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2 Reviews Written
Sail Date: July 2012
Boarding and Disembarkation: All went smoothly with one exception, if you are driving in and out of Vancouver and want to park at Canada Place, book ahead with "Vinci Parking" but be prepared for an utterly confusing experience ... Read More
Boarding and Disembarkation: All went smoothly with one exception, if you are driving in and out of Vancouver and want to park at Canada Place, book ahead with "Vinci Parking" but be prepared for an utterly confusing experience driving through the parking complex and finding their office, which for some reason is next to the exit gates. Once in their office they will give you a yellow ticket to put in the machine along with your parking stub when you are on your way out after your cruise. They then explain in heavily-accented poor English that since they are by the exit this means you will have to drive in reverse to turn your car around and find a parking spot or leave, deal with the fact that you already have a ticket to pay for the privilege of visiting their office, then do a U-Turn in front of the convention/cruise and hotel facility to get back into the parking lot...could not be more stupidly planned and the staff was completely rude and indifferent when I expressed surprise at the poor planning. I chose reverse and made my way back into the lot and down to level P2 -look for parking near the elevator. The reason to advance purchase is not because of a shortage of spaces but rather that I spoke to others who paid a lot more on their way out than was originally quoted. Misunderstanding could have been a language issue or a parking issue, maybe they never found the office to pick up their yellow ticket until after the cruise? There are no signs or directions to help fill this out. Next I will look for a hotel that will do a parking deal and rent a room instead of handing Vinci $186.00 for a headache. Coast Hotels does offer a deal at the Coast Plaza by Stanley Park and it's nice to have an extra night in Vancouver. On Board: We let our agent up-sell us into an SS class Verandah Stateroom and were very happy with all the space. A few watermarks on the walls, stains on the first set of bathrobes, rusty door frame on the bathroom door. Fellow passengers shared our impression that the ship is looking a bit tired and worse for wear in some staterooms. But our beds were very comfortable and cabin stewards did a great job keeping things clean and were very friendly and accommodating. The colour scheme in the common areas is unbelievably gaudy -Denny's purple and orange carpeting, oranges and yellows, many colours I am sure not found in nature -too bad really because the artwork is okay and the fixtures are the usual euro-style chrome and brass, but it's hard to describe how nightmarish the patterns and the colours are until you actually see them.. The Food: Two nights at the Pinnacle Grill for the extra $25/ea were well worth it...5 courses,16oz. steaks fabulous attentive service, weird but pleasant decor and few window tables. When I told the Maitre de that we had booked a month in advance and would like a table that reflected that, we were told that "there are no bad tables at the Pinnacle" sorry bub but we beg to differ and by being a bit assertive got view tables both times. Open-seating means that each time you go to eat at one of the three dining rooms you take your chances. Every time we shared we got fabulous window-side tables and when we insisted on table for two it was hit and miss although a couple of times we really lucked out and had a table for 4 to ourselves. The main dining room lacks the high ceilings and grandeur found on many ships and the service varies from wonderful to indifferent. One disappointment was that the reception often turned cold when we didn't drink (not supposed to- my Dr's orders :-( ). Ordering a soda helped a bit sometimes but they are clearly looking for the 15% service charge that comes on beverages and clearly not happy when you don't play along.Also sent an awful cold breakfast back and that was not well received either -avoid the corned beef hash -it looked pre-digested. Still that was a minor complaint. The food, while not astounding, was consistently good with few exceptions. Key exception being the Lido Buffet which has several self-serve stations: salads, sandwiches, Asian, Ice Cream, Drinks etc. We did our best to avoid it as it was extremely crowded and chaotic at mealtimes and because you needed to visit at least three stations to get salad dinner and drinks. Food was often cold, not at all enjoyable and as you might expect when the food was being thrown together frantically and jockeyed to tables one piece at a time. Still, the Lido is a welcome refuge for people that refuse to wear anything but old jeans or shorts, tank tops and flip flops. Sometimes the Lido felt like a summer camp and at other times like a high-end nursing home. Better to have room service breakfast or stick to the dining room where you get to meet fellow passengers and really feel like you are participating in something special and not just fast food at sea. The 24 hour component consists of lukewarm thin crust pizza and the ice cream station closes quickly unlike the wonderful set up on the last cruise I took with HAL. I think they should go back to the traditional buffet -the Lido was for us, a nightmare. We did have a dinner at Canaletto which is a small corner of the Lido cordoned off and nicely decorated to be an Italian Trattoria, it was only a $10 surcharge and well worth it! The Chocolate Exravaganza was impressive, but the actual desserts were flavourless, remined me of a Chinatown bakery where all the cakes look wonderful but taste the same. Entertainment: Well what can you expect from HAL? The Cruise Director and others hosting and introducing the acts had a really annoying habit of screaming into their mike and talking to you continuing this theme that rather than an ocean cruise, it's summer camp or a nursing home. By far the worst offender among those who could use mike lessons was the piano bar singer who ould not carry a tune, remember the lyrics and was off-key, rambling and yelling and screaming at various points in the show. So bad it was almost funny at times, we almost felt sorry for the guy. The Zuiderdam Singers and Dancers had a strong female singer leading their shows, the male lead was awkward and fawning, but the choreography and direction was unbelievably frenetic, arm-waving, amateurish - so I had to remind myself that it is what it is and go along with it all, but still the direction and production is high school quality at best. Three bright spots for music were the Leonard Cohen type guitarist-singer in the Crow's Nest every night (fantastic!),the classical duo "Adagio" who played piano and strings in the Explorer's Lounge and the ship's band the HAL-cats who were hard at work pumping out good tunes in various venues and had strong singers to complement them...these guys, including the female vocalist Ashley, were the most talented (and ironically hardest working) entertainers on the ship. Maybe it's all the practice? Finally and unusually, the comedians (there were two) were both great and truly hilarious. The magician claimed to have headlined in Vegas (at Bar Mitzvahs maybe?)but was all about pigeons, poodles and pulling multi-coloured scarves out of his mouth. Ashore: We followed our agents advice and booked our own tours. Juneau whale watching on a small boat with 6 other passengers was fantastic (Alaska Galore or Harv and Marv's) and when we saw the giant hulking HAL tour boats listing as 50-70 passengers struggled for a view we know we had made the right choice. Skagway White Pass Railway was fantastic, again, return trip on the train can be purchased online direct from the White Pass Railway for $119.00 return. The train station is right near the dock -can't miss it and there are several trains running a day. No need to book through HAL. You can also get a bus/train combo which will take the highway one way to or from the mountaintop. This gives more chances for photo-taking and makes some stops along the way with a personable guide-driver $129.00. Ketchikan has expensive float plane tours but we really enjoyed just checking it all out ourselves, particularly the Creek District and Dolly's Brothel museum, as well as taking the funicular up to the hill top to the lodge overlooking the harbour. Would we do it again?: We met several returning folks who were on their second or even third trip to Alaska and I can see why, watching a glacier calve into the ocean or being within range of a bunch or Humpback whales is amazing and the history is interesting, the fjords and scenery are just breathtaking. Next time we will try another cruise line with perhaps a bit younger demographic but there is no denying that HAL offers good value and really everything was more or less as we expected. Even with no boozing our stateroom tab was $273. -bingo $35. each for 4 cards, ironing $3.50 a shirt, 3 dinners in the premium restaurants $120.00, $12. a day gratuity (well deserved) it all adds up and they never stop trying to sell you something, so be prepared. Ironically, speaking of sales pitches, we approached their "Book Your Next Cruise Now" staff person to ask if we could fly to Hawaii and cruise home or vice versa? She did not invite us to sit down, she was very unfriendly, (maybe because we were 2 guys together?) and stated "You need to understand, we are not a ferry service, we are a cruise line. Perhaps you could do it but the company will make you pay full retrun trip fare. I can't deal with this kind of request, you will have to contact the company or your travel agent." She didn't seem to notice that we had just picked up hundreds of passengers in the tiny town of Skagway and we about to ferry them to Vancouver, but then since Holland America owns several hotels, tour buses and shore services in Alaska and not Hawaii, maybe I know why. One more reason to try a different line. Remarkably rude for a sales person. Partner said rhymes with "witch", my guess: not her kind of customer. The best show was at 10 am on the final day, when they prep you for disembarkation, hilarious video of the crew spoofing and a really touching good-bye song sung by over 300 of the various staff..don't miss it! Odd thing was the Cruise Director explaining how to fill out the Satisfaction Surveys as follows, "If you were satisfied mark the subject as a 9 if not mark it as an 8 and be very specific as to why." I wouldn't put much credence into their customer satisfaction data. Hmmm, who is accountable if some subjects are rated 3? Could it be there Cruise Director? It ended up being moot for us because Housekeeping staff removed them from the stateroom half-completed while we were atteding the "Mariners Lunch" with the Captain. Read Less


