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Insights: Culture—Rumor Has It
Some months ago, controversial Hollywood screenwriter Joe Eszterhas wrote an amazing book about the Baby Boomer mystique, the sex/drugs/rock and roll generation and the Bill Clinton impeachment trial. In American Rhapsody, Eszterhas relied on gossip, independent counsel Kenneth Starr's records and his own imagination to re-create the history as it affected the Washington-Hollywood axis.
I sit at home, wreathed in cigar smoke and smile as I contemplate the very nature of gossip. Whether we like it or not, gossip is the chief ingredient of the information age we live in. It informs, enlightens, irritates and engages us. But gossip is nothing new. Eszterhas certainly didn't invent it, although he makes great use of it in American Rhapsody.
When I entered the newspaper business in the late 1950s, I thought I would become a columnist in the nature of the Duc de Saint-Simon, who wrote down everything about the Court of Louis XIV and gave history an enormous shot in the arm. But when I received my own gossip column in the '70s, my friend and critic Taki Theodoracopulos took me to task for being too nice, too inhibited and pulling my punches. I tried to explain to him that it was one thing for Saint-Simon to write gossip in a secret diary. If the Sun King had found out about it, we would never have benefited from it and the diary keeper would have died in the Bastille. Writing for daily newspapers puts certainrestraints on the practice, restraints suitable to libel laws, taste and refinement, and the vagaries of the important publisher one inevitably works for.
I have had 30 years to study and print gossip and I have concluded that for all its extremely poor reputation, gossip has an unprecedented popularity and use. Why? Gossip is good for us. It is actually cathartic. It keeps our juices flowing and it is a medium of power to the max, an incredible instrument of the exchange of ideas, news and events. In addition, it has its place in the formulation of moral judgments and tells us what we really think and feel.
Can gossip actually be good for you? One might be surprised to learn that scores of serious academics say it is. Many scholarly papers, reports and university thesis papers bear this out. What can gossip do for you? It can relax you and establish who you are by how you react to and use it. It can make you feel better or worse. It is as cathartic in our modern times as comedy and tragedy were for the ancient Greeks. Some academicians even say that gossip makes you live longer. (This, they harrumph, is why women outlive men!) Gossip is an enormous form of information exchange and thereby has its own power. There is a lot of power and possibly prestige in telling something you know, or think you know. (Like all great and meaningful conformations, this could also backfire and scorch you.)
"Gossip empowers both the tale carrier and the recipient--gossip answers a wide range of human needs. It bonds both teller and listener together with a sense of sharing something slightly forbidden," writes respected New York Times columnist Gail Collins in her gossip tome Scorpion Tongues. Professor Gary Alan Fine of Northwestern University says, "Gossip is a bit like Greek tragedy, an emotional release valve that allows us to express a whole range of human findings--envy, anger, compassion--and to find solace in other people's woes." I believe it was Joan Rivers who said, "It's nice to know when everything is going wrong in your household, that Elizabeth Taylor has problems, too."
There's no point in being high-minded about it, although some people are. I always admired President Harry Truman, who, when handed the FBI files in which J. Edgar Hoover had written "pervert, commie, sex fiend" in the margins of the department's uncensored gossip files, refused to read them. "I don't care about that stuff!" Truman said. But most of us do care. We feel as if we need to know everything. I recall a conversation I once had with Lyndon Johnson aide Horace Busby. He told me that when JFK and LBJ were running for the White House, Johnson's men followed and made note of everything naughty the would-be president did. "Why?" I asked. "What did you do with this information?" Horace shrugged, "We didn't do anything with it. We felt we just had to have it!"
The notion of how much we crave news and our need to know what's going on is illustrated by the old houses in New England, most of which are situated very close to the road with expanses of property lying behind. They were constructed thus so a passerby might give a homeowner, hanging on, say, the fence, the latest on-dit. "Hey, didja hear? They shot Lincoln a month ago down in Washington. He was at the theater and I understand Mrs. Lincoln had forced him to go; he wanted to stay home!"
Oscar Wilde wrote that history is merely gossip. Later, he added my favorite quote: "But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality!" If you don't believe gossip is history, consider the 1,000 days of John F. Kennedy's tenure in the White House. Hundreds of morsels of gossip were chewed over at the time, but the vogue then was not to write about a president's sex life or how he was trying to get the Mob to help him win elections or eliminate Castro. All of this later became grist for history's mill, long after his 1963 assassination. So, gossip remains an important, if sometimes startling and even inaccurate, historical reservoir. Because gossip is based on a common impulse--"Let me tell you a story..."--it becomes a basis for history, biography, autobiography, memoirs, romans à clef, novels, diaries and letters.
After the invention of the written alphabet by the Sumerians in 3000 b.c., the forward-looking Greeks adapted written language even further. The very first things we know of, written in Greek, are two incisions left on Mt. Hymettus near Athens. They date back to the eighth century b.c. Seldom cited because they are "dirty gossip," the first one states, "So and So is a cocksucker!" The second reads, "So and So is a pederast." So you see, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The early pre-written language tales recited by the blind poet Homer about the Trojan War--The Iliad, The Odyssey--are filled with all the elements of gossip--murder, adultery, war, jealousy, rage, love, death, and the heroic and dastardly behavior of kings, princes and other leaders. Today, the need to know about our heros and villains at the top--the kings and queens of sport, politics, rock and roll, entertainment and, since the '80s, the titans of business--is just as great. Gossip fills the bill.
Two psychologists, John Sabini of the University of Pennsylvania and Maury Silver of The Johns Hopkins University, have written a thesis titled "The Moralities of Everyday Life." Herein they state what may not be obvious in this regard:
Gossip brings ethics home by introducing abstract morality to the mundane. Gossip then may also be a means of social control in that it allows individuals to express, articulate and commit themselves to a moral position in the act of talking about somebody else. Thus, it is a way that we come to know what our own evaluations really are. It is a training ground both for self-clarification and public moral action...a common, a cross-cultural universal, a curious pleasure. It highlights the idleness of talk. People gossip to advance their interest. Gossip also makes people more interesting. Gossip freshens the news. Sharing a secret has charm. Socially, one has an obligation to talk, and gossip is a pleasant, easy, universally accepted way to fulfill that obligation. Gossip means taking a stance, dramatizing ourselves, our attitudes, our values, our tastes, our temptations, our inclination, our will. Gossip helps get one to know people. Gossip lets people get things off their chests, get their outrage supported. It allows them to be the hero of a moral drama with a minimum of inconvenience. Gossip is a means we have to externalize, dramatize and embody our moral perceptions. It helps us at times to establish precedents for reasonable solutions.
I believe they are saying that you are more interesting to others when you have something to really tell them than if you just comment on the weather. Therefore, gossip makes you more fascinating and it should boost your self-esteem at having it to relate.
Gossip has made us more cynical and less innocent in the last two or three decades and rabid gossip on the Internet has made that even more so. But is it necessarily bad? Isn't knowledge power? Isn't sorting out for ourselves what is true and what is false a good exercise? Do we really want the kind of press that covered up for important public figures? Or that had a "gentleman's agreement" with politicians not to report the realities about them? Isn't it better for us to know the truth and shouldn't we examine the feet of clay of our peerless leaders? Wasn't it better for Betty Ford to end speculation about her substance abuse and publicly declare it, thereby becoming a role model?
"Gossip is good. It is that most rare of guilty pleasures--completely democratic and fully participatory. It helps us sort things out." I don't know who said that, but I could kiss his hand and blow a little smoke in his direction. Gossip is the tawdry jewel in democracy's crown, the rhinestone of free speech. We need to set it in platinum.
Liz Smith is the author of a new memoir, Natural Blonde, published by Hyperion. She is the celebrated gossip columnist of Newsday, the New York Post and 60 other newspapers across the country.


