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But with a bit of planning, the approximately 2 ½-minute event (length depends on where a city sits inside the path of the eclipse) can have a lasting impact on a city's image and economic development potential.
"An eclipse like this is a humbling, jaw-dropping experience that stays with you for the rest of your life," said Tracie Broom, co-founding partner of Flock and Rally, the Columbia-based marketing firm that is leading the Midlands' eclipse campaign. "It's going to be a profound experience."
Any town or city "in the path of the totality" can use the once-in-a-lifetime event to showcase its unique appeal. Tracie said, "Plan a free public viewing event, make sure there is some shade and cool beverages, hire someone to manage parking, traffic and sanitation, coordinate with public safety officials and logistics organizers, and finally, make sure you've advertised the event."
The City of Columbia's eclipse website is already chock full of lots of great resources other cities can use to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The press kit can be especially valuable to get planning started in a city of any size. Tracie also points to eclipse planning guide on the website that can be helpful.
"You can have an incredible economic impact," she said, adding that people from England have already booked reservations to experience the eclipse in Columbia. The state's capital city is the nation's third largest city on the center line of the path of totality, with the longest duration of a 100 percent total solar eclipse on the East Coast, according to the campaign's website.
"If you've got any tourism assets, pull 'em out, shine 'em up and put 'em on display," Tracie said.
The Municipal Association is gathering information about what cities are planning and will soon be posting this information on its website. Also, the Association will be sharing ideas and tips for cities interested in hosting viewing events. Stay tuned.
To add local events to the Association's eclipse page, contact Reba Campbell.


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This mums warning to parents is just heartbreaking
A mum has warned parents not to kiss their babies on the lips after a coldsore nearly killed her daughter.
New mam, Claire Henderson, posted a heartfelt update on Facebook after her newborn daughter was kissed on her lips while they had coldsores.
Luckily the new mum spotted something was wrong with her daughter, Brooke, and rushed her to A&E for treatment before the virus fatally harmed the newborn.
Claire, said "We have now been in hospital on a drip for three days and have got another two to go. She was VERY lucky, all her tests came back clear."
Cold sores are raised and oozing sores or blisters on or close to the lips or inside the mouth, caused by a strain of herpes simplex viruses (HSVs).
And Claire warns other new parents that babies younger than three months are unable to fight the herpes virus, which can cause liver and brain damage and lead to death in tots.
Anyone with an active strain of the herpes virus – cold sores, genital sores, shingles and chicken pox – should handle newborns with extreme care, as if it gets into the bloodstream it can go to the brain and cause a fatal type of meningitis.
Claire's post, which has been shared more than 34,000 times, says: "I know this sounds like I am scaremongering but if my friend had not told me about this my baby girl could have been seriously ill. The moral of the story is DO NOT let ANYONE kiss your newborn's mouth, even if they don't look like they have a cold sore. 85% of the population carry the virus. And if someone has a cold sore ask them to stay away until it has gone."
In a final plea she writes: "Everyone who I have spoken to had not heard of this before and so I felt it was important to share Brooke's story and raise awareness to stop anyone else going through what we have this week."
Claire has now started a petition for more information to be given to parents about the dangers of cold sores, click here to sign…

subset: commoncrawl


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Hauser manufactures the majority of its pool, patio, sunroom and dinette furniture. Since1949, Hauser has been the furniture of choice for the finest residences, golf clubs, restaurants and commercial sites around the world.
With our local manufacturing capabilities, we are able to service and update all the products that we sell.
Hauser offers numerous casual furniture technologies in cast, tubular and wrought aluminum; teak; rattan; and all weather wicker. Because of our factory's state-of-the-art welding, paint and fabric production lines we can allow our customers to mix and match different furniture technologies to fulfill the needs of the most discriminating client.
We will go the extra mile to bring you the best! Unlike most seasonal patio shops, we are open year round and all of our staff are specialists in the casual furniture business.
Over the past 60 years, Hauser Industries has built a reputation on quality, service, design and remarkable value. Don't settle for anything but the best. Come and see what you are missing.


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In addition to the enjoyment of many beautiful sunshine, barbecue and relaxing weekends in the own garden, also less beautiful work has to be done in the summer, for example the weeds. Annoying plants spread over the laid out beds, sprouted between floor boards and border stones and defaced garden paths. But weeding is tedious and often painful: knees and backs must suffer.
Almighty Lawn Care offers you competent, reliable and with its professional possibilities help, so that you have more time to enjoy your "green oasis". Get the best Weed Control Services Cairns.
Necessity of weed removal
It must be combated because it removes soil nutrients, light and water from the vegetables, the flowers, herbs and other plant species as well as the lawn. They "compete" regularly.


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On August 3rd as the next Animation Forum West Midlands even there will be a talk by award winning Animation Director Wonderland - The Trouble With Love And Sex, Jonathan Hodgson.
His 2011 documentary Wonderland - The Trouble With Love And Sex was a combination of 2D animation with indexical audio recordings of relationship counselling for BBC2.
"In the talk Jonathan Hodgson: Drawn from Life, Jonathan will be discussing all the stages of Wonderland's production, focusing particularly on the challenge of creating an animated world to work with documentary recordings of real people."It's free and it starts at 7.30pm on 3rd August 2011 at NTI Birmingham in Birmingham City Centre.


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A film by Anne Fontaine
- Drama
In an orphanage, silently standing next to a perfectly made bed, is a frail and slender ten year old girl with thick black hair. Gabrielle Chanel, known as Coco, and her many lives. The story of the path taken by Coco from her obscure beginnings to the blinding lights of Paris.
Domestic release :Warner Bros


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When she used the word "directive" I instantly thought of the Robert Frost poem, Directive. A poem that is said to be "ornery and ironic, heartbroken and lyrical".
Sounds familiar.
Like many of Frost's poems, it takes place in a wood, close to water and speaks to readers about our destination.
Part 1: A bird cage.
Suzie liked this image of a bird cage because of a story I read at Express Yourself called, Confessions of a Bibliophile where I write about the poet, Paul Lawrence Dunbar. His poem is the title of Maya Angelou's first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, -
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core ,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-
I know why the caged bird sings!
Back to Frost and Directive.
The poem talks about when we are completely lost may we come to our true selves. Sometimes a walk in the woods is all we need to rejuvenate.
And if you're lost enough to find yourselfRober Frost, Directive
By now, pull in your ladder road behind you
And put a sign up CLOSED to all but me.


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We've been celebrating this past week, for it was our second year anniversary. It's been two fun, happy, and loving years. (Hey, what can I say? I'm madly in love). Amazingly enough, I must confess it was just this week we printed our wedding pictures. So, of course, as any good blogger would do, I thought I'd share them with you.
All pictures were taken by our friend and photographer Michel.
{By the way, I've been meaning to share with you somethings relative to our celebration. I'm working on that, but I kindly ask for your patience. Sometimes my job doesn't allow me to work on my true passion: blogging. 😉 }
Happy long weekend!


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Last month, we did some research to understand what drives video chat use. Check out the whole report here — highlights below:
- 44% of respondents have used video chat before, most of which use Skype (82%)
- 75% would be interested in online medical/therapy services over video, if offered
- 56% would be likely to take a class with video chat
- 1 in 10 work remotely as a direct result of being able to video chat with colleagues
- Women are 2x more interested than men in asking for assistance via video chat while shopping online
- 47% would video chat with others while watching online TV shows together
- Only 7% would use it to chat with people they don't know
Why do you video chat today, and what do you think is the best use of video chat in future? Tell us on twitter @tokbox.


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World Cup of Hockey
Big Hockey Shop.com - your store for authentic 2016 World Cup of Hockey merchandise. Team jerseys, shirts, jackets, hats, collectibles, apparel, tees, memorabilia, clothing, womens and kids gear and more. Team Canada, Team USA, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Czech, Team Europe and Team North America. Start shopping by choosing a World Cup of Hockey team below, or visit our home page for more product categories.
Other Cool Sports Sites:
Big Football Store.com | Big Baseball Store.com | Big Sport Shop.com | Team Fan Outlet.com


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Building & Construction
Here's a selection of our customers in the building and construction industry:
Nuhomes and Renovations have been in the industry for over 7+ years servicing Rotorua with high end renovation and new builds
New Zealand
Great integration and easy to use. TidyBuild has made project management so much easier for our building company, onsite and in the office!
ANNEMIJN MEAR, Operations Manager
Adan Larsen Builders
Adan Larsen Builders are trade certified members of Certified Builders. They provide renovations and architecturally designed new homes.
New Zealand
I gave up spreadsheets two years ago when I got sorted with TidyBuild. I know exactly where a job is at, at any point in time. TidyBuild gives us confidence when we're quoting because we know what the costs are.
KELLY LARSEN, Director
BPM Group
One of the UK's leading providers of construction consultancy services, BPM Group are a RICS Chartered Quantity Surveyors Practice with the knowledge and expertise to ensure that every project they manage runs smoothly...
United Kingdom
Tracking the profits and losses of each project and learning which jobs and clients make money are among the main benefits. We can plan and track my company's workload, issue detailed reports from proposal to project activity...


