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Review by Justin Johnson
Graphics: 8
Sound: 8.5
Gameplay: 9.5
Overall: 9
one of last year's most popular and sought-after imports, many wondered
just what the hell all the fuss about Ikaruga was. Many online
importers hawked this game for months upon it's release, and many even
sold through their initial shipments and had to order more. Just
what the hell was this oddly titled game for the Dreamcast that
everyone's always yapping about, and is it any good? Well now
it's here, albeit on a completely new platform (although certainly one
that's a bit more powerful) and it's a welcome blast from the past.
At it's core, Ikaruga is a scrolling shooter with a top-down perspective, the likes of which haven't been seen regularly in many years. Needless to say, if you were ever a fan of the genre, you should definitely check out Ikaruga, and even if you've never been a fan, Ikaruga may just convert you and is worth at least a rental. There's a story backdrop about some war going on, but much like other shooters, you're not going to be playing this one for the story, it's all about twitch-action, which Ikaruga delivers in spades. Fan-favorite Treasure seems to have been hooked on a "color-switching" theme in the past few years, releasing several games that feature some sort of color or character-swapping in order to add new gameplay elements. From Bangai-O on the Dreamcast to Silhouette Mirage on the Playstation, it's an element we'll probably be seeing from Treasure for a while to come, but hey, as long as it keeps producing quality games that are fun to play they can stick with it as long as they please.
In Ikaruga you pilot a ship that can switch polarities, either black or white. While your ship is in the white polarity you're immune to white gunfire, and instead absorb it, while black gunfire will kill your ship, and vice versa in the black polarity. Another interesting feature is that while you're in the white polarity, you'll deal out double damage to black enemies and vice versa. While it sounds simple enough, when your screen fills with enemy fire, most gamers will admit that it's a little tough to weave in and out of screen-filling fire while switching polarities to survive. There's an old saying that "less is more," and that describes Ikaruga to a tee. The game doesn't get bogged down in complicated control schemes (in fact you'll only use 3 buttons plus the control stick), story or anything trivial, it's just a kickass game. Players are encouraged to get "chains" which basically translates to "shoot 3 of the same colored enemies in a row" in order to create higher scores and combos. This allows the truly hardcore to master chaining together enemies to get high scores, while newbies or casual players can just go through blasting everything in sight. The intense and powerful soundtrack does wonders for the game and pumps you up (think Rocky's "Eye of the Tiger" theme).
One of the best aspects of Ikaruga, at least in my opinion is that once you're accustomed to the controls and gameplay mechanics, it's a blast just to pick up and play. The most fulfilling aspect of Ikaruga isn't beating the game necessarily, but playing for high scores (think arcade games like Crazy Taxi or Robotron). A two player mode, an online ranking system and some time or score-based unlockables add to the replay value of Ikaruga, although the regular game is plenty enough to keep you coming back for years to come. While Ikaruga is certainly one of my favorite GameCube games, it's definitely not for everyone. A high difficulty level will alienate a larger audience from appreciating the game, but it's just right for those that miss the challenges and sheer fun of yesteryear. For old school shooter fans and twitch-action fans, however, this is a must-buy.
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An Ideal Home
Rosemarie Rossetti shares excerpts from her book, "Universal Design Toolkit" for those considering retirement and accessible home design (More)
Accessible Home Design
Paralyzed Veterans of America's architects were on hand during this year's L.A. Abilities Expo (More)
The Coolest Room In The House
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Welcome Home
Ohio residents open their home as universal design living laboratory (More)
Home Hacks
Remodel remedies to make your home easily wheelchair accessible (More)
Homes For Veterans
Veteran organization unlocks the door to three new homes (More)
Make Your House Your Home
Most ready-made buildings were not made ready for wheelchair users. So, customize your residence. In no time your house will really be your home (More)
Accessibility Standards
Real Estate Developer Agrees to Retrofit Apartment Complexes in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to Meet Accessibility Standards (More)

subset: commoncrawl


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From the Description:
Fate in plain sight.
Major Crimes Detective Samantha Reilly prefers to work alone—she's seen as a maverick, and she still struggles privately with the death of her partner. The only person who ever sees her softer side is Michael Turcotte, a teenager she's known since she rescued him eleven years ago from the aftermath of his parents' murder-suicide.
In foster care since his parents' death, Michael is a loner who tries to fly under the bullies' radar, but a violent assault triggers a disturbing ability to view people's dark futures. No one believes his first vision means anything, though—not even Sam Reilly. When reality mimics his prediction, however, Sam isn't the only one to take notice. A strange girl named Tessa Masterson asks Michael about her future, and what he sees sends him back to Sam—is Tessa victim or perpetrator?
Tessa's tangled secrets draw Michael and Sam inexorably into a deadly conflict. Sam relies on Michael, but his only advantage is the visions he never asked for. As they track a cold and calculating killer, one misstep could turn the hunters into prey.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this story. This review is part of the Seeing Evil Blog Tour at Oh, for the Hook of a Book Follow along to find out more about Seeing Evil and Jason Parent.
About the Author
In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it's harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he's back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that's another story.
When he's not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists in a knot or takes somebody's head off - he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.
You can visit Jason at http://authorjasonparent.com/ or find him on Facebook and Twitter
Praise for Seeing Evil
"...one of the best suspense thrillers I have read in a very long time. In lesser hands it would have been a decent read but the author's skill in setting the scene, character development, and story telling makes this a far superior novel." - Book Nutter's Book Reviews
"... Parent writes in such a fluid, mesmerizing and realistic way that I found I couldn't stop!" - My So-Called Book Reviews
"Wow! That was just brilliant! Every single chapter straight from the very beginning had me gripped." - Andrew Lennon, author of Keith and A Life to Waste
"Jason Parent tortures us right alongside his characters. The world building is excellent and very real." - I'm a Voracious Reader
"Seeing Evil has some very special moments and is a very fast read. There's no denying Parent has talent." Glenn Rolfe, author of Blood and Rain and Boom Town
"Superbly fast paced from beginning to end meaning you will not want to put it down... Brilliant characters that gel together perfectly. A bloody good book." - Confessions of a Reviewer
"This is one seriously entertaining, thought provoking read." - Adam Light, author of Taken and Toes Up
"The entire story was strong, driven, and merciless in all regard from beginning to end. Even when you think you know where it's going, there's yet another--logical--twist." Horror After Dark
"Seeing Evil is a perfectly-paced book, with intriguing characters and white-knuckle, edge of your seat tension... Parent's writing here is top notch - sleek, efficient and with surprising emotional depth." - Evans Light, author of Screamscapes and Harmlessly Insane
Buy the Book at
Barnes & Noble
Red Adept Publishing
Sign up to enter to win one of five books from Jason Parent! There is one print copy of Seeing Evil, one print copy of Bad Apples 2 collection, 1 e-book of What Hides Within, and one e-book of Dead Roses. All winners get Seeing Evil bookmarks! Random draw chooses winner. First name drawn receives first prize, and so on. Any giveaway questions may be forwarded to Erin Al-Mehairi, publicist, email@example.com.
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Stepping back so as not to alarm the child, Samantha scanned Michael for wounds, but she
couldn't find the source of the blood. She hoped it wasn't Michael's, but she saw no evidence, no
tracks or prints, that suggested Michael had been anywhere near the bodies. Then again,
shouldn't he be in a crib or something? What's he doing in here? There's no part of this that he should have been forced to witness.
Samantha moved in for a closer look. His hands rested on his thighs, the blood on them dry
and cracking on his skin. Something protruded from beneath them, something dark and metallic.
Samantha gasped. "Michael, don't move, okay?"
Michael seemed oblivious to her presence, swaying to a beat only he could hear. It was as
though she wasn't part of the world he was seeing. Slowly, she reached for the object with the
caution of one taking a bone from a snarling dog. Only Michael wasn't snarling. He seemed
uninterested in her, still rocking and staring blankly through her, unblinking and locked on that same focal point.
Maybe he's in shock. Maybe he does understand what happened here. His unresponsiveness was certainly beyond mere willful ignorance. Samantha didn't think he would notice if she lit a
firecracker in front of him. He seemed out of touch with reality. For the moment, Samantha preferred him that way.
With a hand as steady as a surgeon's, Samantha reached for the pistol Michael was huddled over like a bear protecting her cub. She avoided contact with him, fearful of what would happen
if she disturbed his trancelike state. Her fingers treaded over the barrel, searching for its grip.
She pulled the handgun, a black Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm, from beneath Michael. The
barrel brushed against his thigh. With cold, empty eyes bulging open like those of the drowning,
Michael gazed into Samantha's. She felt exposed, as if with only a look, the child could delve
into the recesses of her mind, revealing her every secret. The thought terrified her. So did Michael.
With reflexes beyond one of his age, Michael grabbed the gun with both hands. Samantha
quickly pulled it away. Unnerved as she was, she still had Michael's safety at the forefront of her
mind. She removed the weapon from the boy's reach, at all times conscious of its threat. When she found the safety smeared in blood, she clicked it on and breathed a sigh of relief. As she'd
expected, there had been a bullet in the chamber. She dropped the gun into an open evidence bag held by Tagliamonte.
Michael's eyes remained on her. They were blue and cloudy like the sky before a rainbow, a
fire as bright as the sun burning behind them. His mouth creaked open as though tiny gears
controlled its laborious motion. When his chin dropped so low it nearly rested on his throat, a sound, low and indistinguishable at first, emitted from somewhere deep within the boy. As it amplified, its sharp clamor made Samantha's blood ice within her veins.
At once, Samantha knew that not only did Michael comprehend what had happened to his
parents, but also that he felt it in the worst sort of way. His wail was ghostly and ghastly, the cry of one seized by agony. Samantha was afraid, both for him and of him, and of what such trauma
might cause him to become. Backing away, not knowing how to comfort the lost child, Samantha knew it would not be the last she would see of Michael.


