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In 1986, when stationed in Hawaii, Koontz took up mechanic work simply to escape the indoors. She soon elbowed her way up to overseeing motor pools, supervising a group of mechanics who maintained the unit's vehicles.
More than 20 years later, the joke between Koontz and her husband, Alan, co-owners of Carolina Pondscapes in Thomasville, North Carolina, is that not only can she operate the heavy power equipment they use to build and maintain water features—she can also disassemble it, repair it and put it back together in better working order!
Today, the company primarily services the Piedmont/Triad area. Both husband and wife work five days a week year round, running two small three-person crews. Koontz handles maintenance, repairs and estimating, while Alan is primarily in charge of design and construction, although Koontz calls it a "joint process." With nine years of creating water features, building hardscapes and installing lighting under its belt, Carolina Pondscapes' client list—and reputation—have grown.
Part of what has buoyed Carolina Pondscapes is Koontz's enormous energy. After her active duty ended, she spent another eight years in the National Guard with the 505 Engineer Battalion. When she wasn't traveling the world, Koontz attended Central Piedmont Community College full-time, worked for both a water garden company and a dental supply company and ran a consignment store with a friend. To top it all off, she and Alan were preparing to welcome their first child into the world. It's no surprise that Koontz is nicknamed "The Energizer Bunny."
Once she graduated with her horticultural degree in 1999, the couple moved back to Thomasville to be closer to their families. Soon after, she started Carolina Pondscapes. On the strength of her previous experience with water gardening, she launched and ran the business single-handedly for a year before she recruited her husband. In addition to her degree in horticulture, Koontz became a master gardener through the Davidson County cooperative extension office.
One of the things Carolina Pondscapes is noted for is its artful mimicry of nature. For the couple, Tennessee and North Carolina waterfalls serve as a hotbed of inspiration. The Koontz family makes several trips to the mountains each year to study nature's water features.
Each project is discussed thoroughly with the client before construction begins to discover how the feature will be used. Will it be a centerpiece for entertaining or merely a quiet place to drink coffee in the morning? Knowing the answers to these questions helps Koontz and Alan sculpt unique features.
Once the client has been consulted, they loosely craft a design in their heads, but all design ideas are soft until they're literally set in stone. "We're not artists on paper," she maintains. But as they "sketch" on land, they might move 500 lb. boulders three or four times, trying to match up stones in a natural arrangement so that the grooves between the rocks appear as if carved over thousands of years. Koontz says, "I rarely say something can't be done. Challenges make me think harder. I always say that if we just think about something long enough, we'll be able to find a solution."
Redoing the work of fly-by-night contractors who didn't think hard enough is about 20% of the business. Koontz has cleaned up her fair share of messes created by "certified" contractors. From ponds that leaked to water features that never ran at all, Koontz has seen just about everything. She and the other two women on her crew spend a lot of time replacing faulty preformed liners and skimmers and doctoring water features back to life. Often the ponds must be completely rebuilt. A proud member of the National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP), Koontz feels that greater professionalism would benefit the industry.
Business is now nonstop, but Koontz isn't looking to loosen the tight reign she and Alan keep on production. She explains, "Our standards are always higher than our clients' standards, and we pride ourselves on our attention to detail. If we expanded, we would lose some of the quality that comes only through hands-on involvement. We'd rather stay small."
However, Koontz does plan to open a retail store in a few months and sell pond products, aquatic plants and stone. Between their three children—Zach, 11, Olivia, 8, and Isabelle, 3—there's not much downtime for this couple of 21 years, but they thrive on the challenge.
"I like fixing things, making them right," Koontz says. "I'm always going, but I wouldn't be able to do this if I didn't love it. This is what I intend to do for the rest of my life."


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Executive Director Sexually Harassed Employee and Discharged Employees Who Complained About the Harassment, Agency Alleges
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today it has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against Ashlan Village, Inc., doing business as Ashlan Village Retirement Community, for subjecting a female employee to a sexually hostile work environment at its facility in Lyman, S.C., and for firing two employees who complained about the sexual harassment.
According to the EEOC's suit (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Ashlan Village, Inc., d/b/a Ashlan Village Retirement Community, Civil Action No. 7:10-cv-02551, in U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Spartanburg Division), from around September 2008 through December 2008, Leah Pyhala who was the marketing director at the facility, w as sexually harassed by the male executive director who was her supervisor. The complaint alleges the harassment included unwelcome e-mails with sexual content, daily sexual comments, and unwelcome touching. The executive director made comments about Pyhala's breasts and buttocks and suggested that he wanted to have sex with her through comments like "I have something for you . . .it's eight and half inches long."
Pyhala, and a coworker, Holly Black, complained to Ashlan Village's owner regarding the harassment. Pyhala and Black were then terminated by the executive director because of the sexual harassment and the resulting complaints.
The EEOC filed its lawsuit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement. The complaint seeks back pay for the aggrieved employees, along with compensatory and punitive damages, and injunctive relief.
"Employers must understand that Title VII prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace, and when the harassment is committed by a direct supervisor, employers can be held strictly liable for the conduct," said Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney for the EEOC's Charlotte District Office. "The allegation that the harasser in this case fired the two employees who complained about his unacceptable workplace behavior is particularly alarming. The EEOC is committed to ending workplace harassment and retaliation, and will continue to pursue these types of cases in court to accomplish its goal."
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


