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This could be because the address was incorrect or the page has moved.
You could try browsing to the page by following the links below or use the search to help you find what you're looking for.
Please feel free to contact us if you're still having a problem. We're always keen to hear of any issues & we'll do our best to help.


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NEW Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top PRO Guitars | IN STOCK!
NEW Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top PRO
Epiphone have recently unveiled a totally new range of guitars... The Les Paul Standard Plus Top PRO series. These new models now come fully equipped with ProBucker piclups and coil-taping, not to mention they're available in a number of beautiful finishes.
The Les Paul Standard is one of the most sought-after guitars in the world, and the new Plus Top PROs are available for everyone, meaning that they have included a left handed model in the new range... thank you Epiphone!
One of the major updates for this new model is in fact the onboard electronics. The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top PRO gives the legendary guitar a fresh start, with the includion of ProBucker-2 and ProBucker-3 pickups with coil-tapping. The ProBucker pickups have been designed around the same Alnico II magnets used in the legendary PAF humbuckers seen in the early Gibson Les Pauls of the late '50s. The Standard Plus Top PRO features a ProBucker 2 at the neck, and a slightly hotter Probucker 3 in the bridge position.
When manufacturing these Les Pauls, Epiphone utilizes a double vacuum waxing process when winding humbuckers, ensuring quiet operation free from microphonic hum. The process involves the pickup being placed in a specialized wax vacuuming system before the cover is placed on the unit ensuring that the wax fully penetrates to the very center of the pickup and solidifies all parts. After the cover is placed on, it is again given a second vacuum wax bath until the unit is completely saturated with wax. Epiphone uses only the highest quality parts for its pickups, such as ABS plastic bobbins, 1010 Cold Rolled Steel pole shoes and pole screws, Alnico magnets and the finest magnet wire available.
We have the Les Paul Standard Plus Top PRO in stock in a variety of finishes
Players like Joe Bonamassa, Slash, Ace Frehley, Zakk Wylde, Jimmy Page, Alex Lifeson and countless others get their signature sound from a "sunburst" Les Paul and now Epiphone gives you a chance to experience that one-of-a-kind tone at an affordable price with the Les Paul Standard Plustop PRO. The Les Paul Standard Plustop PRO features ProBucker "PAF"-style pickups with coil-tapping, new colors and a beautiful AAA flame maple veneer top for a vintage look with all the modern appointments that players expect from Epiphone.
Like every Epiphone, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop PRO features a Limited Lifetime Warranty backed by world famous 24/7/365 Gibson Customer Service. Be a part of history today with the Les Paul Standard Plustop PRO.
Key Features:
- legendary rock-solid hardware
- LockTone Tune-o-matic fully adjustable bridge and a StopBar tailpiece
- Epiphone's updated, patent pending design auto locks the bridge and tailpiece in place with no tools needed
- Improved sustain
- 1" diameter potentiometers for better "throw," longer life and reliable service
- Epiphone's proprietary output jack features an improved contact shape and heavy-duty spring steel to increase reliability
- Grover 14:1 machine heads to ensure tuning stability

subset: commoncrawl


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|Birthday 1999 Photos - Elisabeth Partin
Note: Much to our dismay, there was no film in the camera for Elisabeth's birthday party. We do have pictures from her true birthday when she got to open some gifts, but you'll just have to imagine how adorable she looked with green frosting all over her face (and lots of other places!).
|Previous (September 1999)
|Year 2 Index | Current Index
|Next (October 1999)


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Boom draws concerns over water, other issues at hearing
Water seemed to be the topic of choice Monday morning, as the Howard County commissioners court held a public hearing on a number of proposed regulations designed to address the housing boom in the county created by the ongoing boom in the oil field.While no one spoke against the changes, concerns regarding a regulation that would have any operator of a RV or mobile home park serving more than 14 water users designated as a public water source drew questions from several people in the audience.According to attorney Charles R. Kimbrough with Austin-based Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, the county's approach to these types of regulations is very different from the way municipalities are allowed to make regulations."Not having these types of laws on the books in the past makes this a very significant step for the county," Kimbrough said. "It's important to remember Howard County is a county. It's not a city or municipality, which has the full power of self government. A city can basically do anything that does not violate state law. A county, on the other hand, can only regulate matters that are specifically authorized by the state's legislature."With these water issues, the county has a limited ability to regulate water issues. Those are governed by the local water conservation district and other bodies. In these cases, the county would have to report these types of issues to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and turn it over to them."One Howard County man expressed his desire to see the laws between RV parks and mobile home units more divided, saying the two have very different concerns.Howard County Librarian Hollis McCright also asked several questions regarding the proposed regulations."I live next door to where an RV park is being constructed," McCright said. "Do these regulations call for any kind of fence around the property? I would think trash being caught by the high winds would be a concern. Also, what are the regulations on noise?"According to Kimbrough, the regulations do not currently call for fencing around RV parks and nuisances such as noise or animals at large would be addressed in the same way they are now — by law enforcement.Before retiring into an executive session aimed at allowing the commissioners court to discuss the questions posed during the public hearing, County Judge Mark Barr told the audience the proposed regulations aren't meant to stop entrepreneurship in Howard County."We're not trying to tie anyones hands so they can't make money. That's not what we're trying to do with these regulations," Barr said. "We just have to make sure we protect our current homeowners and their interests so this housing boom doesn't hurt Howard County instead of helping it. We have to approach this intelligently."According to Barr, the commissioners court will likely consider the regulations in the next 30 days, giving area residents and homeowners a chance to once again share their concerns."This is a situation where we need as much input from the people as possible," he said. "We want them to come to these meetings and let us know what their concerns are. That way we can try to address them and try to make these regulations work toward everyone's best interest."Barr said the county is already seeing a staggering growth in these types of housing projects, which include RV and trailer parks."Just during our last regularly scheduled meeting, we had six requests for septic permits for these types of properties," Barr said. "It's not a matter of 'if they come' at this point. The oil business is coming and there are plenty of people out in the county who are looking to capitalize on it."As the supply for housing in the oil field continues to grow, so does the demand, according to Barr."They fill them up just as soon as they get them open," he said. "It's certainly not slowing down. If anything, it's picking up speed. Right now, it's anyone's guess what the total demand is going to look like once this boom gets into full swing. We'll just have to wait and see."


