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From the group that brought us the hacking tool Back Orifice will be a new release -- Back Orifice 2000, which is claimed to be smaller, nimbler and twice as nefarious.
The hacker group the Cult of the Dead Cow created and released the program Back Orifice last year to the general public at the Las Vegas hacker and security conference DEF CON. The program allows its users to remotely control victims' desktops, potentially undetected.
At this year's conference, on July 9, the cult will outdo itself and release Back Orifice 2000, says a member who goes by the pseudonym Sir Dystic. "We want to raise awareness to the vulnerabilities that exist within the Windows operating system. We believe the best way to do this is by pointing out its weaknesses."
Unlike earlier versions that affected consumers and small businesses, Back Orifice 2000 hits large organisations because it runs on Windows NT systems, which are more used by businesses. Also, the updated program is modular, so users can add additional functions. For example, they could hide files or activate a computer's microphone for real-time audio monitoring, according to Cult of the Dead Cow.
Back Orifice 2000 will also be more difficult to detect via network monitoring programs, according to Sir Dystic. This is because the program can communicate back to the sender by using a variety of different protocols, making it hard to identify.
The group also says it will make the source code available for Back Orifice 2000, which will likely spawn multiple strains of the program in the hacker community, experts say.
Another purported function is real-time keystroke-logging, which can record and transmit a record of every keystroke of an infected computer. Also, the recipient can view the desktop of a targeted computer in real time.
It should be noted that PC World has no independent confirmation that new Back Orifice 2000 program actually lives up to the claims of Cult of the Dead Cow.
BO2K busters
"We will be closely monitoring DEF CON to see what Back Orifice 2000 has in store for us," says Andrew Maguire, a product manager with Network Associates, which markets security and antivirus products. The company promises to provide customers with software protection for Back Orifice 2000, as it did with the original Back Orifice, if and when the program is released.
In the past, Microsoft has downplayed the risk of Back Orifice. The program poses no threat to users who follow what the company considers safe computing practices, according to the company.
Back Orifice 2000 is classified as a Trojan horse program. These programs are generally destructive and are hidden inside e-mail attachments, games, utilities, or any executable application. When run, a Trojan horse tries to do something harmful to your computer under the pretence of being useful.
Script kiddies
Security experts are worried about the proliferation of easy-to-use software tools that make it simpler for inexperienced hackers to break into sites. These so-called script kiddies, who use ready-made hacking software downloaded from the Internet, are creating a diversion from attacks made by more serious hackers, say experts.
Thousands of hacking programs are available on the Internet. Back Orifice is simply the most famous, Maguire says.
It's difficult to estimate how much damage hackers actually do. Some experts suggest it is overstated by a computer industry eager to sell safety services. Also, experts estimate 80 per cent of hacking comes from within a corporation rather than from outside attacks.
The upside of the teeming thousands of amateur hackers is that their prodigious efforts to hack into sites have forced software companies to provide security plugs and repairs to targeted software flaws, Cohen says.


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The cold, hard fact is that customer defection is costly. More and more companies are discovering that avoiding customer churn is more vital than ever. In fact, reducing churn by only 1% can result in an addition of millions of dollars to your company's bottom line. Customer retention is, at heart, about being proactive and predicting the possibility of churn before it happens. The good news is that you have all the indicators of imminent customer defection coming from from the customers themselves; hidden in plain sight in past customer contacts. The problem is that, for a lot of companies, that data lacks any real context.
Through the use of Nexidia Analytics, your company can begin to make sense of all that's been said in the past by customers who've left in order to create business processes that solve problems before they even arise. By analyzing thousands of hours of interactions, Nexidia gives you the ability to provide context, chart trends, and see the bigger picture when it comes customer behavior and the gaps in your business processes that lead to customers leaving. Nexidia Analytics helps provide insight into the customer experiences that are most likely leading to churn and allows companies to:
Analyze historic defection data to create models for predicting future churn
Understand causes and effects of customer churn and how to design procedures to reduce the defection rate
Prioritize at risk customers based on search results combined with customer data
Collect information to refine marketing offers, tailoring to customer types and demographics
Learn more about how Nexidia can help you solve your most pressing challenges.
Learn about Nexidia's products and services and how you can become a hero to your customers.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's funny really. It doesn't matter where you live, there are always some people that will complain that nothing happens. That all the days are the same. And they wished that they lived somewhere exiting.
I have been there and I guess still am. More so now I think, well I have actually gone from being in the city to living on an Island…
Oh, that made sense didn't it.. oh well.
But on the bright side, every time something exiting DOES happen, I get to experience the feeling of REAL JOY !
My heart starts pumping. I feel like a kid on christmas eve. Now that IS pure joy!!!
This time it is a visit from Amerika that is making me exited!! The instrumental postrock band from Massachusetts , CASPIAN , is having a concert on FRIDAY 13.JUNE in Las Palmas , PAPER CLUB !!!
Wow,WoW,Wow !!!!
If you haven't heard of them , check 'em out ! If you are on the Island that day, check 'em out !
It is sooooo worth it!
To get your tickets , PUSH THIS LINK !


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This week on EdGamer 106 we take off the training wheels and use Google Hangouts On Air without any assistance. Scary…but not as scary as the return of Death in Sakkara. This is the great 1920's Egyptian murder mystery game created by Preloaded. This was one of Zack's favorite classroom games that was removed by the BBC because of website upgrades. … Read the rest


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It is said in the shaastraas that we should bathe in the Taapi river in the month of Aashaada. At least one should remember the river Taapi when taking bath. It is said that Taapi being the daughter of Sun-god, is the embodiment of all good qualities. When washing away the sins of people, how can she be affected wrongly ? In the Kruta yuga, she originated in the month of Aashaada, and hence its our duty to remember her in this month.
In the past, when a competition came up between Ganga and Taapi, it was decided that Taapi, with her superior qualities was superior. During that time, when a brahmin wanted to be freed of all his sins and he was going towards the Ganga, but upon hearing the greatness of Taapi, prefered Taapi over Ganga, bathed for 3 days upon which his fallen tendencies and greatest sins were washed away just by taking bath in the Taapi river. From then onwards, all the great sages and brahmins start seeking the help of Taapi, not even considering this. The left Ganga despressed, and grew jealous of Taapi. Seeing the plight of Ganga, Lord Brahma appeared in front of Ganga and enquired the reason for her depression. Ganga said, "O Lord, daughter of SUn-god, Taapi has acquired fame and surpassed all other rivers. The people bathing in her waters are attained great worlds. The people who were bathing in my waters are now seeking Taapi. What happened to your promise of making me as the most revered river ?"
Upon hearing this, Brahma ordered Naarada, "Hey Naarada, destroy the greatness of river Taapi immediately." When Naarada tried to do so, he lost all his knowledge and went back and fell at Brahma's feet. Brahma, realizing Taapi's greatness, asked Naarada to surrender to the same Taapi river. Naarada did the same and was freed from ignorance. Naarada went back to Brahma and asked him to destroy Taapi's greatness himself. Brahma went to Taapi, and started praising her. When Taapi enquired about Brahma;s sudden visit, Brahma instructed her to go back to Heaven and she followed suit.
Then, Ganga was happy. We should remember Taapi who made it to heaven from Earth in this month of Aashaada.
ಅಚೋದ್ಯಮಾನಾನಿ ಯಥಾ ಪುಷ್ಪಾಣಿ ಚ ಫಲಾನಿ ಚ|
ಸ್ವಂ ಕಾಲಂ ನಾತಿವರ್ತಂತೇ ತಥಾ ಕರ್ಮ ಪುರಾ ಕೃತಂ ||
अचोद्यमानानि यथा पुष्पाणि च फलानि च ।
स्वं कालं नातिवर्तन्ते तथा कर्म पुरा कृतम् ॥
Flowers and fruits are borne by plants at the right times wihtout anybody overseeing them. Similarly, our prvious deeds fructify and yield fruits when the time is ripe.


