in a microwaveable plastic bowl and nuking it on high for 3 minutes just killed all of those nutrients.
Remember all that radiation? Yup. It just annihilated your broccoli. Steaming it may not take 3 minutes but it's still just as easy and so much better for you. Drizzle some olive oil on that and you just added even more nutrients.
Do you like junk food but would like to enjoy eating healthy? Our Guided Meditaitons can help you [enjoy healthy food]https://www.guidedmind.com/product/enjoy-healthy-food)
4. Breast milk? Why bother?
Most new moms want their babies to have milk in its most natural occurring state. Right from the breast. It's chock full of all the vities the baby needs.
Think twice about zapping that bottle though. Once you do that, baby loses up to 50% of the vitamins it requires. Result? You just wasted all that breast milk. It only takes a minute to warm up it on the stove or under a tap of hot water.
5. Toxins. Yummy.
You know all those healthy 3 minute frozen dinners where all you have to do is "poke holes in the plastic film and cook on high"? Yes those ones.
Those containers are full of toxins as is the plastic container you are using to zap your food. Some of the chemicals in these containers have names so long even the scientists can't pronounce them. All these chemicals are leaking into the food that is getting cooked. Really.
Find out: Are you a toxic person others avoid?
6. Have a heart, will ya?
Significant research and tests have proven that, without a shadow of a doubt, microwaves have an adverse effect on the heart rate.
For people who suffer from rapid or irregular heartbeats may want to toss their microwave sooner than others. It could be causing you more harm than most others. The radiation given off by microwaves is detrimental to your heart health.
7. Pass the meds please.
Many people suffer from different ailments that can definitely be linked to microwave use. Dizziness, nausea, headaches and vision loss are just a few of them.
If you've been experiencing some rather odd health ailments and not sure what they are from, look no further than your kitchen counter. It may be right before your eyes.
These warnings have been around for years yet to this day, you can find a microwave in almost every home. Almost. There are still those that absolutely will not allow this "brain frying appliance" on their kitchen countertops. Smart move.
Do you use a microwave? If so, do these warnings concern you? Share your thoughts below.


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With the Hawaii Raceway Park closed for more than a year, the only car Eric Alferes can drag-race is his RC Car -- a souped-up, little muffler-blaring thing of beauty that's a little longer than a ruler.
He races it with adults and children in parking lots. His Nissan 240SX sits in his garage while he waits for a racetrack on Oahu to open.
"It's something to do," said Alferes, who owns Advance Graphics, a store in Kakaako that sells the remote-controlled RC Cars for about $200 each. "Since we don't have a racetrack, we try to vent this way. To keep the hobby alive, I have to keep active somehow."
Racers of all kinds -- drag, road, motorcycle, kart -- and car show enthusiasts went to a Motorsports Show yesterday at Aloha Tower Marketplace hosted by Oahu Motorsports Advisory Council, one of two groups on the island trying to open a racetrack facility.
"Some people are paying a lot of money to ship their cars to the neighbor islands or to the mainland," said Michael Kitchens, president of the council. "And some are selling them flat out. We're trying to keep motor sports alive."
"If P-9 fails, we're going to find some other way," Kitchens said.
Requests for tax credits to help build the facility have been rejected by state legislators. However, Kitchens said a private developer has been talking to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Parcel 9's landowner, about a possible land swap.
Attempts to reach the private developer yesterday were unsuccessful.
Another Oahu group, Save Our Race Track, said it recently reached an agreement with DHHL to have a temporary 50-acre racetrack in Kalaeloa open within two months as it continues to fight to reopen the Hawaii Raceway Park's old site.
"This is fantastic for now," said Evelyn Souza, the group's spokeswoman. "In the long run, though, with some luck and a lot of prayer, we will have the racer back at home."
The temporary site will be located between Coral Sea and Tripoli, Souza said. It will have a dirt path first, she said, then the group hopes to have it paved.
Hawaii Raceway Park, which was just outside of Campbell Industrial Park, closed last year after the owner declined to renew the lease. Since then, individuals and groups have been searching the island for alternatives, though Souza said her group has its heart set on its home of 42 years.
The City Council introduced a resolution recently that would have the city condemn the property of Hawaii Raceway Park and have it reopened as a racetrack.