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Fillmore necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 109 diseños de 33 diseñadores freelance.
Ucore Rare Metals
Ucore Rare Metals is an exploration company with significant exploration holdings across North America. The company's Alaska-based flagship property at Bokan Mountain is the site of a former high grade producing uranium mine, with an estimated untapped resource of 11 million + lbs of U3O8, and a Rare Earth Elements (REE) resource that is estimated to be the largest combined heavy and light REE deposit within the United States (all estimates based on USGS data; non 43-101 compliant). Bokan has near term production potential and is located in an area of Alaska specifically set aside for natural resource development, with no residential or indigenous populations in proximity. With a prospective portfolio of properties and a management team comprised of experienced mineral exploration personnel, Ucore is positioned for rapid expansion in a sector exhibiting exponential growth.
Here is the corporate website: http://www.ucore rare metals.com
Here is a link to Rare Earth Elements if you want to learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element
Professionals 30+
Investors / Shareholders
Mining Exploration
We are looking for a new identity for our company. We welcome any and all creative designs.
Design Requirements:
- Should have a symbol with a shadow below it and the text "Ucore Rare Metals" (The shadow is not behind the symbol)
- Symbol can be to the left or above the text
- The text can be stacked or horizontal
- Do not use Red anywhere in the logo
- Use variations of Blues if possible (but not required)
- Font must be easy to read
- No Serif Fonts
- text should be all lowercase
- text should not have a shadow
Here are some logos that we like:
http://creattica.com/logos/silverpond/40608 (Likes the water drop)
http://creattica.com/logos/burnlab-logo/25190 (Likes the 3D symbol)
http://creattica.com/logos/ecoexpo-logo/6853 (lies text and symbol)
http://creattica.com/logos/asia-beyond/1943 (Likes Symbol)
http://creattica.com/logos/webnucleus/3785 (Symbol)
http://creattica.com/logos/synka/36682 (Symbol)
Here are some logos that we do not like:
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Talk:1093: Forget
How far off the top of that list is the death of JFK? SteveB (talk) 10:55, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
- Looking at the time table, my guess would be around 2000. ~JJ (talk) 11:01, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
- Assuming that the median age growed monotonically in the past, that was around '98/'99. 18.104.22.168 13:05, 14 August 2012 (UTC)
Ah, the seventies. Bell Bottoms. The Bicentennial. The Munich Olympics. The original Star Wars movie. Except for Star Wars, I suppose much of that could be forgotten. Especially Bell Bottoms.-- IronyChef (talk) 13:50, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
Lorena Bobbitt is misspelled in the comic. It should have two "t's." Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500185_162-4207517.html [Goingtotryscience, 10 Aug 2012] --Goingtotryscience (talk) 14:59, 10 August 2012 (UTC) Uploaded corrected version. Both still available if you click on the image and view upload history.--B. P. (talk) 15:46, 17 August 2012 (UTC)
The cold war was after World War II, not World War I. --Ralfoide (talk) 16:18, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
- He didn't say the cold war was after World War I, he said the Soviet Union began after World War I and was the advesary of the United States during the cold war. --Enginesoul (talk) 18:10, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
Let's not forget 2035 when the majority of people will not remember a world berift of XKCD! Loeb (talk) 17:17, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
When Coca-Cola change the formula to New Coke, they kept the name "Coca-Cola" for the reformulated beverage, and discontinued the old formula. Because of the backlash, they reintroduced the old formula as "Coca-Cola Classic" and kept the new formula as "Coca-Cola". After a while, with "Coca-Cola Classic" being by far the biggest seller, the new formula was rebranded "Coke II", and eventually discontinued (I believe). The can I have in front of me is marked simply "Coca-Cola", so I guess "Coca-Cola Classic" was eventually rebranded back to the original name. --Blaise Pascal (talk) 17:55, 10 August 2012 (UTC)
- Coke II was produced and distributed in some Midwestern markets as late as 2002. Supposedly it's still available in the Marshall Islands, or somewhere like that. Daniel Case (talk) 21:22, 14 August 2012 (UTC)
Am I the only one who thinks that there are some other things needing explaining here? I have no idea what "Forgot About Dre" or "Baby Got Back" are about. (Well, not without a little googling.) And Pluto still exists, even if it's not currently classified as a planet (last I heard, they were considering classifying it and Charon as a twin planet system) so people are unlikely to forget about the name.--Joe Green (talk) 07:26, 11 August 2012 (UTC)
- Actually, Pluto is still a planet. To say Pluto is not a planet is the same thing as saying little people aren't people, which is incredibly bigoted against little people. Only a true sociopath would say that Pluto isn't a planet. "Dwarf planet" has planet right in the name. Of COURSE a dwarf planet is a planet.184.108.40.206 15:07, 18 June 2013 (UTC)
Oh and if Chernobyl is considered worthy of explanation, surely so is Challenger? Columbine too. Jeff's initial selection seems a little arbitrary, and while he justifiably never claims to provide a comprehensive explanation, we usually fill in the gaps.--Joe Green (talk) 07:34, 11 August 2012 (UTC)
- Gaps: Filled. By the way, none of the explanation was actually Jeff's. It's the collaboration of multiple users (feel free to pitch in). For example, I made the first revision of the article, with a basic explanation, Jjhuddle added information about the title text (which I skipped over, as I wasn't sure about it), Jilkscom56 added the bit about Eyjafjallajökull, IronyChef added eight more years, MrFlibble fixed an error in one of the dates, AHT expanded the Berlin Wall section, and I filled in the rest of the blanks. Omega Talk • Contribs 08:18, 11 August 2012 (UTC)
The Berlin Wall was constructed by East Germany, not the USSR and it preceded the reunification of Germany. I've sort of fixed it, but it could do with more work. Jeremyp (talk) 10:35, 13 August 2012 (UTC)
- Good. I was just writing a comment about exactly these two points. Although the role of the soviets is not entirely clear, it was the Eastern German (aka German Democratic Republic) Government that decided and (mostly) Eastern German soldiers who built the Wall. And while the "Fall of the Wall" usually refers to the day where suddenly after a very confusing press conference, people could cross the border from east to west, the November 9, 1989, the reunification was a political and formal act in 1990, almost a year later. 18.104.22.168 10:51, 13 August 2012 (UTC)
- Also, the wall was technically not torn down by anyone and especially not from both sides. After a series of weekly demonstrations in Eastern Germany (by a lot of courageous people in different cities), the Government made a decision to lift the travel restrictions, effectively allowing travelling to the West. On November 9, 1989, they made this official in a press conference which did not even receive a lot of attention at first. In this conference, someone raised the question when these new regulation would take effect, and seemingly unprepared, the speaker said "as far as I can see, it's effective immediately". Although there were so many people up that night in both East and West, and although maybe the mass of people prevented a shooting by the unprepared soldiers at the checkpoint, the revolution was not a spontaneous tearing of the wall, it was the demonstrations in the preceeding weeks by the Eastern German People. 126.96.36.199 11:30, 13 August 2012 (UTC)
It seems whoever wrote the explanation for 9/11 has already forgotten the other two planes that crashed that day: one into the Pentagon, and one in a field outside of Shanksville, PA (Presumably on its way to crashing into the Capitol Building)
- Well go change it then!
Actually I found the most crucial part, the math, was done poorly: Why do we have a 32 years gap today and a 35 years gap in the future, when the current median age is "around 35"?. I fixed it, but I'm not a native speaker, so I'd be happy if someone could go over the first paragraph (again). BKA (talk) 13:40, 13 August 2012 (UTC)"He lost all popularity after he controversially boycotted the 1980 Olympics, in Moscow" Well, this just proves the point of the comic. Anyone old enough to remember the Carter administration would not have written this. The Olympic boycott was actually supported by most of the American people at the time, albeit a little grudgingly. It was, in fact, one of the few things Carter did at that point that was popular.
The explanation would be more accurate if it read "He lost popularity due to continual high inflation during his administration, failure to resolve the Iran hostage crisis, a speech that was interpreted as blaming the American people for his administration's failings, and a growing perception that he was in over his head." Daniel Case (talk) 21:19, 14 August 2012 (UTC)
- I've rewritten that section to include more information. Wikipedia does say that the Olympic boycott was controversial, and my memory concurs. The real error about the boycott was that it wasn't generally a cold-war issue, but rather a direct response to the Afghanistan invasion. Which is why it was so controversial, as such a boycott was purely political when the spirit of the games was intended to overcome such political differences. Blaisepascal (talk) 21:51, 14 August 2012 (UTC)


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Melville, Herman The Encantadas: Or, Enchanted Isles
About the electronic version
The Encantadas: Or, the Enchanted Isles
Melville, Herman
By the University of Virginia American Studies Program 2002-2003.
Digitized and first spell-checked August 2003.
Tagged in HTML September, 2003.
Copy-edited and overall design and construction: Natalie Shonka, September, 2003. This version available from American studies at the University of Virginia.
Charlottesville, Va.
Freely available for non-commercial use provided that this header is included in its entirety with any copy distributed
About the print version
The Encantadas: Or, The Enchanted Isles
Herman Melville
New York: G.P. Putnam & Co.
Mar., Apr., May,


text: Ray Bright 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2012 I am about to fire a kiln I bought used for the 1st time. I am testing some glazes and the kiln, and want to use only one ring of a Skutt 231-18. I have no instruction manual, so I assume I just remove the top ring, remove the lid from it, and fire it up? Sounds too easy, am I over-thinking this? R Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Plunge deep into a fantasy world full of mystical creatures when you join the Grace children on their quest to discover the secrets of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Based on Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films' movie adaptation of the best-selling book series, the video game lets players take on the roles of Jared, Simon and Mallory Grace as they enter the hidden world of the unseen. Play as all three Grace siblings, each with unique abilities, along with Thimbletack the Brownie, whose small size allows players to discover the inner passages of the enchanted Spiderwick home.
Release Region: United States
Release Date: February 5, 2008
Publisher: Sierra
Release Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: March 14, 2008
Publisher: Sierra
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: March 20, 2008
Publisher: Sierra
Also available on: Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Wireless
The Spiderwick Chronicles at IGN
The Spiderwick Chronicles at GameSpy
The Spiderwick Chronicles at GameStats


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We offer same day delivery on all gerbera bouquets and arrangements.
Create a memorable moment with our flowers and gifts this holiday season. Whether it's a beautiful bouquet of red roses to show someone how much they are appreciated, or stunning sunflowers to celebrate the season, or elegant Thanksgiving flowers to style up your tables cape, we know that fresh flowers and gifts leave a lasting impression. Makati Flora has been delivering beautiful, thoughtfully designed floral gifts at prices that fit your budget. We also offer free flower delivery without ever sacrificing quality. From the moment our flowers are plucked from the soil to the moment they arrive at your door, our experts work diligently to ensure they maintain their freshness and beauty. Our artfully crafted flower collection is designed to help bring nature's vibrant colors into the home—and don't forget to check back for the unveiling of our romantic Valentines flowers.
Expertly Designed and Delivered by Makati Flora
As the online florist expert, we work directly with top growers and select only the best blooms FARM FRESH FLOWERS. This commitment to quality is what makes us the leading florist among other florist delivery services. It's a promise that's delivered with every floral arrangement. It's not common to find cheap and affordable flower delivery services that also meet the highest quality standards. Send flowers with confidence and ease as we offer a freshness guarantee on all of our bouquets. When life gets busy, we're here to help with same-day flower delivery options to get your last minute gift delivered on time. And we deliver nationwide, so whether you live in a Makati city or near by Cities, you can order flowers online today.
The Perfect Gift Delivery, whether it's That Special Day or Just Any Day
Makati Flora is the perfect gifting destination for any occasion, whether it's your most coveted holiday or just any ordinary day that calls for a spontaneous show of appreciation. Our birthday flowers can be customized with the vase of your choice or paired with a sweet treat like chocolates to match the style of your loved one. From romantic displays of red roses to stargazer lilies we have the flower arrangements for any occasion like valentines, christmas, new year, anniversary, wedding, birthday, new baby, mothsary or just flowers for saying thank you, expressing your deepest apology, congratulations or just flowers and gifts for her, we are the trusted choice. And the Pros are here to support your gifting needs even when the occasion is not a joyful one. Our funeral flowers are tastefully arranged and hand-delivered with care to help you express your deepest sympathy during a sensitive time. Each and every gift is designed to help you send the right message.
More Than Just Flower Experts, We Are Gifting Masters
We know how to make a lasting impression with more than just flowers. While our stunning orchids and carnation can brighten up any living space, sometimes the occasion calls for chocolate to satisfy your loved one's sweet tooth. For the more gifts, we have thoughtfully selected gift baskets and gift packages, ideal for any occasion. Just like our floral arrangements, every gift is delivered with a personalized message for your warm wishes to shine through.
Makati Online Flower Shop delivers flowers across Makati City : ● Bangkal ● Bel-Air ● Carmona ● Cembo ● Ayala Avenue ● Makati Avenue ● Paseo de Roxas ● Makati Central Business District (CBD) ● EDSA ● Gil Puyat Avenue ● Arnaiz Avenue ● Chino Roces Avenue ● Comembo ● Dasmariñas ● East Rembo ● Forbes Park ● Guadalupe Nuevo ● Guadalupe Viejo ● Kasilawan ● La Paz ● Magallanes ● Olympia ● Palanan ● Pembo ● Pinagkaisahan ● Pio del Pilar ● Pitogo ● Poblacion ● Rizal ● San Antonio ● San Isidro ● San Lorenzo ● Santa Cruz ● Singkamas ● South Cembo ● Tejeros ● Urdaneta ● Valenzuela ● West Rembo. We also deliver in malls and other popular places in Makati such as ● Ayala Center ● Greenbelt ● Glorietta ● Park Square ● The Link.
We aim to source from our trusted Filipino suppliers where possible. We pick garden-grown flowers full of scent which our florist's then hand-tie into stunning flower arrangements. Specialising in providing the best luxury flower delivery service in the Philippines, our bouquets are beautifully packaged to maximise the impact of your thoughtful gift on delivery.