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Photography by Gabriel R.
In the early hours of Tuesday, 31 December, 18 long-term prisoners were released to a jubilant crowd of thousands at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, while eight others were released hours earlier in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Israel committed to releasing 104 "veteran prisoners"—behind bars since before the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord—at the onset of the current round of talks in July 2013. The first group of 26 were released in August, and the second in late October. The fourth group is due to be released in April, coinciding with the final phase of the projected nine-month talks.
As with the previous two phased releases, the latest batch also generated controversy and protest in Israel, because each of the 104 veteran prisoners were convicted of killing Israeli soldiers or civilians and were serving life sentences.
Critics of Israel's "good-will gesture" point out restrictions on movement and political activity attached as pre-conditions diminish the freedom of the released. In addition, the gesture is offset by, and provides political cover for, the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Days ahead of the latest release, Reuters reported that Israel would announce 1,400 new settler-housing units, just as comparable settlement expansions tarnished the previous release in October as well as the first release in August.
The highly publicized release of 26 prisoners should not obscure the fact that 5,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons, including almost 150 in "administrative detention," which means without charge or trial, and more than 150 minors, with more than a dozen younger than 16.
The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) recently released a report describing prison conditions for many Palestinian minors as "torture."
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subset: commoncrawl


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I wrote this code to test:
A clean version can be found at http://codepad.org/hAumqzNB with the associated output.Code:#include <iostream> #include <string> #include <vector> using namespace std; struct Person { string name; int age; }; int main() { // Populate some people and put them into a vector. Person p1, p2, p3; vector<Person> ListOfPeople; p1.name = "Richard"; p2.name = "Mike"; p3.name = "Cheryl"; p1.age = 12; p2.age = 13; p3.age = 14; ListOfPeople.push_back(p1); ListOfPeople.push_back(p2); ListOfPeople.push_back(p3); vector<Person>::const_iterator citer = ListOfPeople.begin(); while ( citer != ListOfPeople.end() ) { cout << (*citer).name << " is " << citer->age << " years old." << endl; ++citer; } return 0; }
I know this has to do with pointers. I taught myself C++ once before using online tutorials but this book hasnt gone into pointers though it has covered references. This is one thing I never really understood about the language.
My questions:
Why do I have to deference this to make it work?
What exactly does dereferencing normally do?
Why on other sites do they say pointers are a type of iterator?
Lastly, object->member just a synonym of (*object).member and nothing more?
Edit: the book says derefencing gives an lvalue. Which i understand is a nontemporary object. So when you use an iterator does it act as a reference to the vector? Because I know you need lvalues to access data because of scoping issues. So does this essentially make a copy of the object in memory for the purpose of printing to the screen? aka an lvalue?
Sorry if I don't understand properly, its why im here :/
Thanks in advance for all your help!


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Pirates Den, Teen Center
opens in Green River in time for back to school
There's a new spot to hang out in Green River. The Pirates Den recently opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house where the town's people came to check out the new center.
The center has been in the works for a few months and has been made possible with many generous donations and volunteer labor.
Organizer Kathy Brady said the teen center will have an afterschool program Monday through Thursdays from 3-5 p.m.
They will offer a TnT program which is teens and teachers. Teachers will volunteer their time to help youth with their homework from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday-Thursday. This is being held later in the day to accommodate anyone with practice after school for sports.
The Teen Center features computers for homework and research and a ping pong table, foosball table, air hockey, darts and a Playstation 3 for video games which are appropriate for all ages.
Monies for the teen center have come from alcohol grants, tobacco grants and a safe passage to schools grant. Discounts on supplies for the center have been given by PD Ace Hardware and Lowes.
Brady said, "I hope kids will take advantage of our new center. It's for junior high and high school age children. The afterschool program is great. We have civic projects, educational and homework programs. The kids will learn how to cook and we also have physical exercise and activities. We will let the kids have a lot of say in the activities we do. That way it will be things they want to do.
"We are here for the youth. We are creating a safe place without alcohol and drugs. We hope kids will take advantage of it. We are open Monday-Thursday from 3-5 p.m. and stay open until 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday. Arrangements can also be made for parties and to be open for activities on the weekends. We have great volunteers. There will be two adults here at all time and adequate supervision. The kids can play games, watch movies, do homework, do research and just relax.
"We've had a lot of volunteer help to get this center ready. We have painted, finished the ceiling, new bathrooms, new plumbing and new electrical wiring. We still need a refrigerator if anyone has an extra one. We are very excited about the center. We want the community to use it. We're here to help our community. We still need to decorate and its a work in progress, but we've made some great strides. We will accept any donations, if you have desks, or anything you think we could use. We have long tables for homework and for banquets.
"We've been involved in service projects for the community. We painted the curbs up at the high school. We pulled weeds at the medical center so the helicopter could land.
"For some of our after school projects we made inflatable architecture. We also made a newspaper in our after school program. We have had many teachers help us. We have had archery, ultimate frisbee, weight training, bochee ball. We also made duck calls. We made pens and sent to the military and did many other woodwork projects.
"We are excited for the kids to have a place to come and be with their friends.
"Emery County Recreation donated the ping pong table. We really appreciate that. We received a grant from the Southeastern Utah Health Department that could be used for building improvements.
"River Canyon Wireless gave us a good deal on internet. They were really good to help us out," said Brady. Many partners have been involved in giving the teen center a good start; the Department of Workforce Services, Communities that Care, Southeastern Utah Health Department, Green River public works, EpiCenter, Lowes, Brady Creative, Ace Hardware, Four Corners, Emery County Recreation District, Green River City, Green River High School and Key Electric. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
Click for the lick to the article on Emery County Progress' website


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Larry King made a return to TV to sit down with the man who took his job, in a manner of speaking, and it probably wasn't the smooth ride either of the two talk show hosts had hoped for, reports Mediate.
Piers Morgan, seemingly sitting in the catbird seat as the current host of a prime-time show on CNN, took the opportunity during their sit down to ask King directly about recent comments he's made calling the British talker "oversold" and saying that Morgan may have actually benefitted from a more low-key P.R. campaign.
"I have the last few months saying following you is like following Frank Sinatra," said a crestfallen Morgan. "I couldn't have paid you higher praise! To go in my backyard and say I'm an oversold, undangerous…"
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Cutting Morgan off, the grizzled King, after calling Morgan's performances so far "fine," asked the host if his attempts to portray himself as a "dangerous" entertainer were meant in jest.
"Were you being facetious when you said you were dangerous?" King asked. "Was that at attempt at British humor?"
Morgan eventually said that, yes, British humor was involved in his self-promotional exercises, an answer that didn't seem to placate King.
"I've always oversold myself," Piers admitted. "I quite like doing that. It's quite funny."
"I don't get it, I'm from Brooklyn," King said. "In Brooklyn, if you say you're dangerous, you better be dangerous."
King further pressed Morgan about his recent stop on David Letterman where the late-night host said that Morgan might need to punch a guest to boost his ratings, which prompted Morgan to muse about...punching King.
"We decided that punching you would not be a great move," Morgan told King during the interview. "You're my hero... Everyday I do this, my admiration for what you achieved grows."
Selected Reading: Mediaite, Deadline Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight


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The state's pension contribution for the next fiscal year will be about $170 million less than originally estimated, according to reports.
This isn't particularly big news, since pension contributions are a small (though not insignificant) part of the budget -- $3.5 billion out of roughly $90 billion. The concern about pensions is really a concern about the future; that the promises made by the state and local governments today will require much more sizable contributions in the future.
So the good news is the reason for the drop in the expected pension contribution: employees are themselves contributing more to their own pensions under new contracts with the state. The unanswered question is whether employees -- and their employers, California's governments -- are contributing enough money today to pay tomorrow's pensions.


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Samy Sabbah has not received any gifts yet
Salut Samy Sabbah,
J'habite à St-Laurent et je voudrais savoir si tu veux jouer, soit au parc Wilson (6 terrain) ou Nicolas Viel (9 terrain). Alors, si tu veux jouer faits-moi savoir.
Pour l'instant je suis disponible du lundi au vendredi (en tout temps) et samedi et dimanche (le soir, à partir de 19h)
Au plaisir
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A Night of Experimental Jazz & Lydia Lunch at the Park Church Co-Op
Last Thursday, artist Martynka Wawrzyniak hosted "A Night of Experimental Jazz & Lydia Lunch" at the Park Church Co-Op (129 Russell Street) to support her McGolrick Park community art installation, Ziemia. Ziemia, when finished, will consist of a large ceramic orb made from soil from across the globe and placed in a carefully cultivated meadow in McGolrick Park, adjacent to Russell Street between Nassau Ave and Driggs Ave.
The Park Church Co-Op was dimly lit, the stage awash with red and blue light. Meditative electronic new-age music played as the image of Jesus on the crucifix centered on the back wall looked over the scene. It may not seem like the most likely venue for a night of experimental jazz, but Pastor Amy Kienzle remarked that this event was part of the church's larger event series that supports community art. And with Wawrzyniak being such an enthusiastic member of the church she felt it was important to support. She added that the church "believes in art and it being spiritually beneficial." Continue reading


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When Lea Thompson arrived at the Hollywood Awards on Monday night to promote her new indie feature, "The Trouble with the Truth," we knew she was just the person to speak to about Hollywood's rash of remakes.
As Hollywood cherry picks and decimates the great films of our childhood—"Arthur," "Footloose," "The Karate Kid"—and eyes even more sacred ground—don't get us started on "Dirty Dancing" again—we asked Thompson, aka: Marty McFly's mother, if she thought there was any chance of a studio hacking up one of the holy grails of the 80s, "Back to the Future."
Asked if she had anything to say to people thinking of defiling it, Thompson politely offered, "They could still give Chris Lloyd the job of Doc Brown. Give him that job, make my daughter be the young me and let me be the old me. I'm looking for a job in a big movie."
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
"That was a great part," she continued. "I was great in it. I can't say that about all the parts I've done, but I can say it about 'Back to the Future.' I have other things people love. Half the fans that come up to me, for whatever reason, love 'Howard the Duck.' People cry about 'Space Camp,' they are in tears and shaking and say, 'It changed my life.' People became physicists because of it!"
Asked her opinion on remakes and reboots, Thompson simply smirked, "Well, you know, they already remade 'Red Dawn.'" When we pointed out that the sanitized, politically correct redo (booooring) had, mercifully, been sitting on a shelf for since 2010 and would have stayed there had FilmDistrict not gummed up the works by signing a release deal for 2012 (which we pray falls through), she laughed, "We love fans like you!"
Next up, Thompson will be seen in Clint Eastwood's Oscar bait, "J. Edgar," which, she says with a laugh, "I hope I'm still in! Please call me and tell me!"