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Greys Hoop
Sold Out
- High polished 14K tightly fitted gold hoop earrings with a row of pave grey diamonds
- 14K post closure
- Sold as a pair
- By Stvdio
- All Stvdio Brooklyn jewelry is handmade and therefore may vary slightly. They choose their metals and finishes with care, and each piece because of this is apt to slight wear and tarnish over the years. If this is a look you love (like we do) then watch it age and antique slowly while developing that beautiful and authentic vintage feel.
*All pieces are handmade, and may not be in stock. If that is the case, we will send you an email notification within 24 hours of your purchase. Please allow 2-4 weeks for the delivery of your order. Contact us for inquires.
FREE SHIPPING on all standard U.S. orders!
United States
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Orders shipped to APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii, US territories and PO Boxes cannot be expedited and will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail.
For any questions, contact us at email@example.com.
For international orders, you will be presented with shipping options at checkout. Select the shipping method that best meets your needs. For your convenience, the shipping fees provided for Yakit includes all applicable fees, duties and taxes so that there are no additional payments upon delivery.
Please note that shipping windows are estimates and delivery dates cannot be guaranteed. You will be given estimated delivery days at the time of checkout based on your selected destination country and the shipping methods available for the items in your shopping cart.
For any questions, contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Basic Info:
Player: dragonwielder
Demeanor: Lurtz comes across as shy or nervous.
Nature: He is both shy and nervous, he's scared of everything around him because this is his first time out in the world instead of being confined to a lab or a cell. Yet he will occasionally show curiosity when things are proven not to be threatening.
Description: Lurtz is a small fellow, standing at about 5'4. He has messy dark black hair with a tint of smoky grey, and greyish bright blue eyes. He's a Caucasian with pale skin, bags under his eyes make him always seem a little sickly. He has a frail body, looks like you could snap it like a twig.
HP and Psyche start at 6, can't raise during creation, but add 1/2 of Brawn to HP.
Brawn, Agility and Brains start at 1 each, starting cap 4, total cap 6, and you get 5 points to distribute among them.
Psyche: 6
Brawn: 2
Agility: 3
Brains: 3
Things your character is good at, things normal people can do
Skills rolls add their associated stat as well (Brawn, Agility or Brains). You get 12 points to spend on skills at creation, with a starting cap of 4 and total cap of 6.
- Go with the flow - (4) Agility As a smoke spirit, Lurtz is good at naturally flowing movements, this allows him to dodge, or flow out of the way of things easily. Plus, kinda hard to hit something made of smoke. (Acrobatics)
- Smoke'n shred - (4) Brawn Lurtz is able to shift to different shapes due to his very easy to change form. This allows him to shapeshift his body parts to all manners of different melee weaponry, which he knows how to use. (Close comabt)
- Wisp - (4) Agility Due to Lurtz's extremely flexible smoke form, he is able to hide and sneak in most places by shifting his form accordingly, allowing him to be quite efficient at sneaking.
Supernatural Abilities:
These are things you're character accomplishes via their power.
Abilities/Powers should be fairly broad, but look at other characters for good examples. They can grow over time, so don't worry if you start on the small side! You get 7 points to spend on powers at creation, with a starting cap of 4 and total cap of 7. Powers add your Tier to their rolls, usually.
Smoke cloud 9 - 4 - Due to the experimentation that has been performed on him, Lurtz is, in the most basic of explanations, a highly concentrated smoke spirit. The high concentration makes it so that he is still able to touch things in a physical form, he is also able to disperse into a cloud of smoke, along with shape his body parts into different things, such as weapons, or even utensils used for a manner of things, like cooking!
Smokewraith - 3 - Whenever combat is needed, Lurtz will take on this form to defend himself. Magic and smoke will flow from his eyes and mouth, encasing him in a black and white cloud, which then shapes into a chilling creature. When in this form, he gets a +2 bonus to Smoke'n shred after the form is taken, and has the ability to let out a screech that does mental damage. The duration of the +2 bonus is one third of the roll that is rolled when he takes this form.
(Picture for reference https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/1379/1379285-bigthumbnail.jpg )
On his person:
Nothing but the clothes on his back
Not much here either. A book or two.
Personal History:
Lurtz……He has vague memories of being adopted from an orphanage..but his memories stop after. He was simply known as 'subject 6', a test that began after the liberation of 'Subject 5'. Lurtz was kept in complete isolation from the outside world, and was never shown much care or love. There was no caring or anything like that, just the scientists running their tests..they weren't exactly cruel…but they were..cold. Eventually, the tests became more and more inhumane as things went along, Lurtz still remembers the pain to this day. Eventually, the group that liberated 'Subject 5' raided the compound in which Lurtz was being kept, and took him away from the horrible testings and treatment. After about a year of being taught how the outside world works, he was sent to Fifth Sanctum.
Any other information you think would be interesting.


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CityMatCH's quarterly webinar series provides training on emerging MCH issues and needs identified by CityMatCH Members.Read More
CityMatCH hosts an annual conference, facilitates annual training courses, leads learning collaborative, and more, as part of its ongoing…Read More
CityMatCH encourages you to join or engage with our community of over 160 local health department member representatives. Learn…Read More
Make Waves, Intentional Disruption to Advance Health Equity
Accepting Abstracts and Workshop submissions December 17, 2018 through March 1, 2019.
Join 700+ professionals who are working to improve the health of women, children, and families. Registration opens in early March.
This year's conference features a unique twist, as we partner with Rhode Island's annual Health Equity Summit.
A way to meet face-to-face with local MCH professionals, and share how your organization's work is meant to support their efforts and shape the future of MCH.
Chad Abresch, PhD, has been with CityMatCH since 2002…
Jessica Chávez Thompson, MPH, serves as the lead project…
Jessica Ehule, MS, MSPH, joined the CityMatCH team in…
Join us in Providence, RI Sept. 23-25 for the 2019 CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference


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The Seattle Mariners have reportedly signed free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki to a one-year contract.
The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki to a one-year contract, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The deal includes a team option for 2017. The move comes just a day after the Mariners parted ways with outfielder Mark Trumbo, trading him to the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Steve Clevenger.
Aoki, 33, hit .287 with five home runs and 26 RBIs in 93 games with the San Francisco Giants last season. He missed much of the first half of the season after sustaining a concussion.
• MORE MLB: Seattle Mariners sign catcher Chris Iannetta to one-year contract
Aoki has a career .287 average in four major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals and Giants. He had his best season with the Brewers in 2012, hitting .288 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.
The move is one of several that new general manager Jerry Dipoto has pulled off since being hired following the regular season. Seattle signed catcher Chris Iannetta last week and traded shortstop Brad Miller and first baseman Logan Morrison as part of a six-player deal that brought pitcher Nathan Karns from the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 5.


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Bass Pro Shops Free Family Summer Activities
Springfield, Missouri—(May 18, 2010)
Remember the first time you made s'mores or slept under the stars or when everyone was entertained watching dad and mom set up the family tent? This summer, Bass Pro Shops offers you the chance to get back to those good ole' days. And, you'll get to spend more time in the outdoors and less time on the couch.
During the Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp, families can spend time together at a very affordable price—absolutely FREE. Plus, with all the free activities and workshops being offered they can learn the skills they need to make great outdoor adventures to last a lifetime.
The Family Summer Camp event begins Saturday, June 5th and continues through Sunday, July 11th at 54 Bass Pro Shops across the United States, including two stores in Canada. (Store locations in Foxborough, MA in the U.S. and Rocky View, Alberta and Vaughan, Ontario in Canada will run June 5th through July 18th). Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 2pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5pm, kids will get to enjoy free crafts like coloring their own backpack, painting a wiggle fish, designing their own birdhouse, making a camping photo frame, creating plaster animal tracks and making a leather key chain for Dad (while supplies last).
Free Family Summer Camp Workshops will occur 12noon to 4pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning June 5th. The whole family will enjoy learning the basics of hiking, camping and fishing. Other workshops include bird watching, archery, animal identification and plants & insects. New this year, families can learn important summer safety travel tips for their pets. Kids will earn a collectable pin for every workshop completed (while supplies last).
Plus, throughout the event, families will love the
time-honored tradition of making campfire s'mores Tuesdays and
Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 5-6pm (while supplies last).
Store activities will vary (visit www.basspro.com/summercamp and click on individual store site for events and times) but could include, casting pond targets, archery and BB gun range. You can even have a souvenir photo made! (Not all activities are available at all stores. No souvenir photos available at the Branson, MO and Miami, FL store locations.)
"This is our way of helping families enjoy affordable, fun activities together and create lifelong memories," stated Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. "Bass Pro Shops is committed to helping adults and children put away their laptops, video games, and cell phones this summer and head outdoors."
Customers may also help continue the tradition of Scouting by donating at Bass Pro Shops in June. And, Scouts may fulfill a requirement for a fishing or rifle shooting merit badge by attending a Family Summer Camp workshop on Thursdays and Saturdays, June 5 - July 11 at 7pm. Space is limited so please call your local store for registration details.
Also available at the Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp is a FREE Summer Guide booklet full of different outdoor activities and tips, ideas and product checklists to help you make the most of your summer outdoor adventure.
While attending the Family Summer Camp events at your local store, don't forget to check out the exciting "Ultimate Outdoor Giveaway" with more than $74,500 in prizes! Five winners drawn nationally will receive one of these outstanding packages: a Bass Pro Shops Camping Package, a Fishing Package, Hunting Clothing Package, NIKE® Golf Package, and a Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge Vacation Package. Plus, one lucky GRAND PRIZE winner will receive a complete outdoor package worth more than $60,000! It includes all five of the packages listed above as well as a Barna Log Cabin, an Arctic Cat® Prowler™ UTV, Tracker® Pro Team™ 175TXW fishing boat and an ASCEND™ kayak. (See store for more details or visit ESPNradio.com for more information and to register)
About Bass Pro Shops Group:
Tracker Marine Group – Manufactures and sells Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Tahoe, Grizzly, and Mako boats through Bass Pro Shops retail stores and dealers worldwide. For more information go to www.trackermarine.com.
Resort Group – Big Cedar Lodge and other resort properties including restaurants and golf course. For more information go to www.big-cedar.com, www.bigcedarwildernessclub.com, or www.dogwoodcanyon.com
copyright © 2000-2006 G&W Enterprises
Bass N Edge
Last modified: May 18, 2010