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'Vampire Trucker' Who Kept Women As Sex Slaves Gets 20 Years In Prison
He kidnapped, raped and abused six different woman over two decades.
The infamous "Vampire Trucker" who kidnapped, raped and abused six woman over two decades was sentenced to 20 years in prison last Wednesday. Timothy Jay Vafeades, now 53, was obsessed with vampires, naming his trucking rig the "Twilight Express," and wore a set of fake fangs. He held his victims for months at a time, often keeping them chained up in the back of his truck, where he would repeatedly beat and rape them.
Vafeades was first arrested in 2013, when officers at a weigh station noticed bruises on the face of a young girl who was traveling with him. The girl eventually told authorities she was being held against her will and was the victim of ongoing physical and sexual abuse. As investigators began to dig deeper, they found five more women who told horrific tales of abuse at the hands of the Vampire Trucker. While imprisoning his captives he would control every facet of their lives, how they dressed, dying their hair and even filing down their teeth with a dremel for perceived dental imperfections.
At his sentencing, which follows a plea deal he made with prosecutors, one of Vafeades' victims spoke out. "I feel fortunate I can actually speak today," said the woman identified as "Victim B" in court, before describing the chilling details of her abuse. "I was assaulted with a belt. He raped me." U.S. District Judge David Nuffer handed down the 20-year sentence following Vafeades' guilty pleas to two charges of transporting a person across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of transporting child pornography. Before sentencing, a greying, diminished Vafeades briefly addressed the court, through sobs saying. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry those women were hurt."
Photo: Davis County Jail
Crime Time is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxgen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Sign up for our Crime Time Newsletter and subscribe to our true crime podcast Martinis & Murder for all the best true crime content.


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Determining the right direction for growth, navigating uncharted waters, and identifying how best to handle those hard decisions are challenges a senior leader faces. For some, becoming excited about the business again, celebrating victories, and realizing the potential for growth can become just as important. Many senior leaders experience the challenge of knowing where to go and who to turn to when these issues arise. Confidentiality, an independent perspective, and an honest sounding board can be difficult for a senior leader to find, trust, and utilize. It may be a cliché, but there's truth in the statement "it can be lonely at the top." Throughout my many years of business ownership, I've experienced a litany of challenges – ranging from great opportunities to nightmares; rarely did I encounter an environment where I could hash these challenges out openly and honestly. I had to keep it inside, suck it up, and deal with it.
This program is specifically designed to avoid the pitfalls senior leaders may face. These pitfalls can take shape when one is too close to the situation, received opinionated or poor advice, or if advisors continue to be stuck by looking at an issue from the same old perspective. A quality advisor not only has to be a trusted confidant, but they also must be willing, when needed, to "go there" and let the emperor know he has no clothes.
Most senior leaders have a network of friends, colleagues, professional advisors or even a gallant spouse on which they can lean. The challenge with this can come in several forms. First, the leader often doesn't want to take advantage of a relationship and "dump" a bunch of issues on a friend. In some cases, the leader may be embarrassed, worried, or afraid to talk to this network because things may not be as rosy as outsiders believe. On the flipside, as the receiver of this information, a person can be flattered by becoming a confidant. However, in virtually all cases, these people tire, become disinterested, frustrated, or have some sort of dog in the fight. Are you going to talk to your banker about an accounts receivable issue and if so, whose interest will s/he have in mind? Can you talk about your frustration with your business partner? Do you really want to talk to your spouse about that embarrassing HR issue you're facing?
There's immense value in creating a confidential, open, and honest environment in which a leader can talk through a potential issue with hard questions asked. Perspectives, motivations, and assumptions will be challenged. Without this sort of environment, leaders won't always see the blind spots, threats, and opportunities. Having an independent set of eyes can help the leader ensure they're seeing clearly, making the right decisions, and feeling comfortable that things will work out.
This support may come in many different forms, such as:
- Confidential conversations
- Strategic direction planning
- Growth plans
- Personnel issues
- Work/life balance
- Transition strategies
- Personal goal setting
- Problem solving
- Accountability
- Dreaming bigger
- Really, it's your call (what challenge are you facing?)
How It Works
We will meet in person or talk on the phone for one hour to see if there's a fit, with no charge or expectations. Do we both feel we would be able to work together? Provided we both decide to move forward, we'd establish what an ongoing relationship would look like. This would likely look like a set call or meeting one to four times a month, along with several emails, calls, or texts between meetings as you feel is necessary. I've found there's huge value in being able to have those brief calls when a specific issue is on my mind. If there are specific projects identified – great! We can outline them and make a plan, which may range from joining in on meetings to onsite visits or strategic planning events.
Yep, guaranteed. It's that simple. I don't want to be working with people I'm not providing value to nor folks who don't value my contribution. With that in mind, there are no contracts or pre-established fee arrangements. We talk about it, work together, and at the end of each month, you make the call on what would be appropriate compensation for the contributions made that month. If you need us to provide an invoice or purchase order, we can work that out.


text: Every working actor knows it's impossible to look imposing with your feet dangling off a stool. Did Mahershala Ali learn nothing in acting school? While guesting on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Moonlight star explained how the absence of a real honest-to-god chair sabotaged his attempt to join the pantheon of players on Game of Thrones. It all worked out for the best in the end, though. Had he been cast on Game of Thrones, the Luke Cage actor might not have had the right schedule to co-star in the critically acclaimed Moonlight, which, if you've seen it, requires virtually no stool work whatsoever.


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Claude McKay
Claude McKay (15 September 1889 – 22 May 1948 / Clarendon)
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Dawn In New York
The Dawn! The Dawn! The crimson-tinted, comes
Out of the low still skies, over the hills,
Manhattan's roofs and spires and cheerless domes!
The Dawn! My spirit to its spirit thrills.
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text: A thin layer of multiwalled carbon nanotubes constitutes a new superblack material that absorbs 99 percent of multiple wavelengths of light — an achievement that promises to open new frontiers in space technology. "Our material is darn near perfect across multiple wavelength bands, from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared," said John Hagopian, who is leading the effort at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "No one else has achieved this milestone yet." The nanotubes are positioned vertically on various substrate materials, and reflectance tests showed that the team had extended the range of each material's absorption capabilities by 50 times. They discovered that their superblack material absorbs 99.5 percent of the light in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible, dipping to 98 percent in the longer or far-infrared bands. This close-up view (only about 0.03 inches wide) shows the internal structure of a carbon-nanotube coating that absorbs about 99 percent of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared and far-infrared light that strikes it. A section of the coating, which was grown on smooth silicon, was purposely removed to show the tubes' vertical alignment. (Images: Stephanie Getty, NASA Goddard) Hagopian noted that other researchers have reported near-perfect absorption levels mainly mainly in the UV and visible (See: Superblack Material Created). "The advantage over other materials is that our material is 10 to 100 times more absorbent, depending on the specific wavelength band," Hagopian said. "We knew it was absorbent," said Manuel Quijada, Goddard engineer. "We just didn't think it would be this absorbent from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared." The Goddard engineers originally reported their finding in August at SPIE's Optics & Photonics 2011 conference in San Diego and have since reconfirmed the material's absorption capabilities in additional testing. This high-magnification image, taken with an electron microscope, shows an even closer view of the hollow carbon nanotubes. A coating made of this material is seen as black by the human eye and sensitive detectors because the tiny gaps between the tubes collect and trap light, preventing reflection. The tests indicate that the carbon nanotubes are especially useful for a variety of spaceflight applications where observing in multiple-wavelength bands is important, such as in stray-light suppression. The tiny gaps between the tubes collect and trap background light to prevent it from reflecting off surfaces and interfering with the light that scientists actually want to measure. Because only a small fraction of light reflects off the coating, the human eye and sensitive detectors see the material as black. If used in detectors and other instrument components, the technology would allow scientists to gather hard-to-obtain measurements of objects so distant in the universe that astronomers no longer can see them in visible light, or those in high-contrast areas, including planets in orbit around other stars, Hagopian said. Earth scientists studying the oceans and atmosphere also would benefit. More than 90 percent of the light Earth-monitoring instruments gather comes from the atmosphere, overwhelming the faint signal they are trying to retrieve. Instrument developers currently use black paint to prevent stray light from ricocheting off surfaces, but the paint has only a 90 percent absorption rate and does not remain black in cryogenic temperatures, which are required for far-infrared-sensing instruments that gather faint signals from the distant universe. NASA is currently evaluating the carbon nanotube material for use on such instruments. For more information, visit: www.nasa.gov/goddard