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SACRAMENTO — There is an intriguing mystery in the corridors of the Oakland Coliseum, curling through the A's clubhouse and spawning theories among A's fans, baseball observers and scouts who study the game.
What happened to Jemile Weeks?
Sensational enough as a rookie in 2011 that A's general manager Billy Beane identified him as the key component to the team's future, Weeks is at Triple-A Sacramento and without an obvious place in Oakland's long-term plan. When second baseman Scott Sizemore last week sustained a season-ending injury, the A's summoned not Weeks but Andy Parrino, who was acquired from San Diego last November.
The 18 months since Weeks was the franchise poster boy, a sinewy action figure featured on billboards and magnetized team schedules, have been a haze of struggle and disappointment most graphically illustrated by not one but two demotions to Sacramento.
After arriving in Arizona in February hoping to reclaim his role as offensive catalyst and everyday second baseman, Weeks in March was kicked back to Sac for the second time in seven months. He began the season as, of all things, River Cats D.H.
"If he's the next man up, he'd be on the field," a National League scout said last week. "Doesn't sound good for his future in Oakland."
Though the April 10 promotion of Parrino put Weeks back on the field — at shortstop for the first time in his professional career — how did it come to this? How does a young man who lit up a franchise become so invisible so quickly?
Some baseball insiders attribute Weeks' offensive decline to an inability to counter-adjust after scouts and big league pitchers compiled a "book" on him. Some observers say his defense is suspect. Still others, fans and baseball insiders, wonder if he crossed Beane, who has first, firm and final say on all things baseball in Oakland.
Weeks, 26, blames his stumble through 2012 on largely losing his offensive identity.
"I was going through a transformation that I didn't need to, trying to create a swing that I had never used," he said recently. "It didn't look right. It was hard to get out of it. I couldn't get out of it. I continued to work on creating that new swing, and I couldn't perfect it. When I tried to go back to what I'm used to, I had lost that."
When River Cats manager Steve Scarsone was asked how Weeks went from face of the Oakland A's to Sacramento D.H., he offered a cryptic response: "That's a good question."
Upon posing the same question to Bob Melvin, Weeks' former manager in Oakland, his chin dropped and his eyes darted downward. He paused and sighed.
"That's the way baseball is," he said. "Some guys come to the forefront when the opportunity is there. If they don't take advantage of it … it could swing right back in his favor again.
"I wouldn't rule anything out. We did see a guy who really was a dynamic player. I still think he has the ability to do that again, and I wouldn't rule him out. Even this year I wouldn't rule him out."
Weeks' career has been in steep decline since the summer of '11, when he seemingly seized the leadoff spot in Oakland for the next decade. The organization's No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft (12th overall), Weeks was delivering on promise, an exciting blend of speed, skill and athleticism. Over 406 at-bats, he hit .303, with eight triples, both categories leading all rookie regulars. He stole 22 bases.
Not since Miguel Tejada's arrival in the 1990s had an A's prospect so stimulated the fan base.
"He's a great talent, a unique talent," Beane gushed of Weeks in February 2012. "And he's only got a half-year in the major leagues. He's a guy who is very much part of our long-term future."
One year later, as Weeks fights to revive his career, it appears he is on the trade block.
Reminded of his previous statement, Beane acknowledges saying it but concedes that things change all the time in baseball — sometimes quickly.
Beane says Weeks needs to continue working on his defense. That he is playing shortstop broadens his versatility, while allowing another foundering prospect, Grant Green, an opportunity to play second base. The G.M. insists Weeks has major-league ability and, moreover, works hard to mine it.
"That's never been an issue," Beane said. "One of the reasons everyone was so patient last year is that he does play hard, and he obviously cares. I've never had any concerns about that."
What then? Did he say something wrong, do something improper, fail baseball's subjective "attitude test?" There is rampant speculation that some of Jemile's comments last August, upon being demoted while batting .220, were not sufficiently humble.
"I'm going to be a star in this game, man," he said on his way out of the Oakland clubhouse. "You've got to have ups and downs. It just makes the story so much sweeter when you come back. I don't want to expound too much on it, but you're looking at a star, period."
Recently reminded of those words, Weeks is quick to say they were part of a larger point he was trying to make. He understood why he was being sent to the River Cats, even wondered why it took until late August. He wanted to make it evident his confidence was not shaken, that he believes he has something to offer the A's and that recapturing his mojo was a matter of going back to basics.
"After the first four or five games last year, (A's management) wanted me to work on a different type of game," he said. "The team wasn't hitting, so it was brought to my attention to do whatever it took to get on base to help the team. I tried to do that. I took more pitches. I tried (not to overswing). When I got out front and my swing looked big, the perception was I was trying to hit home runs. I have never tried to hit a home run."
Both Beane and A's hitting coach Chili Davis said they never insisted Weeks take more pitches, only that they believed his swing resulted in too many fly balls. And at 5-foot-9, 161 pounds, Weeks is not going to send many fly balls over the fence.
"It takes a lot to get your mind back into the position where you were in, knowing how good you were," Weeks said. "I've never had a season when I hit .220; that was my first time. It gets frustrating, that people might believe you're a .220 hitter. But I'll just go out this year … I know I won't do that."
Though there are signs Weeks' stroke is back — a .379 batting average and .463 on-base percentage through 13 games for the River Cats — there is no indication he'll be back in Oakland any time soon.
Moreover, every member of the A's who spoke about Weeks, including director of player development Keith Lieppman, floated the possibility of Weeks moving to another organization.
"He is swinging the bat well, getting back to being who Jemile Weeks should be," Davis said. "I hope he continues doing that to get that second chance. He deserves a second chance here."
Parsing through comments from those within the Oakland organization, two more questions bobbed to the surface:
Can Weeks ever regain the form that for four months made him such a dynamic catalyst in Oakland?
And if he does, will he be wearing an A's uniform?
Contact Monte Poole at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/1montepoole.