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To mark the 75th anniversary of the publication of Friedrich Hayek's The Road to Serfdom, several of Hayek's personal items were auctioned at Sotheby's in London on March 19th.
Hayek, together with Gunnar Myrdal (the economist from the opposing camp), was awarded the "Nobel Memorial Prize" (not really a Nobel prize) in 1974. At Sotheby's auction, Hayek's award citation and gold medal went for over $1.5 million.[1]
Although the Nobel prize[2] gave renewed vigor to the then 75-year old Hayek, he was absolutely clear that economists should not be honored with prestigious prizes. "Nobel Prize confers on an individual an authority which in economics no man ought to possess," he said. Continue reading "Margaret Thatcher's Tribute to Friedrich von Hayek"


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KERNOWPRINT Self Adhesives and labelstock
Self Adhesives and Labelstock
British manufacturer Kernow Coatings has taken their 40year experience of manufacturing the most robust digitally printable polyester films and added it to their adhesive coating technology to produce a new range of self-adhesive products for the label industry.
Applications include waterproof labels for liquids, jams, and pickles through to labeling asset, electronic and mechanical components, ratings plate and cable marking.
Self Adhesive Range
We offer a comprehensive range of adhesive digital media for laser/toner, inkjet, solvent, Indigo, thermal transfer, and latex printing processes. Our face films are available in a range of thicknesses, from clear to opaque, pastel to vivid colors and metallics including silver.
We also offer a bespoke coating service, which gives our customers the choice of face films, adhesives and release liners from our extensive stocks to suit their unique applications. And although we hold a wide range of both solvent and emulsion acrylic adhesives as standard, we can develop and coat new adhesives to meet your performance criteria. We can create custom colored face films to match any pantone or RAL number, including black, for white toner/inks.
Dry Toner/Laser Self Adhesive Films
- Matte White Permanent P38 -2mil
- Matte White Permanent P42 -2mil
- Matte White Marine Grade P43 -2mil
- Clear Permanent P37 -2mil
- Gloss White Permanent P41 -2mil
- Glass Clear Permanent P36 -2mil
- MetaliK Silver Gloss Self Adhesive Film 060HGSXP
- MetaliK Silver Matt Self Adhesive Film 060HMSXP
Wide Format Self Adhesive Films
See more of our product ranges


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Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service is a plumbing company in Chicago. The company has been providing plumbing services in Chicago and its suburbs areas for both residential and commercial customers since 1922. Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service provides the fastest response, most professional service, competitive prices and the best plumbing jobs in Chicago. It is a bonded, insured and licensed plumbing company and the staffs are a group of highly trained licensed plumbers and are up to date with the Chicago plumbing code for the state of Illinois. Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service provides 24 hours a day and 7 days a week services and offers a very reasonable prices for nights, weekends and holidays.
Some of the few plumbing services provided by Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service are:
- Sewer and drain services
- Video inspection of sewer lines
- Drain cleaning – High pressure water jetting
- Drains opened
- Water heater repair and replacement
- Toilet, sink and tub replacement
- Pipe repairs
- Gas line installation and repair
- Leaks stopped
- Electric rodding – Flood control
- Sump & Ejector Pumps
- Clean, rebuild & repair of catch basin
- Repair work
- New Construction
Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Customer Service Number
Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service guarantees quality in all their work and strive to exceed each of customers expectation to offer you the best plumber experience in Chicago. The office hour of Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service is open through Monday to Sunday 24×7 for all emergency plumber services in Chicago. For any problems with your plumbing or for any emergencies, customer can call the Sinks-N-Sumps plumbing customer service phone number at (866) 580-2600 and get immediate help. You can also call the customer service phone number to book an appointment or request for a free quote for any upcoming projects.
Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Customer Service Phone Number – (866) 580-2600
Sinks-N-Sumps Plumbing Service Headquarters – 2405 N Sheffield Ave Chicago, IL 60614
Website – http://www.sinksnsumps.com/


text: Deal with it now: quote of the week Posted byThe grey cloverNov 30, 2021Nov 30, 2021Posted inquote of the week, QuotesTags:quote of the week, Quotes Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)MoreClick to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Related Published by The grey clover Welcome to The grey clover. My name is Mayowa. I'm a physiotherapy student. I am also a lover of Literature, Arts, Science and technology. I have several interests which includes writing poetry, photography, fashion designing and there are still much more things I hope to learn. Thanks for stopping by! View more posts