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Robin Thicke's Dad Listens To His Music Whilst Having Sex
Photo: Getty Images
Robin Thicke has demanded Alan Thicke return all of his music.
The 'Blurred Lines' hitmaker begged his 68-year-old father to give him back all of his albums after the 'Unusually Thicke' actor's wife Tanya Callau, 40, revealed they often listen to his songs while having sex.
The 38-year-old star was left mortified when Tanya told UsMagazine.com's 'Loose Talk': "When we do get freaky, we love [Robin's song] 'Sex Therapy'. You have to admit, it's a great song to get in the mood."
Robin took to Twitter after hearing her comments, writing: "Dad, I heard what you said to @usweekly... I need you to give back all of my music. Immediately."
Alan responded: "Relax. We also have 'Diff'rent Strokes' on 'repeat'."
The 'Lost Without U' hitmaker, who recently finalised his divorce from Paula Patton, 39, and is now dating 20-year-old model April Love Geary, previously admitted he doesn't even listen to his own music in the bedroom.
Speaking in 2011, he told Rolling Stone magazine: "My wife still tries to play my music when we have sex and I always ask her to skip the iPod. Skip it! I can't possibly listen to my music when we make love. It drives me nuts because I keep going, 'The bass is too loud, the guitar is wrong, I should've put a solo in that section.' You can't listen to your own music when having sex."


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Biomass Boilers are eco-friendly boilers which make use of logs and wood pellets as fuel. These are incredibly well-liked amongst those with an inclination to utilizing environment-friendly and sustainable heating systems.
A. Versatile in kind
A biomass heating system can be used for space heating of buildings, hot water production, steam production, or any kind of combination of these plus it mainly uses biomass as a fuel, some systems may also dual-fire with a fossil fuel to meet peak demands for back-up. They may be utilized at almost any scale, from domestic through to 'light' commercial, to industrial or district heating systems.
B. Use of organic products
Biomass boilers burn wood is an organic fuel when compared with fossil fuels which come from the ground (oil, gas, coal). The boilers burn untreated wood (including logs, wood chips) and treated wood (most frequent being wood pallets). Fossil fuels are usually linked to global warming and climate change. When fossil fuels are burned, they release CO2 as part of their natural chemical reaction. On the other hand, biomass boilers are eco-friendly.
C. Cheaper source of heating
You will be less exposed to increases in energy prices. At the moment, global energy prices are unpredictable and quite often subject to political crisis. Issues in a few gas and oil regions mean that the energy market can be unstable and price rises inevitable. Budgeting for energy costs in this volatile market can be hard from one year to the next, with the expectation that energy prices always increase. Biomass fuel cost less than fossil fuel and is sustainable long-term providing a program is put in place to take care of woodland and resources.
D. Reduced use of landfills
A portion of landfills consists of woody biomass from construction, lumber mill activities, disposal of wooden pallets, etc. Waste products from food processing, paper industries and family garbage additionally contain organic matter that is converted to energy. Using these materials to make energy as biomass indicates much less landfill space is necessary as a result protecting our environment further.
E. Lower CO2 emissions
In comparison with those using non-renewable fuel sources, biomass boilers result in lower co2 emissions. Today, biomass boilers come fully automated. Normally, the supply of air and fuel to the combustion chambers are controlled right away. This leads of low-carbon emissions. It is vital to have adequate area for the storage of wood fuel, such as pellets and chips, while setting a boiler up.
Biomass is used generally as the fuel however some of the systems are able to use biomass with a fossil fuel as a back-up for satisfying peak demands. Biomass systems are a much cheaper system for heating and even electrical power. In comparison to those utilizing fossil fuels, biomass boilers bring about lower carbon dioxide emissions.


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Microsoft's AJAX Control Toolkit Updated, Includes WYSIWYG Editor
ASP.Net AJAX is Microsoft's free framework for developing rich internet applications (RIA) that work across all browsers. It includes four components: Server-Side ASP.NET AJAX, Client-Side ASP.NET AJAX, the AJAX Control Toolkit and the jQuery library.
The AJAX Control Toolkit that has just been updated with some new functionality. Let's have a look.
A Framework Overview
Let's step back and look at the four components of the ASP.NET AJAX framework:
Client-Side ASP.NET AJAX: For those who love their Javascript and want to build client-side RIAs, then there's the Client-Side library. Also included with the .NET framework 3.5, they are currently working on a new version.
AJAX Control Toolkit: The AJAX Control Toolkit contains over 30 different controls to use when developing RIAs and you don't need to know Javascript to use them.
jQuery Library: An open source Javascript Library, a standard component of ASP.NET MVC apps.
see full detail: http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-development/microsofts-ajax-control-toolkit-updated-includes-wysiwyg-editor-004712.php


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If you know anyone with either of these two companies, they may want to know what Denver is really like in the winter. This is such a typical day in metro Denver CO.
I shot this video in Highlands Ranch which is about 600-700 feet higher (colder) than downtown Denver.
Please share this with any friends you may have at either of these organizations. Or if you know somebody who has said they want a home in Colorado.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!


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Pennsylvania Sea Grant ecologists needed a tool for continuous sediment sampling for deployment in local streams. So, they commissioned some engineering students at a nearby college, gave them a tight budget and let their inventive minds do the rest.
"The idea was to have a device that could be installed and left in the stream and, at any time, the sediments collected by the device could be retrieved," said Sean Rafferty, senior outreach specialist at Pennsylvania Sea Grant. "The sediment would then be sent for chemical analysis. This would allow me to model contaminant inputs to Presque Isle Bay from its tributaries."
Historic industrial activity and urban runoff led Presque Isle, Pa., on Lake Erie to be listed as an Area of Concern under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1991. Sediment trapped heavy metals and tailings from industrial processes as well as other contaminants.
Sediment quality in Presque Isle Bay has since improved. A comprehensive sediment evaluation in 2005 showed no evidence of chemical hotspots and found the sediment was not toxic to aquatic life.
"Sediment being deposited was cleaner than older sediment, and ecosystem health targets were being met," Rafferty said.
Cleaner sediment conditions mean an end to a dredging moratorium in the area, which spurred more concern for sediment health. Ecologists, who wanted to ensure the the bay would stay healthy, asked Gannon University students to construct a device that would collect suspended sediment so it could be analyzed for pollutants.
A team of mechanical engineering students took on the project as freshman as part of Gannon's Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science service learning program. "A component of the service is doing a designated community based project," said Karinna Vernaza, a Gannon mechanical engineering professor.
The students started with a blank slate and a $500 budget. They worked in their spare time for two years to complete a working version. Once a week, they met to discuss designs and ideas. Two designs emerged, which they eventually combined into one.
Sheldon Addis, a junior mechanical engineering student at Gannon, said the team looked at some large-scale sediment samplers for ideas on how to create their mobile version. The students also talked with Gannon professors and scientists from Pennsylvania Sea Grant. They needed a way to slow down and constantly filter water to capture suspended sediment. "We tried to keep it as simple as possible," Addis said.
The finished product also had to be environmentally friendly, said Erika Schmidt, a junior mechanical engineering student.
The sampler consists of two Plexiglas boxes with steel baffles inside. One has mesh filters on either end. The other has a mesh filter on one end and a PVC pipe on the other. Each successive mesh filter is finer than the last. A galvanized steel frame holds the boxes.
Water passes through the box and the baffles slow it down so that it fills the box. The mesh traps suspended sediment. The exit pipe forms a right angle, constricting water as it passes through and ensuring the collector stays full.
A test run in Presque Isle's Cascade Creek shows a mostly successful design that filters and traps sediment. "We were happy that we came in under our budget and completed the project in two years," Addis said.
"I think it went well," Schmidt said. "It did what we expected it to do."
Rafferty said working with the students was a positive experience. He said the device performed well for all regular stream flow events, but high water in the Cascade Creek from a heavy rain overwhelmed the collector.
"The collection device ultimately was not able to handle the high flow events of Cascade Creek and was damaged," Rafferty said.
Still, all is not lost. The students will repair and improve collector so it's ready for the next deployment.
Gannon's persistent mechanical engineers-to-be are getting their first lesson in real world design, helping with monitoring that will help keep their community and Lake Erie healthy.
Gannon students Erika Schmidt, Sheldon Addis, Stephen Cox, Benjamin Thompson, Nichole McGuire and Sean Herron all contributed to the collection device. Gannon Professors Barry Brinkman, Karinna Vernaza and Theresa Vitolo helped guide students through the process.