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A week ago we requested your IDEAL of the greatest articles and also you LollyJane has received you protected using their collection of 50+ Weekly Calendar Print Out. You may still possess chestnuts obtainable to you of program, if you do therefore you haven't began that big new 12 months You obtain the complete 12 weeks of the 2017 work schedule to print because required or perhaps all at one time. It is 5×7 in size, therefore it makes a wonderful desk diary too. In case you prefer to have got the regular monthly calendars altogether, you could very easily make use of a binding gear or consider it Comprise of information, the 1st set of 2016 Once a month Work schedule printables are prepared intended for those washing or do it yourself projects.
I simply print away the month or maybe months which i need and i likewise can map out how We need points to improve and after that evaluate this My personal visitors like calendars and my personal Weekly Calendar Print Out is usually my own virtually all well-known content! This season, rather of carrying out a year-at-a-glance appointments, I've created a complete 2016 savings date that you may print and to begin the week on Mon or I am using my personal free cost savings monthly schedule to help to make sure everybody else in the You are able to down load the free of charge savings every week advisor right here. This kind of no cost savings is a great A4 size pdf file document, in the event that you will be stamping upon ALL OF US 'letter sized' newspaper make sure to choose Within the past many years I possess designed my very own calendar and weekly adviser, honing the facts over period to create that really help me. And to support make this adorable. Cuteness will go a long method, particularly when it is connected with some thing that is usually telling.
This is very useful to get setting up about the refrigerator and arranging events simply like sports practice or perhaps the following episode of Dexter… or possibly just pertaining to composing away this event goals. Today we will require an appearance at how you can print away empty calendars from the inside The current Weekly Calendar Print Out. This includes a Weekly To-Do List, Birthday Tracker, Each month Calendars and a 12 months quickly Diary. Down weight the pdf format to the pc and printing away in the home. I actually maintain quarry within a binder kept in my home. Here this is – the free cost savings 2016 appointment setting!! I've experienced several demands for an additional I really like obtaining structured and composing data! The month to month ephemeris web pages match flawlessly within a 3-ring joining. I printing off several- one meant for menu arranging, one designed for It's in this article!! One of the printables I total requests just for throughout the year may be the monthly program, and today is definitely the day– the free of charge savings 2017 work schedule is below! Once a month work schedule printables happen to be among my own favorite business tools since.


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I have fixed it all for years and years, but now I refuse. I will just go with it, broken or not.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
In the still of the night....
Remember the job interview that i went to about a month ago? I knew that they had already filled the position that I went for, as I hadn't heard from them. I assumed that I hadn't heard because my salary requirements were too high, and that was okay, as it didn't force me to make any decisions right away, and we all know that if we are not forced to do something about our lives, most of us won't, right? Anyway, they called yesterday, and they have a different store manager position opening up, one that would be way better than the first one, it's not so far away, and they want to talk to me next week. They said that the reason I didn't get the job the first time was that I needed an extended amount of time to leave my current job, and they had to hurry and get that manager up and running, so we shall see. I will talk with them next week, although the idea of moving on does scare me. But some things are meant to happen and i have to talk to them to see if this is one of those things...I have to do my part, you know?
YS is quite sick, coughing---lord, he can't stop, and a fever, he went to the dr yesterday, and has some sort of infection....he's now on antibiotics, hopefully he will feel better soon. He is not very healthy, it seems he is always sick, and I mean really sick, and cannot get over a cold or whatever without it turning into a bigger problem. D is covering his shift at the Ice Cream Store today...not cool to be coughing into the ice cream...
I am GOING to get my own work done today, "I don't care if it harelips the governor". Yes, I know, that makes no sense, but my best school friend ever's mother always used that saying, not that I knew what that meant then, either. Have a great day!
17 comments:
- Stepping Over the Junk said...
I suppose there are worse things than being overqualified for a job! Good news about the new one opening up!
- 9 August 2007 at 06:01
- abbagirl74 said...
Weird saying indeed. Must be way old school!
- 9 August 2007 at 08:14
- Anonymous said...
Hey good luck with the new job interview or whatever.... if you talk to them.. wow how exciting...will be thinking about you!
- 9 August 2007 at 08:17
- Portia said...
how exciting! good luck with the job prospect. maybe it will just be one job instead of the two? three? you're covering at the moment.
i had a boss once that practically made it impossible to work when he was there. he was always lurking around, in the way, asking questions, micro-managing. the whole office was more productive when he was gone!
hope YS feels better soon and nobody else gets it:) good luck at work and enjoy your evening!!
- 9 August 2007 at 13:21
- SOUL: said...
portia... you brat. you left me nothing to say ! :}
hiya jamie. yes it is great news.. i hope, about the other job place contacting you. i do hope it's exactly what you want AND need. i know you've mentioned not liking the far drive to work several times, and i do know hubby now being closer to work makes a huge difference in his whole attitude at night. (or after work whenever).
i am worried about your son. has he had any type of extensive testing or chest x-rays etc done? labs? anything like that?
i hope he gets well very soon.
let us all know how the interview goes, and keep us posted on the boy. ok?
hope you have a great day. (considering)
by the way.. was there something in the air yesterday.. seemed a little long for everyone. strange eh?
ok.. i'm gone.
- 9 August 2007 at 13:54
- SOUL: said...
hmmm, for having nuthing to say i sure said a lot huh.
oh well. sometimes.. you know the rest :}
btw.. i was talkin bout MY hubby.. just in case anyone didn't know... cuz well.. i don't know your hubby. and other people may not know that. so. there. now they do.
- 9 August 2007 at 13:57
- "Wolfgang" said...
Good luck with the interview! If it is right for you, you will know.
- 9 August 2007 at 14:37
- Maria said...
Everything happens for a reason.
Maybe you are meant to be in a different job. Maybe the money and the prestige will be more.
Just give em a go. It never hurts to talk and jump through a hoop or two. I think it is a TERRIFIC sign that they called you for a different job and that the only reason you weren't considered for the first one was because of a time problem.
- 9 August 2007 at 14:47
- Beth said...
Hey!! That's exciting....good luck and keep us posted....you know you so deserve it!!
- 9 August 2007 at 21:19
- LastStand said...
I'd wish ya luck on the job thing but me wishing someone luck is the kiss o death! I am however able to convey the thought as long as I don't actually say it.
- 9 August 2007 at 22:07
- Summer said...
That's great news about the job interview! I hope it's something that you're interested in.
That saying... I love it.
- 10 August 2007 at 05:30
- SOUL: said...
pssssst...you on?
- 10 August 2007 at 05:38
- simonsays said...
Thanks to everyone for the good wishes, I should be talking to them next week. If it's meant to be, it will. Beyond that, I can't even think about it!
- 10 August 2007 at 05:40
- SOUL: said...
well, good luck ...
how's your son today?
- 10 August 2007 at 06:05
- simonsays said...
I think he's on the road to recovery---I haven't heard from him yet today. I will have to tell you why I think he is always sick sometime----he had a huge health ordeal when he was ten, and has never been the same...I will post about it soon. Thanks for asking, Soul. You are one of a kind, and that's a good thing! xo
- 10 August 2007 at 06:11
- SOUL: said...
ok jamie... whenever you get the time..i know you have your mind on the job and other things right now. but do post when ya can. i do hope he gets better. and again... good luck with the job!
- 10 August 2007 at 09:55
- Amanda said...
That's great news about the other job! I hope it works out for you.
I don't care if it harelips the governor.
Sounds like a really old phrase. Maybe from the time when the British ruled the country?
- 10 August 2007 at 13:33


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$55M Kapooka Bridge opens
14 June 2016
The highly anticipated Kapooka Bridge on the Olympic Highway south of Wagga Wagga has today officially opened - removing of one of the most notorious pinch points in regional NSW.
The $55 million project, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments, will deliver significant road safety benefits and improve freight efficiency by fixing the only remaining weight-constrained bridge on the Olympic Highway.
Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay said Kapooka Bridge was one of the flagship projects under the NSW Government's Bridges for the Bush program.
"The new four lane Kapooka Bridge is a win for safety and common sense – we've replaced the tired, worn bridge with a taller, wider and longer structure and straightened the dangerous dog legged approaches," Mr Gay said.
"Close to 1.5 million vehicles use the Kapooka Bridge each year and about 215,000 are freight trucks, no longer will they need to navigate tricky bends in the middle of the highway.
"Now, higher productivity trucks can travel from Albury up to Queensland via the Olympic Highway, Goldfields Way and Newell Highway without any weight restrictions – reducing the number of smaller truck trips required on regional roads.
Federal Member for the Riverina Michael McCormack said the bridge was yet another example of the Australian and NSW governments partnering together to deliver vital infrastructure in country NSW.
"The construction of this bridge has been one of the biggest road projects in recent history in the Wagga Wagga area – creating jobs and stimulating the local economy," Mr McCormack said.
"The new Kapooka Bridge is a win for local business – reducing costs for supermarket deliveries, primary producers, fuel carriers and regional operators transporting livestock, grain and cereals.
"This bridge is built across the main Sydney-Melbourne railway line and has been constructed with future freight rail use in mind, it is high enough to allow the passage of double stacked trains."
Member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire recognised the bridge's connection to the nearby Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka, unveiling a plaque dedicated to Australia's servicemen and women.
"Dedicating the new Kapooka Bridge to Australia's servicemen and women demonstrates the city's recognition of these important links to its past, present and future," Mr Maguire said.
"The previous bridge built in 1880 was a burden on the region, this new bridge will reduce travel times and make it easier for people using the Olympic Highway to get where they need to safely.
"This new bridge is an asset to our region and something the people of Wagga Wagga have been waiting decades to see delivered - it demonstrates this Government's commitment to building better, stronger and safer bridges in the bush."
BMD Constructions will remain on site for up to four weeks, weather permitting, to finish the new Camp Access Road intersection and other minor work. There may be minor impacts to traffic on the bridge during this time. The old bridge is scheduled to be removed next year.
Minister Gay Natalie Heazlewood 0419 173 927
Michael McCormack Marney Johnstone 0439 550506
Daryl Maguire 02 6921 1622
View the original media release.


