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How Food and Beverage Industry Professionals Consume Media
Industry professionals seek pertinent information for solutions and reward media that fulfill specific needs.
We at Food Processing value the dedication, passion and ingenuity that drive food & beverage industry professionals and processors to greater heights.
The greatest challenges to food and beverage processors appear to lie ahead, based upon the following: world population is projected to grow to 9.6 billion in the year 2050; global food production should be 60 percent higher than that of 2005/2007 to meet 2050 projected world food consumption.
To better serve our readers with the most valuable information, via the media formats preferred by our industry, Food Processing and Preston/Rogers Associates have undertaken four comprehensive Media Consumption Studies (over the past five years). The studies have been conducted to solicit and analyze the media consumption of food and beverage industry professionals.
This is a time in history when food and beverage industry professionals often wear multiple hats, more forms of media exist than ever before and the industry's challenges remain great. Given that background, we felt compelled to share the information gleaned from the 2013 Media Consumption Survey Among Food & Beverage Industry Professionals. The study results are based upon 568 Food Processing subscriber responses to the survey; margin of error for a survey this size is +/- 4.1 percent, at the 95 percent confidence level.
Media consumption is on the rise
Ninety percent of survey respondents indicate their consumption of food & beverage industry-related media (print and digital) remained the same or increased over the past 12 months. Of the 35 percent of respondents who report they spent more time consuming media during the past year (only 10 percent reported spending less time consuming media), 63 percent cite food & beverage industry magazines as a media source accounting for their increase in media consumption; 53 percent cite the increase in consumption of food & beverage industry e-newsletters as a contributing factor. Social media and webinars/webcasts were cited by 24 percent of respondents as accounting for increased media consumption.
Those who say that the printed magazine format is dead may want to pause and consider the following study results before closing the coffin: Industry professionals prefer to receive their magazines in a printed edition, rather than a digital format, by a 2 to 1 margin; the number of respondents stating they would be interested in a version of Food Processing for the iPad or tablet (27 percent) is down from 31 percent in 2012 (the first year the study asked this question). For the past two years, the studies have asked respondents to identify their age group. The 2012 and 2013 studies both report that industry professionals aged 35 and under consume the most print media.
Reasons for reading, actions taken
The reasons cited most by food & beverage industry professionals for reading industry magazines are: to keep current on food/beverage industry news/analysis, look for new ideas and learn about new products/vendors.
As a result of reading food & beverage industry publications, 68 percent of industry professionals indicate they may use ideas found within articles, 54 percent may visit an advertiser's website and 41 percent may contact a vendor/advertiser to learn more about a specific product/ingredient.
Respondents with R&D/Technical Research/New Product Development responsibilities consume the most print media (2 hours per week). In addition, they are the most likely to: contact a vendor/advertiser (54 percent), visit an advertiser's website (60 percent), and utilize magazines to look for new ideas (76 percent). It's also worth noting that 50 percent of Executive/Senior Management and 51 percent of Purchasing/Procurement professionals cite the likelihood of contacting a vendor/advertiser as the result of reading a magazine article or advertisement. Forty-four percent of Productions/Operations professionals, also above the study average, state they may contact a vendor/advertiser after reading industry magazines.
Digital media consumption
Consumption of digital media has remained relatively consistent since 2008 (same as for print media). Like its print brother, digital media consumption is strongest among R&D/Technical Research/New Product Development respondents. It probably does not come as a surprise that the 35 and under age group consumes the most digital media, but the following survey result might: Those aged 55 and older consume as much digital media as their youngest industry counterparts.
Search engines are the resource used the most for work purposes, with 63 percent of respondents citing daily use. Magazines are utilized second most frequently by industry professionals, with supplier websites ranking third, followed closely by e-newsletters. Social media is used by 74 percent of respondents for business purposes, although that is down from the 87 percent who claimed business usage in 2012's survey.
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Friday, August 16, 2013 - Tomas and Borek - Screen Test - FULL CONTACT
Tomas and Borek - Screen Test - FULL CONTACT
Tomas Zadany came in for a screentest with Borek Sokol. They both look great as they sit on the bed, with Borek interviewing Tomas. Then he leans over and they kiss and feel each other up. Tomas' underwear is quickly off and his hard cock is being sucked by Borek, His tongue licks up and down the shaft and his mouth swallows the head. With that cock rock hard Borek's head moves up and down on the thick shaft. Then he sits up and removes his underwear, revealing that his cock is hard too. Tomas then gets his first chance at sucking. His mouth wraps over the cock and he starts work. He sucks slowly and licks the head of that hot cock. Then, having shown he can do it he moves up and kisses Borek again, before the two of them move to 69. Borek is on top and they both suck very well. Borek then pulls Tomas ass up in the air and spreads the cheeks. His tongue zeros in on that hot hole and he starts to rim it, before spitting on it and sliding a finger in. Having loosened the hole he moves Tomas, bending him over and sliding his throbbing cock deep into that ass. He fucks it nice and deep, with hard, fast thrusting. Then he moves Tomas again. Borek lays down, with Tomas over him, facing, and his ass sitting right down on the cock. This allows Borek to really fuck it hard, with Tomas' dick standing to attention. Borek reaches down and wanks that cock while he fucks. Moving into spoon position he continues fucking, with Tomas wanking himself. Borek then pulls out and shoots a big load of cum all over Tomas cock and balls. Then he lays Tomas on his back and wanks him to a very nice climax. After a great screentest they then move to the shower to clean up.
... more about Tomas and Borek - Screen Test - FULL CONTACT further in this newsletter
Our Coming Soon Set Preview
Radim Hajek and Robert Drtina got together for a great scene. They start off with some push-ups and then get into arm wrestling which Robert wins. Radim compliments him on his strength and then offers him a massage. He starts to feel Robert's arms, but before a massage can begin they both kiss. Then they stand up and begin to feel each other's bodies, kissing some more. Radim begins to rub his hand over Robert's groin and they kiss some more. Then Radim opens Robert's pants and they drop to the floor, revealing his cock. Radim drops down and takes the soft cock in his mouth and begins to suck. The cock responds and is soon nice and hard. Radim's mouth works over the cock suck it really well, then he stands and his pants are opened too. His cock is already quite hard and Robert goes down onto his knees and starts to suck. With those big balls hanging low, on Radim, Robert sucks and wanks on that big cock. Radim lays on the bed and Robert sits so that he can continue to suck and wank on that cock. As he is being sucked Radim reaches round and takes hold of Robert's dick. He wanks on it as Robert's head bobs up. Then Robert lays on the bed, with his legs up and Radim starts to play with his ass. He tongues that hole and then slips a finger in to open it up. His cock is next and it slides into that hot hole and starts to fuck. Radim fucks that ass nice and deep, with Robert moaning. Changing position, with Robert bent over, the fucking continues. Radim really works that hot hole. They move again and Robert sits his hot ass down on that throbbing cock, wanking himself as he rides. With Robert bent over again and Radim's dick deep in his ass he wanks himself to a fine cumshot. Radim continues his fucking until he is ready to cum too and he pulls out, squirting all over Robert's chest to bring a lovely scene to an end, finishing with another kiss.
You can watch my Vlog for this Newsletter by clicking above or by going over to the Blog : http://www.wheuro.com/?p=11486
Gosh, it's a beautiful, sunny summer day in Prague. I've just been all over the city via tram, buying an audio cable for one I tripped over and broke. Right now it's 23.3º C or 74º F outside. It don't get better than this.
The Czech Republic made the New York Times again. Usually, I pick up on articles about the hometown, but I'll have to credit the Mad Monk for bringing this one to my attention:
Meanwhile to work:
Our lead feature today is an excellent screentest with Tomas Zadany & Borek Sokol, they are followed by Libor Bores in his erotic video, Ivan Petera with his session stills and a lovely photo set of Wank In The Woods 2, part 2.
Our castings today feature three excellent candidates, Tibor Beranek, Pavel Hornik and Petr Szabo. It is a close call but my pick will go to Pavel Hornik.
MESSAGE ABOUT LINKS TO THE OLD WH WEBSITE - WILLIAMHIGGINS.com ARCHIVES:
Please be aware that the link www.williamhiggins.com takes you to this brand new website now. If you bookmarked our old website in the past and you want to keep the bookmark as a shortest way to access the old WH website you need to change the link in the bookmark to:
Our castees today look very good too. They are Eljan Nikitov, Vasil Kosimcuk and Antonin Pecka. It is a close call today but by pick will be Elhan Nikitov.
Today's Weather in Prague
We have launched our all new Kink only site with no solos. It's not for the feint hearted. Do take a look (if you dare):
At present, Members of CzechGuysNextDoor will be able to access the new site with their user information. If you have problems, write firstname.lastname@example.com
Latest Sets At Our NEW STR8HELL.com Website
Open Set "Libor and Zdenek - DUTY BOUND"
Open Set "Jan Faust - Mad Monk - SPANKING"
Members of CzechGuysnextDoor.com - to log in the member's section of the new STR8HELL website use your present username and password, if you forgot your password or encounter a log in problem please feel free to contact us at: email@example.com
Non-members - you are welcome to browse our complete content - each regular set contains free video preview and free photos, if you decide not to become a member of our website you can also buy sets separately (we huge, well organized and easy to search library of models - there is always few models you may like) you can pay only for what you really want see ;-). You are always welcome to come back.
All members of www.CzechGuysNextDoor.com get a free access to STR8HELL.com till the end of November 2011!
Please use your present CzechGuysNextDoor username and password to log into the members area.
We have terminated updates to CzechGuysNextDoor.com website. CzechGuysNextDoor.com website will stay online, but now only as an archive of all CzechGuysNextdoor.com sets. Anyone who wants to access CzechGuysNextDoor.com Archives needs to have a STR8HELL.com membership. STR8HELL.com will continue with most of the czechguysnextdoor.com projects. Anyone who joins STR8HELL.com will gain access to two websites STR8HELL.com and CzechGuyNextDoor.com Archives which contain 2500+ sets. STR8HELL.com has exactly same features and controls as NEW WilliamHiggins.com website.
Direct access to CzechGuysNextDoor.com website is now through the link: archive.czechguysnextdoor.com or through "Archive Sets 2004-2011" links on the new STR8HELL website.
Thank you for your loyalty to CzechGuysNextDoor.com website,
William Higgins
BurnDVD.tv Website Latest Updates
Starting today you can download our videos in Full HD quality 1920x1080px!
Please remember that most of the videos available on BurnDVD are easily able to be downloaded with a single link, but some of the very large files, such as the newsletter DVDs have to be split into three separate links, as detailed below.
The videos with very large file sizes are now split into more than one part, using a program called HJSplit. If you wish to buy one of these larger videos to Burn to DVD, you will receive a link for file and then it is a simple process to join the downloaded files together to make the .iso file for Burning to DVD.
You can see all the available videos at www.burndvd.tv
Before downloading any videos to burn to DVD I advise you to read the BURNDVD Manual, which explains how you can burn the file to DVD. The file is an ISO file which contains all the required DVD files. The process for burning to DVD is fully explained.
The BurnDVD manual is easy to follow, with a step by step guide. Burning a DVD is easy to do, though it is helpful if you have previously burned DVDs or CDs.
The manual can be viewed here: BURNDVD Manual
Anyone who has any problems understanding the manual, or burning their download to DVD, or indeed any questions about this service please email email@example.com . Geoff will be happy to assist you.
You can view all the available downloads at www.burndvd.tv, by clicking the on the categories. A direct link to the latest files available will be published in each newsletter.
Our Latest Sets at www.BurnDVD.tv
Today we have Screen Test with Tomas Zadany & Borek Sokol and Libor Bores solo shoot, Ivan Petera – Backstage Video and Duty Bound with Libor Bores & Zdenek Bodbaba.
The direct link to "SCREEN TEST - Tomas and Sokol"
The direct link to "Libor Bores""
The direct link to "Ivan Petera"
The direct link to "DUTY BOUND - Libor and Bodbaba"
Special Offer for William Higgins Newsletter Readers
William Higgins Newsletter readers are able to obtain a discount on the price of BURNDVD downloads by using the coupons that we will be publishing in each Members Newsletter. The coupon published in each newsletter will be valid for a period of 7 days.
Copy today's coupon code here: g28ds3k
Our Partners:
PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEXT PAGE FOR THE LATEST WilliamHiggins.com UPDATES