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The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which aims to reward outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, was launched on 25 March 2013 at a ceremony in Prague (Czech Republic). To be awarded each year by the Assembly, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation, the Prize is open to nominations from any individual, non-governmental organisation or institution working to defend human rights, and will be worth €60 000. More
The Europe Prize
To reward municipalities for their active promotion of the European ideal (twinnings, European events, exchange visits, etc.), the Assembly offers every year four awards: the European Diploma, the Flag of Honour, the Plaque of Honour and the Europe Prize. Created by PACE in 1955, the Europe Prize is the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a European town for its actions in the European domain. The prize consists of a trophy, a medal, a diploma and a scholarship to be spent on a study visit within Europe for young people from the winning town. More


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We all want beautiful radiant skin and have a natural beauty glow that not only makes us look good but also makes us feel good.
Sometimes this can be rather difficult due to the effects that some skin care products can have on our skin. These harmful products which contain fragrances, artificial dyes and man-made chemicals should be kept away from your skin and certainly not used on a daily basis.
Research has shown that the average woman uses 10 different products each day which contain 175 chemical compounds and 60% of these are directly absorbed by your skin.
Using these harmful products over a period of time on your skin can lead to skin allergies and problem skin, including dry flaky skin and if you already suffer from problem skin then this can cause further irritation and outbreaks.
To solve these problems and let your natural beauty shine through you must avoid these products and only use natural skin care products that contain ingredients to nourish and protect your skin without causing any damage.
It's extremely easy to switch to natural skin care products as so many companies are introducing products that don't contain any harmful ingredients.
Zenmed provides doctor formulated skincare products for people who suffer with problem skin. Our products are cruelty free and contain absolutely no chemicals that are harmful to your skin. Not only that but we also use 100% recycled packaging.
It's not just the everyday woman or man that's interested in their natural beauty, many celebrities are also taking time to portray how beautiful they look without covering their faces in make-up and only using natural skin care products.
Two beautiful women of Hollywood fame have taken time to share their own beauty regimes.
Jennifer Garner is an incredible natural beauty who is a total devotee of natural skin care products. Jennifer tries to avoid hazards such as sun, wind and pollution as much as she can. Jennifer says she only ever uses organic products that nourish her skin and protects her from premature ageing. Jennifer highly recommends a good eye cream and avoids, alcohol, smoking and processed foods. As with her skin she feeds her body with only natural organic produce.
Nicole Kidman is another stunning Hollywood actress who is now in her mid-forties but certainly doesn't look it. Nicole has very pale skin and red hair, her skin is prone to freckles and too much sun can damage her skin if she spends a small amount of time in it, which can cause premature ageing. Nicole says she only uses natural skin care products, including jojoba oil and eats a natural wholesome diet.
It certainly pays to use natural products that enhance your natural beauty, even if you aren't a Hollywood actress.
Try ZENMED and let your natural beauty shine through.


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On Friday, Feb. 1, award-winning New York chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Seamus Mullen joined mystery writer, columnist and book reviewer Jennifer Vido, of Harford County, for her 8th Annual Author Dinner for Arthritis. Vido has been living with rheumatoid arthritis since she was a child and advocates for the 1.1 million Marylanders living with arthritis. The event was sponsored by Andrew McMeel Publishing.
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 2007, Mullen was determined to change the way he ate to help his body fight the RA. His cookbook, Hero Food, was released last year and focuses on foods that reduce inflammation in the body. During the event, Mullen regaled more than 100 women with his cooking stories and love of oil. Afterward, Mullen spent time signing cookbooks and answering requests for cooking advice.
The proceeds from this event helped to fund programs such as Kids Rheum, valuable research and advocacy initiatives for arthritis, the nation's number one cause of disability. Attendees of this special event were able to engage in a very intimate meet and greet with the bestselling authors, interact for question and answer, all while raising funds for a great cause.
Arthritis can be a crippling and life changing disease that can strike at any age. The prevalence of arthritis or chronic joint symptoms is surging and affecting approximately 50 million Americans. In the mid-Atlantic region, 5.7 million people are affected by doctor diagnosed arthritis and nearly 1.1 million are Maryland residents; 5,600 are children. The Arthritis Foundation raises awareness and funds to help, prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases.
The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of some 50 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability. Founded in 1948, with headquarters in Atlanta, the Arthritis Foundation has many service points, including those in the mid-Atlantic region: Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest private, not-for-profit contributor to arthritis research in the world, funding more than $400 million in research grants since 1948. The foundation helps individuals take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis.


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Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's Ohio childhood home for sale
The childhood home of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is for sale in northern Ohio.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the house was the site of Dahmer's first murder, in 1978.
Dahmer moved to Wisconsin in 1982 and went on to kill 16 more victims before his spree was discovered in 1991. He was attacked and killed in prison in 1994.
The three-bedroom, 2,170-square foot home on a wooded lot in Bath, near Akron, is on the market for $329,000.
Dahmer's parents bought the house in 1968, when he was 8.
The newspaper reports its current owner is musician Chris Butler, who was a founding member of the 1980s band The Waitresses. He said he loved living in the house once he got past the "horror factor."


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"Straying from the Mantra"
John Main OSB, "Straying from the Mantra," THE HEART OF CREATION (London: Canterbury, 2007), pp. 9-11.
To learn to meditate we have to learn to be humble. . . . What does it mean to be humble? It means to begin to acknowledge that there is a reality outside of ourselves, that is greater than ourselves and that contains us. Humility is simply learning to find our place within that greater reality and . . .learn to live in our place. The first thing to understand is that you are your own place. To come to terms with all reality, we must first come to terms with our own reality. It is in the stillness of meditation, the stillness of body and spirit which reveals the unity of body and spirit, that we enter the experience of knowing really that we are. We come to know this with absolute clarity and absolute certainty. Only then are we ready to go to the next step which is to go beyond ourselves, to rise beyond ourselves. The tragedy of the egoist is that the egoist does not know his or her place. The egoist thinks that he is at the center of the everything and sees everything. . .only in relation to himself.
Meditation and the constant return to it, every day of your life, is like cutting a pathway through to reality. Once we know our place, we begin to see everything in a new light because we have become who we really are. And becoming who we are, we can now see everything as it is and so begin to see everyone else as they are. The truest wonder of meditation is that we even begin to see God as God is. Meditation is therefore a way to stability. We learn through the practice and from the experience how to be rooted in our essential being. We learn that to be rooted in our essential being is to be rooted in God, the author and principle of all reality. And it is no small thing to enter reality, to become real, to become who we are, because in that experience we are freed from all the images that so constantly plague us. We do not have to be anyone's image of ourselves, but simply the real person we are.
Meditation is practiced in solitude but it is the great way to learn to be in relationship. The reason for this paradox is that, having contacted our own reality, we have the existential confidence to go out to others, to meet them at their real level. And so the solitary element in meditation is mysteriously the true antidote to loneliness. Having contacted our conformity with reality, we are no longer threatened by the otherness of others. We are not always looking for an affirmation of ourselves. We are making love's search, looking for the reality of the other. . . .
Meditation is demanding. We must learn to meditate whether we feel like it or not, whether it is raining or snowing, or the sun is shining or whatever is on television or whatever kind of day we have had. In the Christian vision of meditation. . .we find the reality of the great paradox Jesus teaches: If we want to find our lives we have to be prepared to lose them. In meditating, that is exactly what we do. We find ourselves because we are prepared to let go of ourselves, to launch ourselves out into the
depths--- which soon appear to be the depths of God.
After Meditation,an excerpt from the Katha Upanishad 3, 1-2 in THE UPANISHADS, translated by E. Easwaran (Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press, 1995), p. 88.
In the secret cave of the heart, two are seated
By life's fountain. The separate ego
Drinks of the sweet and bitter stuff,
Liking the sweet, disliking the bitter,
While the supreme Self drinks sweet and bitter
Neither liking this nor disliking that.
The ego gropes in darkness, while the Self
Lives in light. So declare the illumined sages
And the householders who worship
The sacred fire in the name of the Lord.
May we light the fire of Nachiketa
That burns out the ego and enables us
To pass from fearful fragmentation
To fearless fullness in the changeless whole.
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Carla Cooper
Texas, USA