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If you, too, enjoy reading speculative fiction and you're interested, you're more than welcome to join us! No registration required, just drop in.
Check out the Otherlander's Blog for further information, including all dates and current books as well as reviews of all the books we've read.
After Station Eleven in August, this month we'll take on The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula K. Le Guin. (You may want to start reading this one, because it comprises the first four books of the Earthsea cycle. It was scheduled for September so everybody has enough time to finish it). (derdahinteninderecke)… (more)


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The Sonnen Battery Eco 8
Sonnen's most recent evolution of its battery based comprehensive energy management system to enter the market, the sonnenBatterie Eco 8 (8th Generation) is a German designed, engineered and made Lithium Iron Phosphate battery built to provide a clean, reliable and affordable energy storage solution for your home which is going to save you money with its remarkable list of features.
sonnenBatterie Features:
- Don't pay for electricity again with Sonnen Flat: Sonnen Flat is a deal where you get a set amount of power for free each day (regardless of season!) in exchange for Sonnen having access to your battery for assisting with grid stabilisation services. (find out more)
- Warranty and Design Life: 20 year Design Life backed by an industry leading warranty – 10,000 cycles (2.7 cycles per day) or 10 years before battery storage level degradation (read more)
- Save Money: With the system intelligently able to turn high power draining devices on and off automatically (or remotely) with the optional Z-wave Power Adapters (read more)
- Save Even More Money: Store excess solar power for use at night to help maximise your solar self-consumption. (read more)
- Blackout Protection: Sonnen Protect provides backup power in events of grid outages or as part of an off-grid solution. (read more)
- Size: System size is able to be sized from 4kWh, in steps of 2kWh increments up to a huge 16kWh of energy storage (read more)
- Monitoring: The Sonnen App and online portal allow you to track your self consumption, battery state of charge as well as turn off and on devices connected to Z-wave Power Adapters.
- Software: Smart Energy Management software manages your energy intelligently throughout the day.
- Chemistry: A reliable and very safe Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry.
- Easy Install: An easy installation process and commissioning process, reducing installation costs and time.
- Install Locations: Able to be installed inside or outside as it is one fully self-contained unit.
The sonnenBatterie eco will cause your electricity bills to plummet, saving you money while also helping reduce greenhouse emissions dramatically.
How much does a Sonnen Battery cost?
Our 8kWh Sonnen Battery starts from $12,840. Ask us about our $500 discount when combining with solar panels.
Is Sonnen Battery available in stock?
Yes. Install timeframes are dependant on location, and can be from 2-6 weeks for a battery retrofit.
How long does a sonnen battery last for?
A sonnen battery is warranted for 10 years, or 10,000 cycles (whichever comes first), and the batteries have an expected lifetime of approximately 20 years.
sonnenBatterie + sonnenFLAT = Pay $0 in electricity bills!
Imagine a world with no power bills…
In an Australian first, sonnen will provide you with FREE electricity when you install an intelligent home energy storage sonnenBatterie and solar system, or if you add a sonnenBatterie to your existing solar system.
It's not just free electricity – sonnen will also remove all fixed supply charges on your electricity bill; something no other energy storage solution in Australia can offer!
Exclusive to all Natural Solar customers, for a limited time in celebration of the launch of sonnenFlat, we are offering even more FREE electricity per day beating all of our competitors. Get your quote today and see just how much you will save.
For customers who choose to be part of the sonnenFlat program (it's an absolute no-brainer), sonnen will give you a fixed amount of free electricity per day, which is determined based on your solar system size and sonnenBatterie capacity.
The benefits of your own sonnenBatterie are enormous. When the demand for power is high, or experiences a rapid change, instead of power stations increasing production from non-renewable sources or requiring expensive upgrades, the sonnenBatterie network of connected participating batteries join together to form an energy generator much the same as a utility.
This makes it possible to compensate for fluctuations in the electricity grid, and the network remains stable. sonnenFlat rewards participating households with guaranteed $0 electricity bills*.
sonnenBatterie Expected Design Life and Warranty
The sonnenBatterie Eco 8 has an expected design life of 20 years. That's right, twenty years.
It also comes with an incredible warranty – 10 years or 10,000 cycles, whichever comes first, before your battery total storage capacity starts to degrade.
10,000 cycles is huge for battery ROI. 10,000 cycles is is 2.7x more cycles than other competitors. What this means for you and your electricity bill? You can fully charge and fully discharge your battery 2.7 times PER DAY for 10 years straight.
You may be thinking, 'but I'm not going to be able to cycle it that much per day, I'm only really going to be able to use it at night!', but that's where the Z-Wave Power Adapters come in… Read on.
Z-Wave Power Adapters
Take full advantage of the sonnenBatterie's 2.7 cycles per day warranty by having the system intelligently turn on and off high power draining devices to maximise your savings and ROI.
Once your battery is fully charged, you can set up rules and triggers to discharge the battery. So after 11am when your excess solar power would otherwise be going out to the grid, your Sonnen Battery can automatically turn on high power drain devices, such as your washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, heating or cooling (or a combination!). The Sonnen Battery Smart Energy Manager turns on the high power draining device, rerouting excess solar power being generated to the device instead of out to the grid with any additional power needed not covered by the solar being pulled in from the stored battery power.
Why is this so important? Utilising more of your solar power increases the savings generated from your system as you're importing less dirty grid power. Your savings from this functionality alone is the difference of your usual daily per kWh import rate, usually around 28-38c per kWh and your Feed In Tariff (export) rate, usually a measly 6c per kWh. This means for every additional kWh that you're utilising of your solar power, you're saving 22-32c per kWh that your system intelligently uses by turning on these high power draining devices at times when solar is abundant and your battery is charged.
If you'd prefer more control over which devices to turn on or off, you can turn devices on or off manually via the Sonnen App for smartphones and tablets or via the Sonnen Portal (website).
We sure can! We'll always offer these to any customer looking at getting a sonnen battery as they're a fantastic way to maximise your independence from grid power and savings!
Yes, you can manually turn on or off devices connected to Z-Wave power adaters regardless of state of charge of the sonnen battery high power drain devices via the sonnen smartphone or tablet app or via the online sonnenPortal (online monitoring website).
Can I set up a weekly schedule, where each day has a different priority for automatically turning on high power draining devices?
You sure can! You can configure the rules via the online sonnenPortal (monitoring website). You can set up rules for each day of the week.
Want to turn on your Dishwasher on Monday to wash the dishes from the weekend? Schedule it in.
Want to turn on the washing machine on Wednesday to wash the last couple days worth of dirty clothes? Schedule it in.
Want to use your heating or cooling to ensure your home is always a consistent and comfortable temperature when you get home? Schedule your aircon to turn on during Summer months and your heating to turn on during Winter months.
You can have up to 232 Z-Wave Power Adapter connected devices managed. Realistically, you're probably looking at using the Z-Wave Adapters on the higher power draining devices, like your airconditioner, your heater, dishwasher, pool pump and so on.
Maximise Your Solar Self Consumption
Solar power naturally generates most of its power during the day, when the sun is at its peak. Frustratingly, that's when most people are at work, where they can't take advantage of their solar power, other than to meet the minor consistent loads of the home throughout the day.
So solar has you covered throughout the day, but what about at night? Installing a sonnenBatterie eco will allow you to store your excess solar energy for use at night when electricity is at its most expensive and cover your overnight and morning electricity usage allowing you to cut your electricity bills significantly. If the battery and solar system is sized correctly to meet your energy needs, your electricity bills could be as low as $0.50 a day like one of Natural Solar's many very happy customers, the Pfitzner family.
Between the battery storing your excess solar power until it's fully charged and ready for night time use and the system automatically turning on your Z-Wave Power Adapter connected high power draining devices, you really will be able to truly maximise your solar self consumption with this battery based comprehensive energy management system.
Modular Energy Storage Expansion
Sonnen solar batteries can be sized from as little as 2kWh and increasing in steps of 2kWh all the way to 16kWh in the one cabinet.
Multiple of the 16kWh units can be set up in parallel to allow for even more energy storage, effectively giving small to medium sized businesses an effective energy storage solution.
If you purchase a 6kWh or greater sonnen battery, you will have the option to get the large cabinet installed, giving you the option in the future to add additional battery packs of 2kWh should you need additional battery storage.
This allows you to tailor the size of home energy storage system to be in line with the needs of your home or business as well as the size of your solar system.
sonnenBatterie Backup Power
Never be caught without power when you need it! No more being forced to let your food spoil and not enjoy the creature comforts we're all used to during a grid outage.
The sonnenBatterie eco is able to be installed with a backup panel (optional) which will automatically kick back on and start powering your home after only 2 seconds of your power going out. Enjoy the security of knowing you will never be without power to your critical appliances.
Power went out during the day? Your solar system will kick back online too so that your battery is only providing the difference between the solar power production and the backed up loads, with any excess not being used continuing to be stored in the battery in preparation for when the sun sets.
More Resources
Interview between CEO of Natural Solar, Chris Williams and Philipp Schröder, CEO of Sonnen GmbH
Why is Australia an important market for Sonnen?
It's an important market for Sonnen because it has the highest penetration rate of solar globally, so if you look at Australia, it even has a higher penetration rate of solar rooftop than Germany, so that's one of the aspects, so you guys are one of the most mature markets when it comes to solar penetration. The second one obviously is pricing. So if you look at pricing, especially if you look at the wholesale pricing has quadrupled in comparison to last year and we received these prices by the customer income level by the beginning of July it will have one of the highest prices in the western industrial world, if you want, so highest pricing and highest penetration rate are the two main reasons we believe Australia will be our second most important markets by the end of the year.
What are you looking for in your industry partners and leaders, when it comes to partners your working with?
We always look for pioneers, we always look for the people are approaching the market with a 'me too' approach but we look for people who truly understand that solar is just one step of creating a new energy environment. We think solar is the just first step of bringing communities together to share electricity. We are looking for the battery class, and we are looking for the pioneers, we don't visit everybody, it's far more important to get the right partner and the right people from the beginning, this has always been in every market our approach and culture.
What do you believe will be the next big innovations when it comes to renewables?