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No. 25016 NOTICE OF ALTERATION OF PUBLIC ROADWAY NO. 499 McGREGOR LAKE ROAD, GOVERNMENT LOT 8 Notice is hereby given that the Board of Viewers have reported to the Flathead County Board of Commissioners on the alteration of that certain public roadway described as follows: A 60-foot County road easement, being 30 feet on each side of a centerline, in Government Lot 8 in Section 6, Township 26 North, Range 25 West, P.M.M., Flathead County, Montana. The centerline being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of Tract A of Certificate of Survey No. 14083, records of Flathead County, Montana; thence along the west boundary line of said tract, South 00o 14' 47" West 18.02 feet to the point of beginning of the centerline of the strip easement being described; thence South 82o 10' 18" east 139.29 feet to the beginning of a 1356.00 foot radius tangent curve, concave northeasterly; thence along said tangent curve through a central angle of 2o 12' 01", an arc length of 52.08 feet; thence South 84o 22' 20" East 407.20 feet to the beginning of a 1356.00 foot radius tangent curve, concave northerly; thence along said tangent curve through a central angle of 12o 32' 44", an arc length of 296.91 feet; thence North 83o 04' 56" East 435.49 feet to the east boundary line of Tract E of Certificate of Survey No. 14083, records of Flathead County, Montana, and the end of the centerline of the strip easement being described, with sidelines being lengthened or shortened as needed to connect sidelines and, terminate at the beginning west boundary line of said Tract A and the ending east boundary line of said Tract E, said easement containing 1.828 acres of land, more or less. Notice is hereby given to the petitioners or landowners, as disclosed by the last assessment roll of Flathead County, owning land abutting the roadway described above and being considered for alteration. The public hearing on this petition for alteration is set for January 9, 2018 at 9:15 a.m. in the Commissioners' Chambers, located on the third floor of the County Courthouse at 800 South Main in Kalispell, Montana. For further information, please call (406) 758-5537. DATED this 12th day of December, 2017. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Flathead County, Montana By: /s/ Gary D. Krueger Gary D. Krueger, Chairperson December 27, January 3, 2017 MNAXLP ________________________
No. 25038 PUBLIC NOTICE In accordance with 17.55.114(6) of the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) hereby gives notice of a 30-day public comment period on its proposal to delist the Burlington Northern Facility Essex in Essex, Montana. The BNSF Railway Company has successfully completed a voluntary cleanup of this facility and DEQ is soliciting public comment on the proposed delisting of this facility. DEQ has determined that through this voluntary cleanup, the BNSF Railway Company has completed all remedial action required for the facility. Thus, upon payment of all remedial action costs, all the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act (CECRA) will be fully met, including the requirement that conditions at the facility assure present and long-term protection of public health, safety and welfare and the environment. Therefore, DEQ proposes to remove the facility from the CECRA priority list once closure is approved. The public comment period will begin on Wednesday, January 3, 2018, and comments must be received in the DEQ office by midnight on Friday, February 2, 2018. Copies of the Voluntary Cleanup Plan (VCP) and other site-related documents are available at the ImagineIf Library, 247 1st Avenue East, in Kalispell and the DEQ State Superfund Unit of the Waste Management and Remediation Division office located at 1225 Cedar Street in Helena. Excavation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils occurred at the Facility in 2015, and institutional controls have been put in place to prohibit residential use of the railyard portion of the Facility. Risk evaluations in the VCP indicate that the residual contaminants of concern in the soil at the Facility do not pose unacceptable risk to human health and the environment based on unrestricted property use for the residential non-railyard portion of the Facility and commercial/industrial use for the railyard portion of the Facility. DEQ will hold a public meeting upon written request to the DEQ on or before February 2, 2018, by 10 or more persons, a group of 10 or more persons, or by a local governing body. If you have any questions or would like to submit comments on the proposed delisting, please contact Matthew Kent at the DEQ, Waste Management and Remediation Division, P.O. Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901 or by phone at (406)444-6444 or 1-800-246-8198 (in Montana outside Helena). Rem [483713] January 3, 2018 MNAXLP __________________________
No. 25002 PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST ONE NEW MONTANA ALL-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES LICENSE Stoner Road North, LLC (Member: Bettina C. Patyk) has applied for one new Montana All-Alcoholic Beverages with Catering Endorsement License No. 07-999-2455-002 to be operated at Beargrass Bistro, 306 Stoner Loop, Unit 3, Lakeside, Flathead County. The public may protest this new license in accordance with the law. Who can protest this transfer? Protests will be accepted from residents of the county of the proposed location (Flathead), residents of adjoining Montana counties (Lincoln, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, Lewis & Clark, Powell, Lake, Sanders), and residents of adjoining counties in another state if the criteria in 16-4-207(4)(d), Montana Code Annotated (MCA), are met. What information must be included? Protest letters must be legible and contain (1) the protestor's full name, mailing address, and street address; (2) the license number (07-999-2455-002) and the applicant's name (Stoner Road North, LLC); (3) an indication that the letter is intended as a protest; (4) a description of the grounds for protesting; and (5) the protestor's signature. A letter with multiple signatures will be considered one protest letter. What are valid protest grounds? The protest may be based on the applicant's qualifications listed in 16-4-401, MCA, or the grounds for denial of an application in 16-4-405, MCA. Examples of valid protest grounds include: (1) the applicant is unlikely to operate the establishment in compliance with the law; (2) the proposed location cannot be properly policed by local authorities; and (3) the welfare of the people in the vicinity of the proposed location will be adversely and seriously affected. How are protests submitted? Protests must be postmarked to the Department of Revenue, Office of Dispute Resolution, P.O. Box 5805, Helena, Montana 59604-5805 on or before January 15, 2018. What happens if the transfer is protested? Depending on the number of protests and the protest grounds, a public hearing will be held in Helena or Lakeside. All valid protestors will be notified of the hearing's time, date and location. Hearings typically are scheduled within 90 days. A protester's hearing testimony is limited to the grounds in the protester's letter. Following the hearing, the Department of Revenue will notify the public whether the license transfer is approved or denied. How can additional information be obtained? The cited MCA statutes are online at leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/. Questions may be directed to Patty Kautz, Compliance Specialist for the Department of Revenue's Liquor Control Division, at (406) 444-0017 or firstname.lastname@example.com. December 13, 20, 27, January 3, 2017 MNAXLP
No. 25024 LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: GENERAL CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Somers School District #29 is soliciting proposals from qualified General Contractor/Construction Managers for a proposed school construction project at the Somers Middle School campus. A project summary and submittal requirements may be obtained from the School District Office at 315 School Addition Road in Somers, Montana, phone 406-857-3301, or from Superintendent Joe Price at firstname.lastname@example.com. The GC/CM will work with the District and LPW Architects beginning as soon as selection with pre-construction services. The overall project budget is approximately $15.8 million. The GC/CM must have the ability to be bonded and insured to that level, and be required to hold a Montana General Contractor's license.Evaluation criteria will include previous General Contractor/Construction Manager experience with projects of this type and scale. To be considered, proposals must be received at the District Offices no later than 4:00 P.M. on January 19, 2018. Diane Fetterhoff, District Clerk Somers School District #29 315 School Addition Road Somers, MT 59932 January 3, 10, 2018 MNAXLP _________________________


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LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Slovenia can avoid a bailout provided the government presses ahead with economic and financial reforms, Central Bank head Marko Kranjec said in an interview published on Saturday.
"If Slovenia continues with public finance consolidation, labor market reform, pension reform and structural changes ... it will not have to ask for international aid," Kranjec, who also sits on the European Central Bank's governing council, told daily Delo.
But Slovenia and other struggling developed economies would take a long time to recover, and would have to trim unsustainable social welfare systems, he said.
Export-oriented Slovenia was badly affected by the financial crisis and, following a short recovery, is now back in recession with a banking sector riddled with bad loans.
The International Monetary Fund urged it last week to privatize banks, raise the retirement age and relax labor laws, steps that Prime Minister Janez Jansa said last Friday he would take before the end of the year.
The country has also been shut out of bond markets but hopes to issue its first sovereign bond of the year in coming weeks, a $1.5 billion 10-year issue. It postponed a euro issue of similar maturity and size in April because indicated yields were above 5 percent.
But since then its benchmark yields have risen further, reaching 6.1 percent on Friday, according to Reuters data, having peaked at 7.6 percent in August as speculation over a bailout grew.
Kranjec said he expected bad loans in the Slovenian banking system - which amount to some 6.5 billion euros or 18.2 percent of GDP - to rise further. That meant the whole sector could post a loss this year and next as it did in 2011.
He said banks would need more capital after the government injected 381 million euros in July into the country's largest lender, NLB, to meet EU capital requirements.
Kranjec urged the government to reconsider a plan to raise taxes on banks, which he said would weaken them further.
It plans to increase a number of taxes to cut the budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP in 2013 from 4.2 percent this year.
It also aims to form a 'bad bank' to take over state-owned lenders' bad loans in exchange for state-guaranteed bonds.
The government is still seeking an agreement on the reforms with trade unions and the opposition, hoping to prevent referendums that could delay or scupper them.
Reporting By Marja Novak; Editing by John Stonestreet