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ISMS girls off to strong start
COLUMBIA CITY — Indian Springs Middle School hoops is in full swing, with both boys and girls squads taking the court in games.The ISMS 7th-grade girls ran away with a lopsided 43-6 win to open the season at Harding last Monday.All of the girls saw action in the opener and many contributed both offensively and defensively. Ava Winters led all scorers with a quick 14 points off of several rebounds and some strong assists from teammates. Grace Cotter added a solid 11 points. Brooke Ebersole poured in six points with some offensive put back baskets. To read the rest of this story, see the Dec. 3 issue of The Post and Mail. Don't have a subscription? Call (260) 244-5153 or subscribe to our e-edition. For breaking news, sports updates and additional coverage, bookmark the homepage and find us on facebook and twitter.


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Your LOEWE item will maintain all its qualities if it is not directly exposed to sources of light and heat; also if it is stored inside its cloth case. Avoid excessive contact with water, oils, perfumes or cosmetics. If your item gets wet, remove any excess moisture without rubbing, dab with a soft cloth and let dry at room temperature.
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LOEWE offers a care and cleaning service for all its leather goods.
We invite you to visit one of our stores, where we will be glad to offer our help!


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Photo: Police chase ends in arrests (Credit Fox 4 News, Kansas City)
What a frantic morning. If I thought my abs hurt yesterday, I was wrong. They were burning even worse when I woke up today. The weather sites I look at are telling me that it's in the high 40s outside. I hit refresh a few times, and check the timestamps to make sure I'm not seeing last night's numbers. I love this stuff! I quickly tossed on a single light layer of clothes. Then, I packed up some leftover chili for lunch, some tooth-rotting, artery-clogging breakfast stuff, and my water bottle. Look at the time! I got outside at 6:05! I was running WAY behind schedule, and it's probably a good thing.
I heard sirens as I stepped out. Not just one police car. Several. Looking in all directions, I couldn't see any constabulary cruisers. As I hit Quivira, everything changed. I encountered a headwind that I'd later find out was closing in on 30 MPH, gusting 32. Then, I got to the viaduct. Running late, riding uphill and into the wind, I slogged. That's when all hell broke loose. The cops' clamoring klaxons wailed coarsely behind me. Within seconds, my rear view was full of sapphire and scarlet strobes. I retreated to the narrow, rubbish-laden gutter on the viaduct. One, two, then three black-and-whites lumbered past, piloted by Lenexa's finest. The doppler of their sirens was like something you'd hear in a cartoon. They vanished over the incline's apex in the blink of an eye.
Just as I lost visual contact with the third cruiser, the obstinate headwind seemed to slow. Gentler and gentler the breeze got, until it came to a moment of calm. Suddenly, a maelstrom overcame me from aft and port, sending gutter debris into the air and pushing me gently against the concrete barrier next to which I'd halted. I have no clue how fast the officers were traveling, but they were clearly in the left lane, nearly 20 feet from me. As I crested the viaduct, a fourth, unmarked law-enforcement buggy whizzed past with dazzling luminescence and plenty of noise, not going much faster than the posted speed limit.
Ahead, many more emergency vehicles were convening and barreling southbound on Quivira. Upon arrival to the bus stop, I discover that one transit denizen had counted as many as a dozen such vehicles. Click on the photo for the full story. Needless to say, had I left on time, I would have likely been much more involved in the chase than I already was. Earlier this month, a young cyclist was actually killed by an evading driver during a police chase. While officers have the judgment, reflexes, and concern to keep left, I'm almost certain that the only such chivalry I would have been granted from the reckless adversary would have come at the bequest of luck.
Who needs coffee with an adrenaline rush like this?
Random Tunage:
POB - Boiler (Humate Remix)
Crystal Method - Born Too Slow
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Police chase... of DOOM!
Photo: Police chase ends in arrests (Credit Fox 4 News, Kansas City)
5 comments:
- Tom Stormcrowe and Crazylady said...
A real eye opener! :eek:
- November 28, 2007 10:29 AM
- Tim O said...
There's a trail in that area and on KSHB's coverage, you could see at one point where a cruiser was on the trail (mostly blocking it)and there was a cyclist with its light on, going around it on the trail in a westerly direction. Not you Noah but I did think about you being out there battling the commute!
- November 28, 2007 3:37 PM
- Curtis Corlew said...
Wow. That's some pretty wild stuff. And some darn snappy writing to boot!
- November 28, 2007 10:16 PM
- Noah said...
Thanks, Curtis. I'm almost certain there are a few visitors that keep coming back just for my occasional wordplay.
I try to use at least one slightly or extremely obscure word every day. Sometimes, I mix it up with a little bit of meter, alliteration, or rhyme. Other days, this place is nothing more than dry, boring ride reports. It's a mixed bag.
- November 28, 2007 10:33 PM
- Fritz said...
A police chase possibly saved me from an indecent exposure charge a little while back. I was riding fixed with my pants rolled up, but they weren't rolled up quite high enough. My pants caught in the chain and my entire right pant leg ripped off all the way to the waistband. My tighty whities were exposed for all to see on a major arterial with very heavy traffic.
Fortunately, some bad guys picked THAT MOMENT to crash their car almost directly across from me in the opposite lanes, with police following shortly after. All attention was focused on the police action as I quickly used the remnants of my pants to wrap around my hips, miniskirt style, so I could get the half mile back to my office where I had some rainpants stashed in my desk.
- November 29, 2007 12:53 AM
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FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A late-winter storm shut down schools and caused travel problems Monday throughout much of North Dakota and eastern South Dakota.
Motorists in many areas were advised not to travel or to use extreme caution because of blowing snow. The wind was forecast to gust up to 60 mph in northeastern South Dakota.
"It doesn't take a whole lot of snow with these strong winds to cause problems," National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Vipond told the American News in Aberdeen, S.D. Ice also was a problem on roads in the region, according to KELO-TV.
Parts of eastern North Dakota were expecting more than half a foot of snow. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for much of eastern North Dakota and for northeastern and east central South Dakota.
Many schools started late or called off classes for the day. Personnel at Minot Air Force Base in north central North Dakota who were not considered "essential" were allowed to come to work late.
People had to be rescued from more than two dozen stranded vehicles on Interstate 29 between Fargo and Wahpeton in southeastern North Dakota late Sunday and early Monday, Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind told The Forum newspaper.
The storm occurred a few days ahead of the next NWS outlook for spring flooding, due out Thursday. Hydrologist Mike Lukes told The Associated Press that the additional moisture could increase the risk for flooding in the Red River Valley of eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.
"We're sitting somewhere between 3, 4, 5, 6 inches of water in the snow already," he said. "Additional (moisture) will add to it, but as far as (the flood risk) going up significantly higher, that probably isn't in the cards."
Lukes estimated the new snow in the southern Red River Valley contained about half an inch of water, and the snow in the northern valley about 3- to 4-tenths of an inch.
This system continues a pattern of winter weather in the area, as Fargo saw several inches of snow Friday. It also was preceded by record cold. The temperature at Grand Forks dropped to minus 18 degrees on Saturday and minus 23 degrees on Sunday — both city records for those dates.