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Scott Levine, 46, was sentenced by a federal judge in Little Rock, Ark., after being found guilty of breaking into Acxiom's servers and downloading gigabytes of data in what the U.S. Justice Department calls one of the largest data heists to date. Acxiom, based in Little Rock, says it operates the world's largest repository of consumer data, and counts major banks, credit card companies and the U.S. government among its customers.
In August 2005, a jury convicted Levine, a native of Boca Raton, Fla., and former chief executive of a bulk e-mail company called Snipermail.com, of 120 counts of unauthorized access to a computer connected to the Internet. The U.S. government says, however, there was no evidence that Levine used the data for identity fraud.
Prosecutors had asked for a longer sentence, but expressed satisfaction with an eight-year prison stay. "This sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes," said U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins of the Eastern District of Arkansas. It also includes a $12,300 fine; restitution has not yet been determined.
According to court documents, Levine and others broke into an Acxiom server used for file transfers and downloaded an encrypted password file called ftpsam.txt in early 2003. Then they ran a cracking utility on the ftpsam.txt file, prosecutors said, discovered 40 percent of the passwords, and used those accounts to download even more sensitive information.
When it was in operation, Snipermail.com drew fire from antispam advocates for falsely claiming to operate only "opt-in" lists. The company's now-defunct domain shows up on the Register of Known Spam Operations compiled by the Spamhaus Project, and dozens of sightings of spam from Snipermail.com appear on Usenet's news.admin.net-abuse.sightings discussion group.
Acxiom has said that after the 2003 intrusion, it improved its intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning and encryption systems.
This is not the first prosecution to arise out of poor security practices on Acxiom's file transfer protocol server (FTP). An Ohio man named Daniel Baas previously pleaded guilty to illegally entering Acxiom's FTP site. That investigation led federal police--including the FBI and Secret Service--to Levine, according to the Justice Department.