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- "Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."
- —Excerpt from Most Macabre Monstrosities.[src]
The Basilisk is a giant serpent, also known as the King of Serpents. It is a creature bred by Dark Wizards. Herpo the Foul was the first to breed a Basilisk; he accomplished this by hatching a chicken egg beneath a toad which resulted in the creature known as a Basilisk. Basilisk breeding was banned in Medieval times. The practice can be hidden when the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures comes to check by simply removing the egg from the toad.
Although classified as an XXXXX creature, meaning it is a known wizard-killer that cannot be domesticated due to its immense powers, because the Basilisk is still a serpent, a Parselmouth may place a Basilisk under his or her control. This depends on the relationship between the Basilisk and the Parselmouth, as Tom Riddle, alias Lord Voldemort, was the only one who could command Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk, while Harry Potter had no control over it.
The Basilisk can grow up to fifty feet in length, and is a dark green colour with large yellow eyes. These eyes have the power to instantly kill anyone who looks into them. Basilisk skin is armoured like that of a dragon's, which deflects spells cast upon it. The Basilisk sheds its skin at intervals, like all other snakes, when it grows.
Basilisks can live a natural life of at least nine hundred years, though Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk lived for approximately a thousand years. This is accomplished by using Parseltongue to put the creature into a deep sleep that prevents it from aging, similar to suspended animation. Their mortal weakness is the crowing of a rooster. Basilisks feed off vertebrate animals. The male can be distinguished from the female by a single scarlet plume on its head.
When a victim looks indirectly at the Basilisk's eyes, such as its reflection, they will merely become Petrified, as was the case with Hermione Granger and Colin Creevey, however Myrtle (commonly known as Moaning Myrtle) was not so fortunate, and looked directly into the Basilisk's eyes, which resulted in her dying immediately. Another way of surviving a Basilisk's gaze is by seeing it through another object. Another example mentioned above was when Colin Creevey saw it through his camera, resulting in his petrification and his camera lens becoming melted. Justin Finch-Fletchley saw the Basilisk through the translucent Nearly-Headless-Nick, and both were petrified. Sir Nicholas, being a ghost, was already dead; as such, he only became Petrified as well, although he did look at the beast's eyes directly. This petrification seems quite powerful, as even the Elder Wand-wielding Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore concluded that the only way to reverse the effect was through the use of Mandrake Restorative Draughts.
Phoenixes are immune to this deadly gaze, and spiders, such as Aragog and his ever-growing clan, are terrified of the Basilisk, and describe it as their enemy, refusing to even speak of it or mention its name.[1]
Basilisk's venom
- Hermione: "It doesn't have to be a basilisk fang. It has to be something so destructive that the Horcrux can't repair itself. Basilisk venom only has one antidote, and it's incredibly rare —"
- Harry: "— phoenix tears."
- — Harry Potter and Hermione Granger on how to destroy Horcruxes using Basilisk venom.[src]
When Harry Potter slew Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's Sword in 1992, the sword became imbued with the basilisk's venom, giving it the ability to destroy a Horcrux.
Basilisk egg
A Basilisk egg is the egg of said creature. They are chicken eggs hatched beneath a toad, thus creating the deadly King of Serpents. This method was first discovered by Herpo the Foul, in Ancient Greece, and has been banned since medieval times.
The Ancient Greek basil(eus) means "king", with the suffix -iskos being a diminutive, the whole having the sense of "princeling" or the like, purportedly for the crown-like white spot on its head.
Behind the scenes
- According to Igor Karkaroff, Alastor Moody has smashed apart a birthday present that he thought in paranoia was a cleverly disguised basilisk egg before finding out it was a carriage clock.[2]
- The basilisk is often confused with the cockatrice, but the basilisk is born from a chicken's egg hatched beneath a toad, while the cockatrice is hatched by a chicken's egg incubated by a serpent. The cockatrice is also usually depicted with wings, while the basilisk is not. Due to this, it can be assumed that J.K. Rowling either had the two confused, or decided to combine the two. A cockatrice is the product of an egg laid by a cock (a male chicken) and incubated by a toad or a snake, can kill by looking at a person, touching them, or sometimes breathing on them, and was slain instantly by a rooster's crow.
- Although an average basilisk is said to have an average lifespan of 900 years Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk lived for approximately 1000 years, being there since Slytherin built the Chamber of Secrets around that time.
- In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, the basilisk is male because it has a red plume on its head.
- Newt Scamander stated in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that there have been no recorded sightings of Basilisks in Britain for the last 400 years. Harry Potter wrote in his copy of the book "that's what you think".
- Wearing glasses will not protect a person from the fatal effect of the basilisk's stare, because glasses still allow one's line of vision to connect directly and clearly with the serpent's eyes, unlike looking in a mirror or through a camera.[3]
- It has been theorized that spiders fear basilisks because arachnids can see 360-degrees around them and cannot shut their eyes, leaving them extremely vulnerable to the monster's killing gaze.
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry watches the basilisk by its shadow on the floor.
- It is unknown why there are male and female basilisks, as they are produced by a chicken's egg hatched by a toad. However, it's possible that, unlike real-world hybrids, basilisks are capable of reproduction as Moody had a present that "he thought was a well-disguised basilisk egg", suggesting that basilisks can lay eggs.
- Rubeus Hagrid asked Aragog "many times" to name this creature, but Aragog refused to speak of it.[4]
- In the film adaptation for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk is shown to hear Harry Potter, something that Tom Riddle's memory also points out. However, snakes lack ears and can only detect things approaching by feeling vibrations. In the book, Riddle instead only tells the Basilisk to smell Harry Potter.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned) (Appears in flashback in Disc 2)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (As a corpse)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Harry Potter LEGO Sets
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Pottermore
- Harry Potter for Kinect
See also
- Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk
- Chamber of Secrets
- Herpo the Foul's basilisk
- Basilisk venom
- Basilisk egg
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ 16 July, 2005 press conference at Accio Quote!
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 15 - (Aragog)
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Jonas Brothers Reveal Name Of Fifth Album
OMJ! Four years after the Jonas Brothers' last album was released in 2009, it's finally time for them to release another — and they've now revealed the album's title.
The Jonas Brothers have made 2013 their comeback year, and girls around the world are so excited. Hours after kicking off their summer tour in Chicago on July 10, they announced the name of their fifth album on Twitter!
Jonas Brothers Fifth Album Name Revealed
The Jonas Brothers have had quite the week. Amidst the exciting news that Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle Jonas are expecting their first baby, the Jonas Brothers avidly tweeted their excitement for the kickoff to their summer tour, along with the name of their new album!
"V FIVE!!!!!!!" they tweeted on July 10.
There you have it, Jonas maniacs — their fifth album will be called V! Perfectly fitting for their fifth studio album, as V is the Roman numeral for the number five.
V will be the first album released under Jonas Enterprises, their own record label which they launched in 2012. And the songs are even produced by Nick Jonas himself!
Jonas Brothers To Release 'V' In The 'Fall-ish'
Nick, Kevin and Joe Jonas haven't revealed the official release date for V, but in a recent interview with Radio Disney, they said it will be hitting stores in the "fall-ish."
Although that doesn't give JoBro fans a confirmed date for the release of V, Nick promised it will be worth the wait. "The upcoming album is a big step for us musically," he said. "Stuff you can dance to, stuff you can sing along to…just overall a really fun vibe. I think people are going to enjoy it."
Included on the album will be their hit single, "Pom Poms," their latest single, "The First Time," and four songs they will be playing on their summer tour: "Found," "What Do I Mean To You," "The World," and "Don't Say."
We hope V is released sooner than later — after waiting four years for a new album, we can't hold off much longer!
Are you excited for the release of V, HollywoodLifers? What do you think of the name?
WATCH: Jonas Brothers 'Pom Poms' Music Video
— Taylor Weatherby
More Jonas Brothers News:
- Jonas Brothers Perform Four New Songs At Summer Tour Kickoff
- The Jonas Brothers Perform 3 Songs At 2013 Miss USA Competition
- Jonas Brothers Release 'First Time' — Listen To Their New Song