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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Carrot Muffins
I somehow ended up with two large bags of carrots in the vegetable bin in my fridge. Don't really know how. Carrot fairies maybe??
Anyway I needed to use some of the carrots right away. These muffins seemed like the perfect use for excess carrots! While not as healthy as the oatmeal banana muffins, they have lots of fruit and a little oatmeal, so I tell myself they're kinda healthy. Well health food or not they are tasty little muffins!
Carrot Muffins
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrot, squeezed mostly dry
1 lg Granny Smith apple peeled, grated, and squeezed dry
1 (8-ounce) container crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup walnuts roughly chopped (optional)
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liner or use a silicon muffin pan.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add carrot, apple, pineapple, oats, and walnuts, mix together until well combined. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into the fruit mixture and stir until combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan filling muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean about 35 minutes. Remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Rustic Apple Tart
I made this rustic apple tart for dinner guest last night. This tart is a relatively quick easy dessert that's great for entertaining. It can be made several hours in advance. If you want to serve it warm just pop it into 325 degree oven for a few minutes. This recipe is really just a guide. You can use almost any fruit and spice combo that you want. Pears and plums are especially good in this tart.
I use a little vodka in the crust. I find that the vodka makes the crust a little more flaky and tender. If you choose not to use the vodka, simply replace with water.
I used Pink Lady apples for my tart. They are my favorite apple and in season now. They are a firm sweet-tart apple that hold up well in baking. Granny Smiths, Jonathan, Jonagold, Pippin, Gravenstein, Braeburn, and Fuji apples are other excellent sweet-tart choices.
I only got the one picture of this tart. There wasn't a crumb left after dinner.
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons (about) ice water
1/2 tablespoon Vodka (optional or replace with water)
1 1/2 pounds apples(3 or 4) cut into thin slices (a firm tart apple works best)
6 tablespoons sugar
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
1/4 cup apricot preserves
For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add vodka to ice water. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water vodka mixture; blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
For topping:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss apples, 4 tablespoons sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12 1/2-inch round. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl; sprinkle over dough, leaving 2-inch plain border. Arrange apples on dough, leaving 2-inch plain border; drizzle with melted butter. Fold dough border in toward center. Brush border with egg glaze; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake tart until apples are tender and crust is golden, about 45 minutes to one hour.
Stir preserves in saucepan over low heat until melted. Brush over apples. Cool tart 1 hour on baking sheet. Serve with ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Super Meyer Lemon Ice Cream
Meyer lemons were on sale this week at the grocery store so of course I couldn't leave without a bag of 6 or 7 of these beauties! I recently became the proud owner of two Meyer lemon trees so hopefully next year I'll be picking them from my own backyard. In the meantime however, I couldn't resist bringing these home with me. After buying them I had to decide what I wanted to do with them. Oh the possibilities! I came across this article in the LA Times for 100 things to do with Meyer lemons. I'd like to try every single one of them. With my two trees, I just might get the chance! One of the suggestions they listed was for Meyer lemon ice cream. They had a link to a recipe, but I didn't have everything it called for so I decided to look to David Lebovitz, my ice cream guru. He had a recipe for Super Lemon Ice Cream that not only sounded wonderful but was also quite simple to make. So I decided I'd try my Meyer lemons in this recipe. I replaced the regular lemon juice with Meyer lemon juice. Meyer lemons are a little milder than lemons and I wanted the ice cream to have a real lemony punch so I added a bit more zest in mine. I think this ice cream has a great balance of tart and sweet.
3 teaspoons lemon zest (I used a little more than a Tablespoon of Meyer lemon zest)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt
Zest lemons directly into food processor. Pour in sugar and process until the sugar is faintly lemon-colored and the zest is finely ground.
Juice the lemons and straining out any seeds. Pour the measured juice into the sugar/zest mixture. Blend until the sugar dissolves.
Add half and half and blend.Chill for about an hour; the product may break up, but just stir it back together. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.
For Easter we had a strawberry and rhubarb sauce to go with our cake. I had a little left over and topped the ice cream with the sauce. The flavors were perfect together.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Happy Easter and an award
I also received the Friendship Award from Helene of La cuisine d Helene. Thanks Helene!
FRIENDS... comes with the following description to be added & passed along:
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated."
It also says : "Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."
So I passed it along to these wonderful bloggers:
1. Rosie of Baking Cakes Galore
2. Elyse of Elyse's Confectionery Creations
3.Elaina of a Chicka Bakes
4.Kelly of Evil Shenanigans
5. Bellini Valli of More than Burnt Toast
6. Sara of Sara's Kitchen
7. Susan of Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy,
8. Lori of Recipe Girl
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Cautionary Tail..making peeps at home is not as easy as it looks!
It's happened again. Every time I do it I swear to myself "never again!". But hey I'm a mere human and she is not so it's not really my fault. No definitely not my fault, all the blame should go to Martha. She puts insanely cute things on her website and magazine and I'm sucked right back in. I know that it's probably humanly impossible to replicate the things she does but she makes it sound so simple. Just follow a few easy steps and Voila! I don't know what it is subliminal messages maybe but,I find myself thinking "yeah that looks easy, I could make that". Okay to be fair to Martha I do usually think if somebody else can do something, so can I, granted that it doesn't involve special training. I don't think I can perform surgery or fix you car or anything, but I can make a marshmallow peep...right? I mean Martha made it look so simple and the little rabbits were just so adorable. I'm pretty handy with a pastry bag and I'm a Daring Baker after all so you don't scare me!!! Those are all the thoughts I had when I saw the marshmallow peeps recipe on her website. Oh and by the way, yes you do scare me a little. haha
So yet again, like a crack addict, I convinced myself that this time I knew what I was doing and it would turn out great. I was going to make these adorable little peeps. They would be cute and probably taste really good as well.
That's what I thought anyway but that's not exactly how it turned out. I made the marshmallows for the peeps, no problem. No the problem came when I tried to take that marshmallow cream and make it into a rabbit. First of all Martha says you have to work fast, I should have known then and there to run away from this fast! But no it still looked easy...well not so much. You have to quickly get the marshmallow into the pastry bag. First problem for me was I needed a smaller tip to make the ears. I tried making the whole rabbit with the same tip, but the ears looked way to big and it just looked like a blob. So I ran grabbed another bag shoved a tip in and made the ears. Then tried to "pat down the spikes" which got my sugar wet which then stuck in a clump to my bunny, but only on the top. For some reason the sugar didn't want to stick to the sides on the rabbit. I guess I wasn't fast enough, meanwhile the marshmallow cream in the bag got cooler so the next rabbits came out a little lumpy but I kept trying! I did try to make ears that stood up to make mine look more like rabbits. It didn't help much.
The picture at the top is from Martha's site. My rabbits turned out, well lets just say a little less than that perfect than that. My rabbits look like they may have been exposed to toxic chemicals and mutated.
Consider yourself warned, they are not cute but here are my little mutant rabbits.
Here's the instructions for the peeps if you, like me, think you'd like to make these adorable little bunnies. Good luck getting them to look like Martha's bunny, but it was fun to try!
Fill rimmed baking sheet or small bowls with about 1 1/2 cups sugar. If desired, color white sugar by stirring in luster dust or sparkle dust a little at a time. Pipe shapes onto sugar. Bunnies and chicks must be completed one at a time. (I never made it to trying the chicks!)
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1 unflavored gelatin (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup cold water, for gelatin, plus 1/4 cup for syrup
1 cup sugar
Directions (this part IS pretty easy)
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water. Allow gelatin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water and sugar, and stir over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring, and place a candy thermometer into sugar water; wipe sides of pan with a wet brush if sugar crystals have splattered up. Boil sugar until temperature reaches the soft-ball stage (238 degrees). Remove syrup from heat; add to softened gelatin. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, hand-stir the mixture a few minutes to cool; place bowl on the mixer stand. Beat on medium high with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form and the marshmallow mixture holds shape, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Transfer marshmallow mixture to a large (14-inch) pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (No. 11 Ateco) tip, and use immediately.
Bunny How-To
1. Pipe a small marshmallow mound onto sugar, about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch tall. Pipe two smaller mounds on either end for the head and tail. (umm right it sticky!)
2. Pipe the ears, starting from the top of the head onto the body, pulling forward and off to finish. With a damp finger, pat down any marshmallow spikes formed from piping.
3. Immediately sprinkle sugar over the entire surface of the bunny. Allow a few minutes for the shape to set. (right and while you're doing this the marshmallow cream in you pastry bag is quickly getting to cool and your next bunny will be lumpy!)
4. Pipe on a royal-icing face with a #1 Ateco icing tip; lift bunny out of sugar with a spoon or small offset spatula. Place in a parchment-lined airtight container until ready to serve, or for up to 2 weeks.
Well I was right about one thing, these peeps do TASTE really good. Way better then the mass produced ones.
I bow to you Martha you've proven to me once again that I am a mere mortal and I need to buy my peeps at Wal-Mart!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Any excuse to make biscuits
Here in the South biscuits are like sweet tea, they're everywhere. Not that that's a bad thing. I adore a good biscuit. There's nothing better than a hot from the oven, flaky, buttery biscuit. Slather it with some jam or top with fresh ham, either way I could eat my weight in them. Now that's a bad thing, so I don't make them very often. I usually wait to make them until I have a good excuse. Yesterday, I got the perfect biscuit making excuse. My neighbor just came home from the hospital after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl and I had offered to bring by dinner. A celebratory batch of biscuits was definitely called for! I can't help it that there just happened to be a few leftover for me and Hubs.
I like Dori Greenspan's recipe for basic biscuits. It's a quick simple recipe that can be thrown together in a couple of minutes. It's a very versatile recipe. Feel free to throw in some chopped chives, or top with grated Parmesan cheese or whatever you had on hand.
These biscuits are fairly simple to make, but you do need to use a light hand in mixing them so you don't lose the flaky texture.
Basic Biscuits
Baking: From My Home to Yours
Yield: 6 3-1/2 inch diameter biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cps all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cake flour)~I used King Arthur Bread flour~
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
3/4 cup whole milk
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2-inch diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. I used a 3.5 inch metal drinking glass, which is supposedly a big no-no in biscuit baking, but I had no problems.
Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You'll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes, and pieces the size of everything in between, and that's just right.
Pour the milk over the dry ingredients, grab a fork and toss and gently turn the ingredients until you've got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading-3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about 1/2 inch high. Don't worry if the dough isn't completely even-a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.
Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting-just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)
Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.
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Watch now Sontha Bandham 08-06-2015 Sun TV serial free Sontha Bantham Tamil serial youtube clip Sontha Bandham new episode check now Sontha Bantham June 8th 2015 Indian Channel Program which goes in the morning, everyday except on Sunday's. Sontha Bantham New Episode 08.06.15 @ TamilTwistTV.com.
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'My language allows me, somewhat clumsily, to get the distinctions across: on the one hand, factual knowledge, on the other, acquaintanceship and understanding. But to a French [and German and Spanish and Italian and Albanian but not Modern Greek] speaker, that distinction is central to how the mind interacts with the world.'
'Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio...'Then from A Midsummer Night's Dream:
Athens I am thought as fair as she,
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
He will not know what all but he do know.'Leave me a comment if you detect the clumsiness Abley is on about. Buggered if I can.
Onsra - to love for the last time (Boro - NE India andAh, amazing that people should have words for so specific an idea! It's almost like having a word for 'to appear overly polite, obliging or contrite in order to sway a superior's judgement in one's own favour' – i.e., 'to grovel' in English. Does Abley actually know any Boro? Is it possible that on means 'love', and sra means 'finally'? Or the other way round, or some other analysis? How is it used, anyway? What does 'to love for the last time' actually mean? Is there a more idiomatic English rendering? We need to know before we gasp in admiration.
Nartutaka (Wangkajunga, centralNot yet, at least. Wait until Waitrose catch on, and there'll be nartutaka fruit salad, unpasteurised nartutaka juice (rich in antioxidants and vitamin C to protect against Today's Diseases) and porridge with sun-dried nartutaka in every middle class kitchen. 'Narts' will be in the OED along with mango, banana, papaya and kumquat. Presumably the Wangkajunga speakers lack a word for Bramleys. Amazing!
Australia) - small plum-like fruit for which there is no English word.
'English and other major languages, while often acting as a democratising force, do not always reflect the breadth of meaning in the language they supersede. [Italics added - using the keyboard.] The Inuit language of Inuktitut, for example, has many verbs for the word "know", ranging from "utsimavaa" - meaning he or she knows from experience to "nalunaiqpaa" - he or she is no longer unaware of something.'Now, this is sweet naivety on
Language fanciers go all misty when they find some language (preferably one on the endangered list) has a single word for a concept that English expresses with a phrase, and single words always command their respect, while phrases are seen as second best. They usually ignore, or more likely have never given a thought to, instances where the boot's on the other foot and it's English that has more words for a notion than some other language. Greek, thank God, is not endangered, but here's an example of what I'm ranting about: βγάζω, [vgazo] can translate as take off, push out, pull out, stick out, take out, let out, lead to, open out in, come out with and so on, depending on the noun it collocates with. This is either a) amazing English fecundity, or b) amazing Greek economy - take your pick. In terms of communication of the concepts involved, it doesn't matter a toss. Defending a) over b) or vice versa would be like arguing whether true italics are achieved by using your mouse or your keyboard.
- The Greek έξυπνος [exypnos] means intelligent, and may be analysed as 'ex + ypnos', meaning 'out of sleep' and thus awake, alert.
- Then there's σύζυγος [syzigos] meaning 'spouse'. This we are told is 'by far superior semantically' to the English words husband, wife and spouse as it means 'one bound in the same yoke'.
'It is discovered in the language that during the process of development of the sound connection man to man, man to nature the mutual connection is realized by means of natural sounds as two-sound connection.'
'Appearance of three-sound (three-letter) connections on the same base can be considered as a quality of reasoning owing to the quantitative recognizing realization of man.'
'In GRABAR alphabet all the sounds are silhouettic symbols and have a sound quality and cardinal silhouettic character. For the first time in the linguistic science in Armenian dialects and GRABAR the three-sound (three-letter) words are divided into two-sound (two-letter) and one-sound (one-letter) mathematical index, which belongs to the structure of human and animal anatomy.'