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Leaning In, Cairo-Style
Female entrepreneurship is booming in the Middle East, particularly in the tech sectors, writes Christopher M. Schroeder in his new book "Startup Rising."
Despite the Western stereotype of Middle Eastern women as marginalized and oppressed, over a third of startups in the Middle East are run by women—a higher percentage than in Silicon Valley. Technology is democratizing problem-solving across the entire demographic and economic spectrum of women in the Middle East. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), both mobile and computer usage in women-run businesses are about the same as men, approaching 90 percent, and over two-thirds regularly access the Internet.
Access and outcomes are found in pretty surprising quarters. Ruth Messinger, a legend in the international development community who works with more than 200 grassroots social change projects around the globe, explained to me, "Give a woman a cellphone and the capacity to recharge and watch them build a kiosk so people will pay them to make a call. Allow women access to an anonymous cellphone number where they can report abuse, have their stories anonymously vetted, justice can be offered. I know one entrepreneur in India who built this service, and they see themselves not only as protecting human rights, but offering a form of journalism to a community that has no newspapers. Others in Africa and the Middle East are offering similar services to combat corruption."
Stories like these are unsurprising to Ghada Howaidy in Cairo, who runs institutional development at the American University of Cairo's School of Business. She explained to me that a large, informal, less tech entrepreneurial movement has been happening among young women in Egypt for over a decade. Many women may have come from other professions, but for other reasons—passion for an idea, lifestyle, raising kids—decide to start businesses from home. "Such businesses may start more traditionally—food catering, home accessories, or jewelry," she notes. "But it is no surprise that easy access to technology is not only driving those businesses but allowing women to create regional, maybe even global, online-only businesses."
Over a third of the startups in the Middle East are run by women—a higher percentage than in Silicon Valley.
The breadth of women-founded tech startups in the Arab world is stunning and inspirational, but also instructive as a window into the opportunities emerging in the region. I examined four other common groupings: offering services in Arabic; helping other families achieve work/life balance; leveraging experiences from the Arab Spring to create collaborative crowdsharing platforms; and developing scalable women-focused retail and e-commerce platforms.
A piece of every one of these remarkable women's stories is embodied in Randa Ayoubi. Her multiplatform on- and offline content production house is one of the most respected in the world. But Amman-founded Rubicon Group Holding is in its eighteenth year. With over 500 employees spread across Amman, Dubai, Manila, and California, her privately-held company is rumored to be valued at in the hundreds of millions. She has partnerships with global media players like MGM, Sony, and Turner Broadcasting. They have created content and computer-generated imagery for television, online, and in areas as diverse as entertainment,education, and training, and soon the billion-dollar Red Sea Astrarium theme park planned to be opened in 2014.
Everything this new generation has experienced and expressed she lived, though she smiles, "in 1994 there were almost no entrepreneurs, no VCs or even much culture to start your own business. The idea of digital was foreign to most people." She looked out her office window and grew quiet and asked me to look at all the cars parked in the parking lot and driving on the bustling Amman streets. "I know you are thinking "big deal," but you have to understand that most of the kids you are talking to today never thought having a car and all this was possible. The men and women you meet, possibility is the determining factor, not politics. They see success, they see those cars or others creating their own ideas, and its empowerment to know they can do the same. What they see now is that they can drive their own futures."
She believes she had it easier than many women despite all the challenges of being alone not only as a woman but as an entrepreneur. She lived in a more cosmopolitan center where women did go from university to the workforce, and her family was very supportive especially as she began to raise a young family. But she is aware that the Middle Eastis at a turning point. "It has nothing to do with the law," she tells me, "nothing to do with religion. It is about broad-based cultural perceptions about what women can do here. Nothing will change that but education and experience."
I told her the thing I hear most often about what will make things move fast in the Middle East was "success will breed success." Did she agree? " Of course," Randa said, "If every year there are 10, 15, 20 examples on any of our concerns, society will change. But I think the entrepreneurs need to also set their own expectations about themselves. In the market they should not worry about limits, they will persevere. But I'm often asked how I handle work-life balance, and I always say you can't, it is a myth." She pauses, noting that women are making real choices now in the region about whether to work, stay at home, or do some of both. "But when we learn and accept that we can't be super human beings, but are open withour expectations—today or this week I travel, tomorrow or the next week I am at kids' school activities, there is a balance."
Salwa Katkhuda, the investment manager at one of the leading startup incubators in Jordan, Oasis500, agrees. She is encouraged by what she sees daily across the spectrum of local, regional, and global potential for women-led startups in the Middle East. Having been an international financial analyst, a Jordanian investor, and founding franchisee for a global children's fitness center, she brings a broad perspective.
"Women have had real challenges—male bias, lifestyle balance, limited role models, and even limited access to basics like a proper transit system," she told me. "But the Internet has transformed our opportunities. It has allowed for more flexible work options (freelance, remote, and home-based work). It requires low capital needs and allows women to more easily be their own bosses. All kinds of resources are literally at their fingertips for free or low cost."
Randa, however, wrapped my inquiry succinctly: "This isn't about men. Bad behavior is bad behavior and we should call out bad behavior. But we should acknowledge that we are different, we have different emotions, experiences, even paces." She agrees with something almost every founder said to me in some form: "These differences and how we balance them are why we are such good and impactful entrepreneurs."
From Startup Rising by Christopher M. Schroeder. Copyright © 2013 by the author and reprinted by permission of Palgrave Mac.
Top Articles
It's pretty hard to think of a great consumer facing platform that isn't, by its nature, social.
Many things amazed me in my travels across the growing tech startup ecosystem in the Middle East over the past two tumultuous years.
When leading Middle East platform to empower entrepreneurs wamda.com held its "Celebration of Entrepreneurship eCommerce" gathering in Amman last June, people packed in by the hundreds.
I am reading a wonderfully moving post on Wamda – one of the leading platforms helping entrepreneurs in the Middle East.
Naif Al-Mutawa, a psychologist from Kuwait, was riding in a London taxi not long after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when he had an idea.