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From BlackDoctor.org
"Purple Drank", "Dirty Sprite" or "Lean" is often glorified in pop culture, most recently by popular rapper Lil Wayne, as the "thing to do" if you're young and "in the know." We've coined Lean as, "Hip-Hop's New Heroin". And unfortunately, Lil' Wayne's plane had to take an emergency landing in June 2016 because of seizures brought on mainly because of this "lean" drink. But he also suffered seizures in 2012 and 2013 from the same thing!
This drink is also seen as the preferred method of getting high. Originating in Houston, Texas, in the 1960s, purple drank (also known as sizzurp and purp) can bring about euphoric effects with its use. Unfortunately, this concoction can create dangerous side effects, including death, if taken at high dosage. one of the possible side effects of heavy dosage.
Codeine, one main ingredient in "Lean" is an opiate similar to: Heroin, Morphine, Oxycontin or Vicodin. Not a good look by the way, if you've ever seen a heroin addict. Some of the biggest supporters of this drink seem to be the ones who have died at the mercy of this drink. DJ Screw, died of a codeine-promethazine-alcohol overdose in 2000. Big Moe, a DJ Screw protégé, who rapped excessively about this drink died at age 33 in 2007, after suffering a heart attack one week earlier that left him in a coma.
In a 2006 survey, 3.6 percent of 8th graders admitted to abusing cough medicine. High schoolers had even higher percentages – 5.3 percent among 10th graders and 5.5 percent of 12th graders.
Codeine is not as addictive as Heroin, but once addicted, the withdrawal symptoms mirror those of a Heroin addiction. Pimp C had a history of suffering from Sleep Apnea, a condition where you stop breathing while you are asleep. Pimp C drank Lean before going to sleep and when combined with his respiratory condition, is what killed him.
The two active ingredients Codeine & Promethazine are Central Nervous System Depressants, meaning they both slow your breathing, which is why people feel that "good feeling" or that euphoria. But sometimes it slows the system down so much that a person stops breathing and dies.
The drink is called Lean because of the loss of control over your body. People affected by Lean tend to lean or slump over.
April 2012, Rapper Schoolboy Q revealed that he quit sipping on Lean and is trying to get A$AP Rocky to follow his lead. The duo created the popular hit, "Hands on the Wheel". Schoolboy Q said he quit after he drank some Lean and passed out, then woke up breathing heavily due to his complications with asthma: "I don't know if it was a near-death experience but it felt like I was about to die. I've been going through withdrawals… It's like somebody's grabbing your stomach… and just holding it."
The drug can cause Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), which can be fatal. Symptoms may include fever, stiff muscles, confusion, abnormal thinking; fast or irregular heartbeat and sweating.


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Winter Wonderland
It has been a wonderful winter so far. We have snow, we have warm weather, relatively speaking, and we have snowmachines! We have been riding as much as we can; personally and with clients. So far we have ridden in Willow, Eureka, and Valdez. We are hoping to head to Seward to ride this next…Read More »
Where Have We Been
We have been so busy already this summer. We have had so much going on and look forward to continuing that this summer! It has already been so gorgeous and I hope that means this summer will be much like the last. Well, I would prefer a little more rain, but holy cow it was…Read More »
We're Back
Holy wow it has been an experience trying to get back into the swing of things after vacation! Hawaii was so fun and I am so grateful that we have an awesome staff and an even better mother-in-law! We left for the week not having but 1 tour booked and ended up having a trip…Read More »
Where Have We Been
Holy cow it has been WAY TOO LONG! We have been having such a great and busy last couple of weeks. Lets start with follow up from my last post about the avalanche close to the Nelchina Glacier. Because of the avalanche the trail got eaten up. It was very bad and the snow has…Read More »
Mix of Emotion
This weekend was a mix of emotion. Our son, Ryder, turned 4 on Saturday and all he wanted to do was to go snowmachining. We, of course, knew we had to make it happen. A little back story, we were originally going to head up to Hatcher Pass because its closer and Ryder would be…Read More »
What a Weekend
Wow what a weekend! We had a beautiful weekend, and hope that all of you did as well! We had our guide, Kevin took 2 different couples up to Yentna Station. Both couples had a fantastic time! D&M was one of the couples and they said they had such a great time! They said that…Read More »
Iditarod Trail on Monday
As our followers may know, we normally blog about facts you may need or want to know. We have decided to add to that. We are now going to start blogging in a more personal… Read More »
Practicing Proper Trail Etiquette
Here at Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours, we're firm believers that there are few things more thrilling than spending a day exploring the Alaskan wilderness from the back of a snowmobile. It's a great way to traverse the rugged terrain in our area and get a first-hand look at…Read More »
This Winter, Get a Close-Up Look at the Famous Knik Glacier
November has arrived, and that means it's finally time to get back on our ATVs and snowmobiles and kick off another great season of adventuring in Alaska. Here at Alaska Backcountry, we've been chomping at the bit to hit the trail and share some of our favorite local sights with our guests. Today we'll give…Read More »
Facts About Alaska You Might Not Know
There is so much to learn about every area of the United States, and Alaska is no exception. Even lifelong residents of the state discover new things about it on a regular basis, and visitors are always excited to find out something new about it during every…Read More »


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Which U2 Song Are You?
Since Bono, the Edge, and the boys got together to play a little music in the late seventies, the world of pop music has never been the same. Over the course of thirty years, they've written so many different tunes that nearly every person can find a track with which they identify. So, the question remains, which U2 song are you?
- step
- step
- step
- step
- step
- step
- step
- step
Question 1/8
What do your shades look like?
- Aviators
- A funky twist
- Big blockers
- Classic wayfarers
Question 2/8
What's your perfect date?
- A movie, some popcorn, and a couch
- Base-jumping from a skyscraper
- A good meal and then some dancing
- A quiet walk along a nature trail
Question 3/8
What's your spirit animal?
- An elephant
- A house cat
- A penguin
- A grizzly
Question 4/8
The eighties, nineties, or today?
- Eighties
- Nineties
- Today
Question 5/8
Where are you headed?
- The nearest bar
- Home to my parents' house
- Out on a date
- To rally for a higher minimum wage
Question 6/8
If you were an Apple product, which one would you be?
- Apple I
- iMac
- iPod
- iPad
Question 7/8
Pick a guitar:
- Mandolin
- Acoustic guitar
- Electric guitar
- Ukulele
Question 8/8
What's your favorite lyric?
- "You gotta cry without weeping, talk without speaking, scream without raising your voice."
- "My hands are tied, my body bruised. She's got me with nothing to win and nothing else to lose."
- "You say love is a temple, love a higher law"
- "It's no secret that a conscience can sometimes be a pest"


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hi Ray
I have no idea what to put in here... yes I've added a hidden form field but DFP won't let me put anything in the Default file field
IS there any way you can do it your end with a dummy field and send me the resulting code please ?
Your friends over here at WebAssist! These Dreamweaver extensions will assist you in building unlimited, custom websites.
These out-of-the-box solutions provide you proven, tested applications that can be up and running now. Build a store, a gallery, or a web-based email solution.