We perceive further decreases in prices in solar and wind and we think the next big step is to really bundle these into virtual power plants that can not only market those electricity capacities but also to make sure the solar issues are not just used for home consumption, so just one person or one home but is actually the opposite of that is you can actually use them for grid stabalisation and also for peak shaving for the overall grid. So we belive the next big step is, or two steps are sharing electricity in decentralised assets, and sharing solar devices to bring greater prosperity for all.
Do you believe energy storage has truly changed the game globally?
Yes absolutely, if you look at Germany. In the beginning of May we just had 80% of electricity in Germany came from renewables including the industry. This means the 4th biggest industrial nation of this planet actually had self-sufficiency from renewable energy of 80% already in May. This is an incredible number, but it also shows without storage this would not be economically viable. Because there's so much of electricity surplus that cannot be used, so for instance in Germany on a sunny Sunday with lots of wind we have a huge surplus that cannot be absorbed and we have to still pay for it, so storage is the condition that makes the energy transition work and makes it alot more affordable for all, for the storage user but also for all of us who are a part of change over.
What is next for Sonnen and what is Sonnen Flat?
Next for Sonnen is to bring our services of the community to Australia, that is one big step and the next is on July 5 we will be launching Sonnen Flat in Australia which means for the first time we will be using the storage unit of our customers to participate in the wholesale market and also for grid stabilisatiom in Australia. We believe wholesalers in Australia is more attractive than grid stabilisatiom for various reasons, which will enable our customers to reduce their electricity bill to zero, and this is going to be launched on July 5 in Sydney.
How will Sonnen Flat impact the battery market?
We see in Europe already is that the flat model is allowing our customers to generate extra income and in Germany we guarantee this extra income for 10 years from grid frequency stabilisation and this extra income is enough to advertise the investment into hours on battery which means that everyone who's not having such a model is not competitive because we literally hand away the hardware and services and we fully cover the cost of the hardware we installed for the customer. So we see already in Europe there is a huge change to whoever is not capable of not offering grid services in the future from our perspective will have a huge disadvantage to recoup investment costs in storage.
How do you feel competitor products stack up against Sonnen?
There are two approaches. The first is to build the cheapest hardware that has no intelligence, those are mostly automotive batteries, they have a very short cycle life and they try to have very low entry point levels, we believe that's not achievable because if you look at the cost of cycle and look at the option of the grid services we think that our approach is a more efficient one that essentially allows the customer to decrease the amortisation period due to the sonnenFlat even with the low price product. We continue to see manufacturers and products in Asia that push batteries at a very low price but we already see that our customers understand they don't have the value and contribution that our product has so, value in terms of cycle life, 10 thousand cycles per kilowatt hour but also safety which is for example, if you look at the term of our battery cells our maximum temperature of 120 degrees which is a lot more than boiling water while others have the danger of being flammable with a temperature of up to 800-900 degrees, so we believe not only from a value perspective and from sonnen's perspective we have the best technology but also from a safety perspective.
How much has interest grown for Sonnen storage systems in the past 12 months and how have you seen the market and consumer interest in batteries shift in the more recent months?
We are out performing the overall goals in the battery market. For example in Germany, the market grew by 35% from 2015 and we believe Australia will be our second largest market by the end of the year.
Do you think the overarching goal for most consumers is to achieve a zero dollar energy bill and do you think this will become the norm going forward?
What we see as the overarching motive is that people are frustrated with utilities, they are frustrated with price policies, they are frustrated with the politics, so they want to be independent, so the question is what does independence mean? Obviously zero electricity is something very catchy but the real motive for a lot of our customers is they want to reach real independence, they don't necessarily mind the investment up front, the issue is long term independence from utilities and politics. This is the main driver for the USA, for Germany and also Australia, so this is why zero electricity is always nice to have and is very catchy and allows us to have aggressive marketing, but the real issue is people are sick and tired of being exposed to price policies that they have not participated in, that they are not responsible for and neither the politicians nor the big companies take care of their electricity bills, so we offer them true independence by not only giving them hardware where you have 70 – 80% of sufficiency , but we connect them and link them together , and we see this is the true emotional desire of our customers besides the economic benefit so we truly believe those prosumer based utilities will be the next big thing when it comes to catering to the need and motive of being energy independent. So being energy independent is more important in our perspective than saving money, however it still allows us to drop their electricity bill to $0.
Do you see a transition of power away from the electricity companies and retailers back into the pocket of consumers?
Absolutely, and an example from Germany I just mentioned 80% of electricity generated on the first of May has been generated from renewable sources and if you look at the sources, they are from a combined end phase of 2.2 million assets and they are owned by private citizens, 95% of them are owned by citizens. If you look at the conventionalists in Germany we had 100 active power plants active from the first of May, they are owned by the big utilities. So if you look at the pure facts of who owns those assets, will have the lowest electricity price moving forward, and you see the shift and new asset owners are citizens and not companies. So we will work towards connecting those assets.
What do you think is the impact on a property value of a home that has an energy storage solution? Does having a solar battery make a house more attractive for resale and how are you future proofing home energy solutions in doing so?
In Germany, one of the main reasons or one of the big characteristics we see with big real estate development companies looking for Green technologies because they always on the market for not only wanting an image of Green lifestyle but they also want to break down costs over ten years to zero which is a great marketing tool and is increasing the value of their real-estate asset, so yes this is absolute one of the main drivers.
How does Sonnen Flat insulate customers from rising electricity and supply charges and risk in this area, and what you mentioned previously is there is always political and electrical instability, one of the biggest concerns we are finding consumers have with the standard battery is ' I can offset the electricity cost but I can't offset the supply charge cost', so how is the Sonnen flat different there?
Its different in the way we become the utility and are guaranteeing to the end customer the outcome of zero electricity bills. Obviously Sonnen as a, lets say a peer to peer community, as the utility will have the risk, the risk is on the other side of the country an income generated from grid stabilisatiom but also for wholesale which is offsetting the cost that we have to make sure our customers have zero electricity bill, but if you look at the total risk in Australia and Germany you'll see that the storage units are opening up not only grid stabilisation model, frequency regulation model and wholesale shift, where we can actually make electricity accessible and very cheap, for example low tariff time where you start sucking in electricity, but you're right, we still have a company will carry the right of the supply pricing.
What is your take on the current grid crisis, the instability crisis that we have across Australia with black outs and issues with the national electricity market?
Our take is, due to the fact that all the national gas of Australia is not available for the market itself, you guys are dependant on coal and solar so there is a structural deficit when it comes to base loads, so there is an increase in our perspective when it comes to implementing storage large scale, and also from our perspective, it need to be consistent with assets that are optimising the grid. So it's necessary from our perspective that Australia not only has a large roll out of assets, but those assets must be grid optimised so they must be capable of allowing grid operators to stabilise of the grid when needed and this always is for money, it will not be for free for sure, but we believe it will only be a sustainable solution when the grid is optimised, otherwise, all you have is thousands and thousands of islands that your building that cannot provide a full solution to the grid issue that Australia has.
We have already seen a huge demand for back up power in line with grid instability and already well publicised in the media, how well do you think this trend will continue moving forward?
We believe the demand will continue to increase as there is so much frustration also just the situation of being at home, and not having refrigeration, not having air conditioning so we believe this will be the main driver for our customers in Australia. We have also just announced an additional retrofit back up option for Australia so we believe this will be, and will remain one of the key ingredients to remain successful in solar storage.
How does the concept of electricity sharing and building a virtual power plant work in reality?
In reality what we do in Germany is quite simple. We have a almost 2 million solar power plants that are all owned by private citizens at the moment they are feeding them to the grid and they get a subsidy from the government per kilowatt hour. What we do in the next year is we already now the subsidy is fading so for customers will have to look for that need electricity and there will be no other subsidy to pay for the power they are feeding into the grid at any moment.
In 10 years, what do you think the house of the future will look like?
We believe in ten years all newly built homes in Australia and Germany will be fully electrified when it comes to heating, when it comes to power generation and when it comes to driving a car, so exactly what you're describing, we see the trend is strong in US, Germany and in Australia that people are moving away from Gas and Oil in their homes, and towards and using clean, smart and electric heating with heat pumps so we believe all these sources such as transportation, heat electrification and will be powered by solar in ten years .
What is Sonnen Flat?
Sonnen Flat guarantees our customers a zero electricity bill if they allow us to use their storage device to partake in the wholesale market and frequency regulation, the frequency stabilisation market.
What benefits are there for your battery over more common batteries on the market that allow it to be cycled more times without degradation rate that makes the Sonnen Flat more practical that you can use the battery over and over again?
Yes, this is exactly the point. If you were to have a conventional battery system you would probably have a cycle life of about 2800 cycles maximum over ten years. This would not allow you to partake in any program where your battery is used next to home consumption for grid stabilisation or wholesale. We are together with Sony guaranteeing 10000 cycles per kilowatt hour of our lithium-iron-phosphate battery technology, plus our battery technology that is allowing us to have extra to use the battery for extra services when it's not in use for your own private consumption, which allows you to use these services without downside. So we can actually link our customers units, use them while they are not being used and there will be no disadvantage for our customers. I think this is key aspect.
So you will reward your customers for using their battery more, you're that confident in the performance of the battery?
Yes, absolutely, there is no risk attached for the customer. He has a guarantee of ten years and 10,000 cycles and he's having a guarantee for his price.