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DESKTOP FSSB R3 Warthog Pat.Pend.Now you don´t have any excuse for not being the bestthe Best of the best.
FSSB R3 Warthog Only available in Professional version
FSSB R3 Warthog Reviews NEW Dimebug Review French NEW R.Seoane Review EnglishR.Seoane Review SpanishIf you take notice about any other review, Please let us know
The FSSB R3 is the new standard in high quality force sensor. Following the success of the venerable R1 and R2, R3 puts the new levels of quality, sensitivity and precision in hard to reach values even for expensive professional equipment. Definitely the best Joystick in the market
The new design of the sensor board, give a tact, smoothness and accuracy flight control, which makes the flying experience can not be compared to anything experienced before, high-precision maneuvers that are impossible without hundreds of training hours, are now made easily, thanks to the smoothness of control in areas close to the neutral position.
It is very difficult to express with words the feelings of control that the new R3 sensor transmits, but after testing it ... you can not fly without it.
It has provided the new design of a small deflection in the sensor system, which allows a slight angular movement in the stick, this, although very small, helps to facilitate adaptation to a force control, which is appreciated in the first flights.
Unlike R1 and R2 models, the new R3 has an propietary RealSimulator electronic system, both analog and digital processing, and can be used in two ways, both as an upgrade and as independently. Therefore behave as two separate joysticks, which can operate independently or together.
USE AS A STANDALONE JOYSTICK:You only have to replace the HOTAS sensor module, for the FSSB R3 using information from the video FSSB-R3-Warthog Alone and connect the FSSB-R3 to your computer via the mini USB found in the FSSB-R3, the FSSB-r3 will be recognized as an HID device.
You can use any Windows tools for game devices compatible with HID, and the Joystick will be displayed on all applications that can handle HID devices with the name "FSSB R3 Warthog".
During quality control process, which is done manually to each unit manufactured, the FSSB R3 is calibrated and adjusted, but has also included an electronic calibration that allows the user to perform this operation as many times as necessary.
Another new feature included in the FSSB-R3 is the inclusion of special options which will be modified according to the needs that users transmit to us, but in principle and initial delivery, these are the special options included in the original firmware.
HAT as POV or TRIM. The HAT switch can be modified at any time to behave like a POV (default) or trim command. This allows during the use of the joystick, the HAT control the views or submit your information to 4 HID buttons for use as TRIM, that is their function in real life.
FULL SCALE CONTROL to select between four possible full scale settings of the axes X and Y, this adjusts the ratio between force applied to the joystick and the signal sent to the computer. Although this looks like a sensitivity adjustment control is not exactly the same. This setting is ideal for adjusting joystick response in complex situations, such as a landing, refueling maneuver, ground attack. The setting values are FSC 1:1 3:4 1:4 1:2
NEUTRAL POSITION ADJUSTMENT. The adjustment of the neutral position manually allows exact adjustment of the neutral position of FSSB R3, in previous models R1 and R2, this adjustment was done through potentiometers on the electronic board, now is done using digital potentiometers, which are adjusted by the firmware when the user need, including in the middle of a flight mission.
During the selection of special modes, a beep will sound, indicating that the FSSB-R3 is in configuration mode when not hear any beep the FSSB-R3 is in normal operating mode.
Use as upgrade for the HOTAS.
In addition to the advantages offered by the use of the FSSB-R3 standalone, this has connectors that allow you to send data from FSSB-R3 to HOTAS electronic board, for installation using video FSSB-R3-Warthog HOTAS Upgrade.
When used with HOTAS electronics, you can connect both USB cables to the same computer, and choose with your computer, which joystick use. Obviously the user can configure the simulation program, using both, the HOTAS variables and buttons as well as native FSSB R3 varables and buttons, being limited only through the options of the software you are using.
As a rule, the HOTAS could benefit from both the high quality of data X and Y axes as well as some special modes FSSB R3.
Technical data
Independent force sensor for each axis.Black anodized fixation element.HOTAS electronic board fixation 2 M3.Measurement electronic with separate channels.HAT as POV or TRIM.Electronic neutral position adjust.Full scale control with 4 levels, 1:1, 3:4, 1:2 & 1:4.Sensibility control for Roll in 4 levels. 2.5, 4.5, 6.5 and 13 poundsSensibility control for Pitch in 4 levels 4, 6, 9 and 13 pounds2nd and 3rd DX button set2nd and 3rd DX button set On Off control4 Memory Slots for quick custom configurationAuto-Load Memory Slot #1 if availableFirmware upgrade.One piece aluminum white anodized case.Required screws included.Watertight, airtight and dust proof yellow plastic hard case.Electric connections made by connectors. No soldering required.Mini USB connection wire includedMax. applied force 13 LbsMax. allowed force 20 Lbs
Installation videos and documentation Firmware V1.00.0
Contact firstname.lastname@example.com for ordering information
Availability: UNDER DEMAND


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Navy Floral Duster
Navy Floral Duster
NEW to our line, these Chiffon and Satin Dusters will have you swooning! So forgiving in size, made for every body shape, long and light, these pieces will be a staple in your wardrobe for both casual, and formal wear!
Hand Wash, Hang to Dry.
*Our Kimonos and Chiffon Dusters are roomy, and VERY forgiving. They fit most!*
Signature Lace Kimonos fall approx 28" from nape of neck to below your bottom (not including lace trim)
Chiffon Dusters fall approx 36" in length - to just below back of knees.
Fit approx size 0-20


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Fabric: 100% Cotton
Color: Brown
Square Size: 50x50cm (19.7"*19.7")
MPN: Crafting,Quilting,Sewing
Quantity: 7 pcs
Wash instructions: Wash in cold water.
Thin and soft fabric for beginner or practicing sewing job.
You'll receive 7 assorted fabric quarters shown in the picture.
Used as a summer shirt, dress, daily clothes.
Suitable for handmade DIY small cloth bags, cloth handkerchief and so on. Baby clothes are also very good.
Package include:
7 Pieces Assorted Fabric Squares
1.All fabric squares are trimmed manually which result in some raw edge and may have 0.5-1cm deviation exist. Please make sure you do not mind before you bid.
2.The colors may have different as the difference display, please understand.


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Our new dot weave linen tunic beautifully showcases the classic colour combo of black and white. The richly textured, high-contrast pattern evokes the timeless elegance of a string of pearls. Flattering and comfortable, this tunic features front paneling, mother-of-pearl buttons and deep pockets. Pairs beautifully with our new slim leg and bubble trousers. Made of 100% pure linen to keep you cool when the temperature rises.
Chest - S (98cm/38.5") M (106cm/42") L (116cm/45.5") XL (128cm/50")
Length: 88cm/34.5"
All measurements are approximate.
Code: RET907-SDL-SS17-DKS
100% Linen
Machine wash at 40 degrees or dry clean
Do not bleach
Tumble dry on low
Iron on a high heat
Free UK delivery on all orders over £200
UK Standard: £4.95 - delivery within 3-5 working days
UK Next Working Day: £9.95 - Order by 2pm Monday-Thursday for Next Day Delivery
Click here for more information on International and UK delivery times
Your catalogue request has been received and we will send you a free copy of our next brochure as soon as it is available.
Sign up for regular updates on new collections and promotions.
Copyright Sahara Ltd. 2019


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California Screamin' provides 360-degree thrills for Disney California Adventure Park guests. "We knew we wanted a big backdrop to the park," says Imagineer and Paradise Pier designer, Tim Delaney. "And the coaster was perfect. It's about 1,000 feet across as your eye scans it from a distance." Set on the southernmost side of the huge four-acre Paradise Pier lagoon, California Screamin' was designed to mirror the wooden look of coasters of yesteryear but with 21st century technology. This is no clickety clack type attraction. With more than 6,000 feet of track, the four-minute ride is the world's longest steel looping roller coaster.
|Launched Looping
Each trains is designed with an on-board audio system.
California Screamin' is designed to operate with up to six trains on the circuit. Two of the trains (green) only accommodate 23 passengers.
Opening date: February 8, 2001
Train has six cars with two rows each, seating two abreast per row.
Height requirement: Riders must be at least 48 inches tall
Find Where to Coast™ with Ultimate Rollercoaster® Database
Where to Coast™, Rollercoaster Yellowpages™ are trademarks of Ultimate Rollercoaster®.


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The rural-city connection in sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is modernising fast, changing the dynamic between town and countryside. What is the best way to manage the impacts on rural and urban communities? An EU-funded project is collecting data that helps policymakers make wise choices for inclusive development.
© Jytte Agergaard
Rural and urban regions in Africa are feeling the impact of rapid change. Bigger, more efficient farms need fewer workers, while new infrastructure and services mean that more people live in towns and cities. But do these trends also increase poverty?
To find out, a team of African and European researchers is studying how changes in rural and urban populations, and in economic dynamics, are interconnected in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on case studies of four very different countries – Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania – the RurbanAfrica project is showing how rural-city connections can impact poverty and development.
"There is huge interest from African governments in understanding this topic," says project coordinator Jytte Agergaard of the University of Copenhagen. "There is major population growth in Africa, along with movement between regions – managing rural-urban migration well can make countries better off."
Research is needed, she adds, because a lot of policies for Africa are based on a fear of urbanisation, compounded by a mistaken view of how migration works. "Policymakers and academics often see it as a one-way flow from rural areas to cities, but in fact the environments are interlinked."
Three years into the project, RurbanAfrica has found that the case study countries have followed similar approaches to agriculture, with broadly similar outcomes – modernisation, but lower levels of farm employment.
However, patterns of urbanisation have varied widely between the countries. This can partly be linked to different policies and economic styles, partly to different historical legacies, says Agergaard.
And although urban poverty is often blamed on rural to urban migration, the project's studies suggest that poor planning is the real culprit. There is strong population growth and mobility within large cities – and many inhabitants are second- or third-generation city-dwellers.
Despite their different economies, there are steps that all governments in these countries can take, RurbanAfrica makes clear. Better-coordinated policies, centralised land data and more detailed information about household income can improve services and opportunities across the region.
Working with stakeholders
To learn what matters to stakeholders – while creating awareness of the project's work – the research team began with meetings involving national and local policymakers, regional researchers and civil society organisations.
The team focused on changes to people's lives through four themes – changes to agriculture, livelihoods in rural areas, transformations of cities and access to services. These were chosen to create a broad overview of rural-city dynamics.
For a more detailed view of the project themes, the team then carried out field studies in the four countries studied, investigating questions prompted by the meetings.
In each country, they studied one small and one major city, along with two to three rural regions that were becoming integrated into global and national networks through commercial crop production.
The project's findings have been published in policy briefs as well as more detailed policy briefings, study reports and working papers. All are available on the RurbanAfrica website. Further stakeholder meetings are planned, possibly leading to further publications.
Finally, project members have been sharing their results in conferences in the sub-Saharan region and internationally, with their own conference due in Copenhagen in January 2016. "There is also interest in our work from the OECD and UN HABITAT," says Agergaard.
On a more personal level, European partners have gained experience and understanding of African countries, along with awareness of how varied they are, she says; African partners have had a rare opportunity to strengthen East-West links.
"This project would have been difficult without the FP7 framework. It was helpful in making new networks and connections."
Project details
See also