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Stars down Ducks
Anaheim, CA – Kari Lehtonen posted 27 saves to help the Dallas Stars take a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
Alex Chiasson, Eric Nystrom and Lane MacDermid all scored for the Stars, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
"We got a little lucky at the other end and I got a little lucky with a couple of pucks that hit the posts," said Lehtonen. "But that's how things go sometimes. We played well tonight."
Andrew Cogliano scored the only goal of the game for the Ducks, who had won three of four coming in. Viktor Fasth stopped 22 shots in the loss.
"In the first period we were running all over the place," said Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau. "I give Dallas' defense credit because they blocked a lot of shots. We tried to come back, but the damage was done."
All the goals in this game were scored in the first period and the Stars got it started at the 9:03 mark on a little break as Antoine Roussel chipped a pass from the right wing to the slot where MacDermid was behind the defense for his second of the year.
Just 18 seconds later, the Ducks tied the game as David Steckel's sent a short pass from the left of the net to the low left circle where Cogliano chipped it home.
The Stars, though, took the lead back while shorthanded as Nystrom caught up to the puck in the Anaheim zone and was able to put the puck behind Fasth, who was all the way out at the left circle in an attempt to get to the puck first.
Chiasson got his first NHL goal with 47.3 seconds left when Cam Fowler faked the shot and passed it to the slot from the left wing and Chiasson tapped it in.
The goaltenders took over from there as Lehtonen made 19 saves to preserve the win, while Fasth needed to stop just nine shots to keep his team in the game.
Game Notes
Anaheim holds a nine-point lead over San Jose for first place in the Pacific Division and is just three back of Chicago for first overall in the Western Conference ... Anaheim hosts Los Angeles on Sunday ... Dallas, which is five points out of a playoff spot, plays in San Jose on Sunday.


text:
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There are benefits to both GA and Office365. I could argue both sides and win. I am NOT a MS fan, but do get irritated with ignorant comments from folks who don't have all the facts to make these decisions and you and I do not. At $20/seat/mo is on the high side, but I would assume that cost to the county is paying for headcount to support the user base there. just a hunch, but then again, I know nothing and can't really say if they got a good deal or not.
Wow, expensive and proprietary. Could have had GoogleApps for about 5 times less per seat with significantly more capability and FISMA certified security AND platform agnostic services. Google Apps works on Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, everything.
Office 365 (degrees of spin) is just MS Office warmed over.
So it costs them $240 per year, per seat? Seems like they could have come up with something better than that.
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All-in-One & One-for-All
All-in-One and One-for-AllSamson makes public address simple with an all-in-one portable sound system that offers everything you need to deliver a professional and memorable presentation: The Expedition 40i
To ensure pristine, full-range sound, the Expedition 40i (XP40i) employs a 6-inch woofer and a 1-inch high frequency driver. The unit features a 40 watt Class D amplifier that is perfectly matched to the driver for high efficiency and low current draw. An internal iPod dock with level control also gives you the option of incorporating songs or other MP3s into your performance. Plus, with bass and treble control you can tweak your sound to appropriately match your specific setting and audience.
A rechargeable battery provides the XP40i with absolute mobility. You can also create a stereo setup with its 1/4=inch link in/out jack which allows to link two systems together.
In the Boardroom
With the XP40i, your voice will command the boardroom podium with as much authority as the main stage. The XP40i provides the perfect solution for a business professional leading any sort of presentation. No matter the application, from PowerPoint presentations to company meetings and corporate events, you can convey your ideas in a clear, concise manner and perform your job better. You can even use XP40i's integrated iPod dock to playback audio clips in promoting a more interactive listening experience for any audience.
In the Classroom
Students, teachers and professors will find that the XP40i possesses some functions unique to music education. It's ideal for directing large instrumental ensembles. The XP40i will help conductors keep even their percussionists on task. Solists and small ensembles can practice along with recorded accompaniment, and the XP40i's audio playback abilities make the analysis of recorded music much easier, as well as providing a more interactive listening and educational experience.
At the Karaoke Club or Coffeehouse
Although the XP40i was designed for providing quality sound reinforcement in public address settings, the range of musical settings that can benefit from the system's features is substantial. Whether you're a singer/songwriter gigging n a small coffee shop or a karaoke diva captivating the audience in a medium-sized club, the XP40i will ensure your sound is well suited for your space.
Wherever Your Guitar Goes
The XP40i can also hold its own as a portable guitar amplifier. Simply plug your electric guitar and effects board into your XP40i and be ready to rock your hardest - alongside your fellow bandmates or your favourite iPod playlist!Bring the music outdoors, as the XP40i and an acoustic guitar are the perfect pair for a classic fire pit jam session. Wherever your guitar goes, the XP40i goes.
By the Pool
The XP40i's portability makes it ideal for countless recreational uses. For a traveling instructor, the XP40i is perfect for leading excercise/yoga classes in fitness clubs. Outdoor functions pose no problem whatsoever for the XP40i. Block parties, sporting events and matters of crowd control now have a more practical, and still extremely portable, alternative to the megaphone. The XP40i would be a particularly great addition


text:
Apple Financial Services
With all the hot new Apple products, there has never been a better time to finance a new Apple computer. Apple Financial Services (AFS) offers a wide variety of programs that make it easy and affordable to acquire the latest technology. Whether you're buying for your home, a school or university, or a business, Apple has a program designed to make buying or leasing a Macintosh as easy as using one.
Operating Lease*+
The core finance product which allows you to spread the cost of IT investment. Apple Financial Services owns the equipment and leases it to you over an agreed term for regular fixed rental payments. Equipment can be added or upgraded at any time during the lease term. The lease includes a residual value of at least 10% that allows the funding to be taken from the revenue rather than the capital expenditure budget.
*Credit subject to status.
+True operating lease & finance lease also available.
Technology Refresh*
At any time during the life of the agreement you will be able to take advantage of the Technology Refresh* option to upgrade or enhance your equipment. This means that your customers will be able to exchange a pre-determined amount of equipment, without an increase in their rental. This amount is called the Technology Refresh allowance.
*Credit subject to status.
You can upgrade your equipment at any point during your lease. The Apple Financial Services will quote you an upgrade figure based on your existing agreement. This figure is then added to the cost of the new equipment and the new rental is calculated using the relevant price banding . The existing agreement will be settled and a new agreement created. Payments for the new lease will be due on commencement. For documentation purposes a standard hire agreement will be completed.
*Credit subject to status.
An Add-on is where additional equipment is added on to your existing agreement. This is also referred to as a Co-Terminus agreement. The Apple Financial Services team will provide you with an add-on figure. For documentation purposes an Add-On Schedule will be completed.
*Credit subject to status.
Payment Frequency
The normal payment frequency for a lease is quarterly by direct debit however, if you would prefer to pay monthly, termly, annually or bi-annually this can also be arranged.
How leasing works
What is a lease?
A lease (often known as a rental plan or hire agreement) is a simple agreement between us, the owner of the equipment and you, the user. We buy the equipment from Apple Store and lease it to you over an agreed period for a regular fixed amount. We recommend that you choose a lease term that matches the estimated useful working life of the equipment.
Why should my business lease?
When you recruit your next employee will you pay them 3 years salary in advance? Of course not, you will remunerate them on a \'pay as you earn\' basis, normally via a monthly salary. The concept of leasing is exactly the same, allowing you to pay for the use of your computer system as it works for the company.
What is the most crucial advantage of leasing?
Again it depends on your business. Undoubtedly, leasing improves your cash flow, helps make budgeting and forecasting easier and there are tax advantages too. However, the majority of our customers claim that the ability to equip their business today and leave working capital to develop the business tomorrow is what persuaded them to lease.
What happens if my requirements change during the lease?
Our flexible agreements enable our customers to keep pace with ever improving technology. We can add to, exchange and even upgrade your whole system, usually with only a small increase in your payments. The Apple Financial Services\' Technology Refresh programme allows you to annually upgrade or enhance your equipment, without affecting your monthly payment.
Who owns the equipment at the end of the term?
We do, but there are several options available to you: If the equipment is still of use to you, we can arrange for a continuation of payment. If the equipment is of no use to you, we can either arrange an upgrade or more up-to-date equipment or simply remove the old system altogether.
What sorts of companies take equipment on lease?
It is not just household names that take advantage of the facilities from us. We have leases with all sizes of businesses from sole traders to PLCs, schools, universities and hotels. Leasing is a universally accepted finance option.
Members of the Finance and Leasing Association, of which Apple Financial Services is one, have existing agreements with:
- 95% of the Times Top 100 Companies*
- 9 out of 10 UK Chartered Accountants*
- 90% of Local Authorities in England and Wales*
*Sources, UK Capital Expenditure Statistical Office, Finance and Leasing Association.
Benefits to the Business Customer
Leasing with Apple Financial Services provides your business with the ability to:
- Protect Against Technology Obsolescence
Computer technology is evolving at a frightening pace - this can create a fear that today\'s system may not facilitate tomorrow\'s needs. Apple Financial Services can alleviate this fear by offering you a flexible add-on or upgrade plan if your requirements should change during the finance term. Apple Financial Services\' Technology Refresh option allows you to upgrade to new equipment at any point during the finance term without any increase in the existing rental.
- Finance the Total Solution
All costs relating to the purchase of equipment including hardware, software, training, installation, maintenance, support and services may be covered in one fixed monthly payment. A wide selection of financial products and payment terms are available from Apple Financial Services.
- Maximise Cash Flow
Guaranteed costs over a fixed rental term means costs can be managed with the tightest of budgets. Financing frees capital resources for other important investment and operating activities. Existing credit lines remain intact and available for other working capital needs which helps make budgeting and forecasting easier. Rentals are also generally 100% tax allowable.
- Obtain the Latest Technology
Flexible finance terms ensure your business customer can obtain the latest technology on the market.
Lease Calculator
For a no obligation lease quote insert your total equipment cost in the \'Amount\' field below and click \'Calculate\'. If you would like to proceed with a no obligation credit check please go to the Quote section of this site.