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Marcy, Patient Care Liason
Marcy, Patient Care Liason (A.K.A., "Mack Daddy", "Flipper")
Marcy is a native Texas who has a multi-faceted career parth. From Real Estate to Telecom to the Medical field, her diverse and extensive background lends support to Lam Facial Plastics in all aspects. Working in the medical industry for the past 10 years has honed her skills in assisting patients and demonstrating friendliness, courtesy and discretion regarding the unique needs of each patient.In her spare time, she volunteers her time to help animals. She enjoys pet-sitting part-time and loves all animals. She enjoys reading self-help books and true crime novels. Also a self-taught "computer geek", she enjoys learning IT related items and can fix just about computer issue. She is very close to her family, and just recently became and Aunt again for the 5th time! She feels very blessed to be a part of the excellent team that is Lam Facial Plastics!
- Watch: Marcy's video greeting
- Hobbies: Reading, animals, playing board games
- Favorite Books: Horror novels, true crime novels
- Favorite Movies: Shawshank Redemption, horror flicks
- Favorite Music: Classic rock, 1940s music, 80s music
- What It Means to Work at LFP: The world! My life has changed tremendously due to the staff here, and this warmth is projected to our patients. Lots of love and care demonstrated! I want to be here until I'm 85! Love my job & co-workers!

subset: commoncrawl


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County Fire Protection services and installs all types of fire sprinkler systems (Wet, Dry, Pre-action, Deluge, etc) as well as all types of Fire Pumps, Hydrants, and PIV's
A visual examination of a water-based fire protection system or portion thereof to verify that it appears to be in operating condition and is free of physical damage.
A procedure to determine the status of a system as intended by conducting physical checks on water-based fire protection systems such as water flow tests, fire pump tests, alarm tests, and trip tests of dry pipe, deluge, or pre-action valves. These tests follow-up on the original acceptance test at intervals specified in the appropriate chapter of the Standard NFPA 25, Fire Sprinkler Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Service Maintenance.
By a wide margin, wet pipe fire sprinkler systems are installed more often than all other types of fire sprinkler systems. They also are the most reliable, because they are simple, with the only operating components being the automatic sprinklers and commonly, but not always, the automatic alarm check valve. An automatic water supply provides water under pressure to the system piping.
Operation - When an automatic sprinkler is exposed for a sufficient time to a temperature at or above the temperature rating, the heat sensitive element (glass bulb or fusible link) releases, allowing water to flow from that sprinkler.
Dry pipe systems are installed in spaces in which the ambient temperature may be cold enough to freeze the water in a wet pipe system, rendering the system inoperable. Dry pipe systems are most often used in unheated buildings, in parking garages, in outside canopies attached to heated buildings (in which a wet pipe system would be provided), or in refrigerated coolers. Dry pipe systems are the second most common sprinkler system type. In regions using NFPA regulations, dry pipe systems cannot be installed unless the range of ambient temperatures reaches below 40F. Operation - Water is not present in the piping until the system operates. The piping is filled with air below the water supply pressure. To prevent the larger water supply pressure from forcing water into the piping, the design of the dry pipe valve (a specialized type of check valve) results in a greater force on top of the check valve clapper by the use of a larger valve clapper area exposed to the piping air pressure, as compared to the higher water pressure but smaller clapper surface area.
When one or more of the automatic sprinklers is exposed for a sufficient time to a temperature at or above the temperature rating, it opens, allowing the air in the piping to vent from that sprinkler. Each sprinkler operates individually. As the air pressure in the piping drops, the pressure differential across the dry pipe valve changes, allowing water to enter the piping system. Water flow from sprinklers needed to control the fire is delayed until the air is vented from the sprinklers. For this reason, dry pipe systems are usually not as effective as wet pipe systems in fire control during the initial stages of the fire.
Some view dry pipe sprinklers as advantageous for protection of collections and other water sensitive areas. This perceived benefit is due to a fear that wet system piping may leak, while dry pipe systems will not. However, the same potential for accidental water damage exists, as dry pipe systems will only provide a slight delay prior to water discharge while the air in the piping is released from the pipe.
"Deluge" systems are systems in which all sprinklers connected to the water piping system are open, in that the heat sensing operating element is removed, or specifically designed as such. These systems are used for special hazards where rapid fire spread is a concern, as they provide a simultaneous application of water over the entire hazard. They are sometimes installed in personnel egress paths or building openings to slow travel of fire (e.g., openings in a fire-rated wall).
Water is not present in the piping until the system operates. Because the sprinkler orifices are open, the piping is at atmospheric pressure. To prevent the water supply pressure from forcing water into the piping, a deluge valve is used in the water supply connection, which is a mechanically latched valve. It is a non-resetting valve, and stays open once tripped.
Because the heat sensing elements present in the automatic sprinklers have been removed (resulting in open sprinklers), the deluge valve must be opened as signaled by a fire alarm system. The type of fire alarm initiating device is selected mainly based on the hazard (e.g., smoke detectors, heat detectors, or optical flame detectors). The initiation device signals the fire alarm panel, which in turn signals the deluge valve to open. Activation can also be manual, depending on the system goals. Manual activation is usually via an electric or pneumatic fire alarm pull station, which signals the fire alarm panel, which in turn signals the deluge valve to open.
Operation - Activation of a fire alarm initiating device, or a manual pull station, signals the fire alarm panel, which in turn signals the deluge valve to open, allowing water to enter the piping system. Water flows from all sprinklers simultaneously.
Pre-action sprinkler systems are specialized for use in locations where accidental activation is undesired, such as in museums with rare art works, manuscripts, or books; and Data Centers, for protection of computer equipment from accidental water discharge.
Pre-action systems are hybrids of wet, dry, and deluge systems, depending on the exact system goal. There are two main sub-types of pre-action systems: single interlock, and double interlock.
The operation of single interlock systems are similar to dry systems except that these systems require that a "preceding" fire detection event, typically the activation of a heat or smoke detector, takes place prior to the "action" of water introduction into the system's piping by opening the pre-action valve, which is a mechanically latched valve (i.e., similar to a deluge valve). In this way, the system is essentially converted from a dry system into a wet system. The intent is to reduce the undesirable time delay of water delivery to sprinklers that is inherent in dry systems. Prior to fire detection, if the sprinkler operates, or the piping system develops a leak, loss of air pressure in the piping will activate a trouble alarm. In this case, the pre-action valve will not open due to loss of supervisory pressure, and water will not enter the piping.
The operation of double interlock systems are similar to deluge systems except that automatic sprinklers are used. These systems require that both a "preceding" fire detection event, typically the activation of a heat or smoke detector, and an automatic sprinkler operation take place prior to the "action" of water introduction into the system's piping. Activation of either the fire detectors alone, or sprinklers alone, without the concurrent operation of the other, will not allow water to enter the piping. Because water does not enter the piping until a sprinkler operates, double interlock systems are considered as dry systems in terms of water delivery times, and similarly require a larger design area.
A foam water fire sprinkler system is a special application system, discharging a mixture of water and low expansion foam concentrate, resulting in a foam spray from the sprinkler. These systems are usually used with special hazards occupancies associated with high challenge fires, such as flammable liquids, and airport hangars. Operation is as described above, depending on the system type into which the foam is injected.


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Littlewood-Richardson coefficients arise in a number of areas including
algebraic geometry, algebra, and representation theory. However, computing them
is #P-complete. One way to reduce the number of coefficients needed to be
computed is to find classes of coefficients that are equal. In this talk we
investigate the question of Littlewood-Richardson coefficient equality via the
study of skew Schur function equality.
More precisely, we define an equivalence relation on diagrams such that two
diagrams are equivalent if and only if their corresponding skew Schur functions
are equal. When the diagrams are of a certain type this reduces to an
equivalence relation on integer compositions. We give a combinatorial
interpretation of this integer composition relation and relate it to other
known combinatorial objects. If time permits we will also discuss how the
combinatorial interpretation can be generalised.
No prior knowledge of any of the above is required.
Refreshments will be served at 2:45 p.m. (Lounge, MATX 1115).


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I've used GNU/Linux since (February?) 1999. I started with Slackware, and now I'm running Ubuntu. I think Linux is fantastic, but one thing always irritates me.
Whereas MS-Windows has a 'Program Files' directory with a sub-directory for each application, Ubuntu stores application files across the file-system according to type, eg. /etc, /var/log, /bin. I find the Windows approach much easier to work with. The Ubuntu method means it takes much longer to find where things are. For log files it may be easy, but where is the webapps directory for apache-tomcat?