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About Tek'a R
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120818/01171420087/funniestmost-insightful-comments-week-techdirt .shtml#c1210
Have you actually looked at kickstarter? do you understand what is happening when a popular project beats the expected minimums?
Perhaps this young lady did come up with this herself and congratulations to her if that is the case, that is very high level science for a young person.
so Sue, aka "Well informed", how much are you compensated for your work in the copy/paste PR field?
To be fair, that is probably more an issue of caution on the part of the production crew/Discovery.
If the company that is more or less paying all the bills for the show says "don't give This rental company free advertising and don't invite the possible hint of a threat of a possible lawsuit from That company for using their branded beer to smash artificial skulls" then you get out the blur tools.
Yeah, those darn atomic power stations are always just exploding. Every day you hear about a reactor rupturing and scattering millions of tons of super-uranium across the countryside.
Or maybe that does not happen.
Maybe every generation is safer and more efficient. Maybe NIMBY attitudes should not be allowed to place reactors on sea-level beaches in tsunami zones. Maybe the anti-nuke activists should enlighten themselves every now and then.
It also looks like the people in the far upper left section are also "digitally enhanced".
The semi-overhead image seems to show the line of rented trees crossing the street somewhere between the black awnings of "Silverado"(male strip club) and the neighboring body-piercing shop (just before the exotic club, see the trace of red near the glare or light?) This pegs the blocked in crowd as an area only slightly wider than the frontage of the building at best, not stretching off into infinity down 3rd and Oak streets.
To be fair (as if they deserved fair play after being handed so much while still whining so much) CBS and all the others don't actually want solid, verifiable numbers for figuring out their ratings and Ad buys. They want fuzzy numbers extrapolated from tiny samples and massaged by magical formulas devised by companies who make their living supplying these figures and making the networks happy.
IIRC the Bell System did exactly that for many years. Claiming to have utter control over your phone and everything all the way through. The response was a pause-button on technology. Plug something else in? not allowed. Rest the phone (which we lease, never sell) on some other device to use the system in a new way? Lawsuit.
(they lost that last one in the end and eventually splintered. And people innovated, the system advanced!)
1. According to the Google patents link, this is merely an application.
For a company of this size you can't just draw a line between "paying a fine without whining" and "guilty of something"
UPS Could spend millions or dozens of millions on lawyers and have this event in the news daily. It could have stock prognosticators going on and on, daily, about how they were in a "risky legal action due to shipping illegal drugs" and take a hit across the board. Or they could write a check, send out a fill-in-the-blank apology form and get back to their business.
so that is products and services that ended up costing an extra 7 billion dollars (in aggregate) That is money shifted away from tech labs and funneled into lawyers in excess of that amount (the costs to companies outside the mob payoffs, I mean, settlements & investments in IV)
They are the shining-turd example of a system that robs the world to fill their own coffers using the law.
The problem for me is that they can't even clearly articulate what I am actually getting.
I understand clearly when I go to a movie theater to watch a movie what exactly I am getting - I am getting access to a seat in a room with a big screen, big sound, a bunch of other people, to watch a movie exactly once. That is very clear. And when I fork over my money, I understand that clearly.
What I don't understand is why when I purchase a movie on DVD I can't watch it on any DVD player, forever.
But Hollywood is still claiming they need special laws, they need special help, they need new governmental task forces with Fuckin' Eagle emblems to save them from being forced to lay off American workers, like those FX crews (and the place where they buy morning bagels, and the place that sells them office chairs and masking tape)
They have been getting their way with laws and enforcements and having record-breaking box office turnouts year after year.. but are still quietly snuffing out the projects and sending the work overseas.
Things get too blatantly offensive when they get to have everything their own way.
Ah, but this is just private agreements between private groups of corporations privately working together in ways that you totally agree with and support (due to the "agreement" that they reserved the right to change, and changed)
yeah, it's that bad.
report security flaw to some ATT email address.. nothing happens.
report massive breach to ATT and the media with a huge stack of big names in the files.. things might get fixed.
As for the number of addresses.. I bet it was the work of just a few minutes to knock together some software tool that incremented through the numbers and gobbled the information at speed. Let that run then go back through to search for interesting names. This is not like doing 114,000 bank robberies or kicking 114,000 kittens.
They don't seem to be protecting any code (which should be copyright instead of patent anyhow) just the Idea. So any animated flipping page function could arguably be "infringing" if you threw enough lawyers at it. Like rounded corners.. just, being rounded.
You are jumping to defend the chan against an argument no-one made, friend.
That inset paragraph is not in italics because Mike is implying implications. That paragraph is taken from the article on Wired. And if you click through to read the Wired article it is pretty clear that the writer, Mat Honan, is taking that information from talking with Cosmo or attorneys representing him in some capacity.
So everything boils down to a judge making an ass-backwards decree about some young man's connection to an "elite hacker group called anonymous" along with a very dumb deal that forces someone who might be an internet savant offline for a crazy amount of time. Things that the article called out as counterproductive and ill-considered.
So who are you yelling at? Who brought up 4chan, that den of iniquity and illegal filth(/sarc)? No one but you.
Chill out Anon.
and don't say "outtie", it makes you sound childish.
it is a matter of publicity and also to achieve the goals of getting the book in small shops.
Scraping up a couple hundred bucks and getting a books printed is great, but this way they are getting the printing, pre-selling a large amount And getting some distribution to markets that may not be well served by the large players.
Is the defendant ready to surrender the encryption codes? No?
Once again the court finds you in Contempt. 2 weeks detention in the violent&sexually aggressive wing of the county jail. We will pick this up in two weeks.