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Mechanical Components » Wheels » Solarbotics Wheels »
Solarbotics SW-R RED Servo Wheel with Encoder Stripes, Silicone Tire
This 2-5/8" plastic servo wheel fits on standard Futaba servos and has a diameter of 2-5/8". Each wheel has a silicone tire and 64-stripe encoder pattern molded in.
Alternatives available with variations in these parameter(s): color Select variant…
|Specs (2)
|Pictures (1)
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|On the blog (0)
The Solarbotics SW wheel is compatible with standard Futaba servo hubs such as those on the SpringRC SM-S4303R and Power HD AR-3606HB continuous rotation servos. The plastic wheel is molded from ABS and has a molded-on thermoplastic silicone tire with great traction and wear characteristics. There is a 64-strip encoder pattern on one side of the wheel compatible with the Wheel Watcher. The plastic wheels measure just under 2-5/8" (69 mm) across by 0.3" (7.62 mm) wide and is available in blue, yellow, red, and black.
Note: This Futaba servo wheel does not come with any mounting hardware. To mount the wheel, use the screw included with your servo.
Feature Summary
- Diameter: just under 2-5/8" (69 mm)
- Tire width: 0.3" (7.62 mm)
- Tire: molded-on thermoplastic silicone
- Encoder stripes: 64-strip pattern molded in on one side (compatible with the Wheel Watcher)
- Color options: blue, yellow, red, and black
Some Compatible Products
Lower-Cost Options
For a lower-cost, similar wheel with fewer features, see the 2-5/8" plastic Futaba wheels.
People often buy this product together with:
|Solarbotics SW-LB BLUE Servo Wheel with Encoder Stripes, Silicone Tire
|Solarbotics SW-B BLACK Servo Wheel with Encoder Stripes, Silicone Tire
|SpringRC SM-S4303R Continuous Rotation Servo


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A trio of USC defensive starters are contemplating the NFL, but two appear to be leaning toward returning for their senior season.
Safety Dion Bailey, linebacker Hayes Pullard and defensive tackle George Uko are eligible to apply for the NFL draft. Uko said Tuesday he would seek an early evaluation from the NFL. Sources said Uko told his teammates he intended to return for his senior season.
Pullard also told teammates he wants to return and noted Tuesday that USC returns a defense that loses just two guys next season. Bailey is considered the most likely to turn pro and met with his parents Tuesday to discuss his future. He wants to make a decision before the Las Vegas Bowl but will not announce it until after the game.
Bailey did not reveal his decision, but he did point out why the Trojans would be more motivated for the Vegas Bowl than last years Sun Bowl in El Paso.
Who doesnt want to go to Vegas? Bailey said.
Interim coach Clay Helton said he is not concerned about a repeat of the Sun Bowl, where the Trojans lost to Georgia Tech.
We have a goal. Any time you face adversity and you have the opportunity to get 10 wins thats pretty special, Helton said. That would be 10 wins in two of the past three years. That No. 10 is a big number. Its a dramatic statement.
Wittek expected to stay
Quarteback Max Wittek, who said after the UCLA game he would wait until after the season ended to determine his future, told teammates he will not transfer after meeting with Sarkisian. Wittek was assured there will be a quarterback competition and is willing to fight for the starting job during spring practice.
Sarkisian will have Wittek, Cody Kessler and Max Browne available for spring drills to evaluate at quarterback.
Petersen was serious
New Washington coach Chris Petersen said he met with USC athletic director Pat Haden last week in Boise and was interested in coaching the Trojans, but both sides decided it was not a good fit.
Certainly when I was going to talk to USC, I was extremely serious about that, Petersen told the Idaho Statesman. Theres no question.
Injury report
Helton said tailback Silas Redd (knee), linebacker Hayes Pullard (back) and defensive end Jabari Ruffin (neck) would return Saturday after missing Tuesdays practice. Tailback Tre Madden (ankle) remains questionable.
Job offer
Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Todd Washington was offered a similar position by Sarkisian, according to the Baltimore Sun. Washington is a former NFL player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The offer makes sense because Sarkisian informed offensive line assistants Mike Summers and James Cregg they would not return next season.
Fresno State impressive
USC coaches will spend the rest of the week analyzing Fresno State but Helton said he is impressed with the Bulldogs.
This is a very aggressive Fresno State team that puts pressure on you, Helton said. Ive been very impressed with the tape Ive watched so far about how aggressive they are on defense. Both linebacker and secondary pressures.
It will be a great challenge for us.


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Reviewed By john g (COARSEGOLD, CA) Reviewed for a 1995 Dodge Ram —4/16/2014 8:16 PM
I was so excited when i got it. i felt more power and acceleration and i think it improved my mpg too. Only problem was that one of the lock nuts had no thread in it so i had to go find one in my tool box but everything else was awesome and made my 1995 dodge ram 5.9 even better .


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Moleskine meets Peanuts
1950-2010. Moleskine celebrates the 60th anniversary of one of the most influential comic strips of all time, which has accompanied three generations of men and women worldwide. Strictly black and white, the Peanuts limited edition collection comes in two sizes, both plain and ruled page layout. Charlie Brown and Snoopy are given top billing on the silkscreen printed covers, whilst the anniversary logo is debossed on every notebook. The interior features illustrations of the characters with inspiring quotes, a set of stickers, and a family tree tracking all possible connections among the whole Peanuts gang, their love crushes, their likes and dislikes. Available at Amazon, www.moleskine.co.jp or Amazon Japan.


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Defender and captain Drew Moor's post-game comments after giving up two late goals to SJ at home and losing 2-1:
On losing two straight games:
"It's just not good enough. I've been here for a little bit now and this one stings just as much as any loss I've ever had. This has been a tough week obviously results wise; and has nothing to do with coaching, tactics, formations – it's just guys digging deep on the field and grinding out results. Ten minutes to go here and were up 1-0, I don't think that's happened since I've been here to lose a game like that."
On the reaction needed:
"We close games like that out and I think everybody that's been on the field the last two games needs to go look in the mirror tonight and decide, myself included, whether or not they're putting everything into this that they need. I'll be the first one to do it, you know, I'm wearing the armband right now and it just wasn't good enough tonight and it wasn't good enough in Vancouver. And like I said it has nothing to do with coaching, tactics, or formation. It's about grinding out a result and that's a game that the Rapids grind out a result and it's very disappointing tonight."
On the final 10 minutes:
"I think there were some tired guys, but we did not maintain possession throughout the match. I thought we sat in a little too deep we gave them too much freedom to move the ball around in the back. They're a hard working team; they thrive off of second balls and little long balls and knocking the ball, down flicking around to oncoming forwards and stuff. We just didn't deal with it as well as we should have. I was extremely excited when the night started and about us getting some guys back from injury and looked like a very strong side and we weren't good enough throughout and it all culminated in the end."


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Before we get started, let me begin by saying I'm not a photographer. I've owned half a dozen cameras over the years, along with another half a dozen cell phone cameras, but I'm no photographer. I'm a hobbyist, I've filled my share of Flickr pages, and I love taking pictures.
In the latest wave of the good enough revolution, however, I've almost given up on carrying my Canon DSLR in exchange for the camera phone in my pocket. Sure, when I need a real camera, I'll use one. But lately, my camera phone has been good enough.
Ironically, even when something is good enough, we still want something just a little bit better. Enter the HTC Droid Incredible, packing an 8MP camera with auto-focus and a dual LED flash. Its specs suggest The Incredible is the absolute top of the line when it comes to camera phones, but is that really the case? We took our Incredible demo unit and took shot by shot comparison photos with the Nexus One, the current reigning Android camera king. The results? Surprising to say the least…
Sample Photos
To try to compare the two cameras fairly, I took pictures in quick succession, with the same settings (auto), and of the same subject. If a picture came out poorly, I'd try to shoot it again. All the pictures in this test represent the most satisfactory shot I could manage with the current surroundings.
These photos weren't edited in any way, just downloaded, watermarked with a label, and saved. You can see the complete, full-resolution originals in our Test Shots collection on Flickr.
Also, please pardon my non-photographer ways. I'm sure a pro would be comparing the white balance and aperture of each shot, while I'll be using words like crisp or dark. Instead of delving into why each picture looks like it does, I'll simply post the comparison and respond with my observations. This review is less about hardware and settings and more focused on image quality and end result. Maybe some of you camera nuts out there can help me fill in the gaps.
Note: after I completed my test, I noticed the Incredible was taking pictures in a wider format (5:3) than the Nexus. I would've preferred to shoot them all to match but overall I doubt the ratio has any affect on image quality.
Indoors, without flash
These coins were shot on my desk, without flash, using just sunlight through the window across the room. It wasn't perfect lighting, but the room was well lit. The Nexus shot looks brighter and sharper and was achieved on my first attempt (took three Incredible shots to get one I was satisfied with). The Incredible seemed to be much more susceptible to noise and blurriness in less-than-full-sunlight situations.
This is the Incredible instruction book, shot on a footstool right next to the window. At this point the sun had shifted above my building and while I didn't have direct sunlight, the entire area was very well lit (had my lights on as well). The Incredible shot has a slight blue tint, something you'll be seeing a lot in the upcoming photos. Both cameras did a pretty respectable job of capturing the text crisply at such a close distance but the Nexus shot just feels more natural.
Edge: Nexus One
Indoors, with flash
To test the flash, I took these shots later in the evening, without the assistance of sunlight. The Incredible is sporting a dual LED flash, which I assumed would be much (twice?) brighter as the Nexus One flash. I didn't find that to be the case though, at all. The Nexus One flash is easily brighter and produces a better low-light photo.
This ketchup example is almost a toss-up. They are clearly different results but I think this one could fall to personal preference. I find the Nexus shot to be a bit more full and natural looking, even though the flash created a sort of vignette effect around the edges. The Incredible photo, while decently lit, again just looks flat. The flash wasn't nearly as bright and seemed to throw a less-natural looking light. To test, I took two Incredible photos for comparison, one with and one without the flash:
The photo with flash is on top (the one with the blue and purple tints) and the non-flash photo is on the bottom. Without flash, the camera captured a natural-looking, detailed image. With the flash active, the photo is still crisp but the lighting is wildly inconsistent from the top to bottom of the image.
Edge: Nexus One
Outdoors, indirect light
These shots were taken outdoors on a patio at Carmelo's (as I enjoyed one of the finest steaks in recent memory). We were outdoors but it was the early evening. It wasn't dark by any means, but we weren't exactly in the sun. Again, the Incredible shot came out extremely blue. Along with the blue tint, the photo is darker as a whole, which makes some of the details in the center of the photo hard to make out. The Incredible photo is still sharp, it just doesn't look natural.
These photos were shot in basically the same settings as above, probably about 20 minutes prior. I'm just including them so you can see again how blue the Incredible gets in natural light situations. I know these photos weren't shot in totally ideal situations, but they were loads better than the dark bars and late night concerts camera phones usually make an appearance at.
Edge: Nexus One
Outdoors, direct light
These photos were taken around noon, in full sunlight. Distance shots with full light are really where the Incredible shines. It was the one area of the test where I was consistently satisfied with the image quality and tone. That being said, the Nexus was right there, holding its own.
Again, the shots with good light and a wide angle are both completely satisfactory on both phones. But honestly, if you can't take a good picture in perfect light you might as well just pack up shop.
One interesting thing I noticed, though, was that the Incredible seems to sharpen its pictures much more than the Nexus. Now I know sharpening is necessary to some degree (happens when a JPG is saved, even when uploading to Flickr) but it seems like the Incredible might be over-sharpening it's photos for dramatic effect. Check out these full-res close-ups:
Now, neither looks perfect. The Incredible shot looks too sharp and bit jagged in places, the Nexus shot looks a little bit blurry. Neither of these issues is really a deal-breaker, I just thought I'd point out the different approach to sharpening.
Edge: Draw
Camera settings
One area the Incredible fully dominates is settings. It has one of the deepest sets of options I've seen on any Android camera. You can control ISO, white balance, multiple effects- all in a slick and useful UI. Perhaps if I had fully tinkered with the settings and adjusted them for every shot I could've yielded better results.
But for me, fiddling with settings with each shot sort of defeats the purpose of a camera phone. I use the camera phone because I can get it ready quickly, shoot quickly, and repeat. If I'm willing to trade convenience for image quality I might as well carry my DSLR.
For those of you without a real camera, the settings might come in much more handy. If you'd like an in-depth review of the Incredible camera options, Phandroid has a solid video up on YouTube.
Edge: Droid Incredible
Final Verdict
While I'm sure this could draw some heat, I'll gladly say it based on my time with both phones and all the comparison shots I just posted: The Nexus One takes better pictures than the Droid Incredible.
How is that possible?! you say? The Incredible is 8MP, thats a whole THREE MORE MEGAPIXELS you say. Well, I think it boils down to the megapixel myth: the common belief that more megapixels equals a better camera, which isn't always the case. There are a wealth of other factors in play here, the lens, the flash, the CMOS sensor- all of which can contribute to better overall image quality.
Oddly enough, while writing this post I tried to hunt down the specific sensors in each of these phones but couldn't find any hard information. Do any of our readers happen to know specifically which sensor is in either of these phones?
I'll leave the post with another disclaimer that in no way am I a skilled photographer. I'm just some guy who likes to snap photos. As are most other users relying on a camera phone. As a point-and-shoot option, either of these cameras is more than capable of capturing quick moments you want to remember. One is just a bit more capable than the other.
What do you think? Does the Nexus take better and more natural-looking photos?