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Pista ng mga Puso Festival
Festival held annually on Valentine's Day in celebration of their Patron Saint feast day. There are Karakol dancers parading and marching all over Tagaytay...
Mardicas Festival
Held in the municipality of Ternate every January 18. Fluvial parades carrying the image of Sto. Niño are held and continue in the streets...
Sapyaw Festival
Street dancing are done all over the streets of the municipality of Tanza every August 20 with their attractive and very colorful costumes. Various...
Lohitor Festival
Held every February 28, the "Lohitor", an acronym for "lobo" (balloon), "Higante " (giant), and "toro" (bull) showcases a grand street dancing, parade of...
Indang Day
Founding anniversary of Indang. It features grand parade, job fair and Mr. & Ms. Indang pageant. Source: https://goo.gl/P7hk2K Image Source: https://goo.gl/9ib9L8
Sanghiyang Festival
A pre-colonial ritual celebrated by firewalkers of Indang and Alfonso. It combines elements of folk religion, magic and Christian faith. It is a gesture...
Valenciana Festival
A local fiesta in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also showcases the local delicacy of Gen. Trias which is called "Valenciana", a...
Pahimis Festival
PAHIMIS is the Amadeo word for "pasasalamat" (thanksgiving) in the olden times. As a tradition, coffee farmers gave away his last can of harvest as...
Silang Prutas Festival
A celebration and thanksgiving for bountiful fruits harvested in the municipality of Silang, Cavite. Activities includes street dancing, trade fair and culinary contest with...
Paru-paro Festival
Beautiful and colorful costumes will feed your eyes during this festival in Dasmarinas. People from all walks of life gather around the City to...
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Dropbox Links – new feature just released – let you share files or folders (of any size) with anyone, even if they're not using Dropbox. You do not need longer to compress, attach, upload, and a bunch of other verbs that are a waste of your time. Dropbox enables now with this new feature to very quickly share any photos, documents you have in your Dropbox account 🙂
- Large files -Send even your biggest home videos and presentations to anyone, instantly
- Entire folders -Share a whole collection of files at once, right from your desktop — no more zip files.
- Lighting fast – Since your stuff is already in Dropbox, you can share it in a snap — no setup required.
- https://www.dropbox.com/links/features


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Page 003
You walk into the briefing room and meet Miranda Wright by the
water cooler in the back.
Chris Rong, right?" she asks.
You nod, anxious to start your first day on the job. She takes
a moment to shake your hand and then points out the fuzzy
orange toon bobcat on top of Sgt. Grating's head.
"That's Bonkers- my partner. During this evaluation, you're
going to work with both of us on whatever case Grating gives
us today."
You sit down in front, wondering what working with a real live
Toon is going to be like. Bonkers sits next to you, and after
shaking your hand vigorously, he pulls out a small pizza and
starts to eat it. Sergeant Grating sees this, and is not amused-
especially when you take a slice.
Next Page


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Sisters in Loss Community!
Welcome to a community where Black Women replace Silence with Storytelling around Pregnancy & Infant Loss and Infertility.
Erica M. McAfee
Don't try to go through the grieving process alone. This community is a safe place where you'll find caring people who understand the issues you face.
In this community we will help you and provide you hope as you navigate Birthdays, Baby Showers, Returning to Work, Holidays, Anniversaries you name it. We will discuss how to deal with the many emotions you'll face during the holidays, What to do about traditions and other coming changes, Helpful tips for surviving social events, and How to discover hope for your future
In this community we will discuss ways to turn your painful moments into moments of purpose that will help you leave a powerful impact in memory of your loss
Welcome to our Sisters in Loss Training Institute!


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A big drop in oil prices and a glut of gasoline on the market had some analysts predicting 99 cent-a-gallon gas would hit pumps across the country.
Iowa Agriculture Department fuels analyst, Harold Hommes, is not one of them. "I guess I don't think I ever was of the school that we were going to see sub one dollar gas prices — even though there were a few places that it was getting fairly close to that around the country," Hommes says.
Hommes was surprised prices in Iowa got as low as they did. "Frankly, the dollar-40 and 50 level that we saw here as little as two weeks ago, that was more than I had expected to see," Hommes says. "It was a fairly precipitous fall, just slow and steady. We did have a bump in there when a BP refinery was taken down, one of its distillate units briefly, then things returned to normal."
Gas prices moved back up the last couple of weeks as the supply glut cleared, and Hommes doesn't expect another big drop back down. "I think that with what has already been put in place, as well as what's still to come, the lows are in for the season," Hommes says. Even if gas prices in Iowa began dropping again, Hommes says the 47.4 cents in taxes on each gallon make it tough to get below one dollar.
"It makes it almost virtually impossible when you look at the tax and to get it delivered from a local terminal," Hommes says. There's 18.4 cents in federal taxes added to each gallon of gasoline, and then around 29 in state taxes. Then you add in the transportation cost and profit for retailers.
"So, we would have to see gasoline less than 50 cents at wholesale, because you've still got to leave a little bit for retail margins. So, I just don't think that was ever really in the cards in Iowa," Hommes says. Iowa added an extra 10 cents to the state tax on gasoline last year.