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Brad Davis
Robert Creel "Brad" Davis (November 6, 1949 – September 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for starring in the 1978 film Midnight Express. Born Robert Davis in Tallahassee, Florida to Welsh American, Eugene Davis (a dentist whose career declined due to alcoholism) and his wife, Anne Davis who was Irish American. His brother Gene is also an actor. According to an article in The New York Times published in 1987, Davis suffered physical abuse and sexual abuse at the hands of both parents. As an adult, he was an alcoholic and an intravenous drug user before becoming sober in 1981. Davis was known as "Bobby" during his youth, but took Brad as his stage name in 1973. At 16, after winning a music talent contest, Davis worked at Theater Atlanta. He later moved to New York City and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as studied acting at the American Place Theater. After a role on the soap opera How to Survive a Marriage, he performed in Off-Broadway plays. In 1976 he was cast in the television mini-series Roots then as Sally Field's love interest in the television film Sybil. He played the lead role in Larry Kramer's play about AIDS, The Normal Heart (1985).
The Greatest Man in the WorldOnly the off-beat humor of writing great, James Thurber could bring to life a "hero" like Jack Smurch, played by Brad Davis (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS). Fortified with only a gallon of gin and a salami, Smurch bests even Lindbergh with the first non-stop, around-the-world flight....Watch Movie
Other content from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA


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Ford Transit Tipper Van Leasing & Contract Hire
Ford Transit Tipper
350 L2 RWD 2.0 EcoBlue 130ps Tipper (One Way)
Ford Transit Tipper
350 L3 RWD Double Cab 2.0 TDCi 130ps 'One Stop' (One Way)
Complete Care Terms and Conditions
Complete Care is available to drivers aged between 21-70 with no more than 2 "at fault" claims in the last 2 years and no more than 6 points on driving licence. The driver must not have been subject to a driving ban in the last 5 years and must have held a full UK/EU licence for at least one 1 year. Prices are based on the postcode of the customer. 72% of our customers would qualify for the advertised price however a confirmed rate will be sent in writing upon request.
In the event of an incident resulting in damage, loss or theft to the vehicle, the customer will be required to pay an excess known as a Customer Incident Charge (CIC) if they are found to be "at fault". The CIC varies depending on the number of "at fault" incidents for the vehicle and is an escalating charge as follows:
- First incident is £250
- Second incident £350
- Third and subsequent incidents £750
If a repair is lower than the CIC, then the customer will only be charged for the loss, also known as a Customer Elected Payment (CEP).
Full eligibility criteria, restrictions and policy exclusions are available upon request.
Complete Care Prepaid Card Terms and Conditions
*Offer subject to contract and vehicle credit acceptance. Offer comprises of £200 pre-paid MasterCard (the "MasterCard"), £500 end of contract damage waiver and a free early termination waiver within the final 6 months of the new contract if you renew into an Arval Total Care Lease (the "Offer") and is made by Arval (UK) Limited. Offer available to individuals (including sole traders) based in mainland United Kingdom taking an Complete Care Lease Vehicle. Maximum of 2 offers per household (for personal customers) or per trading entity (if you are a sole trader using the vehicle for business). Mastercard will be issued within 28 days of your vehicle delivery date to the address which you have provided us with. Arval is not responsible for any delays in the post, acceptance by signature by a third party or where your address details are incorrect. It is your responsibility to inform us if any of your details change which may affect delivery of the Offer. Each and every part of the Offer is non-transferrable and no cash alternatives are available. You agree that you will not sell or transfer the MasterCard. MasterCard must be claimed directly from www.love2shop.co.uk full instructions of how the MasterCard can be activated and terms for use are at www.love2shop.co.uk/website-tcs. The expiry date can be found printed on the pre-paid Mastercard received. Arval reserve the right to withdraw or amend the Offer at any time.


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Common Disses Drake Over Rick Ross' Stay Schemin! "Cant Say My Name But Rap About A N*ggas Wife. You So Black & White Tryna Live A N*ggas Life... You Aint Wettin Nobody You Canady Dry"
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DEER PARK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Police say a Long Island woman who allegedly struck three teenagers on a late-night scavenger hunt over the weekend was driving with a suspended license.
Cathleen Wild was arrested Monday. She's also charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and criminal possession of a hypodermic needle following the crash, which happened at 11:45 p.m. Sunday in Deer Park.
The judge set her bail at $100,000 cash or bond.
One of those teens was 16-year-old P.J. Harrington, who was struck and airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center with lacerated kidneys, brain swelling and broken bones. He was placed into a medically induced coma. The two other teens suffered less severe injuries.
Mary Anne and Paul Harrington were given the bad news on the phone Sunday night.
"I went down to my knees. I was praying that he's alive for me to see him," Mary Anne Harrington said.
"I never heard that scream before. I went down the stairs, on her knees in the kitchen, crying, 'PJ's been hit by a car,'" Paul Harrington said.
Court papers said police found six empty paper packets with residue of a powdery substance and two hypodermic needles discovered in her underwear.
According to court records, Wild told police the teens jumped into the roadway. The victims' parents also expressed anger that the suspect had a suspended license and reportedly blamed the students for the crash.
"When she first got out of the car, one kid said she said something like 'look what you did to my truck,'" Paul Harrington said.
About 30 classmates dropping off flowers and cards at the hospital said the ravages of drugs on Long Island have brought them closer together.
If convicted, what's the appropriate punishment in this case? Let us know below…
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


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iPhone 6s Clips
Wähle dein iPhone 6s Modell:
Ersatzteile für iPhone 6s:
iPhone 6/6s Antenna Interconnect Cable Clip
Replace the small metal clip that holds the antenna cable from the lightning connector assembly against the side of the loudspeaker assembly in an iPhone 6 or 6s.
iPhone 6s Front Panel Clips
Fix a loose front panel assembly by replacing damaged or missing clips from the set of three retaining clips in the edges of the rear case. This part is compatible with a...
The successor to the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6s was formally announced by Apple on September 9, 2015 and released September 25, 2015. Notable features include 3D Touch, Live Photos, the new A9 processor and M9 coprocessor as well as the Taptic Engine, previously only seen in the Apple Watch. The iSight camera is now 12 MP and sports the ability to shoot 4K video while the FaceTime camera has been upgraded to an impressive 5 MP.
Apple estimates that the iPhone 6s provides "up to" 50 hours of audio playback, 14 hours of talk time on 3G, 10 hours of Internet use on 3G, 10 hours of Internet use on LTE, 11 hours of Internet use on Wi-Fi, 11 hours of video playback and "up to" 10 days of standby time.
There are three models of the iPhone 6s. Model A1633 is sold in the US optionally locked to AT&T or offered unlocked, contract free for several carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. Model A1688 is sold in the US for Sprint and Verizon or for T-Mobile with a nano-SIM, and for a wide variety of carriers in Canada, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere worldwide. Model A1700 is sold for mainland China.


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Count on us for a comprehensive list of services that can take your business to the next level.
Our solutions help businesses stand out, connect to online customers, and achieve their goals.
Quality and consistency meet affordability in the wide range of services that we offer.
Our products help start-ups build their businesses using result-driven products and solutions


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Poverty & U.S. Priorities
The national poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent of the population, according to statistics released earlier this week. The increase of 1.1 million Americans living in poverty, bringing the total to 37 million, marked the fourth straight annual increase (from 2001-2004). The Census Bureau also said household income remained flat, while another 800,000 Americans are now without health insurance.Close to a third of those living in poverty are children.The numbers have been rising steadily. The last decline in the nation's poverty rate was under President Bill Clinton in 2000. Since then, the number of Americans living in poverty has jumped from 31.1 million people to 37 million. The poverty threshold for a family of four for 2004 was set at $19,307 or less, and at $12,334 or less for a family of two.What's the state or federal government doing about it? Proposing cuts for agencies serving the poor, and refusing to raise any taxes to help.Surely such national priorities are misguided and don't represent the generous nature of most Americans to help those in need.How can the average American help? By recognizing that it is morally wrong for a politician to suggest that government should not be responsible for its citizens; that the care of our poorest citizens is best left to non-government entities; and that taxes on those who can afford to pay is not even an option. Such policies do not represent the America we think of as we sing the national anthem, the America that the world has long respected, or the America that we aspire to become.This is not a call to reinvent the welfare system of the 1960s, but neither can Americans be proud of policies that dole out hundreds of billions of dollars in corporate welfare and increase the gap between rich and poor Americans, while those families in need see cuts in necessary programs year after year.