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Do consumers benefit when telecom companies merge?
The following appeared in a Miami Herald editorial:
It's hard to blame consumers if their initial reaction to the proposed $48.5-billion merger of AT&T and DirecTV is to reach for their wallets and hold on tight. Mergers usually leave the public with fewer choices and lead to higher prices.
What makes this merger of vital importance to consumers is the near universal demand for the companies' services. Turned off by airline mergers and rising fares? In a pinch, there are still road and rail alternatives. But these days almost everyone buys service from a telecom company, unless they're off the grid, which is unlikely and impractical — or go back to rabbit ears.
And lately, mergers are all the rage in the telecom world. The business of providing pay TV, Internet connections and phone service is coming down to a handful of industry giants.
The Comcast-Time Warner deal, worth $45 billion, was announced three months ago. In that agreement, which is awaiting government approval, both partners made much of the fact that although they are both cable systems, each serves different geographical areas, with little overlap. Thus, they argued, a merger would not amount to decreased competition for individual consumers.
The proposed consolidation between AT&T, the No. 2 seller of high-speed Internet service, and DirecTV, the largest satellite video provider, is a different deal. They compete head-to-head for TV viewers in 10 of the 20 largest metropolitan markets.
To the claim that this would reduce choices for the affected consumers, executives at both firms argue that there are benefits for both sides. AT&T's wireless customers, for example, would be able to tap into DirecTV video on their smartphones. And DirecTV customers would get better broadband, wireless and national bundle services.
To sweeten the offer for regulators and members of Congress, AT&T promised to expand its broadband service to 15 million new customer locations in rural parts of its service areas, as well as offering stand-alone broadband for three years to those who choose to go without bundled services — "over the top," or OTT, in telecom jargon.
We particularly like the latter promise. These are undeniable benefits for some consumers, for a limited time in some instances. But there are significant concerns, as well, in the rapidly changing telecom world from all of these proposed combinations.
If the Comcast-Time Warner merger is approved and AT&T/DirecTV's is not, that would leave one behemoth in the telecom world standing alone, with an ability to overwhelm its competitors while hapless consumers watch impotently from the sidelines. If that merger is approved, then finding an equally robust competitor would only make sense.
Green-lighting both, however, would provide an incentive for all the other players to get into the act. That includes Sprint and T-Mobile, Charter, Verizon and the Dish Network, among others. It's hard to see how consumers benefit as individual companies morph into telecom giants. Consider, as well, that much of the innovation in the telecom world, which began with the break-up of old Bell System more than 30 years ago, has been driven by competition.
For regulators, that should be the bottom line. The promised benefits have to be weighed against the obvious risk to consumers. Doing so, they may well conclude that it's time to hit the pause button on merger mania.


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I am not much of a resolution maker usually. Unless you count the one I make every year, since high school: to exercise more (or at all) and eat healthy. As 2011 came to a close, I couldn't help but think that this should be the year I actually make, and stick to, some resolutions. The big resolution I wanted to make is unfortunately not really in my control, so I thought long and hard about the resolutions I can make that I can control and here's what I came up with.
1. Take a more proactive approach to my health. I've spent more months in 2011 being sick than being healthy (due to all the fertility drugs and treatments I've undergone since May), and it's made me feel totally out of control, like I've given my body over to science. Preston now expects Mommy to be in bed—it's so sad. "Mommy sick? Mommy bed?" So I resolve to do more research and seek whatever extra help I can to curb the horrible side effects I get from the drugs, and do everything in my power to not let this IVF process knock me down as hard as it did last year.
2. Spend more time with Preston, and do whatever I can to not let this other stuff get in the way of that. Though it's not always in my control, I need to dig deep to find energy and strength underneath the migraines and other side effects, and remember: He is my life, and I am his. He is the happiest little boy, and I am so lucky to be his mom. I never lose sight of that, but sometimes it's hard to be totally present for him when I'm sick—that's something I cannot let happen this year, whatever it takes…
3. Do yoga. I have back problems, and carry more stress than someone my age should. If anyone needs yoga (and meditation), especially right now, it's me. I'm doing it this year. Period!
4. De-clutter my house. Now that I'll be working from home, and writing from home more, I need to get organized with my space, and it all starts with eliminating excess clutter. Anyone read The Happiness Project? I've been holding onto it for months because I wasn't ready for it, but I think now is the perfect time to crack it open, and take action.
5. Count my blessings every day. I've always been an optimist, but these IVF drugs really f*** with your head. Now any time I'm not feeling well or get particularly blue, all I have to do is look at this video Jay shot of Preston the other day and it puts everything in perspective for me—I cry with laughter every time I see it. Those are the kinds of tears I hope to have more of this year.
Moms who've gone through IVF: Did you seek outside help for it, other than through your fertility doctors and nurses? I tried acupuncture but I kind of hated it…it was anything but relaxing. I'm willing to try it again though. I'd love to know what helped you get through this difficult process. I'm determined to conquer it, one way or another. So, here's to better things for all of us in 2012. Happy New Year, and thanks for always tuning in and sharing your personal stories and helpful advice.
I'm blogging again at www.thecosmomom.com. Stop by and say hi to me there, and on Facebook (Sarah Preston Gorenstein) and Twitter @spgorenstein.


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RaboDirect PRO12
'I will fight to save the Dragons'
ESPN Staff
January 2, 2013
The Dragons have only recorded three wins in the PRO12 this term © Getty Images
Newport Gwent Dragons chairman Martyn Hazell has vowed to "fight tooth and nail" to save the Welsh region.
The newly established Professional Regional Game Board, which was announced back in December, has been charged with changing the fortunes of the Welsh regions - the Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons and Cardiff Blues - amid reports that they are struggling financially. Recent reports claim that one suggestion is to change the funding structure so that two regions get the bulk of the money and the other two see theirs reduced.
And with the Dragons currently in eleventh place in the RaboDirect PRO12, if this plan ever came to fruition, then it seems probable that they would be one of the two teams who have their funding cut. And Hazell, who sits on the PRGB, is adamant that he will do all he can to save the region.
"These are difficult times and tough decisions need to be made, but everything has to be done in the right way," Edwards told the South Wales Argus. "I will fight tooth and nail to keep the Dragons going.
"It is very difficult planning for the future because players and sponsors ask whether we will continue to be around and as a board we need to find some answers quickly, ones based on common sense and fairness. Something needs to be done because there is not enough funding to sustain four teams in the Heineken Cup."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