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A Secret Life
Intelligence in Recent Public Literature
By Benjamin Weiser. New York: Public Affairs, 2004. 383 pages.
Reviewed by Thomas M. Troy, Jr.
A Secret Life is author Benjamin Weiser's riveting account of the life and career of Polish Army Col. Ryszard Kuklinski, a member of the Polish General Staff who worked secretly for the US government for over nine years. Kuklinski, one of the most important agents who ever volunteered to the CIA, provided crucial data about Soviet-Warsaw Pact military topics beginning in the early 1970s. Weiser's relatively brief tale of Kuklinski's life as a spy is superb; it should be "must reading" for anybody interested in intelligence matters, the Cold War, or simply a good read.
In pulling this fascinating story together, Weiser acknowledges that he received a great deal of cooperation from the CIA. He hired Agency veteran Peter Earnest, who reviewed the huge CIA file on Col. Kuklinski, made notes, selected important documents, and eventually came up with more than 750 pages of material. CIA staff officers then reviewed the information, made any needed changes or deletions, and turned this incredible source material over to Weiser.
Those in the CIA who made the enlightened decision to facilitate this process should be commended. At a time when the daily papers and television news programs seem to be full of official and journalistic criticisms of the CIA for "intelligence failures," the "politicization of intelligence," and "CIA incompetence," A Secret Life provides an antidote: sometimes the CIA did it right. In the case of Col. Kuklinski, the Agency "ran" a remarkably important and productive agent, in a denied area, for almost a decade. Then, when the Polish security service began focusing an investigation on Kuklinski, it successfully exfiltrated him and his family and later even helped him regain his reputation and citizenship in Poland.
The author supplemented the CIA material by conducting numerous interviews, including with Col. Kuklinski. Weiser explains in the introduction that he wanted to focus on the "human side of the operation—the interaction between Kuklinski and the Americans he worked with." He made a wise decision. A Secret Life reads almost like a novel as Weiser expertly weaves in "personal" letters between Kuklinski and his principal case officers and quotes from internal memorandums by members of the Directorate of Operations (DO) who were concerned with protecting Kuklinski's safety. Weiser never introduces extraneous material, embellishes the story, or speculates about what people were thinking, saying, and doing. He obviously recognized that he had a gripping story to tell and did not need to add flourishes. As a result, even when you know the ending, A Secret Life is so engrossing and suspenseful, and so intrinsically interesting and well written, that it is very difficult to put it down before finishing.
Seeds of Discontent
Weiser explores Kuklinski's motivation for spying. Ryszard Kuklinski was born in 1930 and, like nearly every Pole, suffered during World War II. At the age of 17, he joined the Polish Army but soon recognized that the Soviets were just as oppressive as the Nazis had been.1 Nonetheless, intelligent and an indefatigable worker, he rose through the ranks. In 1960, he was appointed to the General Staff Academy in Warsaw, and, after graduation in 1963, he began preparing strategic exercises for the Operations Directorate in General Staff Headquarters. He soon realized that all Soviet-Warsaw Pact exercises corresponded to Moscow's military strategy, which was exclusively offensive. He concluded that, if there were a World War III, Poland would be obliterated by US and NATO nuclear counterattacks against Soviet reinforcements crossing Poland. The seeds of disillusionment with communist rule grew.
In 1968, Poland joined the Soviet-led military attack against Czechoslovakia. Kuklinski was enraged that his superiors in the military enthusiastically supported the invasion of a fellow member of the Warsaw Pact. He deeply regretted that the West was so preoccupied with the war in Vietnam and the mass antiwar protests at home and in Europe that it failed to protest the invasion of Czechoslovakia. He later said that the official Polish military view of the invasion was that it was an "exceptional achievement"; however, unofficially, military officers regarded it as an "unforgivable mistake," for which the Poles would "one day have to pay a high price . . . ." According to Kuklinski, "my judgment and my opinions were strongly rooted in this current, and this is probably how [the idea to establish some form of communication with the West] all began."2
Two years after the invasion of Czechoslovakia, Polish troops were ordered to fire at fellow citizens demonstrating against the regime in several cities along the Baltic coast. At least 47 people were killed and over a thousand wounded. Once again outraged by the Polish leadership, Kuklinski began to think in concrete terms of contacting the West.
In August 1972, Kuklinski, an avid sailor, captained a yacht owned by the Polish General Staff that was dispatched to reconnoiter various German, Dutch, and Belgian ports and naval installations. While "sight seeing" in a German port, Kuklinski addressed a letter to the US military attaché in Bonn asking for a meeting. The attaché gave the letter to the chief of station, and soon two CIA officers met clandestinely with Kuklinski. The Polish colonel volunteered to work in-place in Warsaw and provide information on the Soviets and the Warsaw Pact. The CIA accepted.
The Operation
Weiser devotes the bulk of A Secret Life to describing the nine years in which Kuklinski operated as an agent for the CIA. Using material from interviews and the CIA's operational cables and memorandums, he depicts the risks that Kuklinski took on a daily basis and the ruses that CIA officers used to foil Polish security in order to stay in touch with their agent. On four occasions during 1973-76, the colonel was able to sail to the West and hold personal meetings with CIA officers, but contacts after that had to be in Warsaw.
The hero of A Secret Life obviously is Kuklinski, but several CIA officers play major supporting roles. By July 1981, CIA officers had held 63 "exchanges" with Kuklinski. Weiser skillfully describes the care with which Agency personnel prepared for these encounters, and it is clear that he holds the officers in high esteem.
Kuklinski provided a treasure-trove of mainly documentary material, which he photographed using micro cameras disguised as every-day objects.3 Citing CIA memorandums, Weiser relates that, as of July 1981, Kuklinski had passed over 40,200 pages to the CIA! To protect Kuklinski, the DO disguised the documents' source descriptions to ensure that even the Russian- and Polish-language translators did not know their origins. For additional safety, the Agency issued the reports based on Kuklinski's material in highly restricted channels. At times, the only people outside the CIA who received these reports were the president, the national security adviser, and the secretaries of state and defense.
In late 1980, the CIA provided Kuklinski with a miniaturized electronic transmitting device for sending encoded messages to the CIA's officers in Warsaw. Although the device did not always function, it may have saved his life: In November 1981, he was able to alert the CIA that he was one of four Polish Army officers under suspicion for spying.
The Crisis in Poland, 1980-81
Without overwhelming the reader with detail, Weiser deftly describes how Kuklinski played a major behind-the-scenes role during the crisis in Poland from July 1980 to December 1981. The beleaguered and essentially bankrupt Polish communist regime sought to buy time in late August 1980 by concluding a set of agreements with the fledging Solidarity trade union that promised to allow a number of democratic practices. At the same time, the regime began preparing contingency plans to strengthen its power, including the possible imposition of martial law. Kuklinski was asked to join a small group of General Staff officers and other senior officials to write the martial law plan. Although he privately supported Solidarity's goals and admired the union's charismatic leader, Lech Walesa, Kuklinski decided to accept the assignment so that he could warn Washington of the regime's plans.
The Soviet Union, then led by Leonid Brezhnev, made it clear, publicly and privately, that it could not tolerate the anti-regime activism in Poland. In December 1980, Moscow informed the Polish military that there would be a major "exercise" involving many Soviet divisions and East German and Czechoslovak troops. Kuklinski reported the information to the CIA and also predicted a massive crackdown on Solidarity. US President Jimmy Carter twice warned the Soviets not to intervene in Poland. National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski used his own channels to warn Solidarity of imminent repressive moves. The "Polish Pope," John Paul II, also cautioned Brezhnev against intervening. In the event, nothing happened.
In March 1981, with seemingly nobody in control in Poland, the Soviets again seemed on the brink of intervention. Again, Kuklinski reported on Soviet activities to Washington. Again, there was no Soviet intervention and no martial law.
Six months later, on 7 September, the chief of the Polish General Staff told a select group of officers, including Kuklinski, that martial law was imminent. As before, Kuklinski reported to the CIA. The next week, the colonel learned that the Polish Interior Ministry was investigating a "leak," because Solidarity had learned the details of the martial law plan. Shortly thereafter, he noticed surveillance and began preparations to flee. Weiser builds tension in describing Kuklinski's activities and the efforts of CIA officers in Warsaw to bring him and his family to the West. After many problems, they succeeded. On Veterans Day, 11 November 1981, Kuklinski and his family arrived in a US military aircraft at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, DC. Kuklinski's extraordinary career as an agent-in-place was over.
Weiser devotes about 50 pages of A Secret Life to describing what happened to Kuklinski after he reached the United States. In 1984, he was tried in absentia by the Polish regime and sentenced to death. Meanwhile, he lived under a new identity and did some consulting for the CIA and the US military, although he found life in his adoptive country difficult. The Polish communist regime continued to work to blacken his reputation. After a democratic government came into power in Poland in 1989, Kuklinski was able to have his trial and sentence invalidated, but only after concerted effort by friends in high places—according to Weiser, the administration of President Clinton made it clear that Washington would oppose Polish membership in NATO unless Kuklinski were exonerated. In 1998, Kuklinski made something of a triumphal return to Poland, where he was received as a hero. He and his wife continued to live in the United States under assumed identities until his death in February 2004.
Weiser's masterful book, of necessity, leaves a few mysteries unsolved. One of these "loose ends" involves how the Polish regime learned in the autumn of 1981 that the CIA had the latest version of the martial law plan, triggering its investigation of a leak. Likewise, Weiser's account of the hectic days in early December 1980—based mainly on Kuklinski's words—does not resolve the major question of whether the Soviets were preparing to invade Poland or getting ready to help the Polish regime impose martial law.
"Loose ends" and quibbles aside, A Secret Life is a joy to read. Col. Ryszard Kuklinski is a hero, and Benjamin Weiser has written a great book about him.
1. Until 1956, the Soviets basically controlled the Polish military. The Polish Defense Minister, for example, was Soviet Marshal Konstanty Rokossowski.
2. Ryszard Kuklinski, "The War Against the Nation Seen From the Inside," Kultura, no. 4, 1987: 9. Kultura was published in Paris by Polish exiles and emigrés. Kuklinski's "interview" with Kultura was subsequently translated into English and reprinted as "The Crushing of Solidarity," in Orbis 32, no. 1, Winter 1988: 7-32.
3. Initially, Kuklinski used his Russian-manufactured camera to photograph documents for the CIA—a sweet irony, because the Russian commander of Warsaw Pact forces had presented the camera as a gift.
Thomas M. Troy, Jr., served in the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence. This article is unclassified in its entirety.