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A most welcome guest: Choreographer Swanson embraces chance to create dance for troupe
After 11 years in New York City, choreographer Vanessa Paige Swanson has come to the conclusion that the more abstract your art, the better.
"There is a lot of pressure to be weird," said Swanson. "I thought I was weird already, but it is never enough in New York."
That's why it was so refreshing, these past few months, for her to flee the city and return to her old dancing grounds in Albany. As the first guest choreographer of Nacre Dance Company, Swanson was able to create a pure dance — one in which technique is not something a dancer needs to hide, but something to be used and celebrated.
The artistic director of Vanessa Paige Dance and Soundance in Brooklyn, Swanson was invited by Beth Hartle, artistic director of the brand-new Nacre Dance Company. Swanson's new piece, "Watching You Without Me," will be the only new work on Nacre's inaugural program next week.
Nacre Dance Company
WHERE: The Egg, Empire State Plaza, Albany
WHEN: 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28
HOW MUCH: $20; $15 for seniors and students
MORE INFO: www.nacredance.com, www.theegg.org or 473-1845
"I really loved returning to my dance roots," said Swanson, a former dancer and choreographer with Maude Baum and Company Dance Theatre. "In New York, if you do an arabesque or something beautiful, even if it is something that comes natural to the dance, a choreographer won't like it. With Nacre, I am working with people who are really dancing and not apologizing for it."
That's a bit surprising coming from Swanson, as she never fit the mold of classic dance diva. During her tenure with Baum in Albany, she created solos in which she talked as much as she danced. A few remain in the Baum repertory, but they are seldom performed. So quirky and funny is their delivery that they are intrinsic to Swanson. It's doubtful anyone else could pull them off.
"Lynda [Capcefalo] told me I missed my calling," said Swanson, remembering another Baum colleague. "She always said I should write a book. She would say 'why aren't your writing this down? You ought to be writing this down.' "
Beyond performing and creating, Swanson has always taught dance too — all ages and levels. She led classes for nine years at Baum's studio at the eba Theatre and continues to teach at Soundance. The combination of Swanson's good humor, talent and teaching skills made her an ideal choice for Hartle.
"I invited Vanessa to be our first guest choreographer because I value her not only as a choreographer but a teacher," said Hartle, who also danced with Swanson at the Baum company. "I knew she would work well with our young artists and she would provide a positive learning experience both in the studio and on the stage."
That is Swanson's goal too.
Working with young
"My role, I feel, is to take these young, beautiful Nacre dancers and transform them into performing artists," said the 42-year-old. "I really love working with them because they still have that youthful quality about them. They haven't yet learned to be neutral, to be bodies in space. When you see them doing the piece, you are seeing them. They have yet to learn how to be a blank page."
Swanson's dance features seven from the all-female company of 21, a mix of professional and pre-professional dancers. It is set to boys choral music composed by Bruno Coulais, which was featured in the film "Les Choristes." Swanson said she can't resist choral music, nor telling a story. In this work, she speaks of loss.
"I do want the dancers to find a place in their lives when they felt these emotions," she said. "I always like to do something with a little bit more emotion. For these dancers, I wanted them to have the experience of connecting the movement with something deeper."
In addition to Swanson's new dance, the Nacre's first outing will feature excerpts or etudes pulled from important historic dances. Among the legendary works will be Doris Humphrey's "Air for the G String" (1928) and Donald McKayle's "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" (1959). The latter will feature Saratoga Springs singer Garland Nelson.
And while there is a lot of excitement surrounding the new company and the revival of these important dances, many in the dance community are equally happy to see Swanson's return. The feeling is mutual.
Exit plan
"I've done everything I wanted in New York," said Swanson. "I've done the Joyce [Theater], Soho, St. Mark's [Church]. I've been running a dance studio and theater in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. I have a company. I am now working on a two- to five-year exit plan. What I'll do is come back to Maude. She's all for it."
And when she returns, she would probably be happy to work with Nacre again.
"Nacre has some great, young, beautiful dancers. I loved working with them because they have no expectations. They are so open-minded. So many times I'm working with professional dancers who know that the clock is ticking on their careers. It's important to them to show what they can do. Working with Nacre, there are no egos to soothe. They do the dance as choreographed and trust that it will look good."


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The Rise of the Health Care Robots
The robots are coming and they want you to get well soon.
Robots and artificial intelligence systems are becoming an increasing part of the health care system, aiding doctors and nurses in their work.
One AI algorithm developed by researchers at Stanford University runs through a smartphone and can help doctors identify and diagnose skin cancer by scanning images of a patient's skin at a faster rate.
But some robots also are becoming a part of patients' home care.
Telepresence robots help users stay connected to the outside world and improve mental health, while some can go even further. The Mabu companion robot from Catalia Health can give friendly reminders about medications and send encrypted data to a doctor, ultimately helping patients stick with their treatments.
But don't expect an all robot hospital staff anytime soon.
"It's really not about replacing those people, but augmenting them so ultimately they can do a better job at managing a large number of patients," said Cory Kidd, CEO of Catalia Health. "This robot is not making a diagnosis, its not recommending a treatment, that's still something a doctor is doing."
To learn more, check out the video below from Wired:


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You Can Help! Online Harassment Survey
Dr. Elana Newman and her staff have developed an anonymous online survey to better understand journalists' experience with online harassment.
The Dart Center's research unit, based at the University of Tulsa Department of Psychology, has undertaken pioneering peer-reviewed studies on newsrooms and traumatic stress, and encourages scientific and scholarly inquiry into the impact of news coverage of traumatic events.
Led by Dart Research Director Elana Newman, the University of Tulsa team manages the definitive bibliographic database of scholarly articles on the intersection of journalism and trauma.
We have also developed an anonymous online survey to assess the various forms of online harassment encountered by working journalists. Please follow this link to both complete and share the survey.
Dr. Elana Newman and her staff have developed an anonymous online survey to better understand journalists' experience with online harassment.
The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies has released a special issue on sexual harassment and sexual assault, featuring articles and resources available at no cost through the end of the year.
The Dart Center surveyed 247 journalists around the world about the safety trainings they attended, the skills they acquired and the gaps between these trainings and their professional needs on the ground. This report, prepared by an interdisciplinary team of researchers in psychology, occupational safety and journalism practice, details the results. Scroll down for the executive summary and click here for the full report.


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True P2PE®: They Can't Steal What You Don't Have®
As a payments industry innovator, Shift4 Payments is committed to providing businesses like yours with cutting-edge, integrated, business-optimized payment solutions that are simple, seamless, and secure. Our True P2PE® (point-to-point encryption) solution encrypts card data the moment it is swiped, dipped, manually entered, or tapped (as with mobile wallets like Apple Pay®). This keeps sensitive card data from entering your payment environment as well as that of your point of sale (POS) or property management system (PMS). Additionally, your business can now significantly reduce the scope and time of required PCI DSS assessments through the ability to complete the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) P2PE "short form." Furthermore, by ensuring that sensitive payment data does not enter your environment or systems, you are given the strongest data protection against hackers available. After all, They Can't Steal What You Don't Have®.
Complete Security for Every Payment Channel
Shift4 Payments is a PCI-compliant, Level 1 Service Provider, and we are passionate about security. Our True P2PE solution works together with the payment industry's unsurpassed tokenization solution, TrueTokenization®, to ensure that you do not store, process, or transmit sensitive payment data via traditional, mobile, call center, or e-commerce points of purchase. Best of all, support for our True P2PE and TrueTokenization solutions are a part of a complete suite of security solutions included with our payment service and gateway solution. Whether a customer pays with their credit or debit card (including EMV), gift card, or an emerging payment type, such as a mobile wallet, Shift4 Payments has you covered by securing those payment types.
P2PE That Fits Your Needs
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*Universal Transaction Gateway® (UTG®), 4Go®, 4Word®, and i4Go® are covered by one or more of the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 7770789; 7841523; 7891563; 8328095; 8688589; 8690056; 9082120; 9256874; 9495680; 9818111; 9836745