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WordPress Optimization markkelnar | WP Engine @renderandserve | email@example.com wpengine.com/optimizing-WordPress WordCamp Atlanta 2012
WordPress Optimization Who is this guy? Head of Technology, System Administration, database, product development at WP Engine I'm not a power-point guy, please excuse my mistakes. If I had my way, this presentation would look like this class WCATL extends presentation { protected $name; function __constructor() { parent::__constructor(); $this->name = 'Word Camp Atlanta'; $this->bg_color = '#808080'; } $p = new WCATL(); $p->scroll();
WordPress Optimization Why are you here? You want your site fast Keep readers/customers on your site Survive heavy visitor load Scale – When you're on techcrunch, mashable or daringfireball, you want to survive
WordPress Optimization You are doing it wrong! But you don't know it.
WordPress Optimization Who are you? Site admin, content contributor Designer, theme developer Plugin developer Backend developer, admin, dba, etc.
WordPress Optimization What can I optimize? Hosting is about layers, but which one? Layman's term, not that techno-jargon... HTML, CSS, JS, images, web server, database, WordPress, theme, plugin, cache, minify LAMP, TTL, CDN, cache, Apache, PHP, static content, dynamic content
WordPress Optimization Where do I start? Use profiling tools to find your bottleneck WP-Tuner WPDB Profiling WPspeedometer.com Yslow webpagetest.org yougetsignal.com (reverse IP address) Command line fun: `ab -n 100 http://wpengine.com` (Apache Benchmark) `curl -I wpengine.com` (that's a dash-eye)
WordPress Optimization
CDN Content Delivery Network Have another service serve your static files (jpg, js, css) from their domain Say that again? Off-load statics (jpg, png, css, js) so it doesn't load from your web server Store static files closer to end user – global proximity Paths in your HTML point the browser to the CDN service: cdn.yourdomain.com/wp-content/themes/image.png Cloud cache service (CloudFlare), Amazon S3, etc
WordPress Optimization CDN Paths – It's all in what your HTML tells the browser Without CDN With CDN When the service mark.some-cdn-service.com needs the image, after TTL has expired, the cdn service loads (pulls) a fresh copy from markkelnar.com
WordPress Optimization Off-loading content Poor-man's CDN, serve images from Flickr Amazon S3 – host entire site there, or even just statics Use external source for comments, like disqus-comment-system Popular posts / related content metrics – outbrain, nrelate
WordPress Optimization Reduce, reuse WPSmush it plugin Everytime you add an image, it does it for you. Yahoo! Smush all your existing images. Do the other fun front end developer things Minimize HTTP requests – CSS sprites CSS at the top of the page, JS at the bottom Search for Yahoo performance rules Ads on your page Load them asynchronously or maybe iframe. Are your ads cache busting? Do they have to?
WordPress Optimization Load from multiple sub-domains yourdomain.com good: foo1.yourdomain.com, foo2.yourdomain.com better: foo1.otherdomain.com, foo2.otheromain2.com Difficult to do. More overhead to configure and support.
WordPress Optimization That's front end tweaks Now what? What good is a fast front end with a slow back end? What if the back end can't handle what still comes through?
WordPress Optimization Review your theme Theme – know your theme. Did you buy it? Codex? Off the street? HTML - does it validate? CSS at the top, JS at the bottom (not inline) PHP - Any weird code (if it looks bad, it probably is) - weary of file_get_contents() / fgets() - base64_decode() (injected malware or unnecessarily compressed code)
WordPress Optimization Pull your data wisely What could possibly go bad here?
WordPress Optimization Keep WP up to date Why wouldnt you? Code optimizations, core changes, security
WordPress Optimization Unused plugins - deactivate plugins you dont use at all - delete plugins you dont use at all
WordPress Optimization Bad PHP code Poor use of DB calls, update/insert to DB on every page load Don't scale under load, cripple the back end Put stuff on wp-cron scheduler that pops too often. Ex: (but not limited to) - backupwordpress backwpup- broken-link-checker - dynamic-related-posts- file-commander - google-sitemap-generator- LinkMan (MyReviewPlugin Link Man)- MyRP (MyReviewPlugin) - wp-symposium-alerts Beware of poor performers
WordPress Optimization RSS feed How many requests to your blog are /feed? Are you using a service like feedburner?
WordPress Optimization Show me the cache! Let's start with plugins W3-Total-Cache, WPSuperCache Has features to do CDN path rewrites, page and object and db caching, minification, cache purging/clearing WP-Minify JS, CSS – remove white space, comments sent to end user (browser)
WordPress Optimization Browser Caching What is it? HTTP Cache-Control, Expires headers, Entity Tags (ETags) Already done for me? W3-Total-Cache, WPSuperCache Gzip compression on server and uncompressed in browser
WordPress Optimization Server side caching What is it? saves bandwidth and improves performance HTTP Accelerator server– reverse proxy caching behind nginx Memcached server – object caching, persistent vs transients opcode: caching compiled PHP code bytecode object caching: in memory key-value storage for data, transients page caching: full caching of HTML page Tools for the job: APC, Eaccerator, Xcache, Zend Optimizer, ionCube
WordPress Optimization Web server - Move as much as possible out of Apache - Stand up Nginx in front of Apache (reverse proxy) - Don't run your PHP in Apache at all, use PHP Fast CGI, lighthttpd, etc. - Server static files from disk in Nginx - Put known redirects (301/302 in Nginx config) - Move.htaccess rules to Apache httpd.conf or better yet Nginx config. - Google Page Speed Apache module
WordPress Optimization MySQL DB - Optimize tables, clean house - PHPMyAdmin, OptimizeDB, manually - Tables, Innodb (transactional, faster for writes) vs MyISAM (can be less memory) - Master/Slave replication + HyperDB - dedicated server(s) - turn on log and investigate mysql-slow.log - database caching - mysqltuner.pl
WordPress Optimization If you're reading this, you're too geeky Server: metal server vs virtual or cloud instance OS: *nix, sun, MS Packages: compiled, package installed Hardware: CPU + cores, memory, SSD disk drives DB : MySQL, Percona,
WordPress Optimization No-Nos - Don't edit WP-core files (wp-includes, wp-admin) - Amazon EC2 not silver bullet - Beware of plugins that update database tables on every page load. Use external resources.
WordPress Optimization Q&A
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(925) 659-0360
Our Portfolio Risk Analysis is cutting edge technology that identifies your acceptable levels of risk and reward with unparalleled accuracy. Using this tool, we ensure that your portfolio aligns with your investment goals and expectations.
Take control of your financial future and assess whether you're on track to a successful retirement in four easy steps.
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The term "keygen" refers to a type of program that allows the user to generate a product key for a specific type of software, allowing the user to gain access to the program. Software developers often create these programs to allow customers who make bulk licensing purchases to active multiple copies of the software more easily.
A keygen program typically functions with a specific program, though in some cases it may work with multiple programs within the same product family or software suite. As such, when the user launches the program, she may need to choose the specific program for which she wants to generate the product key. She then copies the key, which may appear as a random alphanumeric sequence, and pastes it into the product registration field in that program. Companies that purchase bulk software licenses commonly use keygen programs to manage the distribution of the codes to employees, as these programs create the code upon request rather than requiring the owner to keep track of a large list of keys.
In some cases, software hackers may create illegitimate keygen programs to allow illegal access to programs. This process involves analyzing the code of the program and modifying the appropriate aspects of it to allow for the unauthorized product key, a process known as cracking. Most companies do not approve of this process, with some regions also enforcing copyright laws to prosecute users or creators.


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For nearly a decade, the burnt-out stone shell of the old Ellicott City School languished like a ruin on a hill overlooking historic Ellicott City and the Patapsco Valley.
But this spring, after months of rehabilitation, the long-abandoned property at 3700 College Ave. has been transformed into Howard County's newest luxury residential complex, a 20-unit development called the Greystone condominiums.
A sales center and furnished model opened last month for the condominiums, which represent the first phase of a 4.5-acre, $8 million development that will include 28 three-story town houses.


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The Change and Cherish series
by Jane Kirkpatrick
The Change and Cherish series follows the story of feisty Emma Giesy
A Clearing in the Wild
Spirited young Emma Wagner chafes at the constraints of her 1850s religious community, which values conformity over independent thought, especially in women. Skeptical of the colony's growing emphasis on preparing for "the last days," Emma clashes with their increasingly autocratic leader—and faces the unexpected consequences of pursuing independence.
A Tendering in the Storm
This lyrical novel, based on an historical figure of the 1800s, follows the spirited and intelligent Emma Giesy, who achieves her goal of separating her family from the repressive religious community in which she grew up. But unexpected and dire consequences leave her family—and her faith—struggling to survive.
A Mending at the Edge
This richly textured novel, the third in the acclaimed Change and Cherish series, follows the historical figure of Emma Wagner Giesy, who chafes under the restrictions of her 1860s religious colony. When her bid to belong in her unique way unravels her most precious relationships, she seeks new ways to stitch meaning into her life.
Jane Kirkpatrick is the best-selling author of two nonfiction books and fourteen historical novels, including the popular Kinship and Courage series. Her award-winning writing has appeared in more than fifty publications, including Sports Afield and Decision. She's won the coveted Western Heritage Wrangler Award, an honor shared by such writers as Larry McMurtry and Barbara Kingsolver. Jane is a licensed clinical social worker as well as an internationally recognized speaker. She and her husband, Jerry, ranch 160 acres in eastern Oregon .
Monday, April 21, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Blog Tour: Do Hard Things
Do Hard Things
A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations
by Alex and Brett Harris
With over 10 million hits to their website TheRebelution.com, Alex and Brett Harris are leading the charge in a growing movement of Christian young people who are rebelling against the low expectations of their culture by choosing to "do hard things" for the glory of God.
Written when they were 18 years old, Do Hard Things is the Harris twins' revolutionary message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that limit their potential. Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life and map a clear trajectory for long-term fulfillment and eternal impact.
Written by teens for teens, Do Hard Things is packed with humorous personal anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in action. This rallying cry from the heart of revolution already in progress challenges the next generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting today.
Alex and Brett Harris founded TheRebelution.com in August 2005 and today at age 19 are the most popular Christian teen writers on the Web. The twins are frequent contributors to Focus on the Family's Boundless webzine, serve as the main speakers for the Rebelution Tour conferences, and have been featured in WORLD magazine, Breakaway, The Old Schoolhouse, and the New York Daily News. Sons of homeschool pioneer Gregg Harris and younger brothers of best-selling author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Alex and Brett live near Portland , Oregon .
Alex and Brett has offered a free copy to a lucky winner. Tell us something hard you did for God.
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NEW YORK — The pilots of a Delta plane that skidded off a runway at LaGuardia Airport last week during a snowstorm have told investigators that automatic systems designed to slow down the plane were not working properly, investigators said Monday.
The pilots said the plane's automatic brakes were set to "max," but they did not sense any deceleration as the aircraft veered toward Flushing Bay, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The flight crew also said the runway appeared "all white" — covered in snow — when they broke out of the overcast sky and glimpsed it just moments before landing.
The plane's automatic spoilers — flaps on top of the wings that reduce lift and slow the plane down — did not deploy, but the first officer deployed them manually. The captain also reported he was unable to prevent the airplane from drifting to the left.
Investigators said the plane was flying on autopilot until it was 230 feet off the ground, indicating a fairly routine landing until the very end.
Delta Flight 1086 from Atlanta was carrying 127 passengers, including two lap children, plus five crew members, when it slid off the runway Thursday and skidded about 2,000 feet along a normally grassy area alongside the runway that was covered in snow. For the last 940 of those feet, the plane's left wing was cutting through and destroying the airport's chain-link perimeter fence, investigators said. The aircraft came to rest with its nose leaning perilously on a berm that separates the runway from icy Flushing Bay.
The plane suffered damage to the left wing, including a punctured fuel tank that caused a leak. The belly of the aircraft from the nose to the first passenger door and the nose itself also were damaged, investigators said.
Since Delta took ownership of the MD-88 plane on Dec. 30, 1987, it had taken off and landed 54,865 times, investigators said. Spread out over the past 28 years, that means the plane flew an average of 5.5 flights a day.
The MD-88 was a workhorse of U.S. domestic airlines for the past three decades, favored on short, frequent routes. This particular one had logged more than 71,000 hours — or nearly 3,000 full days — in the air.
Investigators are also examining an identical MD-88 plane that landed at LaGuardia 13 minutes before the botched landing as a baseline for evaluating the data from Flight 1086.
Associated Press Writer Scott Mayerowitz contributed to this report.