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Used 2017 FordExplorer XLT SUV
- Stock: V1577A
Highlighted Features
- Emergency communication system
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Speed sensitive wipers
- 3rd row seats
- Split folding rear seat
- Perimeter/approach lights
- Remote keyless entry
Detailed Specifications
Dealer Notes
2017 Ford Explorer XLT 3.5L 6-Cylinder SMPI DOHC 6-Speed Automatic with Select-Shift AWD
With brand new, state of the art sales and service facilities, White Allen Volkswagen is here to provide top of the line services for all of your automotive needs. Come out and experience the White Allen Volkswagen difference today! Conveniently located north of the Dayton Mall. 6840 Springboro Pike, Dayton, OH 45449. Call us at 937-425-2800 or visit us on the web at www.whiteallenvw.com. Awards:
* 2017 KBB.com 10 Most Awarded Brands * 2017 KBB.com Brand Image Awards
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
By JAMES on Thursday, August 01, 2019AWESOME SUV for the price, I bought the 2019 Explorer Sport with the Eco Boost V6 Twin Turbo engine, all black inside and out, black leather seats with red stitching, twin Moon Roofs and all the bells and whistles, I really love this body style, didn't like the 2020 body style. Ford you got a good thing going for you why change anything. LOVE MY 2019 FORD EXPLORER SPORT.
- 5.0
Excellent, Affordable, Sport Trim SUV w. 7 Seats!
By Guy Who Loves Fords on Monday, June 04, 2018Purchased this as my first SUV for the family; originally having come from a Honda Accord as a child, a Saab 900 SE Turbo as a young adult, and a 2013 Mustang GT that has been supercharged in recent years (now the garage queen next to this truck). Never have I had this level of space, comfort, and versatility in my vehicles listed above. The vehicle is quiet across all corridors, offers an excellent surround sound system, XM Satellite Radio, WiFI connectivity for regular updates, and more. I opted for the twin moon roof option, as well as the captains chairs to give it that next level of functional comfort, and have not regretted it for a second. The engine, while small, runs strong with the twin turbos - regularly edging out lesser vehicles in head to head match ups and overall the vehicle sits sleek among the SUV pack with exterior black trim, and some upgraded wheels to match. I love this truck - while my boosted Mustang gives me the feel of a sports car, this truck does not necessarily take away from that feeling, all while providing every creature comfort imaginable.
- 5.0
I love this SUV!
By Bob C. on Wednesday, June 19, 2019I've owned many Ford vehicles over the years, and this latest one (2018 Explorer XLT) exceeds my expectations, as have all my previous Fords! Power, economy, good looks, handling, sport-mode on transmission, and loads of hauling space inside... what more could a person ask for?
All vehicle specifications, prices and equipment are subject to change without notice. See above for information on purchase financing and lease program expiration dates. Prices and payments (including the amount down payment) do not include tax, titles, tags, documentation charges, emissions testing charges, or other fees required by law or lending organizations. The estimated payments may not include upfront finance charges that must be paid to be eligible for the purchase financing program used to estimate the APR and payments. Listed Annual Percentage Rates are provided for the selected purchase financing or lease programs available on the current date. Program expiration dates reflect currently announced program end dates, but these programs are subject to change at any time.
Lessees will be financially responsible for mileage beyond the elected quantity and for vehicle maintenance and repairs and excessive vehicle wear. Option to purchase at lease end for an amount may be determined at lease signing. Payments may be higher in some states. You may not be able to combine other incentives with the purchase financing or leasing programs presented above. Residency restrictions may apply. See dealer for details.
Listed APR, down payment, payments, incentives and other terms are estimates for example purposes only. Information provided is based on very well-qualified buyers or lessees. The payment information provided here is not a commitment by any organization to provide credit, leases or other programs. Some customers may not qualify for listed programs. Your terms may vary. Lessor must approve lease. Credit approval required.


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More products information, pls contact May: Skype:may@ ylgkdn.cn
1) Intel skylake core i3 6100u, i5 6200u, kaby lake core i5 7200u is optional;
2) Support 1*DDR4 1866/2133MHz, max 8G;
3) Support 1*DP+1* HD+2*LAN+2*COM+4*USB3.0+2*USB2.0+1*Audio;
4) AMI 64MB Flash ROM .support RPL/PXE diskless boot, wake on lan, electricity boot, WDT
5) High-quality pure aluminum Case
6) 1*M.2(PCIE 4X signal), 1*SATA3.0, 1*MINI-PCIE(support wifi/3G/4G), embedded SIM slot
7) 2*RTL8111E 1000M lan card, support wake on lan
8) DC-IN 12V power supply and AC power adapter
9) Applied in Digital signage, KIOSK, Advertising Machine, Self-service Terminal,
Electronic Whiteboard, ATM, POS/Retail, Networking, Automation, Surveillance
Parking Pay Station, Channel System, Medical electronic etc
1*Mini-PCIE (support wifi/3G/4G optional), embedded SIM slot
2*RTE8111E 10/100/1000M Lan
1.Delivery Time: 1 ~ 3 Days for one sample, 15 Working days for a large quantity.
2.Packaging Ways: Each pc for one neutral box, ten neutral box for one carton.
3.Shipping Ways: For small amount, we advise our customer to take DHL, Fedex, UPS.
For a large quantity, we can support to ship by air or by sea.
1.We can provide OEM/ODM services .
2.We can sell one sample for your test .
3.High-quality product and competitive price.
4.1 years Warranty, the second year and the third year,
we can repair it free. but we will charge for the parts that need to change.
IWILL TECHNOLOGY(HONGKONG) LIMITED. established in 2000, is an officially registered and approved large-scale resource-basedenterprise, forcus on research and design, producing, processing, marketing and distribution. Main products cover mini PC, HTPC, embedded PC, vehicle computers, industrial computers, fanless systems, aluminum cases, ITX motherboards, DC power boards, hardware and computer-related accessories.
IWILL TECHNOLOGY(HONGKONG) LIMITED.controls all the processes, from design, producing, processing, assembly, quality inspection to packing and delivering; and holds the advantage of leading technique and more competitive price.
IWILL TECHNOLOGY(HONGKONG) LIMITED.has established cooperation with lots of enterprises, rely on its strength, reasonable price, excellent service, over 10 years rich experience in R&D and producing. Products are popular at home and abroad. Its OEM/ODM services have already covered many countries in South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, America, South Africa etc.
Question: Can you put my brand name (logo) on these products?
Vincent: Yes,.We can support OEM/ODM service, the process of customization is following:
1:provide your specific requirement. 2:our design engineer draw the design draft.
3:you confirm the design draft. 4.we start produce it.
Question: How much do I need to pay for your OEM servise?
Vincent: You should pay extra 500$,but we will return the 500$ to you when your order over 100 pieces.
Question: What payment method do you accept?
Vincent: T/T,Western Union,PayPal.
Question: What is the Minimum Order Quantity(MOQ)?
Vincent: We can sell one piece sample for your test.
Question: What is the lead time of your products?
Vincent: 1-3 days for one sample, 15 working days for a large quantity.