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'The field of Human Resources and its tools are in dire need of a fix."
Over the past several years I've been disturbed to see Human Resource offices becoming major barriers between excellent job candidates and management desperate to find great workers. Business administrators foolishly hope to cut operating costs by relying more and more on computer job application systems to receive and sort applicants, rather than spending their money on well-trained and discerning HR professionals.
A lack of national and international standardization and regulatory licensure has created a monstrous and unpredictable collection of individual human resource systems and practices. Very few colleges and universities offer degrees in Human Resources. The best recruiters and dedicated HR professionals spend their own money for an expensive, national training and certification with the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to grow and improve their field. Northern New Mexico Human Resource Association is a local affiliate SHRM. This organization and credential is rarely recognized or required by employers. It already has an excellent training curriculum which should be adopted into degree programs by colleges and universities across the country. It's very scary to realize that most human resources professionals do not have standardized training and credentials or, except for SHRM members, a code of ethics and oversight board to ensure they are following best practices, employment laws and maintaining employee confidentiality.
Over and over I see limited and poorly written job descriptions being taken as gospel by HR departments and their simplistic computers, which regularly toss out applications when entered information doesn't fit their "If I don't recognize you have it, you don't have it" way of sorting. So when I assess a client's resume, I go first to the minimum qualifications for the job posting that interests them, then look for clear and indisputable proof that even a computer can see that those minimum qualifications are met. If we can't find a way to clearly show the minimum qualifications, I tell my client there's not much point in going further with the application process.
Sadly, the best candidates often have such diversity in their education and experience that showing they meet HR's requirements can often become a convoluted challenge. This leaves well-qualified job seekers frustrated, bewildered and often shut out of jobs for which they are perfectly suited. And it leaves managers thinking there aren't any good candidates to be found. Or, as I have seen too many times, managers are told by HR that the person they've recruited, or have been networking with and think is a great candidate, doesn't fit the specific job requirements HR insisted on setting to make their task easier and is ineligible to be considered.
The field of Human Resources and its tools are in dire need of a fix. Unfortunately, until that happens, many job seekers will continue to bounce off their various barriers until their persistence or luck gets them through.
Originally published at SantaFe.com on July 17, 2013


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I believe Michael Scott perfectly summed up today's emotions when he stated, "Well, this is gonna hurt like a motherf—er."
The final day of both The Office and my Dundies extravaganza is upon us, and needless to say, it's an emotional one. Among the last batch of personalized Dunder Mifflinite honors are the very best of Jim and Pam, Dwight and Pam, and even Kelly and Ryan.
But that's not all: Members of the Office cast — including Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer — are also on hand (scroll way down) to give out their own special set of Dundies. Did your top Office moments receive accolades this week?
VIDEO | The Office Series Finale — Honoring Dunder Mifflin With the Best Dundies Ever
Jim and Pam Are… Everything Dundie
• Pam learns that Jim is "onto" her and her love of mixed berry yogurt — "Pilot," Season 1
• Jim "is in love with" Italian food — Money, Season 4
• With only his eyes, Jim tells Pam he's in love with her during a jinxing – "Drug Testing," Season 2
• Once again, with only his eyes, Jim tells Pam he's in love with her – "Booze Cruise," Season 2
• To ease wedding jitters, Jim cuts his tie in half; Pam takes a mental snapshot – "Niagara," Season 6
• Silently, but with great impact, Jim and Pam learn they're expecting – "Company Picnic," Season 5
• Jim proposes to Pam in the rain at a gas station – "Weight Loss," Season 5
• Jim asks Pam out on their first official date while she's doing an interview – "The Job," Season 3
• Pam and Jim make a mundane trip to the grocery store all sorts of fun — "Michael's Birthday," Season 3
• Drunk on "second drink," Pam plants her first kiss on Jim — "The Dundies," Season 2
• Jim fake proposes to Pam multiple times — "Chair Model," Season 4
• Pam comes clean about missing Jim — in front the of whole office — "Beach Games," Season 3
Winners (TIE):
Pam falls asleep on a happy Jim's shoulder — "Diversity Day," Season 1; Jim professes his love to (and kisses!) Pam – "Casino Night," Season 2
To be honest, this Dundie could have gone any number of ways, as is evidenced above in the sheer number of nominations. But these two moments (the second of which was chosen by my Office-loving colleague Kim Roots) really epitomize what it is we all know and love about Jim and Pam. From Day 1, all Jim wanted to do was love Pam and to be loved in return. It took awhile, but they finally got there — and when they did, one of TV's greatest love stories ever told came full-circle.
Boogie-Woogie Down Dundie
• Michael sets up a dance-infused coffee shop downstairs — "Cafe Disco," Season 5
• Michael's inspirational moves on a boat — "Booze Cruise," Season 2
• Darryl's dancing send-off — "A.A.R.M.," Season 9
• Anything and everything Subtle Sexuality — Web Series
The Dunder Mifflinites surprise Pam and Jim with a wedding dance of their own — "Niagara," Season 6
The average couple might loathe their coworkers ruining their big day with a dance number, but not Jim and Pam. Instead, the pair — who've already secretly wed — embrace the absurdity and watch (with as much joy as the audience) as the group shimmies and shakes down to the altar. (And let's face it, the "Jam" wedding really wouldn't have been complete without Dwight knocking someone out and Kevin face-planting.)
VIDEO | The Office Dundies — Christmas Party & More Series' Best Moments
The "Oh My God, Dwight Is Pam's Friend" Dundie
• A dementia-y Dwight bonds with "Pan" — "The Injury," Season 2
• Dwight tells Clark how "cool" Pam is — "Livin' the Dream," Season 9
• Pam and Dwight team up to find the perp who messed with her mural — "Vandalism," Season 9
• Dwight asks Pam to be his secret Assistant to the Regional Manager — "The Job," Season 3
Dwight comforts a heartbroken Pam — "Back from Vacation," Season 3
Sensitivity was never one of Dwight's strong suits, but he sure did give it his all when he encountered a tearful Pam back in Season 3. The result: one of the series' most genuine and heartfelt moments.
PHOTOS | The Office Best Moments — 25 All-Time Favorites
"This Is the Worst" Best Emotional Moment Dundies
• Michael and Pam share an incredibly emotional so-long — "Goodbye, Michael," Season 7
• To prove to Pam that she's "everything" to him, Jim shows her nine years' worth of footage — "A.A.R.M.," Season 9
• Michael proposes to Holly in the candlelit annex — "Garage Sale," Season 7
• Jim smiles his most adorable smile yet into the camera after marrying Pam – "Niagara," Season 6
• Jim proposes to Pam in the rain at a gas station – "Weight Loss," Season 5
• Holly finds Michael on a random rooftop and they finally rekindle their romance — "The Search," Season 7
• Michael shows up to Pam's art show and gushes over what "could be tracings" — "Business School," Season 3
• Michael gives a fatherly farewell to Erin — "Goodbye, Michael," Season 7
• Angela accepts Dwight's marriage proposal and reveals Phillip's Schrutehood — "A.A.R.M.," Season 9
• Dwight is finally named Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton — "Livin' the Dream," Season 9
• Jim gives Pam a thoughtful teapot for Christmas — filled with bonus gifts! — "Christmas Party," Season 2
• Pam and Jim enjoy grilled cheese on the rooftop — "The Client," Season 2
Michael and Jim share their own incredibly emotional so long — "Goodbye, Michael," Season 7
It doesn't get much more sobby than this…
Best of the Rest Dundies
• Kevin spills his beloved chilli — "Casual Friday," Season 5
• Oscar gives in and kisses an ignorant Michael — "Gay Witch Hunt," Season 3
• Erin just does not get Michael's love of Holly — "Classy Christmas," Season 7
• Stanley loves pretzel day — "Initiation," Season 3
• Angela looks back on her time with Sprinkles ("Just a couple of kittens!") — "Fun Run," Season 4
• Meredith flashes Michael at a holiday shindig — "Christmas Party," Season 2
• Phyllis throws out her back while boogying down — "Cafe Disco," Season 5
• Creed has a "distinct old man smell," aka mung beans — "Conflict Resolution," Season 2
The love story of Kelly Kapoor and Ryan Howard — Seasons 1-8
The most unique romance on television never failed to shock and amuse viewers, and that's why the "Kyan" or "Relly" (or whatever) love story will live on forever.
A Dundie to top all Dundies: The Standout Season Dundie
• Season 1
• Season 3
• Season 4
• Season 5
• Season 6
• Season 7
• Season 8
• Season 9
Season 2
This is obviously a personal choice, but to me, you simply cannot top The Office's second season. It had it all — and by "all," I mean the moments that ultimately made me fall head-over-heels for the series: "The Dundies," "The Fire," "Christmas Party," "The Injury," "The Client," "Take Your Daughter to Work Day," "Drug Testing" — there's seriously not a bad one in the bunch. This season set the bar for me; it's now the gold standard of television by which I compare all other comedies, past and present.
And now, that special treat I promised: Your Office faves reveal the Dundies they would bestow upon their characters.
Thanks for taking part in TVLine's own Dundies-fest! Were your faves awarded? Hit the comments!


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Longtime Lamar coach Jerry Martinez was recognized Monday by the University Interscholastic League as one of the 15 top sponsors in Texas.
The 2011 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award winners were picked from the areas of athletics, music and academics, and were nominated by principals and superintendents.
Martinez has been a coach and teacher for more than 50 years, spending the last 25 leading Lamar's boys track and cross country programs. He had six regional qualifiers last spring in, with one (Alonzo Mitchell in the discus) reaching state.
As a football assistant, Martinez has helped Lamar reach the playoffs in 24 of his 25 seasons with the program.
"The benefits of interscholastic competition and student performance are only possible through the hard work and dedication of sponsors, coaches and directors like these," UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt said in a press release. "On behalf of the UIL, I commend these outstanding educators."
Other coaches recognized were Waco University's Mike Chapman (boys and girls soccer) and Duncanville's Cathy Self-Morgan (girls basketball).


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Meet Zody. Your average six year old kid,
except for one thing, Zody is a Zombie. The Living Dead. And you thought that you had a tuff time making friends. Poor
Zody has moved from his familiar home on the Island of the Dead and now lives in a quiet, small American town with his
Zombie family.