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Given six months to live, and put on disability, Karen's determination and faith overcame the prognosis…. She then recognized that she needed to do something to take care of herself and find a business that would fulfill her.
"I was in the United States Air Force and going to school to receive my Master's degree when I realized that I wanted to work for myself. I truly enjoyed my Air Force career, but I recognized that independence, trust, and being able to work without someone looking over my shoulder were very important to me.
Once I retired from the military, I knew I wanted to do something all my own. I looked into a wide variety of businesses and franchises. What I found was that most of the businesses were not legitimate and the franchises were too expensive. I knew the only way to have the life I wanted was to work for myself. I didn't want to waste my time on things I didn't desire to do, but in the meantime I had bills to pay and commitments to take care of. So I plodded along, continuing to work for others, all the while knowing in my spirit that this was not for me.
Then, I had a life-altering crisis. I was told I had six months to live and put on disability. Once I outlived the six months and realized that I needed to start planning to live again, I had to decide what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I knew going back to the "job-job" world wasn't for me. In that six months of hanging in life-or-death limbo, I realized I deserved to do something that would allow me to take care of myself and love what I do.
So I set out to discover my true purpose in life and find a business that fulfilled it.
This led me to many types of home-based businesses. But one thing kept cropping up… People kept telling me that I would make a wonderful counselor or teacher. So I looked into becoming a career coach.
This search brought me to Valerie Young's Changing Course website, which provided me with the tools, encouragement, and direction I required to create a business that fit who I am instead of trying to mold myself to someone else's business idea.
Of course, stepping out into this new territory brought the typical fears and doubts that lots of people feel when they are making big changes. But my desire for a flexible, mobile livelihood that fit my schedule and lifestyle was far greater than my fears and doubts."
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Item Size:5" x 7"
Sealed with a KISS Invitations
Sealed with a kiss! This flat white Valentine's Day party invitation features a hot pink background with a white etched outer border with four white hearts. "sealed with a KISS all you need is LOVE" is pre-printed on the front of the card. Flip the card over to reveal a pink diagonal stripe design on the back of the card. Includes white unlined envelopes.
Ideal For:Valentines Day Party
Delivery Time
To determine your delivery time, add the ground shipping time to your location, as shown on the map below, to the listed processing time. To speed up your delivery, you can select rush processing(details below in the form) and/or upgrade shipping to next day or second day air during the checkout process. If you have requested a proof, the processing time listed begins after you have approved your proof.
Processing Time:Approximately 2-3 business days
Ships From:North Carolina
Font Shown:Gotham Bold
Font Color:White and Ballerina
Paper Thickness:130# White Cover
Printing Method:Digital Press
Min. Order Quantity:20


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HIV-1 Subtypes B and C Unique Recombinant Forms (URFs) and transmitted drug resistance identified in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
The original publication is available at http://www.plosone.org
Please cite as follows:
Jacobs, G. B. et al. 2014. HIV-1 Subtypes B and C Unique Recombinant Forms (URFs) and Transmitted Drug Resistance Identified in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. PLoS ONE, 9(3), e90845, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090845.
South Africa has the largest worldwide HIV/AIDS population with 5.6 million people infected and at least 2 million people on antiretroviral therapy. The majority of these infections are caused by HIV-1 subtype C. Using genotyping methods we characterized HIV-1 subtypes of the gag p24 and pol PR and RT fragments, from a cohort of female participants in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. These participants were recruited as part of a study to assess the combined brain and behavioural effects of HIV and early childhood trauma. The partial HIV-1 gag and pol fragments of 84 participants were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Different online tools and manual phylogenetic analysis were used for HIV-1 subtyping. Online tools included: REGA HIV Subtyping tool version 3; Recombinant Identification Program (RIP); Context-based Modeling for Expeditious Typing (COMET); jumping profile Hidden Markov Models (jpHMM) webserver; and subtype classification using evolutionary algorithms (SCUEAL). HIV-1 subtype C predominates within the cohort with a prevalence of 93.8%. We also show, for the first time, the presence of circulating BC strains in at least 4.6% of our study cohort. In addition, we detected transmitted resistance associated mutations in 4.6% of analysed sequences. With tourism and migration rates to South Africa currently very high, we are detecting more and more HIV-1 URFs within our study populations. It is stil unclear what role these unique strains will play in terms of long term antiretroviral treatment and what challenges they will pose to vaccine development. Nevertheless, it remains vitally important to monitor the HIV-1 diversity in South Africa and worldwide as the face of the epidemic is continually changing.


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Alternative Investing
Investing with Style
January 2, 2015
Investors are bombarded by a variety of investment strategies and alternatives from an ever-growing and increasingly complex financial industry, each claiming to improve returns and reduce risk. Amid the clamor, academic and practitioner research has sifted through the vast landscape and found four intuitive investment strategies that, when applied effectively, have delivered positive long-term returns with low correlation across a multitude of asset classes, markets, and time periods using very liquid securities.
The four investment "styles" are Value, Momentum, Carry and Defensive, which form the core foundation in explaining the cross-section of returns of most asset classes. When applied effectively, they have delivered positive long-term returns with low correlation in different markets and in out-of-sample tests across a multitude of asset classes and time periods using very liquid securities.
In this paper, we will describe "style investing," discuss the intuition and evidence for the four pervasive styles, and detail how to implement a strategy that can access these premia to improve the risk and return characteristics of traditional portfolios.
A skeptic might say "there must be a catch." There is, of course, but it is a small one that can (and must) be managed. In order to achieve proper risk balance and attain the high returns and low correlation properties investors seek, style investing requires the "three dirty words in finance" — leverage, short-selling and derivatives. For investors willing (and able) to use these risky tools, there is the potential for huge rewards in terms of better and more stable returns.