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"Bring the basket, John." Sylvia motioned toward the back of the pickup as she headed in the direction of the wrought iron gate.
John chuckled as he reached over the side of the truck and picked up not just one basket, but two. He glanced over his shoulder as Marie picked up the large blanket from the truck bed.
"A woman in charge," he commented as he turned around with both baskets in his hands.
"You have no idea," Marie mumbled. "At least she likes you."
"Does she?" He wasn't so sure.
They moved to follow the older woman through the gate and into the old cemetery. The gate creaked as John used his foot to pull it open for both of them to walk through. The aroma of honeysuckles accosted them as they stepped into the well-manicured place of rest.
"Yes. She hasn't slammed the door in your face yet."
They walked between the headstones. John could see Sylvia at the far side of the cemetery at a section behind the old church. "She wouldn't do that, would she?"
Marie laughed softly. "Oh, yes. Wouldn't hesitate."
"She seems so nice, although she is a little bossy."
"Again, you have no idea."
When they caught up to Sylvia, she was crouched beside a stone in the last row and was pulling weeds from around it. Marie motioned for John to follow her past her mother to a small cleared space behind the graves. They sat down their items and returned to help Sylvia clean up around the stones.
Sylvia worked on the stone that Marie said was Sylvia's father's. Marie and John worked on Sylvia's mother's stone as well as those of her grandparents. As the overall cemetery was regularly maintained, their work only took half an hour to get the graves in an acceptable state for Sylvia. Then she pulled out what had been tucked away in a large bag she had been carrying rather protectively.
She placed at each grave a carefully crafted bunch of silk flowers. From previous visits, there had been a well dug hole to place them just at the base of the granite stones. When she was done, she stood back and placed her hands on her hips.
"Looks good. Now if only those thieving rats will keep their hands off of these."
John looked over at Marie and whispered, "Thieving rats?"
In answer, Marie pointed to a set of stones set a few feet apart. "Cousins. They don't like Mama too much."
"I see." John watched as Sylvia touched up the flower arrangements. "Why not?"
"Something to do with her father dying and an inheritance. Who knows. To be honest, the story changes when you ask about it. And I would advise you not asking."
"Because you'll find out why, and I'll never see you again." Marie winked.
"Not a chance," John grinned. Never once had he regretted asking Marie out that day he met her at the cafe. They had been seeing each other nearly every day since. Two weeks ago, she had invited him over to meet her mother. Now she was with them nearly every other date. He didn't really mind. Sylvia was fun to be around, but when one was planning on trying to sneak in a kiss….
When Marie had asked if he wanted to go on a picnic, he hadn't expected it to be in a graveyard. Driving up to the church, he had assumed they would find a nice spot under one of the large oak trees that shaded most of the church grounds. He had assumed wrong. Coming into the parking lot, Sylvia had directed him to the far side next to a long stone fence. In the middle of it was a gate with tombstones behind it. He realized that was where the picnic was to be held.
Now they were spreading out the blanket next to a bunch of dead bodies. He had done a lot of things over his short nineteen years, but this was one he had never even contemplated. His mind quickly forgot about where they were sitting when Sylvia brought mouthwatering delights out of the basket.
There was fried chicken that was still slightly warm from being cooked that morning. Along with it were tubs of coleslaw, lima beans, and corn on the cob. John smacked his lips. Forget the dead; food was waiting for him.
They made small talk as they enjoyed the warm weather of early summer and the light breeze the afternoon sent their way. Sylvia asked John about his job at his father's store, where he was an intern for the summer. Marie talked about her college prospects as she was just starting her senior year that fall, and colleges were looking for applicants.
When stomachs were stuffed, Sylvia pulled out coconut cake to end it all. John thought he had died and gone to heaven. It didn't take long for the cake to be half gone.
Marie and Sylvia put the food away as John fell back on the ground with a mixed sigh and grunt. Sylvia laughed. "Gets them every time."
As she put up the last of the items into the basket, she stood up and wiped her hands on her pants. "I'll take these on back now. You two rest, especially you, John. I don't think your body will be able to move much, anyway."
Marie scooted over to John as she watched her mother walk to the graveyard gate. "Yep, she likes you. If she didn't, she wouldn't have left us alone."
"Alone in a cemetery." John pushed himself up on his elbow.
Marie giggled. "There is that."
A loud shout interrupted their conversation. Both stood up and ran to the gate. As they pushed through it, they stopped short when they saw Sylvia waving her hands and yelling at two men who stood at the tailgate of the truck.
"You can get your hands off that. This is our truck."
John didn't bother to correct her that it was his truck. "What's going on?" He moved to stand next to Sylvia.
The two men gave each other hooded glances. "Nothing," the tall man with the red baseball cap answered. His companion, wearing a dirty jean jacket with a devil embroidered on it, nodded.
"Nothing?" Sylvia shouted. "I saw you trying to get into the truck. You were going to steal it."
The men didn't answer. They just stared back at the three as though daring any of them to make a move. Sylvia took up the challenge.
"Go on! Get out of here. You have no business being here."
The men continued to stare as she began to wave at them. Sylvia moved forward telling them to leave. John moved with her, afraid of what the woman might be provoking. Images of an ironic headline stating Three Found Dead in Cemetery flashed before him.
The baseball cap guy nudged his friend. With a nod, the other guy turned to leave. No other words were spoken as the two began to walk down the long driveway of the church to the main road.
"Well!" Sylvia turned around. "The nerve of them, trying to steal our truck."
Again, John bit his tongue. "At least they are gone now."
They put the baskets into the back of the truck and went back to clean up the rest of the picnic. The three climbed back into the truck, with Sylvia still mumbling about the audacity of the men. Marie smiled as she looked at John next to her.
Hoping to calm her mother down, she turned on the radio. As she did, a voice blared through the sound system:
"Urgent message – Escaped convicts from the state penitentiary were last spotted down Hallsborough lane. One was wearing a red baseball cap. The other was wearing a jean jacket with something red sewn onto it. Please be careful. These men are armed and highly dangerous. If you see them, please do not approach them and call the police immediately."