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Times have been tough for Fisker Automotive. Last month, the company was forced to lay off workers at its Delaware plant while seeking to renegotiate its $529 million Department of Energy loan. That incident came in the wake of the Karma's widespread technical issues, which have included two recalls, one related to software malfunctioning and the other to battery issues. Now, adding to the company's present woes, it looks like Consumer Report's very own Fisker Karma has bit the dust only days after the publications purchase of the $100,000 dollar luxury plug-in hybrid.
According to Consumer Reports, the Karma was undergoing initial calibration testing when it broke down resulting in CR unable to put the car through its paces. After the driver of the car stopped to investigate dashboard warnings, the vehicle was unable to move into gear again. Attempts to get the car working yielded no results, so a nearby dealer was sent to the rescue with a flatbed truck to haul away the conked out Karma.
CR explains:
We have owned our car for just a few days; it has less than 200 miles on its odometer. While doing speedometer calibration runs on our test track (a procedure we do for every test car before putting it in service by driving the car at a constant 65 mph between two measured points), the dashboard flashed a message and sounded a "bing" showing a major fault. Our technician got the car off the track and put it into Park to go through the owner's manual to interpret the warning. At that point, the transmission went into Neutral and wouldn't engage any gear through its electronic shifter except Park and Neutral.
Of course, this could just be an isolated incident made worse by being brought to the public's attention, but it's exactly this type of image blow Fisker, and its Karma, want to avoid right now. Interestingly, for all the negative press thrown GM's way for the Chevy Volt, we can only imagine the backlash headed for Fisker. While we certainly wish to see the Karma succeed, anger over its various malfunctions are indeed warranted — because, let's face it, at $100,000 a pop these types of issues should really have been dealt with beforehand.
Watch the video below:
Editors' Recommendations
- Consumer Reports says Honda CR-V is plagued by an engine defect
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy a ride through the history of self-driving cars
- Cloudy with a chance of drones: Power loss causing some DJI quadcopters to fall
- Safety driver in Waymo autonomous car causes collision with biker
- Honda is giving cars the ability to see around corners to avoid accidents


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AMARGOSA VALLEY, Calif. — April Sall gazed out at the Mojave Desert flashing past the car window and unreeled a story of frustration and backroom dealings.
Her small California group, the Wildlands Conservancy, wanted to preserve 600,000 acres of the Mojave. The group raised $45 million, bought the land and deeded it to the federal government.
The conservancy intended that the land be protected forever. Instead, 12 years after accepting the largest land gift in American history, the federal government is on the verge of opening 50,000 acres of that bequest to solar development.
Even worse, in Sall's view, the nation's largest environmental organizations are scarcely voicing opposition. Their silence leaves the conservancy and a smattering of other small environmental organizations nearly alone in opposing energy development across 33,000 square miles of desert land.


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Local restaurant featured on list of Midwest Living's Northern Indiana Foodie Trail
BREMEN — Randy Ziolkowski is a down-to-earth, self-taught chef. Although he doesn't encourage being called a chef, he has proven he is just that. At his restaurant, Edward Christian Barbecue, 115 W. Plymouth St., Ziolkowski makes his 13 sauces all naturally, from scratch, as well as his rubs and seasonings. His product line will be available in the restaurant and online around Thanksgiving time.
Ziolkowski's business has been a part of the Bremen community for years. He spent 22 months remodeling the restaurant location and opened as Five Feathers. A change brought the restaurant to a new name, Edward Christian Dining, and made it a family dining experience.
When asked about the beautiful restaurant being a family place, he answered, "This is not fine dining, it's just really good food for everyone."
Ziolkowski realized he had a wide variety of dishes on his menu and decided to become more focused. The restaurant serves authentic barbecue and Cajun food. His meat is prepared with his rubs and seasonings, smoked in the smokers for 14 hours, and served that way so you can choose what sauces you want to enjoy.
This restaurant is the home for Ziolkowski to make his creations; however, the location is not where Randy and Edward Christian Barbecue do most of their business. Eighty percent of the business is on the road with the smokers, grills, and the red truck to pull the delicious "authentic smoked goodness" to fundraisers, golf outings, corporate events, and more.
Edward Christian Bar-becue has also been to Friday night football games throughout the area this season. Their fundraising program allows schools or organizations to sell a meal of a meat and two sides for $10. Edward Christian provides the tickets, containers, napkins, cutlery, and the staff for boxing and cleaning.
No money is needed ahead of time, and Ziolkowski writes a check to the school or organization before they leave the event based on the number of sales. Right now, there is a school competition where the school that sells the most meals will get more even money to their cause.
Edward Christian was recently selected for the first-ever Northern Indiana Foodie Trail. This honor was awarded by the Northern Indiana Tourism Development Commission in partnership with Midwest Living magazine. The partnership chose 28 non-chain restaurants from seven counties in Northern Indiana to celebrate the different flavors of the region. These restaurants are featured in a guide booklet with a map and contact information. The guide can be downloaded on the NITDC website http://www.NorthernIndianaGetaways.com.
When asked about this honor, Ziolkowski was surprised. "I didn't really know about it," he responded, "but I am happy we were chosen."
You can also see Ziolkowski on television. His cooking show, Comfortable Cooking with Randy Z, is a half-hour cooking show aired Mondays on WHME Channel 46. This show is filmed in the Edward Christian kitchen. It focuses on everyone getting comfortable in the kitchen. Ziolkowski has received positive comments both from those watching, learning, and now having fun in the kitchen with their children and from other chefs who praise him for explaining their kitchen tricks to his audience.
Edward Christian Barbecue, 115 W. Plymouth St., is open for dinner Thursday through Saturday 5 to 9 p.m. For more information on Edward Christian Barbecue's catering, fundraising, menu, and more, visit the website at http://www.edwardchristianbarbecue.com.


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February 27, 2013
This week the students are heading out for break. For lots of guys, this is a chance to head for home, stretch out and relax from the big midterm crunch. For others, it is a chance to take off for points south – lots of sun, sand and fun. But for many Wabash men, it is something altogether different – it is a chance to learn by immersion into a subject, location or culture. This is a story about another Wabash professor and his passion for immersion learning.
Taking his Ph.D. at Cornell, Albert Reiff Bechtel was the Rose Professor of Botany who served Wabash for 30 years, retiring in 1952. Bechtel believed in fieldwork and used his time and talents to create the books An Introduction to Plant Science printed in 1938 and Keys to the Spring Flowering Plants of Central Indiana in 1939. Byron Trippet talks in his book Wabash on My Mind about Bechtel's love of teaching and of the outdoors, "He was a superb teacher. He was never flashy, never colorful…But he had a kind of quiet solidarity about him that grew on students. Above all, his sensitive love of nature, of anything that grew out of the earth, was a contagious quality which the dullest of his students recognized and admired. He was an excellent lecturer, vigorous, enthusiastic, obviously stocked with vast knowledge of his subject matter, but never pedantic. He was even better in the laboratory, patient and helpful with students poring over microscopes, explaining with freshness something he had explained hundreds of times before. He was at his best on field trips in the afternoon, leading a lab section of students over rough terrain in Pine Hills or Turkey Run, gathering specimens of plant life, pausing to give miniature lectures about a tree or a flower, or a seedling or a parasite. He painstakingly answered questions and tactfully corrected error. He made his students look at nature in a new way and to wonder about it."
Just this sort of passion for a subject is what inspires today's professors to share what they know of a place or a subject with their students via immersion trips. And while immersion today often involves travel to a far distant location, the underlying principles are the same as they were nearly 100 years ago and not so far away. All good teachers know that there is a substantial difference in the learning one does in class and the richness of firsthand observation via immersion. There are loads of other examples like these in our history – an engaged professor and eager students out in the field learning together – creating an education that runs deep and lasts a lifetime.
Photo: Chesnut Blight Lab in Field, Mt. Gretna, PA. 1912.


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Electronic Drum Kits Buyer's Guide
A recent report from mi-pro.co.uk reveals that Electronic Drums market is truly booming, as more and more hobbyists take up the challenge of beating the crap out of synth and sample triggering drum pads. Let's take a look at this burgeoning bandwagon…
It's probably fair to say that there has been nothing like the recent boom in electronic drum kits of the past five years since the explosion of electronic keyboards in the 1980s. The advance of sampling and synthesis technology, combined with increasingly sensitive and complex triggers has meant that – as with the keyboard's successor, the digital piano – an instrument whose sound and playability depends upon the acoustic structures achieved through traditional manufacturing methods can now be imitated very closely by synthetic means.
The electronic development of musical instruments has led to three significant selling points: noise levels, size and price. Nowadays would-be players can buy a drum kit for well under £400 (the popular Alesis DM5 Pro kit retails at £379, for instance) pop it in the corner of a bedroom without having to do more than clear a small space, plug in the headphones and start learning.
Those in the know will already be reaching for their 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' letter templates. Acoustic drum kits have long been as compact as electronic kits, of course, with practice pads readily available to silence a kit and entry-level kits have only recently been matched by electronic ones for price.
But with prices now coming down, there are now signs that youngsters starting out on an electronic kit are beginning to come back to the stores looking for an acoustic kit. It is a recent development, but one that bodes well.
In other words - people are starting with electronic drums and then moving to "the real thing". In a way, not entirely dissimilar to kids playing Guitar Hero then deciding to get a proper guitar. But, of course, electronic drums are actual musical instruments.
E-drums have also helped to popularize drums - It wasn't that long ago that a drum kit in a home was unusual. Give it a few more years and it will be positively normal!
What follows, then, is, as ever, far from a comprehensive run through of electronic drums, but it should be enough to give those pondering the possibility of getting into e-drums a bit of inspiration as to where to get started...
Alesis DM6 Kit 5-Piece Electronic Drum Kit With DM6 Drum Module £ 369.99
The Alesis DM6 Kit 5-Piece Electronic Drum Kit features a completely new sound module with 108 quality drum, cymbal, and percussion sounds. Its pads feel great and its hardware and rack system are high quality. Great starter drum kit.
Like all Alesis drum sets, the DM6 Kit features realistic, natural-feeling playing surfaces. To reduce vibration feedback, we selected natural rubber drum and cymbal surfaces for the DM6 Kit's pads. This five-piece kit gets you started on a dual-zone snare pad for two-sound compatibility.
Alesis DM5 Pro Kit £ 379.00
The Alesis DM5 Pro Kit is a complete high quality electronic drum kit.
The DM5 Pro's quick setup and easy portability are complemented by a versatile sound selection. With the DM5 Pro Kit, drummers can practice quietly with headphones, or get as loud as they need on-stage by connecting to an amplifier.
The flexibility of the DM5 Pro Kit functions insures that it performs equally well for recording or live gigs.
Yamaha DTXplorer £ 442.41
The DTXPLORER is Yamaha's lowest-priced professional-grade 5-piece electronic drum kit.
It features 214 high-caliber Yamaha drum and percussion voices, 22 preset songs, 32 preset drum kits, digital effects, and a 16-bit tone generator with 32-note polyphony. High-impact rubber pads with a natural feel and rebound, a sturdy folding rack, and an FP-6110 bass drum pedal complete the set.
The DTXPLORER is an ideal kit for practice at home or gigging live.
View Yamaha Electronic Drum Kits
Roland TD-4K 8-Piece Electronic Drum Kit With V-Pad Mesh Snare £ 819.00
The Roland TD-4K V-Drums Electronic Drum Kit offers outstanding feel, versatility, and affordability
It is also a great choice for the project studios, with improved sound quality and expression, and MIDI output for sequencing or triggering other sounds.
Roland TD-4KX £ 999.00
Based on the popular TD-4K kit, the new TD-4KX takes the best of the past — outstanding feel, versatility, and affordability — and spices it up with newly developed 6.5-inch mesh pads for high toms.
Other features include High-quality dynamic sounds, Easy editing with customizable tuning and muffling, Coach function for building skills and technique, Expandable with an optional pad or CY-12R/C ride-cymbal replacement, and Compatible with optional VH-11 V-Hi-Hat® to mount on conventional hi-hat stands.
An amazing kit - even for advanced players!