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Kode Game Java Drag Racing JavaKode Game Java Drag Racing Java is a software selection with 10 downloads. The most lightweight of them are Drakensang 2 Savegame Editor (sized at 85,056) and MobiMB Mobile Media Browser (sized at 1,072,736), while the largest one is Top Fuel Drag Racing with 42,151,554 bytes. It includes 6 freeware products like Build An Atom and Team Players Corvette C6R as well as commercial software like MobiMB ($25.95) and Thesaurus Tangle ($18)
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So tucking into my carrot and butter bean soup at my desk with some oat cakes reading the news and lose half my oat cake into my soup bowl - I now look like I am wearing a polka dot shirt to the office. *Sigh*
It makes me think of other food mishaps:
1) Pouring a full bowl of custard into my lap at the school when I was about 9 - I sobbed my heart out with embarrassment as the teacher took me a way to clean me up
2) Pouring a full cup of tea over myself during breakfast at school when I was about 14 - this time I felt embarrassed but ran up to the dorm to change wondering how on earth I managed to drown myself!
3) Walking through to the front room with my pasta and tomato based sauce and the bowl falling face down on a cream carpet! Yikes - it always had a pink round tinge after clean up
4) Snorting coca cola up my nose through the straw in my glass when I was 5 - just to see if I could but not knowledgeable enough to understand the consequences!! Very unpleasant as you can imagine.
5) Thinking as it all goes down the same way dipping my chip into my custard aged 13 - yuk!? - yeah I not so bright!!!!
6) Knocking cup of soup over on my desk which left my mouse as an island in the soup sea.
The final one isn't mine but someone else - thinking the jar of marmite was chocolate spread and dipping finger into jar and taking a big dollop to eat - his face was a picture. Hahaha!!!
Have you had any food mishaps?


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After a hard day of training,it was time to made something special.Pork tenderloin with plumsauce and noodles....it was heavenly..It is a lot of work but i don't mind.First make the marinade for the pork tenderloin,it was 5Tbsp syrup,3Tbsp soy and 3Tbsp whiskey.Heat it up on the stove and stir till you have a smooth sauce, then let it cool down and put the pork in it and let it marinade for at least 2 hours.
In the meanwhile you can make the plumsauce. You will need 600gr fresh plums (sliced) 1,5cm fresh ginger sliced or grated,1 fresh Spanish pepper sliced (remove the seeds) 200gr brown sugar,a few leaves fresh mint,125ml vinegar and some clove.Put it al together on the stove and stir well,let it cook for about 45 min. and let it cool down.
Set up the grill for indirect grilling and put the pork tenderloin on the indirect side and leave it there for about 45 min. (core temp. 78 degrees)
Serve with noodles and a red wine or rose.
4 Rettich Pickle Recepten
1 maand geleden


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FORTUNE — Many are hoping that, after dominating the headlines for almost two weeks now, the tiny island of Cyprus will soon return to virtual obscurity in the global financial media. For this to happen, the latest country rescue package needs to hold. Yet prospects are highly uncertain — confirming a gradual shift in power in Europe and fueling concerns for the wellbeing of other small European economies, as well as the broader economic and financial stability of the region.
As most readers know, officials from Europe and the IMF badly bungled the first attempt at rescuing Cyprus. Realizing the policy slippage, and after a rather unusual (and quite public) blame game, they scrambled and came up on Monday with a new package. While technically more plausible, it faces considerable implementation challenges.
The second rescue restored the usual safeguards enjoyed by insured bank deposits (i.e., those below EUR 100,000). It eschewed a rather blunt generalized approach to the banking system, opting instead for a more sensible entity-specific one. And it incorporated more common sense in allocating burden sharing on the capital structure, including imposing severe losses on bond holders and other senior creditors.
In light of the severity of the Cypriot situation, and given official creditors' hesitation to commit their taxpayers to another large financing, the new rescue involved another notable, and highly unusual feature — that of very significant haircuts on uninsured bank deposits. Partial initial indications suggest that these could be as high as 80% for the most problematic bank, and 40% for another.
It is not unheard of for officials to need two rounds to rescue a country. Indeed, it was the case for several cases in the past, including Mexico in 1995 and Korea in 1999. What is unusual is that, this time around, the second round came so quickly after the first. The reasons for this speak to more than inadequate design, generalized bailout fatigue, and mounting coordination problems. They also highlight four areas of major uncertainties that warrant close monitoring.
The first test for the Cypriot rescue will come as soon as the government reopens the country's banks (currently scheduled for tomorrow). It is critical that this process be orderly, transparent and sustained. Put bluntly, the already shaky rescue package will not survive persistent images of bank runs and widening street protests.
MORE: Cyprus: The worst is yet to come
This speaks to the second uncertainty: whether the government is able to maintain a set of capital controls that dissuades people from pulling their money out of the country while at the same time, and this is critical, not totally choking an already-struggling economy via widespread shortages, hoarding, and black markets.
Well-functioning capital controls are difficult to design and implement. Importantly, the Cypriot government needs to convey that these controls are both temporary and reversible. And this is very hard to do when, being part of the single currency eurozone, it cannot depreciate its currency as a means of realigning price incentives and limiting the inevitable leakages that accompany capital controls.
Third, it is not clear how long it will take for some sense of normalcy to return to the functioning of the Cypriot economy. Today the country is paralyzed by much more than the immediate shock of the crisis. Under pressure from its European partners, it is in the process of permanently dismantling its status as an offshore banking center. Absent a new growth model and much greater external financial support — both of which are unlikely to materialize quickly — the economy risks falling into a protracted depression.
Finally, there are questions on how depositors will now behave in other vulnerable European countries, especially those with large uninsured accounts. Will they feel compelled to take cash out of banks now that Europe has broken all sorts of taboos?
Most analysts are rightly inclined to focus on the larger economies such as Italy and Spain. In doing so, they should also keep a keen eye on what would normally be regarded as the smaller "non-systemic" ones (particularly Slovenia and those with a large banking system relative to their national economies). History warns us that heightened instability in a handful of "non-systemics" can easily become systemic.
These four economic and financial uncertainties have notable socio-political dimensions. The longer they persist, the higher the risk that citizens would continue to lose trust in the traditional political order and established political parties — thus reducing the scope for the effective implementation of reform programs and also increasing the risk of social disorder.
MORE: Top 10 executive MBA programs
Cyprus is more than the sad story of a small European economy which allowed its banks to grow excessively and irresponsibly. It is also an indicator of an important gradual shift in the major determinants of European stability — away from the guiding hands of national governments, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund and to the less coordinated actions of increasingly frustrated and disillusioned citizens in a growing number of countries.
What is happening in Cyprus today is reminding citizens in other countries of an old saying: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
To predict how Europe evolves from here, analysts need to broaden their focus well beyond the traditional national and multilateral power centers. Increasingly, the fate of a growing number of European economies rests in the hands of citizens who feel they have no choice but to self-insure financially, disconnect economically, and protest socially.
Mohamed A. El-Erian is the CEO and co-chief investment officer of PIMCO. He also chairs the U.S. president's global development council.


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The Ballad of Ketinetto 7
Genre(s): Point & Click Games, Adventure Games, Added by : soruman, Apr 03 2010 19:54,
Tags : point & click, adventure, federico rutenberg, icon adventure
Tags : point & click, adventure, federico rutenberg, icon adventure
Federico Rutenberg, the creator of the ballad of the ketinetto serie made the 7th chapter of the ketinetto serie available. The adventure continues on totem island, where we left the story in part 6. Your next station in the serie is mountaintop, but how to go there. Play chapter 7 and find out how. Good luck & have fun!
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Shanghai Mayor visited ERA stand at the China Technology Fair
Shanghai, April 27th, 2015 ERA Company exhibited its surveillance and tracking ATM systems at the 3rd China Technology International Fair in Shanghai, China. The event took place at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on April 23 – 25, 2015.
Czech Republic has become the main partner of the exhibition this year and thus its exhibition hall, including ERA stand, was visited by many Chinese official representatives such as Shanghai mayor Yang Xiong. ERA attracted their attention by presenting surface guidance and PRM systems, which have been in use at the Beijing International Airport since the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Mr Yang Xiong stopped by at ERA exhibition stand and has spoken to Managing Director Viktor Sotona. "We consider China a territory of major business opportunities for our company hence we appreciate the possibility to present our passive radiolocation surveillance systems here in Shanghai. ERA already has left some 'trace' on Chinese airports . The first big contract we had obtained was supplying ERA civil multilateration system to the Beijing airport. Its ability to track the aircrafts even while landing into two parallel runways helped to increase the level of safety of the airport with the upswing of air traffic during the summer Olympics," stated Viktor Sotona.
China Technology International Fair belongs to the most important exhibition events of the year in Shanghai. Due to the fact the Czech Republic is the country of main partnership in 2015 there were present many Czech politicians and major industrial companies (in fields such as health care, high-tech industry, transport etc.) presented their products in the Czech Technological Pavilion.