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Code Pink disrupts NRA statement
We've been listening all week from the Left that the NRA is cowardly because they've been silent since the shootings last Friday. So the NRA makes a statement today. And a Code Pink loser disrupts the statement by holding up a sign in front of Wayne LaPierre which states that "NRA Kills". here's a screen shot of the little douche getting hauled off;
Suppose the NRA disrupted Joe Bite-Me's press conference yesterday while he was discussing the impending assault weapons ban with morons like former DC Police Chief Ramsey. What would be said today. While I'm writing this, there's another disruption at the press conference by another Code Pink dingus. (Reports are that it was Susie Benjamin, but I missed it because I was writing this)
The NRA has 8 million members who vote. It's not just Wayne LaPierre – eight million of us. Wayne just happens to speak for us. Code Pink shoudl be outside my house protesting – I've been a member since 1977 before anyone tried to take my guns from me. Me and eight million other Americans are your real enemy, Code Pink.
LaPierre's money quote – "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."
ADDED: I wonder if the Secret Service leave their guns in their office when they escort the President to a "gun free zone" school. They should if "gun free zones" are as safe as we're told.


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text:
Arkus-Duntov and his engineers began a mission to meet the challenge of the
purpose-built sports racers of Europe and the Shelby Cobra in the U.S.
The 1963 production RPO Z06 "racer package", as sold to several proven
members of the sports racing community, demonstrated the potential of
the Stingray in competition.
Unfortunately, it also revealed two major deficiencies. The production Corvette weighted in at over 3100 lbs., 50% more than the competition. The excess weight also aggravated the problem of the ineffective and unpredictable drum brakes of the Z06.
First 1963 Z06 - The MacDonald Racer
Already on the drawing board at Chevrolet Engineering was the answer,
a built-for-racing specialty car, using all available lightweight materials
and four-wheel disc brakes. Corvette's sophisticated 4-wheel independent
suspension and the horsepower advantage of the large-displacement
American V-8 completed the package.
Even with the approval of Chevrolet head, Bunkie Knudson, the project began in secret. GM corporate policy still respected a 1957 Automobile Manufacturers Association ban on direct involvement in racing activity. The planned production of 125 cars (to satisfy FIA homologation requirements for endurance GT racing) would be sold to amateur race teams outside GM to skirt the AMA ban.
Corvette Grand Sport - Original configuration (circa 1962)
As the five original prototypes were built, saving weight was a primary goal
from the outset. The production car's steel "birdcage" was replaced by a similar
unit fabricated from aluminum. Transparently thin, single-layer, hand-laid
fiberglass body panels were bonded to the new birdcage. Stamped steel wheels
were replaced with cast magnesium wheels. Lightweight aluminum castings saved
even more weight in the steering gear box and differential housing.
The five prototypes were completed and Chevrolet submitted a homologation
application to the FIA.
For more information on the differences between a production Corvette and a
Grand Sport read a paper distributed at the 2003 Amelia Island Concours
entitled, "1963 Corvette Grand Sport, Not Just Another Corvette".
Arkus-Duntov took Grand Sport #001 to Sebring in December of 1962 for testing. Since the 377 cubic inch engines being developed for the Grand Sports were not yet ready the car used a modified production L84, fuel-injected 327 engine. The disc brakes proved to be a problem (larger, vented rotors would ultimately be fitted) but, having run within seconds of the track record, the testing program was deemed a success.
News of the Sebring test reached GM's Chairman Frederic Donner and in January of 1963 word came down that all racing efforts were to be stopped. The FIA application was hastily withdrawn when GM canceled all racing programs, having decided to follow the 1957 AMA anti-racing resolution to the letter.
While all factory racing efforts were officially dead, Grand Sport #003 was loaned to Dick Doane and G. S. #004 to Grady Davis for racing in SCCA events. Lacking factory support, their results were mixed, but, after many modifications, Davis, with Dr. Dick Thompson at the wheel, was able to take #004 to an overall victory at the August, 1963 SCCA Nationals at Watkins Glen. Since both cars resembled production Corvettes and were fitted with production engines, little notice was taken. Both cars were returned to Chevrolet in October, 1963.
After their return, Grand Sports #003 & #004 and un-raced sibling #005
were reworked to reflect lessons learned on the track. Slots and vents
were opened up in the bodywork for increased cooling of the brakes and
differential. New, wider 9˝ inch wheels and tires were fitted resulting
in the addition of the Grand Sport "trademark" fender flares.
Corvette Grand Sport - Flared fender (circa 1963)
Corvette Grand Sport - 377 C.I. Engine
Most significantly, the engine that Arkus-Duntov had originally planned
for the Grand Sports was finally ready...
This 377 cubic inch small block was fed by four 58mm Weber carburetors through a special aluminum cross-ram manifold. The engine was said to produce 485 horsepower at 6000 rpm.
In December, 1963, three of the Grand Sport Coupes (#'s 003, 004 & 005)
were shipped to Nassau for the annual Speed Week. Texan John Mecom fronted the
"private" team entry. Co-incidentally, several Chevrolet engineers were noted as
taking vacations in the Bahamas that year.
The two Grand Sports entered in the Tourist Trophy race on Sunday at Nassau qualified well, second & third on the grid, but both dropped out during the race with over-heated differentials. Differential coolers were provided by one of the "vacationing" engineers who just happened to be carrying some in his luggage and were fitted to the three coupes in time for the Governor's Cup race on Friday.
With the modifications, race results blossomed. In Friday's race the Grand Sports finished third, fourth & sixth, well ahead of the Cobras. The two Grand Sports entered in the final race of the week, Sunday's Nassau Trophy, finished fourth and eighth, again leaving the Shelbys far behind.
Back in their Warren shop, the engineers began work to solve the remaining problems uncovered in the Nassau Speed Week events. Air pressure build-up in the engine compartment of the Grand Sports had required the hoods be taped to prevent their departure. This pressure combined with the large frontal area and high profile of the coupe body to aggravate the alarming tendency of the Grand Sport to lift the front end at speed.
In preparation for the Daytona endurance race in February of 1964, Arkus-Duntov's engineers converted Grand Sport coupe #'s 001 & 002 to roadsters by amputating their roofs to reduce their profile and frontal area. Special louvered hoods were also fitted to relieve the engine compartment pressure problem.
Unfortunately, these modifications proved to be the last applied to the Grand Sports by Chevrolet Engineering. The Nassau successes and their attendant publicity again brought the Grand Sport project to the attention of General Motors' corporate brass. And again, the bosses disclaimed any corporate involvement in racing and ordered the cars destroyed. Insiders at Chevrolet immediately whisked the three coupes off to private hands, where they met with modest racing success in subsequent years. The two roadsters remained hidden inside the Chevy labyrinth in Warren, Michigan. They surfaced only for rare car show appearances before being sold to Penske in early 1966.
All five Grand Sports exist to this day.
Please understand that the fabrication work and parts shown on this website are done for specific individual race car restorations in our facility. Due to time and material constraints, we normally are not able to supply parts & services to other shops for restoration, or for replica construction.
All materials presented, except as noted, are © RC International Software, Cincinnati, OH
All rights under international copyright law are reserved.
No affiliation with General Motors, Safir GT40 Spares, Ltd. or the Ford Motor Company is implied or assumed.
All rights under international copyright law are reserved.
No affiliation with General Motors, Safir GT40 Spares, Ltd. or the Ford Motor Company is implied or assumed.