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DWTS – Media Who Is It, Dance With me Updates
Hi!!! How are all of you Pure Dancettes today?? Just a few media updates. First of all, would you like to guess which pro-dancer this is? Answer will be revealed in the comment section tomorrow sometime. 😉
Next, and special thanks to PureDWTS fan Evaine, here is Maks with a new "Dance with me Soho" update. He tells us what he's been up to and introduces Tony as his new partner in his dance studio ventures. They both are shooting a really HOT photo shoot that I can't get enough of. I want too see more. Maks has disabled the embedding, but, you can SEE IT >>>HERE at his You Tube Channel.
Special thanks to PureDWTS fan Figmentation for more news on the "Same Sex Couple" idea. It sounds like ABC is canning the idea for now. Here is a take from Celebuzz.
After toying with the idea of including a same-sex couple on the next season of Dancing With the Stars, ABC has abandoned the notion, PopEater's Rob Shuter reports.
A source within the network tells Shuter that the plan fell through after Ellen DeGeneres' wife Portia de Rossi turned down an offer to appear on the show and ABC was unable to come up with a non-controversial replacement:
"If Portia had agreed then this would have been a done deal. She was the only star that could have pulled this off without completely offending the program's conservative viewers."
Now, the source adds, producers have decided to hold off on the idea for a few years, hoping that cultural attitudes change, and don't plan to "rush into creating a same-sex dancing couple just to get attention and publicity."
In other DWTS ideas and possible contenders, what do you think about the idea of Lindsay Lohan as a contestant next Season? I'm kind of negative on the idea. It depends if she's kicked her drug habits and done her time. Though that is controversial in and of itself being she's never had to fully serve it. Why, I don't know? Don't the courts realize how much they are hurting her by letting her have her way? But, here is Kyle Massey's thoughts. He'd also like to see Oprah and Kayne West do the show. Oh boy, not sure on the Kayne West idea either. 😮
Speaking of Kyle, he and Lacey helped with "Skating With The Stars" this past week. Unfortunately, the couple they helped had to back out since one of them was sick. From The Examiner. I love Lacey's advice on how every "move" should mean something and be performed with intent. So true.
'Dancing with the Stars': Kyle, Lacey coach 'Skating's' Brandon, Keauna — One of the most popular pairs from Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars appeared again on television Monday night. Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer were brought in to coach Skating with the Stars' competitors Brandon Mychal Smith and his professional partner, Keauna McLaughlin.
Mr. Smith and Ms. McLaughlin visited the dancing couple in the dance studio. There, they learned about choreography. Lacey Schwimmer told Brandon Smith that every move had to mean something. Each move must be performed with intent and tell part of the story the routine was trying to convey to the audience.
Although the skating pair seemed to gain ground from the Dancing with the Stars duo, unfortunately illness prevented Brandon Smith from competing live Monday evening. His partner, Keauna McLaughlin was in costume and ready to perform in case he appeared at the last minute, but he did not. Instead, ABC ran a video of the pair's last rehearsal, shot on Sunday.
If you are in Las Vegas on Dec. 10th, be sure to check out Karina Smirnoff as she is planning to join the Chippendales and host "Ultimate Girl's Night Out". Here is take from Vegas News. Check the link for ticket information and more if interested.
On Friday, December 10, the Men of Chippendales – the global icon in women's entertainment – will be joined by Karina Smirnoff of Dancing with the Stars, as she celebrates her new engagement with girlfriends and also hosts The Ultimate Girls Night Out!.
Karina will join the Chippendales onstage as part of the show's ongoing celebrity guest host series which has recently featured The Bachelor winner Vienna Girardi and model/actress Estella Warren. In addition, Karina will be escorted on the red carpet by the iconic men who have recently been voted the Best of Las Vegas 2010 – Best Male Revue by both editors and readers of the Las Vegas Review Journal. A fan and media favorite of the hit ABC television show, Karina will be joined by a group of girlfriends, all coming to Las Vegas to celebrate her recent engagement to Major League baseball pitcher, Brad Penny, at Chippendales.
Movieline has rated their Top 10 Reality Shows for 2010. They've put "Dancing With The Stas" at #10. Here's why…
10. Dancing with the StarsTV's schmaltziest hour of dance and pseudo-fame is usually worth a couple episodes of actual entertainment, but this year, Bristol Palin's relentless survival turned the show into a musical remake of Network. Fans rioted, ratings boomed, dignity died, and viewer outrage felt as flammable as one of Maksim Chmerkovskiy's leisure suits. Though Jennifer Grey won the season, it was Bristol Palin's weak hoofing and dictatorial reign that made for violently good TV.
I promised….I am not going to say a word. 😮 lol
Lastly, here is Chelsey and Kym on Access Hollywood doing a promo for their "Dancing" workout DVDs. Margaret Cho joins them as well.
Ok Kids, that is all for now. Though if you haven't done so yet, don't forget to VOTE in our "End of The Season Awards" >>>>>HERE!! Also, a reminder to VOTE in the "People's Choice Awards" as well if you want to see the show and your favorite dancers win an award(s) this year >>>>HERE!!
Bailar el tango!!!xxx


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Welcome to Bistro Tupaz
Centrally located at the Plaza Del Rey Shopping Center in San Jose, California, Bistro Tupaz is a bistro-style restaurant offering home-cooked classic European cuisine. We pride ourselves on the fact that we use only fresh, healthy ingredients, and that everything that comes our of our kitchen is made from scratch. If you're looking for a unique dining experience, join us for lunch or dinner at Bistro Tupaz. We also offer take out and to go orders of our home-cooked entrees and freshly baked pastries.