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Shaw Traders Junction Hardwood Flooring
A collection that truly offers something for all tastescasual or sophisticated. In ½ x 5″ plywood-core engineered hickory, Traders Junction planks have a smooth surface with a matte finish and rusticgrain character with high natural variation. The beautiful color line ranges from the clearly natural to the dark and richly stained. The lightest color is light and translucent, showing all the characteristics of the woodas if it were natural, with no stain on it (a great look that continues to grow in popularity). The medium to darker stain colors hide some of the rustic qualities, looking more formal and elegant. Styles change,exspectations change, these aren't the days where a hardwood flooring is just to look at in your dinning room. Hardwood flooring is being made to live on, the lower gloss levels show less prints and less scuffing. You can let the kids play because the clearing is much easrier than carpet and many other floors.
Specifications Here…..
Features Here……


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Merck / Merial Manual for Pet Health
The Complete Pet Health Resource - In Everyday
Animal health expertise
in everyday language.
This in-depth new resource,
based on the best-selling Merck/Merial
Veterinary Manual and authored by over 200
veterinary experts, covers the full spectrum of
today's pets — from dogs, cats and
horses to birds, reptiles, fish and other exotic
pets. No other book provides as much health information
on as many types of animals.
Animal expert Joan Embery has championed wildlife
and environmental initiatives around the world, most
notably as a spokesperson for the Zoological Society
of San Diego.
She has shared her passion for animals with a multitude
of audiences, from children to veterinary students to
corporate executives. She has appeared on hundreds of
television shows, including The Tonight Show, CBS This
Morning, Entertainment Tonight, and her own syndicated
series, Animal Express and Animals of Africa.
Joan has led wildlife expeditions to such exotic locales
as Africa, China, Nepal, India, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia,
Australia, New Zealand and the Amazon, and has authored
several books.
In 2004, Joan created her own non-profit foundation,The
Embery Institute for Wildlife Conservation, with the
mission of connecting people to wildlife and conservation
issues. Dedicated to studying, raising, training and
advocating for animals of all types, Joan is the ideal
spokesperson for The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health.
Table of Contents
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Going through Your Parents' StuffThis article couldn't have been better timed for me. Heirs should sift slowly through attic is a look into an issue more and more of us are dealing with -- sifting through a lifetime's worth of memories and memorabilia left to us by our parents:
"Much has been made of the ongoing "transfer of wealth" from the World War II generation, but the old soldiers and their wives are leaving behind a lot of stuff along with their stocks and bonds. Puzzled middle-aged children, some ready to downsize their own households, are left to decide what to keep, what to sell, what to donate to charity and what to haul to the dump."
With my mother's recent passing, I'm in this midst of this process right now, and even as a genealogist, there's a temptation to rush it. Just so much stuff. But it pays to go slowly. I found my father's original baptismal certificate. He and my mom divorced about 30 years ago, but she still had this document. Until now, even my father did not know where he had been baptized.
I found a prayer card given to my mother by a nun in the family at the time of my birth. The convent records of this distant cousin of mine turned out to be the key to unlocking a lot of mysteries about the Nelligan branch of my family tree. But until now, I hadn't realized that my mother and Sister Aldegonde had even known each other.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, and as the family historian, I'm the recipient of countless boxes and bags of photos. It will take me ages to sort through and organize, but it will be worth it.
Please take a moment to read this article -- and ponder it not only in terms of dealing with your parents' stuff, but also in terms of others dealing with your stuff.


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Throughout American history, millions of members of the United States Armed Forces have fought in deadly wars and battles to protect our country and its freedom. One of the tragic consequences to those engaged in these wars is post-traumatic effects to our veterans well being. Our program partners show an appreciation for that sacrifice, and aid in our mission, which is of significant therapy for the combat veteran.
Some of our supporters are listed here.
Wounded Warriors Guide Service
WOUNDED WARRIORS GUIDE SERVICE is a cost free guide service founded by veterans for veterans. We here at WOUNDED WARRIORS GUIDE SERVICE provide waterfowl hunting opportunities for our vets that have been wounded serving our great nation. At WOUNDED WARRIORS GUIDE SERVICE we are always preparing for the waterfowl season and decided that we want to share our great experiences with those who have sacrificed greatly for our country.
Minnesota American Legion
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation's largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.
Disabled American Veterans
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is the most long-lasting veterans advocacy and assistance group in this country. We've watched this country change and grow, and we've grown along with it. However, DAV has never wavered in its core mission to fulfill our country's promises to the men and women who served. We invite everyone, veterans and civilian, men and women, young and old, to join us as we stand up for those veterans who risked it all when they stood up for us, our country, and our ideals.
Purple Hearts and Heroes
Purple Hearts and Heroes exists to provide Deserving Veterans, Special Needs Children and Children of the Fallen the opportunity and ability to connect or reconnect with the outdoors through outdoor adventures. We encourage any veteran, special needs child, children of our fallen soldiers or gold star family members to apply with us. We will be in touch as soon as we can to follow up with you.
Walleyes for Wounded Heroes
Walleyes for Wounded Heroes provides opportunities for our nation's current or former uniformed members of the United States Armed Forces, sworn Law Enforcement Officers, sworn Fire Fighters and sworn or affirmed Emergency Medical Responders, all of whom have been injured from combat operations or line-of-duty service, to fish and reconnect with nature's healing properties. Charter Captains and private boat owners take our Wounded Heroes walleye fishing for a 4 day event the last weekend of June at no charge. Walleyes for Wounded Heroes provides lodging, meals, entertainment, and transportation around the Port Clinton area.
Membership Applications
With this application please submit proof of military service and service connected disability. Thank you for your interest in the Wounded Warrior Guide Service. You will be contacted as trips become available. Also, Thank You for your service to this great country.


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By Sean Reifschneider Date 2004-11-14 16:23 Tags sean reifschneider
I ended up doing an (almost) full re-install of my laptop to get FC3. The upgrade mostly worked, and I probably could have done something a bit more surgical since I make religious use of packages. Luckily, I realized that it would just be less trouble for me to re-install the OS. I had pulled a list of packages which were not updated by the FC3 upgrade and it was several hundred of them. I set up my system in such a way that a fresh re-install isn't a huge issue, so I went ahead with that.
Things were working fine with the FC3 upgrade except for one issue. The system would hang on resume if I suspended. I have tweaked the APM scripts on resume, so that might have been part of it, but from what I could tell the APM scripts were all fresh copies of FC3 so it might have been some other issue. But it would hang on resume even if I was in single user mode. The fresh upgrade did indeed allow me to suspend, so that was one issue resolved.
The other issue is that I have a whole ton of packages which are not a part of the base CD sets. This is for a number of reasons. Many of them are for special development projects, both company and personal, that I work on. Many custom Python installs, database drivers, etc. Some of them are things that are developed for KRUD or clients. Because they were packages, I could remove them and then ask RPM if it broke anything doing that. That would have been a lot of work though.
A re-install actually isn't that much trouble for me on my laptop. I don't run that many services, and almost all of the important stuff resides under /home. I have my laptop set up so that "/" is 12GB, and "/home" is the rest of the space. So, I can re-install the OS without having to back up and reload all my data. Of course, I have a recent backup of /home, but there was a bit of e-mail and other changes that weren't on that backup, so not having to copy/restore it was a win.
So, a re-install for me involves the following:
As you can see, a few details, but really nothing that hard. Just going through a process with several steps. E-mail is really the "mission-critical" application that requires setup of the base OS, so it's really a pretty easy re-install. If this were a server it probably would have been quite a lot more involved.
In the end, though, I did re-install my "/home" partition as well. I had been wanting to change it over to XFS and decided just to bite the bullet after I got the install done. I had been using JFS, which mostly was working well for me. However, I had run into some Unicode-named files which JFS wasn't handling at all well. It couldn't delete them once they were created. There were only a couple of them on the system. So I decided to give XFS a try. I've been through every one of the other major file-systems, so why not?
The re-install I again did using the PXE images installed locally on my laptop. That worked great.
I'm now up with the latest bits, which is kind of nice. I checked and it looks like the last install I did on the system was November 22, just a week short of a year ago. Mostly I did the upgrade because I wanted to try out the new software for experience for using with KRUD. Plus, it's nice to have the latest software. My old system was a bit tweaky since the OS was using Python 2.2, but Zope3's TAL (required for JOTWeb) required Python 2.3. So I was maintaining two different versions of many packages.comments powered by Disqus


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In an effort to prevent Muslim leaders from promoting extreme dogma, a top French government official has suggested that the country begin training imams to respect human rights.
In late April, French officials expelled an imam who said unfaithful wives should be stoned. The next day, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin told a gathering of local religious leaders that he would not hesitate to deport other preachers from the country who advocate violence, hatred, racism or human rights abuses, The Guardian, a London-based newspaper, reported.
De Villepin also said that France had to "face the issue of training imams. I ask you to help the Muslim faith get organized better and more quickly so that a real 'French Islam' can emerge," he said.
The New York Times reported on April 30 that France had kicked five Muslim clerics out of the country this year and that dozens have been tossed out since 2001. The latest expulsion was that of Abdelkader Bouziane, who told a reporter that husbands should hit their wives, that polygamy is acceptable, that women are inferior to men and that listening to music is a sin.
According to the Times, Bouziane told the reporter that a man shouldn't hit his wife in the face, "but aim lower, the legs or the stomach." He added that a man is justified in hitting his wife with great force to instill fear in her.