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La Prairie Cellular Eye Contour Cream
147 reviews
51% would repurchase
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$$$
Package Quality: 3.6
Price: $$$$
INGREDIENTSIngredients: Water, C12-C20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Acetylated Lanolin, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetyl Phosphate, Triethanolamine, Perforatum Hypericum Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Glycerin, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Alanine, Creatine, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amy Cinnamal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben
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Start your review
on 4/1/2018 1:31:00 PM
Age: 56 & Over
Skin: Dry, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
Unbelievable results in just 4 days! Got it from FundGrube.es. Just ordered another. I paid €72.40. It is very expensive but you get what you pay for. You only need a tiny amount.
I have tried many eye gels and creams as I am in my late 60s and the eye area goes first! I feel like I have struck gold with this cream.
on 9/26/2016 7:43:00 AM
Age: 44-55
Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral
Hair: Grey, Wavy, Medium
Eyes: Brown
Such a disappointment and so much $$$ put down the drain.
Just a short background to explain what works for my skin and what my expectations are:
I have combination skin, mildly sensitive. I have tingling or burning sensations immediately when I try something that does not please my skin. My skin reacts well to creams with no perfumes and lack of chemicals such as parabens. I still have no wrinkles but I am prone to "sagging". This is why I have visible eye bags, not very dark though, the eye skin is somewhat dry and quite thin. Also, I do not believe nor expect miracles in face creams. I am looking for a nourishing, non-sticky and moisturizing / fresh feeling on my skin. If the product is right, I don't care of the price.
However, La Prairie line in general does not work for me at all. This is the first time I purchased it based on good reviews and recommendation of the person, with a very sensitive skin and always had great results with Cellular Contour Cream. For me, this eye cream works, smells and feels almost the same as Nivea. My eyes are a bit more puffed and it bothers my eyes when I put it before the sleep (provides tears).
I also got samples for two additional La Prairie eye creams:
1) La Prairie Radiance Radiance eye cream and
2) La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye And Lip Contour Cream.
The first one I had to wash out an 1 hour after I put it on. It was burning my eyes and will not try it again. The second one is a bit gentler than the first but still bothering my eyes.
All in all, I found La Prairie being the label I will never reconsider. It is just not working with my skin well. I had much better results with eye creams from other brands: Elizabeth Arden (Visible Difference), Kiehl's, L'Occitane (Imortelle), Swisso Logical, even Vichy. Not to mention that all of them are 2-4x less expensive.
PS Just to confirm I bought the original product in a licensed and well known cosmetic store (not on line by some suspicious or unknown seller).
on 8/24/2016 7:01:00 PM
Age: 44-55
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
A classic but amazing formula!
I fell in love (literally) when I first met this beauty back in 1999! The Eye Creme is from 1978 and although the formula was adjusted somewhere in the 80s (for the better), it is a very simple and classic formula compared to today's products.
It provides a cushiony feeling at application (which is exceptionally nice) and settles quickly into place where it stays throughout the day or night. It will leave a thin but perceptible protective layer around the eye area skin that will shield this delicate skin against environmental aggressors and will provide hydration throughout the day and night. The skin is visibly plumper and healthier looking.
What this product has (and newer formulas will not have because of the sheer cost of the raw-materials) is that it is based on a skin bio-compatible emulsifier (C12-C20 Acid PEG-8 Ester) that is proven to be able to strengthen the lipid-barrier! This is far from a new ingredient, on the contrary, it was already available for the pharmaceutical industry back in 1959. But it is an exceptionally mild vegetable emulsifier that also acts as an emollient and can provide time-releasing of water and other water-soluble ingredients. That will make the true hydrating power of a product ten -maybe hundred- fold!
The Eye cream also contains a tiny amount of Shea Butter and Lanolin along with hypoallergenic Hydrogenated Polyisobutene and Petrolatum to provide additional moisture. There is the "patented cellular complex" and some actives that suppose to provide hydration.
There is one more emulsifier that will stabilize the formula: Cetyl Phosphate. This is also identical with the skin hence making this product truly an exceptionally mild yet effective moisturizer for the eye area. (Can also be used on the entire face, though the costs would be astronomical!)
(Wish La Prairie still made the Cellular Day Cream, that is basically the same formula as the Eye cream in a lighter edition.)
All this being said, the price is outrageous and unjustifiable (even though the bio-compatible emulsifier also astronomically priced).
(Note that the ingredients list on the packaging can alter from the one published here. La Prairie (as many other cosmetic companies) is in the process of out-phasing parabens.)
Ingredients: Water, C12-C20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Acetylated Lanolin, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetyl Phosphate, Triethanolamine, Perforatum Hypericum Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Glycerin, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Alanine, Creatine, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amy Cinnamal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben
on 4/8/2016 3:16:00 AM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Sensitive, Tan, Neutral
Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium
Eyes: Brown
This eye cream is very expensive but after trying so many eye creams and being disappointed I said what the hec and bought it. This eye cream is amazing! I have sensitive eye area and it does not burn now does it give me those white bumps. I really wish I had started using this sooner because my eyes would be perfect but its getting there now that I'm using this cream. My lines are dimensioning, the puffiness isn't as bad as before, and my eye area looks rested even if I didn't get much sleep. It's not a miracle cream which means it's not to undo a lot of damage like bags but it will make your eye area look as best as it can and it wears well under concealer/makeup. I'm so happy I've finally found a great eye cream.
on 1/22/2015 12:56:00 PM
Age: 36-43
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral
Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium
Eyes: Hazel
This is the eye cream that i have been using since i was 25, in between i tried others (la mer, skin caviar eye cream, shiseido) but none of them treats the eye area like this one. My eye area is very sensitive and i never had any problems with this (it was burning a bit when i was using the caviar eye). I have been using this for more than a decade and i dont have any lines around my eyes. It is super moisturizing and corrective. I just love it!
on 11/1/2014 12:47:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Other, Other
Eyes: Black
It hydrates well better than SK2 eye cream !
on 12/2/2013 9:23:00 PM
Age: 36-43
Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm
Hair: Red, Curly, Medium
Eyes: Hazel
I think this is a solid eye creme for those getting their feet wet with La Prairie. Since it's on the lower end of their price spectrum, I didn't expect much initially. I was pleasantly surprised that it kept my eye area hydrated all day long. This also makes it an excellent night Eye cream, since it maintains moisture which prevents wrinkles. I've since moved on to their Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Lift Cream, which is a more intensive treatment…and more expensive.
I think this Contour Cream is fantastic for women in their 20s and early 30s. Now that I'm north of 35, I've stepped up my game. But I wish I'd used this cream in my 20s. Fantastic.
on 5/23/2013 6:30:00 AM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Other, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Other, Other, Other
Eyes: Other
This gave me a nasty case of allergic contact dermatitis - the first time I've ever had a reaction like it. Took a couple of days and a serious dose of oral steroids for my eyes and surrounding areas to depuff enough to see. Baaaaaaaaaaad. You may not have a reaction like this, but I did. I can't find the ingredient list online: it was a sample. If anyone has had a similar reaction and knows the ingredient responsible, please post it!
on 4/23/2013 8:04:00 AM
Age: 36-43
Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium
Eyes: Green
wanted to love it as it was expensive and i like other la prairie products but unfortunately it was a total waste of money as i bought it twice (for some reason i tried to convince myself that it will work)!
really oily and sticky and made my fine lines worse.
Purchased it when i saw my first fine lines and thought that if i invest in a high end product (was using biotherm eye creams fro prevention since i was 23) it will erase or even maintain what i was seeing but it actually made my eye area worse.
also hate the packaging, have to dip into the little jar. I know i know they provide you with a little spatula but lets be honest it gets lost easily and if not lost we usually put our fingers in jar products.
If buying from iherb for the first time feel free to use my discount code EHU742 for a $5 discount up to $40 worth of purchases and $10 discount for over $40.
on 4/21/2013 12:37:00 PM
Age: 36-43
Skin: Oily, Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Green
I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. And I have NEVER written a review before but I so fear that this product will be discontinued that I am compelled to write one!
I have combo/oily skin so have been lucky in terms of wrinkles but my eye area is one part of my face where I first noticed - gah! - wrinkles. I noticed a change within the first week of using this product, and have been using it now for nearly 2 years. My under eye lines are significantly less, and my skin just feels less dry. I attempted the same product with SPF but it did not work for me, it sat on top of my skin and looked greasy. So I went back to this, and will continue using it till the end of days! it is relatively expensive, but definitely worth the investment. Mine lasts around 6 months with morning and evening application, just a dab under the eyes to the top of the cheekbones (do not neglect this part of the face!) and around the sides of the eyes. This product may not be for everyone, but it's one of the few products I am loyal to.
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text:
Top Facebook exec begs students: 'Click on an ad or two'
The beginning of the end if they're not careful.
Once site users start to be seen as cash cows not members the user experience can take a nosedive.
Is there any time when users of FailBook *haven't* been viewed as cash cows? A lot of the changes that happened as the platform grew were to increase the amount of data you give them and that they can use to sell to aggregators and data brokers.
The difference is now that they'll be held accountable for their revenue stream and I suspect it won't be long before further changes are made to increase the monetisation of their data. Zuck's half-hearted "we screwed up" apology recently (regarding previous privacy failures) didn't strike me as an honest change of direction for the way the company thinks about privacy., especially with the IPO. Shareholders (rather ironically, probably people on the platform) will be demanding a plan to increase revenue per user or decrease costs.
I don't have a failbook account, and I'm not a shareholder. And I don't regret either omission.
Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
As Douglas Rushkoff pointed out quite some time ago,
"Ask yourself who is paying for Facebook. Usually the people who are paying are the customers. Advertisers are the ones who are paying... We are not the customers of Facebook, we are the product."
Excuse me for being thick
Can you point a single moment in F***book history (or web 2.0 history for that matter) when users were not perceived as a cash cow and their private life was not perceived as a "monetizable item".
One of the many reasons why I often say that I do not want to even learn what Web 3.0 will be about. My plan to deal with it is to communicate with any Web 3.0 entitiy from a firewalled, fortified and isolated bunker. With machine guns on the physical perimeter and hunter-killer progams on the "logical" one.
Re: Excuse me for being thick
"Can you point a single moment in F***book history (or web 2.0 history for that matter) when users were not perceived as a cash cow and their private life was not perceived as a "monetizable item"."
Well, up until now, users have mostly been OFFERED as s monetizable item, i.e. FB has gotten big by the potential others thought they had. Now, with so much investor money flooded in and people expecting to get something in return, FB will be expected to DELIVER on their supposed potential. So yes, people have been the product all along, but now people have handed over money, they may expect that product to be made more use of.
Re: Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
Good post and spot on.
Like any other Web 2.0 (grr - frikkin´ hate that term) outfit, users are referred to as RGU´s (Revenue Generating Units). Same applies to all of the telcos etc. I have old spreadsheets from my days at some very well known Web and Mobile companies where the RGU moniker is applied, rather than something like Customers, Subscribers or such like. Still, they´re not doing it for the love are they? This is all about making a buck, so no surprise really.
Anonymous, obviously.
Re: Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
What's this "we" shit, roundeye?
Re: Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
There are other services that only have customers because people like them. Say, for instance, web comics. I've seen more than one web comic author down on his (or her) luck with medical bills or what have you, and his loyal fans actually sent money. no reason other than the fact that they really liked his comic.
On the other hand, there are services that people need, but don't want. If you own a service that everyone wants, fine; people hate facebook, and yet they still have accounts with them, right? To some, it's a necessary evil. They need a facebook account for their job, perhaps. They are locked in to a service that they don't want, but they still need. If facebook died today, there would only be sadness in that everyone would have to learn how to use Google Plus (or whatever), and they lost their scores on MafiaFarm.
The problem is not with thinking of customers as cash cows. The problem is *asking* customers to *be* cash cows. The webcomic author didn't need to ask to get money, because people loved him already. Facebook doing the same? They can expect, at best, a hearty laugh at their expense. People don't love facebook. People use facebook. When the next "best thing" comes along, facebook will be as dead as MySpace.
Re: Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
"We are not the customers of Facebook, we are the product."
I think the original poster's intention was not to say "people are from now on viewed as cash cows", but "people are from now on AWARE they're viewed as cash cows"
Re: Facebook users have *never* been seen as "members"
900 Million bleating sheeple. Use it and loose it.
Sorry, no I will not be clicking on the ads...
Please "Click on an add"
Sounds like the "pump" part of "pump and dump"...
What ads?
I still don't know what are all these ads everyone is talking about? I never see any ads!
Of course I do use Firefox with all the necessary plugins + TrendMicro
Re: What ads?
Everytime I have to use a browser without such features I am reminded of just what horrors plebs must deal with on a day to day basis.
Please "Click on an add"
Oh wait, you're serious? Let me laugh harder! :D
Re: Please "Click on an add"
Sounds like click-fraud to me - doubt their advertisers will be very happy to hear this.
Re: Please "Click on an add"
I was just thinking the same thing, if I asked user to go to my website and click on a few adverts, Google would shut down my adsense account in minutes!
Hardly confidence boosting is it? Was that the sound of a pin just looking for a bubble?
So far, this whole IPO event has reminded me of just about every other market bubble (always warnings, always ignored). Now I'm reminded of Gerald Ratner as well.
Re: Gerald Ratner
No. This week's Gerald Ratner moment was surely Stevie B saying that the two most recent versions of Windows were "cheesy and dated".
Re: Gerald Ratner
I do not believe the two compare. That was yet another moment for Microsoft to look a bit wobbly. But Microsoft are sufficiently stable to weather the odd wobble because they make numerous products that are certain to be making money in a years time. They have supply contracts and support contracts to ensure it. This gives them a buffer against sudden market changes that Facebook does not have. If I had Microsoft shares, the thing that would be causing me to shit bricks is their having sweaty monkey boy for a CEO.
If the next new hot thing came along tomorrow (I'm obviously not talking Google+ here), Facebooks active user count could drop off a cliff so FBs only product - an advert delivery mechanism - would be seriously devalued. To accept it already needs a bit of help even with 900 million users when the market really doesn't know what to make of your share price... I see comparisons to Ratner but it looks like she got away with it this time.
What adverts?
I have had adblock longer than a facebook account. I never realised it had adverts......
A good start
Now just configure it to block everything else from Facebook, and you'll really be cooking with fire.
Re: What adverts?
*cough* But you see TheRegister adverts right?
Re: What adverts?
I don't. I access the site via m.theregister.co.uk
But that is more because with the adverts, it's blatantly obvious to passers-by in the office that I'm reading a website.
The plain layout of the mobile site is perhaps a little less obvious that I'm not doing the work I should be doing. Just need to override the CSS that puts the big splashes of red at the top and bottom and then I can fully pretend I'm busy reading TPS reports....
From home I access the normal site though, so I'm not depriving El Reg of their income too much :)
Re: A good start
"Now just configure it to block everything else from Facebook, and you'll really be cooking with fire."
Maybe I'm over the top, but I block those stupid little blue icons that plague all other web sites. I want nothing to do with them.
As for those people who believed that a company that produces and sells nothing is worth billions of dollars, I laugh in their faces. Unfortunately the morons who are in charge of my pension probably invested a bunch in it. And they'll still get their fat bonus.
Re: What adverts?
"...From home I access the normal site though, so I'm not depriving El Reg of their income too much..."
What? At home, you click on the shitty ads?
Re: What adverts?
I am happy to use adblock and ghostery to cut back their hedonism a bit
Re: What adverts?
OK, I'm prepared for the down-votes but...
Hang on, people piss and moan about us taking money away from our favourite sites by blocking the ads with adblock or similar. Fair enough. But I've _never_ ever clicked on an ad on a web site. I don't watch ads on TV. Don't ads make money for the host site via a click-through? If so, what difference does it make whether I've blocked the ads or not? I'm not clicking through. I'll answer my own question: the only difference is I don't get a migraine from all the bloody Flash and animated GIFs.
Re: What adverts?
And Beef Taco, Flashblock, No script, and better privacy. Paranoid who me?
spare a dime gov
Re: spare a dime gov
Yeah thats it in a nutshell.
Facebook, large multinational company, pays there staff alot, large marketing department. WHat do they come up with as a marketing stratergy to push the main selling points of Facebook. Well after much debate of genius minds they come out with: Pleeease!
What next 2013's marketing campaign is what - Pretty Pleeease followed in 2014 by Pretty Pleeease with a cherry ontop and finaly in 2015: You must click on 3 of the 10 adverts to verfiy your identity and login to your Facebook account.
Joke alert, though time may well prove me wrong on this.
Lucky they didn't duck questions at anywhere that might influence business people of the future...
Should have realised before
Didn't they do any stats beforehand to realise that no one likes the ads and no one clicks on them?
Or did they just hope that for some reason, after the IPO, we'd all have a change of heart?
Re: Should have realised before
There was a report recently that the click-through rate on Failbook ads was significantly lower than from competing ad brokers (e.g. Google). I suspect the conversion rate (people who click through AND buy) is probably also significantly lower, but I can't remember offhand.
ISTR the report commented that he ad relevance on Failbook was lower, despite all their tracking code that is scattered on other websites (that they claim they don't actually track you with). How long until the "like" buttons scattered through the web are secretly used to build better behavioural profiling to increase ad relevance?
Re: Should have realised before
I've never seen any data regarding what % of ad clicks actually end up generating revenue, but I suspect it's incredibly low. in my case that would be 0%, I've only ever clicked on ads by accident. I hardly even notice they are there so I'm fairly certain that they have had no influence on my purchasing habits.
Unless I'm rather unusual in my surfing habits then web ads would appear to be greatly over rated.
Re: Should have realised before
I am not saying you are wrong, I see about a 0.5% click through rate on my adsense, but how do you suggest a website pay for itself if no one is willing to click on an advert to fund the site?
Most users do not want to pay to access a site, especially a new site trying to establish itself, you might pay for Wall Street Journal Access, but not a new site about cyber security that previously you had not heard off.
If we want "free" content, like the Register, we need to find a way to make sure they can pay for their Journo's and servers and internet bandwidth etc etc
I would be keen to understand what model you would be willing to support, given the fact it is not adverts.
And my ad is
for another credit card. Sorry that's how the world got in to its current economic mess, to much credit.
Perhaps Facebook should do what other sites do and track your interests to provide suitable ads that you might be interested in. Of course I don't click them either so it won't change things but at least I'll be ignoring the things that I might possibly at some point in the future be interested in.
Re: And my ad is
"Sorry that's how the world got in to its current economic mess, to much credit."
To much credit for whom?
Re: And my ad is
Timeo Danaes credit references ferentes...
Re: And my ad is
Good, though I think it's Danaos, not Danaes. Could be my memory going though...
Re: And my ad is
Judging by the content of my adds recently, I would estimate FB trawled my personal website for keywords about 2 weeks ago.
Re: Timeo Danaes...
I don't think there is much danger in 'em Danaos, what with all the current economic climate, the failed elections and the coming default...
I suspect
the only way they can keep the cash coming is, is to devise a way to charge users. I look forward to the introduction of the ability to upgrade to a "Facebook Gold" account.
Re: I suspect
the only sensible and useful service comes w/ paying customers.
ads are plain ugly (my adblocker blocks everything w/ from facebook.com). I await the moment firefox will come w/ installed (and configured) adblocker, easily winning the fastest browser award.
Re: I suspect
Midori comes with a built-in adblocking function - you just have to tick a box to activate it.
"Features: Extensions such as Adblock, form history, mouse gestures or cookie management."
Re: I suspect
Firefox + Adblock Plus? Doesn't come with it, but it's a plugin just a few clicks away, and works just fine.
And a free idea, Adblock DoublePlusGood. the same, but behind the scenes it clicks on all the adverts that you don't see, and sends whatever comes back to the bit-bucket.
Re: I suspect
sure i can not imagine the web w/o adblock stuff but the point is to have to opt-out, not go and get the plug-in.
DoublePlusGood looks like a neat idea, although it won't work for flashes easily since they have to be started and clicked upon.
Re: I suspect
"DoublePlusGood looks like a neat idea, although it won't work for flashes...."
So, if it takes off, Flash ads will generate lower revenue and Flash will die. What's not to like?
Re: I suspect
"await the moment firefox will come w/ installed (and configured) adblocker, easily winning the fastest browser award."
Mozilla is substantially funded by Google. You may have a long wait before the mainline releases of Firefox come with ad-block built in.