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Treasure trove necklaceby Kathryn Williamson
A textured silver necklace with laser cut acrylic detailing to make you stand out wherever you are
Textured silver necklace with laser cut acrylic
Silver necklace inspired by Kathryn's collection of Treasure Trove
silver, acrylic, found objects
One off
Acrylic, Found Objects, Silver
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Members of Bexley's Alternative Revenue Task Force have forwarded a list of recommendations to City Council estimated to generate $1.5 million annually in new income for the city.
Members of Bexley's Alternative Revenue Task Force have forwarded a list of recommendations to City Council estimated to generate $1.5 million annually in new income for the city.
In 2011, council identified an upcoming gap in funding for the city as part of Ohio's elimination of the estate tax, as well as current and future reductions in funds Bexley receives from the state.
"The task force was comprised of 30 Bexley residents all dedicated to curing the city's budgetary issues," City Councilman Tim Madison said. "After numerous meetings and several months of hard work, the task force presented to City Council its findings and recommendations that includes potentially $1.5 million in new annual revenue for our city.
"There has been a past history of City Council shelving these types of reports, but I have personally promised the task force that their efforts will be thoroughly considered by this City Council. I cannot promise that each and every proposal will be implemented, but I believe that many of the proposals must be utilized to negate the need for future tax increases on our citizens," Madison said.
In 2011, City Council proposed an income tax increase, which voters approved. However, community leaders said then that a future increase of income taxes was an unsustainable model.
"At this time, it appears that any additional increases in income tax rates would be difficult to adsorb by the community," the Alternative Revenue Task Force report noted. "We have reached a friction point on traditional avenues of revenue generation as a community."
Options for revenue
Bexley City Council commissioned the Alternative Revenue Task Force to look at new ways to generate revenue for the city.
The task force, armed with figures and projections provided by the city auditor, set a goal to identify $1 million in alternative revenue. It formed subcommittees and those subcommittees identified more than $1.5 million in alternative revenue.
The recommendations include:
* Public service fees -- $450,000 in anticipated annual revenue. The city pays for fire and police safety services to serve the community. There are non-residents who utilize these services without contributing through income taxes.
* Digital ad revenue -- $100,000 in anticipated annual revenue. The city could leverage, through partnerships, a website that helps residents find reputable services and offers businesses an opportunity to market to the community.
* Parking meters on Main Street -- $250,000 in anticipated new annual revenue. Main Street businesses could benefit from meters while the city would realize significant income from them.
* Speed cameras -- $750,000 in anticipated new annual revenue. While this recommendation is described as primarily a safety issue, there is an opportunity to realize revenue while making the community safer for children and pedestrians.
* Economic development -- Long-term opportunities for the city to generate revenue by developing land and attracting new businesses also was listed as an option, but no revenue figure was tied to the suggestion.
The task force presented what it called "a well-balanced, broad-based plan that does not lean on any of our constituencies too heavily. It is our hope that the recommendations will be viewed in their entirety. It is the task force's view that if viewed as individual initiatives, political pressure could jeopardize the viability of the plan and ultimately the fiscal health of the city."
Mayor's reaction
Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler said the task force report was "thoughtful and well-presented. We had an energized group of highly qualified residents from a diversity of professional backgrounds put together a meaningful and creative analysis of ways the city can seek alternative revenue beyond the traditional taxation paradigm.
"I think we owe it to them and to our residents to seriously consider every recommendation. For sure, some of the recommendations require public input and further exploration before being instituted."
One recommendation that has the potential to be controversial, especially if not instituted with great care and exposed to an adequate public process, is the recommendation for speed cameras, Kessler said.
"Even prior to the formation of the task force, we've been researching speed cameras and considering how a selectively placed and well-marked speed camera might provide a safer environment for residential streets that have chronic speeding problems," he said.
"One area in particular that we've been exploring this year has been College Avenue. College is a residential street with a uniquely challenging speeding environment ... "
Kessler said it is difficult to come up with ideas for alternative revenue that don't involve some form of controversy.
"I think when discussing these recommendations, we need to be respectful of the reasons these items might be controversial for some, while at the same time not shying away from discussing them simply because the conversation is uncomfortable or requires us to work through some more complicated and larger big-picture questions.
"We know, from our experience in funding our city services in a challenging revenue environment, that simply accepting the comfortable status quo is not enough; we know that we need to get creative and not shy away from issues that might engender controversy if they are otherwise the right thing for our community at the right time."
Kessler praised task force members for volunteering their time and working to ensure the greater longer-term viability of city finances.
Madison said he hopes residents will attend a meeting on the task force findings and recommendations set for 7 p.m. Jan. 15 in City Council chambers, 2242 E. Main St.
He encouraged residents to contact him or any other council member or the mayor , to discuss the recommendations.


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Recreation Center ID Cards
ID cards cost $5 for Haltom City residents and are free to renew after one year. Children under the age of 16 are required to have a parent or guardian with them to register for an ID. For information please call Haltom City Parks & Recreation at 817-831-6464.


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Enterprises from across the boardtrust Synoptek as an award-winning Managed Services Provider (MSP) for IT services and support. Synoptek's managed hosting and support expertise extends beyond IT (computer hardware, software, networks, and applications).
Our professional services teams have 20+ years of experience in many industries along with the technical proficiency to analyze and implement technology-based solutions to improve business performance in industry sectors that heavily rely on their IT infrastructure. This accumulation of in-depth knowledge, our results focus, and our reputation for customer service sets us apart from other managed services providers.
As part of an ongoing and candid dialogue, we support and continually refine client business IT strategies. Our assessment, design, and configuration process demonstrates first-hand how our IT solutions have impacted organizations just like
yours. We show organizations how to leverage line-of-business IT investments to maximize business objectives and reduce IT costs.
Common IT problems we deal with daily across most industries:
Synoptek provides all types of "IT as a Service" where you pay a fixed monthly fee for only the IT infrastructure and services you use.
Use our 24×7 Help Desk Services and our ability to monitor cloud, server, and endpoint devices to have us also provide IT Security Services. Synoptek's Managed Security Services will provide you the security that cloud providers do not offer. Learn more about our complete IT Security Services suite.
|Cyber Security is best handled by an Award Winning Managed Service Provider
One of the best ways to protect yourself is to work with an MSP, with a Cyber Security focus like Synoptek. Our experience in managing thousands of devices gives us the knowledge to apply the appropriate security software and devices to give you the protection you need. Our 24×7 monitoring can alert you in real-time.
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Malware, Trojan horses, virus threats all are "defined" in protection programs and then scans occur to detect their existence. The benefit in using Synoptek's Network Anomaly Detection Service is that it can provide protection both internally and externally and identify a threat without having to define in advance exactly what the threat might be.
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Cyber Security is a rapidly evolving challenge. Learn how to manage your cyber security risk while using cloud services and at the same time manage your costs. Companies look to us for ongoing guidance, not to sell them tools. Learn more about the essential protection services you need.
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AWS and Azure do not provide all of the security you need. Learn which critical elements of your IT environment are left unprotected. Understand how IT Security can be applied while using hosting services from these cloud providers.
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Synoptek's Managed Cloud Services offering combines the benefits of cloud hosting using a robust, reliable, centralized management system. This combination supports the most basic to the most demanding enterprise configurations. If you are looking to leverage cloud hosting flexibility and savings, you still need someone to run it.
|Understand your Cloud Cost- Private Cloud, AWS, Azure
Synoptek's Cloud Assessment Service is a cloud infrastructure analytics service providing data analytics, cost analysis, and recommendations to speed and simplify cloud migration and management. This service helps you determine "right-sized" cloud configurations and the "best-fit" cloud provider for your environment.
|Cloud Migration Projects – Are You Prepared?
Like any trip from one place to another, you need to start by knowing where you're coming from, what you're bringing with you, and where you're going. Our Cloud Migration Checklist below will provide many of the items you need to consider when embarking on a cloud migration project or moving between cloud providers.
|Learn about critical gaps in IT security when using AWS and Azure
AWS and Azure do not provide all of the security you need. Learn which critical elements of your IT environment are left unprotected. Understand how IT Security can be applied while using managed hosting services from these cloud providers.
Cloud hosting is much more than just rackspace and power with Synoptek. We do not offer "one size fits all" solutions like the large commodity providers, instead we "right size" your hosting infrastructure to meet your business needs. Our focus is on the performance, security, and reliability of our cloud hosting services rather than building server density to generate higher margins for us.
With all of the "moving parts" in enterprise IT environment, you need to find a "trusted advisor" that understands how to deliver on your strategic vision. A technology partner with operating experience making all of these systems and devices work together. A partner that can grow your business by applying IT infrastructure and processes in a precise way.
Healthcare – We are currently providing "complete" IT support for a number of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Additionally, we provide Remote Monitoring and Maintenance and 24×7 Help Desk Services for one of the largest human tissue providers in the U.S. We are familiar with managing EHR's and meet HIPPA compliance requirements.
Financial Services (FinServ)– We provide IT support to various investment banking firms, brokers, mortgage providers and banks. Our expertise in data storage and disaster recovery services is vital to these clients.
Transportation – The entire transportation industry is constantly evolving. Societal changes, environmental concerns, and economic pressures are driving innovations for every type of carrier. Learn more about how we are providing solutions solving business problems in the transportation industry.
Local and Municipal Government – Our competency in local government IT support goes back 20 years. We are familiar with government IT issues and budget cycles. We are active in many local government organizations and can put you in contact with many of our local and municipal government clients to learn more about our services.
Consumer Products – Synoptek offers an extensive range of managed IT services for many companies in the consumer products industry. We host and manage their entire IT infrastructure which empowers their IT staff to focus on business objectives and have peace of mind knowing experts manage their IT systems.
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Entertainment – We provide industry leading experience and manage powerful technology platforms for many leading companies in the entertainment industry. We add value to our clients by enabling maximum IT system performance to help their business grow efficiently. Our services can range from performing the day-to-day IT tasks to specific IT projects such as security, application development or disaster recovery/business continuity.
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Technology Companies – We understand the needs for IT infrastructure for technology companies better than most other organizations. Keep your core technology focus and let us manage your IT infrastructure more cost-effectively.
Manufacturers and Distributors – We are currently providing Managed Cloud Storage and Exchange Hosting to several regional and international manufacturing companies. Our IT solutions have resulted in better reliability and a reduction of IT operating costs to these organizations.
Let us teach you what we have learned from our years of experience working with organizations similar to yours. Learn from the best at Synoptek Managed Services, Contact Us Now.