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Friday, December 28, 2012
Sports News
Creighton's Josh Jones: Giving up basketball hurts
Send a link to a friend
[December 28, 2012]
OMAHA, Neb.
(AP) -- As hard as it is for Creighton's Josh Jones to give up basketball, he says it's not worth risking his life to keep playing.
Doctors advised Jones to stop playing after he underwent a procedure Dec. 18 to locate and correct an atrial flutter. He faces more procedures to treat the heart condition that caused him to faint before a game three weeks ago.
He said he wanted to let their words soak in a few days before he made his announcement this week.
"My life is more important," he said Thursday as teammates practiced behind him at the Vinardi Athletic Center. "The game has gotten me this far. I'm the same person with or without it. But right now, and maybe forever, I'm just stepping away from the game."
Coach Greg McDermott said he sensed after he visited with Jones two weeks ago that it was doubtful Jones would return.
Jones had an initial health scare in 2007, when he needed an infected heart valve replaced. Doctors said the first procedure revealed additional concerns with Jones' heart. Jones said he'll undergo a second procedure in January to diagnose the other problems, and more treatment probably will follow.
He said it would have been impossible for him to play again this season.
The fifth-year senior is scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in public relations.
Jones' situation has prompted an outpouring of support from the community. Though he started only 14 of his 108 career games, he's one of the Bluejays' most popular players.
He's an Omaha native who led Central High School, a few blocks from the Creighton campus, to three consecutive state championships.
"I've got aspirations to do other things," Jones said. "I'm going to try to put my degree to use. I was going to do all these other things regardless, whenever my athletic career was going to end. Now it's time to start pursuing them early."
[to top of second column]
Jones said walking has been his most strenuous activity since he passed out during warm-ups before the Dec. 6 game at Nebraska. He admitted to still picking up a basketball and dribbling it when he's hanging out at his family's home a few blocks from campus.
"I want to tell everybody I'm fine -- I'm normal -- I'm just not able to do high-intense things to put my heart rate at an unsafe rate that can put me down, make me pass out again or potentially cause death," he said. "That's what the procedure is about, changing the complications of my heart to make me live a healthy life with a healthy heart."
Jones played in eight games this season and usually was the first guard to come off the bench for the 16th-ranked Bluejays. He scored 18 points in a win over UAB. For his career he averaged 5.0 points and 15 minutes a game.
"Obviously, it's a sad deal for him," senior guard Grant Gibbs said. "As much time as he's put into this game... If there is anybody who can handle this, it's definitely Josh and his personality. He's been tremendous, bouncing back and kind of looking toward the next phase of his life. He's one of those guys who can find good in anything. He's going to find a way to get through it."
Jones plans to be on Creighton's bench at home games, and he said he'll hang around with teammates when he can.
"I'm still a great-spirited person," Jones said. "I'm still smiling. I won't stop smiling, as much as it hurts."
Press; By ERIC OLSON]
Copyright 2012 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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In season one of "Desperate Housewives," the couple Carlos and Gaby can't agree on whether or not they should have a baby. Carlos, anxious to start a family, replaces Gaby's birth control with sugar pills, which leads to her getting pregnant. Five seasons (and some children) later, Carlos has again tricked Gabby, and confesses that he didn't actually have a vasectomy as he'd told her he had.
While there are a lot of outlandish storylines in the show, this one isn't far from reality for some couples. Unfortunately, these scenarios don't just happen onscreen, and there's a name for them: reproductive coercion. Both men and women can coerce their partners, as seen in Carlos and Gaby's relationship, into being at risk to have — or actually having — a baby.
Reproductive coercion is a form of power and control where one partner strips the other of the ability to control their own reproductive system. It is sometimes difficult to identify this coercion because other forms of abuse are often occurring simultaneously.
Reproductive coercion can be exerted in many ways:
- Refusing to use a condom or other type of birth control
- Breaking or removing a condom during intercourse
- Lying about their methods of birth control (ex. lying about having a vasectomy, lying about being on the pill)
- Refusing to "pull out" if that is the agreed upon method of birth control
- Forcing their partner to not use any birth control (ex. the pill, condom, shot, ring, etc.)
- Removing birth control methods (ex. rings, IUDs, contraceptive patches)
- Sabotaging birth control methods (ex. poking holes in condoms, tampering with pills or flushing them down the toilet)
- Withholding finances needed to purchase birth control
- Monitoring their partner's menstrual cycles
- Purposefully trying to pass on a sexually transmitted disease
- Forcing pregnancy and/or not supporting their partner's decision about when or if they want to have a child
- Forcing their partner to get an abortion, or preventing them from getting one
- Threatening their partner or acting violent if they don't comply with their wishes to either end or continue a pregnancy
- Continually keeping their partner pregnant (getting them pregnant again shortly after they give birth)
If an abuser forces their partner to become pregnant, this is not necessarily about the outcome of the pregnancy but rather about the control and power an abuser holds over their partner and their partner's body.
Reproductive coercion can also come in the form of pressure, guilt and shame from an abuser. Some examples are if your abuser is constantly talking about having children or making you feel guilty for not having or wanting children with them — especially if you already have kids with someone else.
In 2011 The Hotline conducted the first national survey to learn the extent of reproductive coercion. The findings were shocking. Over 3,000 callers participated in the survey and 25% reported that they had experienced this type of abuse.
Safety Plan With an Advocate and Your Gynecologist or Doctor
If you call The Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, an advocate can help you develop strategies to address your situation. A gynecologist or health care provider can also be a useful resource, especially in helping you conceal contraceptive methods if this is an issue. Doctors can give birth control pills in plain envelopes for example, or provide less detectable forms of contraceptive. Some of these options include a shot, an implant or an IUD with the strings trimmed.
If you have a positive STI test result and are afraid of how your partner will react, you can speak with your doctor about anonymous partner notification services.


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Life is full of subtle pleasures: a bracing autumn breeze, the intoxicating aroma of braised parsnips, and, of course, the occasional Ogopogo sighting. This footage was shot on November 2 at Okanagan Lake in British Columbia. Explains Global BC:
Two weeks ago, West Kelowna resident Richard Huls said he captured video of something in the water.
"It proves something is down there. Whether it's Ogopogo or not, it is a different story but there is something at least down there," Huls said.
"It was not a wave, just a darker colour. The size and the fact that they were not parallel with the waves made me think it had to be something else," he said.
The video has attracted the requisite poo-pooing (lake thermodynamics, waves and stuff) from the scientific community, but some Ogopogo news > no Ogopogo news. And I've said it once and I'll say it again: Canadian cryptids are the goddamn gold standard of unknown beasts. The Philippines comes in a close second.
[Via Cryptomundo]


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Certain combat Veterans who were discharged from active duty service before Jan. 28, 2003 have until Jan. 27, 2011 to take advantage of their enhanced health care enrollment opportunity through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
"While there is no time limit for Veterans to apply for the VA health care they earned with their service, I highly encourage this group of combat Veterans to take advantage of the enhanced enrollment window to use their health care benefits through this simplified process," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "VA has health care eligibility specialists online and at every medical center eager to help Veterans take advantage of this opportunity."
The enhanced enrollment window was provided for in Public Law 110-181, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. That law gave combat Veterans who served after Nov. 11, 1998 but separated from service before Jan. 28, 2003, and did not enroll before Jan. 28, 2008, three years, beginning on Jan. 28, 2008, to apply for the enhanced enrollment opportunity.
These Veterans will still be able to apply for health benefits with VA after Jan. 27, but will have their status for receiving VA health care determined under normal VA procedures that base health care priority status on the severity of a service-connected disability or other eligibility factors. This would mean some Veterans could face income or asset-based restrictions, as well as delays in establishing their VA health care eligibility while their disability status is determined.
Since the inception of the enhanced enrollment opportunity, VA has sent more than 750,000 personal letters to eligible Veterans and hosted thousands of outreach efforts through OIF/OEF and enrollment coordinators stationed at every VA medical center.
Since June 2010, VA sent another 194,000 personal letters to give every eligible Veteran a chance to take advantage of this opportunity, but to date only 13,000 of these Veterans have enrolled.
The law does continue to provide the enhanced health care enrollment window to combat Veterans who were discharged or released from active service on or after January 28, 2003. For these Veterans, the five-year enrollment period begins on the discharge or separation date of the service member from active duty military service, or in the case of multiple call-ups, the most recent discharge date.
Veterans can apply for enrollment online at www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez
<https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/> , by contacting VA at 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or with the help of a VA health care eligibility specialist at any VA medical center. Go to www2.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp for locations. For more information regarding enrollment, visit VA's eligibility site at www.va.gov/healtheligibility.


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I Got Blood Coming Out My Ears
Nothing against the multiple talents of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys but the pregame performance is a LITTLE LOUD.
This is not specific to such programs. They appear to have borrowed Spinal Taps control knob for the Yankee Stadium PA System. An Air Force flyover would probably be drowned out by the Yankee Trivia Quiz.
Nick Swisher, benched tonight in favor of Jerry Hairston, to a Yankee employee wishing him luck: Yeah Ill need it for my next at bat – in Game Seven.
One other thought before Game Two starts: wasnt there a time in the games history when a pitcher like Cliff Lee making a basket catch as he did last night would be greeted by an angry batsman charging the mound?
7 Comments
It goes up to 11!! Maybe they put this one up to 12, instead?
I hate it when the sound is so high that you can hear it three miles away. If your hearing is good, it won't be when they're done with you.
Enjoy the game! We'll miss you on Countdown, but I'm glad you're having fun (or hoping you will have fun, in any case). 🙂
In answer to your question – yup.
"Barry Bonds? I'll tell you what, if he hit a home run off (Bob) Gibson or (Don) Drysdale and stood and admired it, they'd knock that earring out of his ear the next time up." – National League Umpire Doug Harvey
It's a beautiful night and should be a great series.
I though John Legend did a good job with the national anthem, though.
I though John Legend did a good job with the national anthem, though.
No pun intended, but I hear ya, where PA systems cranked up seemingly beyond the max are concerned. I once went to a small outdoor concert at a state fair, where I and everybody around me, even the young people, were holding their ears because the sound was way too loud. When teenagers think a concert is too loud, it's time to turn it down. Ever since, I bring earplugs to concerts – they're the only thing that will bring the sound down to a tolerable level. They also help to staunch the bleeding. 😀
Regarding Cliff Lee, that *was* indeed a bit much. Even a playground pitcher would have taken a lot of flak from the other kids, for being such an arrogant showoff. You'd think an MLB pitcher would have grown out of that by now.
That catch & his general demeanor (he seemed bored, should we have done something to entertain him?) Really irritated me, he was like it was spring training and did not matter. I hope we can keep him excited in the next game with some batting fireworks!
It started in the early 90's; now all ball games seem to be loud. Endless sound effects, music blaring at the slightest interval in the game, trivia questions, giveaways to people in the stands, etc. Then there are the visuals-the ribbon boards constantly blinking, Jumbotrons you can read from space…why do these team marketing departments think that people at the game DON'T WANT TO SEE THE GAME????