text:
Connie: Post Polio Syndrome
My name is Connie slayton Norgart and I'm 62 years old. I contracted polio at age 6 months and post polio syndrome in 1989. I have more weakening in all my muscles and severe muscle pain. I wore braces while being a nurse for 36 years. I've been on opioids since 1989 with 2 near death experiences due to side effects. I started using cannabis a few years a go for the pain and I have gotten great results. I only take 2-4 pain pills a day compare to eight pills daily. If I could get cannabis on a regular basis I would have no need for the opioids. I have 2 children and 2 grandkids with another on the way! I love to garden camp and spend time with my family. I volunteer at the veterans hospital. I'm far from being a criminal. This medicine really does give pain relief and can do much for many other illnesses. We have the right to manage our healthcare. Please contact your Iowa legislators.
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December 2017


text:
Three days after he purchased the B&O warehouse for $4.6 million on Dec. 30, 1983, the value of the historic building jumped to $12 million, said former owner Morton Macks.
"You made one hell of a buy," said Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Joseph H.H. Kaplan.
Macks said the reason the Camden Yards building's value rose so rapidly was because he already had city permits and construction plans in hand to renovate the warehouse.
And, Macks contends that, since 1984, the structure's value has increased even more -- to $18 million. He and a team of lawyers are trying to convince Kaplan of that during a "mini-trial" in Baltimore Circuit Court.