text: Most of the pictures on this site were taken by me. Those that were not have been credited to the appropriate individuals. I generally use a Canon SD 700 IS Elph, my Motorola Razr camera phone, and a Holga 120 CFN Medium Format camera (which is a huge green plastic camera and is totally obnoxious, yet I love it). I do not know much about photography... this is likely evident. However, I do enjoy taking goofy pictures


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Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Corona Wrap
16 comments:
Hi Elisabeth, this is a beautiful shawl! I love all about it! Good work!ReplyDelete
Hope you have a wonderful day!
Hugs from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
Wow, impressive shawl love the beautiful colours in the yarn. Lovely to have a pattern published in a crochet magazine well done.ReplyDelete
Gorgeous !!!!ReplyDelete
Beautiful scarf!!!ReplyDelete
Happy day.:*
Wow! this is absolutely stunning Elisabeth! beautiful shades of purple… and wonderfully elegant! :-)ReplyDelete
Hope you have a good day!
Big hugs
Sue B xx
Congratulations on your pattern release, it is a beautiful shawl. Jo xReplyDelete
Well done Elizabeth what a beautiful shawl it's gorgeous! :) xxReplyDelete
Oh this shwl is really gorgeous !! well done ! HAve a nice evening !ReplyDelete
You are so talented the shawl is amazing.ReplyDelete
Hugs and congrats,
Such a pretty shawl and I love that yarn. Such a beautiful colour!!ReplyDelete
This shawl is beautiful, I love the way it is attached.ReplyDelete
What a beuatiful shawl!! Congratulations on getting the pattern in the magazine.ReplyDelete
Elisabeth, this is so gorgeous. P xReplyDelete
It is so beautiful. Love it.....ReplyDelete
Pretty, nice colors! Weekend greetings, NataReplyDelete
There is an award for you on my blog !ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment! I love reading every single one - they really make my day :) I try to answer each and every comment by email or on your blog.


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Proven Path. Proven Results
GolfTEC, the largest golf instruction company in the world based upon locations and lessons given, allows golf professionals and passionate investors an opportunity to pursue golf as business owners. Using an instructional system proven in over 2 million lessons with over 250,000 clients since 1995, GolfTEC is the world leader in golf improvement. From tee to green, clients gain skills to reach their shot-making and score-reduction goals. The expanding Wall of Fame at each GolfTEC Improvement Center bears witness to personal bests, tournaments won, and accomplishments made tangible.
GolfTEC Lessons
Time-based and utilising patented technology, only GolfTEC combines video with motion analysis for a fact-based lesson. GolfTEC's programme and plan options are guided by Certified Personal Coaches. In addition, GolfTEC utilises its proprietary database of over 150 tour pros in each lesson. Through digital video, motion measurement and bio-feedback technology, GolfTEC's g-SWING feedback turns physical movement into fact-based feedback. Each client's swing is synched with tour averages to spot game-changing opportunities during every lesson.
Join the Ownership Network
GolfTEC franchisees enjoy a connection with the golf industry, satisfaction from seeing players cut strokes and end playing frustration, and achievement of personal and professional goals. They also benefit from the confidence that comes from operating within well-established, proven operational boundaries.
As a winner of the Franchise Business Review Top 50 Franchisors in Owner Satisfaction, GolfTEC can fully document past performance, operational methods, and best practices of leading franchisees. Franchisees receive a full complement of well-documented systems and support including site selection and store opening assistance, training programmes for owners and coaches, as well as, ongoing operations, instructional and market development assistance. GolfTEC franchisees also benefit from extensive corporate marketing and brand support and excellent facility layouts creating a premium learning environment tailored for a high-end target market.
Franchise Info
Company Name: GolfTEC
Phone: +1 303 223 2347
Website: www.golftec.com
Year Established: 1995
Country of Origin: USA
Contact Person: Steve Bauerle, VP of Business Development
Email: email@example.com
Types of Franchise Available: Golf Improvement Centers
Number of Units: 140+
Size of Units: 186 sq.m.
Franchise Fees: US$111,475 – $427,675
Franchise Term (years): 10 years
Royalty: 5% of gross sales and 2% of merchandise sales
Marketing/A & P Fund: 2% of gross sales for National Ad Fund
Estimated Initial Capital: US$800,000+


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Police raided an address on Drummond Walk in Melton on Saturday in an investigation into illegal drugs.
The officers and the Neighbourhood Priority Team (NPT) executed a Misuse of Drugs warrant.
A Leicestershire Police spokesman said: "Three people were voluntarily interviewed. What was found inside the property is still being tested. So far no arrests have been made."
Police are urging anyone who has any information about drug dealers in their area to report them by calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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MAGNUM, Melanson Vineyard, Matthew's Block, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015
MAGNUM, Melanson Vineyard, Matthew's Block, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Jeff Fontanella
Share This Product
Some of the most elite and coveted wines from the Napa Valley come from a distinct and exceptional area east of Oakville on Pritchard Hill. These treasured vineyards are said to have the sophistication of Oakville but with the extra intensity of a hillside. Ranging between 800-2000 feet in elevation, these vineyards shine well above the fog line that blankets over the Napa Valley floor in the mornings, and are planted in volcanic red clay loam soil providing mineral driven, intensely flavored grapes with thick skins. Only a handful of wineries are perched up on this illustrious hill, like royalty.
You know the names: Chappellet, Ovid, Continuum, Colgin, David Arthur, Bryant Family. Those in the know however, know of a special vineyard located in the very heart of Pritchard Hill, the Melanson Vineyard. Greg Melanson bought this exceptional property in 1988 with 10.5 acres on it and sold his grapes to the most sought after winemakers in the valley; Heidi Barrett, Celia Welch, Thomas Rivers Brown to name a few. These winemakers took whatever they could get from this vineyard. From 2004-2008, he quietly made a small amount for his own production, but in early 2010, after joining with winemaker Jeff Fontanella, he decided to start sharing his wine under his own label. While you will see a handful of vintners still sourcing from this vineyard; Pulido-Walker, TOR, Celia Welch for Corra, Greg's own bottling under the Melanson label you will hardly see outside of California. We are so excited to offer this hidden gem to you!
Deep purple in color, with lush aromas of ripe blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, anise, and crushed flowers. The palate is rich and opulent with loads of juicy black fruit, dark chocolate, coffee, and silky tannins while still maintaining a balanced vibrancy. True to this vineyard, this is fantastically rich, regal, and royal.
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No need to be a tech guru — our turnkey platform and software kit gets your business set up quickly and easily.
Sell to just about anyone, anywhere by accepting all major currencies and cards brands. Our global payment gateway and products are all you need.
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A full-service, experienced team drives your success with end-to-end payment acceptance services.
We understand your business goals and needs, helping you achieve a competitive market advantage.
Knowledgeable and reliable technical support helps keep your business running smoothly.