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One of the first times that Lisa Nyhart, 34, stayed overnight at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, she didn't sleep a wink. It was during her anniversary, and she and her husband had rented a room on the hotel's infamous fourth floor, which has long been rumored to be haunted. "There were a group of kids—child ghosts, I guess—who kept poking me all night and wouldn't let me sleep," she says. "At four o'clock in the morning, when I finally started to drift off, I felt this little playful slap on my forehead. It made my husband jump." Nyhart, however, wasn't particularly scared by the experience. "I just yelled at them, 'You guys need to let me sleep, come on,'" she remembers. "I was never afraid. They're just mischievous kids up there. Dead kids, but still—just kids."
Nyhart's ease in the company of poltergeists didn't go unnoticed by the Stanley's staff, and they soon offered her a regular position as the hotel's official Paranormal Concierge. Unlike other hotel concierges, she can't make reservations for ghost visitations. She can only tell guests where they're most likely to find spirits in the hotel. She leads bi-weekly ghost hunting tours of the property, which often last as long as five hours, and is happy to provide pointers and professional ghost-detection equipment for amateur sleuths.
Although there's no shortage of active spirits at the Stanley—it's such a poltergeist hotspot that it inspired one-time guest Stephen King to write his horror classic The Shining—it doesn't mean a ghostly encounter is guaranteed. "It's rare that nothing happens," she says. But sometimes ghosts, like anybody else, just aren't in the mood to perform. "This isn't a circus," Nyhart likes to remind impatient guests. "I don't allow anybody to provoke our ghosts. That's just disrespectful. Dead people are people too."
Tense relations between the hotel guests and the spectral tenants aren't always the fault of the living. Miss Elizabeth Wilson, the hotel's one-time chief housekeeper during the early 20th century who now purportedly haunts room 217, doesn't tolerate couples who try to sleep in her bed out of wedlock. "Unmarried guests will drop off their luggage and then go out to dinner," Nyhart says. "By the time they come back to their room, their bags will be packed and sitting outside the door."
Nyhart, however, claims she has an excellent working relationship with all the ghosts at the Stanley. "The spirits here are my friends," she says. "When I go out of town, somebody else will do the tours for me. We use something called an ovilus"—an electromagnetic speech-synthesis device used in ghost hunting—"and it'll just keep calling up my name. I'll come back and be like, 'Aww, did you guys miss me?'" Although she loves all of her ghosts equally, she has a special relationship with Lucy, the ghost of a teenage girl who died in the 1970s and now inhabits the concert hall. "It took a few years, but I've figured out what triggers her," Nyhart says. "People have heard her singing in there, so I play music for her and that usually draws her out. And I'll bring her candy, like Necco wafers and pixie stix, stuff like that. It never gets eaten, but I feel like she's happy that we're acknowledging her and bringing her gifts."
Nyhart didn't set out to become a ghost concierge—her first career was as a medical assistant for a trauma surgeon—but she's always felt a special connection with ghosts. "I've had (paranormal) experiences all my life," she says. "When I was growing up, I always lived in haunted houses. I thought that was normal." It took a full year of on-site training at the Stanley, which has had phantom squatters since the 1920s, before she felt qualified to accept the concierge position. "I'm still learning new things about the hotel's ghosts every day," she says. She has theories on why the Stanley is especially attractive to ghosts. "It's the limestone deposits in the rock under the hotel," she says. "It conducts the energy and makes it easier for them to come through. It's like Red Bull for spirits."
Nyhart has only been legitimately terrified once at the Stanley Hotel, and it wasn't because of any of the resident ghosts. "I was on a ghost hunt, on the fourth floor," she says. "All of a sudden I'm hearing these cracks and creaks in the closet behind me. And I thought, 'Oh great, here comes the ghost activity.'" But instead, the closet door burst open and out came Kane Hodder, the 6'4″ actor who played the masked serial killer Jason in four Friday the 13th slasher movies.
"He jumped out and grabbed me," she says. "And I screamed bloody murder." It was a prank that Hodder, a guest at the hotel, had been planning for hours, and it worked better than even he expected. "The living are definitely more scary than the dead," she says.
Nyhart has been a ghost concierge for exactly two years, and she doesn't plan on retiring any time soon. In fact, she may continue on even after she's left this mortal coil. And she wouldn't be the first Stanley Hotel employee to do so. "We have a new spirit here called Paul, who was a grounds keeper and security guy until he died in 2005," she says. "He used to go around and kick people out of all the buildings at 11pm because that was curfew at the Stanley." Long before she was hired as concierge, she visited the Stanley on a ghost tour with her husband, brother and sister-in-law. "There was a dark hallway that the tour guide didn't want to go down," she remembers. "And my brother was just rolling his eyes. He was like, 'Really? A ghost hunter is afraid of a dark hallway?'"
Towards the end of the tour, her brother snuck away to check out the mysterious hallway, and just as quickly returned. "He was, no pun intended, white as a ghost," Nyhart says. "He told us that he'd gotten as far as the threshold of the door that's known as Paul's room, and he heard a deep voice right behind him whisper 'Get oooooout.' So he got the heck out of there."
If she joins the regular cast of ghosts at the Stanley Hotel someday, she promises not to be quite so hostile with guests as Paul or Mrs. Wilson. In fact, if she has any say in the matter, she'll spend eternity haunting the concert hall with Lucy. "I mention that to Lucy all the time," she admits. "I'll be like, 'When I pass away, can we be roomies?'"
(This story originally appeared, in a slightly different form, on the Bloomberg BusinessWeek website.)