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At ST, we believe that the development of our people is the key factor for ensuring our long term success.
We anticipate, develop and match our employees' skills and profiles to our business needs, to reach the highest level of organization performance, as well as maximizing people employability.
We provide our employees with opportunities for life-long learning through professional development and clear career evolution paths.
The working environment we foster encourages: innovation, thoughtful risk taking climate, commitment to results, systematic problem solving and employees empowerment to exceed customers' expectations.
We stand for having the right person in the right position through:
Career Management
Performance Management
Talent Management
Organization Development
Learning Offer
Career Management
The cornerstone of career management is to provide all ST employees with a clear understanding of their job positioning within the company and to support their progressions (vertical and transversal).
In ST, we have 3 career paths (manager, project manager, expert) based on a complete Job Referential describing each job function and its associated competencies. We encourage the evolution whatever the career path with specific development programs. As our company aims at delivering leading-edge products and technologies, we promote the expertise management with dedicated recognition, training and a specific technical tutor role to share knowledge and find innovative solutions.
Offering a complete visibility of these career paths and associated job referential to its employees is a key factor in promoting internal mobility across organizations, regions and jobs.
Leadership is required at every level of the company as it creates a high energy environment where people are inspired and empowered.
In ST, we federate leaders through a common managerial culture and five leadership principles:
- articulate and communicate a compelling vision
- align actions to ST's strategy and deliver results
- foster a climate of entrepreneurship
- drive innovation with a forward sensing mindset
- care for people growth and engagement
Based on this Leadership Model, ST provides a set of comprehensive and integrated leadership learning solutions deployed across all organizations and sites.
Engaged and motivated people will always be better performers, driving productivity and profitability.
In ST, we fairly evaluate and differentiate employees through a continuous performance management process based on:
- objective setting
- regular feedback
- performance appraisal evaluating business results and behavioral competencies
- individual development plan
The on-going implementation of this process shapes a consistent alignment between each employee and ST business and organizational results.
The ability to attract, develop and retain talents is a key success factor for our Company.
ST provides to managers the opportunity to collectively assess their employee potentials and contributions through a 2-year rolling process to continuously match every organization human resources to their business's needs.
Key talents identified during this assessment are eligible to:
- Promotions (new position, higher job grade)
- Internal mobility (within the organization or in another organization)
- Specific collective development plans
One of the outcomes of this process is also to address resource needs on a quantitative and qualitative aspect to define the Strategic resources plan checking the competency evolution and staffing.
Organizational development addresses evolving needs of successful organizations.
In ST, we focus on accompanying our organizations by enabling them to adapt and increase their capacities to deal with changes while maintaining their strategy.
Based on organizations' strategic inputs, ST supports their future performance through a common set of processes, programs and tools such as:
- Team building and dedicated workshops
- Individual coaching , tutoring and mentoring
- Organization surveys
- 360° Assessment
Learning is a prerequisite to individual performance by acquiring specific skills and knowledge to match evolving business needs.
To shape learning close to business, ST offers a wide range of both professional and leadership courses to equip employees with the right skills and competences improving their performance. Dedicated workshop sessions are defined to support concrete business needs by developing common solutions through shared ideas and knowledge.
The new ST learning catalogue is directly connected to the job function competencies. Each job function has a set of specific competencies and training is designed specifically to support their growth.
This regular process is nested into the Performance Management system.


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TOLEDO, Ohio – Three children, their uncle, and their grandmother were found dead inside a garage Monday in what appears to be a murder-suicide amid a custody dispute.
A truck was running with hoses leading from the exhaust into a car in the family's Toledo garage Monday. Inside the vehicle were the bodies of 54-year-old Sandy Ford; her 32-year-old son, Andy Ford; and her grandchildren, 10-year-old Paige Hayes, 6-year-old Logan Hayes and 5-year-old Madalyn Hayes, police said.
Sandy Ford's husband, Randy, called police Monday afternoon to say that he had returned home and found suspicious notes in the house from his wife, son and grandkids. He said he wasn't able to enter the garage.
Firefighters used a sledgehammer to open a door to the garage, which had been barricaded shut. The bodies of the five people, two dogs and one cat were found inside the car.
Investigators believe they died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The five victims lived with Randy Ford in the house, located in a residential neighborhood close to the Michigan state line.
Sgt. Joe Heffernan said Sandy Ford had primarily taken care of the children at her residence for the last four years, but their parents — the Fords' daughter, Mandy Hayes, and the children's father, Chris Hayes, were trying to regain full custody of them. He said Sandy Ford was upset about that, and he believes that was the motive for the murder-suicide.
Doug Hall, a neighbor who lives across the street, said he saw the Fords' son and the children raking leaves last week. He said the only unusual thing he's noticed was a police car at the house last Thursday. He said he didn't know why it was there.
Another neighbor said he saw the kids helping with the yard work and playing in the leaves just a few days ago.
"One minute they're doing the leaves, and then the next there are cop cars all over," Eric Pieper said.


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You are Here:
About Us
Outreach & Advocacy
Small & Limited and Beginning Farmers & Ranchers
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About Us
EQIP Special Emphasis - Alabama
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) continues to address the unique circumstances and concerns beginning and limited resource farmers and ranchers. It provides for voluntary participation, offers incentives, and focuses on equity in accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services. Enhancements include streamlined delivery of technical and financial assistance; improved programs and services; and flexibility in decision making (with most decisions made at the Tribal, State, or local level).
Funds have been set aside to assist new and beginning farmers and ranchers to develop and maintain economic viability in their farm operations. Application eligibility will be based on the producer, entity, or joint operation farm income as outlined in the USDA-2008 Farm Bill.
A New and Beginning Farmer or Rancher means an individual or entity who:
In the case of a contract with an individual, individually or with the immediate family, material and substantial participation requires that the individual provide substantial day-to-day labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located.
In the case of a contract with an entity, all members must materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch. Material and substantial participation requires that each of the members provide some amount of the management, or labor and management necessary for day-to-day activities, such that if each of the members did not provide these inputs, operation of the farm or ranch would be seriously impaired.
These documents may require Adobe Reader.
Ranking (See additional EQIP Resources)
Conservation Program Application and Appendix - NRCS-CPA-1200 (English) (PDF, 95 KB)
*Spanish version
Power of Attorney (Form 211 and 211a - FSA and NRCS) (PDF, 368 KB)
Direct Deposit (Form SF-1199a) (PDF, 109 KB)
Fact Sheets
Plastic Mulch and Drip Irrigation (Plasticulture) (PDF, 59 KB)
Micro-Irrigation Plasticulture Drawing (PDF, 5 pages, 1.2 MB)
2014 Farmers of the Year Issue of Minority Landowner Magazine. (.pdf) Four Alabama farmers featured:
National Information
New Farmer National Website
Contact your local Service Center for further guidelines and details of the program.
NRCS State Office contact Steve Musser, USDA–NRCS, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, phone: (334) 887-4503.
NRCS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Civil Rights | FOIA | Plain Writing | Accessibility Statement
Policy and Links| Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | WhiteHouse.gov


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Google Director of Privacy Alma Whitten Steps Down
Alma Whitten, Google's director of privacy for product and engineering, is stepping down. She is said to be retiring after 10 years at Google. The news was first reported by Forbes.
Google and privacy are an explosively divisive topic with lots of public and regulatory scrutiny, but the London-based Whitten had not been a particularly loud external proponent for the company over the past three years since she took the role. Rather, she seemed more focused on internal engineering efforts.
Whitten will be replaced by Lawrence You, an eight-year veteran of Google who is an infrastructure engineer and has been involved in privacy efforts. He will report to Eric Grosse, the vice president of security and privacy engineering.
A Google spokesman said in a statement, "During her 10 years at Google, Alma has done so much to improve our products and protect our users. The privacy and security teams, and everyone else at Google, will continue this hard work to ensure that our users' data is kept safe and secure."