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Advantages Of Grout Removal In Floor Care.
The floor of any home is critical because it is the first thing that people will see when they enter your home. It becomes paramount that you need to keep your floor well maintained at all times so that it can be eye catchy, a dirty floor is not appealing. There are different types of cleaning materials that you can use on your floor especially if it is made of tiles, tiles have a tendency of accumulating dirt so fast, and their glaze can reduce if they are not cleaned regularly.
When water pours on to say the carpet, and you do not remove it, it will form a good breeding ground for molds, it becomes paramount that you dry up any water that pours as fast as possible. In case there is such a spillage in your home, you should dry up the water quickly so that molds do not get a good breeding ground for them to grow.
Getting rid of images in your home is a culmination of some simple steps that you should take so as to make sure that there is no breeding ground for the molds. A carpet can be a harbor for molds, and it is good that you prevent this from happening by taking it to a qualified carpet cleaner and
Commercial Floor Care Worcester
who will deal with the moisture and remove it all. It is always good that you find the cause of the problem and deal with it for example if it is water is leaking from the roof, then you can call a roof repair company.
There are tools that can help you reduce moisture in the environment and the long run you will get rid of molds. Mold removal can be quite a complicated process and that you will need to hire professionals to do it for you so that you do not harm yourself. Mold remediation companies have their professionals who do the job for of removal of images, this will go a long way in keeping you safe because you might be exposed to some molds that are dangerous. Professional mold removal companies will also do a perfect job once and for all so
Learn more here
The professionals are also able to handle the mold well because if you do it on your own, you might agitate the frame and make it even worse and make it grow even more. Removal of grout or molds is advantageous in that it will make your tiles last for a long time, regular cleaning makes them as good as new. One tends to be more healthy if there are no images in your home.
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Back to School, Linux Style
The testing is part of the Indiana Access Program, designed to equip all high school students with individual desktop computers for instructional use in the classroom.
The program, less expensive than comparable one-to-one classroom computing initiatives, uses desktop Linux operating systems and standard hardware configurations, according to a recent news release.
"Many schools across the state have already had the chance to try out desktop Linux, and everyone seems excited to get this program going," said John Levy, CEO of Wintergreen Systems.
"This groundbreaking initiative makes it possible for schools to afford computers for every student, something that makes a huge impact on their overall educations."
A new shipment of computers is set to roll out to pilot school districts this month. If the Indiana Access Program is successful, a total of 300,000 Linux machines could be deployed in the near future, according to the news release.
"Indiana school officials have evaluated their options and chose to go with a Linux-based system because it's at a lower cost to them," said Heather MacKenzie, public relations manager for Linspire.
Linspire has been working with Wintergreen Systems for the past three years to provide several classrooms in the pilot districts with desktop Linux computers. The partnership is part of Linspire's Education Program that is designed to bring Linspire to all academic institutions at any level, according to the company website.
Wintergreen Systems is manufacturer and distributor of computer products that builds the desktops for the program, all of which are pre-installed with the Linspire Linux operating system.
"Wintergreen Systems is Indiana-based, so they are the perfect partner for this program," said MacKenzie. "They're instrumental in getting us into the Indiana schools."
Linspire offers its Linux-based OS to schools for an annual licensing fee of $500 (with no per-unit installation costs) through its Education Program, according to the program Web site.
The Linspire OS features a complete office suite and a secure Internet suite.
The system supports Wi-Fi networking technology, instant messaging, digital music management, digital photo management and Web publishing tools.
In terms of technical support, Linspire offers multimedia tutorials and free educational support as part of their program.
The Linspire-Wintergreen combination systems are the leading desktop Linux option available for Indiana high schools, according to the press release.
Randolph Southern High School in Lynn, Ind., is one of the pilot schools that have been exploring one-to-one classroom computing with the Linspire-Wintergreen computers over the past three years.
Annette Wilson, technical director for the school, says the students have been very enthusiastic over the merits of the Indiana Access Program.
Approximately 125 desktops have been distributed throughout the English, science and history departments.
Wilson estimates that at least 90 percent of the students in the school will have an opportunity to access the new systems.
"Indiana schools aren't just talking about desktop Linuxstudents and teachers are actually using it every day," said Kevin Carmony, president and CEO of Linspire.
"We're thrilled that a desktop Linux solution is being evaluated in Indiana with such success, and we're confident that other school systems will look to this deployment as an example for their own classrooms."


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This film is the biopic of pro surfer Bethany Hamilton and tells the story of the night she lost her arm to shark attack, her recovery and her return to competitive surfing. Hamilton's story is an incredible one but is drowned out by the Hollywood cheese with pretty questionable special effects.
It also has that guy from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys playing Alana Blanchard's dad..
Best Line: 'I wouldn't change a thing, because then I wouldn't be here talking to you, I can embrace more people now then I could with two arms'


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BFP Test Strip Little Bundle – 15 Ovulation and 5 Pregnancy Test Strips Made in N. America for Accuracy
As any tryingPeanut butter and jelly. Brad and Angelina. Pregnancy and ovulation tests!
If you've been trying to conceive for any length of time at all, you know that pregnancy and ovulation tests just go together. You need them both, so why not buy them in a convenient combo pack and save some money while you're at it?
Our BFP Test Strip Little Bundle is designed to provide you with the ovulation and pregnancy tests you need each month at a price that won't break the bank. Consisting of 15 BFP Ovulation Test Strips and 5 early detection BFP Pregnancy Test Strips, the BFP Test Strip Little Bundle is ideal for the value conscious TTC'er.
Click here to read complete BFP Ovulation Test instructions>>
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Hello everyone!
Hope you enjoy your weekend.
I`m here with a decorated nails of course (you didn`t expected something else from me, right? LOL).
Here I used polish only on the non- decorated nails. And it`s gel polish. Bluesky Classic 546 in a single coat over the gel- covered nails.
On the middle fingers nails I painted one stroke flowers in light pink and raspberry colours. Then I placed a silver glitter only in the whole flower.
And sealed the nails with Bluesky gel polish top coat.


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Federal Evacuation Policy: Issues for Congress
Description: This report discusses federal evacuation policy and analyzes potential lessons learned from the evacuation of individuals from Hurricane Katrina. Several issue areas that might arise concerning potential lawmaking and oversight on evacuation policy are also highlighted. This report will be updated as significant legislative or administrative changes occur.
Date: March 30, 2009
Creator: Lindsay, Bruce R.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department


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"I don't think we believe in -- I know we don't believe in -- scapegoats and in particular no one blames Tito for what happened in September."Epstein was absolutely right, no one should be making Francona the scapegoat but then he pulled a George McGovern and made him the scapegoat unjustly. And Epstein will come to regret that decision.
As usual, one guy is taking the fall so to cover anyone's one ass, in this case Epstein's. The team's terrible depth got exposed in September when the rotation started to falter and the bullpen became overworked. A team in a pennant race fighting for their playoff lives should not be starting scrubs like Kyle Weiland. A team fighting for their playoff lives should not be forced to continually starting John Lackey when he has previously proved ineffective. A team should not be forced to try a last minute deal to acquire Bruce Chen from the Kansas City Royals to potentially start a one-game-playoff (I know Chen has been solid all year but when you are relying on Chen to make the playoffs, you are not in good shape). And especially not a team with the third highest payroll in baseball, as well as the fact that the solid Kevin Millwood was already with the team in AAA but when they decided they didn't need him, he signed with Colorado and gave that team what Boston desperately needed, quality innings. And in that regard, Epstein failed and deserves a nice chunk of the blame, as well for the big bust that was Carl Crawford, an acquisition that was supposed to put the Red Sox over the top.
Now this is certainly not to say that Francona is devoid of blame. There was no excuse for a team to completely fall into a tailspin (great show BTW) when a month prior were playing like the best team in the Junior Circuit. The team showed no motivation and looked like they had already given up on the season and were ready for the golf course while fighting to fend off the Tampa Bay Rays. That is where Francona deserves his fair share of the blame, as well as for the pitchers drinking brewskis in the bullpen.
But Francona should not have been dismissed, or his option not be picked up or whatever the official word is. This is a guy who brought the city of Boston two World Series titles in his eight year tenure when no one else had done it in 86 years. He is one of the best managers in all of baseball and is widely thought of to be as one by pretty much everyone in baseball. There is no doubt he will get another job, likely in Chicago for the White Sox, where he was the AA coach of Michael Jordan, or for the Cubs if they fire Mike Quade and hope Francona can cure another, even longer drought.
What makes me dislike this decision by the Red Sox brass is that they will look bad if they don't get somebody as good as Francona. Do they really want to potentially go back to the Kevin Kennedy, Jimy Williams, Grady Little days where the team seemed to come up small in big moments every time?


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UGroLab —
coco substrates
made to your
Specialised in coco since 2003
UGroLab = UGro + Laboratory
UGroLab is a premium quality coconut substrate, specially designed in the laboratory for the most demanding. It is a natural, biodegradable and sustainable. The substrate is obtained by crushing and processing the outermost shell of the coconut and can be used as an alternative option to the more traditional substrates.