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BYOD for Manufacturers: Tablets Welcome! Here's how…
Have you noticed all those iPads around the factory? All around the production areas, the office areas and the warehouse? These mobile connected devices and applications are quickly changing business and organizational models.
They are also changing employee habits and the way we work, as more and more users depend on tablets, such as the Apple iPad, for a variety of daily personal and professional tasks.
It's not just Apple, though they're the most common. All those other tablets too. Some of the others are capable of a drop or two, or more onto hard concrete!
The most prevalent use case that IT departments need to solve for is the one where an employee brings their own personal device into the company and seeks to gain network access. This is happening a lot these days. Funny, but companies are finding this is one of the ways they are attracting and keeping talent, especially young talent, so listen up!
Figure 1 illustrates the Cisco solution…
Here is how it works:
Employee brings both a corporate issued laptop and a personal tablet into the office.
The employee connects both devices to the network using a single service set identifier (SSID).
The network uses 802.1x Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication.
The Cisco ISE uses a number of device fingerprinting variables to accurately identify the device as a corporate or personal asset.
An appropriate policy is determined using a combination of criteria such as who the user is, what device is being used, the location and time, and so on.
The Cisco ISE then enforces the policy by placing each device on an appropriate VLAN while the device remains connected on the same SSID.
The Cisco Wireless LAN Controller grants access to resources as appropriate based on policy.
In the example shown in Figure 1, the corporate asset (laptop) gets unrestricted access to corporate resources, whereas the tablet is given restricted access as well as limited Internet access.
And there you have it. Is it really that simple? Well, the answer is 'yes' for the example I gave. Of course it relies on a Cisco infrastructure to be effective, but customers are doing this now. This is one of the simplest examples. Cisco solutions can deal with the most complex examples, given the right services and support.
This is just one example of how to cope with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), and in my next blog I'll talk about the sea-change that is happening in companies today, when I talk about the newly published cover story ' Mobile Industrial Worker' I authored in Control engineering Magazine – but that's another blog!
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2 Comments
Mr. graner, this is no doubt a very good piece of Information-but what I did not read from this wonderful information is the Risk associated with BYOD with regards to organisational confidentiality (Risk of data of the company being caried out of the organisation by employees) What doo ou ahve to say about this?


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Banks 'Too Big to Fail' Have Grown Even Bigger
Friday, August 28, 2009
When the credit crisis struck last year, federal regulators pumped tens of billions of dollars into the nation's leading financial institutions because the banks were so big that officials feared their failure would ruin the entire financial system.
Today, the biggest of those banks are even bigger.
The crisis may be turning out very well for many of the behemoths that dominate U.S. finance. A series of federally arranged mergers safely landed troubled banks on the decks of more stable firms. And it allowed the survivors to emerge from the turmoil with strengthened market positions, giving them even greater control over consumer lending and more potential to profit.
J.P. Morgan Chase, an amalgam of some of Wall Street's most storied institutions, now holds more than $1 of every $10 on deposit in this country. So does Bank of America, scarred by its acquisition of Merrill Lynch and partly government-owned as a result of the crisis, as does Wells Fargo, the biggest West Coast bank. Those three banks, plus government-rescued and -owned Citigroup, now issue one of every two mortgages and about two of every three credit cards, federal data show.
A year after the near-collapse of the financial system last September, the federal response has redefined how Americans get mortgages, student loans and other kinds of credit and has made a national spectacle of executive pay. But no consequence of the crisis alarms top regulators more than having banks that were already too big to fail grow even larger and more interconnected.
"It is at the top of the list of things that need to be fixed," said Sheila C. Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. "It fed the crisis, and it has gotten worse because of the crisis."
Regulators' concerns are twofold: that consumers will wind up with fewer choices for services and that big banks will assume they always have the government's backing if things go wrong. That presumed guarantee means large companies could return to the risky behavior that led to the crisis if they figure federal officials will clean up their mess.
This problem, known as "moral hazard," is partly why government officials are keeping a tight rein on bailed-out banks -- monitoring executive pay, reviewing sales of major divisions -- and it is driving the Obama administration's efforts to create a new regulatory system to prevent another crisis. That plan would impose higher capital standards on large institutions and empower the government to take over a wide range of troubled financial firms to wind down their businesses in an orderly way.
"The dominant public policy imperative motivating reform is to address the moral hazard risk created by what we did, what we had to do in the crisis to save the economy," Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said in an interview.
The worry for consumers is that the bailouts skewed the financial industry in favor of the big and powerful. Fresh data from the FDIC show that big banks have the ability to borrow more cheaply than their peers because creditors assume these large companies are not at risk of failing. That imbalance could eventually squeeze out smaller competitors. Already, consumers are seeing fewer choices and higher prices for financial services, some senior government officials warn.
Those mergers were largely the government's making. Regulators pushed failing mortgage lenders and Wall Street firms into the arms of even bigger banks and handed out billions of dollars to ensure that the deals would go through. They say they reluctantly arranged the marriages. Their aim was to dull the shock caused by collapses and prevent confidence in the U.S. financial system from crumbling.
Officials waived long-standing regulations to make the deals work. J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo were each allowed to hold more than 10 percent of the nation's deposits despite a rule barring such a practice. In several metropolitan regions, these banks were permitted to take market share beyond what the Department of Justice's antitrust guidelines typically allow, Federal Reserve documents show.


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CT State Parks and Forests Main Page
Park Location
Route 7Sharon(Directions)
Park Contact Information
Housatonic MeadowsState Park90 Route 7 North
Sharon, CT 06069
(860) 927-3238
Camping(Seasonal)(860) 672-6772
{Link to Purchase a State Park Season Pass}
{Link to Parks and Forests App}
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility}
This park offers:
{Symbol for Handicapped
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility}
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility}
Picnic Tables
The park is open from 8 am to sunset.
Alcohol-free campground. Please do not bring alcoholic beverages.
Pets on a leash are permitted in picnic areas and on hiking trails. Pets are not allowed in the campground.
(860) 424-3200
(860) 424-4070
{Housatonic Meadows State Park}
Housatonic MeadowsState ParkSharon
Camping under the tall pines on the riverbank at Housatonic Meadows evokes a genuine back-to-nature feeling. The clear, cold river water also provides a fine opportunity for fly fishermen to test their skills on trout and bass.
February 2019
The day use area of Housatonic Meadows will be closed on occasion due to tree work.
There is a permanent alcohol ban at Housatonic State Park. Please do not bring alcoholic beverages and plan your visit accordingly.
{Camping} Camping
{Hiking} Hiking
{Car-Top Boating} Canoeing
{Picnicking} Picnicking
{Fishing} Fly Fishing
Housatonic Meadow Campground offers 61 sites in a rustic setting near the Housatonic River. More Information
Bathrooms, Showers (Campground)
{Canoeing at Housatonic Meadows State Park} Housatonic Meadows State Park, Sharon
From the North Great Barrington or Pittsfield, MA areas: travel south on Route 7 into Sharon, CT. The park is located along Route 7 in the Town of Sharon approximately 3 miles south of the West Cornwall Covered Bridge and approximately 2 miles north of the intersection with Route 4.
From the South Greater Danbury area: travel north on Route 7 into Sharon, CT. The park is located along Route 7 approximately 2 miles north of the intersection with Route 4 and approximately 3 miles south of the West Cornwall Covered Bridge.
From the East Hartford area: travel west on I-84, take Exit 39. Continue west on Route 4. From Cornwall Bridge after crossing the Housatonic River, turn north on Route 7. The park is located in Sharon, CT along Route 7, approximately 2 miles north of the intersection with Route 4.
There is a campsite fee at Housatonic Meadows State Park.
State Park/Forest Fees | Season and other Park Passes
Hiking MapCamping Map
Located in the rock-strewn valley of the Housatonic River amid the rugged hills of the northwestern uplands, Housatonic Meadows is an ideal setting for a variety of outdoor recreational activities. Camping under the tall pines on the riverbank gives the overnight visitor a genuine back-to-nature feeling. The clear, cold river water also provides a fine opportunity for fly fishermen to test their skills on trout and bass. A two-mile stretch of river (including the park shore) is limited to fly fishing. In 1927 Housatonic Meadows was established as a state park.
Other Nearby State Recreation Areas Include:
Kent Falls State Park, Kent Location: 4 miles north of Kent on Route 7Activities: Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking
Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent/New Preston Location: 5 miles north of New Preston on Lake Waramaug Road (Route 478)Activities: Camping, Fishing, Picnicking, Swimming
Macedonia Brook State Park, Kent Location: 159 Macedonia Brook RoadActivities: Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking
Mohawk Mountain State Forest, Cornwall/Goshen Location: 6 miles west of Goshen off Route 4Activities: Downhill Skiing, Mountain BikingFor ski area rates, contact Mohawk Mountain Ski Area {Leaving DEP Website} Telephone: (860) 672-6100
Related Links
Connecticut Tourism InformationFishing InformationBoating Information
{Link to Top of Page} Content last updated February 2019