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Doi Chaang Coffee: Specialty Coffee With A Story
The story of Doi Chaang Coffee started around 1983 in a small village that is set in the mountainous region of the Chang Rai province of Northern Thailand. Home grown and cultivated by the Akha people, the Doi Chaang Village is home to 8,000 people within eight hundred families, all living and primarily working together to cultivate and produce a premium organic, single estate Arabica coffee.
Went to the outlet at Rochester Mall (Checkout the others HERE) with Calvin during one of the weekday afternoon.
Design of the outlet was kept simple and neat, likewise for the menu which sells beverages, wraps, cakes and a small selection of pastries.
Got myself a Flat White while Calvin had a Latte. Interestingly, the latte served here has a thick layer of foam. For my second helping, I tried Iced Doi Chaang which has coffee, carnation milk and layer of foam. Coffee here has hint of buttery and sweetness.
It is said that Doi Chaang Coffee are naturally low in caffeine, that's probably one of the reason why I found it 'sweeter' than expe
Nothing fanciful and special about Doi Chaang in general. More likely a comfortable place to chill if you aren't fussy with the drinks and food.
35 Rochester Drive, #01-08
Singapore 138639
Daily 730am – 1030pm


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Euro Collapse Could Lead to War: Polish FinMin
by Antonia van de Velde
Friday, 16 Sep 2011
A collapse of Europe's monetary union would likely lead to a breakup of the European Union as a whole, posing significant risks to the region and even raising the possibility of war in the long term, Poland's Finance Minister told CNBC late on Thursday.
"If the euro zone were to fall apart then it's hard to exclude the possibility of EU falling apart as well," Polish finance minister Jacek Rostowski said in an interview.
"The EU has been one of the two great pillars of European peace and security of the past 60 years," he said.
"Therefore the danger in a longer-time horizon, in 10-20 years, in the absence of one of the key elements of our security system and one of the key elements of our political system, which ensures we deal with problems in this peaceful, democratic way we've developed, the risk of all sorts of authoritarian political movements, and therefore even war, in the long horizon, rises," he said.
On Friday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will join EU finance ministers at a meeting in Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, to urge them to take decisive action in response to the euro zone debt crisis.
Poland joined the European Union in 2004, but has not adopted the euro.
"I think a lot has been done and a lot is on its way," Rostowski said of the meeting of EU finance ministers on Friday and Saturday.
The Rest…HERE


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I have just done a work post over on our work page about Christmas, there are things that I nearly posted, but thought it was better to keep those comments for my personal blog!
So, Christmas! The crowds are starting to build in the City, shops filling up with shoppers, gifts being bought, but how many of these items are actually wanted? How many are bought and given, through obligation, without too much thought. How much money is being spent on poor quality items, plastic, trends and must haves? Children these days (gosh I sound like my Mum!) confuse needs, and always want! Adults must have the latest iphone, and fashions. How many 3 for 2 gifts do you buy, just because you are obliged to give someone something? How many of these things are needed? useful? or even appreciated?
If I am going to give a gift, what is more important is that what I am giving, I am giving with love, with thought, and imparting some of my energy. At the one extreme that would be thinking about someone, having an idea of something that they would appreciate, and hand crafting the item. Now, I don't, and many of us won't, have time, or the skills to make something from scratch. But alternatively, take a step back, and think carefully about the person that you are buying for, choose something suitable, and know that it will be appreciated.
I am fond of giving items that are personal, or capture or invoke memories, or things that can be treasured, or useful things.


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Before Importing Traveler Demos
Before you import any of our available demos, please make sure to check the items listed below. All of these are important and will ensure that your demo import goes smoothly. In case something does go wrong with your demo import, please see our Troubleshooting section below.
- Required Plugins – Install Traveler's required plugins, Traveler code and Visual composer. Also make sure you've installed the recommended plugins listed on each demo.
- System Status – Check the System Status tab to ensure your server meets all requirements for a sucessful import. Settings that need attention are listed in red.
- ZipArchive Extensions – You must install and activate the ZipArchive extensions on your server in order for the Layer Slider and Revolution Slider to import demo sliders correctly.
Importing Traveler Demos
Step 1 – Navigate to the Traveler Setting > Install Demos tab in your admin sidebar.
Step 2 – Select the Traveler demo you wish to import.
Step 3 – Once you've checked all necessary components for importing demos, click the 'Install' button to import your selected demo.
Step 4 – It can take a few minutes to import everything. Please be patient and wait for it to complete. Once it loads, you will see a Success message below the tabs.
You just need to click on the service you want to setup for your site, the demo data will be imported to your site.
p/s: All images will be replaced by Place holder images


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We never thought we'd be the type of people to rely on a machine to scoot leaves around our yard. However, our new home is blessed with a ridiculous amount of trees. And although it feels poetic and seasonally hip to rake your leaves, we know we will be in for more than just a few hours of raking, so we're looking at other options. Click through for reviews on these 4 leaf blowers... that don't suck.
Having grown up in a household that was firm on the belief that, what didn't kill you only made you stronger and manual labor builds character, we consider ourselves to be pros when it comes to leaf removal. But knowing the task that lies ahead of us, we're turning to reinforcements. Even though we'd like to say that we are willing to devote each weekend this fall to the task, we'd much rather be out picking apples, enjoying a hayride or tracking down estate sales and auctions.
The leaf blowers above are under review from Wired Magazine and range in price from $80-$160. The prices vary on power, noise, accessories and convenience. Click over to read the full and brutally honest write up on these great machines (something we appreciate before laying out $100 bucks on something of this nature).
Photo by: Thomas Hannich for Wired Magazine 16:09


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Wrought Iron Designs for Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW)
Nothing says "elegant sophistication" like fine-crafted wrought iron design. If you want to add value to your home, there's no better or easier way to make an impression than by choosing to work with the expert artisans at Iron Door Designs.
Iron Door Designs is a Texas-based company specializing in high-quality iron door manufacturing and servicing. We've earned our recognition by providing outstanding results of quality for all of our clients.
For over 15 years, we've transformed the vision of our clients into reality!
We are committed to providing the highest level of professionalism and quality workmanship. It's our pledge to you, our customer, to establish a lasting relationship by exceeding your expectations — and by earning your trust with exceptional performance by our team.
We are based in Dallas, Texas and service the entire DFW Metroplex, as well as the greater North Central Texas area.
We Are Different From Our Competitors:
- We Manufacture Our Doors in Our Private Owned Factory.
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For a while now, I've been compiling notes on what makes a great blog. That doesn't mean that my blog is great–far from it. But I write a lot and I read a lot. I'm constantly observing what makes great blogs work well.
So if you're interested in blogging or you already blog, check out my eBook, "Brilliant Blogging." It's a comprehensive guide to starting, sustaining, and growing your blog.
It's short and free, no signup required whatsoever. You don't even have to download it. It's right here for you to view.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 29th, 2010 at 9:56 am and is filed under blogging, writing and tagged with writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Aww come on, you're cheating. This can't count as today's blog entry. Some people have been checking your blog for like 3 days, waiting for you to post something and you give them Brilliant Blogging. You didn't even say why you were gone for 3 days, I could have sworn your book said you should inform readers during absences. What are us nosy people of the world supposed to do, harass someone else? 😛
Usually, if Jamey doesn't post, I assume something horrible has happened. He did miss last Friday, but he usually doesn't post on Sat/Sun.
Just so you know, Jamey did lose his left foot in a horrible corn harvesting accident on Friday. (Jamey moonlights as a farmer.) All day in the emergency room getting a prosthetic foot = no post.
(Just kidding about that…I assume Biddy just kept him up late engaging in deep conversation about the world.)
Oh how tragic! I should send a get well card and random flowers immediately, too bad my garden is mostly dead.
That's so kind of you to inform me of his whereabouts, Trev. What a wonderful friend you are! I will be able to sleep better knowing nothing major happened to him, just the loss of a foot.
Interesting ebook. Sadly, I know I don't have what it takes to write a blog.
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Now that you have been living in your home for some time, you are probably wanting to update with a whole new look. For most people, they have no idea how to go about the process of interior design. Well, you are in luck because the following article offers some creative and simple solutions to help you become a whiz at interior design.
If you are planning an interior design project you should decide on all of your textures and colors before you begin. If you do not plan it all out in advance you can find that you end up straying from your original plan. This is not good, as you want an organized looking outcome.
One of the easiest steps in interior design involves painting a room. Paint gives a room a fresh look, and it can completely change the feeling in the space. Paint allows you to put a dash of your individual style in the space, and it is an inexpensive way to begin redesigning your home.
Use warm flooring in the bedroom. A cold floor can be a nasty shock first thing in the morning. Be sure to use something like carpet or wood flooring in the bedroom. Avoid ceramic, marble, or any other cool surfaces. If warm flooring isn't an option, put a rug down under or near the bed.
If you're living and dining areas are in the same room and you would like to redesign the space to separate them, consider different flooring options. A carpet in one room and wood in another will really distinguish the two rooms with elegance. Also, a tall, free-standing screen can make a very stylish room divider in this area.
Use vinyl adhesive stickers to decorate a child's room. Because you may not want to redo your child's room each time they go through a phase (trains? dinosaurs? superheroes?), vinyl stickers are a great solution. Available in practically every design from words to numbers to athletes and more, they allow you to stick them semi-permanently to any wall, but easily remove them when your child finds a new passion.
Try to add a rug to as many rooms in your house as you can. Rugs can enliven the atmosphere in the room and complete the overall look. Also, they can last for a long time and can cover parts of the hardwood that you do not see fit for the room.
When figuring out what flooring to put in your bedroom, stay away from ceramic tiles, marble and granite. These materials tend to make the floor cold, which is not a pleasant feeling when stepping out of bed in the morning. If you can, try to put down carpet or hardwood floors. Solid hardwood flooring in Fort Myers has a wide selection of flooring options to choose from!
If you have hard floors a nice rug will make the room look better and add comfort. Ensure you rotate the rugs on a regular basis in order to evenly minimize wear and tear due to traffic. Increase the life of your rugs by moving them around or turning them.
Avoid very dark colored tile in the bathroom. Although it might look very nice and coordinate well with stylish accents, cleaning is quite laborious. Film from soap and streaks from steam will have your tiles looking filthy even if you've just cleaned them. Opt for lighter and brighter colored tiles for a fresh and clean look in the bathroom.
After reading the information from above, you can see that it doesn't take someone with extensive interior design knowledge to create a fantastic living space. With a little planning and some creative juices flowing, along with some helpful tips that you just read, you can finally give your home that updated a look that you've been seeking.