text:
Eric Knutson starts as LepNet Curatorial Assistant
Collection mow part of global biodiversity data
Collection of author of Kaufman field guide now at DMNS
... and are here to stay
donated by Department Associate Barbara Bartell
Visit from founder Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh
At the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
New Species of Cave Worm Discovered in Steamboat Springs
Hemicyrthus blaffarti from New Caledonia described
Great Citizen Scientist success
This Year's Teen Science Scholars started at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Nathrop's Jeffrey Johns Roberts finds first Colorado specimen of the figeater beetle
Paper analyses major publisher's policies
New DMNS Annals presents our collection of wonderful Russian gem-carving sculptures
Group Photo Available for Download
First issue of Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports published
to the Illinois Natural History Survey
Move into new state-of-the-art facility has started
First delivery arrived in Denver on Monday
Call for papers and memories
Making more of our specimens publicly available
DMNS Annals 5 published
The elusive type specimens of John Witt Randall rediscovered
The common red-winged dung beetle is two species
Increasing number of journals banned from receiving Impact Factor
NSF grants make collections data publicly available
New species from Colorado named after Zoology Collections Manager
Comprehensive history of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science published
Landmark meeting of the Commission in Singapore
Ernst Jünger's beetles on exhibit at CU Boulder Library
Zoology's Flickr page online
Becky Krell starts serious volunteering before kindergarten
Chris Grinter joins Entomology Program
Identification keys for world dung beetle genera in preparation
3668 insect specimens arrived safely in Denver
Zoological nomenclature meets the 21st century - BMC published
interview with Frank Krell
National Science Foundation funds new cabinetry and an assistant (David Bettman)
National Science Foundation funds a major regional digitization project.
Point of View paper published in "Learned Publishing"
Essay published in "European Science Editing"
Snowmass mammoth moved to Paleo Lab
Enio Cano from the University del Valle de Guatemala visits the Entomology Collection
New paper on secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles published
on the Bison Beetle Project
Dr Dean Fanara donated 98 Colombian Lepidoptera
New DMNS Science Bite posted
Phil Tates donated beetle collection
A new paper on beetle fossils from Laetoli
The system of binominal nomenclature for animals (living and extinct) is among the most succinct of communication systems that has been devised. With just two names (e.g., Aphodius coloradensis), a unique qualifier for each and every organism that shares the planet with us, together with its 'birth certificate'—the scholarly work and year in which it was first described can be communicated (in this case Horn, 1870). Each name is unambiguous and unique: one organism, one name. Today we have about 1.5 million living animal species named. Some experts estimate we have some 8–10 million living species on Earth – which would mean over 80% of all life forms remain unnamed! And this does not even count the hundreds of thousands of extinct animal species that have been described.
This time-tested system (since 1758) has served all fields of human enterprise which in one way or another involved a living organism – medicine, zoology, epidemiology, conservation, taxonomy, phylogenetics, and genetics – for two-and-a-half centuries. The system is managed by the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), established in 1895. The Commissioners, currently 26 senior scientists from 19 countries who are experts in different animal groups (and all of whom do this on their own time, with no pay) take into account priority, prevailing usage, and other factors to help maintain nomenclatural stability to ensure that scientists and other users of names do not get confused. The major way these ends are achieved is the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, now in its 4th edition (1999), with a 2012 amendment on electronic publications, which is authored by the ICZN. DMNS Curator of Entomology, Dr. Frank-T. Krell, has been a Commissioner since 2006 and serves as the Chair of the ZooBank Committee, charged with development and implementation of the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (scientific animal names).
The ICZN does more than just ensure that names are unique: the Commission acts as the "Supreme Court" that manages and resolves disagreements pertaining to zoological nomenclature, some disagreements arising because strict application of the Code will create ambiguity or instability. Among these problems are some that have serious implications for business, commerce, and conservation. Commissioners discuss the cases, address concerns, listen to pleas and arguments from scientists, managers and public, and vote on the cases. Their votes are final and binding: once the Commission has made the decision, all biologists are obliged to follow the ruling for the names to be used. In some cases, there are legal consequences for ICZN decisions. Notable nomenclatural quandaries handled by the ICZN have included the names of the malarial parasites (the name Plasmodium as used today) and more recently, Drosophila (the ubiquitous laboratory fly). Even more challenging was the recent case of the highly endangered Giant Land Tortoise from Aldabra, its name now fixed as Geochelone (Aldabrachelys) gigantea.
Every organization needs a financial arm; even the ICZN, in which Commissioners are volunteers, needs administrative and other support to function. The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature (ITZN) was established as a charity in the U.K. more than 60 years ago to manage and raise funds to keep the ICZN's secretariat and operations functional. This includes its legal organ, the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, which publishes cases, comments, and the final results of the voting (Opinions). It was known for some years that the funds in the ITZN coffers had been declining. This was at the time that the ICZN's roles and challenges substantially increased as biodiversity science gained importance, with the biological community growing in numbers and activities, research and publishing technologies advancing, and the influence of the internet magnifying and catalyzing these changes.
By late 2013, the ITZN will have effectively spent its last dollar, and no longer be able to support the ICZN secretariat. If this bankruptcy were to spell the end of the ICZN, how would nomenclatural problems be addressed and resolved? Would the Code be compromised, erode, and die? How would problems be managed when the "arbitrators", "lawyers" and "judges" of nomenclatural disputes were no longer around, and there was nowhere to turn to or seek resolution?
Fortunately, the ICZN has a new lease on life within the international scientific community, albeit a temporary one. First, the National University of Singapore has agreed to host the co-ordinating part of the secretariat for the next three years. It is also symbolic since the ICZN offices have always been in the U.S. or U.K., and its move into Asia is an affirmation that ICZN is an international organization. After all, eight of the Commissioners are from the Australasia zone. Second, the Natural History Museum in London has agreed for the next few years to administer and publish the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, the main organ for disseminating ICZN cases.
A Special Meeting of the ICZN in Singapore brought 21 of 26 Commissioners together for five days in mid-November, 2013 (never before had so many Commissioners met in one place!); intensive discussions at the meeting allowed a host of important matters to be discussed and decisions to be made. They included how a distributed ICZN secretariat may function; how current and future roles can be streamlined and made more efficient as well as less costly; developing a new business plan with the National University of Singapore as well as other stakeholders using endowments as the basis for financial autonomy; revamping the operations and editorial structure of the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature; finalizing discussions for the 5th edition of The Code of Zoological Nomenclature; affirming that the online version of the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature, ZooBank, is core business; how to make electronic publication of works and names more efficient; implementing a manual on The List of Available Names, which will help stabilise the nomenclature of groups of animals; how to handle what has been labelled "taxonomic vandals,"; and how to involve the taxonomic community more in electing scientists to the Commission to expand its scope and expertise. This landmark meeting will set the stage for how the ICZN operates for many years to come.


text:
"The StatiC Compiler and Language" appeared in DDJ, March 2005. Article about TinC (Tiny, in C) - based on Jack W. Crenshaw's "Let's build a compiler" tutorial - to appear in C/C++ User's Journal. TinC released as open source.
Started work on a Generic Macro Assembler (GeMA). Initial target is Motorola's 56F83xx.
Massachusetts Robotics (online) group formed - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MassRobotics


text:
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Touch screen visibility and operation was great and easy to navigate. Each menu and sub-menu was in an understandable order and category


text:
Coyotes aim to extend home point streak vs. Avs
(SportsNetwork.com) - Still without a regulation loss as the hosting club this season, the Phoenix Coyotes look to extend a 12-game home point streak over the Colorado Avalanche in a showdown on Thursday night.
The Coyotes play the middle test of a three-game homestand tonight and sit 9-0-1 as the hosting club. They are also well-rested, having been idle since a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata and Lauri Korpikoski all enjoyed solid games, combining for 10 points. Hanzal had a goal and tied career highs with three assists and four points, Vrbata matched a personal best with three assists and Korpikoski had a goal and two assists to tie his career high of three points.
However, defenseman Connor Murphy stole a bit of the show by scoring in his first career NHL game.
"I got lucky it went through, and I think I almost broke my hand punching the ice. I was so excited," said Murphy of his goal.
Unfortunately for the youngster, he was assigned back to the American Hockey League on Sunday.
Shane Doan, Michael Stone and Mike Ribeiro added goals versus the Lightning and Mike Smith made 27 saves as Phoenix moved to 3-0-1 in its last four and 8-1-1 over its previous 10 games.
Korpikoski is dealing with an upper-body injury and the Coyotes recalled forward Tim Kennedy from the AHL in case he can't play tonight.
The Coyotes have gone 9-0-3 in their last 12 games at home versus the Avalanche and haven't failed to earn a point as the host in this series since a 4-3 setback on March 29, 2007.
Phoenix is 4-0-1 in its last five overall meetings with Colorado and 10-1-2 in the previous 13.
Smith is a solid 8-1-2 with a 1.65 goals against average and one shutout in 11 games (8 starts) lifetime versus Colorado.
The Avalanche will try to reverse that trend in the start of a quick two-game road trip. Colorado will also visit Los Angeles on Saturday, but will play the swing without leading scorer Matt Duchene.
Duchene is out with a strained oblique suffered in a loss on Nov. 16. He is pacing the Avs with 12 goals and 20 points.
"He skated (Wednesday). He wanted to play (Thursday). I don't see rushing on this injury. Take the time. We need him 100 percent, not 80 or 85 percent" said Avs head coach Patrick Roy. "I think it's important for him to make sure he takes care of himself and be 100 percent when he comes back."
Roy's club did fine without Duchene on Tuesday, snapping a season-high three- game skid with a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist. John Mitchell, PA Parenteau, Cody McLeod and Gabriel Landeskog each lit the lamp as well.
"We did not like that feeling," Parenteau said of losing three in a row. "We don't want to be losing again. We were motivated and we responded."
Colorado's Tyson Barrie and Maxime Talbot both posted two assists, with Talbot picking up his first points in nine games since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for Steve Downie back on Oct. 31.
The Avs are set to play six of their next eight on the road, where they are 6-2-0 this season, and Varlamov is expected to get the start tonight. He is 2-4-1 with a 3.39 GAA in his career versus the Coyotes.