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Betty Jean Yeager
Betty Jean Yeager, 81, died Friday March 8, 2013 in Borger. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at the 1st Christian Church in Fritch with Rev. Sharalyn Larsen, Pastor officiating. Interment will follow at Westlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Minton Chatwell Funeral Directors of Fritch.


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nuun won best sports supplement in 7 of 8 regions in 2015's Best Of awards!
check out what's inside nuun elite lauren barnett's gear bag!
plus for nuun make the fuel up awards!
plus for nuun included as a preferred hypotonic drink for the bike
Jessie Sebor at Women's Running is obsessed with nuun energy lemon+lime!
Hydrate for a cause with nuun's People for Bikes 4-pack.
It (nuun energy) will give you a race morning boost and pump up your electrolyte intake during hot training days.
A day in the life of Kara Goucher.
In "Don't Sweat it, Better Nutrition's Guide to Exercise" Nuun is listed at the bottom under supplements for exercisers!
Team Nuun athlete Kara Goucher talks about her new partnerships, including Nuun!
March 23, 2016
March 08, 2016
February 02, 2016
January 20, 2016
December 16, 2015
September 05, 2014
July 09, 2014
April 17, 2014


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The Issue of Cleric DPS
- October 29th, 2011
- By Tomaj
- Write comment
Cleric DPS. Nearly the laughingstock of the game, except when it comes to AoE damage, and even then, only with Cabalist, or to a lesser degree, Inquisitor. Many people are saying lately that you cannot complete Hammerknell with cleric single-target DPS builds (Shaman, Druid, Inquisitor), unless they are hybrids with Justicar for Doctrine of Loyalty usage. It's actually quite sad, really, how poorly cleric DPS souls scale relative to other DPS souls from the other callings. In fact, come 1.6, many mage souls are getting some major buffs, and in the case of Pyromancer, a near complete overhaul.
What I want to do with this post is not to be a naysayer, and do everything I can to try not to be a in the "sky is falling" crowd with clerics in general. That kind of thing doesn't usually jibe well with me. But, to be honest, it can be hard not to throw yourself on that kind of bandwagon when there are very obviously some glaring issues in the current content. To that end, bear with me as I try to put this post forth in as much an objective manner as I can manage.


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Building? Rural lots starting at $24,900. Many lot prices have been reduced more than 50%. Lot sizes up to 1.87 acres. Ideal place to build your family home without a major investment in the land. To keep your expenses even lower, all lots have utilities to the lot line. PLUS an extra building is allowed to be built on lots w/minimal restrictions.
Features Lots and Acreage
|Total Acres: 1.33
|Zoning: R1
|Present Zoning: Single family
|Lot Size: 1.33 acres
|Lot Description: Adjacent to park/public land, Rural - in subdivision
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|Elementary School: South Beaver Dam
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|School District: Beaver Dam
|Body of Water: n/a
Estimate your monthly mortgage payment
How much can I borrow?
Speak with a mortgage consultant: 608-276-5210


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Discover a place that CNN ranked as a top ten world destination for 2012.
At the 18th Orange County Community Conference, Mayor Teresa Jacobs honored seven citizens as community champions for their invaluable contributions to our local neighborhoods.
Each individual was recognized for their work in assisting their neighborhoods flourish.
The Orange County Community Conference was organized by the Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization Division and held on July 21, 2012.
Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization Division
Orange County Internal Operations Center I (IOC I)
450 E. South Street, Third Floor, Suite 332
Orlando, FL. 32801
Email: email@example.com
Phone: (407) 836-5606
All e-mail sent to this address becomes part of Orange County public record. Comments received by our e-mail subsystem can be read by anyone who requests that privilege. In compliance with "Government in the Sunshine" laws, Orange County Government must make available, at request, any and all information not deemed a threat to the security of law enforcement agencies and personnel.


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First I see that Personus is working with David Gunness of Fulcrum. That really got my attention! I guess we will see and hope to hear this tuning in this line. Ive heard a few Fulcrum speakers and they sound absolutely amazing! And the price tag shows this too.
There is also some (or not) cool features programed into the DSP. Like a 31 band adjustable EQ and or a PEQ filter that both are programable via ipad/laptop to tune to the room. Wireless as well as Ethernet connections.
The three way box with the 8" woofers and coax compression driver really has my curiousty hat on.


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February 12, 2017
After LaKrista and I were manipulated into moving onto Treasure Island, we discovered it was toxic and was making us sick. So we decided to tell the world. I experienced no ill health and had never been hospitalized until, in 2004, I moved to Treasure Island. Soon, my young daughter LaKrista and I manifested similar strange symptoms. Years later, I put two and two together. I learned that neighbors on my block suffered the same illnesses as LaKrista and I.


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Wilkowski fires back at Bell by saying, "There is a Good Old Boys Club in Toledo that has had too much power for too long. It's called the Mike Bell for Mayor campaign and it is
run by Tom Noe Republicans like Bob Reichert and disgraced Finkbeiner Democrats like John Irish. That's not what I call independence."
Read more here:


text: Quality Systems signed an OEM and reseller agreement with Knosys that lets Quality Systems offer Knosys' ProClarity products to its customers and embed ProClarity's analytical functionality into future products. Microsoft SQL Server OLAP/Analysis Services and ProClarity offer a cost-effective, easy-to-use Business Intelligence (BI) solution. Quality Systems will embed ProClarity components into its entire product line, providing OLAP analysis capability to sales, financial, and planning applications. The latest product, Contract Analyser, is a specialized, easy-to-use data warehouse and OLAP-based analysis application for the US pharmaceutical industry. The product will help pharmaceutical companies obtain timely, up-to-date information about sales from a contract, customer, product or geographical perspective, and let them drill down to individual transactions. "Partnerships such as the one we have developed with Quality Systems allow us to expand our reach by delivering customized and extremely cost-effective solutions to meet specific customer needs around the globe," says Clay Young, Knosys' marketing vice president.


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Brown Announces Groundbreaking Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that ConocoPhillips has agreed to an "unprecedented global warming reduction plan" to off-set greenhouse gases caused by the expansion of its Northern California oil refinery.
Brown said that the oil company has agreed to offset greenhouse gas emission increases until the carbon-cutting regulations of AB 32 take effect in 2012.
"This agreement is a groundbreaking step in California's battle to combat global warming and gives the state an early edge in meeting the greenhouse gas reduction goals of AB 32," Brown told a news conference with ConocoPhillips at the Attorney General's Office in San Francisco.
ConocoPhillips has proposed an oil refinery expansion at its Rodeo facility in Contra Costa County, including a hydrogen plant to make cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel fuels from the heavy portion of crude oil. Brown appealed to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, challenging the environmental documentation for the project and the failure to mitigate the increased greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the operation of the hydrogen plant.
The Attorney General said he would now withdraw the state's appeal based on the significant greenhouse gas emission offsets agreed to by ConocoPhillips.
Brown added, "Under this unprecedented global warming reduction plan, ConocoPhillips becomes the first oil company in America to off-set greenhouse gas emissions from a refinery expansion project. This is a breakthrough."
The hydrogen project will initially emit approximately 500,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. ConocoPhillips will take the following actions as part of its efforts to offset these emissions:
• Auditing all its California refineries and identifying all greenhouse gas emission sources and reduction opportunities.
• Conducting an energy efficiency audit at Rodeo to identify feasible energy efficiency measures.
• Funding a $7 million offset program that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will use to support offset projects in the Bay Area.
• Funding $2.8 million for reforestation efforts in California, with an estimated sequestration of 1.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases over the life of the reforestation projects.
• Funding $200,000 for restoration of the San Pablo wetlands.
• Surrendering the operating permit for the calciner at the Santa Maria facility, which ConocoPhillips estimates emitted 70,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases annually.
• If ConocoPhillips reduces its greenhouse gas emissions at the Rodeo facility, it will get credit towards its contribution to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District offset fund.
ConocoPhillips also agrees to offset any CO2 emissions in excess of 500,000 metric tons per year from the hydrogen unit if it increases its use of hydrogen. The company may apply to receive offsets credits for reductions achieved through the projects and activities funded through this agreement, under AB 32, or any equivalent state or federal law or regulation.
In 2005, ConocoPhillips proposed a project, known as the Clean Fuels Expansion Project, designed to make cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel fuels from the heavy gas oil already produced at the refinery. The expansion included a hydrogen plant to produce steam and electricity for these refinery processes. ConocoPhillips estimated that the project would increase the supply of cleaner burning fuels by approximately one million gallons per day in California.
Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Contra Costa County prepared an Environmental Impact Report on the project and accepted public comments. After the concluding that the report adequately addressed greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, the County Planning Commission certified the report. Attorney General Brown appealed to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in May 2007 on grounds that the impact report did not adequately address the greenhouse gas emissions and the associated climate change impacts of the project.
Scientists throughout the world overwhelming agree that global warming is real, is here now, and will get worse. At current emissions levels, temperatures in California will increase by 4 to 10 degrees during this century. In 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 32, landmark global warming legislation that commits the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020—a 25% reduction. But AB 32 regulations do not take effect until 2012 and there are no current limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
Today's agreement with ConocoPhillips comes on the heels of a landmark agreement with San Bernardino County to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the county level. These actions join a growing movement at the local level to combat climate change. As of June 2007, over 540 mayors from 50 states have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, a pledge to reduce global warming pollution in cities 7% below 1990 levels by the year 2012.
In California, the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties have partnered with the Institute for Local Government to launch a California Climate Action Network. The network proposes a variety of actions—from conserving energy to using lower carbon fuels—that can be taken by local jurisdictions to cut greenhouse gas emissions. For more information visit: http://www.ca-ilg.org/climatechange/
The attorney general's global warming agreement with ConocoPhillips is attached.