text: With the Fourth of July right around the corner, we've has been pondering our favorite patriotic media. Not just the ones that offer the most jingoism or flag-waving, mind you, but the movies, TV shows, comics and books that best celebrate, critique or embody the issue of American identity. If you're looking for something to read or watch over the upcoming holiday, we offer these humble suggestions for exploring, enjoying or exploding American patriotism, in all its many modern media forms. Independence Day What It's About: Independence Day—possibly the greatest alien-invasion-military-recruitment movie of all time (soon to have a sequel!)—is the harrowing tale of what happens when extraterrestrials attack the United States and it's up to a quirky scientist (Jeff Goldblum), a smart-ass ace pilot (Will Smith), a drunk (Randy Quaid), and the best-coiffed president ever (Bill Pullman) to pull together and save the nation. It might be Roland Emmerich's masterpiece (sorry, 10,000 BC). It also features Brent Spiner as an Area 51 scientist and a scene where an alien is punched in the face – by Will Smith. What It Teaches Us About America: Like all great flag-waving action flicks, Independence Day teaches us that even the FLOTUS (played here by Battlestar Galactica's Madame President Mary McDonnell) and a stripper (played here by Vivica A. Fox) can pull together to save humanity, and that despite any perceived differences we may think we have we're all in this together. But really the true patriotism lies in President Thomas J. Whitmore's rousing speech at the end. "Mankind, huh? Word should have new meaning for all of us, today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom – not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. … Today we celebrate our Independence Day." It's amazing. It's hard not to believe President Obama's speechwriters don't occasionally crank it up for inspiration. Even Robert Loggia chokes up. Basically, that speech embodies everything America wants to be – even if, in this case, America wants to be a nation that bands together with the rest of the world to fight of extra terrestrial invasion. Also, what makes you prouder to be an American than alien punching? —Angela WatercutterParks & Recreation What It's About: Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, is the dedicated deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of fictional Pawnee, Indiana (First in Friendship, Fourth in Obesity). Her job is a constant uphill struggle, between a hardline-Libertarian boss who's been working his way up the government ladder mostly to impede it, co-workers who range from staunchly apathetic to wildly incompetent and a constituency whose relationship with reality is generally on the shaky side. Nonetheless, Knope usually manages to win the day, and by the current season, she's revived the town's historic Harvest Festival, landed a seat on the City Council, and weathered public scandal in the name of love. What It Teaches Us About America: Parks & Rec. may be a satire of local government, but protagonist Leslie Knope's enthusiasm for and staunch belief in the value of public process and her weird little hometown are unbelievably contagious—not just to her fictional colleagues and constituents, but to her audience. This is the America and American government that I want to believe in: eclectic misfits celebrating their differences and working together--if not always smoothly--toward common good. —Rachel EdidinTeam America: World Police What It's About: Arguably the greatest love letter to the military industrial complex/political satire/parody of 1960s kids show Thunderbirds in the history of the world, Team America: World Police is a surprisingly smart, merciless personification of the right wing view of American foreign policy post-9/11, wrapped up in a shameless piss-take of the action movie genre. Oh, yeah, and everyone in it is a marionette, too, because obviously there wasn't enough to make the movie unusual enough as it was. What It Teaches Us About America: In case the movie's theme song doesn't give you enough of a patriotic fervor (Sample: "Terrorist, your game is through/ Cause now you have to answer to/ America, fuck yeah"), you might be won over by Team America's depiction of a strong country that really does keep the rest of the world in line through force and moral superiority... Or perhaps the sly--if not always subtle--way in which creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone manage to ridicule that particular idea of what America's responsibility to the world is. In its own way, Team America actually succeeds as patriotic by standing up for America by trying to protect it from being overrun by empire builders.The West Wing What It's About: An NBC political drama that ran from 1999-2006, The West Wing took viewers inside the fast-talking, occasionally bombastic Oval Office of fictional Democratic President Josiah Bartlet, primarily by looking through the eyes of his senior and junior support staff as they tackled contemporary issues ranging from terrorism to same-sex marriage. __What It Teaches Us About America:__A moderate Democrat and devout Catholic, President Bartlet was nonetheless a wish-fullfillment dream for liberals: an erudite Nobel Laureate who expounded on the joys of ancient history and literature between executive decisions in stark contrast to the anti-intellectual bent of real-life president George W. Bush. Particularly after 9/11, as the larger world of politics became increasingly dominated by fear, cynicism and partisan politics, West Wing fired the imaginations of viewers with a White House that was fueled by optimism, idealism, human goodness -- and ok, still partisan politics. Sure, The West Wing was an unapologetically left-leaning show, but it was also a deeply patriotic one that believed not only in America's exceptionalism but in the ability of its political system to accomplish good. At the very least, it allowed viewers a glimpse into a world where the people running the country served the interests of America first and politics second, not the other way around. And even if it's fiction, that's an alternate universe worth imagining. -Laura HudsonVeep What It's About: Veep is a biting half-hour political satire on HBO about vice president Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her (mostly) power-hungry and bumbling staff. From her doofus director of communications Mike McLintock (Matt Walsh) to her ruthlessly funny chief of staff Amy Brookheimer (Anna Chlumsky) to her White House liaison Jonah Ryan (Timothy C. Simons), everyone on the show is an eerily familiar-looking parody of someone we've probably seen on the news or read about in The Washington Post. What It Teaches Us About America: Seeing as it's an odd-couple kind of show that pairs one of the most powerful offices in the land with the concept of a workplace comedy, it's hard to imagine this show should be taken too seriously. However, if you think deeper than the malarkey and (albeit priceless) VP quotes like "I hate impeachments – they're so '90s," there is actually a celebration of American democracy in Veep. We've all read about enough political gaffes and D.C. backstabbing at this point to know that politics in America is both funny and messy, and by portraying the office as exactly that-and even adding a little bit of drama in Season 2--HBO's smart comedy has humanized the largely ceremonial office of the Veep in an amazing and memorable way. After all, when your Vice-President is a woman who can whip out a phrase like, "He's busting my fucking lady balls" with ease, she becomes pretty hard to forget.—Angela WatercutterTop Gun What It's About: Top Gun is the best military recruitment video ever. Set during the Cold War, the movie is about a cocky pilot named Maverick (Top Cruise, natch) and his RIO Goose (Anthony Edwards) who go off to Top Gun, an elite school for fighter pilots and learn a few lessons about life, death, and love in the process. (However, if you ask Quentin Tarantino it's actually about a "man's struggle with his own homosexuality.") There's also a lot of Tony Scott-directed amazing dogfights. What It Teaches Us About America: Top Gun was released right in the middle of the Reagan '80s, and it's evident in every frame (and not just because of the excessive hair product). It's the perfect rah-rah USA! film. All of the pilots are so cocksure and prepared for anything they make any red-blooded American want to enlist just so they can fly inverted, flip-off random MiGs and write checks their bodies can't cash. The Top Gun pilots are so confident in their country's military prowess that when they're told they're going into a dogfight to save a communications ship that's "wandered into foreign territory" they don't even ask whose foreign territory it is (they're probably bad dudes, right?). Confidence beyond comprehension: What's more awe-inspiringly American than that? But seriously, the patriotic notions of Top Gun can be incredibly hard to parse—simply because the "bogies" (or their military motivations) are never really identified. All we know is that the climactic dogfight—the one where the Navy fighter pilots actually blow up enemy planes—happens somewhere in the Indian Ocean and, well, those guys fired first. Presumably, the fact that Maverick et al won the day should make us proud of our boys in uniform for saving that disabled ship. But would that fist-pumping, bro-hugging ending feel the same way if it turned out that "communications ship" was full of American spies? —Angela WatercutterThe Colbert Report What It's About: For eight years, Stephen Colbert's companion program to The Daily Show has been serving up Colbert's faux-conservative take on the politics of the day. It also has bangin' eagle graphics. What It Teaches Us About America: Since its inception, The Colbert Report has been pulling a sneak attack on the American comedic political commentary vortex. Instead of just skewering the hypocrisy of politicos à la The Daily Show, the Report plays it a little more straight--or at least tries to--by riffing on the contradictions on cable news itself. As host, Colbert pretends to take the position of a cocky conservative Fox News-type anchor and spouts his opinions as if they're the only way to be a true American patriot -- and uses parody to show just how ridiculous that idea -- and the idea of a "real America" -- really is. Take his comments on the recent Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act that required states to get preclearance before changing voting procedures, a measure that was there to prevent racist voting restrictions. "Ladies and gentlemen, as a son of the South, from one of the states covered by the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act, I want to thank the Supreme Court for finally setting my people free," Colbert noted (above). "We don't need it now, because apparently racism is over." By making a joke of ridiculous cable news rhetoric his humor, in turn, ends up being one of the most patriotic acts of comedy on cable. —Angela WatercutterCaptain America's Bicentennial Battles __What It's About:__Published in 1976 during the 200th anniversary of the founding of America, the Marvel Comics storyline featured super-soldier Captain America being sent through time by the mysterious "Mister Buda" to visit the past, present and future of the country he's sworn to protect. Thrill to the team-up of Cap and Benjamin Franklin! Chill to the dangers Cap faces in the great Chicago fire of 1871! Feel entirely conflicted by the sight of Cap dealing with the increasing showbiz world of today! It really is all here, albeit in a genuinely surreal way that has to be seen to be believed. What It Teaches Us About America: There's no denying that Bicentennial Battles is something of a camp classic, what with writer/artist Jack Kirby bringing his traditional bombast and lack of subtlety to the work, but there's a sincerity about the book that's hard to miss, and that charm mixed with the genuinely educational elements of history it contains turns this into a weirdly wonderful history book for the United States that's at once entertaining and even a little inspirational. Admittedly, some of the facts are fudged to say the least -- it claims at one point that Captain America's costume was the inspiration for the original Stars and Stripes, among other things -- but while it may not be a totally accurate American history, per se, it's a certainly a highly entertaining one. —Graeme McMillanThe Collected Works of Sarah Vowell __What They're About:__Author and journalist Sarah Vowell manages the seemingly impossible: She makes history fun to read about. In Assassination Vacation, The Wordy Shipmates and Unfamiliar Fishes, she makes (in order) the history of assassinated U.S. Presidents, the journey to--and impact on--America by the New England Puritans and annexation of Hawaii by the United States not only fun, but easily understandable for a contemporary audience that may otherwise have no interest in American history. What It Teaches Us About America: Vowell isn't just offering history with each of her books. Instead, she offers an insight into American values of old, and allowing readers a chance to see where this country actually came from, clear of sentimentality or after-the-fact whitewashing (occasionally literally). More than that, she makes a point of finding contrasts with today's America, whether in contemporary attitudes, events or overall cultural trends. Vowell doesn't just bring history to life--although she does that effortlessly--she makes the reader aware of the way in which we all belong to history, and that the United States is a country built on, and continually dealing, its own history and tendency towards self-mythologizing. She makes you proud of America and want to do better, all at the same time.—Graeme McMillan