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Mobile & Wireless Slideshow: iPhone Sales 'Dip': Nine Factors to Consider
By Don Reisinger | Posted 08-01-2012
NEWS ANALYSIS: Apple's iPhone fell below Wall Street's expectations during the company's fiscal Q3, even though the company sold 26 million units, representing a 28 percent increase over the same period in 2011. In fact, the so-called "slowdown" in iPhone sales - coupled with projections of a further slowdown next quarter -- marred an otherwise strong Apple earnings report. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer acknowledged on a conference call to analysts July 24 that a potential sales slowdown of iPhones may be connected to continuing rumors of an iPhone 5 to be introduced later this year, and that potential buyers may be holding off until that model becomes available. Here, we break down the brouhaha about iPhone sales in hopes of offering some perspective on the matter.
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|START Conference Manager
ASIST 2012 Annual Meeting
Baltimore, MD, October 26-30, 2012
The Evolution of Information Behavior Research: Looking Back to See the Future
Lisa M. Given, Heidi Julien and Donald Case
Sunday, 5:30pm
This panel will examine past, present and future trends for one of the central bodies of research within information science - human information behavior (HIB). Beginning with a brief history of the settings, populations, methodologies, theories and other key features of HIB research, the panel will then explore possibilities for the future. Attendees will engage in an interactive 'working session' exploring the key research questions being addressed (or that should be addressed) in HIB research, as well as trends in methods and techniques that will inform future work. The panelists have received numerous grants for research on human information behavior, have published widely on the topic, and have served as research leaders within the discipline. They are all very engaging speakers, having presented at numerous international conferences and symposia. These panelists are well-placed to facilitate an engaging discussion of trends in this important research area of the discipline.


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They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether "ooky" – the Addams family! And Dancap Productions is bringing them to Toronto!
The Broadway musical The Addams Family, based on the macabre drawings of the bizarre and beloved family created by cartoonist Charles Addams, runs at the Toronto Centre for the Arts from Nov. 16 to 27, starring award-winning actor Douglas Sills as Gomez.
Sills says this musical version has two plotlines. The first revolves around Morticia (Sara Gettelfinger) and his 20-year-old daughter, Wednesday, portrayed by Cortney Wolfson.
Wednesday has fallen in love with a young "normal" man whom she invites to dinner. She approaches her father about the news that she wants to marry and asks him not to tell Morticia until after dinner.
"So, the "A" storyline is about Gomez and Morticia dealing with a secret between them, when their marriage was founded on the premise that they would have no secrets from each other," says Sills.
"Morticia does recognize something is up. Gomez struggles, having made a promise to the second most important woman in his life not to tell the first most important woman in his life what is going on until after the dinner."
The other storyline is about the two families coming together and what happens when a family that appears to be traditional meets an eccentric family. "What you come to realize is that they're not very different at all, that the so-called 'normal' family is actually very unusual and idiosyncratic underneath," Sills says. "And the Addamses, who might appear more eccentric on the outside, are very normal in the way they have to cope with child rearing and marital relationships, and all the things that go along with living."
Sills feels the key to the longevity of the Addams family's story is America's fascination with the macabre.
"People love reversals of morality," he says. "What's so wonderful about the Addamses is that it is not so gruesome, as it is kooky, with a humorous element to it. When Charles Addams originated his single-panel cartoons, the characters didn't even have names. People were drawn to the everyday situations depicted, but done with the reversal of all things dark being good. I think people were incredibly charmed."
He says that some people will come away realizing there are no outsiders and that there is no true normal, while some will walk away just having had a really fun time. The actor thinks audiences will enjoy the magical moments thanks to the memorable stage effects.
The Detroit native, who splits his time between New York and Los Angeles, garnered Tony and Drama Desk nominations, as well as the Los Angeles Ovation Award for The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway and on tour. Before embarking on The Addams Family tour, the Broadway veteran was in Chicago for the tryout of the new rock musical White Noise.
Sills is no stranger to television and film, either, appearing in films such as Deuce Bigalow and Funny About Love, and on TV in Murphy Brown and Will & Grace, to name a few.
Sills says that being Jewish has had a tremendous influence on his career. "Jewish culture is incredibly reverent towards philanthropy that definitely feeds into the arts and towards artistic achievement," he says.
"There was a lot of music played in the house, my mom took us to a lot of theatre and we would watch movies together. My mother would act with great respect towards the actors that would be performing. Just as you respect a learned person in the Jewish household, the same is true for successful artists."
For tickets to The Addams Family, visit www.DancapTickets.com or call 416-644-3665 or toll-free 1-866-950-7469.


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Obama, Hollande tackle tenuous diplomatic efforts
WASHINGTON (AP) — Juggling a pair of tenuous diplomatic efforts, President Barack Obama on Tuesday vowed to come down like "a ton of bricks" on businesses that violate Iranian sanctions while nuclear negotiations are underway. He also conceded "enormous frustration" with stalled Syrian peace talks and offered little hope of ending the conflict soon.
Obama spoke during a joint White House news conference with French President Francois Hollande, a key partner on both Syria and Iran. The leaders have aimed to project a united front on the two matters, but a trip to Tehran last week by French executives has irked U.S. officials who are seeking to tamp down the notion that a temporary easing of sanctions opened Iran up for business.
In a blistering warning, Obama said companies exploring economic opportunities in Iran "do so at their own peril right now because we will come down on them like a ton of bricks."
Hollande sought to distance himself from the executives' trip, saying through a translator that the French business community is "very much aware of this situation."
Obama welcomed Hollande to the White House Tuesday morning for a lavish state visit, an honor typically bestowed on America's closest allies. However, the visit has been overshadowed somewhat by Hollande's recent romantic woes. The 59-year-old split last month from his longtime girlfriend and French first lady, Valerie Trierweiler, after it was revealed that he was having an affair with an actress.
The White House has carefully avoided any mention of Hollande's personal problems and welcomed him to the U.S. with all of the grandeur that normally accompanies a state visit. The president and first lady Michelle Obama, along with a military honor guard, greeted Hollande during an arrival ceremony Tuesday morning on the South Lawn.
With no date to accompany him, the French leader was seated between Obama and the first lady at an opulent state dinner in his honor. Prominent businessmen and politicians joined A-list celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Bradley Cooper and Jason Collins in a giant party tent on the South Lawn, where guests dined on American caviar and wine as they prepared to enjoy a performance by singer Mary J. Blige.
Addressing the civil war in Syria, where more than 130,000 people have been killed over three years, Obama said, "Nobody is going to deny that there's enormous frustration here."
The Syrian government and opposition groups have been holding peace talks in Geneva, but the discussions have made little progress. The president said he keeps open the option of using force against Syria but added that "right now, we don't think there's a military solution."
The U.S. came close to launching a strike against Syria after a chemical weapons attack there last year, an effort France was ready to join. Both countries pulled back after Russia helped negotiate a deal to strip Syria of its chemical weapons stockpiles.
The leaders also faced questions about U.S. government spying, which has spurred anger in France and elsewhere across Europe. Hollande said that he and Obama had "clarified" the situation and that "mutual trust has been restored."
"That mutual trust must be based on respect for each other's country but also based on protection, protection of private life, of personal data, the fact that any individual, in spite of technological progress, can be sure that he's not being spied on," Hollande said. "These are principles that unite us."
Hollande's comments underscored a central purpose of the trip for both the U.S. and France: projecting a renewed relationship between the allies. The partnership hit a low point about a decade ago when France staunchly opposed the U.S-led war in Iraq, but relations have been improving in recent years.
The two leaders showered each other with praise, with each saying their nation owes its freedom to the other. Obama announced he will travel to France for a June 6 ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
All of the mutual admiration spurred one French reporter to ask Obama whether her country had replaced Britain as America's closest ally. Obama laughed and compared that choice to picking between his two daughters.
"They are both gorgeous and wonderful, and I would never choose between them," he said of daughters Malia and Sasha. "That's how I feel about my outstanding European partners. All of them are wonderful in their own ways."
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler in Washington and Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this report.
Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC


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Disproving? It's clearly stated in the Vimuttimagga which Dmytro referred to:Sobeh wrote:Alas, it doesn't. He said: "The connection of the first three tetrads of Anapanasati with jhanas...", which I am disproving.Ñāṇa wrote:Of course sammāsati is not the same as sammāsamādhi. Sammāsati is the cause for sammāsamādhi to occur (MN 44). The commentary adds that it is the requisite condition. This fully accords with what Dmytro was indicating above.
Vimuttimagga Chapter on Mindfulness of Breathing:Dmytro wrote:The connection of the first three tetrads of Anapanasati with jhanas is described, for example, in Vimuttimagga, - for eaxample, piti and sukha are understandably connected with the second and third jhanas.
- Of these sixteen [steps of ānāpānassati], the first twelve fulfill samatha and vipassanā, and are discerned as impermanence. The last four fulfill only vipassanā. Thus should samatha and vipassanā be understood....
And again, practice means attaining to a state (of jhāna) through mindfulness of breathing. This is practice. Through this mindfulness of breathing, one attains to the state which is with initial application of thought. That is the state which is with initial and sustained application of thought, and the state of sustained application of thought. The experiencing of joy is the state of the second jhāna. The experiencing of pleasure is the state of the third jhāna. The experiencing of the mind is the state of the fourth jhāna.
All the best,


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Shopping the Sales: Discounted Seating
One of the first things I do when I'm shopping online is click the retailer's sale tab. I'm not a fan of paying full price and usually if I wait long enough the item I've had my eye on will go on sale. Such was the case this morning, when I was shopping for a certain chair and, in the process, discovered a whole lot of discounted seating at some of my favorite retailers.
• 1960's Cantilevered Armchair from Restoration Hardware
$895 $449
• Marais Arm Chair from Industry West
$145 $72.50
• Reata Counter Stool from Anthropologie
$198 $99.95
• Haze Acrylic Office Chair from CB2
$249 $129
• Banks Wingchair from Jayson Home
$1555 $699
• Hans Wegner Oculus Chair from Room & Board
$5,245 $3,199
• Ryder Rocking Chair from West Elm
$699 $499
• Ella Armchair from Home Decorators Collection
$449 $268.99
• Norma Wire Bar Stool from Graham and Green
£135 £54
• Stretch Stool from MoMA Store
$295 $99.95
• (Bargain) Lovers Special: Budget Sources for Rugs, Furniture, Bedding & More
• Set the Table: 10 Budget Dinnerware Sets
• Smart Shopping: Holiday & Seasonal Items On Sale Now to Use Year Round
(Images: As credited above.)