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I've warned you all (you know, all of you fictional people who read my blog) that I'm horrible with follow through. I've proven it again and again. But, as my mom always used to tell me, You take your friends for who they are and not who you want them to be. This is me people. Horrible with follow through.
So... it's been more than 6 months since my last post, and a lot has happened in those more than 6 months. The most exciting of which was my wonderfully long vacation with the Hubby. The worst of which was the re-emergence of my adolescent asthma.
For our wonderfully long vacation, the Hubbs and I took the aforementioned cruise to the Caribbean. I would like to say that I was able to walk on the sandy beaches without snow shoes, but... It probably would have been much easier. White sand beaches are very pretty, but the sand is so fine that my feet sunk into them like a warm knife cuts through butter. So, yeah. It was great exercise though! Also, Squishy+super humidity+HOT does not a very comfortable squishy make. I melted like, well, like a Squishy Girl in the Caribbean. I constantly looked like I just took a dunk into the pool. Gross, yes, but I blended in quite nicely with the people who did just dunk into the pool. I felt like a cool kid, but only sticky and smelly. At least the Hubbs and I had a great time!! I will say that I threw my self consciousness out the door and wore what was comfortable to me ( no sleeves, it was actually rather hard).
Before the cruise Tim and I took a trip to Disney. I have always been a Disney fanatic. I love Disney. Much more than Harry Potter, and for much longer. I can sing every single Disney Princesses' song from memory at a moment's notice. I can't tell you enough how much of a Disney freak I am. Anyhoo, back to Disney World. I have to say every single ride I wanted to ride I fit in!! Without a problem what so ever. It was such a great experience, one that left me feeling great about myself, not miserable and depressed like the Universal experience. So, if you have any doubts about Disney, do not worry your beautiful plus size body!! I'm a size 26, 355 lbs, wear a 44D (I like the girls to look perky ;) ) and 5' 6 1/2 " (the 1/2" is very important when your husband is 6'4") and fit into everything. Space Mountain, Everest.... Every single Ride I tried. It was great. And Fun. And I want to be Maleficent.
So, I mentioned the reemergence of my childhood asthma. I had had an upper respiratory infection in September that I just couldn't shake off. So next thing I know I'm at work and I cant breath, it's a very scary feeling, so the Nurses who work in my area forced me to go to the ER and I ended up being admitted for 2 days. It sucked. after I got out, everything was hard, breathing was hard, walking was hard, and I was afraid to do anything. So I used it as an excuse. I used it as an excuse for a long time. I'm feeling better now, but I still have to take an inhaler every day. And it is hard for me to walk long distances because my lungs start to hurt. But i'm going to stop using it as an excuse and work through it. It got better before, I need to strengthen my lungs so it'll get better again. The way to do that is with slowing increasing exercise. So, that's what i'm going to do.
So, That's going to be all for this post. I hope I remember to post more often. The progress is slow, very very slow, with lots of start-overs and uncertainty, and losses and gains and issues and triumphs. But i'm doing my best.
The more I post the more I hold myself accountable. So, i'm going to try to be very very very accountable :)
We'll see how that goes.....


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I didn't realize what a control freak I remain, even after living with advanced cancer for twelve-plus years (something that one has no control over), until we bought a new iMac last week.
We'd been talking about this for more than a year, since the old computer was hit by lightning. Don't ask. It hadn't failed completely but it was older and slow. We have had Macs for years.
I was at The Mac Store getting iPhone advice from Mike the Macologist. Afterwards I browsed the new iMacs and saw there was a special loan: buy one of the two models on the deal and pay 0% interest for six, twelve or eighteen months. Like buying a new car except less money. (Hah.) I texted Rik back and forth, the deal expired the next day, so we went back together and bought a new computer.
Rik set it up. All is hunky dory, except I can't get used to the new keyboard (no number pad, only a back delete button). Or the updated software, such as Safari. Where are the emails in the Mail inbox? Where are my Notes? Yes, Rik backed up everything before we bought the new computer, but some things are either still hiding or never copied.
I'm trying to use Pages for the first time. I haven't even tried Numbers, although it's certainly a better name than Excel. And I know very little about Power Point, so Keynote hasn't been an issue. Yet.
In short, my control freakiness is still present and accounted for. I'm sure this is because there are so many things I have so little control over in my life. Nonetheless, I am frustrated, trying to learn new tricks, and trying not to take out too much of this frustration on Rik.
Just venting here.
January 19, 2015
New computer
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The School of Life
If you've been keeping up with us regularly, you probably have come to realize that we've taken quite an interest in uncharacteristic shops (as seen here and here). So when a friend gave me a heads up on The School of Life, needless to say we were quite fascinated. The School of Life is not exactly a shop per se, but a social enterprise as they call themselves. So what the heck is that you might ask? Well, The School of Life's philosophy is to provide a variety of programmes and services concerned with how to live wisely and well for the locals of Central London. Simply put, they're out to expand your mind, with the intention of improving everyday living. Besides their shop, they offer courses on love, politics, work, play and family. They host meals for strangers to come together and share their inspirations and experiences. The School of Life also offers a handful of other intelligent conversation stimulus services but I'm guessing you get the idea.


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Here is some good news from the White House as reported by Bloomberg.com:
President George W. Bush said today he's lifting a presidential ban on drilling for oil and natural gas on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, setting up a showdown with Congress over a separate ban it put in place in the 1980s.
"Today I've taken every step within my power to allow offshore exploration of the OCS," Bush said in a statement at the White House. "This means the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action by the U.S. Congress."
Of course, for every action is an equal and opposite political reaction. In this case, Democrat leaders peeing in the good-news punch the President is serving:
Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress rejected the president's call, saying the move to end the moratorium would have no effect on prices and better options are available.
"If offshore drilling would provide short-term relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence, it would be worthy of our consideration, regardless of the risks. But most experts, even within the Bush administration, concede it would do neither," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement today.
Lifting of the executive ban on offshore drilling won't have any short-term effect on gas prices as long as liberals continue to stand between America and America's oil. And as far as thinking long-term is concerned, eventually the sun will burn out, too, but we shouldn't let that paralyze us from making plans for the future.
I can tell you what would have an effect on oil prices: a two-pronged approach that targets both supply and demand. We need to increase supply by drilling for all the oil and natural gas we can find in the U.S. Every state or federal official who resists drilling for America's oil is telling you, the American public, that high prices due to politically reduced supply is a good thing. We also need to decrease demand by inventing the technology to free us from the use of oil for fuel. An organized effort on the scale of the Manhattan Project or Apollo Program is what I'd like to see. Every state or federal official who resists promoting technology is telling you, the American public, that high prices due to increased demand is a good thing.
I find it interesting, the awkward position liberal Democrats have placed themselves in today. As the U.S. continues to suffer from the effects of high oil and gas prices, they stand to benefit politically this November. But if they work to help America by reducing the high price of oil and gas by freeing supply and innovating to decrease demand, the praise will go to the sitting President–a Republican. In effect, as America suffers, Democrats benefit. It's no wonder that they are unwilling to drill for oil anywhere. They know that doing so would improve America's economic situation, and that would not currently be a benefit to their party.
Rather than pulling together to help America, liberals are more anxious to benefit politically from our pain. So why should we elect people who are more interested in furthering their own political careers than in meeting America's needs?
UPDATE (7/16/2008 7:53:28 PM): Oil prices have fallen for two days after President Bush's announcement that he was lifting the executive order banning drilling on the U.S. continental shelf, but all of the articles I have read, like this one in The New York Times, have identified other reasons for the drop.
Concerns about a slowing economy and rising inflation pushed oil prices down sharply for a second day on Wednesday, an unusual dip in the oil price rally that began more than six years ago.
The two-day decline totaled more than $10.50 a barrel, but analysts cautioned that it was still unclear how far prices would fall and that the respite may be temporary.
There have been concerns for a while now, so why the drop yesterday and today? The only specific thing I could point to is President Bush's executive order. But once the investors realize that the liberals in Congress and the leaders in the states will continue their own drilling ban, the futures price of oil will head back up. Once they realize that the U.S. won't drill to increase supply, then you will see oil prices head back up, regardless of the state of the U.S. economy and inflation.