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Characters part 17
Street Fighter IV Characters[edit]
|Character Select
|Vega is unlocked by default.
Fighter Overview
We regret to inform you that, at present, Vega is considered possibly the worst character in Street Fighter IV. Maybe second worst. But really, it doesn't mean that he's terrible, for he's actually got some very good tools. His main problems are that 1) he takes a lot of damage, 2) he doesn't deal a lot of damage, and 3) his ultra and super combos are pretty shoddy.
What Vega does have in his favor is an arsenal of solid pokes. His c.MP has outstanding range and speed. His s.HP has even better range, though it's slower so it won't be as frequently used. Either attack is great for punishing opponents whose blocked attacks leave them with a space cushion that makes them normally difficult to counter (e.g. Blanka's Rolling Attack, or Cammy's Cannon Spike). And c.MP can even be canceled into Vega's specials—use Rolling Crystal Flash ( charge + P ) as a follow-up poke, or use an EX Barcelona Attack ( charge + KK ) for a flashy combo.
Vega's s.HK is an excellent anti-air attack. It's got great horizontal range and beats out a lot of incoming jump-ins because it can hit the opponent so early—just kick as soon as the opponent jumps if you're near enough. Try to keep the opponent at a range just where Vega's c.MP connects and his s.HK rules as an anti-air. If you're aggressive with your poking, it can be hard for a lot of opponents to break through. His Piece of Mercury ( + MK ) has slightly more range than a c.MP and looks a lot like an overhead, but it's not. This is baffling.
As we mentioned earlier, Vega's super combo is shoddy. We might go further and say it sucks. but thankfully you shouldn't have the chance to use it often as Vega's EX attacks can be quite good. His EX Barcelona Attack hits on the way up, which means you can use it in combos as demonstrated below. His EX Sky High Claw lets Vega pass through incoming projectiles, making it a solid counter to opponents who endlessly smother you with fireballs.
Similarly, Vega's ultra, while a bit daft and uncomboable, is also a good counter for fireballs. It'll pass through projectiles and does pretty decent damage, but it's pretty unsafe if blocked so be sure about it. Generally, though, you'll need to rely on the aforementioned pokes and catching opponents as they try to break through your stationary offense. And if the opponent turtles up, go for overheads. You can use Vega's j.HP from a reverse jump as an instant overhead against taller characters (notably Sagat).
|MP + MK + HK charge + KK
|Vega's not much of a combo character but can still dazzle audiences with this number. It's even pretty effective. As Vega, use lots of Focus Attacks to move your offense forward. When one lands, you can quickly launch a Cosmic Heel ( + HK ) and use the input to begin charging the Barcelona Attack, which in EX form will juggle the opponent.
|c.MP xx charge + KK
|This is very similar to the combo listed above, though less impressive. It's still pretty useful, though, as c.MP will be a big part of your offense. Throw out the c.MP as a poke and, if it lands, you can easily combo into an EX Barcelona Attack for decent damage.
|j.HK c.MK xx charge + HK
|This is just a simple combo from a j.HK jump-in. It causes a knockdown which lets you then move into Vega's mix-up game, described below for his Cosmic Heel move. Also note that you can use a LK Scarlet Terror ( charge + LK ) kick instead of the HK and then juggle with an EX Scarlet Terror afterwards.
Moves List
|Piece of Mercury
|Not an overhead attack, despite looking like one. It's still got more range than Vega's c.MP poke and will let you move a bit closer to the opponent so you can go back to poking with quicker attacks. It's safer than sliding after the opponent with c.HK.
|Cosmic Heel
|Not only is this kick good for combos (as evidenced above), but it's also good for setting up a mix-up game with Vega. Knock down an opponent and you can use the Cosmic Heel to hop over his/her downed body. Time it right (just as the opponent gets up) and you can bait a lot whiffed counters, or go for a meaty c.MK to mix up the opponent's guard and land a quick combo.
|Back Slash
|PPP or KKK
|These reverse flips are good for passing through fireballs. The KKK flip is quicker, so it's good when you're closer to the opponent, but the PPP flip is less likely to get hit at the tail end by a slow fireball if the opponent starts to get tricky with the timing.
|Rolling Crystal Flash
|charge + P
|A good pressure move that does solid chip damage, as well. Do a lot of c.MP poking and cancel into a LP Rolling Crystal Flash to extend your poke and occasionally catch opponents that try to break out of your poke range. It can also be used for some free chip damage as a meaty attack (use the HP version), though against opponents with strong wake-up counters (like a shoto Shoryuken) you're flirting with danger.
|Scarlet Terror
|charge + K
|A good anti-air, since you'll likely be charging most of the time anyway. If a LK Scarlet Terror hits, you can follow up and juggle with an EX version.
|Sky High Claw
|charge + P
|If you must use it, use the HP version as the other two punches leave Vega too high in the air. But generally, you should stay away from the attack except to A) catch opponents after frequently faking Flying Barcelona Attacks, as the Sky High Claw is much faster, or B) use an EX Sky High Claw to pass through and punish projectiles.
|Flying Barcelona Attack
|charge + K
|To use the Barcelona Attack effectively you'll have to be tricky with it. On the one hand, the attack announces itself pretty early, so opponents can generally react to it and counter you consistently. But you can use this to your advantage. Activate the attack but hold away from the opponent on the controls and you can frequently bait counter attacks that often leave the opponent vulnerable. It's difficult to capitalize on the vulnerability, but it is possible. And then, of course, when the opponent thinks you're not going to do anything with the Barcelona Attack, you can actually go for the gold. The grab is great, and even the claw strike has pretty good priority and causes a knock down.
|Remove Claw
|Flying Barcelona Special
|charge + K
|It sucks, don't use it. Seriously, your super meter is better spent on EX attacks and making your Rolling Crystal Flashes safe with FADCs.
|Bloody High Claw
|charge + KKK
|You can't combo into it, so it's utility is a bit suspect. but the ultra is at least good for punishing fireball throwers. The Bloody High Claw will pass through fireballs, so if you suspect a projectile is about to be thrown you can trigger the attack. It's also effective against jumpers.
|Props to reader Edward for help with Vega.
|Give us feedback!
|Continue Characters...
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Item Description
Citizens of Lawrence! L. Arms in area for negro hunting
Author: No authors specified.
Date: c. 1860
This document warned the citizens of Lawrence that a U.S Marshal named L[eonard] Arms was searching Lawrence for slaves and that they had the right to keep him out of their homes.
Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: Port Vault K 326 C498 185?
Item Number: 100103 Number of images: 1
Keywords: African Americans; Arms, Leonard; Douglas County, Kansas Territory; Eldridge House; Fugitive Slave Law; Fugitive slaves; Lawrence, Kansas Territory; Slavery; Slaves; United States marshals
pg. 1


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Free Entry
Soft precipice sandstone has eroded into a breathtaking panorama of cliffs, peaks, overhangs, tunnels and arches. The rock changes from yellow to orange and pink with the angle of the sun. Brilliant displays of flowering wattles appear from mid winter and boronias, red grevilleas and grasstrees blossom in August and September.
At the picnic shelter, look north out over large areas of botanically rich semi-evergreen vine thicket, to the distant rugged rock formations locally known as 'Devils Nest'.
The historically-significant hand-paved road near Flagstaff Hill was constructed in the early 1860s by hand, using large rock slabs. It was built less than 15 years after white settlement of the area and was used to carry wool from Roma to the port of Rockhampton. Drains on the side carried stormwater downslope and, even to this day, have prevented erosion.
Many kinds of birds live in the park. Look for spiny-cheeked, brown, white-eared and blue-faced honeyeaters when the eucalypts, wattles, grevilleas and boronias are in flower from mid-winter to summer. Wedge-trailed eagles soar high above the gorges and peregrine falcons leave secluded roosts on cliff faces to hunt.
Image credits—© Robert Ashdown