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Toasted sesame oil, ginger and cilantro lend an Asian twist to classic pasta with white clam sauce. Tender Manila clams take only minutes to cook, and their flavorful juices become the base for a terrific sauce. If you are doubling the recipe, use a large pot to accommodate the opening shells. This recipe takes advantage of late summer's bumper crop of zucchini, but you can enjoy this meal all year long, replacing the zucchini with whatever vegetables you find at the farmers' market such as asparagus, broccoli rabe or Chinese broccoli.
Spaghetti with Asian-Flavored Clams and Zucchini
7 to 8 oz. (220 to 250 g) spaghetti, preferably multigrain
1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 large shallot, minced
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/3-inch (9-mm) cubes
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125ml) clam juice or low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. Asian chili sauce, such sambal oelek or sriracha
2 lb. (1 kg) Manila clams
1/4 cup (1/3 oz./10g) minced fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir well and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain and then return to the pot. Add the sesame oil and stir to coat. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the ginger and shallot and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 1 minute to warm. Pour in the clam juice, vinegar and chili sauce and bring to a boil. Add the clams and the 1/4 cup (1/3 oz./10 g) cilantro. Cover the pan and cook until the clams just open, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Transfer the pasta to individual bowls or a warmed shallow serving bowl. Pour the sauce and clams over the pasta, discarding any clams that did not open. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Find more simple, seasonal weeknight recipes in our cookbook Weeknight Fresh + Fast, by Kristine Kidd.


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Here, recently reprinted, is Roger Ebert's 1978 article, "Beyond Narrative: The Future of the Feature Film".
It is rather lengthy, but thoroughly engrossing, and comprises in part a highly informative review of the history of arthouse cinema. Within this it features a profound analysis of Robert Altman's Three Women, Ingmar Bergman's Persona, and the nature of films that eschew conventional narrative. Much that the author has to say (about the relationship between cinema and television, for example) needs to be taken with a grain of salt – the article having been authored, after all, in 1978. That said, several of his predictions concerning the "future" of mainstream cinema have been vindicated, and to a great extent they remain true today.


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ASTA: Changing the way the travel industry meets
ASTA is changing the way the travel industry meets with the newly revamped Travel Retailing & Destination Expo (Las Vegas, Sept. 11-13), its one-of-a-kind International Destination Expo (Lima, Peru, March 1-3, 2012) and highly segmented member meetings, bringing the industry's topmost executives together under one roof for in-depth discussion.
"ASTA's Travel Retailing & Destination Expo is upping the education ante with a complete overhaul of its sessions and speakers, thanks to a redesign by Bruce Tepper, MBA, CTC," said ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar. "What's more, no other organization can match our International Destination Expo, which sets the standard for experiential education and presages the next great travel hot spot for consumers.
"Beyond our on-site educational meetings, ASTA's segmented member meetings, such as our Premium Member Summit and Corporate Advisory Council, gather the industry's brightest minds together for high-caliber discussions and problem solving. When we come together, no other industry group has this kind of deep leadership experience in one room," added Gonchar.
Among the new and enhanced features of ASTA's Travel Retailing & Destination Expo (TheTradeShow) are:
* a fresh take on travel agent education, focusing on high-tech, interactive seminars developed by industry expert Bruce Tepper;
* the much sought-after Hosted Buyers program, which this year will offer complimentary registrations or accommodations to qualified agents from Hilton Hotels, the Bellagio, Starwood Hotels, the Aria Hotel and Vdara Hotel;.
* exclusive events, such as the Advocacy Dinner and the Leadership Luncheon, a new event that will recognize leading industry entities and ASTA's strongest supporters.
* Going beyond the tried-and-true meeting location, ASTA is expanding its destination roster and for 2012 is moving the show to Los Angeles, and considering other destinations for future conferences.
On the international front, ASTA's International Destination Expo goes beyond the expected with its unique focus on experiential learning and targeted events, offering the best in networking, entertainment and sightseeing opportunities. ASTA's International Destination Expo, which takes travel agents to the next great destination each year, provides agents with a host of tools and resources to help them further their specialty and grow their market share, including:
* a trade show, featuring local and international suppliers that can't be found at any other trade show and that provides the inside track on new tours, marketing opportunities and client prospects;
* networking events such as the International Travel Agents Summit that translate into future sales;
* industry-recognized destination certification that can be used to showcase their expertise to their clients at home - now and in the future; and
* complimentary sightseeing tours that take them to the places their clients want to visit.
When it comes to segmented member meetings, ASTA attracts the top executives from the trade's leading organizations, be they highly-specialized boutique agencies or multi-level international firms. Through ASTA's Premium Member Summits, for example, high-level representatives from every spectrum of the industry come together for exceptional networking opportunities, peer-to-peer exchange and in-depth, thought-provoking discussions on some of the industry's most pressing issues.
"Each of these meetings allows for today's top industry executives to actively participate in the events shaping the travel industry," noted Gonchar. "They offer a rare opportunity to meet and participate in discussions that address the core issues defining our industry and its future."
ASTA's Corporate Advisory Council meetings provide a forum in which industry leaders from major travel agency consortia, franchise organizations and independent agencies can focus on the issues that will affect both their business and their customers. Today, this group, which was originally formed in support of positioning ASTA as the "one voice of the travel industry," leverages its position within the industry to effect positive change for the travel agency community.


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|Session Name:
|COPPA - Applicability and Permitted Targeting
|Siofra Flood
|Company Name(s):
|Track / Format:
|Smartphone & Tablet Games
|Recent changes to the COPPA rules, as well as massive in-app advertising increases, have led to a surge of interest in and concern about the applicability of COPPA. In this session, Siofra will discuss the main exceptions to COPPA, including the definitions of personal information and persistent identifiers, and what constitutes advertising. The talk will show how to assess your game for COPPA applicability and, if the rules apply, how to continue advertising across your user base while remaining COPPA compliant.


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My passion for helping others was the impetus for all my endeavors.
My quest for health introduced me to Dr. Hazel Parcells. Dr. Parcells was 97 when I took my first weeklong class with her!! After meeting and taking classes with her, my life and health changed for the better–An intriguing journey began that introduced me to energy, nutrition, color therapy and other ancient universal principles.
My practice is about Energy, — or lack there of it! Energy has many names like, Chi, prana, mana, breath of God, grace, and life force, just to name a few. mana, breath of God, grace, and life force, just to name a few.
Yes, rocket scientists and physicists work with Energy, so do I — and so do YOU! How we utilize our "energy" reflects in our health on all levels.
It affects the harmony and flow of our lives and how much we all struggle to create and maintain a balance of life, of living, of loving, of serving.
I invite you to one aspect of this journey and to explore the power and radiance of nature through Flower and Gem Essences. Flower Essence consultations are available in person, by phone or email. Your custom essence can be mailed to you!
Expand YOUR horizons! Experience YOUR radiance! Thinking "out of the box" is both fun and and a great tool for not just "living longer but living better"!
Let's take a journey together!


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Fans of gritty European crime novels sit up and pay attention! Europa Editions have just published Jean-Claude Izzo's Marseilles Trilogy.
Set in the cultural melting pot of Marseilles, these books take root in a seed-bed of bigotry, racial tension and fundamentalist rumblings. If that's not the perfect setting for a crime novel, then I'm damned if I know what is.
In Total Chaos, the first book, we meet Inspector Fabio Montale, son of Italian immigrants and one-time street thug. Now, as a policeman, his thuggish skills are only put to use in the service of justice.
When the daughter of Algerian immigrants is found murdered, Montale must solve the case in a hurry before sectarian violence can erupt. He has a problem in that he can't trust his colleagues. He can't trust them because they're a bunch of racists and, even though he's a bit rough around the edges himself, Montale is essentially a knight of justice.
"So much violence. If God existed, I'd have strangled him on the spot. Without batting an eyelid. And with all the fury of the damned."
He's a good guy with a broken heart. The Marseille he used to know has become so engrained with problems that he barely recognises it. Gang wars, racism and drugs have turned his beloved hometown into an intimidating sprawl of high-rise apartments.
To escape the grim truth, Montale indulges in La Dolce Vita. He gorges on the finest food the Mediterranean has to offer, washing it down with generous quantities of wine (Incidentally, if you're hungry, don't read this book – it's a kind of torture you've never suffered before, trust me). Fed and watered, Montale likes nothing better to sit and look at the sea.
But he's a busy man and he can't delude himself forever. Soon he must leave the table and face the reality he's been trying so desperately to ignore.
A lot of crime fiction tends to politely skirt around social issues, resigning them to footnotes in a more exciting plot. Jean-Claude Izzo moulded his stories around these issues and instead of ignoring them, they become the obstacles that Montale must overcome.
"Marseilles isn't a city for tourists. There's nothing to see. Its beauty can't be photographed. It can only be shared. It's a place where you have to take sides, be passionately for or against. Only then can you see what there is to see. And you realize, too late, that you're in the middle of a tragedy. An ancient tragedy in which the hero is death. In Marseilles, even to lose you have to know how to fight."
Aside from Montale, the main character in the trilogy is Marseilles itself. We can see a colourful and vibrant place, hear the noise and smell the food. It's multitude of problems sits on one side of a scale but is counter-balanced by the sheer life bursting from its seams.
So give it a try, or you can pop along to Europa Editions' website and browse through a whole catalogue of authors you've never heard of.
You'll be glad you did!