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Storm-Colored Rooms
It's storm season here in the Midwest: nighttime brings rumbling skies and you wake up to dark, cloudy mornings. And that's not a complaint — I love the energy and color of a storm. Here are some rooms that I think incorporate a little bit of storminess:
• 1 This bedroom by Thom Filicia feels just like a storm rolling in.
• 2 From Attic Mag, this reminds us of greener-than-green trees and grass before a storm.
• 3 This is a severe storm of a room: black everywhere with a tinge of green, from House to Home
• 4 Love the bright-yet-dark blues in this room by Steven Grambel.
• 5 Clouds just rolling in - storm's a-brewin'! Image via Windlost.
There's a special light and color that goes along with a storm and it would be fun to find more rooms that are able to recreate that. These are a start, but I'll have my eyes out for more as we make it through this stormy weather!
Images: as linked above


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UH Men's Basketball and Volleyball Coaches Receive New Contracts
Riley Wallace to remain men's basketball coach and Mike Wilton to remain men's volleyball coach thru 2005University of Hawaiʻi
Sports Information Director
Kate Wester, (808) 956-9095
Director of Public Relations and Special Events
The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents today approved new contracts for Riley Wallace, the UH Mānoa men's basketball coach and the winningest coach in UH basketball history, and Michael Wilton, the UH Mānoa men's volleyball coach and one of the most successful volleyball coaches in the country. Wallace's contract will be extended until April 30, 2005 and Wilton's contract will be thru May 31, 2005.
"I am excited that the Board of Regents has given validation to two excellent coaches," said UH President Evan Dobelle. "Both teams have thrived under their respective coaches."
Riley Wallace
"The extension of Riley Wallace's contract, I believe, is a testimony of the great job he has done with our men's basketball program," said UH Athletics Director Herman Frazier. "Personally, I am impressed with the student-athletes on his team and the style of play our fans have come to love."
Last season Wallace directed the Rainbow Warriors to their second-ever regular season Western Athletic Conference title as well as their second consecutive WAC Tournament crown. For his efforts, Wallace was named NABC District 13 Coach of the Year and WAC Coach of the Year. It was his third WAC honor after earning it in 1989 and 1997.
"All parties involved worked extremely hard to get this done. The contract satisfied both sides and that's always positive," said Wallace. "This will definitely help our recruiting efforts because recruits look at length of coaches contracts when deciding where to go. It also helps in a lot of the decision-making that goes on in trying to help keep the program successful."
Through 15 seasons, Wallace has guided the 'Bows to four appearances in the National Invitation Tournament (1989, '90, '97, '98) and three showings in the NCAA Tournament (1994, 2001, 2002). He captured the school's first-ever WAC Tournament title in 1994. Wallace's 254-206 (.552) record places him first all-time among UH basketball coaches in wins against four-year college opponents and in total victories.
A native of Illinois, the 61-year-old began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, Centenary, as an assistant coach. In 1976, he assumed the dual role of athletics director and head coach.
In 1978, Wallace took the post of associate head coach at Hawai'i under long-time UH coach Larry Little. He left briefly to head the Seminole Junior College program but returned to the state to become the program's 17th head coach in 1987.
Michael Wilton
"I think this is a great statement by the University in extending Mike Wilton's contract. He has done a terrific job molding young student-athletes into great volleyball players both on the court and in the classroom," said Frazier. Wilton is a coaching veteran with 24 years of experience at the collegiate level and a phenomenal record of 203-87 at UH, as well as a pair of national coach of the Year honors and two NCAA Finals appearances. However, Wilton's crowning glory came last season when he led the Warriors to a four-game defeat of Pepperdine to clinch the NCAA Championship match broadcast on ESPN. This was a historic moment for the entire University because no men's team had won a national title in the history of UH.
Currently in his 11th season, Wilton is back on the hunt for another national crown. With 521 career wins, including a program best 200 with Hawai'i, Wilton has established himself as one of the most successful volleyball coaches in the country.
"I'm very appreciative of the effort that everyone involved put forth to get this done. It shows a great commitment to me and the men's volleyball program," said Wilton.
Wilton arrived in Hawai'i in the 1960's to play volleyball for Church College of Hawai'i, now called BYU-Hawai'i. Wilton took over the Warrior program after a year as an assistant with the BYU men's squad. Prior to that, Wilton spent 12 seasons with the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo women's team, posting an impressive 283-137 record with the Mustang women from 1978-89. He also headed the Cal Poly men for three years. Wilton served as an assistant with the UC Santa Barbara men, and was men's head coach at BYU — Hawai'i in 1976.
For more information, visit: http://www.uhathletics.hawaii.edu


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Towel Holder and Dowel Rack
Make a Towel Holder and Dowel Rack combination for more bathroom storage.
Have you run out of places to hang your flannels, towels and other bath-time accessories? This Towel Holder and Dowel Rack combination will solve your storage problem! 🙂 I made this adorable towel holder from scrap wood left in my wood bin (just like the picture frames I made last week). Here's all you need to complete this Towel Holder and Dowel Rack that is sure to give your bathroom a touch of class.
Crosspieces (2 pieces @ 11 3/8″ x 7/8″ x 7/8″ – softwood like pine)
Slats (6 pieces @ 22 5/8″ x 7/8″ x 7/8″ – softwood like pine)
Spacer (1 piece @ 24″ x 1 3/5″ x 1/2″ – MDF or plywood)
Rail Back Board (1 piece @ 23 5/8″ x 5 3/4″ x 3/4″ – softwood like pine)
Pegs (4 wooden dowels cut 4 3/4″ long and 1″ diameter – we used 5 dowels 1/2″ in size. Make sure to adjust your spacing if you use smaller dowels)
Brackets (2 pieces @ 4 3/8″ x 4 3/8″ x 3/4″ – softwood like pine)
Back Bars (2 pieces @ 13″ x 1 3/4″ x 3/4″ – softwood like pine)
– 12 galvanized wood-screws ( 1 3/8″ x 1/8″) – Galvanized screws will not rust.
– Pencil for marking
– Straight edge for aligning
– Square
– Power drill with 1/8 " straight bit and a 1″ spade bit (Same size as your dowel)
– Power drill/screwdriver
– Mouse Sander with Abrasive paper (start with 80 grit; finish with 120 or 220)
– Wood Glue/wood filler to fill nail holes
– Paint or stain (I used Rustoleum White Oil Base Spray Paint with a high gloss finish)
– Polyurethane varnish (this will not be required if you use the Rustoleum White Oil Base Spray Paint)
Let's get started on this neat project to build a Towel Holder and Dowel Rack 🙂
1. Taking your two crosspieces, mark off divisions with the spacer and one of the slats. Lay one slat atop both crosspieces, flush with the end, and draw a pencil line. Lay the spacer against the first slate and add the second slat. Draw a pencil mark line to mark the placement of the second slat. Continue marking alternate slat and spacer divisions. Make sure the final slat is flush with the crosspiece end.
2. Now take your square and make an X inside every other slat area starting from the end. The X marks the center where you will attach the slats to the crosspieces.
3. Using a 1/8 " drill bit and your power drill, drill a hole through each slat.
4. Install the two outer slats first with the suggested screws. Doing this helps hold the piece straight why you install the remaining slats. Use the MDF spacer to ensure the equal gaps between the slats. Make sure your ends are flush by feeling with your fingers. Continue installing the slats to the crosspieces.
5. Now for the dowels. Locate the center of the rail back and draw a pencil line lengthwise. Use equal space to mark the location of each dowel. (The first dowels should be about 4 1/2″ in from each end. ) Continue spacing the dowels using the same approximate distance from each other. Drill a hole at each marked point with a 1″ spade bit (the hole size should be the same as the dowels). Clamp the rail back atop some scrap wood to prevent drill tear out.
6. Glue each dowel into the drilled holes and let dry.
7. Cut two brackets to size and place one against each rail back bar, flush with the top and aligned against opposite sides. We used our Ryobi airstrike nail gun and wood glue to set the brackets, nailing the bottom corners and nailing in from the back and top of the boards.
8. Next attached the rail back board. We used Titebond wood glue and our Ryobi nail gun with 1 3/8″ nails to attach as in the photo below. Make sure your dowels are dry or you could bend them while installing the backboard.
9. Next position the shelf on the brackets, with the top of each bracket flush with the inside of the crosspieces. We again used our Ryobi nailer and wood glue for strength with 1 3/8 " nails.
10. Wood fill any open holes, sand, paint, let dry and hang in your bathroom on the wall of your choice.
Our Towel Holder and Dowel Rack project took us about 3 hours total including paint. We hope you find this project as fun as we did. There is no better feeling then using scrap wood for these great storage pieces.
Don't forget to share our post on your Pinterest, Facebook, and Hometalk boards so others can enjoy the plans. Happy wood working!!!
Linda 🙂