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Does the Evening Standard understand its own Boris vs Ken poll?
I try not to write much about polling methodology. I doubt it's of interest to many people, and besides, Anthony Wells does it much better than I do.
But there's been some truly awful reporting today of the latest London mayoral poll, and it's time to look at weighting and so on.
According to today's Evening Standard, their new ComRes poll shows "a dramatic slide in Mr Livingstone's support after his argument with his Tory rival over tax in a radio station lift".
They go on to say that those "interviewed before "liftgate" last Tuesday morning were split 50/50 between the two candidates. But those surveyed afterwards divided 60/40 in favour of Mr Johnson." ITV also reported it with the same angle.
This all sounds very plausible and interesting, but it's in fact a bad misrepresentation of the poll.
The issue is, the poll was never designed to show how opinion changed after shoutyBorisgate. Of course it wasn't: the poll was set up without anyone knowing there would be any event to compare 'before' and 'after'.
If you do know that an event is coming, say a leaders' debate, you can run two separate polls, with comparable samples (or even, with the same people), and see how the results compare.
But this ComRes poll doesn't do that. Instead, a little over three quarters of the poll was conducted before the interview, and the remainder after. Nothing looks to have been done to make sure the samples before and after were comparable.
So we've got two groups of people. In terms of how they voted in the last general election (nothing to do with Ken and Boris), the first group has 29% Labour voters and 27% Tory voters. The second group has 26% Labour voters and 32% Tory voters. A Labour 2pt lead vs a Tory 5pt lead.
We then ask them how they'd vote in the London election, and are supposed to be surprised when the group with more Tories say they're more likely to vote for the Tory candidate!
You could in principle do something about this. You could try to weight separately the two groups to make them representative of the country. In practice this might not work very well because one of the groups may not have enough people from some sub-group to be able to weight it well – particularly if the latter part of the sample is made up of hard-to-sample groups, like young people without phone lines, or older people without the internet. There would also sometimes be a problem with margin of error if one group is quite a bit smaller than the other.
But the ComRes poll doesn't even look to have tried this. Instead they've taken a representative sample, and pulled it apart into two groups, regardless of whether those groups are representative of, well, anything.
So, there is pretty much no basis for saying that today's London poll shows anything about the impact of two men having an argument in a lift, or even how opinion has changed since then.
Even without all this methodological stuff, it should be obvious that a row that almost no-one saw was never going to have swayed opinion as much as the poll apparently shows.
Incidentally, another example of this came up just a couple of weeks ago. Another ComRes poll apparently showed a 17-pt lead for Labour in interviews conducted after the Tories' cash-for-access scandal.
The normally excellent John Rentoul blogged on it, making the same mistake as today's Standard. The fact that no subsequent polls picked up the same giant lead suggests that this was indeed purely a consequence of how the sample was divided into 'before' and 'after'.
I do wonder why ComRes persist in putting these columns into their databooks.