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Tough Financial Times In Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa Wisconsin has a population of more than 45,000 residents. If you are one of those 45,000 who're wondering should you talk or talk with a Wauwatosa bankruptcy lawyer after that there are many crucial signs or significant warning flags that would be very good indications that bankruptcy is imminent.
An experienced Wauwatosa bankruptcy lawyer might refer to the duplicated behavior of 'robbing Peter to pay for Paul' as a sign of hard times and an early on signal of personal bankruptcy. This typical expression or saying can be used to spell it out the design of using funds from one designated bill to pay for another. For example, state an individual has adequate cash for his or her mobile bill but all of a sudden obtains a disconnect notice informing them that their particular electrical energy will undoubtedly be shut-off if a payment is certainly not made instantly. In order to avoid a disconnection or interruption in electric solution, the person must rob Peter (cell phone bill) in order to spend Paul (electric business). Because of this, the mobile phone bill would not receives a commission that particular thirty days. This bad monetary pattern goes on in alternating type until the person cannot manage to balance the juggling act.
Another red flag that personal bankruptcy is on the horizon is the overuse of synthetic. An overreliance on charge cards have enduring and damaging results. If a person is continually surpassing their specific credit limit after that which not often a beneficial indication and a standard feature of men and women that a Wauwatosa bankruptcy attorney might wind up representing.
Another good predictor of an impending bankruptcy could be dropping work. Having an individual's monetary security uprooted by limiting their ability to present because of their family members and pay their particular expenses could cause bankruptcy. This might take place over a period of time after the checking account has-been depleted and synthetic is worn thin.
For skilled, knowledgeable and honest bankruptcy support, contact the lawyers from www.legalhelpers.com. Phone toll free 800-260-1402 these days for the initial no-cost assessment or come right into one of their 100 workplaces around the world.


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Hello fellow GD28 owners,
I thought I might throw some light on the whereabouts of Naiad (listed on this site as follows: "Naiad of Portchester (was owned by a chap called Bob Hackett who was based in Antigua for some years in the mid 90's and went off around the world for 3 or 4 years)").
I purchased Naiad from Bob Hackett about five years ago and sailed her from the BVI to St Martin where she has sat on a mooring in a state of disrepair ever since. My plan had been to rejuvenate her, but while her new owner was busy refitting several other boats and delivering many others, she has missed out on the full attention she deserves.
As much as I'd like to fix her up and sail her back to Europe, I'm beginning to think that it may be wiser for me to hand that responsibility over to someone else, due to over-commitment on my part.
When I bought Naiad from Bob her original Volvo was already gone but she has an 8hp Evinrude outboard. However, I have a solid and reliable Volvo MD2 which is ready to be installed.
Her sails are in good shape and she comes with a Hydrovane, good ground tackle and a small inflatable dinghy.
Her overall appearance is shabby and she needs to be hauled out and cleaned up.
I would be prepared to sell her as is, or I could come to an arrangement with an interested party in which I could do the necessary maintenance required to make her sea-worthy and then deliver her to Europe.
Currently Naiad is in St Martin and my email is: moc.oohay|revapdrahcir#moc.oohay|revapdrahcir
Feel free to contact me for more info.


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I am looking into using located subversion for any new project at the office and wondered if anybody had any encounters they'd share.
I have personally used Beanstalk for small projects in your own home, although not with mulitple customers or perhaps a large repository.
What/who've you used?
For which size/kind of project?
That which was your experience? (Uptime, performance, customer support, etc.)
wush.internet continues to be awesome - great support I apply it personal projects in addition to two freelance projects (one having a couple of hundred 1000 lines of code) None have many designers, but that should not be problem
svnrepository can also be good - but much less hands holding. I switched to wush only because I didn't wish to have to do this a lot of the admin - mostly for that trac stuff. Additionally they had good support, but they're responsible for much a lot of admin.
I haven't experienced any down time which i observed. (because of svn or trac)
you will find also other SO questions about this subject...
searching of svn and hosting should nuture them
In case your project is open-source, you may want consider Google Code.
I have found it excellent!
I made use of wush.internet for some time for small personal projects and not had any problems... service was reliable and fast. I ended my account there after i moved my website hosting to some provider which supported svn.
Have a look at Unfuddle.... There is a free plan and several other nice project management software type functions.
I am using DreamHost because I truly did not such as the limitations enforced through the "subversion-only" hosts, e.g. tiny space or couple of databases.
I wish to have the ability to sign in everything associated with the build without needing to consider the area limitation.
It's cheap ($10 per month) and practically limitless disk space (and limitless customers and databases). Haven't experienced any down time so for but may also be a little slow.
The only real downside is they have subversion v. 1.4.2 and that i haven't had positive results improving. But someone having a Linux experience would most likely have the ability to get it done very quickly :)
To be sure with Simon Manley , google code is extremely nice :)


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I never let the girls drink or smoke, but I kinda' think they were doing that on their own anyway. Yet there I was, using buzzy words and phrases ("I'd be so way down with that, home-fry, if it wasn't so cray-cray!"), acting kinda' dumb but believing I was cool.
Hey, the girls wanted to watch horror movies? No prob! As long as the flicks weren't too chock full of gratuitous nudity or violence (kinda narrowed down our viewing choices). Pizza, you bet! Music? Man, I was up on all the alternative rock, could chat with the girls for hours.
Problem was alt rock sorta became passe. So did I. And no one bothered to tell me.
When I used the word "hip" on my daughter, I kinda think that was the turning point.
"Dad, no one says 'hip' any more. If they ever did."
Now, the only "hip" around here is the one I'll break when I fall.
I sat back in my hoodie, scratched my soul patch, moved aside my beanie, made sure my tats were prominent, massaged my arthritic knee...and wondered when I got old.
Sometimes, you have to admit defeat.


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It wasn't too long ago that garbage disposal units were commonplace in Australian home. These days, they're a little rarer, but some homes continue to use them. As with most things, installing one comes with advantages and disadvantages.
Not every local government allows garbage disposal units to deliver their waste to the wastewater system. Research has shown that the units increase the strain on treatment plants. A better way to get rid of food waste is to dispose of it through solid waste disposal or by composting.
Of course, if you have your own septic tank, then a garbage disposal unit could be a more attractive proposition.
The manufacturers claim that the units are convenient, hygienic and even environmentally friendly. Which helps the governments to achieve their waste reduction targets. However, garbage disposal units can overload sewage systems especially at high rainfall times, and ramp up household water and power use.
Apart from council regulations, you'll need to carefully research. What else should you look into before installing a garbage disposal unit?
5 Things You Should Know Before Choosing a Garbage Disposal Unit
1. Plumbing
Not every plumbing, fixture or sewage system will actually accommodate these in-sink units. You'll also need to power the unit, so make sure there is a local outlet or explore your options to hard-wire it.
2. Materials
It's well known that units with stainless steel blades are the most effective at grinding and will also last longer. So if you're looking to reduce the up-front cost of the system, don't cut corners with the blades.
3. The Noise
Price, materials and council regulations are all important, but don't forget about the noise. Put simply, the quieter the system, the better it will be for every occupant in the house. The better units come with sound baffles to further lower those annoying decibels, and an anti-splash barrier will keep your sink clean and hygienic.
4. Power
You can pick up garbage disposal units pretty cheaply, but are they powerful enough? At the lower end of the market you can find attractive prices. The more powerful units, like a one horsepower unit; will perform reliably and grind up anything, including bones that won't get stuck in the pipes.
5. Switches
Manufacturers design garbage disposal units to be easy to install and connect. It's important to note that continuous feed units require a power switch that you should ensure is fully safe and located away from any water that might splash on it. Batch-feed units, on the other hand, don't have a power switch because they only operate when you manipulate the drain plug.
Many people swear by their trusty garbage disposal unit, it is still important to look into all the pros and cons before getting one installed. Ruttley Services Services Sydney know all about how to keep your sink, sewer and drains operating smoothly, so get in touch to find out more today.


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TRIO (The Responsibility Is Ours) is all about the future of our church community. Every church member is asked to take their share of the responsibility for ensuring that our church can continue as a thriving, outward looking church that welcomes others and can continue to work towards our mission to love God and others, grow in our faith and serve our community.
What is this responsibility?
In a nutshell it is to make sure that our church has enough resources to carry out our mission. These resources: time and money, have to come from us, the church members.
TRIO so far….
The Campaign was launched on Sunday 31 January with a special presentation. Missed it? Everything is now available here on the website, including a copy of the presentation slides and an audio file of the talk that goes with them. All the presentation materials can be found here and the audio file can be found here. It follows the reading and sermon and starts at the 10-minute point.
Campaign milestones in February:
Early February – Everyone gets an information pack
Everyone is asked to make a response by this Friday 19th February.
Your TRIO Contact
Every church member has a "TRIO Contact" to guide them through and answer questions. The name and contact details of your TRIO contact are on the front of your information pack. The contacts have been fully briefed and are there to help, so do make use of them.
The TRIO campaign asks us to review:
- The time we give to service: helping with worship and all our various activities and the practical tasks that need to be done every day, every week, every month.
- The money we give to support the church financially: as a church community we must pay for our running costs and the maintenance of our church, grounds and hall.
The TRIO presentation and the information in the packs for each church member will give you a wealth of information about the church finances: What we spend the money on and the areas where we could to do more if we had more funds. It also discusses how best to contribute and the various methods by which you can give.
We're excited about this opportunity to think about how we can each be involved with playing our part in the future of Sunnyside Church – make sure you're a part of it!