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Catalina Kitchen, Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
Location: Catalina Kitchen, Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
Report Type: Food Poisoning
Symptoms: Diarrhea
Details: We finished our dinner at the Catalina Kitchen at around 1000 last night. The massive diarrhea started about 3 hours after dinner. I ended up spending the rest of my night on a toilet and I was on the bathroom floor until 2 am. Today I have been having a severe stomach ache since 12 pm. I hope I feel better tomorrow.
Reported By: Iwaspoisoned.com User
More incidents from: Other | United States | California | Rancho Palos Verdes |Comments
Number of reports: 1
User Rating: (5 / 5)
Recent Reports
Nov 14 10:58pm
Fabiani's Bakery and Pizzeria, East Lipoa Street, Kihei, HI, USA
Symptoms: Diarrhea Fever Nausea Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
Nov 14 9:22pm
Kneaders Bakery & Cafe, Sergeant Jon Stiles Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
Symptoms: Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
My son and I both became sick within several hours after each eating an iced sugar Cookie the night of 11/13. This is the only commonality in what we ate that day, and no one else in our family became ill. By the time I became sick, the only thing left in my stomach was the orange icing of the cookie. Read More
Nov 14 9:12pm
Milo's Hamburgers
Report Type: Food Safety
Nov 14 8:36am
Agave's Mexican Grill Maysville, Maysville Road, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
Symptoms: Diarrhea Fever Nausea Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
I got Chicken fajitas and was sick the next day, within 24 hours. Horrible diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pains, shakes, body pains and a fever. My son, 18, then had my left overs and was sick within 12 hours with the exact same symptoms. I have not been seen by a doctor so I can not confirm food poisoning, but the symptoms lend to food poisoning and not the flu. Read More
Nov 14 7:36am
Joyride Taco House East, North Gilbert Road, Gilbert, AZ, USA
Symptoms: Diarrhea Nausea Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
Yesterday my girlfriend and I went to joyride tacos in Gilbert, AZ. We ordered an assortment of different tacos on the menu including carnitas, carne asada, and the standard taco. Within 30 min of completeing our dinner my gf began to feel extremely sick. She began to feel nauseous and sick. Within a hour or two all hell broke loose. She was throwing up every 10-20 min through the night. The throwing up didn't subside till roughly 3am. Right as hers ended, mine began. I've been experiencing diarrhea, and nausea horribly for the last hour. Read More
Nov 14 6:10am
Marco's Pizza, Milestone Plaza, 2502 SW 14th St, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
Symptoms: Diarrhea Nausea
Report Type: Food Poisoning
Nov 14 6:06am
Jalan Sultan Nasi Padang, Singapore
Symptoms: Diarrhea Fever Nausea Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
This happened on the 6 nov (tuesday). Bought food from jalan sultan nasi padang located at lavender mrt opposite old chang kee at about 4pm plus. I took curry chicken, long Beans and bittergourd. Had the food back in the office and that is all i had for the day. Reached home at about 10.30pm i started with diarrhea and to make it worst vomiting. Rushed to the hospital and was dignosed with severe food poisioning. Be careful guys! Read More
Nov 14 4:40am
Beef 'O' Brady's, U.S. 301, Riverview, FL, USA
Symptoms: Fever Nausea Vomiting
Report Type: Food Poisoning
Nov 13 11:09pm
Swiss Chalet, CA, USA
Report Type: Food Safety
Nov 13 3:12pm
Backyard Rotissere Chicken, Peacock Market Plaza, South Riding, VA, USA
Symptoms: Diarrhea Fever
Report Type: Food Poisoning
I ate there Sunday October 28 about 2 pm and by 5 am Weds Oct 31 I had a high fever and severe diarrhea that lasted all day Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun, when I went to Urgent Care and got antibiotics. My stool tested positive for campylobacter, which comes from undercooked chicken. Read More


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- Please contact me via PM. This way I can easily keep track of who contacted me first about the items.
- I have a Personal PayPal account. I would prefer to not receive payment by credit card or debit card. I prefer payment by means of PayPal Balance, PayPal Instant Transfer, or PayPal eCheck.
- I never leave my gear in the sun. I almost always set-up camp at night (or a few hours before) and break it down in the morning. As you may know, exposure to sunlight will weaken materials.
- I always air-dry and air-out my gear indoors before putting it away for storage. My gear does not have funky smells or weird growths on it.
- Shipping will be actual shipping. All items will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail in either a $8.95 box or a $12.95 box. Insurance is mandatory and adds about $2.00.
- Multiple items will be combined to reduce shipping.
Hennessy Hammock, Ultralite Explorer A-sym: New Price = about $150.00; Used Price = $60.00
- I bought this hammock new directly from Hennessy Hammocks without the tarp about four years ago.
- It comes with the stuff sack, the snake skins, and upgraded tree huggers.
- One of the snake skins has a bit of embroidery on it. This indicates the foot end of the hammock.
- The tree huggers are new and made from 1.5 inch webbing purchased from www.strapworks.com. These do not stretch like the Hennessy huggers!
- This hammock has been used less than 10 times and is in good shape. It had a slight manufacturing defect that my wife (a high-end tailor for 7 years) fixed better than new. It was repaired after discussing the issue with Tom Hennessy. You should not let this repair scare you away. The hammock is in excellent condition.
MacCat Deluxe: New Price = $115; Used Price = $95.00
- The color is grey.
- I bought this tarp new about four years ago. I have used it less than ten times. It is in excellent condition!
- It comes with custom matching silnylon snakes skins and a stuff sack.
Eureka Gossamer: New Price = (I forgot); Used Price = $40.00:
- This tent is in great condition. I used it less than five times.
- The seam sealer that I used on it (supplied by Eureka) is a bit flakey which is quite normal. I mostly used the seam sealer to protect the stitches of taped seams.
- It comes with a custom made Tyvek ground cloth. This cloth uses the same four stakes that the tent uses and allows the tent to be set-up without ever touching the ground.
- Some pictures of the tent: http://users.mikrotec.com/craig23/tent/
Magellan Explorist 100: New Price = about $100; Used Price = $45.00
- Never used! Like new.
- Some pictures of the Explorist and case: http://users.mikrotec.com/craig23/Explorist/
Case for Magellan: New Price = $13; Used Price = $7
- Never used. Like new


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A Conservative MP has accused his party chairman, Baroness Warsi, of "self-destructive lunacy" over comments she made about the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip).
Speaking on the BBC's election night coverage, Baroness Warsi appeared to imply there was a link between Ukip and the BNP.
"Where Ukip is fielding candidates this time that the BNP did last time but they're not this time, I think that will have an impact," she said.
"There are members of Ukip who are from all sorts of political parties, but it is an interesting mix there in terms of the number of candidates," she added.
Writing on his blog on Wednesday, Northampton South MP Brian Binley said the Conservatives seem to "stagger from opinion poll to focus group with no sense of purpose or direction".
He added: "Voters don't know what we stand for any more."
Binley said: "Then we've also got the joint chairman of the Party equating Ukip voters with the BNP. That, quite simply, is self-destructive lunacy."
"Ukip's rise in popularity is a result of disaffected Conservatives looking elsewhere. We should be moving heaven and earth to win them back, not alienating them further with ill-considered insults."
Binley also criticised George Osborne and David Cameron for having "bad judgement" over the Budget and their links to News Corporation.
His comments came in the wake of terrible local election results for the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.
"So what can David Cameron and the Conservatives do to regain the trust of the British? Firstly, he must concentrate on the things that actually matter – jobs, deficit reduction and growth" he said.
"It's wonderful that the government has dropped the same-sex marriage bill and I'd urge them to do the same with the Lords reform."
The government insists it intends to press ahead with plans to introduce gay marriage but is consulting on how to go about it before bringing in legislation.
On Monday Binley told the Independent that the election result was a "major setback" and urged Cameron to "wake up and smell the coffee".