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Comment #1 Thursday, March 21, 2013 7:05 PM
This is really really nice ! Plain .... simple .... stands out . Nice . I reallly like this .
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Born: 1926
Describes, while in a DP camp, reading lists of names to find surviving family members [Interview: 1995]
Fela was liberated at Bergen-Belsen by the British army in 1945. She went to a displaced persons (DP) camp administered by the Americans in Feldafing, near Munich. She married in the DP camp in 1946, and eventually immigrated to the United States.
Copyright © United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC


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$ 549,000
This yacht is currently listed for sale on the market. While this boat is not currently listed with United Yacht Sales, our team is happy to work on your behalf in the research and potential sale of the vessel. Our commitment to our clients is to find the best yacht available that fits the their needs, no matter where its listed. United is a professional yacht brokerage firm that has experience listing and selling all types of yachts.
A very well thought out custom layout makes this a special Hatteras M/Y.
This 78' Hatteras has been through constant major updates making her one of the nicest, most customized Hatteras of her size today. With her large aft deck with full stairs to the flybridge, expanded master stateroom with his and hers and Jacuzzi, huge walk in closet, private stairs from the salon, walk through engine room, amidships VIP, additional crew forward, new galley with granite floors, recent bright white paint job, re-done window frames, new carpeting, new interior, freshly rebuilt engines in 2015, new headliner and valances, this one of a kind very custom Hatteras is the best deal in her class today. She is totally loaded in ready to go "turn key status".
Priced for immediate sale.
This Custom 78' Hatteras sleeps 10 in 5 staterooms!!!. The extended custom master with his / hers heads and Jacuzzi is aft. The VIP has queen berth is amidships and can be accessed by the walk through engine room or from forward. The third stateroom is up and to starboard, the fourth is up to port (crew) and the fifth is upper lower twins forward. This is a one of a kind totally custom interior created by AMT (Marinemax Hatteras Dania) when the yacht was only 4 years old in 1991 to create whas is now today a "standard desired layout" on newer Hatteras with the exception that the Master on this 78 Hatteras is the largest in her class with His and Hers / Jacuzzi, and huge walk in closet with separate stairs to the salon and walk through engine room. Over $1 million has been spent over the past 10 years keeping this one of a kind 78 Hatteras above the rest and her initial redesign cost over $900,000 in 1991-1992.
This expansive 5th stateroom layout also is enhanced by an extra large aft deck with molded stairs to the huge FB, aft deck controls, and a functional full fishing cockpit with hot and cold shower, built in tackle storage, and extended fuel tankage.
The very large salon features a cream colored L-shaped Natuzzi leather couch with large cherry wood coffee table to port side upon entering from the aft deck. To starboard is a small built in wet bar sink with marble top. Moving forward is a cutom stairway leading to the master stateroom and engine room. Forward of that on the starboard is the large entertainment center which holds a pioneer CLD 1030 CD video system, YAMAHA K420 cassette player and Adcom CFS six speaker selector for the surround sound. A custom cabinet provides storage and holds a pioneer CD player, Yamaha receiver, a 52" Element TV and a RCA direct TV satellite system with a modulator to all televisions. To port is a very large dining area that seats up to 8 at a beautiful cherry dining table. To port aft of the dining are two barrel chairs with side table. The recent 2014 interior refit included headliner and overhead lights throughout vessel, new marble flooring in the galley, helm area, and on the wet bar sink. and new carpet and runners throughout.
The galley is fully equipped with Frigidare Elite side-by-side refrigerator with freezer ice maker, WP appliances 2012 Coffee maker, can opener and a Black and Decker toaster oven. The cabinetry in the galley is in white mica and The flooring in the galley, settee area and wheelhouse is laid with South African granite. Starboard and across from the galley is the dinning area that has a comfortable six person settee surrounded by mirrors.
Large 8' custom aft deck provides full fiberglass staircase to the flybridge which has hand rails and a large sliding hatch. On the flybridge there are handrails on the starboard side for safety when transiting the flybridge fore and aft. An opening door into the flybridge seating area makes this the preferred way to go to the flybridge when cruising, avoiding the steeper pilothouse steps. This is great for guests or kids that move from the cockpit and swim platform to the flybridge in bathing suits or just as easier flybridge access in general. There is a large teak table and teak chairs on the aft deck. Cockpit controls with thruster control make docking or light fishing much easier. The aft deck has hard sides and side windows to protect the aft deck from sea and spray. Second new boarding ladder added for direct aft deck boarding.
Large pilothouse windows provide excellent visibility. These windows were removed and re-bedded during the 2002 paint job.
Accessed from private stairs from the starboard side salon this is the largest master stateroom available on any standard Hatteras under 100'. Centerline king berth against the aft bulk head. Ensuite his and her heads with a shared Jacuzzi between. Forward and to port is a huge 5' x 7' cedar lined walk in closet complete with a refrigerator and safe. To starboard is another closet, a mirrored vanity, an entertainment center complete with a VHS, stereo tuner, a 42" TV, and cabinets with granite surfaces.
The VIP stateroom has a large queen berth with storage beneath making it a true VIP stateroom. En-suite access to head and separate stall shower. Cedar lined hanging locker. The headboard is mirrored with overhead storage and reading lights.
The second guest stateroom is forward to port accessed which is 5 steps down from the pilothouse or two steps up from the mid VIP guest and one queen with storage upper bed with drawer storage and a small en-suite head with combo stand up shower.
This third guest stateroom is in the port deck access. It has one queen bed with storage under to starboard with drawers and 32" TV. There is a full hanging locker and ensuite head with full shower.
Either of these two forward guest staterooms can be used for crew but this has more floor space and the larger head and therefore makes a better 3rd stateroom.
The forward guest and crew area was expanded to accommodate a lounge office with library and additional privacy door which can divide the library and bow stateroom from the port and VIP stateroom, creating a small foyer at the base of the pilothouse steps when all doors are closed . This is ideal for large families or charter guests that want privacy from the crew.
Two 20KW Northern Lights replaced 2009/2010 with approximately 400 smoh.. Two full banks of 8D batteries replaced in 2009/2010 charged by two marine chargers.100 amp 125/250V service from port or starboard and single service at cockpit for light load "med" mooring. 50 amp 220V power cords, 4 adapters, 2 phone and TV cables. Most of the electrical systems in this vessel have been replaced or updated during the last 6 years.
The engine room is extremely clean, awlgrip painted, and shows like a yacht should!
Covington Detroit Diesel 12V71 TI's, 870 HP with ZF gears which were overhauled by W.W. Williams Detroit Diesel, Savanah, GA in late 2014 with warranty for $100,000! The owner wanted these engines more efficient for years of trouble free smoke free cruising. There was not a failure! Prior was a full 1999 major rebuild on the machinery. In 2000 new muffler's and risers were installed. There is an electric fuel priming and transfer system; electric oil changing system, dual 1000 Racor fuel filters per engine, (2) spare propellers stub shaft; and the list goes on......... Updated Galley Maid head system and updated air conditioning compressors.
Hull repainted in bright white for the more modern look. all black paint accent removed for the clean all white look. A complete bottom job was also done, pilothouse windows were removed and re-bedded, all systems gone through and updated.
2 Yamaha waverunners 850CC. Scooter excluded.
Fully hydraulic 2500 Sea Crane Davit
"CHRISTIE LEE" started life as a mint condition 68' Hatteras CKPMY and an experienced owner who could not find a Hatteras with the ideal layout purchased her and decided to rebuild her with no regard to cost. A major million dollar year long refit engineered and designed by Naval Architect Langlois & Nadeau, Inc., was completed in November 1992 at Associated Marine Technologies in Dania, Fl. -- (Now Marinemax Hatteras). This complex refit enhanced the original layout significantly to modern Hatteras standards by enlarging the master stateroom and adding a his and her heads aft with center Jacuzzi tub and a very large walk in closet to port. The original guest cabin amidships has been altered to a true VIP suite. The forward crew section was expanded to accommodate two more staterooms with privacy door. The engine room was modified to a full width, walk through engine room like todays Hatteras. The original cockpit was incorporated into the master configuration and became the large open aft deck with an extended hard top with stairway to the flybridge from the aft deck with railing and a custom entry way into the flybridge seating area. A new cockpit was added, the rudders enlarged with new stainless ones, Naiad Stabilizers added and the entire yacht was painted in Imron. The flybridge was extended providing ample room for tenders and water toys. The cost of this year long refit was in excess of $1,000,000. Millions have been spent on her since and the current owner has her in 5t start condition.
In November 2014 the engines were totally majored with over $150,000 spent on mechanical and interior work in the past year 2014-2015. Many updates Summer 2015.
A very well thought out custom layout makes this a special Hatteras M/Y.
This 78' Hatteras has been through constant major updates making her one of the nicest, most customized Hatteras of her size today. With her large aft deck with full stairs to the flybridge, expanded master stateroom with his and hers and Jacuzzi, huge walk in closet, private stairs from the salon, walk through engine room, amidships VIP, additional crew forward, new galley with granite floors, recent bright white paint job, re-done window frames, new carpeting, new interior, freshly rebuilt engines in 2015, new headliner and valances, this one of a kind very custom Hatteras is the best deal in her class today. She is totally loaded in ready to go "turn key status".
Priced for immediate sale.
100' Hatteras 100 RAISED PILOT HOUSE 2016
FT. LAUDERDALE, Florida, United States
100' Hatteras 100 Motor Yacht 2005
New York, New York, United States
100' Hatteras 2003
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States