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A bone-chilling mid-February freeze at the beginning of bloom shook 6,000 California almond growers, pest control advisers (PCA) and almond handlers like an almond tree in the grasp of a powerful tree shaker.
No area of the state was spared. Below freezing temperatures were recorded in orchards from Red Bluff to Bakersfield. Temperatures dipped to 20 degrees in northern California. Growers there frost-protected for seven straight nights. It did not get that cold in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley. However, it was below 30 for several hours each night for several days as well.
No question some blossoms were frosted out, particularly on early blooming varieties. NePlus, Peerless and Sonora were most often mentioned by PCAs, growers and University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors as hardest hit.
However, the same people are saying it is too early to tell if there was a major crop loss from the statewide frost. Damage was definitely spotty, depending on orchard location. Trees in swales were hit hardest. It will be next month or perhaps May before everyone gets a good handle on freeze damage and the crop size. The subjective almond crop estimate scheduled for May 10 release will be telling about frost damage.
Prices jump
Although no one is yet hazarding a crop loss guess, immediately after the cold snap the industry shivered and spot prices for almonds jumped 60 cents per pound overnight on rumors of widespread damage. Before the frost, prices of about $1.60 per pound to growers were being quoted. After a week of cold temperatures, it cracked past $2 pound.
California's almond marketers desperately need another one-billion-pound crop from the state's 550,000 acres of bearing almond orchards like the crops produced for three years from 2002 to 2004. The almonds are needed to meet unprecedented world demand and to moderate prices that skyrocketed in the wake of a weather-reduced '05 crop of about 900 million pounds. Markets were lost due to high prices over the past year, and the industry is fearful a second short crop could cause long term damage to a market they have spent millions building demand in preparation for the 1.5-billion-pound crops that are not too far in the future.
Garret Nydam, PCA with Mid Valley Agricultural Services in Hughson, Calif., said the frost severely damaged NePlus and Sonora orchards. The crop is "gone" from those varieties. Young orchards were hit hardest. "It was lowest (bloom time) temperatures I have seen in 15 years."
Aaron Hackler, PCA with Hughson Chemical in Hughson, Calif., said one of his growers turned on micro sprinklers to frost protect during the cold snap and found spaghetti micro irrigation lines filled with ice at 10:30 p.m.
Use all protection
"The grower kept running the system and it cleared out," said Hackler. Growers who could flood irrigate did. Others ran blowers in orchards to circulate air and prevent frost from settling on tender flowers.
"There has been damage," said veteran Riverbank, Calif., PCA Norm Kline who is also a grower. "However, I cannot say how much. Orchards that have been taken care of fared better in the frost than weak orchards."
A silver lining in the cold snap is the bread and butter California almond variety, Nonpareil, was just beginning to bloom when the frost hit and likely suffered minimal damage, if any at all. About 200,000 of the state 550,000 acres are in Nonpareil. The frost time bloom estimate for Nonpareil ranged from 10 to perhaps 40 percent, depending on the region. Nonpareil had a lot of blooming left to do after the frost. This may be the industry's saving grace.
PCAs say the '06 almond bloom was very strong coming off a low production year last season.
"I think the trees rested last year with the smaller crop and came back with a huge bloom this season," said Madera, Calif., PCA Mark Carter, consultant on orchards throughout the central valley.
Depending on who does the estimating, it takes only from 20 to 30 percent of the flowers to develop into harvestable nuts to make an excellent crop.
"Even in the best of years, you do not set more than 25 to 30 percent of the flowers," said Stanislaus County farm advisor Roger Duncan.
Strongest flowers
Duncan described the frost damage in his county as "spotty and only on earliest blooming varieties. My thought right now is that the February frost will not have a huge effect on the total crop."
Although the frost was early in the year with no more than half the Nonpareil flowering, it is the earliest flowers that are the strongest and set most of the crop, noted Duncan. "Hopefully, flowers that opened later set a larger percentage of the crop.
"We'll have a better idea in May where we stand," he added.
He noted growers are more concerned about frost after bloom as the trees move toward the nutlet stage. It does not have to get much colder than 32 to damage young, tender nutlets.
Mark Freeman, Fresno County, Calif., nut farm advisor, said he had not heard reports of Nonpareil damage in the county. However, there was damage to NePlus and Sonora.
Freeman echoed Duncan's observation that trees are more susceptible to frost damage in the nutlet stage. "It takes 23 to 26 degrees to damage pink blooms and 26 to 28 degrees at full bloom. However, it takes only 29 to 30 degrees to cause damage at the nutlet stage."
Madera County, Calif., farm advisor Brent Holtz said "orchards that were supposed to have a lot of damage seemed to be OK" a week or so after the frost incident.
Some of the Sonora trees he looked at "were not bad" because after the frost the trees continued to bloom.
"It is a numbers game. You may lose 20 to 30 percent of the blossoms, but that does not mean you have lost 20 to 30 percent of the crop," Holtz noted.
Kern County Farm Advisor Mario Viveros noted there were long frost periods at night over several days, which can cause serious damage.
"Damage varied from location to location. Nonpareil ranged from 12 percent frost damage of early blooms to maybe 80 percent loss. Sonora was more susceptible, but it proved a pretty hardy variety in the frost."
Viveros was the only farm advisor who said the bloom quality "was not there."
Bloom earlier
Butte County is above the winter Tule fog area and almond trees blooms earlier than Southern San Joaquin Valley orchards. UCCE farm advisor there Joe Connell said Nonpareil fared "pretty good" in the frost. Butte County was the coldest almond growing areas during the frost period.
"It got down to 20 to 21 degrees on the outside of some orchards and frost protecting in the orchard will bring that up to only 25 to 26 degrees. Yes, it was pretty chilly."
"We have lost some crop; how much is hard to say. We only need to set 25 percent of the flowers to make a good crop. So, if we lose 3 out of 4 flowers, we still should be OK. There was a beautiful bloom before the cold came," said Connell.
Connell noted when the bloom is heavy like this year, there is competition between flowers for carbohydrates and sugar and that has an effect on crop set. "If we have taken some of those flowers out by the frost, there may not be as much competition among the remaining flowers and we could have a higher percentage set" than would be the case had the frost not taken out some of the flowers, he noted.
Bee pollination
Remember all the prophets of doom who said the big crisis facing California almond growers this year would be a shortage of pollinating honeybees?
Those prophets were last seen tossing their crystal balls into irrigation canals because the bee supply was plentiful — but expensive — during bloom this year. Bees cost as much as $140 per hive or more to rent for pollination this year, but bee strength was reported strong. Growers use from two to three hives per acre to pollinate.
"Isn't capitalism great?" laughed Connell, who acknowledged that when the prices became high enough beekeepers and their bees came swarming into California from all over the U.S.
One PCA said a beekeeper told him it cost only about $15 per hive to truck in bees from out of state for almond pollination. Rental prices above $100 per hive offer a sweet profit.
"Bees came into the state strong this year for a change," said Kline.
Bees were so plentiful there were classified ads in newspapers from beekeepers looking to place hives. Several farm advisors like Connell said they received calls from beekeepers looking for growers who needed to rent hives.
Cold affects bees
The dreaded varoa mite beekeepers kept blaming for weak hives last year seems to have disappeared with the stratospheric bee rental rates.
Many PCAs and growers were more concerned about the impact of the cold and often rainy weather on bee pollination than they were about frost.
Bees do not like to forage when it is windy, below 55 degrees and overcast or raining. Fortunately, there were nice stretches of warm days between cold spells and storm fronts, noted Freeman.
However, several commented the bees were aggressive this year in less than ideal conditions.
"We were out checking orchards one morning after the frost and the thermostat in the pickup was in the low 40s but you could hear the bees buzzing," said Stanislaus County farm advisor Duncan.
Hackler said some beekeepers were even recommending to growers that they call county ag commissioners to verify hive strength. Colony strength was definitely better this season.
A more compelling concern was the lack of winter chilling hours and its impact on bloom. Many were expecting a staggered or prolonged bloom.
That was evident in Stanislaus County Carmel/Nonpareil orchards.
Hackler said Carmel did not bloom on time. "Carmels were so far behind in bloom. When the Nonpareils first popped there was nothing there to cross pollinate with. Guys with three varieties in an orchard, however, had overlapping blooms. Guys with 50-50 Carmel/Nonpareil were a little worried," he noted.
Duncan said Stanislaus is a "big Carmel area. The lack of a bloom overlap may reduce yield potential," he agreed.
California almonds are the one California crop most susceptible to the vagrancies of the weather. The entire crop begins blooming in early to mid February when the state is still very vulnerable to winter storms. This year's frost has gone to the top of the coffee shop chat list. It is usually rain playing a cat and mouse game with growers and PCAs.
Growers must apply fungicides ahead of rain to prevent a wide array of diseases, and it often involves a 7- to 10-day spray schedule to keep ahead of Pacific storms.
There was considerable rain last year just like growers have seen this season. However, last year temperatures were warm, not cold like 06. Warm and wet are an ideal combination for disease development.
Less disease
"In a cold year like this disease pressure is not too high; not as high as last year," aid Hackler.
"We are in the best position we have ever been in terms of fungicide choices. We have a lot of good choices." said Nydam. Ten years ago PCAs had basically Benlate, Captan and Ziram from which to choose.
"We have a lot more today and if the spray dries within six to 12 hours after application, you can count on a good 10 days of control because most of them are translaminar," Nydam explained.
Although the fungicide arsenal is stocked, Hackler says he wants to keep them all around for a long time and that is why he rotates chemistry to mix modes of action.
"We do not want to see resistance. That's why I rotate," said Hackler.
One of the newer fungicides on the market is Scala from Bayer CropScience. "I have used a lot of Scala this year, particularly in fields where I used other products last year." The new fungicide is primarily for early season diseases like shothole, brown rot and botrytis and Hackler said it is "very economical."
These are primarily bloom-time diseases. "We are seeing more foliar diseases like Alternaria Leaf Spot later in the season."
PCAs also have reported seeing more powdery mildew on trees late in the season on tissue as well as the nuts.
"I think a lot of that is due to the moist microclimates we are creating in the more densely planted orchards where there is not much air movement," he said.
e-mail: [email protected]