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Enjoy a day with Jack Shick climbing Mt Gower on Lord Howe Island, rated one of Australia's twenty best day walks. Jack is a fifth generation Islander and third generation mountain guide, following in the foot steps of his Grandfather and Father. Jack is the most experienced guide on Lord Howe Island with a total of more than 1800 guided trips to the summit. Jack has been a mountain guide for 20 years. There is no one on Lord Howe Island more experienced to guide you on an unforgettable day. Experience breathtaking views, see some of the Islands rarest plants and bird life. All walkers receive a free certificate to commemorate the trip. Souvenir t-shirts, photo discs and a DVD of the climb are for sale.
Mt Gower is an iconic peak at the southern end of Lord Howe Island, rising 875m from sea level. Considered a medium to hard trek. The walk is around 14km return and takes about 8.5 hours to complete, so you need to be in good health and have no knee or back problems. The walks are scheduled for every Monday and Thursday.
BOOK AHEAD by phone or email as numbers are limited.
Don't miss this one!! Group or specialty bookings welcome. SEA TO SUMMIT EXPEDITIONS won't be beaten on the price for this tour.


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A white suburban Detroit homeowner will face trial in June on a second-degree murder charge that he shot to death an unarmed young black woman who knocked on his door seeking help early one November morning, a judge ruled on Wednesday.
Theodore Wafer, 54, stood silent as his attorneys entered a not guilty plea during a brief hearing before Wayne County Judge Qiana Denise Lillard. Wafer is scheduled to stand trial from June 2 through June 13.
Wafer is accused of killing Renisha McBride, 19, on his front porch with a shotgun blast to the face in the racially charged case that sparked protests in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, and comparisons to the 2012 shooting death of unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
A judge in Dearborn Heights in December ordered Wafer bound over to state circuit court, which in Michigan hears all criminal cases that could result in prison sentences. He was arraigned Wednesday on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and a felony firearms count.
Attorneys for Wafer argued during a preliminary examination in December before Dearborn Heights Judge David Turfe that the airport maintenance worker who cares for his elderly mother was afraid for his life that morning.
McBride had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit for driving in Michigan when she died and had crashed a car hours before, according to witnesses who testified for prosecutors at the preliminary examination.
A woman who reported the crash testified, however, that McBride appeared confused and injured, but not combative. Turfe said
Wafer could have called for help or not answered the door rather than going to the door armed.
Wafer called 911 afterward to report the incident and police have said he told officers he fired the fatal shot, but that it was accidental.
Parents of Renisha McBride: 'I hope he spends the rest of his life in jail'
Detroit-area homeowner will stand trial for shooting death of teen


text:
SCPS: Teacher made inappropriate comments to students
Teacher sent text messages to students, officials say
Seminole County Public Schools said it will first suspend, then it intends to fire a high school teacher for inappropriate behavior.
School officials said several female students at Winter Springs High School told them that 41-year-old Brett Mulock made inappropriate comments that were sexually suggestive.
They said he even sends personal comments to them through text messages, some even inviting them to meet with him.
In one case, a girl said when she refused to get out of his desk chair, she said he sat behind her and put his hands on her shoulder and hip. Officials said the student poked him in the eye with a high-lighter.
Mulock denies he sat in the chair with her. He has not been arrested for any of the behavior, even though police are looking into the complaints.


text:
Solvit Pet Products
Look at that little guy enjoying himself outside -- wait, that thing is nicer than my own bike. And that sofa protector is nicer than my futon. So it turns out it's better to be born into the body of an American dog than that of a Woot writer.
Ends on January 6 at 9AM CT


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Raise Your Q-Jet I.Q. - Understanding the Quadrajet Carburetor
Racing the Rochester is easier than you might think with the right adjustments
There is a reason Holley and Demon carburetors are widely considered among the best high-performance carburetors available. They are designed to make optimum power, easy to adjust, and relatively simple to work on. Given their success, it isn't hard to see why other carburetor designs have been overlooked when it comes to circle track racing.
But among all the others, there is one, known as the Rochester Quadrajet, that some racers should consider as a legitimate racing option. The Quadrajet was ubiquitous on practically every carbureted Chevy engine installed in a car in the '70s and early '80s. Because it is so common, many racetracks allow the carburetor in the stock racing classes. Often, racers are given the option of racing a two-barrel Holley or a Quadrajet. Many consider the four-barrel Q-jets barely the equivalent of the two-barrel carbs because they were designed to work on passenger cars and put a premium on sipping gas. However, given the right tuning upgrades, the extra two barrels give the Q-jet a leg up on the competition.
"The big difference between a four-barrel Holley, which everybody is familiar with, and a Quadrajet is the Holley has a square bore, meaning all the throttle bores and venturis are the same size, while the Quadrajet is a spread-bore carburetor," says Johnny Valdez of Jet Performance. "That means it has small primaries with larger secondary throttle bores. Another difference is four-barrel Holleys have two float bowls, two needles and seats, and most have dual fuel inlets. The Rochester has only one float bowl and one needle, as well as a single fuel inlet. So it's a four-barrel, but it has approximately half the fuel capacity since it has only one needle and seat. This can cause fuel starvation in a racing situation with an unmodified carburetor. The good news, though, is that with the right tuning modifications, a Rochester can be a very good carburetor with great throttle response on the racetrack."
Jet Performance Products specializes in turning ordinary Q-jet cores into race-ready carburetors. The modifications that Jet makes to a Quadrajet to create its full-on race unit (called the "Stage 3") are significant, but the end result is a carburetor that is more reliable, provides better throttle response, and works better on the racetrack.
Core Issues
According to Valdez, the first step is finding the correct Quadrajet to serve as a core. Fortunately, the carburetors are still relatively easy to find; the trick is to find the type that you need. Older Q-jets are more likely to have damage or wear that will cause you trouble down the line, so you want to look for the newest unit you can find. "The ones we recommend you look for are on late-model Chevys," he says. "Anything that's '77 through '84 and non-computerized, obviously. Those are a little more tunable, and they have the APT adjustment. APT stands for `adjustable part throttle' and it allows you to tune the carburetor a little more precisely. The advantage is that it allows you to tune it better for idle and off-idle acceleration."
If you are sorting through a bunch of carburetors sitting on a shelf and not hunting through a bunch of cars in a junkyard, Valdez says you can check the part numbers. The first three digits on a late-model carb are "170," while earlier units will start with either "704" or "702."
Finally, Quadrajets also came in two different sizes. Passenger cars were equipped with a 750-cfm unit while trucks, vans, and Suburbans were normally equipped with a Quadrajet capable of flowing 800 cfm. From its experience, Jet Performance recommends the 750 carb to racers using a 350 with stock-style heads, but if you are racing an engine 400 ci or larger or with better heads, you may need to move up to the 800-cfm version.
The Upgrade List
Before beginning the upgrade and modification process on a Quadrajet, tear it down and thoroughly inspect every part for damage or excessive wear. Jet Performance's program includes several steps. After thoroughly cleaning the core, the baseplate is resurfaced to bring the flatness back to spec, and throttle shaft bushings are installed because that is an area that always shows significant wear.
The next step is to seal the well plugs in the main body. The plugs are a source of air leakage, so the new plugs are epoxied in place to ensure a good, long-lasting seal. The accelerator pump orifice is also plugged.
"We also change the accelerator pump and install a larger needle and seat," Valdez adds. "One of the most important things we modify is the idle circuit. A circle track race motor has a bigger camshaft with longer duration and higher lift than a stock cam, so they have different needs. You have to set up the baseplate so that it allows more air for idling so you don't expose the throttle plates out of the transfer slot and get nozzle drip.
"We also modify the choke pull that allows the air door for the secondaries to open up a little bit faster, but not too fast. The secondaries are manual, but they have an upper air door that works off of vacuum. You want that to open up quickly so that it gives you good acceleration out of the turns."
The result, Valdez says, is a carburetor that's crisper in response than it ever was in stock form. Proper tuning is not only critical for throttle response, however. When done correctly, it also makes the carburetor much more efficient and practically eliminates the tendency for the single float bowl to be sucked dry by the end of the straight. So if your rule book allows you to run a Rochester Quadrajet, don't dismiss the option out of hand. It might just be able to give you the advantage you've been looking for.


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by Tom_extreme
Tuesday Dec 18, 2012
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